Scientific Centric groups vs. the True Believer groups
By Andy Hagerty
I often get caught up in the debate in the para-normal field of study with the interactions of the two extremes of researchers. There are the ‘scientific” groups, the ‘believer’ groups and most groups fall somewhere in between. Which is a health and good place to be, every group needs balance to keep centered, else they fly off to become on of the two types we will be looking at. Lets look at the two extremes.
Scientific (skeptic) groups
Generally speaking the scientific groups either think the whole field is screwy, fake and made up or they go to clients house with the intention of
disproving the clients claims. This is seen on some of the Para normal TV shows where if they can come up with a reason that it could be a natural phenomenon, even if they cannot reproduce it, then the claim is fake. The best reveals from these groups is when they say, ‘we cannot fully explain that, but it cannot be paranormal.” This type of group is dismissive of other groups activities, disregard every claim they come across, are basically disrespectful of the client. They go in with the “nothing here is paranormal” which infers that a client is lying to them. They measure every potential piece of evidence against the standard of science, without fully understanding to what the Scientific Method actually consists.
Here is the root problem, they do not see that science does not have all the answers. Lets bring up one topic - DARK MATTER
disproving the clients claims. This is seen on some of the Para normal TV shows where if they can come up with a reason that it could be a natural phenomenon, even if they cannot reproduce it, then the claim is fake. The best reveals from these groups is when they say, ‘we cannot fully explain that, but it cannot be paranormal.” This type of group is dismissive of other groups activities, disregard every claim they come across, are basically disrespectful of the client. They go in with the “nothing here is paranormal” which infers that a client is lying to them. They measure every potential piece of evidence against the standard of science, without fully understanding to what the Scientific Method actually consists.
Here is the root problem, they do not see that science does not have all the answers. Lets bring up one topic - DARK MATTER
“The ultimate destiny of our expanding universe depends on how much matter it contains and whether that will be enough to one day stop the expansion. When astronomers count up all the visible matter—the stuff that gives off light—the answer is clearly no. But they have learned over the past several decades that the answer isn’t so cut-and-dried. Observations reveal that vast halos of invisible matter surround galaxies and galaxy clusters. This dark matter adds up to about ten times more mass than the visible stars, gas, and dust seen in galaxies. And there may be more. The inflationary theory, if true, demands that this dark stuff makes up between 90 and 99 percent of the universe. Astronomers have yet to determine what constitutes this dark matter, although some leading candidates go by the names MACHOs, WIMPs, and neutrinos.”
-Stephan Hawking
So in a nut shell dark matter exists, but it cannot be currently proven. Huh, Stephan is a pretty smart dude, and he accepts there are things that hecannot exactly prove, but may exist. JUST BECAUSE SCIENCE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PROVE IT NOT MEAN IT DOESN‘T EXIST. Had to caps lock there, trying to break through walls of ignorance.
Just to be offensive to the Science Gestapo, I’m going to refer to “Dark Matter” as “GHOST Matter “ from now on. Go on, scientifically prove that theorem wrong. You cannot, cause “Dark Matter” is currently unproven even though it is scientifically accepted.
Interestingly enough, this ‘GHOST matter’ allegedly has an effect on almost all the other accepted proven laws. For example Newton’s law of gravity. It is accepted and taught as an absolute in grade school on up, which is why it is a LAW , not a theory or a proposal. It is also, well wrong. I know the apple falls at a constant speed on earth, but what about the moon. Well when we got to that point, scientists tweaked the law to accept differences with planets, and they espoused it galaxy wide fixing the law and making it LAW again. Everything turned out for the best… except, the Law again breaks down when it is applied to other galaxies, indeed in our own Milky Way.
According to Newton’s Law the stars in their outer parts are being whirled around far too fast. Like children on a speeded-up roundabout, they should be flung into intergalactic space. However, to explain why this does not happen, astronomers have been forced to propose that the visible stars and nebulae are supplemented by at least 10 times more invisible stuff. The gravity of this "GHOST matter" holds on to the fast-orbiting stars and stops them going AWOL.
