1957 04 00 Fantastic Universe - ESP

Magazine Overview

Title: FANTASTIC UNIVERSE SCIENCE FICTION
Issue: APR.
Price: 35c
Publisher: A KING SIZE PUBLICATION

This issue of Fantastic Universe Science Fiction prominently features "INTRUDERS ON THE MOON," an Adventure Novelet by Edmund Cooper, and "PFUI ON PSI," a challenging article by L. Sprague de Camp. The cover art depicts several bald, green-skinned aliens examining a map-like pool on a barren landscape, with abstract structures in the background.

"PFUI ON PSI" by L. Sprague de Camp

L. Sprague de Camp's article "PFUI ON PSI" delves into the controversial topic of psionic effects and the direct influence of mind on matter, challenging the common assertions found in science fiction magazines. De Camp begins by acknowledging that many SF publications present psionic effects as proven facts, often based on incontestable 'facts.' He notes that disagreement with these claims can make one feel like a 'barnacled old reactionary.'

De Camp argues that while there might be issues with the current understanding of science, belief in psionics is not necessary to remain a sane, sensible, scientifically-minded person. He positions psionics as existing in a shadowy borderland between magic and science.

The article traces the historical concept of mind acting outside the body, linking it to ancient ideas of magic and religion involving gods and spirits with powers like clairvoyance, telepathy, telekinesis, and precognition. He mentions that tribal priests and magicians claimed these powers through divine aid, and later, spiritualist mediums in the 19th century claimed similar abilities, often with the help of spirits of the dead.

Academic interest in these claims emerged with the founding of the British Society for Psychical Research in 1882. Early mediums exhibited 'physical mediumship' (noises, object-throwing, table-tipping, levitation) contrasted with 'mental mediumship' (clairvoyance, telepathy, precognition). However, de Camp points out that as researchers became more skilled and applied rigorous controls, mediums were often caught faking, the effects stopped, or they refused to continue.

He discusses how many authors asserted the reality of these powers, sometimes focusing on a single medium. De Camp cites a study of the literature, concluding that no medium has a clear record. Those not caught faking, like Stainton Moses, did not work under close control. The Schneider brothers are mentioned, with Willi stopping his act when under control, while Rudi produced effects under control for the SPR in 1929-31, but then stopped.

De Camp addresses the exposure of Mina Crandon, known as "Margery the Medium," who was seen faking and later exposed by a confederate. This led to a shift in research towards mental mediumship, with professors like Rhine in America and Soal in Britain conducting research outside the SPR. The SPR is described as having degenerated into clubs focused on protecting mediums rather than exposing fraud.

He notes that 'psi-powers' is a term coined by J.B. Rhine, encompassing extra-sensory perception (ESP) and psychokinesis. Rhine has gathered statistics, but de Camp questions their validity, suggesting that the powers are erratic and decline with use.

The article then examines John W. Campbell Jr.'s interest in machines reacting to psionic forces, specifically mentioning T. G. Hieronymous's 'eloptic radiation' device. De Camp finds the concept and the device's description ('eloptic' possibly meaning 'fishy') unconvincing.

De Camp outlines criteria for evaluating new scientific claims: repeatability, objective recording, and logical consistency. He argues that alleged psionic phenomena fail these tests, being sporadic and fugitive. He cites examples like Pearce's feat of guessing cards in a Zener pack, but notes that such results cannot be produced on demand. He questions the logic of precognition, asking how a subject can foresee a card's position if the experimenter shuffles the pack differently.

He critiques the use of analogies like 'psychic tweezers' and suggests that Rhine's view of a 'spiritual universe' is an attempt to explain one unknown with another. Applying Laplace's principle that evidence should be proportional to the strangeness of the facts, de Camp asserts that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

De Camp discusses how subjective feelings, like those experienced when stroking a plate in Campbell's experiment, are unreliable and have led investigators astray in the past (e.g., 'odic rays,' 'auras'). He emphasizes that a person's subjective feeling is not proof.

