Are there any irrefutable evidence about mind powers?

Question

As far as I know, I think mind powers haven't been scientifically proved yet. And that all the claims are doubtful.

What do you think?

Answer 1

Nope, sorry.  In fact, most of what people claim they can do without providing evidence for that claim would break the laws of science as we know them.  Which means there's no reason to take them seriously until they can prove what they say is true.  Which they've never been able to do.

Answer 2

It comes down to what evidence you are willing to believe.

Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, what do you want? There are two people will fantastic accuracy. What do you want?

Where are you going to go when you die? Is there a beyond?

If you don't believe then, you are going to have a horrible life.

Answer 3

Nope. many people who say they have mind powers are asked to show the world that they can do it.....which leaves the people who said they had the power to turn it down and disappear.

Answer 4

Yes, even though no real scientist believes in them.  It is a conspiracy cover up for no apparent reason.  Check out all these ridiculous websites.

http://www.parapsych.org/

http://www.princeton.edu/~pear/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta-analys...

http://anson.ucdavis.edu/~utts/air2.html

http://www.youaredumb.com

http://www.tcm.phy.cam.ac.uk/~bdj10/psi/...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

These must be real because they have websites, the internet doesn't allow people to put false information out there.

Answer 5

no they dont exist in any way shape or form. Although many people wish they did so they spread rumours and tell stories to try to convince themselves they existed because they find the ordinary world boring.

Answer 6

Before I answer, I have to point out your use of "irrefutable" makes the question a bit difficult.  Science doesn't deal in "irrefutable' evidence, as Karl Popper famously explained.  To be scientific, evidence has to be testable, and of a nature that it could be proved wrong if it _is_ wrong.  In this sense, all truly scientific data is never "irrefutable."  

That holds true for the very strong scientific evidence that has been demonstrated for certain 'mental powers' as you describe them, such as certain kinds of ESP and certain varieties of psychokinesis (PK).  For example, Dr. Dean Radin's presentiment experiment, in which a scientific test is set up to show that people can have awareness of an event that won't happen for 5 or more seconds into the future.  This experiment has been replicated at least 11 times in large studies in different labs around the world.  The same is true of experiments in associative remote viewing, Ganzfeld, micro-PK, precognitive remote perception, and other related experimental paradigms.  The evidence isn't "irrefutable" (or it wouldn't be scientific).  But it is repeatable, and it is very strongly attested.

Answer 7

Very little in this world is absolutely irrefutable, and when it comes to scientific knowledge about "mind powers" all of the available evidence can only be regarded as provisional.

So with that caveat in mind, is there strong scientific confidence that humans are capable of exceptional abilities?  Yes. No one questions that some people can do mental and physical things that hardly anyone else can do, and it doesn't involve anything "psychic" at all. For example, no one doubts that there are people with artistic, athletic and scientific genius, but nor does anyone understand how these people can do what they do (including the geniuses). Likewise, some people have photographic memories, some can multiple arbitrary-length digits as fast as a computer, and so on. No one has any idea how this is done. Some have proposed that these things must be due to special brain-based processing, but that remains pure speculation.

From this perspective, the fact that some people can demonstrate relatively mundane skills like clairvoyance, in laboratory tasks, in complete accordance with phenomena described in the yogic literature for thousands of years, should not be surprising. It would more surprising given the  historical perspective if everyone who has reported these experiences since time immemorial were deluded or lying.

Answer 8

Hard Boy, I think you're basically correct, although in science there is no such thing as irrefutable. All science is open to revision and correction, so what you really are asking is if there is enough evidence to justify even a tacit acceptance of some "mind power" claims. I've read through the research and in my opinion the answer is no. This seems to be the general consensus in the scientific community as well since nobody is jumping up and down over any psi results, and if such results were real and testable, it would actually be a revolution in science. But to date the only ostensible positive results are mired in debate and controversy.

Does this mean mind powers are impossible?  No, certainly not. But one does wonder why decades of research have turned up nothing but bickering over experimental statistics.

I've given some links so you can read up on the evidence and decide for yourself.

Answer 9

Since you are the in Science & Mathematics category you should be aware that no scientific evidence is irrefutable.

Also, science does not prove anything. Science test hypothesis (ideas) in controlled experiments and either provides supporting evidence for the hypothesis or fails to provide supporting evidence for the hypothesis.

Yes, there is supporting scientific evidence for both psi abilities that meets the standards of evidence (statistical significance and correct methodology) for every field of science inside and outside of parapsychology established by independent evaluations by qualified people working outside the field of parapsychology.

"Using the standards applied to any other area of science, it is concluded that psychic functioning has been well established. The statistical results of the studies examined are far beyond what is expected by chance. Arguments that these results could be due to methodological flaws in the experiments are soundly refuted. Effects of similar magnitude to those found in government-sponsored research at SRI and SAIC have been replicated at a number of laboratories across the world. Such consistency cannot be readily explained by claims of flaws or fraud."

