Merged Telepathy test: which number did I write?

[Michel H]

You're joking, right? You must realise that none of this is grounds for thinking you might be telepathic?

I think the reasons I have provided are actually fairly solid, even if they are not perfect. I might add this successful telepathy test analysis: http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=237268 .
Disdain is not enough, you should provide arguments yourself, and be honest. Of course, no mass or accumulation of arguments will convince the intellectually dishonest, who will just say "this is ridiculous". Easy answer of course.

It might perhaps also be of interest to know what Sylvia Browne thinks about telepathy .

Unfortunately, this (assumed) telepathic phenomenon may have led to some kind of global collective madness, and to a concerning loss of moral sense regarding these phenomena, where people seem they can lie in an almost unlimited way without ever getting criticized (or punished). This may also have had some political consequences (1999 bombing of Yugoslavia, 9/11 two years later, economic crisis...).

 

[Pixel42]

I think the reasons I have provided are actually fairly solid

If your critical thinking skills are so poor that you cannot see for yourself why this is not the case then I'm afraid that the effort that would be required to educate you up to the minimum standard necessary to participate in a meaningful conversation on this subject is more than I'm prepared to invest.

It might perhaps also be of interest to know what Sylvia Browne thinks about telepathy

Nothing that Sylvia Browne thinks is of any interest.

ETA: Just clicked on the previous thread. If I had realised this was the same poster I wouldn't have responded to this one.

 

[Agatha]

And from that previous thread I will repeat my earlier post.

I recognise that you think you are hearing other people's thoughts, or that others can hear your thoughts, but the truth is that these phenomena are entirely caused by your illness. This must be very hard to accept, and I do understand how real these voices seem to be.

However, telepathy does not exist, and the symptoms you experience are entirely caused by your illness. Please do continue with your prescribed treatment and medication. Mental illness is not something of which to be ashamed, and it is treatable.

And I will add that if you are still hearing hostile voices in your head, it's important that you tell your doctor about those voices as a matter of urgency.

 

[Michel H]

You think you're telepathic because your mother once said so, and because you received two joke answers to odd questions you posted on Yahoo? Please tell me you're not serious.

I see no reason to think these answers were "joke", Mashuna. Actually, I got answers that I was more or less expecting, and I was hoping for. It is possible that the people who answered me have more college degrees than James Randi himself, who apparently did not finish high school. I may perhaps invite you to open an account on Yahoo! Answers (if you don't have one already). You might well find than obtaining a 93% rate of best answers is not so easy.
Note also that I did not tell all reasons why I think I am probably "telepathic".

 

[Michel H]

If your critical thinking skills are so poor that you cannot see for yourself why this is not the case then I'm afraid that the effort that would be required to educate you up to the minimum standard necessary to participate in a meaningful conversation on this subject is more than I'm prepared to invest.

This is just arrogance, Pixel42. Obviously, you think to think you are the "smart one", who could "educate me", but I see no interesting or original arguments or ideas which would justify this alleged "superiority". I am sure you can do better.

 

[frskeptic]

I see no reason to think these answers were "joke", Mashuna. Actually, I got answers that I was more or less expecting, and I was hoping for. It is possible that the people who answered me have more college degrees than James Randi himself, who apparently did not finish high school. I may perhaps invite you to open an account on Yahoo! Answers (if you don't have one already). You might well find than obtaining a 93% rate of best answers is not so easy.
Note also that I did not tell all reasons why I think I am probably "telepathic".

If you don't show us all your hand, why should we take you seriously ? Science and rigor is about openness. Without it, there is too many openings for stuff to go wrong.
Let us hear all the reasons, all of them, why, are you afraid we knock these reasons off and you don't have a foot to stand on ? What are you afraid of ?

 

[Dave Rogers]

Numbers are generally not aggressive, xtifr. But, I think that, if a person knows that the correct answer in a telepathy test is 5 for example, and if that same person deliberately answers incorrectly 6 (while he/she knows the correct answer is 5), this might possibly be viewed as some form of aggressivity (which might also be visible in that person's comment).

Alternatively, someone deliberately trying to skew the test by answering incorrectly might be intelligent enough to add a comment that gave an impression of sincerity. What it boils down to is that you're rejecting data on a completely subjective criterion, which can only make the results poorer.

Dave

 

[Michel H]

If you don't show us all your hand, why should we take you seriously ? Science and rigor is about openness. Without it, there is too many openings for stuff to go wrong.
Let us hear all the reasons, all of them, why, are you afraid we knock these reasons off and you don't have a foot to stand on ? What are you afraid of ?

Mmm, let me just say that I don't feel ready yet, and that I need more evidence, more proof. And, unfortunately perhaps, I may need you (plural) to obtain it...

 

[Akhenaten]

Mmm, let me just say that I don't feel ready yet, and that I need more evidence, more proof.

Not ready yet? But, but . . . 93% on Yagoogle Answers!!!

How much readierer can you be?

And, unfortunately perhaps, I may need you (plural) to obtain it...

That'll end well.

