Release date: January 29, 2012





In this episode, Massimo and Julia take on parapsychology, the study of phenomena such as extrasensory perception, precognition, and remote viewing. Its practitioners claim that there is more evidence for it than there is for other areas of scientific inquiry, such as string theory for which there is no empirical data at all. Yet string theory is taken seriously as a science whereas parapsychology is not. So, what is the scientific status of parapsychology? What does the best academic literature on the subject tell us? Finally, what can we learn from parapsychology about the practice of science in general?

Julia's un-pick: "My Little Pony"

Massimo's pick: "Be it Resolved"

References:

http://rationallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2011/12/alternative-take-on-esp.html

http://rationallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2011/12/academic-posturing-behind-scenes.html

http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/back_from_the_future

http://www.badscience.net/2008/03/beau-funnel

http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/back_from_the_future

http://www.stat.auckland.ac.nz/~iase/publications/icots8/ICOTS8_PL2_UTTS.pdf

