Skeptics(denialist!) 2, Electric Boogaloo!?

Gravity is a fact. How do you prove that? It has happened more than once that someone high as a kite on drugs thought that they could fly, jumped off a building and still fell to the ground. If gravity was only based on theory, then someone high enough to stop believing in it could easily fly...or at least float.

I agree that the paranormal cannot be tested through our current scientific methods. I guess the thought behind that for skeptics is that if it doesn't happen a hundred times under controlled circumstances then it isn't real or it was just a fluke.

But if someone dreams of a future event and they write it down very detailed and then it happens a week later, that is not a fluke. Even if a scientist can't make it happen a second time, it still happened, it's still real.

Scientists need to find new and exciting ways to study the paranormal and stop being so bull headed and stubborn.

1. Most people are not claiming you're mentally ill (although there are obviously some people with mental problems out there, and they too use the computer - you can't assume everyone is mentally fine either). You can be very certain of what you saw without being ill - and you can also be wrong. Stop assuming we think you're crazy and taking offense, and actually listen to what we're saying instead. Not everything someone says deserves the benefit of the doubt.

2. Gravity is a theory and a fact. It's a fact that gravity exists, and the theory of gravity explains how it works. I think your main problem here is a basic misunderstanding of science. A theory doesn't mean 'guess', it's as good as something gets in science. A theory doesn't become a fact, it CONTAINS facts and laws and observations. It tells you not only what will happen, but why it happens. This is why you are wrong to say paranormal activity is a theory of some kind. It isn't. There's nothing to back it up, experiments have yielded no results, there's nothing there to test. It's no where near as good as a theory in science.

"As a paranormal researcher, we do use the scientific method when it comes to paranormal activity. Things that do not get eliminated by this process are viewed as possible evidence for paranormal activity." How does this work then? This isn't even remotely the scientific process. The scientific process observes, hypothesises tests, theorises, evaluates. What is doesn't do is find some new scientific phenomena, check it against what it already knows and if it doesn't fit then go, oh, that's ok, it must be ghosts, brainwaves, telepathy, UFOs, fairies or some other unexplained imaginary force or phenomenon.

You may have come from a science background, but you clearly weren't very well educated in science whilst you were there.

1) I don't think there are any regular skeptics in this column that assume people are mentally ill or challenged. To my knowledge all the regulars give the person the benefit of the doubt that they are telling the truth, unless there is some obvious hint in their story which indicates otherwise. Most of the regular "Believers" are willing to consider both the spiritual and physical sides of the issue presented.

2) Yes. I believe in Gravity, and I tend to believe the theory of gravity accurately describes the physics behind it. If I did not believe in gravity or its theory, I wouldn't float up into the sky. Belief does not make something real.

Also, I think you are confusing the scientific term "Theory" with the everyday layman use of the word "Theory". They have two different meanings.

In Science, a theory is a construct that describes the mechanics of something that is accepted as fact. For example, the theory of gravity considers gravity a known fact, and describes the process. People knew about gravity before Newton got bopped in the head. They didn't know the physics formulas for calculating it effect. Newton didn't discover gravity, he came up with the physics behind it.

In everyday speech we use the term theory to mean a guess. However, in science, something has to be accepted as an existing fact for a Theory to be formulated. To formulate a theory in science requires (in a nutshell) forming a hypothesis about the mechanics of a something considered a fact, testing it with the scientific method, and presenting it for peer review. Only then can it be called a Theory.

Science, including medical science has been working with psychics for years now. True paranormal activity is no more anti-science than true spirituality. When all is said and done, they fit together nicely. It's just a matter of sorting out the real versus the rip-off artists.

If anyone wants to work a theory, perhaps someone might tell me what planet "Yahoo! Answers" spell checker is from.

(for the literal minded, that's a joke)

Except for some mean, insensitive folks. I don't see many people calling anyone mentally ill. Worse than calling folks mentally il. Is how some believers play into peoples obvious delusions. I've seen some questions that are obviously either lies or delusions. Giving them credence and explaining how they are real. That's not helping anyone either. Nor,is it giving them the benefit of a doubt..

Gravity is something I can see. Do I know how it works? No, It's related to mass and I can see it working. That's enough for me to believe it's real. There are things I see and use everyday. I don't know how many of them work.

The difference between them and the paranormal. I can look for the paranormal for years and never see it. I have to take someones word for it if I want to believe. That's not enough for me and shouldn't be for anyone.

If you really used scientific method you would not get past hypothesis stage. Theories are about evidence, falsifiability, repeatability, predictions. None of these apply to paranormal phenomenon. You must also look for evidence against your hypothesis.

Question 1:

Skeptics do not immediately assume that believers are mentally ill. Cynics maybe but not skeptics. That is not skepticism, which is a process of evaluating evidence etc. Skeptics are not denialists either.

Question 2:

Gravity is a fact. Drop your apple and it will fall to the earth. The mechanics of this is theory. Like evolution.

If you come from a scientific background, you should know what a scientific theory is.

1. I don't. Skeptics don't automatically assume this. Those who do automatically assume this either aren't concerned with providing truthful explanations (hence not skeptics) or they are woefully misinformed.

2. That gravitation exists is a fact. The explanation for it is the theory of gravity. Same for electromagnetism, evolution, etc. Scientific facts are explained by their corresponding scientific theories. In science, "theory" is quite distinct from "hypothesis", while in everyday layman usage they are used interchangeably.

its usualy the mentaly chalenged that are more open to the paranormal

and alot of idiots dont believe in somthing they cant see

and think others are retarded if they dont think the way they do

gravity is a myth made up so people would stop floting away

lol

The mentally challenged are the ones who deny.