Toward a General Theory of Paranormal Phenomena

by John Walker
Some sceptics dismiss evidence for paranormal phenomena (telepathy, precognition, clairvoyance, psychokinesis, etc.) without serious examination on the grounds that the phenomena it purports to demonstrate violate fundamental principles of science and hence the evidence must be flawed or fabricated. This is not an unreasonable position to adopt in considering scientific evidence. While it's important to have an open mind, one also must take care that one's brain doesn't fall out. The world abounds in bogus, flaky, and misinterpreted data, and filtering by the plausibility of the phenomena suggested is a useful way to discard time-wasting distractions. It's like the venture capital aphorism, “Never invest in something that violates a conservation law.”  [Read more] ...