InPresence 0262: Normalizing the Paranormal

Jul 30, 2025

A deep dive into the potential normalization of the paranormal unfolds, exploring how society's views have evolved from witch hunts to skepticism. Jeffrey Mishlove highlights historical contexts, including the Salem trials, and unpacks the significant empirical evidence supporting psychic phenomena. The conversation examines the practical applications of such abilities, like remote viewing, while challenging materialistic perspectives on consciousness. Throughout, a paradigm shift in our understanding of the paranormal is proposed, advocating for a broader acceptance of these phenomena.

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INSIGHT

Paranormal Vs. Supernatural Reframing

Jeffrey Mishlove frames 'paranormal' as phenomena that may be natural but rare rather than supernatural.
Reframing from supernatural to paranormal reduces theological stigma and invites scientific inquiry.

ANECDOTE

Helen Duncan And Modern Witchcraft Law

Mishlove recounts the long history of witch persecutions and their cultural legacy in Western societies.
He uses the 1944 Helen Duncan trial to show how laws and fears about 'witchcraft' persisted into modern times.

INSIGHT

Three-Legged Case For Normalization

Mishlove proposes a three-legged case for normalizing the paranormal: data, applications, and theory.
He argues all three legs are necessary; data alone is insufficient for paradigm change.

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Here Jeffrey Mishlove engages in a dialogue with himself about the paradigm shift that would be required for the paranormal to become normalized. He compares this to the paradigm change that occurred from the belief that witches must be put to death to the belief that there is no such thing as a real witch. He also shares information about the empirical data of parapsychology, practical applications of psychic ability, and the theoretical underpinnings of psi (the term parapsychologists use for ESP and psychokinesis).

00:00 Introduction
03:32 The biblical roots of the problem
06:52 Witch hunts
11:22 What is a paradigm shift?
14:34 The Helen Duncan trial
20:39 The empirical evidence
33:18 Practical applications
40:29 Theoretical explanations
50:43 Summary and conclusion

(Recorded on June 19, 2025)

New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in “parapsychology” ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980). He is also the Grand Prize winner of the 2021 Bigelow Institute essay competition regarding the best evidence for survival of human consciousness after permanent bodily death. He currently serves as Co-Director of Parapsychology Education at the California Institute for Human Science.

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