Jim Marrs - PSI Spies - Amazon S3

186PSI Spiesand important in the minds of the proponents, so we attemptto evaluate them fairly.” 7The report did address the long-standing controversyconcerning the existence of paranormal phenomena, admittingthat proponents, including some scientists, firmly believethat psychic functioning has been demonstrated “severaltimes over.” “At the same time, most scientists do not believethat psi exists,” the report continued. 8Harking back to the “chicken or the egg” argument, the reportcited a 1985 paper by J. Palmer entitled “An EvaluativeReport on the Current Status of Parapsychology,” whichstated, “[W]e cannot argue that a given effect has a paranormalcause until we have an adequate theory of paranormality.” 9However, Palmer admitted that certain anomalies—defined as “a statistically significant deviation from chanceexpectation that cannot be readily be explained by existingscientific theories” 10 —have been demonstrated.Palmer, therefore, preferred to consider demonstratedpsi functioning as a scientific anomaly rather than proof ofparanormal phenomena. “We tend to agree with Palmer onthis matter...” stated the research council’s report. 11But other credible people familiar with the committee’swork have raised objections to this conclusion.Dr. Paul Tyler said:From my experience with the National Academy ofSciences, you tell me the answer you want and I willfind a committee that will give it to you. I can sandbag