Randi always has an out?

[Mercutio]

A) Not enough info to judge, so B) irrelevant.

I should have been more specific, I agree; I was preparing to run off to class. I think probably your "unaided by any device or devices" might be enough to clear it up; a high powered laser might be able to bend it without touching...

If you mean by "mind" alone ,A) sure ,B)yes.

I suppose most folk would be happy with "by mind alone", but in truth that doesn't matter. It could by "by divine intervention alone", or "by hitherto unknown hyperdimensional tugging on invisible, untouchable strings of energy alone". As long as we have controls in place to eliminate known explanations, the challenge does not specify a method. (this does take a chance on a sufficiently advanced "cheat", but once the test is agreed upon, it is a binding contract.

But I agree with your A in the sense of "close enough for government work".

I agree with B.

Perhaps, I, hammegk, should offer $1,000,000 to anyone who can walk, unaided by any device or devices, hanging head down from my ceiling?

My suspicion is that that would be a sufficient claim for the JREF too. And testable. Myself, I won't make the offer because I don't have a million sitting around anywhere, and I wouldn't want to offer anything I could not deliver.

 

[hammegk]

I suppose most folk would be happy with "by mind alone", but in truth that doesn't matter. It could by "by divine intervention alone", or "by hitherto unknown hyperdimensional tugging on invisible, untouchable strings of energy alone".

And I think that "by mind alone",or "by divine intervention alone" indeed would force a payoff. We would have to examine the meaning of "hitherto unknown hyperdimensional tugging on invisible, untouchable strings of energy alone"; is that paranormal, or scientific? I agree as worded likely paranormal.

"Hitherto unknown hyperdimensional energy" is back to science, and the out applies, imo.

My suspicion is that that would be a sufficient claim for the JREF too. And testable.

Uh, yeah. Likelyhood of success = zero (0.000+) , but so what.

Myself, I won't make the offer because I don't have a million sitting around anywhere, and I wouldn't want to offer anything I could not deliver.

Ergo, my 'perhaps'.