Why people believe in paranormal things

eddyc

Why is it that although there is a complete lack of any evidence that supernatural or psychic phenomena exist that people still choose to believe and spend good money on such things, my better half (although I love her to bits and despite the fact is generally smarter than I am) still chooses to take her mothers Homeopathic pills when she feels sick, she knows its bunk, well she says so anyway, and still takes them just in case. Cold reading is not a hard thing to find out about yet on here for example there is a whole forum dedicated to that fake crap.

Oryx

eddyc wrote: »

Why is it that although there is a complete lack of any evidence that supernatural or psychic phenomena exist that people still choose to believe and spend good money on such things, my better half (although I love her to bits and despite the fact is generally smarter than I am) still chooses to take her mothers Homeopathic pills when she feels sick, she knows its bunk, well she says so anyway, and still takes them just in case. Cold reading is not a hard thing to find out about yet on here for example there is a whole forum dedicated to that fake crap.

Homeopathy may be bunk, but it, and a host of other alternative therapies do seem to have a very interesting way of tapping into the placebo effect. So even though they may work in a way other than is claimed, they can effect an inprovement in a condition. My only argument with any of the therapies are the claims plucked from the woo woo ether in order to bamboozle people and make money.

The other argument about psychics has been done here ad infinitum. But we have forums for Fashion, Sexuality, Beer Guts and Mustard. Its all part of the charm of boards.

iamhunted

I put those who completely and utterly believe in the paranormal on much the same lines as cynics who completely and utterly refuse to even consider the paranormal could possiblly be something we dont understand.

Theres more to the paranormal than mediums btw.

Zombrex

eddyc wrote: »

Why is it that although there is a complete lack of any evidence that supernatural or psychic phenomena exist that people still choose to believe and spend good money on such things, my better half (although I love her to bits and despite the fact is generally smarter than I am) still chooses to take her mothers Homeopathic pills when she feels sick, she knows its bunk, well she says so anyway, and still takes them just in case. Cold reading is not a hard thing to find out about yet on here for example there is a whole forum dedicated to that fake crap.

People have a natural tendency to try and explain things using pre-conceived notions about how the world works. It is how our brains naturally work. Often though these notions have little to do with what is actually happening.

eddyc

@iamhunted, You are right it is definitely better to have an open mind about these things, the problem is that things like alternative medicine and the paranormal are by their definition either unproven or untestable. There is of course the placebo effect which is not exclusive to the alternative medicine crowd, I don't believe paying for placebo off an unlicensed medicine man to be a wise choice though, other than that what is there in the realm of the paranormal that is worth looking at?

@Wicknight, interesting point there,
I was watching a video with Stephen Pinker in it there yesterday and he made the point, he was talking about religion though, that believing something because it is true is not something that comes natural to humans, for some belief in something is a sign of solidarity and good faith wether it be true or not, of course science is a kind of meritocracy and this stuff doesn't fly, so doesn't usually get past the many self correcting filters it has, why would those who believe in the paranormal not have the conviction of their beliefs to have them put up to the same stringent tests?

bokspring71

The answer to the original question is because they want to.

Any intelligent person will take a sceptical stance towards homoeopathy, psychic happenings, alternative medicine and tea leaf reading etc etc.

A sceptic wants proof before believing, a cynic will disbelieve even with proof.

It is quite possible to "believe" in tea leaf readings, which is not the same thing as saying tea leaf reading are accurate. I know sane, rational people who profess to "believe" in astrology, for example. Thats not to say it can predict anything at all, they just choose to believe it.

DreamC

The things that people cannot explain are paranormal to them. Once the explanation is found they are not paranormal any nore If there is no reasonable explanation for something (so far) it does not mean that phenomenon does not exist

MrMojoRisin

eddyc wrote: »

Why is it that although there is a complete lack of any evidence that supernatural or psychic phenomena exist that people still choose to believe and spend good money on such things, my better half (although I love her to bits and despite the fact is generally smarter than I am) still chooses to take her mothers Homeopathic pills when she feels sick, she knows its bunk, well she says so anyway, and still takes them just in case. Cold reading is not a hard thing to find out about yet on here for example there is a whole forum dedicated to that fake crap.

but why are u expending your time and energy pondering aloud why people believe in all this dumb supernatural stuff when theres none of the evidence of it being real that you seem to want? apart from ur partner takin those homeopathic pills,like (which doesnt seem linked 2 the supernatural 2 me) ? Like,why dont u just say,'well,fcuk it because science cant prove any of it,so its bullsh1t', and just get on wit your life?? Scientists cant prove any of it,and there are loads of dumb thick fcuks like myself here who 'believe' in it,yes, so fcuk it. It's a heap of fcuking donkey sh1t,isnt it? Forget about it and go on wit living ur life. dont worry your pretty little head about it- not until the scientists prove it all to be real 4 ya.