"If Newton were alive today and saw the evidence he would have come up with a different law of gravity." says Mordechai Milgrom, of Israel's Weizmann Institute. He proposes this idea as modified Newtonian dynamics, or MOND. This is a leading scientist who is saying that an accepted LAW may not be totally correct. There is a lot of skeptics as to this theory as that it is merely empirical and has no fundamental
basis in physics. Milgrom admits this is a problem. But he counters that theories such as quantum theory had no basis in fundamental theory for decades after they were first proposed. What if PARANORMAL theory was substituted for Quantum theory in that last sentence?
I wrap up this section with another quote:
If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?
Just to be offensive to the Science Gestapo, I’m going to refer to “Dark Matter” as “GHOST Matter “ from now on. Go on, scientifically prove that theorem wrong. You cannot, cause “Dark Matter” is currently unproven even though it is scientifically accepted.
Interestingly enough, this ‘GHOST matter’ allegedly has an effect on almost all the other accepted proven laws. For example Newton’s law of gravity. It is accepted and taught as an absolute in grade school on up, which is why it is a LAW , not a theory or a proposal. It is also, well wrong. I know the apple falls at a constant speed on earth, but what about the moon. Well when we got to that point, scientists tweaked the law to accept differences with planets, and they espoused it galaxy wide fixing the law and making it LAW again. Everything turned out for the best… except, the Law again breaks down when it is applied to other galaxies, indeed in our own Milky Way.
According to Newton’s Law the stars in their outer parts are being whirled around far too fast. Like children on a speeded-up roundabout, they should be flung into intergalactic space. However, to explain why this does not happen, astronomers have been forced to propose that the visible stars and nebulae are supplemented by at least 10 times more invisible stuff. The gravity of this "GHOST matter" holds on to the fast-orbiting stars and stops them going AWOL.
"If Newton were alive today and saw the evidence he would have come up with a different law of gravity." says Mordechai Milgrom, of Israel's Weizmann Institute. He proposes this idea as modified Newtonian dynamics, or MOND. This is a leading scientist who is saying that an accepted LAW may not be totally correct. There is a lot of skeptics as to this theory as that it is merely empirical and has no fundamental
basis in physics. Milgrom admits this is a problem. But he counters that theories such as quantum theory had no basis in fundamental theory for decades after they were first proposed. What if PARANORMAL theory was substituted for Quantum theory in that last sentence?
I wrap up this section with another quote:
If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?
- Albert Einstein
There are almost an infinite number of other subjects that show the same limitations of science. Top mind in the scientific fields admit there is stuff out there they do not know yet, or even how to test to prove their existence. So to all you scientific skeptics out there who know all the paranormal stuff is rubbish, as soon as you can prove to me you are smarter then Albert Einstein, Stephan Hawking or even Mordechai Milgrom, I may accept your belief that the Para-normal is not real. However until you can, drop your arrogance, open your mind and attempt to conduct your experiments scientifically using the SCIENTIFIC METHOD. Pay attention to the part of the methodology that goes like this - Scientific inquiry is generally intended to be as objective as possible in order to reduce biased interpretations of results.
One last thought, at one time, Alchemy and Astrology were considered legitimate fields of science and were held in higher esteem then most branches of current legitimate science.
SO if you go in all high on science, and intend to disprove evidence gathered, guess what, you have already violated that which you hold so dear.
Just think of the 'GHOST matter' out there if your mind starts to close.
One last thought, at one time, Alchemy and Astrology were considered legitimate fields of science and were held in higher esteem then most branches of current legitimate science.
SO if you go in all high on science, and intend to disprove evidence gathered, guess what, you have already violated that which you hold so dear.
Just think of the 'GHOST matter' out there if your mind starts to close.
True believers
Generally speaking the Believer type takes almost anything as evidence of the paranormal. They sometimes forget that a “cobweb” feeling on the back of their neck could be, in fact and real cobweb. “cold spots” could be an uneven distribution of the central air system. The worst offenders are the ones who label almost any potential activity as “possible demonic”.
These groups are often so intent on finding and proving the Paranormal they throw reason and methodology out. Every house they encounter is haunted. Every picture posted anywhere is proof of the paranormal. They often use shoddy protocols or collect evidence in questionable ways. Many of their ‘Orb” pictures or pictures of phenomenon are over blurry or grainy. They have never heard of the Matrixing theory nor will they open their mind enough to listen to you explaining it. A Matrix is something within or from which something else originates, develops, or takes form. Matrixing in the paranormal field is when your mind sees or creates something out of random inputs. Looking at a blurry or overpixelated picture and seeing faces. Sitting on a hillside and seeing shapes in the clouds is a form of matrixing.
