Notes from the Interview with Mr. Edwin C. May

Introduction

• Guest: Mr. Edwin C. May, Director of the Stargate program.
• Discussion Topic: Remote viewing, ESP, and consciousness.
• Background: The significance of the subjects has led to global interest and research, especially from various governments.

Background Information

• Received a $1.5 million Air Force contract; faced strong opposition.
• Notable International Interest:
  • Russians: Engaged in similar research.
  • Edinburgh University: Established a strong psychology program in parapsychology.
  • Brazil: Active research into psychic phenomena.
• Current Popularity: Increases in interest around psychic phenomena can be observed.

Remote Viewing Aptitude Test

• Purpose: Identify if someone has capabilities for remote viewing.
• Conditions:
  • Tasking involves only outdoor targets (e.g., no buildings, people, etc.).
  • Must eliminate background noise and irrelevant thoughts.
• Test process: Participant shares impressions without overthinking. Internal editing encouraged.

Edwin C. May's Background and Experience

• Holds a degree in experimental Nuclear Physics.

• Career Highlights:

  • Worked at SRI International under ESP program.
  • Author of 90+ peer-reviewed papers.
  • Previous director of the U.S. government's Stargate program.
  • Worked on developing and trying to understand psychic research.

• Assisted by Bob Monroe and others in the field to establish understanding of consciousness and ESP.

Overview of the Stargate Program

• Name Origin: Changed to Stargate due to prior labels not fitting security needs.
• Scope: Analysis of psychological phenomena related to national security.
• Funding: Primarily funded by the U.S. government (DIA, CIA), but influenced greatly by external governmental research teams.
• A major concern was to keep projects classified and secure from opposing agencies.

Key Findings and Anecdotal Reports

• Remote viewing results can vary significantly, with hit rates around 44%. Small amounts of successful predictions does not discourage further efforts.
• Challenges: Participants sometimes struggle with failures or expectations. Individual responses vary widely.
• Variability in results spurred additional research into mechanics and neurological observations of remote viewers.

Related Research

• Studies involving psychokinesis and synchronicity between participants and external factors were conducted but had inconclusive results.
• Remote viewers have been used in many varied contexts, including family safety measures and law enforcement successfully at times.

International Research Comparisons

• SRI International vs. Russian & Chinese Research Programs:
  • The Russian program appeared to have significant state backing, leading to larger participant groups.
  • Discussions revealed a mutual interest between American researchers and foreign programs, particularly during visits and joint research.
• Methods: Rigidity and structural approaches vary significantly, but all aimed to gather useful intel for military applications.

Future Considerations

• May points out continued uncertainty in understanding consciousness, telepathy, and how ESP operates. He emphasizes the need for future studies.
• Improvements in technology could aid future experiments related to ESP.

Closing Remarks

• Mr. May holds a practical view of the future of ESP research, emphasizing the importance of good methodology.
• Philosophical Questions: May has a strong practical stance on consciousness being an emergent property of the brain, opposing the notion of an afterlife.

Thoughts on Existential Questions

• Believes debates about existence and the afterlife are vast but currently holds the view that consciousness is tied directly to physical states of the brain.
• Potential in future: Future research may allow for advancements in understanding phenomena such as intercessory prayer and other previously mentioned topics in a more quantitative manner.

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