Forensic Parapsychology

It sounds cool:)  I searched the net and found an Institute for Forensic Parapsychology, but I don't understand what it is.

I got the following from about Forensic Science wiki:

 Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action.

I can't see this being associated with parapsychology.  So perhaps:

But this generally relates to objects.

In modern use, the term "forensics" in place of "forensic science" can be considered incorrect as the term "forensic" is effectively a synonym for "legal" or "related to courts". However, the term is now so closely associated with the scientific field that many dictionaries include the meaning that equates the word "forensics" with "forensic science".

And this definition about parapsychology:

Parapsychology is a discipline that seeks to investigate the existence and causes of psychic abilities and life after death using the scientific method.  Parapsychological experiments have included the use of random number generators to test for evidence of precognition and psychokinesis with both human and animal subjects and Ganzfeld experiments to test for extrasensory perception.

So how does parapsychology fit in with legal evidence when psychic ability is not a recognised fact and psychic abilities are not physical objects.  If it's just a metter of proving psychic ability, then why not just call it parapsychology.

Yes it is the legal asopect I was thinking about.  I can accept Forensic Psychology, but struggle with Forensic Parapsychology

Generally, I say 'forensic' can prepended to any activity where the goal is to formally authenticate a claim using accepted, established methods. Drawing a line from the original Latin meaning, I'd say it's also related to dialectics, the practice of realising the truth using reason and logical argument.

Parapsychology actively investigates claims of PSI based phenomena, so why add the Forensic descriptor.  It does not need it, unless, Forensic Parapsychology is differant to Parapsychology. 

I think Forensic Parapsychology suggests a more 'applied' approach if you know what I mean, that it is concerned more with exploring narrowly defined events and synergies to solve a given mystery; whereas Parapsychology (without the descriptor) is more broad and academic, concerned with the fundamental principles of the subject.

The problem is, practically everyone (including myself) thinks of 'forensic' as existing primarily in a criminology setting. Perhaps 'Applied Parapsychology' would be more appropriate.

Does anyone know of anywhere you could take a parapsychology course?

It appears, from a quick online survey, that 'Forensic Parapsychology' applies to what we might otherwise call 'ghost hunting'. I'm afraid there is little evidence that there is any real research behind what is being offered at the Institute for Forensic Parapsychology. And I can find nothing else that is not linked to this Institute in some way which suggests that Forensic Parapsychology is a legitimate branch of the science of research Parapsychology as practiced by members of the Parapsychological Association based in the U.S.

[i]Anomalous Phenomena is Unexplained not Impossible

Psi is Subtle not Absolute
Anything is possible, it'a all a matter of Probability[/i]

For some reason, I said that name out loud and half expected to discover David Caruso lurking over my shoulder. 

"So, the Ghost did it!"

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 Generally, in order to become a "professional, academic parapsychologist" it is necessary to have both undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications, usually in psychology. This is usually because you would be pursuing an academic career within a department at a University.

This process commonly follows two to three stages:

A Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree, usually in psychology (3-4 years).
A Masters of Science (M.Sc) degree, again usually in some area of psychology (1-2 years). This stage can be optional.
A Doctoral (Ph.D) degree, usually in psychology and often with a focus on an area of parapsychology (3-5 years).

There is NO such thing as a Forensic Parapsychologist.  Forensics is a legal term and has nothing whatsoever to do with the field of Parapsychology.  

From Websters:

Forensic:

1: belonging to, used in, or suitable to courts of judicature or to public discussion and debate

2: argumentative, rhetorical

3 : relating to or dealing with the application of scientific knowledge to legal problems <forensic medicine> <forensic science> <forensic pathologist> <forensic experts>

One could make an argument that forensic parapsychology happens every time the police visit a medium.  Which does happen on occasion.

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