Study: magnetism does not cause paranormal experiences

[Open Mind]

So the contention then would be that experiences like this:

can be brought on by suggestion alone?

Well there are many possibilities ...

One possibility, perhaps Blackmore in her keenness to find a non PSI explanation (to support her theories) has prematurely stated hallucination via disrupted temporal lobes explains PSI/religious experiences. There is absolutely no doubt the human brain can be made to hallucinate ……. Here we have double blind trial that possibly got hallucination but little matching with religious/PSI type phenomena. What would be religious type phenomena? Seeing dead relatives, seeing beings of light, traveling through a tunnels of light and so on …..

For such skeptic psychologists to assume the magnetic disruption of the brain explains PSI experiences required a leap of faith that too many anti-PSI psychologists seem willing to make …. it much like saying a alcoholic hallucinating is proof of no PSI.

Also if magnetic disruption of temporal lobes can cause PSI like experiences they need to do telepathy/ESP experiments under those conditions before claiming PSI doesn’t exist.

..… perhaps the human brain has developed to block telepathy, (100% telepathy, if it existed, would possibly mean no individuality of minds), the evolution of life form individuality might require a brain that closes down telepathy to increase individual, selective awareness……so before skeptic organizations shut down all PSI research funding, claiming they already know the answers (when in fact PSI has never been properly funded at any point of it’s 100 years existence) .. let’s do ALL the important experiments first …. If science can disprove PSI, fine - let it do it ….. but if science regards the subject as taboo for scientists reputation or ‘pathological science’ or as political campaign to influence humanity off religion and towards humanism/aethism …… well that is not science …. it’s dogma remarkably similar to religious dogma.

 

[Interesting Ian]

For such skeptic psychologists to assume the magnetic disruption of the brain explains PSI experiences required a leap of faith that too many anti-PSI psychologists seem willing to make …. it much like saying a alcoholic hallucinating is proof of no PSI.

Alcoholics hallucinating is proof of no PSI!

 

[c4ts]

I'll tell you what does cause paranormal or relgious experiences: mescaline. Or anything else that causes brain damage.

 

[JMA]

Persinger's experiment was double-blind:

Thanks Larsen... You're right. That's a very interresting information.

 

[Cynical]

Isn't that a crime nowadays, or at least against forum rules?

Oh, don't worry about that, Mighty Thor. I can assure that Claus Flodin enjoys the attention.

 

[flyboy217]

I'll tell you what does cause paranormal or relgious experiences: mescaline. Or anything else that causes brain damage.

Are you suggesting that mescaline causes brain damage? Care to back that up with any evidence?

 

[Dr Adequate]

For such skeptic psychologists to assume the magnetic disruption of the brain explains PSI experiences required a leap of faith that too many anti-PSI psychologists seem willing to make …. it much like saying a alcoholic hallucinating is proof of no PSI.

It might explain some funny experiences, but I don't think anyone's claimed it would explain them all.

Also if magnetic disruption of temporal lobes can cause PSI like experiences they need to do telepathy/ESP experiments under those conditions before claiming PSI doesn’t exist.

They're not trying to replicate telepathy, are they?

……so before skeptic organizations shut down all PSI research funding

That came out just a teensy-weensy bit paranoid, didn't it?

If science can disprove PSI, fine - let it do it …..

Ah yes, the demand for a proof that nothing paranormal exists... oh dear me, no, we haven't got one of those. How could we?

but if science regards the subject as taboo for scientists reputation or ‘pathological science’ or as political campaign to influence humanity off religion and towards humanism/aethism …… well that is not science ….

I think the key word there is "if", because I don't know anyone who would say that. But you wish to lead up to the usual trashy piece of Troo Bleever spam we get served up three times a day:

it’s dogma remarkably similar to religious dogma.

 

[Jyera]

Statements such as
CampA: "Magnetism causes paranormal experiences."
CampB: "Magnetism does not cause paranormal experiences"
balances each other.

Perhaps they are both partially right as well as both partially wrong. But they do balance each other.

The term "paranormal experience", has too wide a meaning.
It could mean anything from telepathy, seeing future, communicating with dead people...etc. As such, I feel both camps will not be able to conclusively provide a comprehesive proof.

On the other hand , they could simply work together to reinforce our knowledge. To find out whether "magnetism can cause hallucination or not".

There will be temptation to use this magnetism-hallucination association to explain that, all personal paranormal experience are just imagination in our mind. But the non-specific definition of "paranormal experience" will continue to cloud the debate.

Moreover, a strong "yes" or "no" conclusion on whether "magnetism can cause hallucination or not", should provide a strong outpost for our scientists. An outpost for them to find thair way back, after failing in their attempt.

More work should be done on the magnetism-hallucination association.

 

[Jyera]

I feel uneasy with the term "weak magnetic field" too.

Fire burns. And it is typical to expect a stronger fire to have a more devastating effect.

"weak magnetic field" ???
The weaker the better ? Sounds "homeopathically" unsound.
Or does the researcher intend to imply that stronger magnetic field, the stronger the effect. That should be fairly easy to prove, isn't it?. But then they should drop the word "weak".

I would rather that the researcher describe it as "controlled magnetic field", and specify the specfic magnetic field strength they used that to produce the effect they try to prove.