Job Discussion Forums

[Nagoyaguy]

Another thread mentioned a man who claimed to "predict" the tsunami disaster in Asia. Personally, I dont believe it, but he has a huge following.

So;

What is your position on these things- astrology, psychics, TT, holistic care, psychic surgery, etc? My feeling is that ESL teachers in general are more credulous than the population at large.

For example, theraputic touch and reiki are both popular, but are also total junk. THey have no impact other than a mild placebo effect, and often are dangerous as they lead patients away from more conventional (proven) treatment regimens.

Others? Feel free to contribute

[Guy Courchesne]

PT Barnum sums it up nicely enough for me in this respect.

[Paul John]

The Australian Skeptics have their annual 'Bent Spoon' award for what they regard as the most outrageous quackery of the year. Some years ago, the list of nominees for this award included Princess Diana's astrologer.

This month's cover story points out that it's a shame that no psychics appear to have predicted the Asian tsunami disaster - although it's no doubt easy enough to find psychics who claim to have "predicted" it.

[Glenski]

PT Barnum has said it for me, too.

Heinlein has a few choice goodies:

If it can't be expressed in figures, it is not science; it is opinion.

What are the facts? Again and again and again - what are the facts? Shun wishful thinking, ignore divine revelation, forget what "the stars foretell," avoid opinion, care not what the neighbors think, never mind the unguessable "verdict of history" - what are the facts, and to how many decimal places? You pilot always into an unknown future; facts are your single clue. Get the facts!

There is no conclusive evidence of life after death. But there is no evidence of any sort against it. Soon enough you will know. So why fret about it?

One man's theology is another man's belly laugh.

Stupidity cannot be cured with money, or through education, or by legislation. Stupidity is not a sin, the victim can't help being stupid. But stupidity is the only universal capital crime; the sentence is death, there is no appeal, and execution is carried out automatically and without pity.

The truth of a proposition has nothing to do with its credibility. And vice versa.

The shamans are forever yacking about their snake-oil 'miracles.' I prefer the real McCoy - a pregnant woman.

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.

[Atlas]

It said nothing about 911, or the tsunami, etc.

So what good is it?

The study of metaphysics and mysticism is a study of congitive fantasy and culture of the individual.

The study of the "collectice unconscious" is a reference to the genetic "memory" shared by the species that inhabit this planet, of which the vast majority share similar DNA. You only have to change a microfraction of the genes to get a human, chimp or alligator.

The fantasy constructions of our sensory-disengaged sensory devices are very compelling to witness but do not interact with the physical world except generally or coincidentally. And if they do "echo" reality, then they do not do so on any regular basis, so again I ask, what good is it?

Except to construct "prophecies" that limit our range of imagined responses to our affairs, thus creating our own fulfillments based on our own culturally-biased houses of cards. Just because the world flips on its axis does not mean the Hopi accurately predicted it. But that would certainly affirm Hopi culture to one of its members.

[Twisting in the Wind]

[homersimpson]

I think all those things are wonderful ... if you live in 1605. But, if you are living in 2005 and looking to Orion or the Year of the Bull, you are a lost soul. After all, the moon has far more influence on the Earth (check tides) than any of the planets. WHY DOES NO ONE WORSHIP THE MOON!