Racer_Unknown
The Force is Strong With This One
Interesting piece by Susan Blackmore about the paranormal:
_http://www.csicop.org/si/2001-03/conciousness.html
"I would love to be able to provide a fair and unbiased assessment of the evidence for psi and decide whether it exists or not. But this is simply impossible. Many people have tried and failed. In some of the best debates in parapsychology the proponents and critics have ended up simply agreeing to differ (e.g., Hyman and Honorton 1986; Hyman 1995; Utts 1995) or failing to reach any agreement (Milton and Wiseman 1999). The only truly scientific position seems to be to remain on the fence, and yet to do so makes progress difficult, if not impossible. For this reason, if for no other, you have to jump to one side or other of the fence - and preferably be prepared to jump back again if future evidence proves you wrong. I have jumped onto the side of concluding that psi does not exist. My reasons derive from nearly thirty years of working in, and observing, the field of parapsychology (Blackmore 1996)."
It is highly interesting to me that if someone is sincerely after the Truth - of whatever - in this instance, Susan Blackmore claims she wanted to verify whether PSI was real or not, and decides to embark on research and experiments - that she would come to such a conclusion!
Whereas Dr. Robert G. Jahn, emeritus professor and former dean of Princeton University’s engineering school said in a 2007 New York Times article: “If people don’t believe us after all the results we’ve produced [over the past 28 years], then they never will.” (Full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/10/science/10princeton.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin)
And let’s not even bring up psychics like Ingo Swann who PROVE that PSI is real.
Not to take away anything from those that believe that PSI does exist even if they lack their own experiences. As to them this "knowing" - that it exists - is innate. Much like having a "conscience" this is something someone simply "knows." (A C's bit comes to mind where I think Laura asks how one knows whether they have a conscience or not. They reply [paraphrasing]: "Do you ever hurt for someone? That's how you know."
Ingo Sawnn says on a DVD talk (_http://www.amazon.com/Remote-Viewing-Through-Time-Space/dp/B0009N7OEI/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1207083369&sr=1-6) that "compasion leads to empathy which in turn leads to telepathy." Which is why, he thinks, the PTB discourage having empathy and compassion in our society. As if telepathy were the norm, there could be NO secrets. Which is to say, no CONspiracies! Funnily enough, Swann also shares that whenever the CIA folks went to the SRI lab back in the 70's and 80's to meet with the people involved in the remote viewing/PSI program for US intelligence, he claims that they would NEVER invite him to lunch... Because he would be able to READ their minds!
He then asks the audience, "why would they want to keep their thoughts and intents hidden from someone who could read their minds...?
Apparently, PSI/the supernatural does not exist for Susan Blackmore and other *sincere* seekers! It somehow escapes them. They aren’t able to See it.
It’s as though both Susan Blackmore and Ingo Swann (and those who share their respective worldviews/beliefs) exist in completely separate REALITIES…
_http://www.csicop.org/si/2001-03/conciousness.html
"I would love to be able to provide a fair and unbiased assessment of the evidence for psi and decide whether it exists or not. But this is simply impossible. Many people have tried and failed. In some of the best debates in parapsychology the proponents and critics have ended up simply agreeing to differ (e.g., Hyman and Honorton 1986; Hyman 1995; Utts 1995) or failing to reach any agreement (Milton and Wiseman 1999). The only truly scientific position seems to be to remain on the fence, and yet to do so makes progress difficult, if not impossible. For this reason, if for no other, you have to jump to one side or other of the fence - and preferably be prepared to jump back again if future evidence proves you wrong. I have jumped onto the side of concluding that psi does not exist. My reasons derive from nearly thirty years of working in, and observing, the field of parapsychology (Blackmore 1996)."
It is highly interesting to me that if someone is sincerely after the Truth - of whatever - in this instance, Susan Blackmore claims she wanted to verify whether PSI was real or not, and decides to embark on research and experiments - that she would come to such a conclusion!
Whereas Dr. Robert G. Jahn, emeritus professor and former dean of Princeton University’s engineering school said in a 2007 New York Times article: “If people don’t believe us after all the results we’ve produced [over the past 28 years], then they never will.” (Full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/10/science/10princeton.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin)
And let’s not even bring up psychics like Ingo Swann who PROVE that PSI is real.
Not to take away anything from those that believe that PSI does exist even if they lack their own experiences. As to them this "knowing" - that it exists - is innate. Much like having a "conscience" this is something someone simply "knows." (A C's bit comes to mind where I think Laura asks how one knows whether they have a conscience or not. They reply [paraphrasing]: "Do you ever hurt for someone? That's how you know."
Ingo Sawnn says on a DVD talk (_http://www.amazon.com/Remote-Viewing-Through-Time-Space/dp/B0009N7OEI/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1207083369&sr=1-6) that "compasion leads to empathy which in turn leads to telepathy." Which is why, he thinks, the PTB discourage having empathy and compassion in our society. As if telepathy were the norm, there could be NO secrets. Which is to say, no CONspiracies! Funnily enough, Swann also shares that whenever the CIA folks went to the SRI lab back in the 70's and 80's to meet with the people involved in the remote viewing/PSI program for US intelligence, he claims that they would NEVER invite him to lunch... Because he would be able to READ their minds!
He then asks the audience, "why would they want to keep their thoughts and intents hidden from someone who could read their minds...?
Apparently, PSI/the supernatural does not exist for Susan Blackmore and other *sincere* seekers! It somehow escapes them. They aren’t able to See it.
It’s as though both Susan Blackmore and Ingo Swann (and those who share their respective worldviews/beliefs) exist in completely separate REALITIES…
