The ASKE UK Psychic Challenge

The new ASKE psychic challenge is in the process of being put in place. A number of members have indicated their willingness to pledge money for this challenge. Each of these members must sign a pledge form which will be held centrally. This is a general challenge open to anyone claiming psychic powers. Details of how to apply are contained in the rules listed below.

Copy of Pledge Form (Word) (Acrobat)

The Challenge total now stands at:

£14,000

This Challenge is open to anyone claiming psychic powers and who lives in the United Kingdom. The challenge total is made up of various pledges from ASKE members. Each person pledging has signed to say that they will pay their pledged sum of money to anyone successfully completing the agreed upon test.

Each claimant will be asked to complete a preliminary test before going on to a final test. Should the final test be passed successfully then they will immediately receive a cheque for £1,000 and the balance paid within 30 days.

Please read the challenge rules below very carefully. If you are in agreement then complete the required form and sent it off with a s.a.e. to the address at the bottom of this page.

Please note this challenge, together with the prize money, is offered in complete sincerity and the rules exist to make sure we are dealing with someone genuinely extraordinary. If we believe any claimant is resorting to trickery during the testing process we will publicly say so. Should anyone, not necessarily an applicant, consider these rules to be unfair then please write to ASKE explaining which rule(s) and why you believe them to be unfair. Vague unspecified claims to 'unfairness' will be ignored.

The Challenge Rules

This challenge is issued on behalf of certain members of The Association for Skeptical Enquiry (ASKE). It is not on behalf of ASKE as an organisation. The responsibility for the challenge lies solely with the underwriters.

We are offering a reward of £14,000 to anyone who can, under proper observable conditions, provide evidence of their claimed psychic powers. We will preclude any vague claims which are unable to be properly validated. Examples of untestable claims are evident in such statements as, "I sense things". On the other hand claims such as the ability to bend metal objects using only the power of the mind, telepathy or speaking to the dead should be entirely testable. All claims will be judged on their individual merits but please don’t waste our time with completely untestable theories. If something cannot be tested objectively then we believe that it cannot be paraded as established fact.

Please note that it may take time to put a properly thought out test into place.

The basic conditions of the challenge are set out below.

APPLICATION DETAILS

These are the general rules covering the offer concerning psychic, supernatural or paranormal claims. As claims will vary greatly in character and scope, specific rules must be formulated for each applicant. However, all applicants must agree to the rules set forth here before any formal agreement is entered into. An applicant will declare agreement by signing this form where indicated.

The eventual test procedure must be agreed upon by both parties before any testing takes place. All correspondence must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

The underwriters will pay the sum of £14,000 to any person or persons who demonstrate the specified psychic, supernatural or paranormal ability under satisfactory observing conditions. Such demonstrations must take place under these rules and limitations:

1.Applicant must state clearly in advance, and applicant and ASKE will agree upon, what powers or abilities will be demonstrated, the limits of the proposed demonstration (so far as time, location and other variables are concerned) and what will constitute both a positive and a negative result. This is the primary and most important of these rules.

[Note on rule 1] In other words the claimant must make a clear unequivocal statement about their powers. Full details need to be given. For example can you bend metal using only the power of the mind or do you need to touch the metal in question? Does your gift work every time? Is it affected by skeptics watching? Please give full and accurate detail. If you have some idea as to what sort of test might validate your powers please include a brief description. However we must point out that this method may not be the one finally agreed upon.

2. Only an actual performance of the stated nature and scope, within the agreed-upon limits, will be accepted. We consult competent statisticians when an evaluation of the results, or experiment design, is required.

3. Claimant agrees that all data (such as photographic, recorded, written) of any sort gathered as a result of the testing may be used freely by either party. The applicant/claimant agrees not to resort to legal action in order to suppress such publication.

[Note on rule 3] All such tests will be video recorded and this material will remain the property of the underwriters. However if the claimant wishes to bring their own recorder they are welcome to do so providing it does not interfere with the test.

The agreement not to seek legal redress does not mean that we intend to misrepresent any facts or give a false impression of what occurred, neither would we resort to personal attacks on a claimant's character. What we are trying to prevent is the suppression of the results by harassment of the underwriters via the courts. Please do not take up this challenge if you are considering obtaining the reward by trickery. If we discover a claimant is using deception in order to succeed then we will certainly make this knowledge public.

4. No part of the agreed testing procedure may be changed in any way without the express agreement of all parties concerned.

5. In all cases, applicant will be required to perform a preliminary test. This preliminary test is to determine if the applicant is likely to perform as promised during a formal test. There is no limit on the number of times an applicant may re-apply, but re-application can take place only after 12 months have elapsed since the preliminary test.

[Note on rule 5] This is to avoid the unnecessary expense of putting together elaborate controls which may not be required. Once the preliminary test has been passed we will design the protocol for a full test. If at all possible we will do this on the spot to save applicants time and money but in these general application rules we cannot guarantee this.

6. All of the applicant's expenses such as transportation, accommodation, materials, assistants, and/or all other costs for any persons or procedures incurred in pursuit of the reward, are the sole responsibility of the applicant. ASKE will not bear any of the costs .

7. Applicant/claimant must agree to the presence of independent witnesses, including the media, that may wish to witness the test. Applicant/claimant may also bring (at their own expense) a witness but they must co-operate and not take part in the test. Any such witness must be named prior to the design of the test.

8. At the formal test, in advance, an independent person will be placed in charge of a cheque for £14,000. In the event that the claimant is successful under the agreed terms and conditions, that cheque shall be immediately surrendered to the claimant.

9. This offer is open to any and all persons, in the United Kingdom , regardless of gender, race, educational background, etc., and will continue in effect until the prize is awarded.

10. Every applicant must agree upon what will constitute a conclusion that, on the occasion of the formal test, he or she did or did not demonstrate the claimed ability or power. This form must be accompanied by a brief, two-paragraph description of the applicant's claim, along with a concise test protocol proposal that describes how the claim will be demonstrated, the circumstances under which the demonstration will take place, and the degree of accuracy the applicant claims to achieve (i.e.; what results will constitute a successful demonstration).

11. Prior to preliminary testing, an applicant may be required to provide two signed letters from persons who have witnessed the claimed paranormal phenomenon. These witnesses must be educated, working professionals such as doctors, nurses, therapists, researchers, psychologists, solicitors, educators, etc. This rule may be waived or required at the sole discretion of the ASKE challengers.

NOTE: No special rules, exceptions, conditions, standards, or favours will be accepted, without the mutual agreement of those concerned in advance and any applicant who refuses to agree to meet the rules (1 – 11) as outlined here, will not be considered to have ever been a claimant. Only complete agreement with these rules will constitute the applicant being considered a "claimant." Applicant, by signing, and returning this form, signifies agreement with all of the above rules.

Return to:

Association for Skeptical Enquiry
P.O. Box 5994
RIPLEY, DE5 3XL

Enclosing a stamped addressed envelope.

For a printable version choose one of these: MS Word or Adobe Acrobat (reader required)

If you want us to send you a printed version of the rules please enclosed a stamped addressed envelope with your enquiry.