In February 2005, my good friend, English biologist Rupert Sheldrake, was asked to take part in a National Geographic Channel show on psychic animals. The show would begin airing in August that year as, Is It Real? Psychic Animals. Sheldrake’s participation from the beginning had been contingent on one condition: Because the subject of psychic animals was vulnerable to excess and hyperbole either for or against beyond what the research actually showed, he agreed to participate on the understanding that the program would be fair, unbiased, and must not be structured in the standard debunking “Gotcha” format. This is one of the most powerful trends developing in media today, and you have probably seen it a hundred times on television.
In this format, a scientist speaking on the basis of his research presents his data, and some critic, often with no expertise in the area of science involved, makes denigrating comments about the first scientist, who is given no opportunity to respond. It is currently particularly in vogue on channels that support the antiglobal warming position. Sheldrake was assured that the show would not follow that format and would be fair and unbiased.
Publication History: Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing
September 2006 (Vol. 2, Issue 5, Pages 394-398)
