BOOK REVIEWS

Jule Eisenbud. The World of Ted Serios. tion. Furthermore, like most paranormal
New York: William Morrow Com- phenomena, it was not controllable in a
pany, 1967. statistical sense. The ability to produce
these photographs seemed to come and go

T Ius is a difficult review to write, for

The World of Ted Serios is no ordinary
scienlific book. I n the normal course of
without conscious effort and the usual
methods of experimental design were not
applicable to its study. Thus even if one
events this reviewer would not even have were to ignore the reactions of fellow sci-
read the book, much less prepared a review entists toward being associated with the
of it for this journal. However, about two work, one would also have to ignore a good
years before Dr. Eisenbud met Ted Serios deal of scientific training in embarking on
and began the series of photographic ses- such a study. As a result the photographer
sions described in the book, a photographer received a polite, sympathetic hearing but
from one of the national picture magazines no help.
camv to this Institute with a story about a Fortunately, Dr. Eisenbud was not bound
Chicago bellboy who was able to project by these limitations or there would have
his Inental images onto photographic film. been no book and no review to write. His
A number of black and white Polaroid livelihood is derived from the practice of
print s were shown with various scenes, psychoanalysis and does not depend on
such as the Jefferson Memorial, which had his research. Furthermore, he had pre-
been taken with the camera pointed a t the viously carried out some studies in the area
head of Mr. Ted Serios in a Chicago hotel of parapsychology and had come to the
rooni. The camera with which the pictures conclusion that a truly reproducible ex-
were taken was a standard model belonging periment in this field was inherently im-
to Ihe photographer. He had personally possible. Thus he was not hampered either
loaded it with a new package of film and by considerations of personal loss or by the
carried out the developing procedure him- need to follow conventional research tech-
self :Ster Mr. Serios had held it and pressed niques. While his attitude facilitated the
the shutter release. Some of the scenes carrying out of the work reported in this
werc blurred, but several were quite clear book, it makes it very difFicult to assess
although apparently taken from a platform either the validity or the implications of the
some distance above the ground. Trickery phenomenon described.
seenied to have been precluded since Mr. If we accept the phenomenon at its face
Serios was under close observation all of v a l u e t h a t there is a t least one individual
the time. Here, then, was a new phe- who can create an image on a photographic
nomenon, completely inexplicable on con- plate by the exercise of mental powers-
ventional scientific grounds, and the pho- then we are dealing with a process outside
tographer was seeking the help of qualified the realm of present knowledge in both
scieritists to look into the problem. physics and brain physiology. Even ac-
This is the same situation which Dr. cepting the erratic nature of the phenome-
Eisc-nbud faced in early 1966 when the non, the probability of producing a single
phenomenon was brought to his attention. photograph of a visualized scene, based on
My reaction was the conventional one, as conventional scientific grounds, would be
the subject matter was outside the sphere of about equal to that of a piece of furniture
my research interests. It concerned a sub- leaping up in the air due to the simultaneous
ject which was regarded with disbelief and movements of all its constituent, molecules.
ridicule by most scientists, and anyone Thus, merely the validation of the effect
attempting to do research in this area was without any further examination would
taking a chance with his scientific reputa- indicate the need for a drastic revision of
326

Behavioral Science. Volume 13.1968

 BOOKREVIEWS 327
our present physical and biological theories. Clairvoyance and Thaughtographyappeared in
Dr. Eisenbud was well aware of this, and English in 1931. Thus the phenomenon is
most of his efforts in testing the subject in no sense new. The difficulty arises when
were directed a t eliminating the possibility one tries to determine how much of the
of a hoax. This was done by conducting past material is valid, especially when
tests in the presence of numerous observers charlatans are eager to profit from the possi-
and witnesses who would watch the subject bilities inherent in such a loosely structured
during the test sessions. It is diflicult to say situation. The only recourse is the use of
how thorough these precautions were. Al- careful controls and observation and this
though many reputable scientists were can only be introduced beforehand and not
present and some of the sessions were in retrospect. Thus no amount of past
photographed, a continuous motion picture history in a field such as this can take the
record of each session would have been place of up-to-date experimentation-not
more convincing. Many of the more im- because of better instrumentation but, be-
pressive photographic images were obtained cause of the possibility of designing the
toward the end of a recording session when tests so as to convince a sutlicient number of
the observers’ attention was a t low ebb. A skeptics and gain increased acceptance of
methodical recording system would have the validity of the effect.
forestalled criticism of this aspect of the In discussing the nature of skepticism,
tests. The inclusion of a professional ma- Dr. Eisenbud goes into the psychoanalytic
gician as a witness might also enhance the reasons for refusal to accept evidence for
credibility of the observations because of thoughtographic and other psychic phe-
the reduced chances of unobserved sleight nomena. Although there has been con-
of hand. I n any case, it seems clear from the siderable criticism by “hard” scientists of
book that Dr. Eisenbud is convinced of the the lack of a solid experimental basis for
reality of the phenomenon, and that those psychoanalytic theory, the converse situ-
observers who expressed disbelief did so ation, namely the role of emotional factors
more on the basis of the impossibility of in the formulation of scientific ideas, has
the results rather than on any specific pro- received less attention. Obviously some
cedural grounds or evidence of frauddence. such factors must be operating when a
In an attempt to muster additional sup- scientist rejects the very concept of a
port for “thought ographic” phenomena, paranormal effect without even considering
Dr. Eisenbud carried out a rather compre- the evidence. These reactions are quite
hensive search of the literature on the sub- Merent, and much more rigid than those
ject. A surprising amount of information was mentioned earlier-the fear of ridicule and
uncovered in this process. The selected ostracism by colleagues, and the inability
bibliography presented in his book goes to deal with completely unpredictable
back to the very beginnings of the science of event,s outside the laws of probability.
photography. Fraudulent practices were a For this reason it is important that emo-
common finding in much of the earlier work. tional biases be recognized and considered
A number of the more unscrupulous prac- in discussing material of t,his nature. Ob-
titioners took to preying on the relatives of viously such attitudes are not universal
deceased persons for whom they produced since highly respected scientists have been
“spirit” pictures. There is, however, a con- invblved in the study of psychic phenomena.
sistent history of apparently authentic ma- However, the scientific community as a
terial, some of it associated with the work whole has shunned the work of these mave-
of distinguished scientists such as Sir William ricks and preferred to regard their excur-
Crookes, the nineteenth century physicist. sions into this area as aberrant behavior,
In fact there existed a Society for the Study characteristic of their declining years.
of Supernormal Pictures in Britain for a Somehow this attitude has to be modified
number of years, and a book by the Japa- before adequate study can be given to
nese professor Tomokichi Fukurai entitled these phenomena.

