Via swarajyamag.com by Aravindan Neelakandan
Children read through blindfolds even as astonished onlookers, who are initially sceptical, observe intently. The blind-folded children not only can read but also can “see” the colours of things shown to them. “Siddhis”— their mentors call them. The ability is because of “the third eye opening” or a fancier secular term “mid-brain activation”. Is this, then, the much sought scientific evidence for extra-sensory perception (ESP) and is this scientific proof of “Vedic Dharma”, as some Hindu scholars claim?
The history of parapsychology is replete with many such clinching ‘pieces of evidence’ of the supernatural. And a study of them reveals how to tread this path carefully.
The Uri Geller Episode
The young Israeli stage performer burst forth upon the scientific community when he performed before scientific laboratories in the United Stated. The Stanford Research Institute (SRI) conducted a series of tests with Geller and a paper favouring the psychic powers, as the possible explanation for the results, was even published in “Nature”. Laser physicists Russel Targ and Harold Puthoff vigorously promoted Geller.
In 1973, he performed in the BBC studios under the watchful eyes of two scientists: mathematician John Taylor and biologist-author, Lyall Watson. Watson, trained under the legendary Desmond Morris, was extremely sympathetic to ESP. Both the scientists were highly impressed by Geller and were convinced of his psychic abilities. In 1974, at the University of London campus, in the office of physicist John Hasted, Geller did a set of tests in the presence of famous physicist David Bohm, author Arthur Koestler and science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke. Prof Hasted was convinced that what they had observed was “consistent with the hypothesis that Geller could, by concentration, produce occasional and rather unpredictable pulses of electromotive force.” David Bohm was more cautious and said that he “could not assure that there were no tricks and no one there could.” He further pointed out to the “high state of excitement” of Geller, which made it “hard to keep one’s mind on what was happening.”
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