A New Science of the Paranormal: The Promise of Psychical Research
Dr. Lawrence LeShan offers a trenchant critique of conventional psychical research, which he argues is hobbled by an overreliance on rigid, quantitative scientific methods unsuited for the qualitative nature of consciousness itself. He champions a radical shift, advocating for the study of profound, undeniable paranormal events such as mediumship, precognition, and psychic healing. This isn't merely an academic exercise; LeShan contends that by embracing these complex phenomena, we can transcend our outdated materialistic worldview, ushering in a more expansive and hopeful understanding of human potential and the very fabric of reality.
Praise for this book
“A New Science of the Paranormal is a stirring manifesto. LeShan offers compelling evidence that consciousness transcends time and space, and why science must confront and ultimately adapt these discoveries. History will judge Lawrence LeShan as one of the great visionaries of consciousness, and this book shows why.”
📝 Description: A New Science of the Paranormal: The Promise of Psychical Research
📑 What's inside
- Chapter 1. Psychic Research and the Consistency of the Universe
- Case History: The Lost Harp, / Elizabeth L. Mayer
- Chapter 2. What Do We Now Know About Psychic Phenomena?
- Case History: A Call to the Wimbledon Underground / Lawrence LeShan
- Chapter 3. Normal and Paranormal Communication
- Case History: An Experience in the Forest, / Eda LeShan
- Chapter 4. Designing a Science of Psychical Research
- Case History: A Transatlantic 'Chair Test, ' / Aristide H. Esser, Lawrence LeShan
- Chapter 5. Psi and Altered States of Consciousness
- Case History: Mrs. Verrall, / Nandor Fodor
- Case History: The Four Photographs / Lawrence LeShan
- Chapter 6. The Next Step: Implications of the New Science
- Case History: The Vanished Man: A Psychometry Experiment with Mrs. Eileen J. Garrett, / Lawrence LeShan
- Chapter 7. What Dare I Hope?
- Appendix. When Is Uvani? / Lawrence LeShan
- Notes
- Index
💎 Expert review
📖 Why choose it
Why this book is worth reading
Readers seeking to expand their understanding of human potential beyond materialist constraints will find profound value in this text. It is ideal for those feeling stifled by conventional science's inability to explain consciousness and paranormal phenomena. LeShan provides a hopeful, expansive framework for those interested in mediumship, precognition, and healing. By challenging narrow scientific views, he offers a methodology that honors the qualitative nature of experience. This book serves as a bridge for skeptics ready to explore rigorous yet open-minded inquiry into reality's deeper fabric, promising a transformative shift in how we perceive our own capabilities and the universe.
⭐ Reader reviews
Reader rating
LeShan’s argument is compelling for those weary of reductionist science but may frustrate readers preferring strict empirical data over philosophical critique. It does not suit those seeking hard statistical proof or those committed to a purely materialistic worldview, as it explicitly rejects current quantitative methods. The tone is academic yet accessible, though its reliance on qualitative analysis might feel subjective to hardened positivists. However, for open-minded seekers and researchers in consciousness studies, it offers a vital, trenchant perspective that reinvigorates the field of psychical research with genuine intellectual vigor and hope.
❓ Frequently asked questions
📖 Who should read this
If you're a seeker who questions the limitations of conventional science when confronting the mysterious, or if you're a researcher frustrated by the current state of psychical studies, this book offers a refreshing, audacious perspective on how we might truly understand the paranormal.
🎯 Key themes and symbolism
Critique of Psi Research
LeShan argues that psychical research suffers from an inferiority complex, attempting to fit inherently non-quantitative phenomena into a strictly laboratory-based, statistical framework. This approach, he posits, misses the essence of psychic experiences and alienates mainstream science rather than engaging it meaningfully. He calls for researchers to abandon methods that reduce grand events to trivial, measurable fragments.
A New Scientific Paradigm
The book proposes a departure from traditional experimental designs, suggesting that sciences like astronomy or anthropology offer better models for studying large-scale, non-repeatable events. LeShan advocates for a methodology focused on the 'big picture' of psychic phenomena—clairvoyance, spirit communication, and healing—to genuinely advance understanding and integrate these insights into a broader scientific discourse.
Transforming Our Reality
Beyond methodological debates, LeShan emphasizes the profound philosophical implications of a revitalized psychical science. He asserts that by acknowledging and properly investigating the paranormal, we can dismantle a limiting, materialistic worldview. This shift, he suggests, promises to reshape our fundamental understanding of consciousness, self, and the universe, leading to a more optimistic and holistic perspective.
📜 Historical context
📚 Glossary
- Psi
- Clairvoyance
- Precognition
📔 Questions to reflect on
- How might a scientific methodology focused on 'large, exciting events' rather than controlled experiments change our understanding of phenomena like intuition or synchronicity in your own life?
- Consider LeShan's argument that the 'old, materialistic worldview has not worked.' In what ways do you perceive this worldview as limiting, and what alternative possibilities does a 'new science of the paranormal' suggest to you?
- If psychical research were to achieve mainstream scientific acceptance through LeShan's proposed methods, how might this impact societal views on consciousness, spirituality, and human potential?