This is not to say they are intentionally faking evidence. Many of these groups believe they have finally captured proof of the afterlife. The main
problem with these groups is the lack of couth. They will tell wild stories to the clients who just want to know if it is safe. These are the groups that so often make the claim that a place has demonic entities running amok. They scare the clients so much that many clients will often move. They make wild claims that seem to validate the position held by the skeptics. Most normal people can see at a glance they are making wild claims, and they associate those claims to all paranormal groups.
This type of group needs to get a dose of reality. The main saving grace is they come from a place where they want to Help in their way. If they charged for this or looked to profit from this type of scaring the public into doing what they say, they would be in politics instead. Notice I really didn't speak to the true believer directly as I did to the Scientific skeptics, there really isn't much of a point usually, as they are going to wrap themselves up in their beliefs not matter what obvious fact they are presented with.
These groups are often so intent on finding and proving the Paranormal they throw reason and methodology out. Every house they encounter is haunted. Every picture posted anywhere is proof of the paranormal. They often use shoddy protocols or collect evidence in questionable ways. Many of their ‘Orb” pictures or pictures of phenomenon are over blurry or grainy. They have never heard of the Matrixing theory nor will they open their mind enough to listen to you explaining it. A Matrix is something within or from which something else originates, develops, or takes form. Matrixing in the paranormal field is when your mind sees or creates something out of random inputs. Looking at a blurry or overpixelated picture and seeing faces. Sitting on a hillside and seeing shapes in the clouds is a form of matrixing.
This is not to say they are intentionally faking evidence. Many of these groups believe they have finally captured proof of the afterlife. The main
problem with these groups is the lack of couth. They will tell wild stories to the clients who just want to know if it is safe. These are the groups that so often make the claim that a place has demonic entities running amok. They scare the clients so much that many clients will often move. They make wild claims that seem to validate the position held by the skeptics. Most normal people can see at a glance they are making wild claims, and they associate those claims to all paranormal groups.
This type of group needs to get a dose of reality. The main saving grace is they come from a place where they want to Help in their way. If they charged for this or looked to profit from this type of scaring the public into doing what they say, they would be in politics instead. Notice I really didn't speak to the true believer directly as I did to the Scientific skeptics, there really isn't much of a point usually, as they are going to wrap themselves up in their beliefs not matter what obvious fact they are presented with.
Conclusion.
A successful investigator knows that anything is possible. They go in with an open mind and no real preconceptions on the location. They will look for plausible explanations for phenomenon they encounter, and look for potential explanations for reported phenomenon. They will try to document, in the best way they can, the environmental and methods used to collect the evidence.
The successful investigator will treat his clients with respect and compassion. Remember, no matter how far fetched the claims or outlandish it may seem to you, it is real to them and should be treated as such. You need to develop a bed side manner not unlike a doctor when interacting with clients.
The successful investigator will keep an open mind about the activities of other groups as well. They will assume innocence, and not assume that other groups are intentionally making false claims or showing faked evidence. If they see a picture with claims that have easily identifiable real world reasons for showing up that way ( camera strap, hair, matrixing) successful investigators will point it out in a respectful, non confrontational way. Sometimes it is not a willfulness to deceive on the part of the team, but a lack of experience. Remember even the most amateur of groups can do something in a certain way that is a better way then how an established group performs the same type of action.
The successful investigator will treat his clients with respect and compassion. Remember, no matter how far fetched the claims or outlandish it may seem to you, it is real to them and should be treated as such. You need to develop a bed side manner not unlike a doctor when interacting with clients.
The successful investigator will keep an open mind about the activities of other groups as well. They will assume innocence, and not assume that other groups are intentionally making false claims or showing faked evidence. If they see a picture with claims that have easily identifiable real world reasons for showing up that way ( camera strap, hair, matrixing) successful investigators will point it out in a respectful, non confrontational way. Sometimes it is not a willfulness to deceive on the part of the team, but a lack of experience. Remember even the most amateur of groups can do something in a certain way that is a better way then how an established group performs the same type of action.
