Can I start by saying, Great Og On a Bicycle, it gets tiresome having to read through page after page of total dreck to be able to discuss this topic. I think that those who respond bear about 48% of the blame, and they are people who should know better.
No one has produced convincing proof in any range and not for lack of trying. There have been studies looking for small effects. The results of some studies have shown very slightly positive results, but they have tended not be replicated and are more likely to be anomalies or evidence of testing artifact than anything. At this point in time, there is simply no need to throw money away on this. We need a cure for cancer. Why the hell would we bother investing time and money in research looking for something there is no reason to think exists, and which past research shows does not?
The only thing worth testing or debunking at this stage of the game is the **claims ** made by paranormalists. That subset of paranormalists who make claims to have micro powers is so small and so irrelevant as to be safely ignored. In reality, paranormalists make claims of highly significant powers.
Indeed, paranormalists do not (in the overwhelming majority) test themselves under controlled conditions in multiple iteration tests, so even if they had an ability in the micro range they’d never know it.
I have seen criticism of Randi’s tests (on these boards and elsewhere) along the lines that they only look for gross powers that the paranormalists in question have claimed to have, and it could be that there are some small effects but his tests are too crude to detect them. While this could in theory be true, as a criticism it simply makes no sense to me.
Paranormal effects are not predicted by any scientific theory. There is no reason to postulate them based on known science. The only reason to test for them at all is because claims are made. There is no need to test for anything other than what is claimed.
I’m from Queensland. What Southerners do is none of my concern.
