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Are Ghosts Real? Science Says No-o-o-o


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Do you believe ghosts are real?  

78 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you believe ghosts are real?

    • Yes
      53
    • No
      25


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If you believe in ghosts, you're not alone: A 2005 Gallup poll found that 37 percent of Americans believe in haunted houses, and about one-third believe in ghosts. Tens of thousands of people around the world actively search for ghosts as a hobby. Researcher Sharon Hill of the Doubtful Newsblog counted about 2,000 active amateur ghost-hunting groups in America.

Ghosts have been a popular subject for millennia, appearing in countless stories, from "Macbeth" to the Bible, and even spawning their own folklore genre: ghost stories. Ghosts are perhaps the most common paranormal belief in the world. Part of the reason is that belief in ghosts is part of a larger web of related paranormal beliefs, including near-death experience, life after death, and spirit communication.

The idea that the dead remain with us in spirit is an ancient one, and one that offers many people comfort; who doesn't want to believe that our beloved but deceased family members aren't looking out for us, or with us in our times of need? Most people believe in ghosts because of personal experience; they have seen or sensed some unexplained presence.

The science and logic of ghosts

Personal experience is one thing, but scientific evidence is another matter. Part of the difficulty in investigating ghosts is that there is not one universally agreed-upon definition of what a ghost is. Some believe that they are spirits of the dead who for whatever reason get "lost" on their way to The Other Side; others claim that ghosts are instead telepathic entities projected into the world from our minds.

Ghost hunters use many creative (and dubious) methods to detect the spirits' presences, often including psychics.

The evidence for ghosts is no better today than it was a year ago, a decade ago, or a century ago. There are two possible reasons for the failure of ghost hunters to find good evidence. The first is that ghosts don't exist, and that reports of ghosts can be explained by psychology, misperceptions, mistakes and hoaxes. The second option is that ghosts do exist, but that ghost hunters are simply incompetent. Ultimately, ghost hunting is not about the evidence (if it was, the search would have been abandoned long ago). Instead, it's about having fun with friends, telling stories, and the enjoyment of pretending they are searching the edge of the unknown. After all, everyone loves a good ghost story.

http://www.livescience.com/26697-are-ghosts-real.html

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I am atheist and I value science, but I seen things that I can't explain. Like Indians and Civil War figures, showing up at history landmarks. Even been attacked once...

Edited by Uncle Sam
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Not to, you know, render the forum moot or anything, but believers will always believe, and those who don't believe will rebuff any amount of evidence brought to them, saying it's been doctored and altered. Neither side will give, and most likely neither will convince the other that their belief is the truth. :whistle:

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He raises some good points - if you believe in ghosts, the question becomes "which kind of ghost do you believe in" because there are multiple and, frankly, conflicting versions and explanations.

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Not to, you know, render the forum moot or anything, but believers will always believe, and those who don't believe will rebuff any amount of evidence brought to them, saying it's been doctored and altered. Neither side will give, and most likely neither will convince the other that their belief is the truth. :whistle:

What you say is certainly true, and yet we muddle on. Part of it is entertainment, part of it is we occasionally learn something, and part of it is we get good practice saying what we think.

Anyone who thinks they will convert anyone to anything on these boards is deluded. You may, however, occasionally plant a seed.

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He raises some good points - if you believe in ghosts, the question becomes "which kind of ghost do you believe in" because there are multiple and, frankly, conflicting versions and explanations.

Of all the outre things around, ghosts come closest to being believable. We have all had things go bump in the night.
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Of all the outre things around, ghosts come closest to being believable. We have all had things go bump in the night.

True, but that doesn't prove there are ghosts. It only proves that things go bump in the night.

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My personal experiences make me a believer in ghosts. No one can convince me they don't exist. I do have a belief that science will someday be able to do more than just say they don't exist.

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Ghosts are as real as Trolls, Werewolves and Angels.

They all live in your mind.

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Science can't prove something doesn't exist.

