# Ghosts or Aliens
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 29, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512 "2001-09-29T19:54:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Animalmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Animalmother)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/1 "2001-09-29T19:54:57Z")
I’m new to this whole scene but I’ve been wondering about this for a while. Do you believe in ghosts and/or aliens? Have you had any experiences with either?
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### Author:  [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/2 "2001-09-29T20:14:08Z")
I certainly believe in ghosts.
Aliens, I’m not so sure.
Maybe you could wait for an answer from one of the many Earthlings who frequent these forums. 🙂
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/3 "2001-09-29T20:16:11Z")
Welcome to the board! 🙂
Show me the evidence, and I’ll believe in it.
I believe in an invisible force that drags me towards the nearest planet.
I believe in the duck-billed platypus.
I believe that I can press buttons on a keyboard, and millions\* of people around the world can read it within a few secons.
There is no physical evidence for Ghosts. None whatsoever.
Therefore I don’t believe in them.
If anyone produces evidence, I’ll accept them.
There is no physical evidence that aliens have ever visited this planet.
Yes, I have looked into the Roswell incident, and I also know who makes crop circles.\*\*
However I trust in mathematics and probability.
1. There is life on one planet.
2. Some stars have planets.
3. There are an astounding number of obsevable stars.
4. Therefore there is a good chance that life exists / has existed somewhere else in the Universe.
5. However the Universe is incredibly vast, so we may never come into contact with these aliens.
\*Ok, less than that because of bandwidth. But you know what I mean!
\*\*clue - two men, a plank and some string.
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/4 "2001-09-29T20:18:34Z")
seconds, not secons
observable, not obsevable
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### Author:  [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/5 "2001-09-29T20:19:16Z")
Aliens - oh, sure, yeah, I believe in aliens. It seems hard to believe that aliens do _not_ exist, what with the gazillions of stars in our universe. The laws of probability demand it. We’ve already discovered planets out there; why not life? Why not intelligent, sentient life?
Ghosts - err… I believe some weird things, but on the sunject of ghosts, I’m an agnostic. I’ll tell you when I’m dead and haunting some coffeeshop whether or not I believe in ghosts…
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### Author:  [@atypicalcarl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atypicalcarl)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/6 "2001-09-29T20:30:54Z")
Welcome, **Animalmother**!
Aliens do not exist.
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### Author:  [@atypicalcarl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atypicalcarl)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/7 "2001-09-29T20:31:57Z")
damn… forgot the sig line.
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### Author:  [@Kittie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kittie)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/8 "2001-09-29T21:02:03Z")
I believe in both but I refuse to believe that aliens have abducted the slack-jawed yokels that claim they’ve been “probed”.
~Kittie
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### Author:  [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/9 "2001-09-29T21:10:17Z")
I don’t think an afterlife of any kind is very likely, and I don’t believe credible evidence that there are ghosts has been found. So no, I don’t believe in ghosts.
Aliens, meaning intelligent extra-terrestrial life, are likely to exist, just given how big the universe is and therefore how many chances for it to arise.
However, I’ve not seen or heard of any credible evidence they’ve visited this planet for any purpose.
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### Author:  [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/10 "2001-09-29T21:13:28Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Kittie \*
> **I believe in both but I refuse to believe that aliens have abducted the slack-jawed yokels that claim they’ve been “probed”.**
[passionfish]
**I** didn’t ask for the anal probe.
I **didn’t** ask for the anal probe.
I didn’t **ask** for the anal probe.
I didn’t ask for the **anal probe**.
[/passionfish]
[sub]Sorry. I’ve been wanting an excuse to use that quote for a long time.[/sub]
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### Author:  [@Kittie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kittie)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/11 "2001-09-29T21:15:23Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ruadh \*
> \*\*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by Kittie \*
> > **I believe in both but I refuse to believe that aliens have abducted the slack-jawed yokels that claim they’ve been “probed”.**
>
> [passionfish]
>
> **I** didn’t ask for the anal probe.
> I **didn’t** ask for the anal probe.
> I didn’t **ask** for the anal probe.
> I didn’t ask for the **anal probe**.
>
> [/passionfish]
>
> [sub]Sorry. I’ve been wanting an excuse to use that quote for a long time.[/sub] \*\*
Can that be my sig?! 😃
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/12 "2001-09-29T21:32:48Z")
I believe in aliens, although I do not believe they’ve ever been to Earth. Statistically speaking, there has to be a few other life forms out there, considering the size of the galaxy.
I’m Swiss when it comes to ghosts: they could exsist, maybe, but there’s no hard evidence of it, so I’m staying neutral on the subject. I’ll make up my mind, one way or the other, after I’m dead.
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### Author:  [@greenlady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenlady)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/13 "2001-09-29T23:18:20Z")
I believe in both **ghosts** and **aliens**.
I think **ghosts** , however, are something entirely different than what most people think. I believe ghosts are merely left over “mind energy” of people who have died. The ghosts have no consciousness and thus cannot interact with living people. Kinda like a recording that can only play one thing. I think that one day the phenomenon of ghosts will be able to be explained scientifically. Maybe an offshoot of physics. The occurrence of ghosts has absolutely nothing to do with answering the question or whether or not there is an afterlife.
The closest thing that I have come to witnessing the ghost phenomenon is going into one of the rooms in my parents’ house. I can’t explain how I _know_ that there is a ghost that occupies that room, but I do. I’m sure many people have this “intuition.” It’s akin to another sense like seeing or hearing. Anyway, I never actually see the ghost, but I know it’s there.
