From: drwho@wpi.WPI.EDU (Eric Ant Von Laudermann)
Newsgroups: alt.paranormal
Subject: Re: What a joke etc.
Date: 12 Sep 1992 15:21:41 GMT
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
NNTP-Posting-Host: wpi.wpi.edu

In article <memo.619691@cix.compulink.co.uk> shaman@cix.compulink.co.uk writes:
>"And the princess and the prince discuss, whats real and what is
>not.."
>
>"It doesn't matter inside the Gates of Eden"
>
>Bob Dylan.
>
>
>In respect of the poster who asked whether indeed his nextdoor
>neighbour might well be a time travelling alien, as well as the
>rationalist nerd who keeps saying that 'reason' discerns 'truth'...
>
>Reason is a tool for arriveing at clear simple explanations of
>already agreed upon phenomena in realtion to each other.
.
.
.
>..And then 'reason' takes over and starts looking for explanations,
>and finally along comes some smart little know-all who will try to
>tell you that the explanation he learnt at PhD school is the 'truth'.

Hey, wait a minute!  I never said what was real and what wasn't.  I'm
just as far from the truth as everyone else, probably more so.  My
point was that the people who learn how to use their psychic powers do
so through experimentation and deduction (they have *said* so on this
newsgroup), so they have no right to put down the scientific method,
because that's what it *is*.  It doesn't matter whether the phenomenon
involved is normal, paranormal, or imaginary.  (Note the "or".)  I
wasn't trying to start a debate about what was real and what wasn't.

These opinions have nothing to do with any school I've been to.  These
are my own conclusions, from experience with other paranormals and
with everyday life.  I take full responsibility for my opinions, so 
don't blame any society or institution for them.

I believe in the paranormal.  I believe that the paranormal isn't 
nonsense.  It may have its own rules separate from those of the natural 
world, but that doesn't mean the rules are invalid.  And as long as the 
world of the paranormal refuses to break its *own* rules, a budding 
psychic can (and *does*) learn what those rules are by watching them in 
action.  That's reason.  Your definition of reason is good too, but why 
should the world of the paranormal be exempt from making sense?  Are
you suggesting that it is impossible to "come to some kind of
explanation as to how one" *paranormal* "phenomenon is associated with
another"?  If so, that would mean it is impossible for a psychic to
hone his/her abilities.

Once again, I *believe in the paranormal*.  But if you can't make
sense out of it, you go insane.  You need to *look* at it, and *think*
about it.  For example, if you see a ghost, you shouldn't go "but
that's impossible!" and have a seizure.  You should go "is there a
real reason for me to think it's impossible?"

--E.V.L. (drwho@wpi.wpi.edu)        # "You have not heard one negative comment
Disclaimer: "It's all absolutely    # from me about the other two people who
devastatingly true, except the bits # want my job.  And you *won't* hear any
that are lies."  --Douglas Adams    # until, um, the middle of August."
                                    #                 --George Bush, June 1992
(Of course, if I'm not the person you were talking about, I apologize. :-)
Newsgroups: alt.paranormal,sci.skeptic,alt.astrology