Ethics of Paranormal Investigation, Part 2 of 2

A discussion of the panel I moderated at TAM9 this year, titled "The Ethics of Paranormal Investigation." Topics include: Is it acceptable to use deception in the course of unmasking someone else's deception? What do you do when the person claiming paranormal powers is a child? How much do you feel obligated to ensure the confidentiality of the people you're investigating? And do you have any responsibility, as a mentalist or magician, to make sure your audience understands what you're doing isn't real?

Category:

Education

Tags:

• skepticism
• mysticism
• rationality
• randi
• the
• amazing
• meeting
• paranormal
• ghosts
• investigation

[PeterBrainTV1]

Investigate all the paranormal phenomena you want.

I believe in miracles.

[fractal420]

Reminds me of a conversation I had with a woman a while back where she insisted David Blaine was using real magic and mental powers because she couldn't 'see how it could be faked'.

[TheViciousSquare]

I know that many (most?) skeptics would qualify as people who care about ethics in general, but I love that you are examining the ethics of *being* skeptical. Brilliant stuff. I wish I could've attended that conference, but this is nice compensation. :)

[Helgibesti]

she's hot...

[johnnyburrowsdotcom]

Great vid measureofdoubt. Banachek and Randi are right. I will add though that there ARE people who are gullible enough to think even sleight of hand tricks are paranormal. I have encountered numerous people who think I have supernatural abilities just for performing mere card tricks. When I pile the mentalist techniques on top of those as I like to do, they become even MORE convinced and it is often difficult to convince them that it is all just illusion.

[wimsweden]

Your discussion of the ethics surrounding children with purported paranormal abilities made me think of the Dalai Lama and what the ethical and methodological guidelines are for finding his "reincarnation".