The LIGO gravitational wave detectors are looking at disturbances of test masses so subtle that they have measurable noise from gravitational effects of tumbleweeds blowing past the building, and they haven’t found any effect which could be attributed to telekinesis. If you’re looking to do something more sensitive than that, then you’ll need even better noise isolation than they have, which believe me, is not easy.
OK, Peter Morris, I’m probably going to regret this, but… I can turn my turds into gold by whispering to them. Yup, I really can.
Do we have three others?
Telekinesis is real! I just typed this entire post using nothing but the power of my own mind to depress the keys–I didn’t touch them with my fingers.
The proof is given. If you won’t accept it, that’s your own fault.
Alas, I can’t turn my turds into gold by whispering to them; I can only turn other people’s turds into gold by whispering to them. Is that close enough?
Are you serious?
Can I quote you on that? Any time we disagree on an issue, can I say, “ah yes, but this is the man who claims that he can turn his turds into gold.”
Go on, either stand behind the claim you make, and allow me to quote you, or withdraw it.
[paraphrasing John Wayne]
I sure as Hell can.
[/paraphrasing John Wayne]
Oakminster, same question I asked Chronos. Are you seriously claiming that, and can I quote you on your claim in future threads?
I would never put something into print that I was not willing to be quoted on.
Okay, so why don’t you take your claim to Randi? If you can do what you claim, he’ll give you a million bucks.
My best guess is that people cannot use merely the power of their minds (absent the power of their muscles, absent motor neurons, etc.–you know what I mean) to create any deliberate effects outside of their skin, except when dealing with devices specifically designed to read brain waves. That is, no matter how fine your instrument, you won’t find an effect that can be reasonably be considered psychokinesis.
It’s fine and dandy to design a test to falsify this hypothesis. I’m not sure it’s a particularly pressing matter in science anymore; there are bigger fish to fry in far less settled waters, to mix my metaphor. Studying psychokinesis, given all the tests that have already been done, is like studying the melting point of ice, only this time it’s ice frozen in the shape of a crescent, and will THAT change things up?
It might. That particular question has never been addressed scientifically before. But it probably won’t create surprising results.
Shot From Guns, it looks to me as though Peter Morris has been making an effort to abide by my instructions to leave Randi out of it – I’d appreciate your cooperation in the matter as well.
Thanks,
twickster, MPSIMS moderator
I too can turn turds into gold. But why would I need to go get a million bucks from Randi? Didn’t you hear me? I can MAKE GOLD! My wealth is only limited by my food intake.
Edit: And by all means, quote the shit (heh heh) out of me.
Slight hijack but can you win a million by claiming you have NO sense of humor at all?
I can turn gold into turds. Does that count?
Is your sole criterion for whether or not a claim reflects reality whether or not someone is willing to stand by it? You don’t see this as being problematic when someone is perpetrating a deliberate hoax or is honestly mistaken?
Sorry twicks–I assumed my chain of questioning was okay when I started it with “If it wouldn’t be considered a hijack to ask” and didn’t get any pushback. Should have taken it to PM. FWIW, that was my last post on the subject regardless.
No prob – I should’ve been keeping a better eye on the thread, and I’ll accept responsibility for not saying something earlier.
Thanks for your cooperation.
I may have some super power but I haven’t learned what it is or how to use it. I didn’t know I could whistle, tie my shoes, or play an F chord on a guitar until I learned how. Just give it time and a bit of practice.
I can report that all efforts to shoot laser beams from my eyes have been unsuccessful to date. Maybe I’ll work on telekinesis next.
I maintain that if I ever get a super power, I want it to be a spinny nose, because all my friends are going to get laser beams shooting from their eyes, and together we’ll be able to play CDs.
And if they miss, you get a free teeth cleaning. Win-Win!