Will the challenge of another paranormal psychological ability to prove?

“If you are really psychological, there are a million dollars with your name!”

It is a challenge issued by the skeptics regularly. I still see her to this day, and recently, while conducting an interview with her by skeptical podcasts in the United States, I was surprised by the discovery that the hosts did not know that the challenge of $ 1 million had stopped exist after James Randy retired in 2015.

Marcello Truzzi was right when he said, “The extraordinary claim requires extraordinary evidence” (1978), but I often felt that some people might use a billion dollars challenge as a way to not communicate with people who were submitting extraordinary claims. As a type of type.

The JREF challenge required people to pass a preliminary test that showed that their supernatural claims were legitimate before another test, if it succeeded, could win a billion billion legendary prize. However, many critics indicate that statistics that involve passing these tests were unrealistic and unrealistic. (Taylor, 2008)

In fact, Trozi himself once wrote his opinion that “… Scientists must perform such assessments carefully before judging the possibility of some actual phenomenon. I I think this will quickly reveal that some supernatural allegations are less than others, and this has very important effects on the amount and quality of the proof that the scientific skeptic should request before accepting these claims.(Trozi, 1978)

When the JREF challenge was stopped in 2015, you will be forgiven to think that there was nothing major to replace it, but there are currently 20 challenges around the world Which can be seen listed here.

Here in the United Kingdom, unlike the skeptical Merseyside Association Halloween Psychological Challengeand There were not many other offers for people to put their claims on the test other than their curiosity and openness.

Then, in September, the members of the questioning investigation association (ASKE) were informed that the organization had re -launched it Asti Khawarq Challenge Which provides a bonus of 10,000 pounds to applicants who can show a supernatural capacity under control conditions.

The document that determines the test on Aske shows that.The successful demands of the UK will be eligible, if they want, to apply for the Sisyphus prize of 25,000 euros. ‘(Free, 2016)

I asked one of the founders of ASKE, Michael Hep (MH) some questions about the challenge. My questions are categorized as HS and we follow our exchange.

Hs: Was the end of the JREF challenge a million dollars any impact on the re -launch of the ASKE challenge?

MH: The original idea of ​​this type of challenge came from Tony Youns and others when ASKE was created in the 1990s. There is no doubt that they were affected by James Randy’s challenge of one billion dollars. Several members of ASKE pledged the prize contributions, which simultaneously reached 14,000 pounds. We had a few applicants and demands that were not very specific or a difficult test. However, we participated in a preliminary test for Dowser (with negative results)

For this reason, the fact that many people who pledged pledges allowed ASKE to be a separator, we pulled the width. However, the Belgian skeptical organization SKEPP announced at the time a temporary challenge (SISYPHUS Award) with a million euros prize. The applicants first have to pass a preliminary test in their country, who were supervised by their skeptical national organization, which would give them a small prize if they passed the test. Aske offered 400 pounds.

The latest ASKE project has been announced in my initiative, and in fact, it continues the current arrangement, but, I hope, at a higher level and more propaganda.

HS: What is the long -term goal of challenge?

MH: It is important to express the goal of this type of project because it is nothing more than setting test claims for the supernatural capabilities that individuals make from any life gait. The goal (expressed or unpopular) should not be exposed the paranormal.

If someone appears unambiguously that they have a supernatural capacity that would be a great reward, despite the loss of 10,000 pounds. The previous experience suggested that this is very unlikely. However, as a psychiatrist, what I find is more interesting about people who believe that they have a supernatural ability that is why they have believed this and what is the purpose, if any, serves in their lives. This does not mean extracting the persons concerned in any way. I hope we can build a set of tests (either primary or official) that have been conducted and I think this will be important.

HS: What are the challenges facing such a test?

MH: It will also be combined, I only have limited experience in conducting tests, and I have spoken to those with greater experience. The main challenge seems to be a disturbing tight protocol. Science will not accept the validity of any unusual claim or interpretation if there is a way to hold accountable what is more consistent with the current knowledge. (This does not mean, by the way, that the extraordinary interpretation is incorrect).

It follows that if you have an experiment or test on an unusual claim, you must eliminate every possibility that a positive result can be explained by regular means such as insufficient randomness of conditions, unintended signal or the use of deception by demands. It is difficult to make sure that this condition is fulfilled and that some claims do not lend themselves to this type of investigation.

Many people see the problem of super challenges like this as almost the global frequency of the person who was tested to give up his demand when the test failed. (In response to my question in a lecture by James Randy, he stated that the demands sometimes did so; in skeptical at the pubic meeting a few years ago, Richard Wizman’s answer was that he lived for the day he would happen.) However, I do not personally expect this to happen.

I think it is important to inform the applicants that if they do not pass the test, this does not refute their claim. This simply means that they were unable to show it on this occasion. This is also something that we all need to accept.

HS: Do you think such challenges contribute to the field of risk or are they independent?

MH: I think they have a place in pathology if the above -mentioned purpose is only, that is, they provide accumulation of detailed cases records.

Obviously, if one of the demands passes his test, which will be important to psychology (but see one problem below). In general, the superpower like “the sixth meaning” will have a tremendous evolutionary advantage, and as with other “five senses”, there is no reason that prevents the individual from showing him under the conditions under control. (Why is it not only detected by a group of people?) So only one person needs to show this unambiguous ability to exist.

Unfortunately, the history of individual status studies in psychology (see URI Geller) is not inspiring; However, it is a valid and lowest and long -cost approach to group studies. However, there is one problem with Challenges; In science, in addition to a water tight experience, the results should be repetitive. The successful demand for the challenge is completely free to move away and rest over their glories without presenting themselves to conduct more tests. F-Forfend-What about the possibility of the prize winner that the subsequent tests they agree to do!

HS: What kind of people who hope to be applied to take the test?

MH: As far as it comes to the personal attributes of the applicant, the words “rational” and “honest” in the mind. From my non -musical experience, understanding the scientific experimental process is important. That is, the applicant must be able to understand the idea that, within the limited resources that can be provided, it must be the ability to it be the ones that will produce clear, specific and non -lived results if it succeeds, and there is no effect if this is not and there should be no narrow controls on the natural external effects.

Finally, there is a possibility that the ability to claim is part of a fake system in a person with mental health problems. If this is the case, it will be unreasonable to continue. With this and other considerations in mind, ASKE states that it reserves the right to refuse any application he desires.

Personally, I have never been 100 % sure that the financial prize is a way to approach the tested of paranormal capabilities. I think that if it is scheduled to be produced evidence of the existence of such capabilities or powers, then this will be through risk or psychology research and not through tests in conferences or takes place in front of news cameras. However, I respect that the challenges of this type are a good way to interact with the audience about how important the tests are controlled by supernatural demands. Just take a look at the damage caused by the ADE651 bombs that were actually just devices. If the right people asked the right questions, and these devices were tested using dual -blind conditions that are promoted by super challenges, the result may be completely different.

Will another test of this nature be found evidence of the capabilities of a paranormal? I doubt it, but the time will say.

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