 

[Agatha]

We can help you with a protocol for a fair test. But none of the tests you have talked about so far are in any way fair or controlled, so you cannot get any meaningful results form them.

But it will still come down to the fact that there is no evidence for telepathy, that under controlled conditions people perform no better than chance would expect, and most importantly, that a common symptom of some kinds of mental illness (which you have already stated you suffer from) is thinking you can transmit your thoughts to others, and/or receive other people's thoughts.

I am sorry that this must be hard for you to accept and I do understand how real the feelings are that you can transmit your thoughts to other people. But you cannot, it is a symptom of your illness and will go away once your illness is successfully medicated.

 

[Michel H]

Alternatively, someone deliberately trying to skew the test by answering incorrectly might be intelligent enough to add a comment that gave an impression of sincerity.

This is certainly possible, Dave, but I wouldn't call such unethical behavior "intelligent".The bottom line is that I always depend upon you (plural). And if my tests don't work here, I may have to go some place else. But I am not eternal of course.

 

[frskeptic]

Mmm, let me just say that I don't feel ready yet, and that I need more evidence, more proof. And, unfortunately perhaps, I may need you (plural) to obtain it...

Why do you believe this if you don't have solid proof for it ?

 

[Dave Rogers]

This is certainly possible, Dave, but I wouldn't call such unethical behavior "intelligent".

Then your understanding of the definitions of words is as fatally flawed as your understanding of test methodologies.

Dave

 

[Michel H]

...a common symptom of some kinds of mental illness (which you have already stated you suffer from) is thinking you can transmit your thoughts to others, and/or receive other people's thoughts.

I am sorry that this must be hard for you to accept and I do understand how real the feelings are that you can transmit your thoughts to other people. But you cannot, it is a symptom of your illness and will go away once your illness is successfully medicated.

Agatha, I did say I was hearing voices in my head, but I did not say this arose because of some mental illness, although I understand this is the standard theory of psychiatrists (which, I am afraid, is probably wrong, like unfortunately, many beliefs or apparent beliefs on this planet, in my opinion). There are many people who make a good living out of lies, and they are not necessarily where you expect them the most. I believe that my voices have probably a telepathic origin, and are probably not the consequence of some chemical imbalance in my brain. I also think that, if I took antipsychotic or neuroleptic "medications" (again), this could not change my voices much, but it could damage my brain and my body, poison me (and I feel that I am not a toy for incompetent psychiatrists). It is possible that this is what you are hoping very, very deeply, but I don't like this idea.

 

[Michel H]

Why do you believe this if you don't have solid proof for it ?

I still have some doubts, I am not completely sure, all of this is so strange... I don't think the evidence I have gathered so far is good enough for a scientific paper or to apply for the million dollars. And my priority is to try to end this persecution I feel I am the victim of, and this seems fairly remote so far.

 

[Michel H]

Then your understanding of the definitions of words is as fatally flawed as your understanding of test methodologies.

Dave

Well, I think that giving an incorrect answer on purpose, with a comment that gives a misleading impression of sincerity is neither ethical, nor even intelligent.

 

[frskeptic]

I still have some doubts, I am not completely sure, all of this is so strange... I don't think the evidence I have gathered so far is good enough for a scientific paper or to apply for the million dollars. And my priority is to try to end this persecution I feel I am the victim of, and this seems fairly remote so far.

What persecution ? we just think you're wrong, we don't think you're stupid or mentally challenged. People are wrong all the time, and the best people are the one who admit of being wrong. Not the ones who pursue chimeras.

 

[Michel H]

What persecution ?

Well, I am not very keen to talk about that now. This is not really a mental health forum. It is possible that, if I explained this (supposed) "persecution", people here would just be delighted, but I don't feel that would help me.

 

[frskeptic]

Well, I am not very keen to talk about that now. This is not really a mental health forum. It is possible that, if I explained this (supposed) "persecution", people here would just be delighted, but I don't feel that would help me.

Why would we be delighted on the suffering of others ?
If you think you have issues with your mental health, check up on that before thinking it is a telepathic ability, which one is more likely ?

 

[Michel H]

Why would we be delighted on the suffering of others ?
If you think you have issues with your mental health, check up on that before thinking it is a telepathic ability, which one is more likely ?

Well, frskeptic, I think the real truth may be very different from what you may have read in your psychiatry books (or on websites). Of course, you wouldn't be delighted if I explained I am persecuted, and the nature of the persecution. This is such a ridiculous idea! There is no question that anyone having such a strange idea must obviously have a mental health problem...Of course!
And why would NATO, an organization dominated by the US, bomb a TV station on a 23 (= 22 + 1) April, ... innocent journalists doing loyally their jobs for their government..., civilians...what about Freedom of Speech,....First Amendment..., Geneva Conventions...
This is such a ridiculous idea! Completely unthinkable!
And yet, look at what happened: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_bombing_of_the_Radio_Television_of_Serbia_headquarters , http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/326653.stm .
Not surprisingly, they got congratulations from Goran Matic (second link) .
You may not quite be what you think you are