What the heck is a paratheorist?
‘Paratheorist’ or even ‘Paratheory’ are terms that I’ve not encountered a great deal during my years in the paranormal field, but know that they are out there knocking about. So, I’m not about to lay claim to them as my own as I don’t think that would be particularly admirable of me.
However they are about and I’ve heard some members of the paranormal field describe themselves as a ‘paratheorist’ or indeed read a few website posts where the term ‘paratheory’ has popped up from time to time.
Through these particular encounters here’s what I believe a ‘paratheorist’ may be. Basically they are an individual within the paranormal field that spends a great deal of their time coming up with ideas, explanations, theories around the paranormal in order to help explain some of those strange occurrences that we all endeavour to investigate in the dead of night.
What I really like about this evolving term is that it appears to be attributed to individuals from a wide ranging of backgrounds. A parapsychologist from an excellent university can be paratheorists whilst someone researching and investigating the paranormal can equally be one too. It’s literally all about the ideas and building them into something that others take a look at and say ‘hang on a minute you’ve got something there’.
So if the paranormal is your passion and you’ve got a number of ideas then you might just be a paratheorist. Don’t be afraid to share those ideas either, as that’s how we will make progress in the field.
Why I’m a Paratheorist
Firstly, I’m not even sure why or if I used the term to describe myself at some point, but that said it’s clearly stuck somehow. To be fair I’m not against being called a paratheorist either, the term does describe me pretty much to a tee.
More recently PARASEARCH radio presenter Kerry Greenaway used the term to describe me when I was on one of the many shows she hosts. And guys, she does a fantastic job at hosting almost a different show every night of the week. If you’ve not listened before and fancy a paranormal fix check out one of her shows on Spreaker.
It’s really quite humbling to be recognised for my work and even seen as a theorist in the field too, it’s something I’ve constantly worked hard at and hope others get their ideas out there too.
All that said and done I suppose it still doesn’t entirely make clear why I’m a paratheorist does it? Bouncing ideas around and challenging views is one thing, but one thing I’m not alone in as many excellent Investigators in the field do that. In fact it could be said it’s exactly what we all do one investigation to another. That said there are a few that go one step beyond and build their theories for all.
That is exactly what happened to me a few years back, my passion for the paranormal became my focus whilst on holiday in Turkey.
It began with me reading FWH Myers great work ‘Human Personality and It’s Survival of Bodily Death’, which is by no means an easy read. Especially when your in holiday mode. What was odd was that I also read a book on Quantum Physics straight after and that highlighted Feynman’s method of using ideograms to map out certain aspects of quantum physics. This inspired me to understand a better way to comprehend the interactions in the Seance Room environment. This lead to a lot of scribbling in a notebook whilst sat on a beach sipping ice latte, I do like a nice ice latte.
Those scribblings gained structure before I left Turkey and then over the next few months I developed them into my Theory of Telepathic Interaction. Which can be found here…
Theory of Telepathic Interaction
That’s the odd thing or perhaps not so odd, I don’t know, I often find myself thinking through aspects of the paranormal on a regular occurrence. Usually after something I’ve read or watched on TV, but sometimes it can be as simple as a conversation with someone too. So for all those people I’ve spoken to and perhaps seemed to glaze over at some point then gone off on a completely weird tangent, my apologies. However that’s how my paratheorist mind obviously works. All you have to do is follow the white rabbit down the hole and before you know it you’re theorising too.
What Are Your Paratheories?
Of course the best thing about theories and ideas is the responses you may get when you share them with others. I think the science community calls it peer review and it’s something we probably need in the paranormal fiend a little more in my opinion.
I’ve had mixed reviews of my own theories and ideas in the past, but that’s where you must develop an understanding and to a degree a respect for others opinion, whether you agree with it or not.
Still this needs to be a mutual respect really; stating ‘your theory is crap’ will not help the field progress and isn’t constructive. We need to respond with structured evidential information that helps us understand why the theory might be considered ‘crap’! All too often all that occurs are comments which help no one, but generate negative feelings. Which often become arguments. Let’s find a better way to communicate guys.
Let’s share and discuss our ideas and theories, express our thoughts on theories which have become common place these days. A perfect example being that of the Stone Tape Theory, what are your thoughts on it?
Personally I think it needs re-evaluation these days, as we have learnt so much since it’s conception. Perhaps there’s more to it or even experiments that could test it on various levels.
What we need is an old style coffee house discussion, where a bunch of us gather over coffee to chat about various paratheories to see if we can help them evolve a little.
What do you think ?
Ashley Knibb 