Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 354–366
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.354
Editorial
Bigelow, BIAL, and the Funding of Parapsychological Research
Bigelow, BIAL und die Förderung parapsychologischer Forschung
Main Articles
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 367–397
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.367
Past-Life Experiences: Re-living One’s Own Past Lives or Participation in the Lives of Others?
Heiner Schwenke
Abstract
In past-life experiences (PLEs) subjects identify with a person from the past. PLEs are often considered to be memories of the subjects’ past lives, and thus as evidence of reincarnation. In the introductory sections, I argue for the use of a personal concept of reincarnation and reject various non-personal reincarnation concepts on logical-semantic grounds. I proceed to reject the widespread notion that the occurrence of personal reincarnation can be investigated by scientific means. I suggest that memories in the sense of re-experiencing are the primary access to a person’s past. The experiential perspective of PLEs often does not fit the assumption that PLEs are such memories. This applies to PLE passages where the subject takes the outside perspective or (sometimes voluntarily) switches between different perspectives. Such passages are neither demarcated from passages experienced from the first-person perspective nor do they seem to differ from the latter phenomenologically or in terms of their closeness to reality. Therefore, I propose that PLEs as a whole are not memories in the sense of re-experiencing, and, consequently, not evidence of reincarnation. The overlap between the lives that seem to be experienced in the PLE and the current lives of the experiencers, (the extent of which has been underestimated) also speaks against the reincarnation interpretation because overlap cases do not seem to differ from non-overlap cases in other respects. As an alternative interpretation, I propose to understand PLEs (if they actually revive an earlier experience and are not due to prior knowledge) not as memories, but as direct participation in the past experiences of others. Examples of direct participation in other people’s experiences that are phenomenologically similar to PLEs can be found in the context of life reviews of near-death experiences, telepathic and mediumistic experiences, and animal communication. Four explanations of PLEs as participation in experiences of others are discussed: ESP, possession, other kinds of influence of deceased persons on the experiencer, and the expansion of consciousness.
Keywords
life after death – reincarnation – memories – experiential perspective – near-death experiences
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 398–422
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.398
Comments to Heiner Schwenke: Re-living One’s Own Past Lives or Participation in the Lives of Others?
- James G. Matlock: Personal Survival and Reincarnation (
PDF) - Michael Nahm: What is Science? ( PDF)
- Masayuki Ohkado: The “Reincarnation Interpretation” Still Seems to Be a Likely Possibility ( PDF)
- KM Wehrstein: Schwenke’s Model and the Reality of Reincarnation Cases ( PDF)
- Dieter Hassler: Ist die Reinkarnationshypothese widerlegt? ( PDF)
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 423–436
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.423
The author replies
- Heiner Schwenke: “There is no Greater Impediment to the Advancement of Knowledge ...”
On Conceptual Problems and Other Issues in Reincarnation Research
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 3, pp. 437–462
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.437
“Everybody Knows Parapsychology Is Not a Real Science”
Public Understanding of Parapsychology
Renaud Evrard
Abstract
Despite over a hundred years of associated research effort, the status of parapsychology is disputed. Taking the perspective of “public understanding of science,” this situation seems quite general as many people perceive the study of human behavior as unscientific.
Methods: A small survey was conducted through a French-language social-media network on a non-representative population (n = 89). Inspired by the Knowledge-Attitudes-Practices paradigm, the questionnaire has 28 Likert 5 items assessing attitudes towards parapsychology and 10 open items assessing key knowledge about parapsychology.
Results: On average, participants have an adequate representation of the perimeters of parapsychology but do not recognize it as a full scientific discipline. A split between participants claiming familiarity (n = 53) or unfamiliarity (n = 35) with parapsychology shows the effect of a “level of knowledge” variable: Individuals familiar with the topic are better able to recognize parapsychology as a science and score more highly on key knowledge items than participants unfamiliar with the topic or than participants overall. A second split in the familiar group between those who recognize parapsychologists as genuine scientists (Proponents, n = 26) and those who do not (Skeptics, n = 26) shows strong attitude differences and better scores in almost all key knowledge items for Proponents.
Discussion of results: While the common representation of parapsychology is that it is not a real science, two factors seem to influence the answers: the “self-assessed level of knowledge” and the “prejudice against parapsychologists’ scientificity”. This is discussed in relation to other works showing biases against parapsychology in populations of students and researchers populations.
Conclusion: The public understanding of parapsychology draws us into the realm of “reflexive anomalistics”. More research addressing social representations of parapsychology in the general population is expected.
