Koestler Parapsychology Unit

The Koestler Parapsychology Unit is a research group established in 1985 at the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland, to teach and conduct research concerning various aspects of parapsychology.^[1] It hosts the only endowed chair of parapsychology in the UK, established by a bequest following the suicide in 1983 of internationally acclaimed intellectual, writer and journalist Arthur Koestler.^[2] The first person to hold the chair, beginning in 1985, was Robert L. Morris.^[2] John Beloff and Joshua Snyder were instrumental in setting it up.^[3][4] The chair is currently held by Professor Caroline Watt.^[5]

The unit interprets parapsychology events to include in its remit "what’s not psychic but looks like it" and makes no judgement about the mechanisms underlying apparent paranormal events.^[2] Its focus is primarily on understanding why people believe they have psi experiences, and on how to improve the scientific rigour of studies.^[6]

The unit includes the Koestler Parapsychology Library.^[7]