THE PENNY PROJECT
Intro • Diary #1 • Diary #2 • Diary #3 • Diary #4 • Theories • Conclusions?
-:- introduction -:-
Here is the experiment outline in full given by Robert Anton Wilson. I have substituted the word 'quarter' for 'penny' in this extract:
Visualize a penny vividly, and imagine vividly that you are going to find such a penny in the street. Then, look for the penny every time you take a walk, meanwhile continuing to visualize it. See how long it takes you to find the penny. Explain the above experiement by the hypothesis of "selective attention", that is, believe that there are lots of lost pennies everywhere and you were bound to find one eventually. Go looking for another penny.
Explain the above by the alternative "mystical" hypothesis that "mind controls everything". Believe that you made the penny manifest in the universe. Go looking for another penny. Compare the time it takes to find each penny by each hypothesis.
(adapted from R.A.Wilson Prometheus Rising)
I have limited the experiment somewhat. Instead of continually looking for a penny everywhere I go, I have selected a certain 'hot spot' where I walk regularly and where pennies may or may not be likely to be found. This hot spot is a street about four hundred yards long which I walk down every morning and every evening on my way to work.
During walking along this street, I visualize the penny most strongly and scan the entire pavement looking for one.
As part of the experiment I will accept as a positive result if a penny is found along the 'hot spot' or along any part of the pavement between the end of the hot spot and my work place (a total distance of about 200 yards). I will also accept as positive the finding of a two pence coin, since both are made of bronze and although of different sizes, they are fairly similar looking.
I will accept as a negative result if no penny is found along the hot spot or immediately afterwards. If another coin is found along this street, it will be ignored as irrelevant to this experiment - most other British coins are not made of bronze and look markedly different from 1p and 2p coins.
The diary reflects what happens day by day, and also gives musings, thoughts and hypotheses on what takes place.
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