Michael Persinger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Persinger
|
|
|---|---|
Persinger in 2010
|
|
| Born | June 26, 1945 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
|
| Died | August 14, 2018 (aged 73) Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
|
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Citizenship | Canadian American |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin University of Tennessee University of Manitoba |
| Known for | Director of Laurentian University's Consciousness Research Laboratory. Notable for his work in the field of neurotheology. |
| Awards | LIFT (Leader in Faculty Teaching), 2007 TVO (Ontario) Best Lecturer 2007 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Neurotheology, Neuroscience, Parapsychology, Biophysics, Geophysics, Epilepsy |
| Institutions | Laurentian University |
Michael A. Persinger (June 26, 1945 – August 14, 2018) was a professor of psychology from both America and Canada. He taught at Laurentian University from 1971 until he passed away in 2018.
He was famous for his ideas about how our brains, especially a part called the temporal lobe, might be involved in mystical experiences. He also explored how small changes in Earth's magnetic field could relate to paranormal events. Persinger suggested that movements in the Earth's crust might even cause strange lights, sometimes called UFOs. He believed that all experiences, including our thoughts and feelings, could be explained by physical rules of the universe.
Persinger's experiments on unusual experiences got a lot of attention. However, his work also faced criticism from other scientists. His main research areas included how electromagnetic fields affect living things, epilepsy, and how the temporal lobes of the brain work. He also studied biophotons (tiny light particles from living cells) and how Earth's geology might interact with humans. He wrote over 500 scientific articles and several books.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Michael Persinger went to Carroll College from 1963 to 1964. He then graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1967. He earned his master's degree in physiological psychology from the University of Tennessee in 1969. Later, he received his Ph.D. from the University of Manitoba in 1971.
Exploring the Brain and Beyond
Persinger's work aimed to connect different areas of science. He wanted to find common ideas that link fields like chemistry, biology, and psychology. He helped create the Behavioral Neuroscience Program at Laurentian University in Canada.
The God Helmet Experiment
One of Persinger's most famous experiments involved a device called the "God Helmet." For about 30 years, he used this helmet to apply very weak magnetic fields to the temporal lobes of hundreds of volunteers' brains.
Many people who tried the helmet reported experiences similar to mystical ones. These included feeling like they were outside their body or sensing a "presence" nearby. Persinger believed these feelings might be how our brain creates experiences often linked to spiritual or mystical events.
However, other researchers tried to repeat his experiments but couldn't always get the same results. Some scientists also questioned his methods, saying there wasn't a clear way the helmet could affect the brain as he claimed. Persinger argued that their equipment might have been set up incorrectly.
Earth's Movements and Strange Lights
Persinger also studied how Earth's geology might affect human experiences. He and John S. Derr developed the Tectonic Strain Theory (TST). This idea suggests that strange lights and other physical effects can happen when there's stress in the Earth's crust. This stress often occurs before earthquakes.
Persinger believed that how people describe these strange lights has changed over time. For example, what some people called UFOs in modern times might have been described differently in the past. He thought the underlying cause was the same physical process.
Unlocking Paranormal Mysteries
Persinger was interested in paranormal phenomena because he saw them as "the unknown" that science could explore. He believed that events like telepathy (mind-to-mind communication) and clairvoyance (seeing things not present) could be explained by physical interactions. He thought these interactions might happen between human brain activity and Earth's geophysical processes.
For example, he claimed that precognition (knowing something before it happens) was linked to changes in Earth's magnetic field. He observed that telepathy and clairvoyance seemed more likely when global geomagnetic activity was lower. He also studied the brain activity of people who claimed to be "psychic." He found unusual brain patterns and small changes in the magnetic field when their experiences were most accurate.
Death
Michael Persinger passed away on August 14, 2018, at the age of 73.
See also
In Spanish: Michael Persinger para niños
- Electromagnetic theories of consciousness
- Neurotheology
