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The '''Journal of Scientific Exploration''' (JSE) is a quarterly publication of the ] (founded in 1982). According to its mission statement, this publication "was established in 1987 to provide a professional forum for the presentation, scrutiny and criticism of scientific research on topics outside the established disciplines of mainstream science."<ref name="JSE"></ref> However, due to its scope, it admits that it "publishes claimed observations and proffered explanations that will seem more speculative or less plausible than in some mainstream disciplinary journals."<ref name="instructions">http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/author_instr.php JSE Instructions for Authors</ref>
{{inuse}}


==Topics and policies==
The '''Journal of Scientific Exploration''' is the quarterly publication of the ''Society for Scientific Exploration'' (founded in 1982).
The JSE was initially established to provide a forum for three main fields that had largely been neglected by mainstream science: ], ], and ]. They have also published papers, essays and book reviews on ], ], ], ] and other ].<ref name="JSE"/><ref name="retrospective">http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/articles/pdf/18.1_haisch_sims.pdf B.Haisch, M.Sims, ''A Retrospective on the Journal of Scientific Exploration'', JSE Vol 18, No 1 (2004)</ref>


Bernard Haisch and Martha Sims, respectively past editor in chief and past executive director, describe the Journal of Scientific Exploration "as ] Journal following the customs and standards of academic journals but designed specifically for the scholarly study of anomalies",<ref name="JSE"/><ref name="retrospective">B.Haisch, M.Sims, ''A Retrospective on the Journal of Scientific Exploration'', JSE Vol 18, No 1 (2004) ] "at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief" and that if the paper is accepted "but there remain points of disagreement between authors and referee(s), the reviewer(s) may be given the option of having their opinion(s) published.<ref name="instructions">http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/author_instr.php JSE Instructions for Authors</ref> The policy of the journal is to maintain a critical view by presenting both sides of an argument so as not to advocate for or against any of the published topics.<ref>http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/v11n1.php JSE Vol 11, No 1 (Spring 1997) - as an example for presenting both sides of an argument (Mars effect)</ref><ref>http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/v12n1.php JSE Vol 12, No 1 (Spring 1998) - as an example for presenting both sides of an argument (Roswell)</ref> The Journal's website describes the publication's purpose as providing "a professional forum for presentations, criticism, and debate concerning topics which are for various reasons ignored or studied inadequately within mainstream science", and describes the Journal as a "critical forum of rationality and observational evidence for the often strange claims at the fringes of science."<ref name="JSE">"Mission Statement", Journal of Scientific Exploration </ref>
==Editorial board==


Some observers regard the JSE as a legitimate attempt to explore the frontiers of science,<ref>http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/college/specialinterestgroups/spirituality/resources/journals.aspx A Resource List for the Spirituality and Psychiatry Special Interest Group of the Royal College of Psychiatrists</ref><ref>http://www.hist.unt.edu/web_resources/anth_journal.htm Journals and Other Media at the Department of History of the University of North Texas</ref> while others view it as a forum for scientifically objectionable or dubious ideas.<ref>See archives on </ref> ] wrote an article about the Society for Scientific Exploration called ''Science on the Fringe'' for ].<ref name="Lemonick">Lemonick MD (May 24, 2005). '']''</ref> Some academics have noted that JSE publishes on anomalous issues, topics often on the ].<ref name=cross">Cross A (2004). The Flexibility of Scientific Rhetoric: A Case Study of UFO Researchers. ''Qualitative Sociology''. Volume 27, Number 1 / March, 2004</ref>
The editorial board is composed of persons holding faculty positions at various respectable universities and other institutions of mainstream science. However, a closer look suggests that the current board consists ''exclusively'' of academics who have a reputation for publishing in ] topics:
#Mikel Aickin, (Ctr. for Health Res., ], in ]) publishes on ] topics
#Rémy Chauvin (]), ditto
#Olivier Costa de Beauregard (]), ditto
#Steven J. Dick (]), ditto
#Peter Fenwick (], London) publishes on ]
#Alan Gauld (Dept. of Psychology, ]) has been described as a ] (at JSE)
#Richard C. Henry (Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, ]) publishes on ]s and other paranormal topics,
#Robert G. Jahn (School of Engineering, ]) publishes on ]; see also ] (PEAR)
#W. H. Jefferys, (Astronomy, ]) publishes on "paranormal dreaming"
#Wayne B. Jonas, (]) publishes on "magical thinking" and ]
#Michael Levin, (Cell Biology Dept., ]) publishes on ] and "paranormal information transfer"
#David Pieri (]) publishes on the so-called ]
#] (Health Science Center, ]) published on ] and is the author of book on paranormal
#] (Ctr. for Space Science & Astrophysics, ]) publishes on ]s
#Yervant Terzian (Astronomy, ]) publishes on ]s
#] (]) publishes on a paranormal "plasma vortex"; see also ] and ]
Indeed, many of these persons have published on paranormal or fringe science topics in the JSE itself. One of the founders of the JSE appears to be ], who also has established a reputation as a fringe scientist who publishes on ]s in the JSE and other places, and who has recently founded an organization he calls , which promotes the UFO conspiracy theory.


==Criticism==
⚫ ==Fringe science content==


], Editor of ] and ] fellow has criticized this Journal:
The of this publication states that it was
{{quotation|established in 1987 to provide a professional forum for the presentation, scrutiny and criticism of scientific research on topics outside the established disciplines of mainstream science.|JSE website}}


:The JSE, while presented as neutral and objective, appears to hold a hidden agenda. They seem to be interested in promoting fringe topics as real mysteries and they tend to ignore most evidence to the contrary. They publish 'scholarly' articles promoting the reality of ], ], ], and ]. Most of the prominent and active members are strong believers in the reality of such phenomena.<ref></ref>
The JSE claims to strive for standards comparable to mainstream journals, with mixed success. It's website states that submissions are accepted or rejected on the basis of ], and that the Journal does not advocate any of the published topics. However, while some paranormal researchers regard the Journal as a legitimate attempt to explore the frontiers of science, mainstream scientists generally view it as a forum for ''scientifically dubious ideas''.


==Refereeing==
Examining the contents of random issues suggests that JSE typically publishes articles seeking to present alleged "scientific evidence" for the existence of ], ], ], ], ], and various other ] notions, as well as ] and other ]s, the ] and ] theories. (See the external links below for tables of content for all or most issues of the JSE.) Furthermore, the fact that the editorial board appears to be composed exclusively of paranormal researchers suggests that the pool of referees for this journal has a similar composition.
The editors explain that "in established disciplines, concordance with accepted disciplinary paradigms is the chief guide in evaluating material for scholarly publication. On the matters of interest to the Society for Scientific Exploration, however, consensus does not prevail. Therefore the Journal of Scientific Exploration necessarily publishes claimed observations and proffered explanations that will seem more speculative or less plausible than in some mainstream disciplinary journals. Nevertheless, those observations and explanations must conform to rigorous standards of observational techniques and logical argument."<ref> </ref>

==Key personnel==
===Editors-in-Chief===

*] (], ]), Founder and Editor-in-Chief 1987-1988
*] (], ]) Editor-in-Chief 1988-1999 <ref name="retrospective"/><ref>http://www.manyone.net/about/management/bernard-haisch.html ManyOne - Management: Dr. Bernard Haisch, Ph.D.</ref>
*] (], ]) 1999-present <ref>http://spec.lib.vt.edu/mss/bauer.html Henry H. Bauer Papers, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University</ref>


==See also== ==See also==


*] * ]
* ]
* ]
* ]


==References==
<div class="references-small"><references/></div>
==External links== ==External links==


* , from in ] * , the JSE website
* , publisher of JSE


] ]
]
⚫ ]

Revision as of 15:10, 9 January 2008

The Journal of Scientific Exploration (JSE) is a quarterly publication of the Society for Scientific Exploration (founded in 1982). According to its mission statement, this publication "was established in 1987 to provide a professional forum for the presentation, scrutiny and criticism of scientific research on topics outside the established disciplines of mainstream science." However, due to its scope, it admits that it "publishes claimed observations and proffered explanations that will seem more speculative or less plausible than in some mainstream disciplinary journals."

