My Library

Within my knowledge as it existed at the time, Puthoff was not the only mainstream scientists to propose that psi phenomena might be looked at under the auspices of science proper. Before 1920 there had been several notable scientists who had suggested as much. But after the modernist scientific door had slammed shut, few "conventional" scientists dared suggest anything of the kind. The fear of losing tenure, prestige, professional standing, or being laughed out of town, was everywhere pervasive in modern sciences. Cleve Backster had assured me that Puthoff was a respected scientist who had already achieved a visibility in physics. I remember thinking that Puthoff, whoever he was, was very brave to circulate a proposal which could easily demolish his entire career and future as an acceptable physicist. As I write this in January of 1996, a number of changes have taken place in this regard. But back in 1972 this scientific trespassing was vigorously forbidden by a number of scientific brotherhoods. What I understood was that I was excited by Puthoff's proposal - but also that he was standing on the edge of professional death. The most I could think in March, 1972, was that this Puthoff would perhaps dally with psicum-quantum theory, but in the end he would diplomatically advance back to more conventional prospects. But indeed, such was not to be the case. It was only later that I really learned of the depth and breadth of his commitment in this regard. I will now utilize the typical reductionist method to simplify all of the above. As I said to Backster in 1972 after I had read the papers. "Gosh! This guy has a remarkable daring and a hefty set of balls!"