Is there any mainstream scientific evidence for clairvoyance?

Question

Is there any mainstream scientific evidence for clairvoyance?

Answer 1

That which is not in the light is in the dark; therefore, deceiving, having no basis in fact.  No, there is no scientific evidence!

Answer 2

A complete and total absence, and not for lack of looking.

Answer 3

Not one teensy weensy bit,zilch,nada,zero.

Answer 4

Nope.

There has been a million dollar prize available for about ten years to anyone who can offer such evidence in a neutral laboratory setting (payable by the James Randi Educational Foundation).... thus far no one has collected a dime.

Answer 5

The most "mainstream" evidence you're gonna get is the 3rd level Wizard spell in D&D...

Hey Mycroft, I'm a skeptic and I tend to read quite a few journals (and though I enjoy a good comic book now and then...)

So please cite all of this "evidence" you claim to have so I might peruse it (I'll give a few too):

Do you refer to the PEAR program? (that has been pretty well refuted since - see link 1)

General remote viewing critique in link 2

Cool Michael Shermer video debunking remote viewing (clairvoyance) in links 3 & 4

General review/critique of many parapsychology experiments in link 5. This covers most of the basic control difficulties/errors involved in paranormal research.

Answer 6

No matter what source is given it will never live up to the skeptics expectations.

I have read literally volumes of scientific research proving it beyond a the shadow of a doubt.

Just try to get a skeptic to read anything beyond a comic book, geeze..

Answer 7

I'm late to the party, but no. By "main stream" I take it you mean evidence published in the mainstream physics or psychology peer-reviewed journals, and of course the answer is no. The evidence that does exist for clairvoyance is of poor quality, not reproducible nor gathered with good controls.

The parapsychology category is within the Science & Mathematics category to address parapsychology questions scientifically, so kudos for a good question!  It's amazing to me that some people don't realize this is a scientific category, intended for serious scientific answers. Otherwise it would not be in Science & Math, although there are paranormal zealots trying to run skeptics off nonetheless.

Answer 8

Since you qualified your question with "mainstream scientific" I feel safe in answering no.  A lot of people want to think that this evidence exists and is scientifically valid, however, it is not accepted by the mainstream scientific community.  Some people will tell you this rejection is caused by fear and cover-up conspiracies, but I feel this to be wishful thinking.

Answer 9

No. But of course you knew I would say that.

Answer 10

There might not be scientific evidence...but every time it happens to someone...that's evidence for them. I don't know why anyone would want to prove it to scientists anyway.It's such a waste of time. I think the only proof there will be is with the individuals it happens to ..and I think they ought to keep it among themselves. That's why there should be a paranormal section on here where skeptics aren't voted Top Answerers. This section should be for paranormal people only . I don't think the scientist would want skeptics coming over to their section all the time and trying to take over and run everybody off...or just bothering them. Most of us take this section seriously and want serious answers. Answers that are answers..not just comments.  I just get tired of all this talk about "no evidence" when Resolved Question is filled with evidence of the paranormal.

Edit..Oops ..sorry..I thought I was on the Paranormal Section. Psiexploration isn't a skeptic..he's an investigator and researcher of the paranormal.

Answer 11

none...in spite of 150 years of "scientific" investigation of the paranormal.

compare that with what's happened in physics, chemistry or biology in the same time period

Answer 12

What do you mean by "mainstream?" There is evidence that some would consider "scientific" but that depends on what your definition of "mainstream" is.  And as for the 10 million dollar prize.. there are SOOOOOOOOO many restrictions.. that it pretty much guarantees that no one can pass their tests.

Answer 13

Nope.  The MILLION dollar (note: not 10 million) prize is easy to win if you can do what you claim and made to be pretty much impossible if you're hoping you get lucky or thinking you can trick them.

No, there is no evidence for clairvoyance.  

Answer 14

Though your term "mainstream" can be interpreted in different ways, I can state with certainty that there is extensive scientific evidence and peer reviewed research that has demonstrated the existence of clairvoyance.  You may not see it in physics journals or psychology journals, but it is also extremely rare to see psychology papers published in physics journals.  That is, if you look in physics journals, you read about physics.  If you want to read about parapsychology, read the parapsychology journals.  

I've linked to a few examples of parapsychology articles below which discuss clairvoyance.  The information is technical and dense, like most scientific papers, but many experiments described in these articles do present evidence of clairvoyance.

I think it's important at this point to describe what clairvoyance is since there seems to be some confusion on the subject.  Clairvoyance is sensing or knowing about events that occur at a distance.  For example, a person who knows that their twin has been injured despite being separated by many miles.  Remote viewing, which involves seeing places and events either in distant locations or in the past or future, is considered to be using the same mechanisms as clairvoyance.  You will sometimes see people who claim to speak to spirits saying that they have "clairvoyant sight", but this type of experience is not studied in parapsychology, and so, there is no scientific evidence that somebody like Miss Cleo really can read your tea leaves.

Science involves the examination of phenomenon using strict protocol and sound analysis techniques.  Though you will see many answers that will argue to the contrary, there is sound science being done in the field of parapsychology.  Just as is true in any field, there are disputes about techniques and results, but the evidence is available for those who are willing to take the time to look.