2.7: Why don't the skeptics test the real psychics?
Description
This article is from the Scientific Skepticism FAQ, by Paul Johnson Paul@treetop.demon.co.uk with numerous contributions by others.
2.7: Why don't the skeptics test the real psychics?
A claim is sometimes made that the Skeptics movement only tests those
psychics which it knows to be frauds. The real psychics are supposedly
being ignored by skeptics who are afraid to be proved wrong.
There are three problems with this claim.
Firstly, it assumes that all the skeptics are engaged in a conspiracy
to persuade the world that psychic powers do not exist. This is only
a Petty Conspiracy theory (see section 0), since it only requires the
involvement of a few dozen of the most prominent skeptics, but it is
still difficult to see any motive for such a deception. "Fear of
being proved wrong" implies that they already know they are wrong,
which makes their continued activity rather puzzling.
Secondly, most skeptics are always ready to take part in any
reasonable test. The "real" psychics are perfectly at liberty to
challenge the skeptics.
Thirdly, there are always more alleged psychics. Hence this
argument presents the skeptics with an ever-receding target. The
dialogue goes something like this:
Paranormalist: Yes, I concede that Mr. Adams is a fake, but what about
Mr. Brown. The things that he does could never be
faked.
[Some months later]
Skeptic: Here is how Brown did it....
P: OK, I concede that Adams and Brown are fakes, but Mrs Carver is the
surely the real thing.
[Some months later]
S: Here is how Carver did it...
P: OK, maybe Adams, Brown and Carver were fakes, but what about Digby
and Ender?
S: I give up. There's no convincing some people.
P: [shouting] Digby and Ender are real psychics: the skeptics are
afraid to test them. They only test the fakes!
Continue to:
My Books