This is just wrong. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_%28optics%29 Science proved 'rods' don't exist. I used that example because I imagine ghost believers venture into the cryptid forum. It also continually proves that there is no great ape in North America, and no monster in Loch Ness.

If you're going into the 'higher realms' (heaven, god, and the like), then you are correct. We then must assume there is a giant flying spaghetti monster by that logic.

Assumptions are made all the time, just to be refuted by experiment.

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Evidently there must be ghosts. I heard on the news people that are selling houses must state on selling, if anyone commited suicide or was murder in the house:)

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I've seen a ghost, I've experienced activity consistent with a haunting. I worked at a place that was haunted but I never experienced anything others did. The only reason I visit is place is that I am looking for answers.

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Again there must be ghosts. I heard on the news people that are selling houses must state on selling, if anyone commited suicide or was murder in the house:)what other reason are home owners suppose to give that infomation on selling:)

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Tens of thousands of people around the world actively search for ghosts as a hobby. Researcher Sharon Hill of the Doubtful Newsblog counted about 2,000 active amateur ghost-hunting groups in America.

And not one shred of convincing evidence from any of them.....

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I certainly believe in the existence of 'ghosts' but why they appear is a totally different tangent.

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What would be 'convincing' evidence of something that doesn't exist physically? How would that work?

Do ghosts exist only in the mind? Totally possible. But would that make them 'not real'? That comes down to personal opinion.

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just because science says something doesn't exist, doesn't make Science right.Science is arrogant and dismisses anything it can't explain or understand.

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It's funny -- when I was younger I had a couple of experiences that I won't bother you with since it is all just testimony but that certainly convinced me.

As time has passed and memories have become dimmer, I am not so convinced.

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just because science says something doesn't exist, doesn't make Science right.Science is arrogant and dismisses anything it can't explain or understand.

That statement is utter absurd. Every single scientific discover started with someone not being able to explain something or understand it.

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Science can't prove something doesn't exist.

But so far the believers can`t prove it does.......................................oh and forget about youtube!

I do not believe in ghosts as such, but do believe in imprints from time, in the right conditions. We can see stars which died millions of years ago, but we can see them now and today although they are not there anymore, they are still being transported to us.

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And to the non believers it will never be proven. And how many skeptics truly have an open mind about these things? What people don't realize is your mind filters out alot of what you see hear and smell automatically . This can be proven by blind folding your self for 1 hour.

As for evidence well. What counts as hard evidence? Not pictures, video, voice recorders, or instrument readings. So what is allowed? That's like telling a mechanic he cant use any tools to fix your car. Ask your self where science would be with out there equipment.

Ghost hunters are up against so many variables its unpredictable whether or not your going to get anything in the first place. Then skeptics and non believers. That wont except what they do get do to the many frauds out there trying to get a couple min of fame.

I have a challenge for the non believers . Become a ghost hunter for a few months. Go buy about $1500 worth of equipment out of your own pocket. And spent countless hours hunting and reviewing our own stuff. To be told your faking evidence and ridiculed. Then ask your self why? If ghosts don't exist then why do we do it?

Edited by lone wolf2
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My personal experiences make me a believer in ghosts. No one can convince me they don't exist. I do have a belief that science will someday be able to do more than just say they don't exist.

I agree and also due to my personal experiences makes me a believer.

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But so far the believers can`t prove it does.......................................oh and forget about youtube!

I do not believe in ghosts as such, but do believe in imprints from time, in the right conditions. We can see stars which died millions of years ago, but we can see them now and today although they are not there anymore, they are still being transported to us.

I went to a paranormal conference yesterday, and someone from Ghost Hunters International was talking about the same general idea relating to what ghosts might actually be. It was a very interesting theory, about possible time bleed throughs involving past, present, and future.

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[/media] Edited by _Only
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These energy imprints from time does it also count if a spirit has never been in that location before? I ask because I know someone who had two spirits visit them and she saw them standing there in solid form. They have never been to her house before they died so I have been trying to figure out if its real or maybe an imprint?

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