Parapsychology and science
Thanks for all that information, Neo. To a large degree, matters such as ESP are not amenable to the rigors of "the scientific method" and incontrovertible proof. Generally they involve powers that are as much a mystery to the person claiming ESP, as to anyone else. They come and go, and cannot be turned on and off as a faucet. Psychics who have attempted to help police solve crimes fail more often that they succeed, and yet have produced visions that have solved crimes in a way that utterly defies coincidence or luck (such as the exact location where a body was buried).
Anecdotal evidence cannot be dismissed simply because of its nature. Many pet owners, including myself, have seen unmistakable evidence of ESP in animals. For example, a dog, whose behavioral patterns are well-known by the owner, suddenly exhibits all the customary indications of welcoming a favorite person who has been away; picking up the usual toy that is always offered as a gift, tail wagging, standing alert at the door. Fifteen minutes later, that person arrives -- a day earlier than had been expected. It would take a lot of obtuseness to observe all of that, and then deny that the animal knew, somehow, from miles away, of what was about to happen.
As to science, the "Scientific Establishment" has never been known to welcome-with-an-open-mind explanations which lie outside of conventional scientific belief, whatever the latter may be at a given time. (We had such a discussion on SI sometime in the past). Scientists have too much vested in the conventional belief paradigm.. Morever, science is under heavy pressure to be in accord with prevailing societal values. (If we view this thread as a "society," we could glimpse an indication of that in the response yesterday to the "psychology of religious belief" hypothesis).
Parapsychology may or may not have anything to do with religious belief, except indirectly ... in the sense that ESP and similar phenomena challenge conventional wisdom about the five known senses of humans and animals, and very likely challenge conventional understanding of both time and space. |
