Lecture 10: Independent Replicability, Meta-analysis and Pseudo-Replicability

The original ganfeld psi experiment (1974). The Hyman-Honorton debate (1985). Storm et al vs Hyman (2010). "Meta-analysis that conceals more than it reveals." Parapsychology, a field without a subject matter, without replicability, but with dogged persistence.

A companion course guide can be downloaded here: http://jref.swmirror.com/20730

Lecture 9: Scientists & Psychics: The Importance of Replicability

Hasted et al on How to Test a Psychic (Uri Geller). Delanoy and the young metal bender. Attempting to do science without a disciplinary matrix and without a safety net.

A companion course guide can be downloaded here: http://jref.swmirror.com/20730

Lecture 8: Personal Validation, Subjective Validation, and the Contribution of the Observer

Crider revisted. Forer. The rules of the game. Why it works.

A companion course guide can be downloaded here: http://jref.swmirror.com/20730

Lecture 7: The Psychic Reading: How to Convince People that You Know All About Them

Examples of readings: Alan Alda befuddled by reaction of a lady to a reading. Randi successfully re-enacts Forer's demonstration of the fallacy of personal validation. Hyman duplicates Christian Dion's approach to psychic readings. You too can guru!

A companion course guide can be downloaded here: http://jref.swmirror.com/20730

Lecture 6: Applications of the Framework

Polarity Therapy. Crider: "The study of a character analyst." Additional applications.

A companion course guide can be downloaded here: http://jref.swmirror.com/20730

Lecture 5: The Framework: How, and When, to Override the Autonomous Mind.

The Conditional: if,then thinking. Popper's failed ploy to banish inductive thinking from science. Theory, Hypothesis, Initial Conditions, Auxiliary Conditions, Predicted Outcomes. Alternative reasons for the outcome. Application to the key bending demonstration.

A companion course guide can be downloaded here: http://jref.swmirror.com/20730

Lecture 4: "The Reality of ESP: A Physicists Proof of Psychic Abilities": The Vividness Problem

"Other ways of knowing." Strength of belief vs. strength of proof. Prima facie evidence. Miracles. Scientific ability is domain dependent. Disciplinary Matrix as a safety net. Patrick Price. Remote Viewing. Occult chemistry. Helen Duncan. Madame Blavatsky. Subjective Validation.

A companion course guide can be downloaded here: http://jref.swmirror.com/20730

Lecture 3: Perceptual and Cognitive Biases: Fast and Slow Thinking

Reflective Mind/Algorithmic Mind/Autonomous Mind. The Cognitive Miser. Mindware Gaps. Contaminated Mindware. Finished Files. Assimilation /Contrasts. Invisible Rectangle. Attneave's Cat. Shepard's Tables. 7C→7S

A companion course guide can be downloaded here: http://jref.swmirror.com/20730

Lecture 2: How The Key Got Bent

Student descriptions of the key bending event. Impossibility of describing everything. Observation has to be selective. Problem of relevance. Informal observation is retrospective, unsystematic, and contaminated by the limitations and quirks of human memory and cognition. Scientific observation is prospective, planned, systematic, calibrated and productive of trustworthy data.

A companion course guide can be downloaded here: http://jref.swmirror.com/20730

Lecture 1: The Keys to Critical Thinking

Uri Geller. The Geller Effect. Two students attempt to bend a key with their minds. The problem of unplanned observation. Eyewitness testimony. GIGO. "As described is not the same as "as it happened."

A companion course guide can be downloaded here: http://jref.swmirror.com/20730