Introduction: Science and Psi

Abstract

It has been many years since the eighth volume in this series, 'Advances in Parapsychological Research', was published in 1997. During that time, numerous advances have occurred, such as meta-analyses (e.g., Storm, Tressoldi, and Di Risio, 2010; Tressoldi, Storm, and Radin, 2010) that provide additional support for Bern and Honorton's (1994) contention that psi exists. Some years ago, after assessing the evidence for psi, the distinguished statistician Jessica Utts (1996) concluded: "Using the standards applied to any other area of science, it is concluded that psychic functioning has been well established. The statistical results of the studies examined are far beyond what is expected by chance. Arguments that these results could be due to methodological flaws in the experiments are soundly refuted. Effects of similar magnitude have been replicated at a number of laboratories across the world. Such consistency cannot be readily explained by claims of flaws or fraud."