We must recognise our dilemma; that ‘there is no God’s eye view’ to which we can gain access, because ‘errors are inextricably bound up with the nature of human knowledge21’. Different lines of investigation into the nature of truth may produce apparently conflicting information. However, it is possible that various fragments of evidence which may at first appear contradictory, may actually fit together to constitute a unified reality; in just the same way as the evidence in the elephant story fits together for the objective observer. We may not have in our possession, all of the pieces which are required to reconstruct a complete picture. There are bound to be tremendous discoveries of major importance which will be made by future generations. But, as we begin to put the puzzle together, let us pause to consider the prospect of a unified, and greatly enhanced, picture. Perhaps the truth could turn out to be more exciting than we have dared to imagine.

SEEING IS BELIEVING

If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appears to us as it is, infinite. - William Blake

When Yuri Geller first appeared on U.K. television, he caused a national sensation with his spoon bending and watch starting and stopping demonstrations. His honest, straight-talking presentation style, convinced millions of people that he possessed an exceptional ability. People soon began reaching into their cutlery draws to see if they too could cause metal to deform simply by repeating over and over, in the mind, ‘bend, bend, bend’.

On the same show however, Geller performed another trick: it was a standard, magician’s routine. He asked a member of the audience to draw a simple picture and then, following the appropriate amount of showmanship and general fuss, he produced his own drawing from a sealed envelope: the two diagrams were almost identical. To amateur and professional magicians alike, the inclusion of the envelope trick was enough to confirm suspicions. Why would a genuine mystic stoop to such palpable fraud? The answer was obvious: he was a fake. But it was the spoon bending which was remembered and which became his trademark. Whenever he appeared on television, he would bend metal objects apparently with the power of his mind.

Although many other magicians could, and did publicly demonstrate the same effect, the public allowed itself to be duped. Traditional mind-reading and magic acts essentially invite the audience to suspend its disbelief in order to be amazed and entertained. In Yuri’s case, his clean-cut appearance and believably honest manner, in which he denies all forms of trickery, delivers a different message. He says, I can use the power of my mind and so can you. The appeal was overwhelming.

Yuri is prepared to continue this charade today; despite the fact that he has been filmed whilst cheating at spoon bending. He is an entertainer, and some would say that his act is no different to the magic acts performed by many other magicians the world over. He has been incredibly successful; and it is amazing that he has been able to build his entire career on one simple parlour trick. In his book Paul Daniels Adult Magic22, Barry Murray describes how the trick is done.