THE RESEARCH WITH BD AND THE LEGACY OF MAGICAL IGNORANCE

Kanthamani and Kelly's research with special subject Bill Delmore (B.D .) produced extremely high scores and has received wide acclaim in the parapsychology literature. A number of leaders in the field have sinc e lauded the procedures and controls. But B.D.'s behaviour should have made the investigators more cautious. In fact, the formal tests were vulnerable to cheating many ways. This and other problems have not bee n previously recognized. The technical shortcomings of the research ar e symptomatic of deeper difficulties. A few prominent parapsychologist s are vocally promoting research involving known tricksters. These adv ocates have been aggressive in publishing their articles in profession al forums, but they have no knowledge of conjuring. Several have train ed many students and have thereby bequeathed a legacy of ignorance abo ut magic. Priorities set by editors, educators, and managers of resear ch facilities need to be reevaluated, and parapsychologists will need to become more familiar with conjuring. This article includes comments about researchers' resistance to learning magic and magicians' reluct ance to explain their methods.