Philosophy and Parapsychology

Lawrence LeShan. From Newton to ESP; Parapsychology and the Challenge of Modern Science. Turnstone Press, 1985.

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Can the alleged phenomena of parapsychology be reconciled with modern scientific insights and theories? Lawrence LeShan believes that they can and he attempts to show that psi phenomena can be accepted in a way that does not contradict current scientific theories. He approaches the problem by dividing human perceptions into normal perceptions (Type A) and paranormal perceptions (Type B). He says that Type B perceptions do not involve the senses. both kinds of perception are mysterious.

In normal perception the gap m our knowledge "concerns how the changes an our brain brought about my sensory stimulation were changed into conscious experience." In paranormal perception the question is: "How does the information get from the original source to consciousness?"

 

LeShan asserts that both problems are equally mysterious. However, the question of how changes m our brains caused by sensory input gave rise to conscious experience is not generally recognised as being a scientific question but a philosophical one. As for Type B perceptions, most scientists would argue that information cannot enter the human brain except through the senses. Are Type B perceptions what they appear to be? That is, does the human mind receive information in some mysterious, non-physical manner?

The author seems unwilling to get to grips with that question but instead engages in lengthy discussions about the nature of consciousness, and about 'meaningful behaviour'. One of his arguments as to the effect that whereas bodies occupy space, consciousness does not, so it as not meaningful to talk of consciousness as being in a particular place. If we understand this argument we will no longer tend to think of psi phenomena as being imposable. The problem with this argument as that when we consider a leged psi phenomena we are not concerned about consciousness, but about how information gets from one place to another apparently without any physical process being involved in its transference.

Although LeShan has attempted in this book to gave to parapsychology what it so obviously lacks - a sound philosophical basis - I do not feel that he has succeeded.

John Harney, Magonia 19, May 1985