Cambridge Researcher Explains Place of Parapsychology
Parapsychology is concerned with investigation of paranormal phenomena including psychokinesis, near death experiences, telepathy, and reincarnation. It wasn’t a hot topic to begin with, but many scientists were still interested in conducting research. Today, even research at top institutes rarely make it to news channels.
Physical and Materialism research is viewed as antithetical. Parapsychology research was always a part of science. Like it or not, it has a place in modern science, says Andreas Sommer, junior research fellow at Cambridge University.
Research at Cambridge University, England
Recently, Sommer published an article in European journal of physiotherapy and counseling. He says that his goal is to prove parapsychological phenomena exist. This topic is wrongly marginalized and require open discussion. He addresses Psychotherapists to imagine hypothetical situations of their patients and report paranormal experiences.
He says, in some situations you may not encourage your client’s belief in this phenomena because of their emotional issues and conflicts. On the other hand you may encounter patients who go through real paranormal experiences. Rather than observing it neutrally, you may inspire client’s confidence in high realities.
Instead of helping your clients to abandon naive and irrational beliefs, you may acknowledge that some individuals can exploit transpersonal optimism to their benefit, and possibly overcome emotional and concrete hardships.
The idea that this field is unscientific emerge in late nineties; it arose from religious, philosophical, and political believes rather than scientific data. Sommer explains; if we see a straw move because of action of our will, we will be terrified. Influence of our mind on matter is not restricted at the surface of our skin, and there is nothing safe in this world for anyone.
He wasn’t trying to substitute one psychological explanation with another and use it to explain his point. At some point in life, we may acknowledge personal and cultural problems in realm of human activity, we have to deal with them and they seem inescapable.
Sommer find himself agreeing with psychoanalysts, such as William Gillespie and many other. They have observed that there is a strong tendency among researchers to respond in emotional and irrational way.
Sommer’s Conclusion:
Sommer also commented on emotional aspect, rather than scientific approach that many scientists research. There is always opposition to new ideas in the field of science and because of it many possibilities are often overlooked. The hateful and emotional nature of attacks have always affected parapsychological research.
He said that acknowledgement of rational dilemma shouldn’t be confused with arrogant dogmatism and lazy thinking. Far from our critical thinking, admitting Parapsychology phenomena can motivates us to try harder to identify, eliminate, and accept inevitable entities standing in the way of our open mindedness.