Autcsrgv.294 net.misc utzoo!utcsrgv!donald Sun Apr 18 14:48:55 1982 A Skeptic on Replies to Skeptics An overview of PSI Wars: mhuxh!lute and research!rtm vs the rest of the net. It's amazing how many people still used the word "prove" in connexion [sic] with scientific theories! To my knowledge, not one theory of science has ever been *proven*, in the sense that from a set of axioms and inference rules the theory has a priori been derived. All science does is make a limited set of observations of events in the universe, and attempt to form a simple paradigm (usually with a mathematical description) describing how those events work. This is by no means a proof in the mathematical or logical sense (as we computer scientists should know...) Parapsychology is *not* mysticism as research!rtm seems to suggest, for mysticism denies the basic assumption of science: that one CAN form a paradigm describing reality. Rather, parapsycology (at least reputable parapsychology) merely tries to quantify and explain the observations which PSI research is based on, in a scientific (see above) manner. In practice, however, it seems that many parapsychologists are too willing to multiply hypotheses without cause and to perform experiments with slipshod controls, hence most of the results in the field do not seem to be worth much. We should exercise caution in our criticisms of PSI research: remember the stubborness which the scientific community displayed before accepting meteors as real phenomena. After all, what is more absurd than rocks falling from the sky? (and then only when ignorant farmers are present, not scientists!) Fair enough summary? Anyway, I don't think I can say anything else on the topic that duke!bcw hasn't said already. I do not favor forming a group "net.psi" because I think this discussion is one of those which flare up once every X months (X>6), and die very quickly. There do not seem to be that may pro-PSI people on the net; the skeptics merely jump in when they have their ire raised by reckless speculation. In any case, proliferation of newsgroups just makes it harder on poor people like me who have to keep up with the veritable flood of incoming information. Next we'll be seeing net.ufo, net.bermudatriangle, net.TM, net.vondaniken, net.velikovsky, net.kirilian, net.dowsing, ad infinitum. Or how about net.pseudoscience? Don Chan (utcsrg!donald) P.S. In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man can murder and pillage as much as he wants. ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.