MRT
30th August 2007, 12:18 PM
It is well-known that people with paranormal belief are often immune to evidence or the lack of it. Nevertheless, I came across three examples recently, all concerning orbs, which really surprised me. The details don't matter but what I found interesting was that the same 'logic' was used in each case.
All three people were faced with a mass of evidence (which they never argued against, so presumably conceded) apparently fatal to a paranormal theory of orbs. In each case, they chose a single example that they had come across that appeared not to totally fit with the mundane theory of orbs. It is important to note here that, though the examples didn't quite fit the mundane theory, neither did they support a paranormal theory! So, in effect, their logic was that if there was an apparent slight gap in the mundane theory then it must be entirely invalid (whatever the rest of the evidence) and therefore the paranormal theory must be correct!
In fact, all the 'contrary' examples were explained easily by the mundane theory. I am still staggered that a huge mass of evidence can be totally ignored because of one apparently tiny contrary example. It's like saying, the Earth must be flat after all, because there is a slight inconsistency in the twelfth decimal place between two measurements of its diameter. I'm sure there is some latin name for this kind of logic but it just takes my breath away.
All three people were faced with a mass of evidence (which they never argued against, so presumably conceded) apparently fatal to a paranormal theory of orbs. In each case, they chose a single example that they had come across that appeared not to totally fit with the mundane theory of orbs. It is important to note here that, though the examples didn't quite fit the mundane theory, neither did they support a paranormal theory! So, in effect, their logic was that if there was an apparent slight gap in the mundane theory then it must be entirely invalid (whatever the rest of the evidence) and therefore the paranormal theory must be correct!
In fact, all the 'contrary' examples were explained easily by the mundane theory. I am still staggered that a huge mass of evidence can be totally ignored because of one apparently tiny contrary example. It's like saying, the Earth must be flat after all, because there is a slight inconsistency in the twelfth decimal place between two measurements of its diameter. I'm sure there is some latin name for this kind of logic but it just takes my breath away.