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Why can't psi results be duplicated outside psi laboratories?

Let's say someone disbelieves in psychic phenomena. After debunking hundreds of those who claim to have such abilities this person grows tired of being the one responsible for providing the burden of proof. Instead, he creates a "put up or shut up" contest, challenging those with paranormal abilities to show him--according to a mutually agreed upon protocol--they possess such talents. He offers an incentive for claimants--a monetary reward for demonstrating supernatural abilities. Surely if psi abilities existed people would come calling, right? Surely if a distinct phenomenon existed objectively in this world, independent of its believers, then it could be manifested somehow in careful experiments, right?

Update:

In other words, if psi effects are so apparent, why can't they be demonstrated in Randi's presence?

Update 2:

Why do some people insist law enforcement officers have some special observational ability? SUch arguments from authority are irrelevant.

Update 3:

I do not deny The Government studied psi phenomena. I do not believe they had any positive results. I believe they quit the studies when they had zero positive results.

8 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Because of (insert excuse).

  • John
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    My preferred explanation is skeptikinesis. It's the ability of a skeptic, whether he is aware of it or not, to dampen the quantum vibrational fields of paranormally gifted people. :)

    Seriously though, this is a problem in the paranormal and in the parapsychology field. It seems the research groups that are declaring positive results in parapsychology are the ones with prior positive beliefs, while the research groups not holding positive prior beliefs in psi do not get positive results. This is uniformly so, and certainly begs the question why. In contrast, in science the same results for the same experiment are always obtainable regardless of the beliefs of the ones performing the experiment. This regular reproducibility really is the hallmark of science.

  • Lilith
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago

    Most real psychics, and I know there are fakes and they are feeding off the desperate, but the real ones don't feel they need to prove it to anyone.

    why is a Magician the authority? he spent his life fooling people he certainly can't be trusted.

    anyway believe what you want but Randi is of little significance, He just would like to have it, but it is not a show you don't do great things you just help another person out to the best of your ability, and no ability is like that of another

    I know I'll have things come to me and I just know it is so. but I do not consider myself psychic, how awful would that be to hear everyone's thoughts all the time to know everything that is going to happen all the time, it would be debilitating! the night of or I should say day of 9/11 I woke at about 3 in the morning woke my husband and told him I just dreamt that a plane or something crashed into the pentagon, but I never dreamt about the twin towers.when hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast someone turned to me and asked my impressions of Katrina I said I think there will be some horrible flooding in Louisiana but I don't think the storm itself will cause wind damage there,but I did not know that the flooding would be caused from levy breaks. I could go on about knowing things just before they take place and somethings I know after it takes place, and somedays I am just dead inside,

    I say, don't believe in psychics, it's okay, real psychics don't care.

  • Dr. NG
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    As any psi proponent will tell you. It's all The Amazing Randi's fault.

    This dishonest Octogenarian magician is effectively keeping the lid on all psi activity.

    People with psi abilities are so overwhelmed by the dishonesty of his challenge. They are unable to demonstrate their abilities in laboratories or anywhere else. (Except to loyal psi fans, of course) .

    He's in his 80's how much longer can he last? Once he's gone, these gentle, sensitive people with abilities will be able to show the world.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    People do come calling, unfortunately they can't do what they thought they could do under proper test conditions. Its the big names like John Edward who avoid testing - which begs the question, are they actually frauds?

    Minerva, eyewitness testimony and anecdotes about unidentified flying objects in the sky are not evidence of alien spacecraft. They are evidence of unidentified flying objects only.

  • 1 decade ago

    Perhaps we need to separate out the forms of Psi?

    Why do people keep saying that it can't be demonstrated? Please don't answer this is a rhetorical question.

    If you really want to know where it is demonstrated read the US govt. stargate papers that were declassified

    http://www.remoteviewed.com/remote_viewing_results...

    Source(s): For easier, more understandable reading try www.irva.com
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    The answer is clear. Psi is just a bunch of baloney. It will not stand up to real testing because there is nothing to test.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    To your main question, I've been able to duplicate psi results in my own life, and I know more than a few people who also fit that category.

    What's more, James Gilliland has FIFTY HOURS of UFO footage from his ranch on Mt. Adams. There are now documented 3000 witnesses up there, some of them law enforcement and some physicists and I even met a former military man up there. So please don't patronize those of us who have been shoving the evidence in your faces for years and yet you (and those you represent with your question) refuse to INVESTIGATE.

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