The Telepathy Tapes

I think the real problem here is that even one incontrovertible instance of a psychic phenomenon breaks a taboo with some people. I mean there is a huge gulf between claiming that a phenomenon is very rare, and asserting it doesn't exist.

Dean Radin has performed his presentiment experiment numerous times, and his experiment has been repeated by other researchers. In addition, since the experiment uses absolutely standard equipment, Dean found that several experiments looking for non-psychic effects could be reanalysed to discover if a presentiment effect was also present. As I understand it, this was also successful.

David

Do you mean that people take comfort the phenomena exists, but would be disturbed that it is prevalent or universal among humanity?

I can see that, I myself at times have felt more comforted by reading or seeing photography/video of seeming paranormal event than potentially experiencing something.

I've split the contentious posts in this thread out into a new thread. Please let's try to have an informed discussion in this thread. If you haven't listened to the podcast in full, then exercise extreme caution when voicing an opinion. Further contentious or uninformed posts may be moved to the split thread.

That's fair - if I want to do an episode-by-episode commentary should I make a new thread or stay in this one?

I'm fine either way, just let me know. 

[Laird]

if I want to do an episode-by-episode commentary should I make a new thread or stay in this one?

It's fine with me either way, Sci. I reckon it would be good to keep it all in this thread, but I'm not fussed if you prefer a separate thread.

It's fine with me either way, Sci. I reckon it would be good to keep it all in this thread, but I'm not fussed if you prefer a separate thread.

Sounds good, though I am already behind in my promised follow through on the Farina vs ID stuff...will try to go through that and this though I am busy with some IRL stuff at the moment...

The Telepathy Tapes A Podcast Beyond Words

... These silent communicators possess gifts that defy conventional understanding, from telepathy to otherworldly perceptions, challenging the limits of what we believe to be real. ...

"otherwordly perceptions" ?

I wonder what is exactly meant by this.

And I suppose it would be difficult to obtain clarification from handicapped, autistic people, who are unable to talk.

[Laird]

"otherwordly perceptions" ?

I wonder what is exactly meant by this.

So, give the podcast a listen and find out.

And I suppose it would be difficult to obtain clarification from handicapped, autistic people, who are unable to talk.

They are "spellers". They can communicate, with varying degrees of assistance - some of them can type totally independently - by spelling out what they want to say.

Do you mean that people take comfort the phenomena exists, but would be disturbed that it is prevalent or universal among humanity?

I can see that, I myself at times have felt more comforted by reading or seeing photography/video of seeming paranormal event than potentially experiencing something.

I think there is a whole army of 'debunkers' who instinctively realise that once psychic phenomena are recognised as being relevant in some, rather special situations, then the scientific narrative will inevitably change on a broad front.

Dean's experiment is crucial. In its essence it uses standard skin conductance measurements, a standard computer equipped with a true random number generator (based on QM), and a bunch of (typically) students willing to be tested. It doesn't even require naive subjects to make the process work. A subject can't fake the response, even if they are called Dean Radin because they would have to respond before they knew what image was going to be displayed!

Despite this experiment, which seems to be impossible to challenge successfully, the debunkers think it is fair game to attack other observations that are only slightly weaker.

Telepathy also seems to be adequately proved - at least in a statistical way - see Rupert Sheldrake's books.

The evidence for NDE's can be beaten to death by insisting that the experiencer should be able to report on images placed on top of cupboards, despite the well known fact that people's attention narrows under extreme circumstances. I'd say that experiencing an NDE is pretty extreme, etc.

Thus whether these tapes supply good evidence for telepathy (I confess I haven't listened to them) or not, I think they should be judged on the same level as one might judge a static electricity experiment (say).

David

I am believe fully in telepathy ~ but the cases claiming that non-verbal Autistic individuals are somehow especially telepathic? That's my point of contention. Everyone has the capability ~ but there is no reason for me to think that Autism or "neurodivergence" does anything to specifically increase those capabilities.

I guess I'd first like the experiments to be genuinely repeatable ~ using the general methods parapsychology has devised. Not some study out of nowhere claiming a certain thing that has apparently never been observed before by anyone else.

Maybe I have such caution because there has been enough of a reproducibility crisis in science in general. :/

I'm not so sure of that. The terms 'autistic' or 'neurodivergent' are probably not precisely defined, but think about cases like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94wGs8KhJho

This gives me goose bumps every time I watch it!

My point is that some people with brain damage seem to have unbelievable talents.

David

My point is that some people with brain damage seem to have unbelievable talents.

Everyone can have unbelievable talents ~ brain damage or not.

Let us simply not generalize whole groups based on a few possible individuals.

Given that brain damage often does not result in new talents or strengthen talents is something to keep in mind.

That is ~ don't just blindly believe anything. Especially with groups like this.

Maybe I'm just wary of the power of emotion to override reasoning ~ we need both in balance with each other.

Everyone can have unbelievable talents ~ brain damage or not.

Let us simply not generalize whole groups based on a few possible individuals.

Given that brain damage often does not result in new talents or strengthen talents is something to keep in mind.

That is ~ don't just blindly believe anything. Especially with groups like this.

Surely from a theoretical point of view what matters is the extreme cases - obviously brain damage will often be just destructive, but if we don't examine what these people are capable of because most brain damaged kids are not like that, we are obviously missing something.

If even one of these people has high level telepathic skills, then that in itself rules out scientific theories that do not permit telepathy.

Maybe I'm just wary of the power of emotion to override reasoning ~ we need both in balance with each other.

Sure, just so long as the reasoning is actually rational.

David