Showing posts with label Skeptiko. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Skeptiko. Show all posts
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Why decoding thoughts and other aspects of the mind doesn't show that there origin is in the brain
There has been a lot of progress in neuroscience with fmri's in decoding thoughts and dreams this is usually assumed to support the view that the mind origin is in the brain. However abstracting images from my tv doesn't prove that the origin of those images is coming from my television set. There is a lot of examples of very tight correlations among many different things however doesn't prove that one can't exist without the other. Another analogy next to a tv would be a dvd player it's sort of like what a DVD player does on a TV screen when you pop in a DVD and hit play.
Credit to Michael Prescott: I Also like to point there is a new interview on skeptiko featuring Chris Carter which Michael Prescott on his blog has also pointed out today where he states in his view that the evidence for an afterlife is overwhelming.
http://www.skeptiko.com/scientific-evidence-of-afterlife-overwhelming-chris-carter/
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Steven Novella Once Again on Skeptiko Discussing Why in his opinion Nde/Obe is Neurophysiology and Psychological
I like to respond to some of Novella's Remarks on NDE's
He seems to ignore the fact that at least 92 percent of people who have ndes report seeing deceased love ones, where only a small percentage see living people this set of evidence weighs against a view that ndes are hallucinatory [Psychological, Neurophysiology].
Also he mentions how newer studies on magnetic stimulation on the brain show that nde's, are just a part of the brain [temporal lobe] that creates the out of body experience etc]. I think he is referring to this study here.
Out of body experience recreated
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6960612.stm
This study doesn't explain how people with flat lined EEG's lying on an operating table with no pulse can have this same experience without video cameras or virtual reality goggles while at the same time seeing and hearing things that could only have been percieved from a different location. Even miles away!!!. Neither doesn't it explain the complex lucidity either.
Also doesn't explain how blind people at birth can see perfectly unconsciousness.
http://atwaterndenews.blogspot.com/2007/08/is-i...
Here is the link to the recent Skeptiko podcast where Dr. Steven Novella discussed why in his opinion nde/obe don't point to an afterlife.
http://www.skeptiko.com/near-death-experience-research-debate-with-steven-novella/
Here are the compelling empirical reasons why Nde/Obe get lots of support to the
Survival Hypothesis
1.) Over 90 percent of nde see deceased loved ones but only a small percentage see living people.
2.) A Very large database of ndes show that patients who have obe can see things and hear conversations inside and outside and even well outside the emergency room well having a flat EEG. This as well as interviewing patients immediately after being flat lined shows that these out of body experiences are probably having when the brain goes completely flat-lined. These experiences have also been verified that they actually occurred they are well documented.
3.] EEG expert and Neurologist Dr. John Greenfield points out clearly that human studies as well as animal studies have typically shown very little brain perfusion [blood flow] or glucose utilization when the EEG is flat. Their are deep brain areas involved in generating memories that might still operate at some very reduced level during cardiac arrest, but of course any subcortically generated activity can’t be brought to consciousness without at least one functioning cerebral hemisphere. So even if there were some way that NDEs were generated during the hypoxic state [while the brain is shut off from oxygen], you would not experience them until reperfusion [blood flow] allowed you to dream them or wake up and talk about them”,
4.) All neurophysiological and psychological models fail to explain any of the evidence above. As much as it hurts materialist's like "Dr. Steven Novella" to admit it the evidence is very straightforward and precise to ignore and avoid the evidence above, for nde/obe is only avoiding the facts that are clearly there.
He seems to ignore the fact that at least 92 percent of people who have ndes report seeing deceased love ones, where only a small percentage see living people this set of evidence weighs against a view that ndes are hallucinatory [Psychological, Neurophysiology].
Also he mentions how newer studies on magnetic stimulation on the brain show that nde's, are just a part of the brain [temporal lobe] that creates the out of body experience etc]. I think he is referring to this study here.
Out of body experience recreated
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6960612.stm
This study doesn't explain how people with flat lined EEG's lying on an operating table with no pulse can have this same experience without video cameras or virtual reality goggles while at the same time seeing and hearing things that could only have been percieved from a different location. Even miles away!!!. Neither doesn't it explain the complex lucidity either.
Also doesn't explain how blind people at birth can see perfectly unconsciousness.
http://atwaterndenews.blogspot.com/2007/08/is-i...
Here is the link to the recent Skeptiko podcast where Dr. Steven Novella discussed why in his opinion nde/obe don't point to an afterlife.
http://www.skeptiko.com/near-death-experience-research-debate-with-steven-novella/
Here are the compelling empirical reasons why Nde/Obe get lots of support to the
Survival Hypothesis
1.) Over 90 percent of nde see deceased loved ones but only a small percentage see living people.
