Noted Skeptic, James Randi has decided not to participate in ongoing research investigating Dr. Rupert Sheldrake telepathic dog claims.
Del Mar, CA, May 14, 2008 --(PR.com)-- James Randi has a reputation of taking on challengers who claim psychic abilities, but his recent negotiations with a team of researchers investigating whether dogs are telepathic has ended in a stalemate. According to Skeptiko host and research sponsor, Alex Tsakiris, Randi’s about-face came as a surprise:
“…this is exactly the kind of independent research, by a major university, James Randi has been calling for. We even agreed to forgo the million dollar prize he offers in order to secure his involvement and resolve this question scientifically, but he refused.”
Tsakiris’ negotiations with Randi began in September of 2007, when Randi appeared on the Skeptiko Podcast and called for an independent investigation into claims of canine telepathy. In April of 2008, Skeptiko released a video showing the successful results of their first trial. Commenting on the future of the research, Tsakiris added:
“…of course the research will go forward. The real question is whether claims of unexplained canine to human communications are true. Our preliminary findings suggest they are, but much more work needs to be done before we’ll have a definitive answer.”
James Randi, and the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) offer a Million Dollar Challenge to those demonstrating telepathy, ESP or other psi phenomena. In recent years, James Randi has been an outspoken critic of research suggesting dogs have a telepathic ability that allows them to know when their owners are coming home.
About Skeptiko.com
Skeptiko is the first scientifically oriented Podcast exploring new research in controversial areas of science such as telepathy, psi, parapsychology, near-death-experience, reincarnation, and after-life encounters. Each episode features open, honest debate on new scientific discoveries. The show includes interviews with top research scientists and their critics. - pr.com
I wonder what Randy's reason is? When I've seen him back out in the past it is because he has it explained.
UPDATE: Here is a related email exchange.
1 comment:
Yeah, Randi always has an explanation about just nearly everything. That's his job as a professional skeptic. I have seen him put on the spot in situations which he could not explain, that is intelligently. What he does the best is talk and that he does.
In one case with Ted Serios (I think that's how you spell his name) Randi and a ready explanation. Serios could supposedly transform his thoughts into photographic images. Sometimes he did this better than other times, sometimes hardly at all. But, still the ability was not understood by the scientists who investigating him in a laboratory. But, here comes Randi with a better explanation. He knew better than the scientists who spent some time trying to understand the phenomena from different angles. But, Randi, watching from the sidelines, or from above, could see and understand what others could not, because he is after all, The Amazing Randi, a former magician and showman turned skeptic.
But, I guess that's what people like and that's why he is where he is today.
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