Margins Of Reality: The Role of Consciousness in the Physical World (Paperback)

by Brenda J. Dunne (Author), Robert G. Jahn (Author) "The bodies of established science move forward on two feet..." (more)
Key Phrases: cumulative deviation signatures, cumulative deviation graphs, empirical chance distribution, William James, Royal Society, Carl Jung (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
In a pioneering work, two researchers draw on a decade of experimentation to challenge the current rift between physics and metaphysics. Their provactive finding is that the interaction of human consciousness with technological systems can produce unexpected results. Index; illustrations.

About the Author
Brenda J. Dunne is a contributor for the following Houghton Mifflin Company Title: Margins Of Reality

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Harvest Books; Lst Ed edition (May 29, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 015657246X
• ISBN-13: 978-0156572460
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #743,826 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Expanding on Ben Finn's Review..., September 5, 2002

By A Customer

I think Ben Finn's review is spot-on, but I'd like to add a few things.

Section I of the book deals with a review of many paranormal topics and inquiry (scientific and otherwise) into their origins. The best thing I took from this section is that the authors were acutely aware of the criticism that has been made of such research, and were determined to exercise caution in designing their experiments.

The PK research --- that demonstrating the ability of human intent to influence a probable outcome --- seems to have been designed very carefully to address anticipated criticism. It's difficult to read through this section of the book and not come away believing that something has been proven. And whatever that "something" might be, it is distinctively weird: it's one thing to obtain operator-specific profiles of statistical influence over some random process, but downright bizarre that they were able to obtain similar results using a *pseudorandom* source. This research, detailed in section II of the book, is what makes this work really shine --- it's the strength of this section that really earned the four stars I gave it. This section is *worth* it, and does much to convince a skeptic (like me).

Section III deals with remote perception, and a system the authors devised to quantify the results of such experiments. The sample sizes and the data here are necessarily more sparse, but are still quite engaging. The anecdotal evidence at the end of the section made for some enjoyable reading, though stories of experiments where the subject completely missed the target seem conspicuously absent.

Sections IV proposes a theoretical framework for the anomolies demonstrated by the experiments, and comes off as quite silly. Sweeping metaphors are taken from the realm of quantum mechanics, to a level of detail that isn't remotely supported by the research. One does need to theorize *something* after such experimentation, but attempting to build a rich framework from a few targeted experiments is more than is necessary, and certainly more than is warranted. Furthermore, the authors' model attributes conciousness even to simple devices such as the "Random Event Generator" or a bunch of foam balls bouncing off pegs --- a truly embarrassing stretch, in my opinion. (For some much better theoretical ideas, I'd suggest a book called "The Physics of Consciousness" by Evan Harris Walker.)

Section V rambles in the authors' usual heavy prose about implications and applicability, and, unfortunately, builds upon section IV. If there was anything interesting in this section, I'm afraid it slipped past me.

My rating of 4 stars is for some genuine, solid research in section II and, to a lesser extent, section III. As a skeptic, the results of these experiments will compel me to dig deeper; barring outright fraud, the results cannot be dismissed as mere chance. It's too startling to rate it any lower, even if the closing sections of the book are rather goofy.

If you're already convinced that such paranormal effects are real, however, I doubt that this book has much to offer. Buy it for a skeptical friend, but give them a disclaimer about the stretch made on the theoretical side.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finally a respected authority presents hard evidence for Psi, September 13, 1999

By A Customer

The core of the book is a detailed description of the key experiments which the Princeton group has performed and which offers some of the first well documented and scientifically rigourous evidence for the reality of psychic phenomena. Indescribably thrilling to read how the authors and co-workers set out to show that there could be even a small effect (on average 1 in 10,000 trials may be 'unusual'). The descriptions of the statisical analysis lends credibility to the results. The discursive padding is interesting, but maybe a trifle too speculative. In general, though, a riveting read.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scientific evidence for mind influencing physical reality., April 11, 1997

By A Customer

This is a beautifully written book about the interaction of mind and matter. It is science with a heart. Those of you who would like more information about the lab from which this came should check out their award-winning web site: http://www.princeton.edu/~rdnelson/pear.html