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originally posted by: AfterInfinity
a reply to: The 5th
Don't be lazy and do some research yourself... There is an overwhelming body of literature that goes in-depth about this, and this aspect of research and how it may skew results. It is not up to the OP to reduce your level of ignorance with regards to this topic. You should really study before you enter as it just makes you look silly, and in this case, you look rather silly.
You're right, it isn't. It's up to the scientists whose experience and credibility I do trust, unlike armchair experts on a conspiracy forum.
originally posted by: AfterInfinity
I can't help but feel as though the point of removing skepticism is purely to suspend disbelief - that is to say, encourage gullibility in the investigator.
Skepticism is very important for humanity and I appreciate it. But the thing is, our attitudes are not trapped in our skulls. Our minds are not trapped in our skulls. They radiate out through our psychic ability, and they influence the world.
Skepticism can easily become pathological. It can become pseudo-skepticism. The level of organized activism against parapsychology has elevated the level of skepticism toward psi from a reasonable level to an unreasonable level.
originally posted by: AfterInfinity
a reply to: BlueMule
Then perhaps you should approach the board and demand a fully funded investigation into the mysteries of psi. Because apparently, you know much more about the pitfalls regarding their methods than they ever did.
originally posted by: Krazysh0t
So why are you so sure that psychic ability (if it exists) is untestable by science? Scientists were unable to test for quantum physics 100+ years ago, that doesn't mean it didn't exist. If psychic abilities exist, then there should be a scientific test we could perform to test for it. The universe works on rules that once known can be used to predict the results for future events. I see no reason why psychic ability would work any differently. If we currently don't have the tools or knowhow to test for it, then we either need to improve our technology or change the way we test for it. Of course all this is assuming that psychic abilities exist in the first place. You may just be wrong and they don't exist after all. I certainly hope you don't believe people like John Edwards are real psychics.
It has been shown that skeptics unconsciously use their own psychic ability to hide psi from themselves. Believers, on the other hand, unconsciously use psi to show psi to themselves. It's called the sheep-goat effect.
originally posted by: The 5th
a reply to: AfterInfinity
I haven't derailed anything, please see my posts which address this topic. If you have nothing productive to add to my replies, then that is on you. I am merely replying back to your response. If that is off-topic, then that insinuates that you are also. By all means, add something of worth.
originally posted by: The 5th
originally posted by: AfterInfinity
a reply to: BlueMule
Then perhaps you should approach the board and demand a fully funded investigation into the mysteries of psi. Because apparently, you know much more about the pitfalls regarding their methods than they ever did.
No, that is something to educate yourself with. Within the psychological literature, there are many conflicting accounts and reports and data and analysis, which can support and discredit previous research. In fact, most coherent research points to the studies which are in fact in favour of psi, that is, they have a significant analysis towards psi existing. This is not because of a bias perspective, it is simply due to what the data presents.
You clearly don't know what you are talking about, again, please stop.
originally posted by: BlueMule
a reply to: AfterInfinity
Skepticism toward new claims helps guard science against error. But a failure to maintain a certain level of skepticism after a claim has been accepted can foster dogmatism.
Ideally, skepticism is a double-edged sword.
People are skeptical toward psi. That is one edge.
But people are failing to maintain a certain level of skepticism toward the part of science that says, "psi is bollocks". So the sword has only one edge, and dogmatism creeps into science.
Skepticism with only one edge, one direction, is pseudo-skepticism. Pathological skepticism. Dogmatism.
Or worse.
originally posted by: AfterInfinity
Similar to people failing to maintain a certain level of skepticism toward the part of science that says, "God is bollocks". Am I in the ballpark?
Maybe. But that begs the question, whose God? Whose concept of God? There are many. Who is qualified to decide?
Whereas, the question 'whose psi' is not begged, because psi is a universal, cross-cultural, ancient human experience. Psi can be categorized and detected in a lab.