"Science and the taboo of psi" with Dean Radin

I just want to further comment on this "analogy" to creationism. Creationism is a denial of evolution (a denial of evidence!) and the assertion that "God did it as the Bible says".

On the other hand, parapsychology is about doing scientific experiments, in this case on whether genuine psi effects occur... it's about testing psi-related claims. You can't test whether there are any gods who did any particular things, but you CAN test whether (for example) telepathy happens.

No comparison..

Somebody may claim, "there is no evidence that psi effects ever occur". That is absurdly false, as anybody can see from watching this video, in which Radin summarizes a lot of evidence.

However, you can't cover everything in one speech (not even in a Q and A session), so people need to do more than watch this one video. They need to read the actual experiments (in peer reviewed journals), the debates between the researchers, their books, etc. Get your hands dirty.

"The difference is that creationism has no data supporting it"

How can we tell if Radin has reliable data? He isn't explaining the opposing view properly. It still runs parallel to creationist methods. They claim to have evidence that refutes evolution, but it always turns out to be a misrepresentation or simply a lie.

Additionally, creationists don't necessarily provide law-breaking 'data', it is only their conclusion that is a violation of the natural order.

"How can we tell if Radin has reliable data?"

By reading them. But note that he is *not* the only person publishing positive results.

"He isn't explaining the opposing view properly."

He does very thoroughly in his books. Also, did you watch this whole video carefully. I think he does more than you're granting, though I agree with you that a lot more should have been said.

"It still runs parallel to creationist methods."

Not at all. Parapsychologists follow *scientific* methods...

"He does very thoroughly in his books"

It's a shame he doesn't do it here. It's like pitching to your audience, then saying that they should do extra-curricular work to understand what one is saying. It wastes the pitch.

"But note that he is *not* the only person publishing positive results."

Answers in Genesis have nearly hundreds of 'published' scientists.

Well, I've listened to Radin's side, now I'm going to listen to 'The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe'' coverage of Radin and his work.

Creationism does not have hundreds of peer reviewed studies supporting it. There are no experiments showing the wok of any gods.

In contrast, psi effects can be (and have been) tested. Read the peer reviewed data by Bierman, Schwartz, Radin, Standish, Sheldrake, Honorton, etc.

And also be sure to check out Skeptiko's rebuttals to "The Skeptics Guide to the Universe", in which Radin offers his replies to Novella and Hyman.

Go back and forth, challenge both sides... do real homework!

Grinberg-Zylberbaum, J. et al. The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox in the brain: The transferred potential. Physics Essays, volume 7, p. 422-428.

Standish et al. Electroencephaolographic evidence of correlated event-related signals between the brains of spatially and sensory isolated human subjects. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, volume 10, 307-314

Radin, D. Event-related EEG correlations between isolated human subjects. J Altern Compl Med, vol. 10, 315-324.

etc, etc

Finally, I have a two-step assignment for you:

Step 1: Cite the most impressive cases/studies of (apparent) psi effects, and explain why those paritcular cases are thought to be so impressive.

Step 2: Explain the flaws in those studies and/or provide a plausible alternative interpretation of the same data

(and remember, stick with the best-documented cases, not the poorest ones).

If you cannot do this, then please stop comparing parapsychology to "creation science".

peace

Yes, I've read the skeptiko response. I need to get the other side now.

I'll be back later. Got homework to do! :-P

Thank you Metaphysicaddict.