What happens if the Randi challenge is beat?

The challenge itself is not scientific. But it is set up by a magician to screen out people trying to fool them. So if someone passed the challenge, scientists would certainly be interested in learning more about what they say they can do, and doing actual scientific testing to find out if that's the case. The government does not kidnap people. Not the US government, anyway.

No, science does not say anything is possible. Science is about finding out the laws of nature, which is the complete opposite of saying anything is possible. Science is not about proving you wrong. If you want to make a claim, you have to prove yourself right. That's how both science and our justice system work, so I'm not sure why people don't seem to get that concept.

No one is forcing anybody to take the challenge. It is 100% voluntary. There are many other challenges, the Randi just offers the most money.

Everyone signs legal documents for protection. If there is no agreement to to the test protocols, then there is no test.

Randi has not limited the challenge to just paranormal claims. A few years ago he offered the million to a company that sold speaker cables for thousands of dollars a set. To compare their sound quality with cheap Monster brand cables. The owner of the high price cables accepted and but soon back down.

More recently the British Homeopathy industry did accept Randi challenge. A documentary was done for television about this. The whole BBC program is on YouTube.

"If you are in possession of this revolutionary secret of science, why not prove it and be hailed as the new Newton? Of course, we know the answer. You can't do it. You are a fake."

Richard Dawkins

From a scientific perspective absolutely nothing.

"But as a leading Fellow of CSICOP, Ray Hyman, has pointed out, this "prize" cannot be taken seriously from a scientific point of view: "Scientists don't settle issues with a single test, so even if someone does win a big cash prize in a demonstration, this isn't going to convince anyone. Proof in science happens through replication, not through single experiments."

From the perspective of a person believing or not believing the paranormal absolutely nothing. (link below).

Psiexploration

A few point s to bear in mind!

1) Randi's challenge is not designed to prove the paranormal, it's designed to debunk the phenomena!

2) The challenge is meaningless by scientific standards. It’s not a study and it can’t be replicated. It’s a one off. As it is entirely controlled by one person who has no scientific experience, is known to have strong views and has published no scientific peer reviewed papers on the subject, The challenge carries no scientific weight whatsoever.

3) The challenge is nothing more than a publicity stunt with the intention NOT to pay put any money if in any way possible. James Randi has explicitly refused to test homeopath John Benneth (who has issued a $100,000 challenge to any person who can demonstrate, under conditions similar to James “the Amazing” Randi’s Psychic Challenge, that the Psychic Challenge is a valid offer for proof of psychic powers) :-)

4) Rules #4 (allowing Randi to use the data from the experiment in any way he chooses and #8 (denying the applicant legal recourse), when combined allow Randi the option to lie about the results and get away with it!

5) Because the people administering the test are JREF volunteers and are self selected for being strongly skeptical of psi, (they are volunteering their time to a skeptical organization after all,) the chance of errors due to cognitive dissonance and inexperience are actually quite high and there is nothing to prevent them from either covering up any mistakes or simply not catch them at all. JREF is under no obligation to publish a full account of the test nor make good on any JREF errors in the event they occur and are discovered.

6) It is well known within scientific circles that the odds against chance that James Randi will accept are 1,000 to 1 for the preliminary challenge and 1,000,000 to 1 for the main challenge. The odds for the main challenge are the equivalent of asking a person to stand under a 20′ high wall and jump over it. And if their foot brushes the top? That’s a failure; too bad, so sad, get lost. You can’t find this out of course until after you’ve applied. While psychics can, conceivably overcome odds of a thousand to one, it’s extremely doubtful that they can do this under both the pressure of performing, in the presence of extreme skeptics, within eight hours and having their number of trials arbitrarily limited. It is a worse case scenario for demonstrating psychic ability. Beating 1,000,000 to one odds is completely out of the question. Bear in mind that should a psychic show a sudden flash of great ability, they may be asked to repeat it, further worsening the odds. Randi makes no attempt to explain these details, he only paints the applicants in the worst possible light.

This is one more way in which the scientific validity of the challenge is nil. Proving that people cannot jump over a 20ft wall does not prove anything about jumping except that people cannot jump that high. It makes no statement about any ability under that threshold. If a person can only jump six inches, that is still jumping. The same applies to psychic ability.

In conclusion, there is no reason to take this challenge seriously. It’s not science. The illusion of the Great Test is only maintained through selectively culling applicants, making the process opaque and rigging the odds. Its only possible purpose can be to harass and humiliate people who do not share Mr. Randi’s beliefs.

And Scientists don't settle issues with a single test, so even if someone does win a big cash prize in a demonstration, this isn't going to convince anyone. Proof in science happens through replication, not through single experiments.

This is WHY it will NEVER be BEAT!

"I believe in the science that believes in anything being possible, and ruling out nothing that can be tested. Not making Assumptions and saying prove me wrong."

"Prove me wrong" is not how real science works. A concept is not considered "true" or "proven" just because no one has proven it wrong. It's your job to provide evidence of your assertions; it is not everyone else's job to provide evidence to refute them.

If you have actual evidence of paranormal phenomena, then send it off to James Randi and collect your million bucks. If you don't have such evidence, and you still believe in paranormal phenomena...that's fine; you have a right to your opinion. But don't make the mistake of thinking that you're being in any way scientific.

Randi Himself determines what "Paranormal Phenomena" is --And what evidence he will accept' There is no way you can prove it.--or win the Challenge.

Randi is in business of comforting people who do not know how to psychologically handel paranormal experiences--or the concepts.

His simple approach is to convince yourself that it does not exist---He has plenty of "Science" to back him up---But does not mention it is only about 75 to 100 years out of date.---Sure Paranormal stuff is "impossible" if you stay with the "hard edged", Classic physics of a century ago.

But Modern Physics with it's Quantum mechanics, Relativity, Parallel Universes and space time distortions leaves the possibility wide open.