If it is...are there any "believing" scientists on here?(as in believing in the paranormal, but also a scientist) ie...Are all scientists skeptics of the paranormal??
2007-12-18 13:17:19 · 17 answers · asked by Deenie 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Alternative ➔ Paranormal Phenomena
nuff..."Don't Be Cruel" lol.....That was a good statement. You're probably gonna be "The Winna" !!!
2007-12-18 17:17:48 · update #1
OXO ...sorry to see you go. I didn't mean this question to be against scientists...I really wanted to know if it's POSSIBLE for scientists to believe in the paranormal. I don't know if you're a scientist or a believer in P. ...or just a skeptic. To me, Paranormal is scientific. (About your avatar...it was just hard to tell which John S was talking.)You could have put "Johnny S."...or something like that. Sorry.
2007-12-19 06:41:59 · update #2
Dannielle...I liked your answer . Hope the others see it. I admire the work you do with animals. I'm an animal person too.Except..Santa brought the kids a pony one Christmas. NEVER AGAIN!! lol YOU GO ,GIRL!!!
2007-12-19 15:51:46 · update #3
you get answers from scientists every night from both sides. foolishness is in the eye of the beholder. There is nothing worse than closed minded science. They are the ones that always get left behind when new ideas come to the forefront of any theory. And what would one consider a scientist? someone who spent way too much money on listening to professors who are stuck telling someone how and why they should think! who is smarter, the 160 IQ that went to school and learned theories, or the 160 IQ who went to the real world and explored on their own, hands on training, read their own books, made their own decisions, Is it the person who designs a computer, or the person who uses the computer who is smarter? So if those who think a University is the end all be all, well that's your gig.I know a lot of BAs, PHDs that are sitting around answering phones, flipping burgers, and telling people how to reboot their computers. Being a scientist is the ability to ask a question, then research and find an answer. Thats it. It just depends on who is financing the research.
2007-12-18 15:55:32 · answer #1 · answered by nuff said 6 · 6⤊ 3⤋
Yes, they can
"Does psi exist? Most academic psychologists don't think so. A survey of more than 1,100 college professors in the United States found that 55% of natural scientists, 66% of social scientists (excluding psychologists), and 77% of academics in the arts, humanities, and education believed that ESP is either an established fact or a likely possibility. The comparable figure for psychologists was only 34%. Moreover, an equal number of psychologists declared ESP to be an impossibility, a view expressed by only 2% of all other respondents (Wagner &h; Monnet, 1979)."
(link to full article below)
So it depends on what field of science you ask.
Also, most (by no means all) of the full members of the Parapsychlogical Association believe in some abilities that others would claim as paranormal. Most of the full members hold Ph.D. or other doctoral level degrees in a mainstream science (physics, medicine, psychology, etc.)
Also see the last link below on CSICOP's media campaighn to make it look as if science does not support the study of the paranormal contrary to the opinion of most scientist (see first link)
2007-12-18 23:21:25 · answer #2 · answered by psiexploration 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I am a scientist, and definately think like one (I make up possible research experiments in my head, etc).
I am very logical in my thinking, but have an open mind- not everything (yet at least) can be explained by science.
Paranormal things may someday be described by having a certain brain wave pattern, or releasing a certain chemical, etc.
Way back, just having electricity must have seemed not possible, and completely illogical until someone thought up of a way to explain it.
I have felt too many cold chills, and have things move apparently on their own not to believe in ghosts, despite my scientist mind. When your dog starts growling at a door (the dog that never growls at stranger) that is opening WITH the deadbolt still locked when you go to it, there is no other explaination.
2007-12-19 23:04:27 · answer #3 · answered by D 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Sure you can. Just because your a "scientist" doesn't mean you can't have fun, or truly believe in the "paranormal". You simply have to be mentally strong enough to "bracket" your thoughts so that you don't criss-cross the material at various inappropriate times. It's just like people can be in class and think about the shopping they have to do or the car repairs they need done. They're very different subjects, but both can be handled by the same person at the same time. You'll do fine. God Bless you.
2007-12-18 21:28:04 · answer #4 · answered by ? 7 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Well...I got a degree in science, currently working in the R & D/Technical department for one of the world's largest chemical companies and yet I do believe in paranormal phenomena...probably because I am psychic aswell...
How I see it...a true scientist is one that questions all aspects of reality because deep down they are naturally curious about the workings of the Divine Energy (God)...A great example: Nikola Tesla and Albert Einstein...both great spiritual and scientific philosophers that allowed them to harness the Divine into physical form.
2007-12-19 01:41:19 · answer #5 · answered by mima... 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Is a Physicist in the scientific field? If so Staton Friedman is a Physicist, Lecturer, UFO Researcher
2007-12-18 22:22:39 · answer #6 · answered by LM 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the answer is YES denie......
i watched an interesting show on tv about a month ago, where a scientist was talking about paranormal activity....his exact words were about people believing in mumbo jumbo....he said" the problem with science is, it *does not* think its untrue, but rather it just cannt be proven *yet*.....which is what i always tell people that say, it doesnt exist because science cannt prove it.......it just cannt be proven yet, but im sure in time it will be....maybe there are other avenues that need to be worked out first, before getting to discovering ghosts and how they exist.......everything has its own order.....other wise it would be like creating rockets that flew to space before inventing cars or planes.....does that make sense?????
2007-12-19 04:02:36 · answer #7 · answered by ‡ЭЭЭ‡ 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Being a scientist doesn't exclude you from foolishness. There are scientists who believe in the most ridiculous things. However, I would think the percentage of them who believe in that kind of stuff would be lower than the average population.
You basically need supporting evidence in the field of science, and the field of paranormal has about none, other than shaky testimonies.
2007-12-18 21:22:37 · answer #8 · answered by Moo 5 · 3⤊ 3⤋
It's possible to be a scientist and believe any number of things.
2007-12-18 21:28:26 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
Sure it's possible. There are scientists who are believers in the paranormal. There are also scientists who believe in god. Granted, they are in the minority, but they're out there. That also doesn't mean scientists who claim belief have studied the paranormal themselves, so in that respect their status as scientist isn't really relevant.
2007-12-19 10:36:18 · answer #10 · answered by Peter D 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