Gary E Schwartz

Gary E. Schwartz is an American psychologist and professor at the University of Arizona, where he directs the Laboratory for Advances in Consciousness and Health. His academic career, which began with a PhD from Harvard and professorships at Yale, has increasingly focused on parapsychology and consciousness-based healthcare. Schwartz's research investigates phenomena such as mediumship and energy healing, with notable projects like VERITAS aiming to explore the survival of consciousness after death. He has conducted experiments with mediums such as John Edward and Allison DuBois, with whom he claims to have achieved significant accuracy in readings.

Schwartz's work has garnered attention and controversy. Critics, including parapsychologists and skeptics, have raised concerns about the methodological rigor of his experiments, citing issues with fraud prevention, sensory leakage, and statistical analysis. Despite these criticisms, Schwartz views his research as a means to explore spiritual collaboration and the potential for consciousness to influence reality. His published works delve into these themes, exploring the intersection of science, spirituality, and the nature of consciousness.

Gary E. Schwartz's academic work centers on the investigation of consciousness, with a particular emphasis on parapsychological phenomena and energy healing. He has directed significant research projects, such as the VERITAS project, which aimed to test the hypothesis that consciousness persists after physical death. His experiments have involved evaluating the abilities of mediums, including well-known figures like John Edward and Allison DuBois. Schwartz has reported positive results from these investigations, including a reading for Deepak Chopra that he characterized as highly accurate. His research into energy healing explores the potential for natural healing powers.

Born in Mineola, New York, in 1944, Gary E. Schwartz earned his PhD from Harvard University. His early academic career included professorships in psychiatry and psychology at Yale University, where he also directed the Psychophysiology Center and co-directed the Behavioral Medicine Clinic. Currently, he holds professorships in multiple departments at the University of Arizona, including Psychology, Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry, and Surgery. He also leads the Laboratory for Advances in Consciousness and Health at the same institution. His initial interest in psychic abilities reportedly stemmed from a personal experience involving a near-fatal car accident and a seemingly premonitory voice.

Schwartz's research methodologies have faced substantial criticism from skeptics and some within the scientific community. Critics, such as Ray Hyman and Robert Todd Carroll, have pointed to alleged flaws in his experimental designs, including inadequate precautions against fraud and sensory leakage, the use of non-standardized variables, and insufficient accounting for researcher bias. Allegations have also been made regarding his requests for funding research into mediumship. Despite these critiques, Schwartz has defended his work and engaged in debates with his detractors, often through publications in journals like The Skeptical Inquirer.

Schwartz's work often explores concepts that bridge scientific inquiry with spiritual and philosophical ideas. He has written extensively on the potential for a 'postmaterialist psychology,' suggesting that consciousness and spirit may play active roles in the universe, influencing events through synchronicity. His research into mediums and the afterlife aims to provide empirical support for the continuation of consciousness beyond physical death. His writings, such as the series 'God, Synchronicity, and Postmaterialist Psychology,' propose that seemingly coincidental events can be orchestrated by divine forces or departed souls, signaling meaningful connections in daily life.