Para-sci help?

Question

If scientists were able to dicover without a shadow of a doubt that paranormal phenomenon really exists, how do you think it would change scientists view of the world they live in?

Answer 1

I agree with Eri.  If scientific evidence for the paranormal were found, then it wouldn't be considered paranormal.  If it were real, legitimate evidence, then, yes the scientific world would probably accept it.

On the other hand, most paranormal "researchers" have no concept of the rules of science, which is why their "evidence" isn't taken seriously.  Experiments must have the proper controls, be reproducible, and be conducted with transparency (researchers can't just say "my research proves [blank], but you can't see my data - you just have to trust me").

In other words, you have to play by the rules of the game if you want a chance at legitimately winning.

Remember, science isn't about having all the answers.  It's about the questions and the way you go about answering them.  The way the scientific method and community are set up, there's no shame in being wrong.  There *is* shame in making unfounded statements faking data.  When one idea is proved wrong, it simply opens up a whole host of new questions, and as long as there are questions to be answered, scientists will have jobs.

Answer 2

i think to some degree there is proof and somewhere it is known that ghosts exist.

if it became public knowledge though that would be a different story. to scientists it would mean the afterlife exists and would have some ramifications towards evolution and existence.

though the problem would be proving there is a heaven and h**l because you know everyone would just go ape sheet and do what ever they wanted knowing if they died they would still live on in some way. people would rob banks, go nuts on each other, i think its better left a mystery.

Answer 3

The first step would be to demonstrate a phenomenon to statistical significance.  For most so-called paranormal phenomena, this has not happened.  But let's say someone studies dowsing for water thoroughly enough to demonstrate that it makes a difference.  I think it does make a difference, but hasn't been studied.  The next step would be to attempt to explain it.  Until a sound scientific explanation is found, it would be left as a real but unexplained phenomenon.  Science readily admits there's lots about the mind it doesn't understand.

Answer 4

We've already discovered beyond any shadow of any doubt that it's all a bunch of hokey bullshlt.

Ghostbusters is still by far my favorite movie, though.

Answer 5

Sure.  There'd be more stuff to study.  But if it actually existed, it wouldn't be considered paranormal anymore - it would fall into the range of the normal.  But discovering that some of the stuff people claim happens ACTUALLY happens would mean there is something very wrong about our understanding of physics.  That would suck.