From The Infinite Monkey Cage on BBC 4: Does science kill the magic?
Robin Ince and Brian Cox are joined on stage by actor and magician Andy Nyman, psychologist Richard Wiseman and neuroscientist Bruce Hood as they take on the paranormal. They’ll be looking at some of the more popular claims of supernatural goings on, and asking whether a belief in ghosts, psychic abilities and other other-worldly phenomena, is just a bit of harmless fun, or whether there are more worrying implications in a belief in the paranormal. (30 minutes)
Listen here.
tildeb
Questionable Motives 
I wish you could come to my city so I could introduce you to some woo you would have a hard time explaining. 🙂
Comment by Titfortat — July 9, 2011 @ 4:52 pm |
You make it sound as if the choice is either I can explain something OR whatever ‘it’ is must be something outside of the natural. Just because there is no explanation now does not mean one does not exist and the only method that provides us with knowledge that is trustworthy is methodological naturalism. Using that process of inquiry – not me – is how we investigate what is true.
Comment by tildeb — July 9, 2011 @ 5:25 pm |
Actually I mean it is just hard to explain, science, woo and all? Im still trying.
Comment by Titfortat — July 9, 2011 @ 7:38 pm |
That’s why there are so few scientific theories! It is hard but invaluable with benefits of knowledge for all.
My concern is taking shortcuts to woo rather than the longer road to causal effect by an understandable mechanism that works. The cost of ignorance is great, which is why the trying to understand is so very important.
Comment by tildeb — July 9, 2011 @ 9:16 pm |
“I wish you could come to my city so I could introduce you to some woo you would have a hard time explaining.”
Special ‘woo’ that only happens in ‘your’ city – aha.
Comment by misunderstoodranter — July 17, 2011 @ 9:25 am |