Parapsychology: a Controversial Science - Research Paper Example

A serious gap may be seen in inefficient concentration on the interrelation between parapsychology and fields of medicine, physics, consciousness research, philosophy or anthropology. Another research gap may be found in the experimental issues of parapsychology, such as a lack of consideration of such important and interesting issues as micro-or macro-psychokinesis, the survival of consciousness etc. Therefore, the main goal of the current research is to discuss the most controversial issues of the modern parapsychology.

The main controversies may be found in the methodology of the research field, its correlation with other sciences and focus on sociological issues, humanity and phenomenology. Parapsychology in the modern context Therefore, in order to evaluate parapsychology’s potential, it is necessary to take into account interrelation of different fields of science, as it was already mentioned above. Thus, in accordance with Dean Radin parapsychology is worth being integrated with other sciences, such as “physics, medicine, biology, and consciousness research” (Henry, 2005).

Moreover, the scientist correlates crucial issues of parapsychology with modern reality and provides a name for it: an "era of para-integration" (Henry 2005, pp. 15-17). This claim may sound clear and it underlines an integrative approach of parapsychology implemented for the discussion of relevant issues of the modernity. In accordance with Fiona Steinkamp there is an evident evolution of parapsychology as a science: it has become more integrative and now this science is open for new optimistic perspectives.

There are a few essential items, which parapsychology studies. It is very difficult for the modern scientific society to define the relevance of the science without mentioning the field’s deviance and a lack of scientific basis. Psi research is currently positioned as a perspective direction of parapsychology. Unfortunately, four major concerns of parapsychology, such as “telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, and psychokinesis” (Henry, 2005) are not of high concern for the modern parapsychologists.

Quantitative research methods and correlation strategies are mainly chosen by modern parapsychologists as the most privileged research methods.   Consequently, too limited nature of time frames and research methods of parapsychology are often considered to be essential preventive factors of the science development. The issue of improvement of psi research requires more essential investments in psi research methods. In order to broaden the context of psi research, it is necessary to incorporate investigation of parapsychological phenomena in the context of spiritual practices, esoteric experience and traditions of wisdom (Henry, 2005).

It is also possible to connect practices of the past and connect them with the modern practices of parapsychology. For example, it is possible to borrow the ideas developed by William Barrett, who took into account hypnosis practices in the historical context; evolution methods implementation and incorporation of RTDGT technique as facilitating practices of psi research methods (Henry, 2005). Consequently, the modern practices of parapsychology as a rule are correlated with historical background of the science or with the modern technological advancement.

To bridge a gap of the psi-research From another perspective, the study of psi should be correlated with the strategies