Intellectual humility

I suspect Steve001 wonders the same thing as me, whenever someone posts an article like this on Pscience Quest, of all places.

Why post an article whose message is far more acutely relevant to the field of parapsychology than to any other field of science?

I don't remotely agree with that, but - I posted it because I thought it was interesting. No more, no less.

I don't remotely agree with that...

Which demonstrates that Steve001 was right when he suspected a lack of insight.

Perhaps it would be of interest to discuss what makes a particular field susceptible to these problems, while keeping the field of parapsychology in mind. 

Linda

The commitment to old ways of thinking despite evidence was interesting:

Beyond my old Skeptiko thread examining the numerous flaws in science as practiced the article reminded me of this remark by a skeptic:

Of course not all skeptics are like this - I've appreciated Sam Harris, the only New Atheist horseman with a neuroscience PhD, coming out and admitting materialism is nonsensical.

And Shermer going from a materialist/atheist/determinist to agnostic in all these matters.

Realized that regarding the subject of pseudo-skeptical fanaticism I should mention the Skeptical about Skeptic's site, also this old Skeptiko thread on the questionable tactics skeptics have used to evangelize their views.

I don't remotely agree with that, but - I posted it because I thought it was interesting. No more, no less.

It was an interesting article about people not acknowledging their blindness. How can you not agree with that? Especially considering the personally important topics this forum and others like are concerned with.

I shook my head incredulously, not believing what I just had heard.

“What do you mean, this did not happen? Cardiosurgeon Michael Sabom reported this in his book based on the research he had conducted with his patients. What is your explanation for what I just have described to you? What do you think all this is about?” I asked. This time the pause was even longer; Carl was clearly thinking very hard, struggling to find the answer.

“I’ll tell you,” he finally broke the long silence.

“There are many cardiosurgeons in the world. Nobody would have known the guy. So he made up a wild story to attract attention to himself. It’s a PR trick!”

I was shocked. Carl’s last words seriously undermined the respect I had had for him.I realized that his worldview was not scientific, but scientistic. It had the form of an unshatterable dogma that was impervious to evidence. It was also dear to me that our discussion had reached an insurmountable impasse. I saw that Carl was willing to question the integrity and sanity of his scientific colleagues before considering that his belief system might require revision or modification to fit the new data. He was so convinced that he knew what the universe was like and what could not happen in it that he did not feel the slightest inclination to examine the challenging data.

This will be used at Malf' and Steve's "trial" when materialism is finally overthrown.

I shook my head incredulously, not believing what I just had heard.

“What do you mean, this did not happen? Cardiosurgeon Michael Sabom reported this in his book based on the research he had conducted with his patients. What is your explanation for what I just have described to you? What do you think all this is about?” I asked. This time the pause was even longer; Carl was clearly thinking very hard, struggling to find the answer.

“I’ll tell you,” he finally broke the long silence.

“There are many cardiosurgeons in the world. Nobody would have known the guy. So he made up a wild story to attract attention to himself. It’s a PR trick!”

I was shocked. Carl’s last words seriously undermined the respect I had had for him.I realized that his worldview was not scientific, but scientistic. It had the form of an unshatterable dogma that was impervious to evidence. It was also dear to me that our discussion had reached an insurmountable impasse. I saw that Carl was willing to question the integrity and sanity of his scientific colleagues before considering that his belief system might require revision or modification to fit the new data. He was so convinced that he knew what the universe was like and what could not happen in it that he did not feel the slightest inclination to examine the challenging data.

This will be used at Malf' and Steve's "trial" when materialism is finally overthrown.

Sabom's Recollections of Death is the book being referenced, but the quote is from Grof's When the Impossible Happens right?

p.s. And the Carl is Carl Sagan correct?

Sabom's Recollections of Death is the book being referenced, but the quote is from Grof's When the Impossible Happens right?

p.s. And the Carl is Carl Sagan correct?

Yes, indeed it is, Sci. Grof actually got it wrong. He said (only) one of Sabom's patients described the resuscitation events very accurately, when in fact it was six.

It was an interesting article about people not acknowledging their blindness. How can you not agree with that? Especially considering the personally important topics this forum and others like are concerned with.

My disagreement was with the idea that the article is more applicable to parapsychology than any other field, not with its basic premise. It's not inapplicable to parapsychology, but I don't agree that it's especially so compared with other fields.

Which demonstrates that Steve001 was right when he suspected a lack of insight.

I refer you to the lines above. As it happens, I am agnostic on every strand of phenomena discussed on this forum, and my one solid conviction on parapsychology - which I admit may be wrong, though I've not seen a case for how - is that the field has generally been given shabby treatment.

Appears to be a bit of a nutty article to me... I don’t have the remotest clue why researchers or theorists need to be humble, or why they should self flagellate themselves in public...

There's a significant gap between self-flagellation and publicly admitting a mistake. In fields concerning public health and safety, I would hope some humility, and a culture supportive of open admissions of honest error, would prevail.