9781476672472

Scientifical Americans: The Culture of Amateur Paranormal Researchers

Sharon A. Hill

McFarland

2017

248 pages

$35.00

BF1028

As a child, HillAEs first books were about haunted houses and monsters. Later, after coming in contact with scientific training and skeptical literature, her enthusiasm for the paranormal waned. Ultimately, still finding the subject fascinating, she found that reports of paranormal phenomena are worthy of serious research, if only because they are so ubiquitous and influential in human experience. Citing science as a discipline, not a hobby, she criticizes paranormal discussion flavored with science-like concepts and jargon, while, at the same time, notes that science is done by inherently fallible humans who are not flawless or unbiased. Hill encourages new and better approaches to paranormal field research and investigation. Still without compelling evidence, she must remain a skeptic, but offers some encouragement-in digging deeper, past what the popular media presents as paranormal investigation, discoveries become more illuminating. The core of her book is her study of amateur research and investigation groups (ARIGs), who are passionate about extraordinary claims and the paranormal. ([umlaut] Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR)