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The Magic of Uri Geller
by James Randi Ile /@/
Fact Shoot correctinR errors with regard to SRI work with Gellor
Preface by Jaroff (p. xi): Geller convinced executives and
researchers at the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) ... that he
could (among other Lhings) distort solid metallic objecLs.
FaCL: SRI's position on Geller's putative metal-bending
ability is clearly stated in the researchers' Nature publication;
"It has been widely reported that Geller iias demonstrated the
ability to bend metal by paranormal means. Although metal
bending by Geller has been observed in our laboratory, we have
not been able to combine such observations with adequately
controlled experiments to obtain data sufficient to support
the paranormal hypothesis." (Nature 252, No. 5476, pp. 602-607,
October 18, 1974)
2. Randi (p. 7): Few of the Geller experiments, especially the
famous tests at SRI in which Geller performed apparent miracles
of ESP, include in their reports the fact that one Shipi
Strang, once claimed by Geller as his rousin. and his brother,
was present.
Fact: During the SRI experimentation, neither Shipi nor any
other potential confederate was permitted in the target area,
a pro-condiLion for experimentation adopted on the basis of
advice by project consulting magicians.
3. Randi (p. 9): But scientists are loarho to consuiL magicians.
FacL: At SRI one of the two responsibie investigators is an
amateur magician with over 20 years experience, a bay area
magician who specializes in exposing fraudulent poltergeist
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cases is a continuing consUlLanL from the beginning of the.
pro.jecL, and Milbourne Christopher, a world-reknown magician
and critic of psychic phenomena, was brought in to critique
videotape,and film of the Geller work, and to suggest protocols
for further experimentation.
4. Randi (p. 9): Even while the Stanford Research InsLinite was
involved in testing the Israeli Wonder, I wrote, offering my
services, and have never received the courtesy of a reply.
FacL: Randi's letter, dated September 6, 1973, was months
after completion of the SRI work wiLh Geller.
5. Randi (p. 15): Then too, there seems to be developing a
public belief that science approves the Lrend toward para-
psychological research and that most people believe in psychic
marvels. It is a fact thaL the vast majority of scientists
today have no interest, nor belief, in these things ...
Fact: According to a recent survey reported by Chris Evans
in Now Scientist, pp. 209, January 25, 1973, "Parapsychology-
What the Questionnaire Revealed," 67 percent of nearly 1500
responding (the majority of whom are working scientists and
technologists) considered ESP to be an established fact or
a likely possibiliLy, and 88 percent held the investigation
of ESP to be a legitimate scientific undeftaking.
6. Randi (p. 34): PuLhoff reprinted the NaLure article wiLhouL
the page-and-a-half introduction ! (Following paragraph
implying. editing oat of maLerial unfavorable to the paper.)
Fact: Reprint of article to which Ratidi refers is the standard
Nature reprint sent to authors. The so-called Introduction
Randi claims is deleted refers to an editorial at the front
of the magazine, several pages earlier. Nature reprints
sLandardly do not carry editorials, letters to the editor, etc.
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7. Randi (p. 39): After reprinting Nature editorial Randi claims
that lie must give his own version of SRI paper, as SRI did.
not make paper available to him.
Fact: SRI paper to which he refers was in same magazine as
the editorial lie reprinted, a few pages later ... a document
in the public domain, available in any technical library,
permission for the use of which is obtained from the magazine
as was done for the editorial.
8. Randi (p. 42): There was no way that I could. get to see the
SRI film. Only the elite of the world of science and journalism
were invited (to the Columbia symposium).
Fact: The Columbia symposium was widely known to be an open
symposium to which any in.teresLed individual could come and
for which no invitations were required.
9. Randi (pp. 43 and 44): Randi would have the reader believe
that the compass sequence and spoon-bonding sequence of the
SRI film "Experiments with Uri Geller" are examples of where
SRI scientists were taken in by magic tricks.
Fact: With regard to the compass sequence the film narration
states "The following is an experiment which in retrospect
we consider unsatisfactory as it didn't meet our protocol.
standards. Here the@ task is to deflect the compass noodle. . .