MrMojoRisin

bokspring71 wrote: »

Any intelligent person will take a sceptical stance towards homoeopathy, psychic happenings, alternative medicine and tea leaf reading etc etc.

Aw shoot! That makes me unintelligent! Damn!

hiorta

'Intelligent' people also delve into matters Spiritual and paranormal.
Leaving aside the problem of just who determines the 'intelligent', anything that attracts intellectual curiosity is worth a glance.
Of course, the answers differ, but they cannot be understood by intellect alone.
As was wisely said - yesterdays paranormal is todays commonplace.

Zombrex

MrMojoRisin wrote: »

but why are u expending your time and energy pondering aloud why people believe in all this dumb supernatural stuff when theres none of the evidence of it being real that you seem to want? apart from ur partner takin those homeopathic pills,like (which doesnt seem linked 2 the supernatural 2 me) ? Like,why dont u just say,'well,fcuk it because science cant prove any of it,so its bullsh1t', and just get on wit your life?? Scientists cant prove any of it,and there are loads of dumb thick fcuks like myself here who 'believe' in it,yes, so fcuk it. It's a heap of fcuking donkey sh1t,isnt it? Forget about it and go on wit living ur life. dont worry your pretty little head about it- not until the scientists prove it all to be real 4 ya.

Why are you bothering your pretty little head replying to someone who posted wondering why people believe all this nonsense. Why don't you just say I believe it, others don't, I'm not going to waste my time interacting with them, I'm going to get on with my life

And around and around we go ... :P

Zombrex

MrMojoRisin wrote: »

Aw shoot! That makes me unintelligent! Damn!

Well yes, I think that is the point.

Zombrex

hiorta wrote: »

Of course, the answers differ, but they cannot be understood by intellect alone.

What an odd sentence. That is equivalent to saying they cannot be understood by understanding alone.

MrMojoRisin

Wicknight wrote: »

Well yes, I think that is the point.

oh okay, if you say so!

MrMojoRisin

Wicknight wrote: »

What an odd sentence. That is equivalent to saying they cannot be understood by understanding alone.

nah, theres nothing 'odd' bout that sentence - just the sentence u typed in response to it. What he meant/means is that there are different avenues of understanding, intellect being only one of them.

MrMojoRisin

Wicknight wrote: »

Why are you bothering your pretty little head replying to someone who posted wondering why people believe all this nonsense.

Well,see like, I bothered to bother my pretty little head replying to someone who posted wondering why people believe in all this nonsense because my pretty little head was very bothered to the extent it made me want to bother my pretty little head responding to someone who posted wondering why people believe in all this nonsense and now my pretty little head doesn't feel so bothered anymore.

Why don't you just say I believe it, others don't,

I BELIEVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


OTHERS DON'T, THE SLIMEMAGGOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not going to waste my time interacting with them, I'm going to get on with my life

Well youre wasting ur own darling time interacting w/ me and not gettin on w/ your life. Rule number 1: Always b especially careful in giving advice that you would not think of following yourself.

And around and around we go ... :P

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!! i like carousels

Zombrex

I hate it when people complain about stuff on the Internet. So much so I think I will complain about people doing that, and I'll use the Internet to do so!

MrMojoRisin

Wicknight wrote: »

I hate it when people complain about stuff on the Internet. So much so I think I will complain about people doing that, and I'll use the Internet to do so!

Do, sure. Knock ur all-seeing, all-knowing self out

mister gullible

eddyc wrote: »

Why is it that although there is a complete lack of any evidence that supernatural or psychic phenomena exist that people still choose to believe and spend good money on such things, my better half (although I love her to bits and despite the fact is generally smarter than I am) still chooses to take her mothers Homeopathic pills when she feels sick, she knows its bunk, well she says so anyway, and still takes them just in case. Cold reading is not a hard thing to find out about yet on here for example there is a whole forum dedicated to that fake crap.

Hey eddyc, bet you've just realised that 'skeptics corner' is largely populated by believers. You won't get anywhere, you haven't got the power...

Oryx

mister gullible wrote: »

Hey eddyc, bet you've just realised that 'skeptics corner' is largely populated by believers. You won't get anywhere, you haven't got the power...

Not so. And there is now a feedback thread stickied at the top of the forum where you can get off your chest how you feel about the place without derailing a thread.

JUSTaCURIOCITY

Wicknight wrote: »

I hate it when people complain about stuff on the Internet. So much so I think I will complain about people doing that, and I'll use the Internet to do so!

I think that complaining and showing own disappointments is perfect way to support 'freedom of word and thought' and let admit - our world is not perfect. It is not even good enough to cope sometimes. So 'soap' complements and agreement will not improve our environment, economy and general services and relationships. Totally different issue is being unconstructive and mean while communicating wit others.;)
Pardon my grammar -I’m foreigner:eek: