James Randi on Skepticism

James Randi's Podcast on Skepticism. Original content edited for time.

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Education

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• James
• Randi
• Skeptic
• Scepticism
• Atheist
• Atheism
• Religion
• Christianity
• Islam
• Religious
• Magic
• Magician
• Dawkins
• Hitchens
• Harris

[Z1Z12]

OPENMINDEDNESS is essential in scientific investigation and discovery.

Old randi would have probably thrown away the penicillin ASSUMING it had gone bad ! Sadly, skeptics can't see the wood for the trees and are fixed in their opinions.

Hypnotism, accupunture, clairvoyance, there are so many strange subjects that defy normal logic or common sense . Be wise, comment when you've done a few years open minded research. You'll find genuine psychic people with an uncommon sense - esp.

[xander55577]

"OPENMINDEDNESS is essential in scientific investigation and discovery."

agreed. "there are so many strange subjects that defy normal logic "

statement is relative

" comment when you've done a few years open minded research. "

have been and am still researching : )

" You'll find genuine psychic people "

no I wont..or at least I havent yet. Any recomendations?

[Z1Z12]

All skeptics ASSUME that their opinion is correct because they haven't experienced what ever it is they disbelieve in.

Without sensory perception, so ESP seems to be nonsense.

What is ESP? It is extra awareness, intuitiveness.

A radio may not pick up a signal, but it is there, invisible.

The blind see no rainbows, but they exist.

The deaf hear no Birdsong, but it exists.

There are intelligent people, wierdos and mad people with ESP.

The paranormal is a random phenomena, not available on demand.

[xander55577]

@Z1Z12 People will always want to differ to their "super powers" when they have no actual powers with which to triumph over other people. what has traditionally been called paranormal continously fails when subject to scrutiny-It seems as though we humans want to keep that mystery door open for the sake of our own fantasy. Skeptisism assumes nothing; it is merely a process.

[adlucem5]

I don't hate or fear atheists.

I like a good bit of what Randi says, and I'm a Christian.

You can't educate faith away. Can you educate away superstitious religiosity? Yes, and we all should. But, it's not the same thing.

Believing in God to get to heaven is celestial fire insurance. Believing in God to have a relationship with the intangible and ultimate truth of existence is something else. Hope that makes sense.

And I certainly don't hate or fear Randi. He's in my favorites :)

[xander55577]

I appreciate the perspective...and nice artwork on your page, by the way. It facinates me how people can create or recreate visual representations like that. I certainly cannot.

[Z1Z12]

BEN MC 83 misunderstand my comment about rainbows. I'm an Athiest , I was defending the parnormal, not god.

I have NO "POWERS" just an extra sharp awareness of things, I'm very astute and intuitive. There is more "out there" than meets the eye or ear. I've touched on it, it's NOT nonsense, those with no esp CANNOT pick it up, just like a radio without reception, so they ASSUME it's not there, they are wrong!

If you do not understand something you are not qualified to dismiss it or comment.

[benmc83]

@Z1Z12 People create and control the radio waves

millions of people have seen rainbows and birds sing.

no one has seen god, or can difinitively prove they have.

[TurboDally]

@Z1Z12

"The blind see no rainbows, but they exist.

The deaf hear no Birdsong, but it exists."

We don't need our sensory perception to detect these, we have objective means by which to measure/detect them.

"The paranormal is a random phenomena, not available on demand."

If it's random and not available on demand, it cannot be testable (at least in the way I see it), hence scientific confirmation/validation of it is not going to be likely. I'd have no reason to believe you then.