How can you disprove the paranormal?

Question

I just finished watching The View (which was a repeat by the way). Jason and Grant from Ghost Hunters as well as psychic James Van Praagh were guests. Of course they all put in their input of what is paranormal and James gave a few quick readings.

What intrigued me the most was the last guest Loyd Auerbach. He has a Masters degree in Parapsychology from JFK University and a Bachelors degree in Cultural Anthropology. He explains that although there is no scientific proof of the paranormal, there is tons of evidence that it does exist. He also explains that the reason that there is no scientific proof is because no one knows exactly what they are looking for and therefore there are no devices that have been created to gather "scientific" proof. By the way, he was once as skeptical as a lot of you are now.

So my question is, how can all of you be so sure that the paranormal isn't real if there is nothing out there that can disprove it?

More info on Loyd Auerbach

http://www.mindreader.com/loyd/

Answer 1

I'll answer for them. IGNORANCE!!!

EDIT:

Jolly: if some sort of paranormal activity is scientifically proven then it is no longer paranormal. That 1,000,000 dollars your talking about is nothing more then a big scam! Yeah I bet they'll pay out! LOL!!!

EDIT:

Eri: I would expect a much more intelligent answer from a scientist. (In regards to your edit) Electrical sockets produce EMF? Wow, you just blew my mind! I'm not even going to waste time responding to the rest of that ridiculous statement!

Answer 2

It would be difficult to prove ghosts don't exist.You either see them or you don't.It's a right place at the right time thing.I don't believe in them and think it's a silly notion.

Other paranormal claims would be easy to prove or disprove.All someone has to do is do it.Remote viewers find a treasure or lost child.Psychics give a demonstration.A message from the dead or a real warning of disaster.Uncle Al saying he's OK or they'll be many killed in a storm doesn't count.

Telepathic folks could read a book from another room or move a feather in a jar.

The fact none of these things are being done.To me that's pretty good evidence the can't.

The people you mention you have to consider something.They make their living on the paranormal.It is their product.So it behooves them to keep an interested base they can sell to.I read your link I hope you'll read mine.

Answer 3

Watch Ghost Hunters or Ghost Hunters International tomorrow. you'll see many Kinds of equipment you can use.

Answer 4

Technically, you can't disprove anything.  I can claim I'm god, and you can't prove me wrong.  Does that mean I'm god?  h**l no.  The burden of proof rests on the person making the claim, not the person who doubts.  If you're going to claim something fantastic, like psychic powers which would break the laws of physics, you better have some proof.  And they do not.  I don't know what kind of evidence he has that's not proof - if it's not scientific, why does he consider it evidence?

The Randi prize is not scientific.  It's just a challenge.  If you pass it, scientists will be happy to make it more scientific.  But it's a good start.  One that no one has managed to pass.

I disagree with Loyd when he says "here is no scientific proof is because no one knows exactly what they are looking for and therefore there are no devices that have been created to gather "scientific" proof."  Any claim can be tested.  They just keep failing.

EDIT:  How can a ghost be tested?  Simple.  Produce said ghost.  Not cold spots, not an ouija board, not an EMF field from a nearby socket.  Many people claim to have seen ghosts.  Have one show up when there are a couple scientists around and we'll find some way to objectively record the incident.

Answer 5

Well, if it makes you happy, by all means continue with your belief in the paranormal etc.  I, on the other hand, have a lot more faith in the work of James Randi who, for decades, has a standing $1,000,000 offer open to anyone who can scientifically prove any of those claims.  So far not one person has claimed the money.  

     See the info at the below link.

Answer 6

some of the things

you see the over due with there

lies

but for what is real is different

like with me am a telekinetic

and thats real

mind over matter

and i could prove it to you

but some people go way to far

Answer 7

It is not possible to disprove the paranormal.

A scientific hypothesis, explanation, or theory must be falsifiable. That is, it must be possible to prove it wrong.

For example, the proposition "There is an invisible ghost beside you, and it is impossible to detect him in any way imaginable, and he has no effect on the surroundings whatsoever" cannot be disproven. Therefore, it is disregarded by science.

Therefore, none of this is really science at all. And yes, people have attempted to detect paranormal phenomena using scientific instruments, and they have all failed.

Answer 8

There is no proof of anything until someone proposes a theory and finds a way to test that theory.  Other scientists will then test your theory and your results and either agree with your or not.  After a while if your theory passes scrutiny then it will be accepted as valid.  You can not prove something does not exist only provide evidence that supports your claim.  

Answer 9

You can disprove the paranormal the same way you disprove leprechauns. Actually, you can't disprove leprechauns. It's logically and practically impossible to demonstrate that no leprechauns exist anywhere. Same with the paranormal. Brian B already said it best.

Skeptics have no interest in disproving the paranormal. It's a pointless exercise as illustrated above, and the burden of evidence is on those who claim that it exists, not on those who say "show me the evidence before I accept your claim"

EDIT: Cosmic Toker, eri is quite right about EMF.  An EM field can be found near wiring in the wall and of course right at the socket itself. Although if you plug something into the socket that draws current, the field will be stronger around the path of that current. See this link:

http://www.who.int/peh-emf/about/WhatisE...

Answer 10

Many paranormal investigators simply look for a rational or scientific explanation first. If you rule out any logical possibilities, you may have paranormal activity. You can neither prove or disprove it.

Answer 11

As it has been said so well by others, proving it doesn't exist is not possible.  However, it should be easy to prove it does exist.  If this Van Praagh fellow could perform under controlled circumstances, there you go.  Unfortunately, the parapsychologists have decided that the same things that stop people from cheating also block the mind somehow from operating in this way.  Call me jaded, but I have a hard time buying this.  I also was interested in this Auerbach's masters of parapsychology from JFK university.  The question is asked on here rather frequently, where can you go to school for parapsychology?  The only place in America that comes close allows you to minor in it, so how did this guy get his masters?  Parapsychology is not listed in their program/course listings

http://www.jfku.edu/programs/programs/

and a search of their website turns up no results.

http://www.jfku.edu/search/search.php?qu...

Sorry.  

Edit: I apologize, after more research I have found that they used to offer it, but discontinued the program in 1986.