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From: rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen)
Newsgroups: net.philosophy,net.physics
Subject: Re: Paranormal crapola [Results of Precognition Experiment]
Message-ID: <1136@pyuxd.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Jun-85 11:15:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: pyuxd.1136
Posted: Thu Jun 27 11:15:49 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 28-Jun-85 01:22:47 EDT
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>> I agree with much of the rest of the posting I'm replying to in that subtle
>> behavioural mechanisms can be used to explain away a lot of so-called 
>> paranormal experiences.  If I had not had the few spectacular (in my view)
>> occasions where paranormal events had seemingly occured I would be much more 
>> skeptical of the whole subject.   --Dave Trissel 

> Then perhaps you understand why most of the rest of us, who have never 
> witnessed *any* paranormal events, spectacular or not, are so skeptical of 
> the whole subject.  Until I witness just one, I think I'll just continue
> to assume that people like you, Dave, are either:
>   1.) very easily amazed by the occasional low probability event which
>       occurs.
>   2.) unconsciously coloring your memory of such events to make them
> 	seem more amazing than they really were.
>   3.) lying
>   4.) one brick shy of a load  [SONNTAG]

You forgot the most important one:
    5.) wishful thinking:  wishing and hoping for the existence of paranormal
	phenomena and tainting your perceptions so as to make the events fit
	the particular patterns ("This respresents teleparakinetocognition!")
	you wish for.
-- 
Like a bourbon?  (HIC!)  Drunk for the very first time...
			Rich Rosen   ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr