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From: ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac)
Newsgroups: net.sci
Subject: Re: testing for psi
Message-ID: <710@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 15-May-86 11:21:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: utastro.710
Posted: Thu May 15 11:21:23 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 18-May-86 11:53:27 EDT
References: <824@bentley.UUCP>
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
Lines: 30
Summary: on being watched

In article <824@bentley.UUCP>, kwh@bentley.UUCP (KW Heuer) writes:
> 
> The following is not satire.  It's true, modulo the disclaimer at the top.
> 
> I have an ability, which I won't specify, but for the sake of argument let's
> say it's levitation.  This is rather limited; I can't fly like Superman.  My
> limit* is about 1 cm., but I can hold it for 15-20 seconds.  However, I have
> to be in the right frame of mind to do this.  If people are watching me, and
> waiting for something to happen, I get nervous and it doesn't work.  Talking
> tends to break the state too, so I can't yell for a witness after I've begun
> to levitate.  I've had witnesses only once that I can remember; I had a good
> day where I was able to hold it for 30 seconds after they'd started watching
> me.  (They were impressed.)  Btw, I recognize the self-delusion possibility,
> but I've succeeded under conditions that prove (to me) that it's genuine.
> 
The only way to provide a convincing test is to let people have permission
to make tapes or observe you from a hidden position.  If you knew exactly
when they were watching it would defeat the purpose, so you'd probably have
to give some sort of general permission over an extended period of time.

BTW when this particularly method is used on spoon benders it gives the
unsurprising result that if they think they're not being watched, they
cheat.  I mention this by way of saying that if you pass this test it
would be extremely impressive.
-- 
"Ma, I've been to another      Ethan Vishniac
 planet!"                      {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan
                               ethan@astro.UTEXAS.EDU
                               Department of Astronomy
                               University of Texas