2.) A Very large database of ndes show that patients who have obe can see things and hear conversations inside and outside and even well outside the emergency room well having a flat EEG. This as well as interviewing patients immediately after being flat lined shows that these out of body experiences are probably having when the brain goes completely flat-lined. These experiences have also been verified that they actually occurred they are well documented.
3.] EEG expert and Neurologist Dr. John Greenfield points out clearly that human studies as well as animal studies have typically shown very little brain perfusion [blood flow] or glucose utilization when the EEG is flat. Their are deep brain areas involved in generating memories that might still operate at some very reduced level during cardiac arrest, but of course any subcortically generated activity can’t be brought to consciousness without at least one functioning cerebral hemisphere. So even if there were some way that NDEs were generated during the hypoxic state [while the brain is shut off from oxygen], you would not experience them until reperfusion [blood flow] allowed you to dream them or wake up and talk about them”,
4.) All neurophysiological and psychological models fail to explain any of the evidence above. As much as it hurts materialist's like "Dr. Steven Novella" to admit it the evidence is very straightforward and precise to ignore and avoid the evidence above, for nde/obe is only avoiding the facts that are clearly there.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Dr. Steven Novella Got it Wrong!!!
Dr. Steven Novella says near death experiences and out of body experiences can be explained soley of what is going on in the brain. An excellent rebuttal to Dr. Steven Novella's comments on nde's and obe's can be found here.
http://www.skeptiko.com/critique-of-skeptics-guide-249/
http://www.skeptiko.com/critique-of-skeptics-guide-249/
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Rebuttal to Sceptico not Skeptiko
There was a post i have come across where the poster said this blog is "Sceptico not Skeptiko" which is the podcast i often post about. I like to rebut him or her with this statement he made.
I will put his words in bold Explore the possibility that the existing materialistic paradigm might be overturned (and may already be at a tipping poin).
Standard woo. And complete drivel.
This is a common skeptical tactic to call a statement you don't agree with woo. Of course, this poster is certain that materialism is correct and no evidence is going to overturn his viewpoint.
This poster has his own woo handbook which he thinks best describes woo woos this is obviously the best he/her can do. Coming up with tactics that woo woos use he thinks is a way for him not to argue at all. How arrogant is that?.
I will put his words in bold Explore the possibility that the existing materialistic paradigm might be overturned (and may already be at a tipping poin).
Standard woo. And complete drivel.
This is a common skeptical tactic to call a statement you don't agree with woo. Of course, this poster is certain that materialism is correct and no evidence is going to overturn his viewpoint.
This poster has his own woo handbook which he thinks best describes woo woos this is obviously the best he/her can do. Coming up with tactics that woo woos use he thinks is a way for him not to argue at all. How arrogant is that?.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Dr. Jeffery Long Takes On Critic Of NDE's Being An Afterlife Phenomenon Dr. George Woerlee
Dr. Jeffery Long shows skeptic Dr. George Woerlee arguments are not valid when closely examined.
http://www.skeptiko.com/
http://www.skeptiko.com/
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Near-Death Experience Skeptic, Dr. G.M. Woerlee Takes Aim at Dr. Jeffrey Long’s, Evidence of the Afterlife
Another excellent skeptiko podcast host Alex Tskaris gets into a discussion with skeptic anesthesiologist G.M. Woerlee. In this 90 minute interview Woerlee attempts too refute nine lines of evidence that Dr. Jeffery Long believes support the survival hypothesis and are not a naturalistic/biological phenomenon. After watching this recent podcast i will say that anesthesiologist G.M. Woerlee has some good points, one of those good points is how can a immaterial soul hear and see things around them when they have a flat EEG?. My answer would be that the immaterial soul uses the senses as the the physical body used but those senses are now greatly enhanced.
You can watch the interview here.
Another argument he used is that heart massage brings back patients who are on the brink of death.
The problem with this is that their are a lot of cases where the patient has a out of body experience and doesn't feel any pain from the cardiac massage. This strongly suggests that they are different from the cases that are also well known where patients don't have out of body experiences but feel pain after receiving cardiac massage.
He also says that drugs, anoxia etc account for all near death and out of body experiences.
