Mysterious Minds - by Stanley Krippner & Harris Friedman (Hardcover)

About the Book

An introduction to the scientific study of psychics and mediums--those who are frauds, those who are psychotic, and those whose claims seem to defy easy dismissal.
Welcome to the world of Mysterious Minds: The Neurobiology of Psychics, Mediums, and Other Extraordinary People. Here, experts in the emerging field of neurobiological study make the case that while many claims of psychic ability are easily proven false, there may well be claimants who can obtain information in ways not easily explained by mainstream science--and there might be scientific tools and approaches available to confirm those experiences.

Written by an expert team of distinguished investigators from a half dozen countries around the world, Mysterious Minds introduces readers to the current state of research into parapsychological experiences, emphasizing the neurobiological data obtained by those who claim to be psychics or mediums. It offers specific examples of paranormal claims of extraordinary people--claims scrutinized through the use of high-tech brain imaging, clinical neurological examinations, and psychotropic drugs. The book concludes by proposing a series of models based on fundamental neurobiology, psychology, and quantum physics that could help us unravel these mental mysteries.

• Includes essays from several expert contributors, each an accomplished scientific researcher in the fields of parapsychology, neurobiology, and cognitive neuroscience
• Offers case studies on definitive episodes of both fraudulent and not-easily-disproven psychic events
• Provides a bibliography of references and additional readings, including print and online resources

Book Synopsis

An introduction to the scientific study of psychics and mediums--those who are frauds, those who are psychotic, and those whose claims seem to defy easy dismissal.

Welcome to the world of Mysterious Minds: The Neurobiology of Psychics, Mediums, and Other Extraordinary People. Here, experts in the emerging field of neurobiological study make the case that while many claims of psychic ability are easily proven false, there may well be claimants who can obtain information in ways not easily explained by mainstream science--and there might be scientific tools and approaches available to confirm those experiences.

Written by an expert team of distinguished investigators from a half dozen countries around the world, Mysterious Minds introduces readers to the current state of research into parapsychological experiences, emphasizing the neurobiological data obtained by those who claim to be psychics or mediums. It offers specific examples of paranormal claims of extraordinary people--claims scrutinized through the use of high-tech brain imaging, clinical neurological examinations, and psychotropic drugs. The book concludes by proposing a series of models based on fundamental neurobiology, psychology, and quantum physics that could help us unravel these mental mysteries.

Review Quotes

"Krippner (psychology, Saybrook U.) and Friedman (psychology, U. of Florida, Gainesville) assemble nine articles that examine claims of parapsychological experiences like telepathy, psychokinesis, and precognition from a neurobiological perspective. Instead of promoting a position on the existence or non-existence of these phenomena, they aim to introduce readers to pioneering efforts exploring the mind through neurobiological perspectives and technologies like neuroimaging and EEG. They consider such phenomena as ESP, trance, and paranormal experiences, as well as the skepticism of mainstream scientists, the neurochemistry of these phenomena, and the relationship between the mind and the body. Contributors are psychologists, neurobiologists, and specialists in behavioral medicine and parapsychology from North America, Europe, Australia, and Brazil." --Reference & Research Book News

"Recommended." --Choice

"There isn't space here to review every chapter in this timely volume, but each one offers worthwhile perspectives on psi and neurobiology. The editors are to be applauded for assembling this range of informative material. The anthology shows that there could be real value in bringing neuroscience into the realms of parapsychology, with potential benefits to both areas of research..." --The Noetic Post

About the Author

Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., is professor of psychology at Saybrook University in San Francisco, CA.

Harris L. Friedman, PhD, is a research professor of psychology at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL.