DRAFTMSG11
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      MEMORANDUM FOR See Distribution
      SUBJECT Investigation of Paranormal Phenomena
           1. You are invited to attend an informal conference designed to establish the
      proper context and procedures for a coordinated Agency investigation into various
      purported paranormal phenomena. You have been chosen because you are already
      aware of the reported phenomena, because your office has a legitimate interest in
      this field and because we believe that you have a substantive contribution to make.
      For reasons which we are sure you appreciate and probably share, we wish to keep
      the conference low-key and limit the attendance as well as general awareness of
      the proposed investigations.
           2. The conference will be hosted by DDP/TSD and DDS&T /ORD in preparation
      for a joint effort . It is our hope that, by obtaining the views of all legitimately
      interested parties before designing the specifics of our research approach, we can
      ensure that the outcome- -whatever else it may prove--will be acceptable to all as
      having validity for the components and disciplines which they represent. We do
      not believe it makes any difference whether, at this point, you are a 'believer' or
      Inon-believer' or somewhere in between. In the spirit of scientific objectivity we
      merely seek your counsel in an approach to a problem which has eluded resolution
      for ages--and may, of course, continue to do so.
           3. There are few groundrules for the conference but, if anything is to be
      accomplished, we will have to insist that they be observed :
           - there will be no rehashing of anecdotal accounts of the recent at other
      phenomena, all of which we have all heard on numerous occasions;
           - there will be no debate as to the existence of the phenomena or speculation
      about their dynamics or meaning since those are precisely the questions which we
      hope our research will resolve;
           - you are merely asked to come with an open mind, prepared to address
      yourself generally to the following questions :
      What specific questions would you and your office like to see answered
      by our investigations?
      What kinds of experiments with the Subjects would be useful from the
      point of view of your component's special interests?
      What kinds of laboratory and/or analytical- statistical controls would
      you like to have instituted?
      What kinds of non-phenomenological testing (e. g. , physiological,
      behavioral, etc) would you like to have performed on the Subjects?
      4. While the primary focus of the initial conference will be on the above areas,
      it may also be useful for you to reflect on the specific applications (aggressive and/or
      defensive) which might have particular significance for your component should
      various phenomena be verified beyond all reasonable doubt and should we establish
      that individuals with the appropriate attributes can be trained to reproduce them.
      If there is time this area might also be broached during the first conference. In any
      case, we anticipate later meetings at which you will receive progress reports and
      during which we can, more profitably perhaps, begin to focus on such specifics. In
      effect, then, the group will serve as a counseling panel but, as noted, we wish to
      keep it as informal and low-key as possible.
      5. The conference will be held in room
      . Please notify_
      whether you will be able to attend or, alternatively,
      at hours on
      on extension
      whether someone else will
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  represent your office. In the latter event, please select only an officer already
  familiar with the topic and with the recent developments in this field. Also, please
  ensure that the selected officer is informed of the contents of this memorandum
  and, most specifically, of the unusual sensitivity associated with the Agency's
  interest in paranormal research.
  C/TSD (?
  Distribution:
  Office of Security - Attention Mr.
  Office of Communications - Attention Mr.
  DD/P, CI Staff - Attention Mr.
  DDS&T - Attention
  DDS&T/OSI - Atte
  DDS/OMS - Attention
  WORD ( ?)
  SG1 I
  Approved For Release 2000/08/07 : CIA-RDP96-00787ROO0400070021 -0