Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Amie · 12-09-2002, 03:04 PM

Hi everyone

What is your opinion on parapsychology?
and along the same lines, ghosts in general.

I was watching a short film on it recently and a group of parapsychologists were attempting to locate the whereabouts of some "ghosts" in an old house. What exactly is all of that equipment they use suppose to be doing???
How do they even know what equipment they would need to locate a ghost?
I guess they are looking for energy fields of some kind...

what are your beliefs about ghosts? anyone here believe in them?
Most of my atheist friends do not believe in any such notion as ghosts, but a few do...

I was curious what people here thought...anyone have any ghost stories?

Amie~

Mageth · 12-09-2002, 03:07 PM

What is your opinion on parapsychology?
and along the same lines, ghosts in general.

Baloney, and a slice of baloney.

I was watching a short film on it recently and a group of parapsychologists were attempting to locate the whereabouts of some "ghosts" in an old house. What exactly is all of that equipment they use suppose to be doing???

Fooling a gullible public?

[ December 09, 2002: Message edited by: Mageth ]

Amie · 12-09-2002, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mageth:
Baloney, and a slice of baloney.

you believe it is bologna. You have faith that is it bologna. No proof at all. Ghosts being bologna have become your God. Therefore you are a theist Mageth

.
.
.
.

No in all seriousness I understand what you are saying here, and I completely respect your opinion however don't you think the possibility exists outside this world for these type of things?

12-09-2002, 03:35 PM

"I was watching a short film on it recently and a group of parapsychologists were attempting to locate the whereabouts of some "ghosts" in an old house. What exactly is all of that equipment they use suppose to be doing??? "

My reply : I believe they are checking for increase or decrease in temperatures (not the one from blowing winds or fire etc). It more like pocket of hot spots or cold spots where it shouldn't exist. Other things also like magnetic fields etc.

But then again, some people don't need equipments to see this kind of things.

"What are your beliefs about ghosts? anyone here believe in them?
Most of my atheist friends do not believe in any such notion as ghosts, but a few do..."

My reply : I do believe in ghost, mostly because I have seen some. Nothing to be afraid of, just wandering spirits waiting for their time to go.

"I was curious what people here thought...anyone have any ghost stories? "

My reply : Nope, don't know any stories.

ps418 · 12-09-2002, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Seraphim: I do believe in ghost, mostly because I have seen some. Nothing to be afraid of, just wandering spirits waiting for their time to go.

Cool. Would you mind telling us about the ghosts you have seen? How did you know they were waiting for their time to go? Where were they waiting to go? Did you ask? Did they answer? What did they look like? Where did you see them?

Mageth · 12-09-2002, 03:39 PM

My reply : Nope, don't know any stories.

A bit odd, since you claim to have seen some. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Alludium Fozdex · 12-09-2002, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Amie:

No in all seriousness I understand what you are saying here, and I completely respect your opinion however don't you think the possibility exists outside this world for these type of things?

No conclusive evidence has ever been presented that would indicate ghosts and other such non-material entities exist anywhere but the human mind.

Since the existence of such things cannot be directly tested, whether by human senses or technology, nor can their presence be inferred from any effects on the material world, there is no compelling reason to treat them as if they do exist.

lpetrich · 12-09-2002, 03:43 PM

If ghosts are real, and if it is possible to communicate with them, then their memories would provide a valuable historical resource. Think of the historical-research possibilities that would open up.

However, there have been some attempts to test that sort of hypothesis, by trying to find out if an alleged ghost knows more than his/her intermediary.

A century ago, the physicist R.W. Wood once went to a medium who claimed to have channeled the ghost of physicist (?) Rayleigh. Wood asked Rayleigh some arcane mathematical-physics questions, but the ghost was silent. (I recall that from several years ago in Scientific American; can that anecdote be tracked back further?)

Also, someone once tried a similar test on the ghost of Albert Einstein, but his channeler explained the failure by claiming that the death experience had erased the appropriate memories.

Mageth · 12-09-2002, 03:44 PM

No in all seriousness I understand what you are saying here, and I completely respect your opinion however don't you think the possibility exists outside this world for these type of things?

