CIA-RDP96-00787R000200200029-9

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DECEMBER 7 1973
Approved For Release 2000/08/10 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000200200029-9
hallenge to Scientists
ITAIN has recently been experiencing the strange
openings that seem to accompany Mr Uri Geller
erever he takes his one-man show. Knives and forks
ve been bent, broken watches restarted and feats of
parent telepathy performed. No generally accepted
lanation is yet forthcoming.
Although the phenomenon of Mr Geller is new to
itain, he is well known both in Israel and the United
tes for his performances. It is important that he
ims to be doing these strange things not as an illusionist
ng sleight of hand or deceptive material but as some-
c invested with a previously unappreciated power. He
prepared to back up this claim very convincingly by
rforming in such inauspicious surroundings as the back
a taxi in the company of the Science Correspondent
the Sunday Times. If he is an illusionist he runs the
k of being detected every time he shows off his skills,
rticularly when his performance goes on to videotape.
irther, any stagehand knows how an illusionist works,
t none has yet revealed Mr Geller's secrets.
It needs to be said, however, that not everyone is con-
nced that Mr Geller is other than a great illusionist
d that there seems to be somewhat more scepticism
Israel and the United States than has yet developed
Britain. For a fairly cool assessment Time of March
'; 1973, should be read. Nevertheless he has clearly
cated a prima facie case for further investigation and
is to be hoped that the proposal by the New Scientist
at he submit to examination by its panel will be taken
), even though he has already been examined extensively
y a team at Stanford Research Institute.
What does all this mean for the scientist-and not
cessarily only the scientist interested in psychic
:search? There are two distinct challenges to him.
The first is that analysis of this phenomenon must be
bsolutely neutral and above board. One of the remark-
ble things about this whole affair has been the way the
ublic has asked that it be investigated by scientists. It
as been common to hear phrases such as "I will not be
appy until a panel of scientists have pronounced on it".
n mediaeval times it was priests, later it was noblemen,
1 Victorian times businessmen and now scientists who
re the arbiters of acceptability and correctness. It is
ot possible to believe that this situation will last much
onger though it is difficult to decide who will eventually
upplant the scientist in this role-trade unionist, profes-
ional footballer or television announcer. Nevertheless,
while this duty still falls to the scientist he has a great
esponsibility to be utterly objective and entirely open.
There have been some doubts cast on the Stanford investi-
gation because of the lack of publication of the results
apart from a report at a conference. On the other hand
t is undesirable that Mr Geller should be used either by
someone delighting in the occuit or exceedingly sceptical
‘it.
The second challenge to scientists will arise if investi-
gations continue toAgentur signs of psycho-kingti
and with the present evidence this certainly cannot be
ruled out. It would then be urgently necessary for the
scientific community to come to terms with something
totally beyond its powers of explanation-indeed some-
thing which in a religious context would be called a
miracle. Just as the public wants scientists to validate
Mr Geller, it would also want them to explain him and,
however awkward this question may be, it should not
be avoided. If Mr Geller indeed possesses extraordinary
abilities it is immaterial whether he is an isolated un-
repeatable phenomenon or whether a large number of
people can be taught the skills, and it is immaterial that
he manifests the abilities in ways up to now better known
to music-hall illusionists than to scientific investigators.
The challenge would still exist-that well established
scientific laws as apparent to laymen as to scientists are
not inviolate under the influence of some presumed
mental process.
It is difficult to see how research into the causes of
such extraordinary happenings could proceed. One
suspects that any approach which involved extensive
instrumentation would end unsuccessfully. Technology
has an unerring ability to suppress human skills. Never-
theless a boost for psychical research would be very
welcome. There are too many loose ends lying around
for comfort, and psychical research has not yet been able
to shake off its mildly eccentric character and its ability
to attract fierce criticism.
The viewing public, shown a chest operation under
acupuncture one week and an exhibition of knife bending
the next, is bound to ask searching questions about con-
ventional scientific wisdom.
100 Years Ago
ATURE
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THE London Association of Correctors of the Press held a
conversazione on Saturday last under the presidency of Mr. B.
H. Cowper, editor of the Queen. We are glad to notice that
the principal items of the programme were of a scientific cha-
racter. Mr. E. R. Johnson, Chairman of the Association, read
a paper on the past work of the Association, enumerating some
of the papers and discussions on philological topics which had
engaged its attention, and while commerding the study of philo-
logy, the advantage of an acquaintance with one or other of
the exact sciences was set forth. Mr. G. Chaloner, late Secretary
of the Association, and lecturer on Chemistry at the Birkbeck
Institution, enlightened the meeting as to some of the properties
of hydrogen, accompanying his remarks with appropriate experi-
ments. Mr. J. T. Young discoursed on the glacial period, and
exhibited some fossils illustrative thereof. The wonders of the
microscope and stercoscope also contributed to the enjoyment of
000/08/10 : CIA RDP96-00787R000200200029-9
From Nature, 9, 114, December 11, 1873.
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