A friend pointed out this article to me the other day.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Meet-...ds-80831.shtml
The tabloids labelled him a 'fire god' and also includes a story about a man who could pass high voltage electrictiy through him. Thoughts and opinions?
He's a performer and showman, he performs on stage infront of an audience. I've no idea how he does it, I can imagine at least two possible methods, oh no I've just thought of a third and thats not including the possibility that it's the psychic power, life energy or chi that he claims it is. I do note that previous attempts to replicate the supernatural elements of chi and similar vitalistic theories have met with failure and so striongly suspect that some form showmanship is the answer.Originally Posted by ForAllOfThis
When he replicates his feat in front of Randi and claims his million dollars or submits himself to other sceptical investigation and they report he's telling the truth, then I'll believe it. Until then he's just a circus act.
Sounds a lot like one of Sai Baba's "miracles".
ForAllOfThis-
Suppose that you could design a test to determine whether He Tieheng has genuinely supernatural abilities. And also assume that he agreed to accept the conditions of your test.
How would you go about doing this? What would the test consist of, and what precautions would you take when carrying it out?
Two Identical rooms with no windows and a single light (same lightbulb). A camera would be set up in either room (to ensure that there is no 'cheating' going on). A computer with a temperature probe would also be required. A supply of 20 fish (which I would provide) of same species size and gender would be used. Tieheng could put the time limit upon the cooking time per fish.
He Tieheng would go in one room, and the control participant who does not claim to have supernatural abilites would go into the other. Both participants would also have to be wearing identical clothes (fireproof clothing if possible). Each participant would then be asked to cook the fish using the power of their mind. After the set time limit the core temperature of the fish would be measured using a digital thermometer probe hooked upto a computer. These findings would be recorded and the method repeated for 10 fish per particiapnt.
To then analyse the results a statistical test (test of difference) could be used to compare the core temperatures of the fish from both participants to see if there is a significant difference.
Precautions would be lots of fire safetly equipment. Fire extinguishers, fire blankets and possibly a water supply.
I'm guessing I would have missed something...?
Sounds like a pretty good start.
I think the condition that you provide the fish is very important. I would also suggest that the fishes are kept well away from the test subject until the test begins - that neither he, nor any associate of his, has any access to them at all.
Also, I think I would insist that he washes his hands very thoroughly before the test starts, and that his hands are kept in-view of an observer from the point that they are washed onwards. Perhaps a swab could be taken of the palms of his hands before they're washed, so that a simple chemical analysis could be done later.
I'm sure we can come up with more refinements, but I certainly reckon you're thinking along the right lines. Good stuff!
Oh yeah, just a thought - it might be worthwhile to repeat the test using both wet and dried specimens of the fish.
Out of curiousity I'd like a pretest where he performs under his own conditions. I secretly film him using a thermal imaging camera and also have him pass through a millimetre wave airport security scanner.
I suspect hes using the old "greek fire" trick. Basically mixing potassium and glycerine together will make an exothermic reaction.
I suspect that you're right.
I also suspect that testing the bloke under the conditions discussed in this thread would result in a very embarassed bloke, holding a very unimpressed fish.
Yep. How would you go about testing the electric guy, Mr Zhang, however?
You could not test him using electrical voltage due to ethical reasons (i.e. killing a guy). Is there any other way to test him?
Edit: Re-reading the paragraph I suppose we could test his claims to be able to use his powers to cure people with rheumatism (given he complied).
Last edited by ForAllOfThis; 3rd April 2008 at 01:34 PM.
Ignoring for a moment his claims regarding the health benefits there's little supernatural about his claim. He's attached himself to the mains so we don't have to guess where the electricity is coming from
http://spluch.blogspot.com/2007/07/e...fish-in-2.html
I think the claims about curing arthritis probably need a second look. If simply passing a current through the affected joint does it millions and millions of people can come off their medication. Huzzah.
Incidentally, I love that a Fire God proves his divinity by cooking fish. Dazzling the world with a conflagration of unimaginable proportions? Nope. Cod and chips twice? I'm a believer! Now where's me five loaves?
Fish is ready, but chips will be another five minutes.
Couldn't Sparky the Electric Boy be tested using a lower voltage circuit? I'm thinking a simple setup with a 9v battery and a small bulb. According to the article, he can control the brightness of 240v bulbs, so he should be able to do the same on a smaller scale.
Obviously it'd be necessary to check him for any kind of hidden conductive materials ( bit of wire running up one sleeve and down the other! ), but I wouldn't think it would be too difficult a test to arrange.
Electric man cooks LIVE fish!! I don't think much of that. I am not going to settle for anything less than a lobster and for a true test of the other one I want a pot roast
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