Can a paranormal investigator be a de-bunker as well?

Question

Anyone interested in the decades old rift between Dennis Rawlins and CSICOP.http://www.lists.opn.org/pipermail/org.opn.lists.skeptix/Week-of-Mon-20060227/002493.html This will clear up misleading charges below.Which I'm sure were intentionaly disstorted.

Answer 1

Of course, they can also be plumbers, chefs, or students, atheist, catholic, or baptist. For instance the famous debunker and astronomer Dennis Rawlins investigated for CSICOP until he informed them that there was a correlation between the position of Mars and sports performance at which time he was kicked out of CSICOP for reaching a conclusion different than the CSICOP agenda. (link below) CSICOP then changed their policy and stopped conducting research.

Rawlins remains a hard core skeptic.

No, a good paranormal investigator is not a debunker (as defined as someone suffering from debunker disease that cannot accept any scientific evidence since Newton because it will cause further brain damage and even poorer critical thinking skills).

A good paranormal investigator is Skeptical meaning that he looks for and excluded all normal explantions first before suggesting that something unexplained is taking place. This is versus a debunker that will go to any length to dismiss anything that does not fit in with his previous held beliefs and biases.

Answer 2

Of course! Not everything that happens is spirit related! Check out my website at www.goodpsychicmedium.com

Answer 3

They better be, if they are going to be the least bit objective about the whole thing!

On a related note, I don't get the definition of debunker as someone who "cannot accept any scientific evidence since Newton", mentioned by psiex. Psiex, I know you're very resentful and angry against those who don't believe like you, but as a legitimate criticism or even as a ad hominem, your quip just doesn't even make much sense to me. Science has made huge strides since Newton, and its the science crowd here who are the most eager (and the most knowledgeable) to share that information with the rest of YA. Seems like you're just trying too hard and missing the mark. Try working a little more humor into your responses instead of just the straight bitterness, I think people will react better to it. Just my $0.02.

Answer 4

Of course, if you have seen the prime time tv show Ghost Hunters in SciFi, all paranormal investigators try to debunk/disprove of a paranormal experience. Example, strange clings come from the attic where no one had been for months, they would try to check what could be the cause of that clinging wich was apparantly a loos pipe coming from the kitchen drain.

Hope this helps :)

Answer 5

Abosoulutely and it should be an investigator's main focus i am and investigator and it is my teams focus as well. we go in with an open mind and debunk as much as we can before we call a place haunted or active!!! That's one of the problems right now with a lot of new groups starting they don't understand this field isn't just about the thrill. helping others and trying to collect paranormal activity..... no no it's about debunking disproving,researching, learning, documenting new theories! Sure it's also about helping others but it is not the thrill of the hunt all the time 24/7! the paranormal is a serious study/field besides calling it a hobby its almost like everyone who is a researcher/investigator is a non-profit scientist and it is kind of like a job with out pay:)

Ryan ~Paranormal Investigator/Researcher~

www.theprosonline.com

Answer 6

Actually that is what they are supposed to do is debunk and if a haunting is real they have eliminated all other possibilities, but sadly that is not true in most cases today.

Steve

Answer 7

I find that most things can explained away or most people are reading too much it to normal things.  A lot of what I find is that people seem to generate  paranormal things around them selves because of stress or something traumatic in there life.

Answer 8

Any investigator has to keep an open mind on ALL possibilites in order to find the truth behind things.  I have had weird things happen, but in some instances there were not only logical, but scientific answers as to why they occured.  If you don't keep an open mind than you can never learn the truth.

Answer 9

The term "debunker", as I've seen it, is generally used in a derogatory context.  I believe those who use it mean to imply that a debunker is someone who is on a crusade to disprove paranormal claims without considering the merits of such claims.

If that's what they mean, what's the term to describe the opposite--those who believe *a priori* that any paranormal claim must be true without examining the merits of the claim?

Answer 10

If they wish to be taken seriously they are. I am

a fan of Ghost Hunters on the Scifi channel. They

are always debunking activity and trying to find

"other" explainations. They are respected in their

field. In order to find the truth you must have an

open mind and not take anything at face value.

Answer 11

yes, if you are legit, you go into a haunt not believing that anything is happening, if you dont go in this way, you results will be biased from the start

Answer 12

well they wouldnt be a very good investigator if they didnt try :)