However, according to our protocol, if we could in any way
debunk the experiment and produce the effects by any other
means, then that experiment was considered null and void even
if there were no indications thaL anything untoward happened.
fn IlAs caso, we found later that those types of deflections
could be produced by a small piece of metal, so small in fact
that they could not be detected by the magnetometer. Therefore,
even though we had no evidence of this, we still considered the
experiment inconclusive and an unsatisfactory type of experi-
menL altogether."
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Wit@i regard to the spoon-bendin'g sequence, the film states
"One of Geller's main attributes that had been reported to us
was that he was able to bend metal ... In the laboratory we did
not find him able to do so ... becomes clear in watching this
fill" that simple photo interpretation is insufficient to deter-
mine whether Lhe metal is bent by normal or paranormal means ...
It is not clear whether the spoon is being bent because he
.has extraordinarily strong fingers and good control- of micro.-
manipulatory movements, or whether, in fact, the spoon "turns
to plasLic" in his hands, as he claims." (Text of narration
of film "Experiments with Uri Geller," shown a t Columbia and
elsewhere. Text released as part of SRI press release of
March 6, 1973, accompanying Columbia presentation.)
1-0. -Randi (p. 56): Sbipi was there, according to Hanion, "con-
sLantiy underfoot" during the tests.
Fact: 1@eiLhcr Shipi nor any other potential confederate
was permitted in the target area during the tests. Hanlon's
allegations to the contrary were refuted in Letters to the
Editor, New Scientist, p. 443, November 1974.
11. Randi (pp. 47 thru 57): If you made an excuse to leave the
room - and could have gotten just one quick glance at Shipi
Strang, and he was trying to signal... A quick glance at this
target might have given Shipi an impression of a horse ...
Such a response could result from a hand signal ... This shape,
which could have been transmitted by simple hand gestures or
by a verbal clue .. They might even have been watching Shipi by
now... etc.
Fact: As indicated above, neither Shipi nbIr any otlier potential
confederate was permitted in the Larget area, and Geller was
never permitted to change his position (i.e., enter or leave
experimental room) while an experiment was in progress. .
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12. Randi (p. 55): Captain Edgar Mitchell has said "I was there
virtually all the time. I am a co-invesLigator on all that
work... they were so eager to keep him (Geller) around that they
worked themselves into a box by meeting his every whim..."
Fact: Captain Mitchell was not at SRI for any of the ex-
porimentaLion reported in Nature, but rather only during early
efforts to find whether iL was possible to introduce strict
protocols as was finally done successfully.
13. Randi (p. 57): Only in the tests where there was no pos,siblity
of transmission of data from a confederate did Geller refuse
to try the Lost or just fail it. (Referring to Experiments
5 - 7)
Fact: Two of the three experiments (6 and 7) were carried
out under the same conditions as all of the others - no
potential confederates in the target area. The third experi-
Mont (EXT). 5)'was a special clairvoyance experiment - again
with no potential confederate in the target area.
14. Raudi (p. 58): (With regard to the Faraday cage experiments.)
Ile could even reach his arm out of the cage. What is to prevent
Ship!. from signaling these three to Collor? Nothing.
Fact: The Faraday cage is entirely sealed and guarded. Only
by opening the door can one reach out. Wit.-h regard to Shipi
acting as a confederate to signal Lo Geller, again, as in
all experiments.neithor Shipi nor any other potential confederate
was permitted into the target area or knew of the target, a
precaution insisted upon and followed as a result of advice
from consulting magicians.
15. Randi (p. 63): And is it not curious that this Geller test
series was never reprinted or mentioned by any of his SRI
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disciples? (Referring to the 100-envelope double-blind
clairvoyance test that Geller failed.)
Fact: This Lost, with its negative results, is also
in the Nature paper, fourth paragraph from the end of
the section on Geller.
16. Randi. (p. 73): ... agreed to examine Geller's claims,
with the arrangement that if the results we're not. positive.
no report would be issued ... Did Geller have the same
arrangement with the boys at SRI before he agreed to be
.tested there? I'll bet he did!
