Are Universes Thicker than Blackberries?

This latest book of Martin Gardner essays is arranged under science, mathematics, religion, literature and moonshine; the essays in this section are mainly reprinted from the Prometheus Books Encyclopedia of the Paranormal, itself a book compiled from the sceptical viewpoint (Prometheus Books promotes a narrow rationalism). An interesting essay on Krishnamurti is rightly critical in some respects but then moves into a disparagement of David Bohm and an attack on Rupert Sheldrake's 'bizarre claims' that animals have psychic powers, as if Rupert never checked his sources or conducted experiments of his own. So the collection is informed by the kind of sceptical rationalism that is useful up to a point but which has long since over-reached itself; the trouble is that this view is far more influential than its wider counterpart represented by discussions within the Network. This is why it is crucial that we retain a measure of critical rigour along with our openness.