BTW, this “mind energy” thing is something that occurs in all living people as well. I feel it all the time.
Now that I’ve creeped you all out, on to the subject of **aliens**.
Well, this one I think, as someone said earlier, the universe is just too big for there _not_ to be intelligent life other than on this planet. Whether or not aliens have visited this planet, I’m not sure…
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2001, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/14 "2001-09-29T23:57:34Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by greenlady \*
> I believe in both **ghosts** and **aliens**.
>
> I think **ghosts** , however, are something entirely different than what most people think. I believe ghosts are merely left over “mind energy” of people who have died.
I thought that was the common view of ghosts.
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by greenlady \*
> I think that one day the phenomenon of ghosts will be able to be explained scientifically.
Not till we detect one!
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by greenlady \*
> The closest thing that I have come to witnessing the ghost phenomenon is going into one of the rooms in my parents’ house. I can’t explain how I _know_ that there is a ghost that occupies that room, but I do. I’m sure many people have this “intuition.” It’s akin to another sense like seeing or hearing. Anyway, I never actually see the ghost, but I know it’s there.
Unfortunately an “intuition” that does not register on any scientific instrument is never going to be explained scientifically.
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by greenlady \*
> BTW, this “mind energy” thing is something that occurs in all living people as well. I feel it all the time.
**The Randi Foundation will pay you $1,000,000 if you can prove this statement.**
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### Author:  [@greenlady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenlady)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2001, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/15 "2001-09-30T00:35:23Z")
Oh, a skeptic. Very nice. You are entirely correct that I cannot prove one iota of what I allege to be true. And I know my intuition is currently unmeasurable scientifically. Guess that’s why it’s in the IMHO section.
Lastly, I think you took my statement of what the “common view” of what ghosts are to most people out of context. Maybe the masses will correct me, but I think the common view of ghosts is that they “haunt” people, which implies that they are conscious and interacting with living people, which I don’t believe is the case.
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### Author:  [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2001, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/16 "2001-09-30T01:10:59Z")
errrrr, greenlady? You’re _surprised_ to find a skeptic _here_?
Aliens - yeah, I think there must be some somewhere.
Ghosts? Damned if I know. I’ve certainly had some bizarre experiences around the death of my son but I’m not going to confidently assert they are reality. Bit of a bugger that, 'cause I’d like to collect from the Randi Foundation.
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### Author:  [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2001, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/17 "2001-09-30T02:11:18Z")
Do I “believe” in either ghosts or alien visitors?
Nope, for the simple reason that I have no reason to.
There are plenty of things I can’t explain that spook me out–one just happened a few days ago–but my lack of knowledge doesn’t constitute proof. It’s creepy fun to speculate about the paranormal but feelings and _openess to belief_ simply aren’t proof.
Look, people used to believe in demonic possession and that wrathful gods hurled lightning from above to chastise humans. We’ve since learned physical and mental processes that explain both. The realities remain the same but we’re able to put them in perspective.
It’s fun–and maybe useful–to keep a sense of awe and possiblity. I assign astrology, religion, tarot, numerology, etc. to the same category. They very possibly tap into glints of truth but they’re _all_ artifical constructs we humans use to make sense of existence. And so they’re fallible, all of 'em.
It’s dangerous to keep a wide-open mind because who knows what will crawl in? Humans have _brains_ for their filtering ability. It’s equally dangerous–see the 9/11 attacks–to force reality into belief. Turn yourself into a hammer and the whole world’s filled with nails.
Apologies for ranting but it’s both possible and _neccessary_ to find a balance. Belief and reality ground each other.
Veb
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### Author:  [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2001, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/18 "2001-09-30T03:38:51Z")
I just believe in me.
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### Author:  [@snermy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snermy)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2001, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/19 "2001-09-30T04:23:35Z")
Well, so many people have died ghost statistically HAVE to exist. With all the billions of dead people that exist, it’s silly to look for actual evidence. I challenge anyone to prove that just ONE of those dead people isn’t hanging around in some human-perceivable form using some form of energy no one can define, sustain through some unknown process unrecognized by your “science”.
As for Aliens, there’s one in my house so I know, no matter what you might say.
(yay, backwards day :D)
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Put me down as a “no, until better evidence is offered, I don’t believe in either”.
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2001, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ghosts-or-aliens/84512/20 "2001-09-30T10:44:02Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by greenlady \*
> Oh, a skeptic. Very nice. You are entirely correct that I cannot prove one iota of what I allege to be true. And I know my intuition is currently unmeasurable scientifically. Guess that’s why it’s in the IMHO section.
Well I thought I \*\*was \*\*a sceptic (alternative spelling in UK) until I looked it up:
1. person inclined to doubt all accepted opinions; a cynic
2. person who doubts the truth of religions
3. a Pyrronist (who doubt possibility of knowledge)
Since all I want is **some evidence** to believe in something, I’m not a sceptic. I guess I’m a scientific type!
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by greenlady \*
> BTW, this “mind energy” thing is something that occurs in all living people as well. I feel it all the time.
Isn’t this a claim that you **can** detect life?
Seriously, that would get you the money from Randi. You don’t have to explain your psychic power, or show others how to use it, or have it register on a scientific detecting device. You just demonstrate **you** can feel “mind energy” - and you’re a millionaire.
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by greenlady \*
> Lastly, I think you took my statement of what the “common view” of what ghosts are to most people out of context. Maybe the masses will correct me, but I think the common view of ghosts is that they “haunt” people, which implies that they are conscious and interacting with living people, which I don’t believe is the case.
I now understand this point and agree with you (that the typical view is that ghosts actively haunt).
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