The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious.
It is the fundamental emotion that lies at the cradle of true art and true
science. He who knows it not, who can no longer feel amazement, is as good
as dead, a snuffed out candle. -- Albert Einstein
I just finished reading an article in the Philadelphia
Inquirer about skeptics and the paranormal. First we have a Mr. Glickman
saying that the truth is out there. But in the real world, he says, the truth
about the paranormal is simple- it's probably all bunk. This is the belief
of his organization, PhACT, ( Philadelphia Association for Critical Thinking).
With 120 members made up of scientists, doctors, and college professors,
they meet to talk about and scientifically debunk the supernatural. He states
that weird things are going to happen, but most of the time they're just
coincidences or simple trickery.
I agree that many people out there will come up with elaborate schemes to pull off a hoax, just to get the thrill of seeing diehard believers go nuts or maybe to get on television for their 15 minutes of fame. In these situations the skeptics do everyone a favor in debunking these people. On the down side, these hoaxes make the rest of us look foolish.
The purpose of groups like the Philadelphia Ghost Hunters Alliance and the International Ghost Hunters Society is to investigate claims of paranormal activity with scientific equipment and an open mind. These people who are somewhat skeptical themselves control the investigations. Pictures, video, and recordings are done according to strict guidelines. After investigations the entire group analyzes everything. We try to explain every piece of evidence away with natural phenomenon. When we can't find a logical explanation we except it as paranormal. I do not believe everything put in front of me, nor do I disbelieve everything put in front of me. An open mind is the best tool we have.
A woman in the article, DeeAnne Wymer, says she use to believe in " all the stuff", as in ghosts, UFOs, etc. When she went to college she found out ""that everything they said was nonsense". As a professor at Bloomsburg University, she teaches a course called " Myths, Monsters and Mayhem". She tells them "that every incident of pseudo-science has turned out to be somebody fooling them, or them fooling themselves".
I would like to know who "they" are and how, exactly, did she find out that everything "they" said was nonsense. And as I said above, many people try to make money off of diehard believers. The many people I go with on investigations are far from foolish. They are not trying to fool anyone. They are responsible, honest people who believe there is something more after we die. They are people who do an honest day's work, and take care of their family when the day is over. We are not people who try to get fame from taking pictures of smoke and saying it's a ghost. We do not get paid for our investigations. We don't get paid $100,000 for a few pictures or a story of a ghostly encounter. How can Ms. Wymer explain the many experiences of thousands of people all over the globe as mere foolishness? Pictures that show an extra person or a strange shape are sent to Kodak for a professional examination. When Kodak, the most advanced Film Company in the world, cannot explain why that picture turned out like it did, are they being fooled? If Kodak cannot, how can you? The answer is simple, you can't. When all logic cannot explain an anomaly, simple common sense should take over and tell you it's something that you are not meant to explain away.
Another man, Paul Kurtz, of the CSICOP ( Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal) says his group needs to teach people to think critically and to use their reflective intelligence. He says there is a growth of irrationality in the world. He thinks people don't realize this and that our country is confused between fiction and reality. He also thinks that books and TV shows cast scientists as the enemy.
I haven't read any books claiming scientists are the enemy, nor have I seen any shows casting them as the enemy, either. I believe that our country does know the difference between fiction and reality. It sounds as if he believes that people who believe in the paranormal do not know how to think for themselves, at least intelligently.
Some people just will not bend, no matter how much evidence you show them. A long time ago people believed it was impossible to put a man on the moon. Who would've believed that a computer, that at one time filled an entire room, could be smaller than a notebook? These are amazing things that were said to be impossible…. By skeptics. Before " debunking" ALL paranormal activity, please take a moment to open your mind to the possibility that, maybe, just maybe, there could be something to it. Maybe spirits do stick around or come back for a visit. What happens after we die? Is that it? Are we to believe that death is the end of all? Energy cannot be destroyed…..That is a scientific fact. We are energy, so where do we go?
Kenny B. (Former Member)
Philadelphia Ghost Hunters Alliance
Much of the information above was obtained from the Philadelphia Inquirer