(link below)

"Rosenthal, after considering the possible influence of various flaws upon study outcome, concluded that the overall hit rate of the studies could be estimated to be 33 percent, whereas chance expectancy was 25 percent."

(link below)

All specific claims should be doubted (skepticism is the nature of science including parapsychology) as that most research done with the general public shows psi abilities are possible and are normally distributed in the human population but do not extensively test one individual. If a person claims any special talent (like playing basketball better than Kobe Bryant or writing music better than Mozart) then yes be doubtful. However, if one claims to be able to play basketball or write music one has to only demonstrate these abilities (no matter how poorly) to show that those abilities exist. This has been demonstrated numerous time in replicated psi experiments.

I think that perhaps you were uninformed about the scientific evidence and I hope that you will now actually examine the research yourself and if you are still not convinced then argue on the basis of the research evidence and not your personal beliefs and opinions as all except myself and one other person have done in answering this question.

Psiexploration

Answer 10

is there any irrefutable evidence that god exists?

i mean.. come on.

you dont have to have evidence to beleive in something. i myself and several of my freinds have known things before they happen.

precognition would be considered a psy power.. or mind power as you put it.

i know someone who can look at you and say whats on your mind.....

so again. does having no proof make them any less likely?

Answer 11

I'm on the borderline of this topic, actually.

I have answered questions similiar to this one.

While there is no proof, It's stupid to believe that science proves everything. There are going to be some things you simply cannot prove, but they sure as h3ll exist.

Like where the electricity in our brains comes from. Or why dolphins don't dream. Some stuff just IS.

For all we know, all the legends and stories could be true, everything we've been taught was fiction and foolishness. All the Faeries might run around Central Park, laughing at humanities' stupidity. Who says that it's simply not possible?

If you're the scientific type, you'll say, "Oh, but blahbleeblooblahbley doesn't react to the blugblyblee, so therefore mind powers aren't possible."

Well, blahbleeblobly to you too.

Sure, it might not exist, but what if it does? And we're ignoring the chance to help millions of people, because we couldn't open our eyes to the possibilities?

Ah, you'll see the world as it is-infinite.

I don't really know what to think about stuff like this. It's confusing at the very least, because when we were children, our parents were most likely very firm about one thing- magic doesn't exist.

Scientists are SO technical. They rain on everyone's parade.

Hope I helped, or at the very least gave you some insight.

-Telepathetic Out

Answer 12

Irrefutable?  No.  Suggestive?  No.  The only evidence of psi mind powers, beyond anecdotal, is statistically insignificant.

It's really too bad the only people who can prove such things exist are sworn to secrecy by the government.  Yeah, right.

Answer 13

There has been extensive research by the government, along with training of select people and use of the abilities for military purposes. It is done under controlled circumstances and those involved must sign paperwork to the effect of treason if they reveal almost any information. No, you will not find the information, any more than you would be able to access the latest weapon development plans.

For the people who are able to access above normal mental abilities, the reproduction on demand in a "sterile" lab setting is counterproductive, due to the lack of ability of the subject to relax and pressure to preform. Often it is a lack of suficcient method that leads to inconclusive results.

There is a medical explination for some of the heightened mental abilities. A particular gland in the brain, when it hyperfunctions, does have a tendancy to raise some of ones abilities, however it varies with each person as to the strength and which ability (ies). Again it makes it difficult to control in order to show conclusive proof.

I am aware of one project that I am working with, in the control process of that combines U.S. and former USSR research along with some modifications for application that seems to be effective for people that have no prior heightened abilities. Unfortunately it will take years, if ever, until the information becomes available to the general public.

I have reached the limit of what I am allowed to say, as for anything further, I cannot confirm or deny anything.

EDIT: Gee, I like this group. All the thumbs down :-) , and not just on mine! You are too kind.

Where do you think you would find "evidence"? Do you think the universities and other reputible organisations spend so much money when they do not show results to their financers? If someone were to show their abilities, how long do you think they would be walking the streets? Would they not be considered a threat to national security? Would they not be taken somewhere (Area 51, lol) and studied.



Do not concern yourself with my rambling, what would I know anyway? I mean, someone who recieves a government paycheck, sitting here in the middle of the night, spreading conspiracy theories? I am probably just paranoid, bored or looking to find reactions to a book idea. Just because the USSR had full control over the programs throughout the east block and made progress with their program by collecting the info received from all different research facilities and combining them in a central place, that does not mean the U.S. government would do somthing similar. We are a democracy and have free rights. Besides the government even claims that although they did research in the past, they found no conclusive evidence. They always tell us the truth about everything. They would not hide such a program, expecially mostly out in the open where everyone could see it. As I said, what do I know? H*ll, I probably do not exist either.  :-)

Answer 14

Not yet, although that hasn't slowed down the believers. Such powers seem to exist in the spirit realm, but our physical forms are too heavy and untrained to have much, if any, effect here.

Answer 15

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If you have any questions or comments to share about this blog, feel free to post at the end of blog and I will try to answer the questions as soon as possible

Answer 16

I think you're being very generous.Doubtful is far too optimistic.