D. Scott Rogo. The Haunted Universe. Signet Paperback, 1971.
A wide-ranging look at the 'psychic' component of a variety of Fortean and ufological events. A great deal of valuable material is presented here, including an analysis of lesser known aspects of the Pascagoula incident, a long look at the BVM apparitions at Zeitoun, more on US creature reports, and a most interesting chapter exploring the subjective origins of the UFO mystery. In all, a fascinating and readable account of interesting events.
Yet in the end, the book is self-contradictary. Concluding that such phenomena, particularly UFOs, are the products of the human mind, he rejects out of hand suggestions that they may be result of telepathically shared dreams or hallucinations, stating:
"From years of investigation and laboratory work, we know that ESP is a very inaccurate information channel. In fact it is so bad as to be useless ... To theorise that two people could come out with carbon-copy stories as a result of telepathic infection runs completely counter to every thing that parapsychology has discovered about the facility..."
As Rogo is described as an experienced psychical investigator and lecturer one would not wish to quarrel with such a statement. Yet, after denying the telepathic effectiveness of the human mind, he seems quite happy to allow the most remarkable psychokinetic powers to it, stating: "All these assorted anomalies (falls from the sky, dematerialisations, misplaced objects and animals, monsters, spontaneous combustion) may be the products of the psychic capabilities of the human mind. The mind that releases the poltergeist is also the mind that causes rocks to fall from the sky, people to vanish, and UFOs to appear ... "
Quite some achievements for a mind that earlier in the book wasn't as effective as two tin cans and a piece of string for transmitting messages! However although you may dispute the author's conclusions the material unveiled in coming to them is well worth reading. - John Rimmer. From MUFOB new series 8, autumn 1977.
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