I disagree, their possible explanations but they all come up short explaining the entire phenomena. A good theory accounts for all of the phenomena not just some of it.
http://www.skeptiko.com/
A commenter who goes under the name Fedde said the perceiving part could be a form of ESP, yes it could be that certainly is another possible explanation. Even though i don't give much attention to the Super ESP hypothesis it nevertheless is a possible alternative explanation. Their is another possible explanation however too and this explanation would be that both hypotheses are true that survival and Super ESP but occur. That the soul uses ESP to hear and see things around it.
You can watch the interview here.
Another argument he used is that heart massage brings back patients who are on the brink of death.
The problem with this is that their are a lot of cases where the patient has a out of body experience and doesn't feel any pain from the cardiac massage. This strongly suggests that they are different from the cases that are also well known where patients don't have out of body experiences but feel pain after receiving cardiac massage.
He also says that drugs, anoxia etc account for all near death and out of body experiences.
I disagree, their possible explanations but they all come up short explaining the entire phenomena. A good theory accounts for all of the phenomena not just some of it.
http://www.skeptiko.com/
A commenter who goes under the name Fedde said the perceiving part could be a form of ESP, yes it could be that certainly is another possible explanation. Even though i don't give much attention to the Super ESP hypothesis it nevertheless is a possible alternative explanation. Their is another possible explanation however too and this explanation would be that both hypotheses are true that survival and Super ESP but occur. That the soul uses ESP to hear and see things around it.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Science Of The Afterlife
A great new book is now out it is now a New York best seller discussing nine lines of evidence that support the reality that near death experiences are indeed linked to an afterlife. Dr. Jeffery Long i commend you on your bravery on challenging naturalism with evidence that shows that naturalism is probably false.
Listen to the skeptiko interview where Dr. Jeffery Long discusses the evidence for near death experiences.
http://www.skeptiko.com/94-jeffrey-long-near-death-experience-research/
Also i like to discuss too i recent video i listened too a closer to truth video where Robert Lawrence Kuhn interview scientist Robert Parker. Robert says a number of things that i like to discuss here.
He mentions first, " People want to believe and it's easy to fool them"
This is a good statement but one where i would say Robert is using an argument such as for example well kids want to believe santa claus really exists but of course he doesn't. The problem is this argument sounds very good at first but once you dissect it you find that it's very weak in nature. The reason why people believe in an afterlife it's not because simply they want it too be so. Of course, i can't say that for everyone but at least some people hold to the view that an afterlife is probably true based on their research and assessment of the evidence.
Next he says, "They get debunked over and over again the same claims"
Just because they get debunked doesn't mean the debunker himself is making an fair assessment of what is really going on. Yes sometimes the debunker does but other times not.
He says, "There's are a hint of an afterlife", you are not going to be reunited with your loved ones".
This is where Robert should first do some research into psychical research and parapsychology on this own then come back and see if his view changes any.
"Nothing is ever verifiable"
WRONG, do some research into psychical research and you will soon find out their is a ton of verifiable information.
"It's manipulation"
True that religions have manipulated people to follow a certain set of rules, every religion has a different set of rules. This of course, makes it seem obvious that any afterlife view is sure manipulation.
Listen to the skeptiko interview where Dr. Jeffery Long discusses the evidence for near death experiences.
http://www.skeptiko.com/94-jeffrey-long-near-death-experience-research/
Also i like to discuss too i recent video i listened too a closer to truth video where Robert Lawrence Kuhn interview scientist Robert Parker. Robert says a number of things that i like to discuss here.
He mentions first, " People want to believe and it's easy to fool them"
This is a good statement but one where i would say Robert is using an argument such as for example well kids want to believe santa claus really exists but of course he doesn't. The problem is this argument sounds very good at first but once you dissect it you find that it's very weak in nature. The reason why people believe in an afterlife it's not because simply they want it too be so. Of course, i can't say that for everyone but at least some people hold to the view that an afterlife is probably true based on their research and assessment of the evidence.
Next he says, "They get debunked over and over again the same claims"
Just because they get debunked doesn't mean the debunker himself is making an fair assessment of what is really going on. Yes sometimes the debunker does but other times not.
He says, "There's are a hint of an afterlife", you are not going to be reunited with your loved ones".
This is where Robert should first do some research into psychical research and parapsychology on this own then come back and see if his view changes any.
"Nothing is ever verifiable"
WRONG, do some research into psychical research and you will soon find out their is a ton of verifiable information.
"It's manipulation"
True that religions have manipulated people to follow a certain set of rules, every religion has a different set of rules. This of course, makes it seem obvious that any afterlife view is sure manipulation.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!
I like to wish all of the readers reading this blog a very merry christmas and a happy new year. May you all enjoy the holiday season.
