Michael Shermer Debunks James Van Praagh & Psychics
Feb 17, 2009 in
Tech
from MichaelShermer
Michael Shermer explains how psychic James Van Praagh appears to talk to the dead by using such mentalism tricks as cold reading and hot reading.
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25 comments
Joerexia on February 17, 2009 at 4:45 pm
“Life after death makes the psychological and medical community nervous because it’s something we can’t control, measure, touch or see.”
Haha. No.
Martimus98 on February 19, 2009 at 10:31 am
Sadly there are a lot of closed minded individuals in this world deluding themselves into believing that they are open minded.
How do I know this? Because you have already made up your mind as to the result, you choose to stand on your laurels and argue this choice, and you point to others and say “it’s your responsibility to prove not mine”.
sylviaisgod on February 19, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Open-minded to fans like you means dis-regarding any sane, rational explanation for something you don’t understand, in favor of a ridiculous, para-normal nonsense explanation such as the bogey man, ghosts, UFOs, “energies”, dead men talking, etc.
sylviaisgod on February 23, 2009 at 4:38 am
You obviously don’t have a clue about the Million Dollar Challenge - Randi does not decide whether or not there is life after death, an independant, impartial third pary decides if the person making the claim can do what he says he can do, simple as that. And what’s wrong with being an ADMITTED trickster? Randi lets you know what he is doing is just an illusion, unlike the fraud Praagh who claims paranormal abilities but is only a bumbing fool- “Keep it!”
abbernomad on February 26, 2009 at 3:07 am
“Until cynics like Shermer can back up their rhetoric with fact Ill continue to keep an open mind. ”
not cynics , skeptics. There is a difference. Shermer does have facts. Lots of them. It’s Van Praag who does not. To truly keep an open mind, don’t settle for the implausible.
abbernomad on February 27, 2009 at 12:25 am
The words ‘belief’ and ‘faith’ are often taken out of context. Here, you are all using it in the conext: to accept as truth what one would logically dismiss as unfounded. This is an incorrect assumption. You are not keeping an ‘open mind’ by ‘believing and having faith’, you are closing your mind to another possible explanation. To say it is ghosts, or God, or dragons, or goblins is stopping yourself from further investigation and accepting another’s explanation.
Martimus98 on February 27, 2009 at 4:11 am
People already try to get away with things. This is one of my major concerns about James Randi and his million dollar prize. This carrot he dangles brings out the worst in people! There are groups in eastern Europe who are paid to create phony ghost videos. And with the video revolution they are but the tip of the iceberg.
While I agree that it’s appropriate to be skeptical I firmly believe that we must remain open-minded to things we don’t yet understand!
msanchez007 on March 2, 2009 at 5:53 am
“There is no evidence to indicate that the energy is conscious… just as there is no evidence to indicate that it’s not.” With that logic, many people will be able to claim many things and get away with it because “there’s no evidence of it’s non existence.”
Extraodinary claims require extraordinary proof.
I agree we should have an open mind, and if science one day proves any supernatural stuff, then I will happily accept it, because it will be fact not belief or faith.
Martimus98 on March 2, 2009 at 1:21 pm
There is no evidence to indicate that the energy is conscious… just as there is no evidence to indicate that it’s not. Maybe my view here is extreme but the whole point is that WE DON’T KNOW. To maintain an open mind is to consider ALL possibilities regardless of any personal or social bias.
msanchez007 on March 5, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Obvious 4channer is obvious. LOL
msanchez007 on March 6, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Why would this energy be conscious? Is there any evidence this energy has memories, feeling or conscious? or do you want to believe this?
phildirt3 on March 9, 2009 at 6:40 am
good comeback at least a believer with a thought provoking argument thanks
Martimus98 on March 12, 2009 at 8:47 am
Ahhh… an admitted trickster offers a million dollars and I should be impressed? Does a career of deception in the name of entertainment (he was a magician) make him an expert on deciding whether or not there is life after death? I think not!
Get out of the dirt Phil and pull off those silly blinders. You’ll find that there’s much in this world we don’t yet understand!
phildirt3 on March 13, 2009 at 10:16 pm
james randi offers a million dollars to anyone who can prove a paranormal event nobody s ever collected. put that in your pipe and smoke it minimus98
Martimus98 on March 17, 2009 at 5:09 am
My… my… what an intelligent response! NOT!
Next time keep the romper room responses in the romper room forum. K?
phildirt3 on March 20, 2009 at 8:07 am
how laughable you are an idiot
Martimus98 on March 22, 2009 at 9:39 am
How laughable! Shermer provides no evidence to support his claims, only theory.
The laws of physics pretty much infer that theres a chance that life continues. Per the law of conservation of energy, energy cannot be destroyed only changed. Well what happens to the energy from the human body when the mechanical processes of the body stops? That energy has to go somewhere
Until cynics like Shermer can back up their rhetoric with fact Ill continue to keep an open mind.
abbernomad on March 25, 2009 at 2:31 am
There are so many amazing and extraordinary wonders in this world that are tangiable and real. Why waste your time with what only exists in your head? Take your head out of the sand and discover this amazing world we live in. Then feel free to join it.
abbernomad on March 28, 2009 at 9:30 am
Mr. Van Praagh, it is open minded people that see through your bullshit. Only closed minded people choose not to question your methods.
Obvious fake is obvious.
daufas on March 28, 2009 at 11:21 am
Have to agree with Michael Shermer and Cainer on this one
Cainer666 on March 30, 2009 at 2:24 am
It’s not about what is better, it’s about what is true. He’s clearly a charlatan.
tjockisgurra on March 30, 2009 at 9:53 am
James Van Praagh says he can talk to the dead. Big deal, so can anyone. The trick is to get the dead to talk back. Extraordinary claims require extraordinare evidence. He is a cold reader that exploits people that are vulnerable. He does not help people get closure, he gives them false hope. That makes him a TURD.
Nashrona60 on March 31, 2009 at 8:03 am
OK, you made a statement; well done!! but, before the rest of us give you a round of applause, could you back this “James Van Praagh is a Turd” statement up please, so that the rest of us understand exactly which planet you are comimn from -
lwj01998 on April 2, 2009 at 8:41 am
What is better? -James Van Prague who does seem to give people hope in the hereafter, or a psychiatrist who would pump the same person so full of drugs (to help them) they lose touch with reality anyways.
lwj01998 on April 3, 2009 at 9:43 pm
I guess we should put all our faith in psychologists then?
Many of them need help too.