Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena
Encyclopedia
The Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena (ASSAP) is a United Kingdom
-based education and research charity, and professional body whose mission is to scientifically
investigate alleged paranormal
and anomalous
phenomena.
ASSAP's refusal to accept populist explanations for ghosts and its focus on recording of experience rather than phenomena has garnered cautious praise from skeptics .
who were modernisers ; its current president is Lionel Fanthorpe
. The previous president was Michael Bentine
who had a long term interest in the subject of the paranormal.
Founding members included well known authors Hilary Evans
and Jenny Randles
as well as Fortean Times
editor Bob Rickard
, Dr Vernon Harrison
and Dr Hugh Pincott (previously secretary and treasurer of the Society for Psychical Research
)
As of July 2008, its chairman was Dave Wood.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-based education and research charity, and professional body whose mission is to scientifically
Scientific method
Scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of...
investigate alleged paranormal
Paranormal
Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
and anomalous
Anomalistics
Anomalistics is the use of scientific methods to evaluate anomalies , with the aim of finding a rational explanation. The term itself was coined in 1973 by Drew University anthropologist Roger W...
phenomena.
ASSAP's refusal to accept populist explanations for ghosts and its focus on recording of experience rather than phenomena has garnered cautious praise from skeptics .
History
The ASSAP was founded on 10 June 1981 by Council members of the Society for Psychical ResearchSociety for Psychical Research
The Society for Psychical Research is a non-profit organisation in the United Kingdom. Its stated purpose is to understand "events and abilities commonly described as psychic or paranormal by promoting and supporting important research in this area" and to "examine allegedly paranormal phenomena...
who were modernisers ; its current president is Lionel Fanthorpe
Lionel Fanthorpe
The Reverend Robert Lionel Fanthorpe is a British priest and entertainer, and has at various times worked as a journalist, teacher, television presenter, author and lecturer...
. The previous president was Michael Bentine
Michael Bentine
Michael Bentine CBE was a British comedian, comic actor and founding member of the Goons. A Peruvian Briton by heritage as a result of his father's nationality, In 1971 Bentine received the Order of Merit of Peru because of his fund-raising work for the 1970 Great Peruvian...
who had a long term interest in the subject of the paranormal.
Founding members included well known authors Hilary Evans
Hilary Evans
Hilary Agard Evans was a British pictorial archivist, author, and researcher into UFOs and other paranormal phenomena.Evans was born in Shrewsbury, United Kingdom. and educated at St George’s School at Harpenden. After National Service in Palestine he went up to King’s College, Cambridge, to read...
and Jenny Randles
Jenny Randles
Jenny Randles is a British author and former director of investigations with the British UFO Research Association , serving in that role from 1982 through to 1994.-Career:Randles specializes in writing books on UFOs and paranormal phenomena...
as well as Fortean Times
Fortean Times
Fortean Times is a British monthly magazine devoted to the anomalous phenomena popularised by Charles Fort. Previously published by John Brown Publishing and then I Feel Good Publishing , it is now published by Dennis Publishing Ltd. As of December 2010, its circulation was approximately 18,000...
editor Bob Rickard
Bob Rickard
Robert "Bob" J M Rickard is the founder and editor of the UK magazine Fortean Times: The Journal of Strange Phenomena, which debuted in 1973 under its original title The News. The magazines express purpose is to continue the documentary work of Charles Fort on the strange, anomalous and unexplained...
, Dr Vernon Harrison
Vernon Harrison
Dr. Vernon George Wentworth Harrison, PhD. is a former president of the Royal Photographic Society, and a professional "research worker of disputed documents".-Biography:...
and Dr Hugh Pincott (previously secretary and treasurer of the Society for Psychical Research
Society for Psychical Research
The Society for Psychical Research is a non-profit organisation in the United Kingdom. Its stated purpose is to understand "events and abilities commonly described as psychic or paranormal by promoting and supporting important research in this area" and to "examine allegedly paranormal phenomena...
)
As of July 2008, its chairman was Dave Wood.
External links
- ASSAP in The Independent 31 August 1995 The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
- ASSAP in The Times 31 October 2007The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
- ASSAP in The Sun 26 July 2005 The SunThe Sun (newspaper)The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
- ASSAP on the BBC Website BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
- ASSAP in The Independent 31 August 1995 The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
- ASSAP on the BBC China site 14 April 2009BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
- More ASSAP in The Times 19 May 2010The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
- More ASSAP in The Sun 18 May 2010 The SunThe Sun (newspaper)The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...