Re: Investigation into the Mediumship of Kai Muegge

by Lis Fri Jun 12, 2015 1:06 am

For those who have followed with interest the "Investigation into the Mediumship of Kai Muegge" thread, whether as a supporter or as a critic of the work of Kai Muegge may well find the coverage about him and his mediumship published in the latest edition of the Society for Psychical Research's journal "Paranormal Review" of relevance.

In the editorial it is noted:

"There are few cases today of the sort of physical mediumship that was once all the rage and general controversy of psychical research. Fewer still have been subjected to any sort of attempted scientific investigation. Foremost, perhaps even alone, among these is the case of Kai Mugge, the mediumistic star of the Felix Experimental Group (FEG) in Germany. . . . Two lengthy reports on the FEG were published in the Journal of Scientific Exploration last year by Prof. Stephen Braude and Dr Michael Nahm. . . . For this issue Prof. Braude gave an interview, discussing his investigation in particular . . .

"To supplement this viewpoint, I . . . publish Dr Alejandro Parra's personal experience of an FEG séance, together with a comment by Michael Nahm covering the reaction towards his report and his assessment of the case. Prof. Peter Mulacz investigated the Parapsychological Association's Gilbert Roller funded investigation into the FEG, initially working alongside Braude until his sceptical stance made him persona non grata with the group. Here, for the first time, he gives us an in-depth account of his research, focusing on those areas that led him to his final, damning conclusion."

"It is a rare chance to bring so many of the principal researchers in a case together and is something of a scoop for Paranormal Review. Taken together, these different viewpoints provide a unique insight into the FEG and the development not only of the alleged phenomena, but also of the investigations into it."

On reading the various articles it seems clear to me that Prof. Braude still appears to support the work of Mr Muegge despite the apparent certainty that fraud has taken place at least on occasions, hence his comment: "I personally have no problem with either the possibility or actuality that Kai has on occasion cheated. To me it is basically a non-issue."

Of the other eminent writers on the subject a significantly less positive view can be discerned.

All in all, a most interesting edition of Paranormal Review, and one that I would encourage people to take the time to seek out and read.

Since, in one of the articles this forum is given coverage, and readers are encouraged to visit this site and view the Kai Muegge thread on it, we may well expect to find an increase in visitors, and, hopefully, some thoughtful contributions to the discussion.

by Admin Fri Jun 12, 2015 1:42 am

Thanks for that succinct summary Lis

by dont-like-frauds Fri Jun 12, 2015 9:14 am

Not everyone is convinced about Stephen Braude´s scientific correctness:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_E._Braude

by Lis Fri Jun 12, 2015 12:48 pm

While I agree DLF that not everyone is convinced about Stephen Braude's scientific perspective, I cannot support using the sceptics misuse of Wikipedia as evidence of the validity of such positions.

What is written on Wikipedia about most of Spiritualism, psychic research, or anything or anybody that connects in any way, however remotely, to such subjects, is fundamentally flawed, distorted, and designed to miss-represent, undermine, and destroy both their credibility and validity.

Genuine discussion and criticism is what we need not that if we are to validly assess the issues.

by obiwan Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:01 pm

Lis wrote:While I agree DLF that not everyone is convinced about Stephen Braude's scientific perspective, I cannot support using the sceptics misuse of Wikipedia as evidence of the validity of such positions.

What is written on Wikipedia about most of Spiritualism, psychic research, or anything or anybody that connects in any way, however remotely, to such subjects, is fundamentally flawed, distorted, and designed to miss-represent, undermine, and destroy both their credibility and validity.

Genuine discussion and criticism is what we need not that if we are to validly assess the issues.

I agree.Much of it is shameful.

by Admin Wed Jul 08, 2015 11:55 pm

This is worth a read the abstract of Peter Mulacz presentation at the joint SPR/PA Conference which is on very soon at Greenwich University.

It can be found here, you have to scroll down a fair amount. It follows his piece in the latest Paranormal Review which as Lis indicated was quite scathing about Kai (once again do try and get a copy of that)
http://parapsych.org/articles/50/238/2015_paspr_convention_book_of.aspx

also this https://www.academia.edu/17928538/Fall_of_the_House_of_Felix_An_Investigation_of_the_Mediumship_of_Kai_Muegge_and_the_Felix_Circle

METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES OF RESEARCH IN THE FIELD OF PHYSICAL MEDIUMISM — GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS TRIGGERED BY THE CASE OF KAI MUEGGE [SPR]

Peter Mulacz1
1 Austrian Society for Parapsychology and Border Areas of Science Vienna, Austria ABSTRACT

by mac Thu Jul 09, 2015 8:37 am

I followed the link and downloaded the material for studying later, Jim. Do I need to open a subscription at 'Paranormal Review' to be able to find the piece that Lis spoke about in an earlier posting? Or can I just read it without subscribing?

by Lis Tue Mar 22, 2016 10:38 pm

Hi all,

The latest word is that there is another article about Kai Mugge in the current Journal of Scientific Exploration by Stephen Braude that deals with subsequent sittings with KM in October 2015, I understand there is an appendix to the article, headed 'Kai and the D'Lite-Type Device'.

Included in the coverage is a statement from KMs now ex-circle leader, that on being suspicious of the lights phenomena he looked in KMs suitcase after a séance in Koblenz and found "a boxed device with a light-emitting diode at the end of a very thin wire attached to a fake thumb."

Apparently, at some stage they challenged Kai and allegedly KM admitted he had used the device found in his bag, and had done so several times.

I understand that despite this admission, KM still publicly denies his fraudulent activities to investigators, and, of course, to all his fans. I believe that Stephen Braude may have attempted to get KM to do the right thing and admit to his deception, but without success.

People should now be wondering whether KM is a real medium who will cheat sometimes out of necessity or convenience or whether he is a man of a rather more corrupt nature and intent.

If he has been exposed as having cheated on some occasions with certain devices, how can anyone be sure that he does not also cheat on other occasions, either by using other devices or other forms of deception, but not as yet been caught out?

by Admin Tue Mar 22, 2016 10:48 pm

Thanks for the update I look forward to more on this as it reaches you.

by Jane Lyzell Tue Mar 22, 2016 11:30 pm

Lis wrote:Hi all,

The latest word is that there is another article about Kai Mugge in the current Journal of Scientific Exploration by Stephen Braude that deals with subsequent sittings with KM in October 2015, I understand there is an appendix to the article, headed 'Kai and the D'Lite-Type Device'.

Included in the coverage is a statement from KMs now ex-circle leader, that on being suspicious of the lights phenomena he looked in KMs suitcase after a séance in Koblenz and found "a boxed device with a light-emitting diode at the end of a very thin wire attached to a fake thumb."

Apparently, at some stage they challenged Kai and allegedly KM admitted he had used the device found in his bag, and had done so several times.

I understand that despite this admission, KM still publicly denies his fraudulent activities to investigators, and, of course, to all his fans. I believe that Stephen Braude may have attempted to get KM to do the right thing and admit to his deception, but without success.

People should now be wondering whether KM is a real medium who will cheat sometimes out of necessity or convenience or whether he is a man of a rather more corrupt nature and intent.

If he has been exposed as having cheated on some occasions with certain devices, how can anyone be sure that he does not also cheat on other occasions, either by using other devices or other forms of deception, but not as yet been caught out?

It is a shame - werry similar to the Swedish medium Anders Åkessons fake mediumship Evil or Very Mad

by mac Wed Mar 23, 2016 4:11 am

"People should now be wondering whether KM is a real medium who will cheat sometimes out of necessity or convenience or whether he is a man of a rather more corrupt nature and intent."

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.....

by Lis Wed Mar 23, 2016 11:05 am

Indeed, Mac.

by sbraude Fri Apr 29, 2016 4:26 pm

I have to disagree about the value of Peter Mulacz's comments on the Felix Group. Here's the text of the letter I sent to the Paranormal Review, criticizing the piece of Peter's that they published.:
Peter Mulacz's recent article on the Felix Group illustrates precisely why he did not contribute to the special issue on the FEG published in the Journal of Scientific Exploration (vol. 28, no. 2). When I was preparing that issue, Peter contacted me about submitting his views on Kai Muegge's mediumship, to be added to the papers by Michael Nahm and myself. I reminded Peter at the time that he had never supervised a carefully controlled seance with Kai or controlled Kai himself (indeed, he had even declined to participate in a strip search) and had only attended Kai's public demonstrations. Accordingly, I told him that he would likely have nothing to add to Nahm's and my reports of the careful sessions we'd conducted in Austria. But I wrote that although this concerned me, "I'm happy to look at your paper and see whether it surmounts [my] concern." Because Peter subsequently submitted no report of his own to the JSE for editorial scrutiny, I concluded that he agreed that his paper would add nothing substantive to the discussion. But now, apparently undaunted by his lack of relevant experience, and (presumably intentionally) ignoring lengthy correspondence the two of us have had precisely over many of the speculations he subsequently published in the PR, Peter continues to wax skeptical (for example) over Kai's water bottle, knowing full well that, in the Austrian sessions I supervised, the only bottles allowed in the otherwise locked seance room were those supplied by the experimenters. So Peter knows full well that Kai can produce various phenomena without recourse to an allegedly suspicious bottle of water or tea. Peter also knows that in cases of physical mediumship, the phenomena that matter are the ones most difficult to explain away. Yet he never discusses the Austrian sessions, or any carefully controlled seances for that matter (much less the detailed pros and cons I considered in the JSE for positing fraud under the specific conditions imposed in Austria). That might genuinely have advanced the discussion of the merits of the FEG. Instead, Peter adopts the dialectical tactic, associated with the most irresponsible career skeptics of parapsychology, of considering only weak pieces of evidence. Moreover, his reported attempts to circumvent or violate the medium’s requested protocols were not only unwise and guaranteed to undermine the spirit of good will and cooperation necessary for conducting successful, well-controlled investigations with sensitive subjects (illustrated clearly in the 1908 Naples sittings with Palladino and many sittings with Kluski, among others), but those actions were arguably morally questionable as well. It's little wonder that Peter soon became persona non grata with the FEG. The final verdict on the legitimacy and significance of the FEG phenomena will only be determined by the sorts of careful and respectful investigations reported in detail in the JSE.

by Jane Lyzell Fri Apr 29, 2016 9:23 pm

However it is with Kaj - so it is much to question - and why he wants to be seen publicly? If there is evidence - so there should not be a question mark. He strives too much to appear publicly and that in itself is a proof that it is not geniuint

by LeroyC Sat Apr 30, 2016 10:54 am

Hello everyone,

Its a long while since I posted on this or any other Spiritualist forum. After some 40 years being involved I am finished with it. it is stories such as the above which have done it for me. I am afraid if Herr Muegge is so insistent upon his mediumship and its credibility then he must face strict test conditions. There will also be doubts for evermore once a medium is caught cheating ( as with the disgracefull antics of Anders Åkesson ).

it seems to me that Muegge is a great self publiciist, but the draw of money in this game is strong and we will always get this sort of behaviour. Physical mediumship has always been riven with it. Is it any wonder that the skeptics have a field day ?. Spitualists have lost the way, and are gullible in the extreme if they are still willing to put up with this sort of charade. The future is very bleak if you are still attending these side shows.

LeroyC

by mac Sat Apr 30, 2016 6:50 pm

LeroyC wrote:Hello everyone,

Its a long while since I posted on this or any other Spiritualist forum. After some 40 years being involved I am finished with it. it is stories such as the above which have done it for me. I am afraid if Herr Muegge is so insistent upon his mediumship and its credibility then he must face strict test conditions. There will also be doubts for evermore once a medium is caught cheating ( as with the disgracefull antics of Anders Åkesson ).

it seems to me that Muegge is a great self publiciist, but the draw of money in this game is strong and we will always get this sort of behaviour. Physical mediumship has always been riven with it. Is it any wonder that the skeptics have a field day ?. Spitualists have lost the way, and are gullible in the extreme if they are still willing to put up with this sort of charade. The future is very bleak if you are still attending these side shows.

LeroyC

Muegge's performances is/are psychism/phenomenalism hence not the evidential mediumship we associate with Spiritualism. Why consider it in any other context? Is the practitioner being promoted by, or associating himself, with the movement and philosophy of Spiritualism? I fancy not....

However if he were to furnish sound evidence of survival then it would deserve to be termed 'evidential mediumship' and to me it wouldn't matter if the practitioner didn't see himself as a Spiritualist and didn't associate himself with our movement. Mediumship is mediumship and one does not have to link to Modern Spiritualism to be a medium.

Those who attend his performances are presumably happy with what they pay to see. If they're not I don't expect they'd go again. Is the Spiritualist movement in any way responsible? Not as I see it so why beat ourselves up?

by Jane Lyzell Sat Apr 30, 2016 7:28 pm

Im afreid 4 mediumship whit Robin foy are defend and encourage Kaj Mugge as he is defending frouds like Anders Åkesson - hoo is stil in his forum and have a groupe there - hee Robin is a froude him self therfore he is defenthing de froudes Sad

by obiwan Tue May 03, 2016 1:17 pm

Jane Lyzell wrote:Im afreid 4 mediumship whit Robin foy are defend and encourage Kaj Mugge as he is defending frouds like Anders Åkesson - hoo is stil in his forum and have a groupe there - hee Robin is a froude him self therfore he is defenthing de froudes

There have always been people like that jane.
It would help if there was anyone decent to compare them with.

by Jane Lyzell Tue May 03, 2016 1:30 pm

obiwan wrote:
Jane Lyzell wrote:Im afreid 4 mediumship whit Robin foy are defend and encourage Kaj Mugge as he is defending frouds like Anders Åkesson - hoo is stil in his forum and have a groupe there - hee Robin is a froude him self therfore he is defenthing de froudes
There have always been people like that jane.
It would help if there was anyone decent to compare them with.

Yeas i´m afraid soo pale

by wattie Tue Aug 02, 2016 1:38 pm

Lis wrote:
Hi all,
The latest word is that there is another article about Kai Muegge in the current Journal of Scientific Exploration by Stephen Braude that deals with subsequent sittings with KM in October 2015.

Does anyone know if this article can be accessed without taking out an expensive subscription to the journal? Thanks.

by sbraude Tue Aug 02, 2016 3:00 pm

I posted the paper on academia.edu and researchgate.
--SB

by sbraude Tue Aug 02, 2016 3:54 pm

I forgot to mention that a conceptually and methodologically naive survival researcher named Tom Butler has for some time been posting moronic and false statements about me online, concerning my investigations of Kai Muegge. Some of these were published in the online magazine of the ASSMPI (The American Association for Standards in Mediumship & Psychical Investigations). Back in December 2015, the ASSMPI offered me the opportunity to rebut Butler's comments, but then stalled for one reason or another for nearly six months, before posting my reply online. That they finally did in June, but only in a venue where one must pay to view it, by subscribing to the ASSMPI's journal--which is not by any means the widely accessible forum where Butler's comments appeared. So I had enough of that nonsense and posted a Dropbox link to my reply to Butler--here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6caudn1rn5wrfzd/Motif_%20Rebuttal,%20with%20Accompaniment%20_%20Spirit%20and%20Science%20Journal.pdf?dl=0

If you want to subscribe to the ASSJ and read my reply there, go to
http://afterlifesciencejournal.com/motif-rebuttal-with-acc…/

by wattie Tue Aug 02, 2016 4:05 pm

Thanks, that's great. I look forward to reading the paper. I'm sorry you have to take so much flak.

by Admin Tue Aug 02, 2016 11:46 pm

Thanks Stephen I will look that paper in Academia

by Admin Wed Oct 05, 2016 7:22 am

Stephen's final paper is here https://www.academia.edu/23486737/Follow-Up_Investigation_of_the_Felix_Circle

If you are not an Academia member I am sure that many libraries can get you access. In Australia the National Library and all State libraries. Its worth a read, a very fair paper, especially the last section on the D'Lites and Kais reaction to his leader talking to Stephen.

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