The ‘paranormal’ – Jon's Quora content

How can we be sure there are no supernatural/paranormal phenomena or entities?

We have a large, active, well-funded global news network, constantly on the lookout for stories of remarkable events that will interest their audience. There is no event more remarkable and interesting than one which breaks the laws of physics as we currently understand them. If a ‘supernatural’ or ‘paranormal’ phenomenon occurs, or a ‘supernatural’ or ‘paranormal’ …

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What should I do if I’m telepathic/psychic?

Run, don’t walk, to the physics department at your local university. Demonstrate your powers and then ask them to make you an offer; how much will they pay you to be their research subject? If it’s not enough, contact other physics labs, demonstrate your powers to them and ask them the same question. Within a …

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What do atheists think is the reason for paranormal activity?

There are no reasons for ‘paranormal activity’, because there are no paranormal activities. But there are plenty of clear, well-understood reasons for reports of paranormal activity, and here are some of them: People tell lies. People misinterpret their experiences. People misremember their experiences. People recounting their experiences elaborate and adapt them to what their audience wants to …

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Is writing someone’s name on a piece of paper and burning it in an effective way of casting bad luck?

No, because there is no effective way of ‘casting bad luck’. If there was, unpopular politicians and celebrities wouldn’t be able to get out of bed in the morning without falling over. They certainly wouldn’t be able to get up on stages and give speeches or performances. But in the real world, you can wish …

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Does atheism negate the belief in the paranormal?

Atheism is simply the lack of a belief in gods. Some atheists can and do believe in anything and everything that can be described other than by the words ‘a god’. But many atheists give their reasons for not believing in gods as the absence of objective evidence for them. Since there is a similar lack of …

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