Harold E. Puthoff

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Harold E. Puthoff, Ph.D., (b. 20 June 1936) is an American physicist who, earlier in his career was involved in research on paranormal topics.

Contents

[edit] Research

In 1967, Puthoff earned a Ph.D. from Stanford University.[citation needed]

Puthoff is well known within gravitational physics circles[who?] for his papers on polarizable vacuum (PV) and stochastic electrodynamics topics, which are examples of alternative approaches to general relativity and quantum mechanics. In the 70s and 80s he directed a CIA/DIA-funded program at SRI International to investigate paranormal abilities, collaborating with Russell Targ in a study of the alleged psychic abilities of Uri Geller, Ingo Swann, Pat Price, Joseph McMoneagle and others. Both Puthoff and Russell Targ became convinced Geller and Swann had genuine psychic powers.[1] More conventional explanations for the alleged abilities have also been advanced.[2]

Puthoff has invented and worked with tunable lasers and electron beam devices, concerning which he holds patents, and he is co-author (with R. Pantell) of Fundamentals of Quantum Electronics (Wiley, 1969), published in English, French and Russian.

[edit] Secret government work

Puthoff was once a United States Navy officer who was assigned to the National Security Agency (NSA)[citation needed], later becoming a civilian employee[citation needed]. Following a sabbatical at Stanford University to obtain his Ph.D., he joined SRI International where in 1972, together with Russell Targ, he founded a then-highly-classified, now-highly-publicised "remote viewing" program, originally called Project SCANATE, finally STAR GATE, which was funded over its two-decade-plus history by the CIA, DIA, and various military organizations.[3]

Puthoff has held high-level security clearances with the United States government.[citation needed]

[edit] Ventures in Austin

In 1985, Puthoff founded a for-profit company, EarthTech International in Austin, TX[citation needed]. At about the same time, he founded an academically-oriented scientific research organization, Institute for Advanced Studies at Austin (IASA)[citation needed], also in Austin, TX, where he is Director. Independent of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ, IASA pursues more focused research on topics specifically related to energy generation and space propulsion, with funding from anonymous donors.

[edit] Scientology

Puthoff joined the Church of Scientology in the late 1960s and reached the top OT VII level by 1971. Puthoff wrote up his "wins" for a Scientology publication, claiming to have achieved "remote viewing" abilities.[4] In 1974, Puthoff also wrote a piece for Scientology's Celebrity magazine, stating that Scientology had given him "a feeling of absolute fearlessness". [5] Puthoff severed all connection with Scientology in the late '70's.[6]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Mind-Reach: Scientists Look at Psychic Abilities by Russell Targ and Harold Puthoff, Hampton Roads Publishing Co., 2005.
  2. ^ Marks, D.F. & Kammann, R. (1980). "The Psychology of the Psychic". Buffalo, New York: Prometheus Books.
  3. ^ *CIA-Initiated Remote Viewing At Stanford Research Institute by Harold E. Puthoff, Ph.D.
  4. ^ Puthoff, Hal, Success Story, Scientology Advanced Org Los Angeles (AOLA) special publication, 1971.
  5. ^ Celebrity magazine, Minor Issue 9, February 1974.
  6. ^ Harold Puthoff, "Harold Puthoff Responds on Zero-Point Energy," Skeptical Inquirer, Sept./Oct.1998.
  1. Pantell, Richard H. and Puthoff, H. E. (1969). Fundamentals of Quantum Electronics. New York: Wiley. ISBN 0-471-65790-5. 
  2. H. E. Puthoff, CIA-Initiated Remote Viewing At Stanford Research Institute, 1996, from Biomind Superpowers, the website of Ingo Swann, also said to be an ex-employee of Project SCANATE.
  3. Puthoff, H. E.. "Searching for the Universal Matrix in Metaphysics". Research News and Opportunities in Science and Theology 2: 22. 
  4. Puthoff, H. E. (2002). "Polarizable Vacuum (PV) Approach to General Relativity". Foundations of Physics 32: 927–943. doi:10.1023/A:1016011413407.  arXiv eprint
  5. Puthoff, H. E.; Little, S. R.; and Ibison, M. (2002). "Engineering the Zero-Point Field and Polarizable Vacuum for Interstellar Flight". J. British Interplanetary Society 55: 137–144. 
  6. Randi, James (1982). Flim-Flam! : Psychics, ESP, unicorns and other Delusions. New York: Prometheus Books, 131-160. ISBN 0-87975-198-3. 

[edit] External links

Alleged Scientology connections
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