Behavioral Science. Volume 13.1968

328 BOOKREVIEWS

It is interesting to note that a sizeable objective assessment of the evidence but

government grant has recently been given could reach no conclusion. But resistances
to a group of scientists to study the validity aside, he could not help viewing with alarm
of reports of unidentified flying objects. the implications inherent in this work. If
Presumably this has been done because of a phenomena like this could be demonstrated,
possible threat posed by these objects to it could unhinge our entire scientifically
the United States. Since Mr. Serios’ ac- based way of life and return us once more
tivities do not constitute such a threat, to the world of magic in which our ancestors
no comparable study has been initiated in lived. This would be the real antiworld of
the field of thoughtography, although ob- the scientist and not just the antiparticles
jective data can be collected under much of the nuclear physicist. Perhaps it would be
simplcr conditions. UFOs can appear at any best if we didn’t tamper with this and just
time :md any place, so that solid evidence forgot the whole thing.
for their existence cannot be obtained by W. J. HORVATH
previously sited instrumentation. This is The University of Michigan
not the case for psychic photography
where sessions can be arranged at a time and
place convenient to the experimenter. One
Peter H. Klopfer, and Jack P. Hailman.
would think that curiosity about such a An introduction to animal be-
strange phenomenon would motivate a
havior. New York: Prentice-Hall,
sufficient number of scientists and sponsors
to niake some definitive tests possible. 1967.
Perhaps the most useful function that Dr.
Eisenbud’s book can serve is to bring about
a coordinated effort by an interdisciplinary
T HIS is an important book. It fills a niche
in behavioral science which has been
empty for far too long, and it fills it well.
scientific team to determine the authenticity When I think how increasingly useful it
and significance of these strange effects. would have been to me in teaching over the
The principal function of any further years, I am disgruntled that it was not
research effort on this problem should be published sooner. But we should congratu-
to try to arrive at some definite conclusion late authors and publisher now that it is
as to whether a photographic plate can on the market.
register an image in response t o the mental As its jacket announces, this book is “a
efforts of Mr. Serios or another psychic survey of ethology, the study of animal be-
persondity without being exposed to light havior from the biological viewpoint: its
waves or other known forms of energetic history, aspects of greatest current interest,
radiation. If this can be established then and developments to come.” It is designed
the questions of what is happening and how as the “backbone” for a one-semester course
the effect takes place can be left for later in animal behavior a t senior or graduate
consideration. In the meantime, readers who level, and it is based on the authors’ own
may be interested in this subject are ad- teaching and research experience. The
vised to examine Dr. Eisenbud’s book. authors are in the present mainstream of
There are about 100 examples of photo- American ethology and have done much to
graphs taken under the control of Mr. show that ethology is a science with as
Serios which show objects not present in rigorous a methodology as any other, and
the room at the time the shutter was re- with standards of quality which require
leased. The images exhibit various degrees their own specialized techniques. Most
of tiistortion both as to content and form. importantly, perhaps, the authors are fully
Dr. Eisenbud offers a psychoanalytic in- aware of the sig&cance of Darwinian
teq rretation of these distortions as a glimpse principles to any biological study. I would
of the primary process in the unconscious only quarrel with them on their assumption
mind of Mr. Serios. that Darwin’s theory of evolution is gen-
This reviewer did his best to make an erally accepted. I believe there is an elenlent

Behavioral Science, Volume 13,1968