Keywords
public understanding – psychology – general population – social representation – reflexive anomalistics – epistemic biases
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 463–465
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.463
Introductory Comments to “Luminous Phenomena at Death: The Case of the Monk Family”
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 466–479
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.466
Luminous Phenomena at Death: The Case of the Monk Family
Carlos pp. Alvarado, Michael Nahm
Abstract
Over the years there have been reports of perceptions of mists, lights and spirit bodies floating over or coming out of dying persons. This paper contains a reprint of the account of a case published by a lady called Dorothy Monk in 1922 in Light. Monk reported collective perceptions of lights and mists around the body of her mother. The case is discussed in terms of the features it presents and in relation to other reports. While impressive, the case, like so many of this type, lacks the presentation of independent testimony to support collective percipience. It is argued that, in addition to carefully collected testimony, future studies should collect information about the psychological profile and previous psychic experiences of percipients.
Keywords
Shared death experiences – death bystander experiences – Dorothy Monk– luminous phenomena at death
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 480–508
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.480
Gefährliche Idiotie: Von der irrationalen Rationalität der Verschwörungstheoretiker
Lucas Friedrich
Abstract
Since the outbreak of the corona pandemic, conspiracy theories are discussed everywhere. This phenomenon is accompanied by a largely critical public discourse. This essay, in contrast, attempts to capture conspiracy theory neutrally and the associated conspiracy theorizing as occasionally rational. For this purpose, conspiracy theory is synthesized from its sub-elements theory and conspiracy. First, the concept of theory is discussed from a perspective of philosophy of science. Subsequently, a conceptually differentiated three-axis model of conspiracy is developed on the basis of conspiracy theory particularism. These axes depict the level of illegality of the goal, the level of the conspirator’s power, and the level of secrecy. In order to strengthen the argument of this model, the essential generalist conspiracy theory theories are then examined for their contradic- tions. The focus is on the hitherto little considered aspect of the alleged reduction of complexity by conspiracy theories. A summary of the results concludes the article.
Keywords
conspiracy theory theory – particularism – political theory – deep politics – contemporary history
Continued discussions on previous contributions
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 509–513
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.509
Re the paper „Metamorphosen der Bête du Gévaudan – oder vom Reiz des Ungewöhnlichen und Unbekannten“ by Meret Fehlmann, Journal of Anomalistics, 18 (2018), pp. 35–66
- Karl-Hans Taake: Löwe und Gans – Reales und Fiktives über die Bestie des Gévaudan
Obituaries
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 514–517
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.514
Carlos S. Alvarado (1955–2021)
Peter Mulacz
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 518–520
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.518
Carlos S. Alvarado – ein unermüdlicher „Netzwerker“ und Freund
Friederike Schriever
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 521–530
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.521
Reflections on Carlos Alvarado: Joyous Friend, Master Colleague, and the Early Years at JFKU
Patric Giesler
Book Reviews
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, S. 531–533
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.531
Andreas Anton, Alan Schink (2021). Der Kampf um die Wahrheit. Verschwörungstheorien zwischen Fake, Fiktion und Fakten
Reviewer: Gabriele Lademann-Priemer
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, S. 534–537
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.534
Brigitte Frizzoni (Hrsg.) (2020). Verschwörungserzählungen
Reviewer: André Kramer
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, S. 538–544
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.538
Michael Blume (2020). Verschwörungsmythen. Woher sie kommen, was sie anrichten, wie wir ihnen begegnen können
Reviewer: Alan Schink
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, S. 545–548
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.545
Ehler Voss (Hrsg.) (2020). Mediality on Trial. Testing and Contesting Trance and other Media Techniques
Reviewer: Nicole Maria Bauer
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, S. 549–552
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.549
Dieter Hassler (2020). Nah-Tod-Erfahrungen und mehr … Indizienbeweise für ein Leben nach dem Tod und die Wiedergeburt / Band 3: Nah-Tod-Erfahrungen, Mediale Kommunikation mit Verstorbenen, Träume, Flashbacks, Déjà-vus, Spuk, Erscheinungen, Instrumentelle Transkommunikation
Reviewer: Dieter Tscheulin
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 553–557
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.553
Karel James Bouse (2019). Neo-Shamanism and Mental Health
Reviewer: Gerhard Mayer
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 558–562
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.558
Timothy J. Burbery (2021). Geomythology: How Common Stories Reflect Earth Events
Reviewer: Meret Fehlmann
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 563–570
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.563
Andreas Müller (2021). Deutschlands UFO-Akten: Über den politischen Umgang mit dem UFO-Phänomen in Deutschland … mit Betrachtungen auch zu Österreich und der Schweiz
Reviewer: Jochen Ickinger
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 571–573
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.571
Walter Andritzky (2020). Pilotensichtungen und UFO-Detektion im cislunaren Raum. Mit den Ergebnissen einer Pilotenbefragung
Reviewer: Ingbert Jüdt
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, pp. 574–578
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.574
Tanner F. Boyle (2021). The Fortean Influence on Science Fiction: Charles Fort and the Evolution of the Genre
Reviewer: Gerhard Mayer
Journal of Anomalistics 21 (2021), No. 2, S. 579–588
DOI: 10.23793/zfa.2021.579
Abstracts-Dienst / Literaturspiegel
Frauke Schmitz-Gropengießer, Gerhard Mayer
