Edited by James E. Beichler and Samuel Stansfield
CURRENT CONTENTS
Volume I, Issue 3
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"Paraphysics
on the Internet:
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"
A good deal of what passes on the internet as 'paraphysics' has little or nothing to do with the science of paraphysics. The term is misused as well as abused by many who do not understand (or do not care to understand) the meaning of the term. A recent home page titled "The Paraphysics of Star Trek" is a good case in point. Even a keyword search on the term 'paraphysics' turns up some erroneous information. A hyperlink resource list to some the best 'paraphysics' on the internet is included and will become a permanent feature of the Yggdrasil. (35 Kb)
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"To Be,
or Not to Be?
An analytical study of psi as a physical quantity"
Psi phenomena have long been typified as mental phenomena, but they clearly display physical properties. The definition and enumeration of these physical properties is a necessary step in successfully developing either a physical theory or a working model of how psi functions. In this article, three questions relative to this issue are discussed: Is psi a physical quantity, how are psi and physical concepts related, and is psi a quantum or field effect? (127 kb)
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"The Search for Spock: Developing the Theoretical Basis of Psi"
Attempts to develop physical theories and models of psi phenomena have been numerous but futile in the past. The one element that these attempts share in common with one another is that they reflect the current attitudes and priorities of physics. This fact yields a convenient way to categorize and study these theories. This paper documents some of the physical theories of psi and places them within their proper historical contexts. (261 Kb)
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This paper represents an attempt made in 1979 to derive a new theory of psi based upon a five-dimensional worldview. The theory posits "propensities" which are associated with animate material particles. These "propensities" are five-dimensional extensions of the normal space curvatures which represent matter in the four-dimensional space-time continuum of general relativity. (19Kb text plus graphics)
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"The New and Improved Paraphysics"
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"The Yggdrasil as metaphor"
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"Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble!
A fresh look at relativity,
uncertainty and compatibility."
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"Twist 'til we tear the house down!"
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"Either/Or:
Spiritualism and the roots of paranormal science."
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"Has 'anti-gravity' become a reality?"
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"Up, Up and Away: The fifth dimension in physics"
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"Simple 'MYSPHYT' Theory"
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"The PSIence Fiction of H.G. Wells"
COMING ARTICLES
for Volume I, Issue 4
"The Five-Dimensional Unified Field"
Kaluza's theory is considered the progenitor of all modern hyperdimensional unified field theories. Both Maxwell's and Einstein's field equations have been successfully derived from the single-field model presented by Kaluza, but philosophical problems have always dogged Kaluza's theory. So it was never accepted by the majority of scientists. In this article, a new extension of Kaluza's theory is offered. It alleviates past philosophical problems and unifies the natural forces (interactions) of physics as well as the quantum and relativity theories.
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"The Adventures of Psi in Five Dimensions"
A five-dimensional Kaluza space-time, with modifications, has been found to offer the best physical framework for the physical interactions associated with psi. No other physical or mental framework offers as wide a variety of possibilites for the explanation of the various forms of psi phenomena. Given this extra-dimensional framework, psi emerges as a natural consequence of the physics when the differences between animate and inanimate matter are taken into account. This paper offers an extension of the theory as published in the previous issue of the Yggdrasil.
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"Physics and Consciousness"
Physics does not normally distinguish between animate and inanimate matter,
living and dead masses. Since consciousness is a property of living matter and
not dead matter, the questions represented by the existence of consciousness do
not enter classical physics. However, this situation has changed over the past
few decades. It now seems that a conscious act is necessary to 'collapse the
wave packet' in the quantum mechanical view of nature. This new introduction of
consciousness as a necessary ingredient for understanding our world at the
quantum mechanical level presents new and challenging problems for scientists.
These scientists have adapted their worldviews to account for consciousness and
are seeking new theories of physics to explain phenomena.
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Anyone who wishes to act as a referee or editor on a more permanent basis is cordially invited to contact the editor. The early success of this journal will depend on those who are interested enough to help make it a success.
Anyone wishing to publish an article dealing with any aspect of paraphysics should contact the editor. Do not send complete papers for consideration unless requested to do so. Please send a message describing your paper and/or a short summary with a return address. All general comments and suggestions concerning the journal, as well as messages regarding the submission of papers, should be sent by e-mail to "jebco1st@aol.com."
THE OPEN FORUM
After an article has been published, anyone who wishes to comment on the article is invited do so. These comments will appear in an open forum in later issues with rebuttals or further explanations by the author and editors as deemed necessary. All responses to published articles are welcome. True progress in science comes only after new concepts are understood by the larger community of scientists and other interested parties, and the open discussion of new concepts is an important part of that understanding process.
Access to the journal over the Internet/WWW is free. It is not necessary to preregister for a subscription. However, it is requested that you register for a subscription if you plan to read the journal on a regular basis. If we know who is subscribing, we can better serve those interested in paraphysics. Subscription forms will be made available at a later date.
Updated 21 March 1998, copyright ©1998
For more information contact
Jim Beichler at
jebco1st@aol.com