SKEPTICS CRITICIZED ON PARANORMAL ISSUE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00787R000200080024-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 5, 1998
• Sequence Number: 24
• Publication Date: June 25, 1978
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For ReIe CIA-RDP96-0078000200080024-8
SKEPTICSCRITICIZED
ONPARANORmN,ISSUE
Merit Legitimate Inquiry
Occult and U.F.O. Phenomena
Scholar Tells Scientists That
By BOYCE RENSB$RGER
One of the scholars who helped start
a' campaign to Investigate reports of
paranormal phenomena has split with his
former colleagues, contending that the
movement became more preoccupied with
denouncing such reports than with Inves-
tigating them fairly.
The scholar, Dr. Marcello Truzzi, it
sociologist of science who teaches at
Eastern Michigan University In, Ypsilanti,
believes that the study of paranormal
phenomena should not be dismissed out
of hand:
Dr. Truzzl resigned as editor of the
.g'roup's magaine, then called The Zeta
ic, and established a new journal whose
consulting editors include both skeptics
and believers. The older magaine is now
called The Skeptical Inquirer, and the
new one is called Zetetic Scholar.
The first group, which calls itself the
Committee for the Scientific Investiga-
tion of Claims of the Paranormal, grew
out of a widely published denunciation
of astrology that was signed by 186
scientists and philosophers in 1975. Its
leader, Dr. Paul Kurt, a professor of
philosophy at the State University of
New York at Buffalo, maintains that the
nation is awash in a rising tide of irra-
tionality and gullible acceptance of re-
ports of occult and paranormal phenome-
na, says this portends grave conse-
quences for a society heavily influenced
by public opinion.
"This is absolute nonsense" said Dr.
Truzzi, the leader of the breakaway
group.
'Seeking Answers Through Science
Dr. Truzzi said he saw littleger
.in the current popularity of pa
matters. The rising interest, he contends,
reflects a trend in which believers in
these topics are abandoning supernatural
explanations and seeking answers
through science.
With the demystification of religions,
Dr. Truzzi said in a telephone interview,
beliefs that used to be the focus of secret
societies and mysterious cults are now
being tested for natural explanations.
As examples, he cited the work of J.
Allen Hyn,ek, an astronomer, to explain
unidentified flying objects; T. B. tRhine,
a Duke University bsloand Michel
.extrasensory perception,
Gauquclin, a French paycho4ogist, to test
'astrology statistically. .
"I.,. think this Is only healthy," Dr.
g'rutzi said, adding that he believed
many such investigators were dealing
Appro iia a :~991t~
THE NEW YORK +''MES, SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 1978
Opposes 'Outright Condemnation'
'I -don't doubt that 99 percent of oc-
cultism is empirically false," Dr. Truzzi
continued, "but the approach to it has
to be based on an examination of the
evidence by people qualified to do that,
not on outright oondemnation. We
shouldn't just dismiss these things out
of hand"
That, Dr. Truzzi added, is what he be-
lieves Dr. Kurtz and his committee is
doing.
"The committee Is tarring everybody
with the same brush," Dr. Truzzi said.
"When you do that, you're cutting your-
self off from what may not be just a
=bunch of kooks, but from what I would
call a protoscience."
Dr. Kurtz, taking 'sue with Dr.
Truzzi's assertions, said, "We are inter-
ested in fair Investigations of claims of
the paranormal, but we do believe It's
'Important that-when claims of the para-
normal get wide public attention and be-
lief, the skeptical position also get media
'attention" I
Chief DI agreement Cited
Dr. Kurtz said his chief disagreement
with Dr. Truzzi was over how much em-
phasis to place on reaching the public
with skeptical comments on paranormal
issues. Dr. Kurtz said this was an mipor-
tant. mission of his organization; -Dr.
Truzzi said he would prefer to establish
a credible body of contrary evidence be-
(ore publicly denouncing something.
When Dr. Truzzi resigned his editorship
of The Zetetic, Dr. Kurtz and his commit-
tee hired -a new editor, Kendrick Fraser,
formerly an editor of a popular science
magazine, to change the magazine's con-
tent and format to have greater public
appeal. address of The Skeptical Inquirer
is P.O. Box 5, Amherst Branch, Buffalo,
N.Y. 14226. Subscriptions are $10 a year.
The address of Zetetic Scholar, also $10
a year, is Department of Sociology, East-
ern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Mich.
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000200080024-8