Posted by Larry Hoover on January 1, 2006, at 22:40:36
In reply to Re: Astrology » Larry Hoover, posted by Gabbix2 on December 31, 2005, at 23:11:13
> > > have you heard about administering placebos and telling people it is asprin / morphene?
> > > placebo affect is very strong for True Believers...
> >
> > True Believers in what, exactly? I'm a born skeptic, but I make a concerted effort not to prejudge anything. And I mean that. Anything.
> >
>
> Indeed you are a skeptic, and it's a a very apparent aspect of your personality I'd say.I have read and re-read every word I posted to this thread, in one continuous stream. I found zero instances where I invoked explanations for what I experienced, or, instances where I mentioned belief in paranormal or any other extra-scientific realms. (A single specific instance in which I teasingly referred to ghosts is be further discussed, below.)
In fact, I took pains to remain descriptive throughout. I challenge any reader to do something. Go back, and read what I said, all over again. And while you're doing so, monitor your own thinking for bias and prejudice. I didn't offer explanations. If there were any, I think they're internal.
What I described is simply what happened, to the best of my ability to make clear exactly what that was. What happened. When it happened.
Not how. Not why.
I don't know how. I don't know why. I explained nothing, although I described the method allegedly used by Margaret. That's what she said she was doing. I have no evidence to support, nor evidence to refute, her alleged method. It's simply what she said she was doing.
I described what I experienced. I did not say I believed in astrology.
Now, about ghosts. I was being a bit of a smart *ss, taking a chance/hoping that I'd trigger a sub-thread. I purposely was sparse of word, when I added that little P.S. to my first message.
I wanted to delve into the difference between experienced or observed anomalous phenomena and the myths or "secondary beliefs" associated with the language required to even communicate the observations themselves.
I don't believe in Casper. However, I have had experiences which have no scientific explanation. Upon seeking language to communicate about certain of those observations, 'ghost' seemed to fit best.
I purposely limited the words I used, when I added my postscript. And alex did probe my intended meaning. She does take the fun out of things, some times. ;-)
Words like ghost or astrology are pregnant with meaning. It's extremely important to recognize that, when you see words with these multiple connotations. If you do not guard against it, you will be biased whenever you come across them. You have judgments preformed about them.
Now, as I just mentioned to Deneb, I will reiterate here. I don't know why. I don't how. I do know what, which is to say, I believe my senses. I observed anomalies.
To expand on that, I have no reason to believe that I took leave of my senses. To my knowledge, such a thing has never happened, except during drug-induced hallucinations. In the moments when I was making 'unexplainable' observations, observing 'anomalies'(whatever language you wish to choose), I have belief in the veracity of my senses. Nothing else in the realm of the observed was concurrently distorted or inappropriate. One instance of such an anomaly/ghost was observed by a group of six individuals. Coincidence, or error, doesn't begin to cover such a circumstance. There were six people, six busy people, simultaneously distracted by an 'anomaly'. And, there existed, in the common language of us all, words for what we saw. From that, I infer only that it is unlikely that we were either the first, or the only, to make similar observations. Ghost. We all agreed on that.
That is all that I ever meant to convey throughout this dialogue. I believe my senses. I believe I experienced these things. I leave explanations to others. What surprises me is that anybody would dismiss my observations out of hand. I didn't get published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal while I was but a college sophomore because I'm a poor observer.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:592960
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20051225/msgs/594212.html