Paranormal Activity

[OmegaVanity]

I'm not describing anything (they are), but that does make sense in some form, since magic can be produced by incantation.

No one can really explain this to the point in which it would be legitimate because it's simply not. I think it is something that has to be personally experienced, if that is even possible.

[devonin]

since magic can be produced by incantation.

I think that's another one of those "Some evidence please" kinds of statements.

[GuidoHunter]

Originally Posted by OmegaVanity

No one can really explain this to the point in which it would be legitimate because it's simply not. I think it is something that has to be personally experienced, if that is even possible.

How is personal experience any sort of legitimate? There's a reason why it's the lowest form of scientific evidence, completely disregarded by anyone who's doing a test.

I think you hit the nail on the head when you said, describing the legitimacy of this residual energy phenomenon, "it's simply not."

And neither is magic.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[Wlfwnd91]

Well, I'm kind of trying to look outside the box on this one, and nothing that I'm saying has any evidence that I am currently aware of, but I'm throwing out some ideas that came to mind while reading through the posts in this thread.

Is it possible that "ghost sightings" are literally created by our own minds? I'm not talking in an abstract and illusionary form, but I'm talking concrete. As in, somehow creating a shadow that can play a piano? I believe in spirits, demons and angels, and I guess it depends on how you define each one that matters, but I'm trying to stay unbiased here. There really is no evidence to prove the existence of spirits as a whole, whether it be angel, demon, ghost or anything like that. But, is it so improbably that we are gods that can create a concrete form to do our bidding in some way? Just a thought

And the whole "residual energy" thing, could make sense, while at the same time, if you don't believe in the paranormal or supernatural in the first place then it's a load of crap. Mainly, it's like a Grudge (the movie) theory. If someone dies with a strong emotion of any kind then that energy will remain in that place on earth. Basically exactly like a record.

However, if you're looking for a scientific explanation then just about anything supporting ghosts that you read in here or just about anywhere will make you want to rip your hair out and say "Ok, where's the proof, the evidence, the logic?!" but...if you feel like exploring the possibilities of the human mind or parrallel dimensions then it's a very fascinating topic. (Very tired, if any of this didn't make sense or jumped around ask questions and I'll clarify)

[Manmademusic]

VERY interesting theory. I don't think most people can do something like that, but I DO believe that, should there be some kind of entity that has less than friendly intentions, a person's actions(Depending on what they are) can cause it to follow him/her.

[Chrissi]

Wow. I didn't realize so many people would be allowed to explain their non-critical thinking and naive, baseless, anecdotal, non-scientific theories in the critical thinking forum.

Excuse me while I go search for my intelligence; I think it ran away from this thread.

[devonin]

Is it really your intelligence, or the residual leftover intelligence from previous intelligent people in the thread?

[666midget]

im up on this stuff n i noe what it is...this has nothing 2 do with ghosts bcuz its rlly frustated adolescent channeling blocked energies into psychokineses!!! the adolescent creates a poltergeist phenomena by mind power without being aware of it sometimes!! sometimes it has 2 do with love..-.-...lol rlly

[GuidoHunter]

Originally Posted by devonin

Is it really your intelligence, or the residual leftover intelligence from previous intelligent people in the thread?

Ahahahahaha. Golden.

Originally Posted by 666midget

im up on this stuff n i noe what it is...this has nothing 2 do with ghosts bcuz its rlly frustated adolescent channeling blocked energies into psychokineses!!! the adolescent creates a poltergeist phenomena by mind power without being aware of it sometimes!! sometimes it has 2 do with love..-.-...lol rlly

If you were "up on this stuff" you probably would have come across the fact that psychokinesis doesn't exist.

Now, you may have something with the "stressed mind plays tricks on itself" angle, but something tells me that that isn't the direction you were going.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[monkeybomb45]

i believe that to get an accurate and firm view on paranormal activity you would actually have to experience something that might be describes as paranormal...when people say their house is haunted, people look at them like they are completely out of their mind. i think you would actually have to live through it to know what they think and see their view on the paranormal activities.

[devonin]

I think of things like this like I think about magic. If there were -any- way to prove it existed beyond doubt in even the smallest segment of the population, it is -impossible- that it wouldn't simply be knowledge that people have.

If you could prove hauntings, there just -woudln't- be a question about whether there was such a thing, because we'd have the proof, and could go watch it in action somewhere with complete success.

[Manmademusic]

Originally Posted by 666midget

im up on this stuff n i noe what it is...this has nothing 2 do with ghosts bcuz its rlly frustated adolescent channeling blocked energies into psychokineses!!! the adolescent creates a poltergeist phenomena by mind power without being aware of it sometimes!! sometimes it has 2 do with love..-.-...lol rlly

Somebody watches "Ghost Wisperer" too much.

[Reach]

Human perception is easily tricked. People that are suggestable are also easily fooled into creating make believe situations. If you've ever seen a hypnotist in action, they're playing on this. Derren Brown does a good job with this stuff.

The fact of the matter is, there is not a single shred of evidence to suggest that something paranormal might exist. We can rule out ESP and psychic ability especially, because it has been shown time and time again to not exist. You'd think if it did, then there might be some evidence. However, there isn't any, so I suppose the ghosts must be going out of their way to keep their presence unknown until you're all by yourself in a spooky situation.

Let's look at it this way. If I told you there's an invisible monkey in my room that only talks to me and you can't study it scientifically, are you going to believe in it? No, you're not. The only reason people believe in paranormal activity is because it is often appealing to human emotion. For example, I could easily read your mind, given that I'm a psychic, and give you a detailed summary of your personality. Except, what I'm really doing is cold reading, and when I use appealing vague generalities you're willing to believe something as ludicrous as me reading your mind.

[Manmademusic]

What if there IS evidence though? If there is any evidence, there'd be no way anyone would believe the person who came up with it. For one, anything in a pic can ne made to look realistic, such as a ghost. White noise occuring for no reason, or voices coming from a radio could be dismissed as a broken circuit/wire or someone just being stupid. Voices come out of the radio all the time ;D. Something breaking when noone's there to do so, doors opening on their own, a wisper in the ear could all be the mind freaking itself out. My point is, there very easily COULD be evidence, but it's just too weird/scientificly impossible for anyone to call it evidence.

[::xombie::]

My eyes hurt from reading every reply but I can still make a comment here. I believe in ghosts from personal experiences. Although, I can see why most people are skeptic on paranormal activity because it doesn't happen much and that's the ONLY reason. If you were my family than you would believe it was perfectly normal. I've had several experiences (as irritating as it is) and I can tell you that beds vibrating, kids waving at you from the window, evil things that like to bear-hug you, ghosts breathing down your neck, and freezing when you were hot a millisecond ago is true. But the things in movies and such is a BIG FAT LIE. You won't be so cold that the window frosts over and you can see your breath when there is a ghost around. But how do expect to prove this if everyone thinks it's untrue? Skeptics don't believe in photos, videos, recordings, or any other sort of evidence. So what to do now?

[GuidoHunter]

Originally Posted by ::xombie::

Skeptics don't believe in photos, videos, recordings, or any other sort of evidence. So what to do now?

Wrong. Skeptics question evidence. It's not their fault that recordings and pictures RARELY prove anything. Skeptics question the evidence and suggest alternative explanations. If an alternative is the more likely choice, well, skeptics then have every right to not "believe" the evidence.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[Reach]

Originally Posted by Manmademusic

What if there IS evidence though?

What if there are cows on the moon?

If there is any evidence, there'd be no way anyone would believe the person who came up with it.

Actually, if there was real evidence I'm sure many people would gladly be willing to see it. I would LOVE to see some evidence of the paranormal. That would be very cool, and I would believe them if it could be shown that what they've presented is not completely normal.

James Randy has been offering one million dollars in cold hard cash to anyone that can display psychic ability under conditions where you can measure the outcomes scientifically.

You see, there simply is no evidence...

For one, anything in a pic can ne made to look realistic, such as a ghost. White noise occuring for no reason, or voices coming from a radio could be dismissed as a broken circuit/wire or someone just being stupid. Voices come out of the radio all the time ;D. Something breaking when noone's there to do so, doors opening on their own, a wisper in the ear could all be the mind freaking itself out. My point is, there very easily COULD be evidence, but it's just too weird/scientificly impossible for anyone to call it evidence

Well, there are no pictures of ghosts. Maybe if there were some, then we could investigate them for photoshopping ect to see if they are legit. However, there are none. Again, you're 'what if'ing, which doesn't achieve anything. There easily COULD be cows on the moon...however, I can safely say there arn't any.

It's not that the evidence is too weird to be evidence...it's that what people provide simply is NOT evidence. A door opening by itself is not evidence...because when has a door ever opened by itself? The fact of the matter is, a door opening by itself is a physical impossibility, and there has never been a case of a door opening when there are not clearly observable natural forces acting on the door.

The ONLY time these things ever seem to happen is in the privacy of very imaginitive minds XD Why do these ghosts stick to pretending to open doors, making faint unaudible noises and knocking pictures off the wall? Because they're all figments of the imagination with clear, rational ways to explain them...because there are no ghosts, or anything paranormal for that matter.

If people have psychic abilities why don't they claim the 1,000,000 dollar prize (and why do they get beat at their psychic games by Derren Brown when he isn't even a psychic)? Because they know they'll make fools of themselves. Why don't they show their pictures of ghosts to a set of scientists for analysis? Same thing every time. Instead, the only things these people do is prey on the minds of gullible individuals and give them false hopes and beliefs.


I'll change my view on this when there is at least a shred of evidence. Until then, anything 'paranormal' is about as real as that flying, invisible monkey friend I have in my room.

[Manmademusic]

Originally Posted by Reach

Again, you're 'what if'ing, which doesn't achieve anything. There easily COULD be cows on the moon.

Just trying to stay unbiased.