Owes a million dollars?

Question

Matt Blaze and Jutta Degener have successfully visualized the contents of Randi's challenge box.

http://www.crypto.com/blog/psychic_cryptanalysis/

Does this proves how futile this challenge was?

Answer 1

The excellent article posted by Zachary, which I reposted below, points out that Randi conceded that the reported item in the box was correct.

The only debate is whether or not using science (and not remote viewing) was an acceptable term of the contract.

Since Randi posted an encoded key to help with this challenge this implies that Randi found using this information acceptable.

Randi would probably lose this case in any court of law in the United States.

Thus, I  suspect that the winners are either in on it with Randi in order to show (incorrectly) that science can mimic psychic functioning or are so biased against the possibility of psychic pheomena being real that they want to let Randi have the million dollars to continue to do his work.

Isn't this the same reason used against psychics, why would a real psychic turn down a million dollars?

It does seem to suggest that the worlds most famous skeptic doesn't know much about how to design a parapsychological experiment

Michael John Weaver, M.S.

Answer 2

If that was actually what was in the box, Randi would have handed over the million.  However, that is not what was in the box.  Simple as that.  No million for them, they failed.

Answer 3

Woot!

lol

Yeah but people don't *get* that's how it works...that it isn't "cut and dry".

Answer 4

No it doesn't read this and find out more.In this day and age with a law office on every corner.Does anyone believe,any real challenge would not be payed?

Answer 5

Nope, they did not beat Randi's challenge.  Heck, I give students a sealed container with "simple, daily objects" inside and ask them to figure out the contents without opening the container.

Takes 'em about 15 minutes.

If they did it without touching the container, they could eventually guess.  And guesswork isn't what the test is about.

Answer 6

i would have liked to be there to watch

Answer 7

No, he cheated.

And he tells you how he cheated, not only that but he wasn't accurate about the contents.

item in the box: a small mirrored flat circular wheel or disk, such as a DVD or CD.

Well what is it? mirror, CD or DvD?

He didn't know.

Answer 8

Being a box containing an everyday item, it would be a matter of time before somebody guessed it right (or cheated). No paranormal abilities required or demonstrated.

Answer 9

a) Only if, which I doubt, he is correct about what is in the box.

b) He states later on that he found out because he figured out the string was an ISBN number and it was linked to a CD or DVD, which is not psychic at all.

c) He would have to repeat this trick under controlled conditions to be eligible for the million dollar prize. He should read the rules and apply for the prize.