What do you mean by "outside this world"? I thought by definition a "ghost" is a manifestation of some parawhatever ectosomethingorother that exists in this world.

What is a ghost supposed to be? Of what is it composed? How is it supposed to get about? If they're real, why aren't we bumping into them all the time? If someone can provide real, scientifically testable answers to these and other questions, then we can talk about possibilities. Until then, it's baloney.

[ December 09, 2002: Message edited by: Mageth ]

Alludium Fozdex · 12-09-2002, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lpetrich:
Also, someone once tried a similar test on the ghost of Albert Einstein, but his channeler explained the failure by claiming that the death experience had erased the appropriate memories.

Meepmeepmeepmeepmeepmeepmeepmeep!!!!
Baloney readings are off the scale!

Though the channeler should be given a little credit for creativity.

12-09-2002, 03:04 PM	#1
Amie Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: New York Posts: 1,626	Parapsychology Hi everyone What is your opinion on parapsychology? and along the same lines, ghosts in general. I was watching a short film on it recently and a group of parapsychologists were attempting to locate the whereabouts of some "ghosts" in an old house. What exactly is all of that equipment they use suppose to be doing??? How do they even know what equipment they would need to locate a ghost? I guess they are looking for energy fields of some kind... what are your beliefs about ghosts? anyone here believe in them? Most of my atheist friends do not believe in any such notion as ghosts, but a few do... I was curious what people here thought...anyone have any ghost stories? Amie~

12-09-2002, 03:07 PM	#2
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	What is your opinion on parapsychology? and along the same lines, ghosts in general. Baloney, and a slice of baloney. I was watching a short film on it recently and a group of parapsychologists were attempting to locate the whereabouts of some "ghosts" in an old house. What exactly is all of that equipment they use suppose to be doing??? Fooling a gullible public? [ December 09, 2002: Message edited by: Mageth ]</p>

12-09-2002, 03:44 PM	#9
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	No in all seriousness I understand what you are saying here, and I completely respect your opinion however don't you think the possibility exists outside this world for these type of things? What do you mean by "outside this world"? I thought by definition a "ghost" is a manifestation of some parawhatever ectosomethingorother that exists in this world. What is a ghost supposed to be? Of what is it composed? How is it supposed to get about? If they're real, why aren't we bumping into them all the time? If someone can provide real, scientifically testable answers to these and other questions, then we can talk about possibilities. Until then, it's baloney. [ December 09, 2002: Message edited by: Mageth ]</p>

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12-09-2002, 03:35 PM	#4
Seraphim Guest Posts: n/a	"I was watching a short film on it recently and a group of parapsychologists were attempting to locate the whereabouts of some "ghosts" in an old house. What exactly is all of that equipment they use suppose to be doing??? " My reply : I believe they are checking for increase or decrease in temperatures (not the one from blowing winds or fire etc). It more like pocket of hot spots or cold spots where it shouldn't exist. Other things also like magnetic fields etc. But then again, some people don't need equipments to see this kind of things. "What are your beliefs about ghosts? anyone here believe in them? Most of my atheist friends do not believe in any such notion as ghosts, but a few do..." My reply : I do believe in ghost, mostly because I have seen some. Nothing to be afraid of, just wandering spirits waiting for their time to go. "I was curious what people here thought...anyone have any ghost stories? " My reply : Nope, don't know any stories.

12-09-2002, 03:39 PM	#6
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	My reply : Nope, don't know any stories. A bit odd, since you claim to have seen some. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

12-09-2002, 03:43 PM	#8
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	If ghosts are real, and if it is possible to communicate with them, then their memories would provide a valuable historical resource. Think of the historical-research possibilities that would open up. However, there have been some attempts to test that sort of hypothesis, by trying to find out if an alleged ghost knows more than his/her intermediary. A century ago, the physicist R.W. Wood once went to a medium who claimed to have channeled the ghost of physicist (?) Rayleigh. Wood asked Rayleigh some arcane mathematical-physics questions, but the ghost was silent. (I recall that from several years ago in Scientific American; can that anecdote be tracked back further?) Also, someone once tried a similar test on the ghost of Albert Einstein, but his channeler explained the failure by claiming that the death experience had erased the appropriate memories.

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