Feb 4 Guardian Blackmore critique of Sheldrake

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/04/morphic-paranormal-science-sheldrake

Sue Blackmore states:

And as for the paranormal, I spent the best part of 30 years trying to find evidence of paranormal phenomena and failed. My initial belief was wrong, I concluded, and so I changed my mind and became sceptical.

This is untrue. She has always been a renowned sceptic and was always wheeled out by TV producers, whenever the paranormal was being discussed, to present the sceptical point of view.

I crossed swords with her on TV a number of times.

She never found evidence of paranormal phenomena because (a) she never looked in the right place and (b) her mind was closed to the idea.

Her response to any example of paranormal evidence was, like Richard Wiseman, to say "I haven't seen that" but made no attempt to investigate.

Her radio debate with Professor Archie Roy was a classic. He demolished her arguments hands down by giving examples to which she had no answer.

Z