Topics and policies

The JSE was initially established to provide a forum for three main fields that had largely been neglected by mainstream science: ufology, cryptozoology, and parapsychology. They have also published papers, essays and book reviews on alternative medicine, astrology, consciousness, reincarnation and other paranormal phenomena.

Bernard Haisch and Martha Sims, respectively past editor in chief and past executive director, describe the Journal of Scientific Exploration "as peer-reviewed Journal following the customs and standards of academic journals but designed specifically for the scholarly study of anomalies", though its "Instructions for Authors" states that papers are subjected to peer review "at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief" and that if the paper is accepted "but there remain points of disagreement between authors and referee(s), the reviewer(s) may be given the option of having their opinion(s) published. The policy of the journal is to maintain a critical view by presenting both sides of an argument so as not to advocate for or against any of the published topics. The Journal's website describes the publication's purpose as providing "a professional forum for presentations, criticism, and debate concerning topics which are for various reasons ignored or studied inadequately within mainstream science", and describes the Journal as a "critical forum of rationality and observational evidence for the often strange claims at the fringes of science."

Some observers regard the JSE as a legitimate attempt to explore the frontiers of science, while others view it as a forum for scientifically objectionable or dubious ideas. Michael Lemonick wrote an article about the Society for Scientific Exploration called Science on the Fringe for Time Magazine. Some academics have noted that JSE publishes on anomalous issues, topics often on the fringe of science.

Criticism

Kendrick Frazier, Editor of Skeptical Inquirer and CSICOP fellow has criticized this Journal:

The JSE, while presented as neutral and objective, appears to hold a hidden agenda. They seem to be interested in promoting fringe topics as real mysteries and they tend to ignore most evidence to the contrary. They publish 'scholarly' articles promoting the reality of dowsing, neo-astrology, ESP, and psychokinesis. Most of the prominent and active members are strong believers in the reality of such phenomena.

Refereeing

The editors explain that "in established disciplines, concordance with accepted disciplinary paradigms is the chief guide in evaluating material for scholarly publication. On the matters of interest to the Society for Scientific Exploration, however, consensus does not prevail. Therefore the Journal of Scientific Exploration necessarily publishes claimed observations and proffered explanations that will seem more speculative or less plausible than in some mainstream disciplinary journals. Nevertheless, those observations and explanations must conform to rigorous standards of observational techniques and logical argument."

Key personnel

Editors-in-Chief

See also

References

  1. ^ Journal of Scientific Exploration website Cite error: The named reference "JSE" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/author_instr.php JSE Instructions for Authors
  3. ^ http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/articles/pdf/18.1_haisch_sims.pdf B.Haisch, M.Sims, A Retrospective on the Journal of Scientific Exploration, JSE Vol 18, No 1 (2004) Cite error: The named reference "retrospective" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/v11n1.php JSE Vol 11, No 1 (Spring 1997) - as an example for presenting both sides of an argument (Mars effect)
  5. http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/v12n1.php JSE Vol 12, No 1 (Spring 1998) - as an example for presenting both sides of an argument (Roswell)
  6. http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/college/specialinterestgroups/spirituality/resources/journals.aspx A Resource List for the Spirituality and Psychiatry Special Interest Group of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
  7. http://www.hist.unt.edu/web_resources/anth_journal.htm Journals and Other Media at the Department of History of the University of North Texas
  8. See archives on
  9. Lemonick MD (May 24, 2005). Science on the Fringe. Time
  10. Cross A (2004). The Flexibility of Scientific Rhetoric: A Case Study of UFO Researchers. Qualitative Sociology. Volume 27, Number 1 / March, 2004
  11. CSICOP Responds to the Recent UFO Report Sponsored by the Society for Scientific Exploration (SSE)
  12. Instructions for Authors
  13. http://www.manyone.net/about/management/bernard-haisch.html ManyOne - Management: Dr. Bernard Haisch, Ph.D.
  14. http://spec.lib.vt.edu/mss/bauer.html Henry H. Bauer Papers, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

External links

Categories: