What psi research can–and cannot–say about ‘mind beyond the brain’

Abstract

Research on parapsychological (psi) phenomena is very relevant in the discussion of whether mental processes might go beyond the known limits of brain capacities. Nonetheless, most scientific and philosophical discussions of mind-brain relations do not even mention such research, despite showing similar empirical robustness to that of acknowledged mainstream research in psychology, medicine, and the neurosciences. In this short comment, I briefly summarize the experimental support for psi phenomena, while acknowledging that we are very far from understanding their nature. Acknowledging the relevance of psi research for mind-brain relations should become far more common than is currently the case.