Nyheter från Loyd Auerbach vid Fate Magazine, januari 1996:
First of all, the news just came in that Sony (yes, the big corporation) has admitted that it is conducting research into a number of alternative science ideas. In 1989, Sony established its Institute of Wisdom at the request of Sony founder Masaharu Ibuka, and its former chairman, Akio Morita. Sony had been reluctant to disclose its research, but apparently the nerve gas attack by a Japanese cult, which holds a number of occult and paranormal beliefs, led Sony to fear that people might misunderstund or fear what the Institute was about.
According to the London INDEPENDENT (Sony Senses a Market in ESP, by Richard Lloyd Perry, October 12, 1995), Mr. Ibuka and Mr. Morita have long felt that there's more to science and technology than what is repeatable, universal, and objective, a spokeswoman said. Some people have the ability to perceive beyond the five Senses. This research is intended to investigate how this happens and why. The article was reprinted in an expanded form the same day in the San Francisco EXAMINER (Sony Working to Prove ESP - and Exploit It).
A special unit within the Institute, Extra-Sensory Perception Excitation Research (ESPER), has reportedly worked with more than 100 people possessing psi abilities, with a great degree of success. The company believes it has proved the existence of ESP, and it is considering the possibility of machines that would enable us to communicate telepathically. Much of the research focuses on the spiritual energy known as ki, which forms the basis of much traditional oriented medicine.
The unit also experimented with spoon bending, but the reported success rate was unimpressive. PK seemed to work in private demonstrations, but disappeared when recording equipment was introduced into the laboratory.
I will continue to monitor news reports of Sony's work in this area. If any FATE readers have information about this, please e-mail it to me at esper@global.california.com (or send it to me at PO Box 875, Orinda, CA 94563-0875).