Assume you're a dead set skeptic - and then you see a ghost. What do you think?

Question

Do you immediately change your mind and figure that yes ghosts do exist, now that you've seen one -

Or do you tell yourself your crazy and rationalize your hallucination?

Answer 1

I think you wouldn't believe it at first but when find out that there isn't anything else it could be you believe it.

Answer 2

Skepticism means having an open mind about things, but not to jump to irrational, paranormal conclusions without first considering more prosaic explanations.   Skeptics realize that all of us can be fooled by our senses, and that we shouldn't rely just on that to make conclusions.  

If I saw something...lets say it was a human shape, classic ghostly white that I could see through, I would assume I was having a hallucination.   I have seen lots of things that at first I couldn't explain, but I have always been able to find a rational explanation for apparently odd things.  

I have never seen anything that "looks like a ghost", and while I don't mind hypothetical questions, its hard to say how one would react if really confronted with something like that.  

Answer 3

That is a Southern thing. "Your" instead of "you are" is my most common misuse of a word.  

Answer 4

So you are asking me to assume that I’m a DEAD set sceptic??!

... Wait a minute... if I’m dead... doesn't that mean that I’m a... a one of those THINGS I DON’T BELIEVE IN??!!!!  :D

Ok... being serious, I will try to put myself in the position you described and answer your question...

If I were a sceptic and then I saw a ghost, I suppose my immediate thoughts would be to examine my situation for evidence to support some kind of logical explanation in what I was experiencing. I may consider the possibility that I was hallucinating. It is possible that the experience could be sufficiently paranormal to force me to revaluate my idea of constitutes reality.

I would hope that all people, sceptics and non sceptics, regardless of their chosen or given label, would continually be evaluating and revaluating their understanding of reality on a daily basis. The mind as a tool for interpretation of the world around us, combined with the learned reactionary perception of our individual experience is not by any means infallible. We should strive to continually and fluidly remain open to all possibilities whilst incorporating evidence that supports and discarding evidence that no longer accommodates or applies to our direct experience.

At the end of the day... we are all crazy; those who think they know they are not crazy are probably hallucinating!

Answer 5

If there was no other evidence to support it being a ghost I would think that there was something wrong with my eyes or that I was hallucinating or mistaken in what I thought I perceived.

It seems that generally you need to have some belief in the supernatural to think you see a ghost though, I think if I was going to hallucinate I would be more likely to see ducks or serial killers than spirits.

Answer 6

People see what they believe more often than they believe what they see.

I think a skeptic would try to rationalize such a phenomenon logically. Failing that, perhaps he might be persuaded to believe.

But a skeptic doesn't equate to a "non believer." A skeptic just doesn't know. However, a skeptic, an intelligent skeptic, relies on hard evidence.

Answer 7

Well it would depend on what I see.Obviously many are convinced by bad photos and staged TV shows.I think I'd need a little more.

I can't say what would make me change my mind.I'd know it when I saw it though.

Answer 8

Assume you're convinced ghosts exist, and then you don't see one. Do believer rationalize their lack of vision?

Being skeptic means "waiting for evidence", not dismissing everything right off the bat. That said, being open minded does not imply to harbor a secret potential support for any crazy belief there is, especially since many of them are mutually incompatible, or have specific elements that are mutually incompatible. Being open minded means "bring on your evidence, and we'll look at it, objectively".  In the absence of such evidence, I will not support your views in any way.