I agree that it's plausible; we can't prove psychic/paranormal abilities are impossible. On the other hand, we've had centuries to uncover positive proof and what do we have so far? No much. So I'm skeptical.In a nutshell, I'm wondering if anyone on the forum knows about instances of either psychic abilities and or paranormal where investigated which may have supported (or not supported) the claims that such things exists. While it is almost a given that the majority of such instance where merely tricks and/or something other than psychic abilities/paranormal, I believe it is at least plausible a very small fraction of them could be real. — dclements
I could be wrong but there have been certain physical phenomenon that not well understood until either around 200 years ago or even a hundred years ago. Maybe psychic/paranormal is just another physical phenomenon that we just haven't been to figure out yet.I agree that it's plausible; we can't prove psychic/paranormal abilities are impossible. On the other hand, we've had centuries to uncover positive proof and what do we have so far? No much. So I'm skeptical. — Art48
Thanks. :DI recommend a book by Martin Gardner - "Science, Good, Bad, and Bogus." It discusses many claims of scientific proof for psychic powers which have been shown to be false. Sometimes the problem was caused by bad science performed in good faith, but often it was a case of fraud. It's a good book. Gardner focuses on the types of errors investigators make in psychic experiments. — T Clark
Insoafar as there is corroborable evidence, they are; lacking corroborable evidence, they are not (i.e. indistinguishible from fictions). — 180 Proof
"Psychic" abilities are real, but depending on where you're coming from your perspective must be shifted so you can not only recognize the phenomenon but understand it.
Some people will not even see what is happening to be able to understand it. In the video dclements posted, the people who contacted JREF were either rejected, couldn't deliver, or never showed up. Sometimes a person will have a static idea of what it's supposed to be. But unless they are seriously dedicated they may never see that specific demonstration and not recognize the more mundane but real manifestations of "psychic" abilities. — Shed
When I have a chance I will try to check it out. If you can can you give me a short summary of what the book is about? — dclements
I believe it is at least plausible a very small fraction of them could be real. — dclements
I'll have to try to read up on such technology. It kind of reminds me of how back around 2010 Popular Science wrote an article about "The Best 10 Jobs to the Future".I just remembered this. A possible scientific explanation for ESP and a worrisome sign for the future. — T Clark
They aren’t.
Yes, everything we know about the world could be mistaken. But I think it’s obvious people want to believe in magic, and that delusion, trickery, and irrationality help fill that void.
That 33% of respondents said “yes” is embarrassing. — Xtrix
Even recently the government acknowledged that not all unknown/unexplained aerial phenomenon are caused by something along the lines of confused pilots, pranksters, or swamp gas as there have been too many documented evens by either Airforce or Navy pilots who have seen/videoed such craft to be able to merely dismiss them. — dclements
We remember that discussion differently then. — Srap Tasmaner
The reason for not believing in these claims is the same for everything else: extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Carl Sagan was right. — Xtrix
If an eyewitness account comes from someone you are inclined to consider trustworthy, unlikely to be mistaken, and with no reason to lie, that has to count for something. — Srap Tasmaner
That being said, I think the hypothetical trustworthy friend's account would mean exactly nothing to me -- if what's being claimed is that everything I or anyone else has ever known about the world is wrong and the laws of nature have been suspended. That person is simply delusional and wrong, whatever they thought they experienced. The principle still stands: an extraordinary claim (aliens, bigfoot, ghosts, angels, unicorns, Santa Claus, the teapot orbiting Mars) requires extraordinary evidence -- no matter who is claiming it. — Xtrix
Probably! I remained unconvinced, but it took decent effort for me to feel like I'd unravelled things. Worth engaging with I feel regardless. At the very worst, you engage with a sophisticated reasoner (@Sam26) who's thought a lot about why what they're saying is good evidence. It would be nice if other supernatural claims were that well fleshed out. — fdrake
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