Fact: Negative results on compass deflection and metal
bending are rep orted in the SRI film "Experiments with
Uri Geller" Columbia Physics Coloquium, March 6, 1973,
and negative results on metal bending and 100-envelope
clairvoyance test arc, reported in Nature, October', 1974.
17. Randi (p. 107): Now, SRI, in its great wisdom, has
called in a magician briefly as consultant. Not before
Geller's tests, mind you, but after. With them, the
alarm sys Lem is installed after the robbery. It is in-
LeresLiLig to note that when Geller did a subsequent series
of tests there .(p. 62), he failed. Any connection?
Fact: SRI called in a magician as consultant bef any of
1: q r 1@
the tests with Geller, not after. (A magician who specializes
in exposing poltergeist cases as frauds.) If Randi is re-
lerriiig only to Milbourne Christopher, no tests, including
those of page 62, were done after Christopher's consultancy,
ali work with Geller having, been completed before Christopher's
arrival.
18. Rand.i (p. 125):, And the SRI public relations man (who has
since quit the organization) called Wilhelm of Time to see
what could be done about the story.
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fact - SRI's public relations man, Ron Deu1sch, did not quit
the organization over this or any other issue, and is still
there.
19. Ray Hyman quoted by Randi (p. 148): So -1 asked them (Puthoff
and Targ) if he could bond them without touching them (metal
rings). They told' me lie could do it either way. I asked
PLr Lhoff if lie or anyone else at SRI had seen Uri do it without
touching the ring. They never did answer Pie. They simply
assured me that he could do it either way.
Fact: The above is false reporting. It is well known that
PULI-10ff and Targ of SRI have been agrioSLic on the subject oF
metal bending since the beginning, and reported thus both in
the SRI film and in the Nature paper.
20. Randi (p. 157): First of all, Taylor's statement about the
magician is not true. Where lie got that idea, I cannot tell.
There was no magician prosent.
Fact: Taylor's statement is true; he. got it from SRI re-
searchers. A magician was present.
21. Randi (p. 173): You might roe-all, professor, that your
COUrterparts in America - Targ and PuLhoff - obtained single-
sided pulses when Uri tried to hex a sensitive weighing
device. And no one thought to try testing the chart recorder
then, either ...
Fact: As is apparenL from the SRI Film (a) the chart recorder
was remote from Geller in the experiment, and (b) the chart
recorder was continuously monitored by film and videotape,
specifically as a guard against chicanery.
22. Randi (p. 189): And finally, is if there were not enough
doubts about the procedure used to conduct this "test,"
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Time's Wilhelm has reported that the set of tries with the die
actually consisted of MANY HUNDREDS OF THROWS, the object
.being to got a run of consecutive wins.
Fact: There was no selection of a good-run out of "hundreds
of throws." There were ten throws only, as reported in the
Nature paper, eight of which were correctly guessed by Geller,
two of which were passed. All the throws were reported.
23. Randi (pp. 186-190): An.elaborate hypothesis is put forward
as to how Geller might have handled the die(-- box and cheated.
PacL: Film and videotape show otherwise-, and magicians
examining this material have faLled to detect a conjuring trick,
24. Randi (p. 294): Targ and PuLhoff say, in a letter to Communi-
cations Society magazine, that,."In lengthy consultation with
professional magicians, no viable conjuring explanation for
those or other experiments reported in Nature has emerged."
What ma.gi-cians? If these gentlemen have examined this book
carefully, they may now have another conclusion.
Fact: Having examined this book carefully, we find that in
every instance Randi, in his effor Ls Lo fault the SRI experi-
menLs, was driven to hypothesize the existence of a loophole
condition that did not, in fact, exist. If Ra.ndi believes
that the conditions he hypothesized were responsible for the
results of those SRI e,@perimenLs with Geller that we re successful,,
then, by their negation, Randi has provided. further evidence,
for th-e genuiness of the phenomena as observed and reported.
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