He challenges the psionicists' claim that certain things are 'facts,' stating that calling something a fact does not make it so. He points to the case of the Creery girls, who were caught cheating via spoken codes, and notes how different researchers (Harry Price, G. N. M Tyrrell, J.B. Rhine) handled this exposure differently, with some downplaying the fraud.

Examples of telekinesis, such as the self-levitation of D.D. Home and the table-raising of Eusapia Paladino, are examined. Home's performances lacked control, and Paladino was caught cheating by using her toes to move a table. De Camp suggests that even if some phenomena were real, the methods of detection were often flawed.

De Camp proposes alternative explanations for psionic claims: error, fraud, and self-deception. He notes criticisms of Rhine's probability mathematics, though some are deemed unsound. He discusses how statistical biases can arise, and how researchers' enthusiasm or desire for results can lead to errors. He mentions the Piltdown Man hoax and Harry Price's faked effects as examples of fraud in research.

He also touches upon unconscious fraud, where a split personality might fake results. Self-deception is presented as a tendency to ignore unfavorable evidence or dishonesty among associates. De Camp notes that ESP tests at Yale showed a bias in results depending on whether participants believed in ESP.

De Camp concludes that while there are unexplored possibilities, the current evidence for psionics is weak. He finds it easier to believe in elves than in the claimed powers. He stresses the need for a logical theory that connects facts and makes sense, which has not yet emerged for psionics. He suggests that mechanical recording of results is necessary to avoid bias, and notes a suspicious aversion to this among leading psionicists.

"INTRUDERS ON THE MOON" by Edmund Cooper

This section is a novelet, and its content is not detailed in the provided text, but it is presented as an adventure story set on the moon.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine appears to focus on science fiction and related speculative topics, including the exploration of space and the nature of extraordinary claims. The editorial stance, as represented by L. Sprague de Camp's article, is one of critical inquiry and skepticism towards unsubstantiated claims, particularly in the realm of psionics. The publication encourages readers to apply logical reasoning and scientific methodology when evaluating extraordinary phenomena, while still acknowledging the imaginative potential of science fiction.

Title: FANTASTIC UNIVERSE
Issue: 60
Date: Not specified, but references '5 November, 1956' for a Time magazine cover.
Content Type: Magazine Article

Article: Skepticism Towards Psionics and Human Memory

The article begins by discussing the fallibility of human memory, stating that people often forget events they wish to forget and remember things that never happened. This unreliability makes observations about subjects people feel strongly about untrustworthy.

The author then addresses subjective reactions to physical sensations, using an experiment involving stroking a copy of Time magazine from November 5, 1956. The cover featured a political personality. The author stroked the face and noticed variations in friction. Initially, these variations were felt as changes in the sensation. However, upon further examination, the author concluded that the sensation varied because their arm was getting tired, leading to increased pressure when the contact became too strong, and then a lighter, slippery sensation when they adjusted to hold their arm up. This suggests that perceived changes in feel can be due to physical exertion rather than inherent properties of the object.

Stance on Psionic Research

The author expresses a clear and open-minded stance on psionic research, stating, "In conclusion, I have no objection to psionic research. The more the merrier, even if it only proves that psionic effects do not exist." This indicates a willingness to explore the subject, regardless of the outcome.

Objections to Psionic Claims

While open to research, the author strongly objects to definitive claims that psionics has been "safely proved" and that psionic effects are irrefutable "facts." The author criticizes the attitude that anyone who doubts these claims is a "benighted old reactionary" who would have opposed historical figures like Galileo and Columbus. The author asserts that such claims are not currently established facts.

The author also mentions having written stories about subjects like Atlantis, time-travel, and parallel universes, despite not personally believing in them, highlighting a distinction between creative writing and personal conviction or acceptance of scientific fact.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme of this excerpt is skepticism towards unsubstantiated claims, particularly in the realm of psionics. It emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, the unreliability of subjective experience and memory, and the need for rigorous proof before accepting phenomena as fact. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry coupled with a firm demand for evidence and a rejection of dogmatic assertions.