Revised Paranormal Belief

As David Hufford said, in Beings Without Bodies, much of folk belief about spirits is found to be reasonable. This account is reported under his experience-centered theory. Hufford said much of the belief of spirits is reasonable as it is established on logical understanding from a person’s own experience. However, Hufford said not all beliefs are backed up by experience or even evidence. Some beliefs are made purely on faith. (Hufford p.11)

Singer and Benassi (1981) described a positive correlation between environmental uncertainty in western countries and occult beliefs. Although it could be argued that they may be overreaching with this generalization which is not supported with data, there is truth to this correlation. Humans try to be rational, and logical, and think critically, but in uncertain situations, we look to our environment, the physical and social environment, to provide us with information. Therefore, superstitions and supernatural phenomenon seem possible if no logical explanation can be given, and if the feedback from the environment reinforces what could be occult beliefs. French, Haque, Bunton-Stasyshyn, & Davis (2009) conducted an experiment attempting to investigate whether they could try to create a “haunted” room, and if participants would experience more abnormal sensations. Participants were informed they may feel some abnormal sensations prior to entering the room. Majority of participants reported having three or more abnormal sensations in the 50-minute period they were in the room. These sensations can be a result of susceptibility, but the uncertainty of that environment, and the lack of information may create these sensations and can validate occult

Very little is known about the nature of the human mind. The mental and social life of humans is based on the mind, yet not much is known about it and the extent to which it can go. In all cultures there is a belief about the mind, the heart, and the soul, with a variety of notions about these parts of the human being. Psyche in its ancient sense is extended to limits that go beyond the human body in many of the existing cultures. Surveys that have been done in most countries of the West, Britain, and the U.S have consistently shown that a significant portion of the populations in these regions believe in the occurrence of psychic phenomenon and more than fifty percent believe that they have at one point or another personally experienced it (Sheldrake 102). Considering these beliefs and experiences, it is senseless to claim that the mind is only restricted to the brain. This makes the advocates of mechanistic orthodoxy make an assertion that since paranormal phenomena lacks a scientific explanation, it is non-existent. According to scientific education, this is regarded as superstition but there still calls for need of more study and research into this widespread phenomenon.

In our world, we do not think about the paranormal or supernatural events that could be occurring all around

The availability error not only leads us to ignore the relevant evidence, it also leads us to ignore relevant hypotheses. For any set of data, it is, in principle, possible to construct any number of different hypotheses to account for the data. In practice, however, it is often difficult to come up with many different hypotheses. As a result, we often end up choosing among only those hypotheses that come to mind, that are available. In the case of unusual phenomena, the only

Katia Vavova begins the essay, Debunking Evolutionary Debunking, with an explanation of what the debunking arguments are. In short, the argument states that evolutionary forces influenced our beliefs, and concludes that we are not justified in continuing in these beliefs. For the realist, “evaluative facts are attitude-independent.” [76] And, it’s valuable regardless of our own awareness of it’s value.

Over many years, people have been inquisitive about abnormal behaviours within their societies and beyond. A typical question pertaining to these behaviours is, “why is he behaving this way.” According to DSM-IV-TR, abnormal behaviour is defined as a person who experiences behavioural, cognitive or emotional dysfunction, associated with distress and atypical in his cultural context (Barlow, Durand, 2009). However, the quest for answers and remedies has drifted people from scientific models to traditional ones. One of such models is supernatural.

Acceptance of demonic possession is essential for the existence of entities which interfere with the living. It is simple: if a person does not believe in spirit possession he/she will not experience being possessed by outside beings; whether the spirits be evil or inspirational. Where belief in possession is strong entities are busy possessing individuals and causing all sorts havoc upon the particular society. "In situations around the world, if one believes in possession by a demon or god, the entity will often behave as if it is that demon or god that has been called upon.” The beliefs held by the exorcist also directly shape the experience of possession for the possessed. An exorcist seeking to dialogue with possessing spirits is far less likely to encounter the traditional demonic behaviors of hissing, convulsions, foaming at the mouth, and the screaming of obscenities as is the exorcist who believes he is "doing battle with the forces of hell". "It is the belief system that often serves as the determining factor in conclusions of possession, whether by an individual thinking himself or herself possessed or bothered by psychic forces, or by an investigator or other outside

In Why People Believe Weird Things, Michael Shermer’s ultimate goal is to explain, in great detail, to his readers his opinion of certain topics. The book is a collection of sections about different subjects that are controversial in the minds of many people today, and in the past. In each section, Shermer presents the arguments of the believers, and presents his own opposing view. Along with just his own opinions and support, he also includes the facts and opinions of many other well known opposers as well. While he may be aiming to disprove a certain subject, Shermer does so with delicacy, and remains civil for most of his arguments. The topics of the arguments range from alien abductions and ghosts to the very delicate topics of the Holocaust and religion. Along with trying to explain to his readers the truths and fallacies of his topics, unavoidably, he is also trying to persuade his readers into believing as he does, from an arguably more enlightened and educated point of view.

Humans aren’t as alone as they choose to believe. Every human possesses a trait of supernatural that lays dormant within their genetic make-up. Centuries of diluting and breeding have allowed humans to think they are alone and untouched by magic. But what happens when something changes?

A ghost, according to the article “History of Ghosts” on History.com, is a person's spirit once it has separated itself from the body after death. Also known as specters, ghosts continue existing even after the heart stops and the corpse is cold, and they fall under the category of paranormal phenomena. When something is considered paranormal, it simply means that science has no explanation for it. So if science can't explain it, it can't be real, right? Not necessarily. It just means that it hasn't been proven a fact, it's all in theory. But Jack Porter makes a valid point in his article, “The Study of Paranormal Phenomenon is a Legitimate Science”, when he says, “It is important to remember the Big Bang is a theory, but that is still

2. Supernatural belief (Lenkeit 2012: 11) is defined as the belief that transcends the observable, natural world. So, this has to do with religion and what we get out of it. Supernatural forces (Lenkeit 2012:11) are the unseen powers that one possesses. These forces go against nature and beyond

The way social scientists have thought about the paranormal has changed. The supernatural was seen as a primitive person’s way of understanding the world and was seen to conflict with progress. But with the resurgence of paranormal topics, usually lumped together under the term New Age, it shows that science and the paranormal can coexist. Believing in the paranormal is not a rejection of science because science explains the physical world, not the spiritual world. The conflict should come from mainstream religions, and some do, but the two concepts can coincide. The main conflicts with religion comes from the religion trying to hold onto a solid member base. By using the holy text of the religion to condemn the paranormal, the worshippers

Since the dawn of mankind religion has been one of the most significant elements of a society’s social and cultural beliefs and actions. However, this trend has declined due to the general increase in knowledge regarding our the natural sciences. Where we had previously attributed something that we didn’t understand to the working of a higher power, is now replaced by a simple explanation offered by natural sciences. While advocates of Religion may question Natural Sciences by stating that they are based on assumptions, it is important to note the Natural Sciences are based on theories and principles which can be proven using mathematical equations and formulas. Faith however contrasts from the easily visible feasibility of data

the paranormal with as much respect and analysis as physics or the chaos theory."13 The