Abstract

Attempts to describe a methodically justifiable conception of "experiment" and "repeatability of experiments" in an experimental science like physics by means of a recourse to a constructive theory of action. Conditions suitable for guaranteeing repeatability of experiments in these sciences are specified. Contributions by parapsychologists and critics from 1934 to 1981 concerning whether repeatable experiments are possible in parapsychology are reviewed. Whether the conception of experiments and repeatability of experiments, which was demonstrated to be proper for experimental sciences, can also be reasonably applied to parapsychological experiments is also discussed. The author attempts to show that, for a variety of reasons, this is not the case. An attempt is also made to substantiate the claim that in parapsychology, repeatable experiments do not exist, cannot exist, and need not necessarily exist to be able to justify the claim that parapsychology is a legitimate branch of science. (5 p ref)