A little side note: I watched the lastest skeptiko podcast where scientist Michael Persinger was on. He mentioned how scientists must test for the supposed theory that the brain generates consciousness and the mind. I would say to he is wrong on this point we need to test for both theories [ Brain generates consciousness, mind], Brain receives or is a transceiver consciousness and mind].
A little side note: I watched the lastest skeptiko podcast where scientist Michael Persinger was on. He mentioned how scientists must test for the supposed theory that the brain generates consciousness and the mind. I would say to he is wrong on this point we need to test for both theories [ Brain generates consciousness, mind], Brain receives or is a transceiver consciousness and mind].
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
My Birthday Tommorrow
Hehe pretty excited turning 25 years old tommorrow!!!. As a side note their is another new podcast that has been created by Alex Tsakaris.
http://www.skeptiko.com/
Also their is a survey being conducted by Rosemary Breen on paranormal experiences. Go here is your interested in filling out the survey.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=9um2Ui2VCxA0pU5TKzfQ5w_3d_3d
http://www.skeptiko.com/
Also their is a survey being conducted by Rosemary Breen on paranormal experiences. Go here is your interested in filling out the survey.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=9um2Ui2VCxA0pU5TKzfQ5w_3d_3d
Friday, July 24, 2009
Skeptic Zone Host, Richard Saunders
Alex Tskaris founder of skeptiko podcast interviews Richard Saunders host of the Skeptic Zone. Richard Saunders discusses current issues that are in the "skeptical community".
http://www.skeptiko.com/79-skeptic-zone-host-richard-saunders/
http://www.skeptiko.com/79-skeptic-zone-host-richard-saunders/
Friday, May 15, 2009
Very Interesting New Skeptiko Podcast Featuring Michael Schmicker, Best Evidence For Psi
Michael Schmicker, Best Evidence of PSI
Guest: Michael Schmicker, Author of, Best Evidence: An Investigative Reporter’s Three-Year Quest to Uncover the Best Scientific Evidence for ESP, Psychokinesis, Mental Healing, Ghosts and Poltergeists, Dowsing, Mediums, Near Death Experiences, Reincarnation, and Other Impossible Phenomena That Refuse to Disappear.
Watch here
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=82
Guest: Michael Schmicker, Author of, Best Evidence: An Investigative Reporter’s Three-Year Quest to Uncover the Best Scientific Evidence for ESP, Psychokinesis, Mental Healing, Ghosts and Poltergeists, Dowsing, Mediums, Near Death Experiences, Reincarnation, and Other Impossible Phenomena That Refuse to Disappear.
Watch here
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=82
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Guy Harrison, 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God
Skeptiko has another podcast this time, guest Guy P. Harrison, author of, 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God.
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=81
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=81
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Psychic Detective Smackdown, Ben Radford
Psychic Detective Smackdown, Ben Radford
Guests: Ben Radford of The Skeptical Inquirer, psychic detective Nancy Weber, police Captain Jim Moore, and NJ State Police Lieutenant Bill Hughes wrap up their discussion of the Amy Hoffman murder investigation.
You can watch it here
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=80
Guests: Ben Radford of The Skeptical Inquirer, psychic detective Nancy Weber, police Captain Jim Moore, and NJ State Police Lieutenant Bill Hughes wrap up their discussion of the Amy Hoffman murder investigation.
You can watch it here
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=80
Thursday, April 2, 2009
New Skeptiko Podcast
Psychic Detective, Vicki Warren
Guest: Vicki Warren, Psychic Detective and author of Coffee, Doughnuts and God.
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=79
Guest: Vicki Warren, Psychic Detective and author of Coffee, Doughnuts and God.
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=79
Monday, March 16, 2009
Greg Taylor Creator Of Popular Website The Daily Grail On Skeptiko
Greg Taylor, of The Daily Grail on the New Skeptics
Guest: Greg Taylor, creator of the popular paranormal website The Daily Grail.
Go here to check out this excellent interview.
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=78
Guest: Greg Taylor, creator of the popular paranormal website The Daily Grail.
Go here to check out this excellent interview.
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=78
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
New Skeptiko Podcast
It's called 13 things that don't make sense, Michael Brooks.
Guest: Michael Brooks, science journalist and author of 13 Things That Don’t Make Sense: The Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries of Our Time.
Micheal’s blog post on his dialog with Rupert Sheldrake
http://www.michaelbrooks.org/blog/post/2009/01/27/I-never-knew-I-was-a-skeptic-till.aspx
Go here to check out this podcast
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=77
Guest: Michael Brooks, science journalist and author of 13 Things That Don’t Make Sense: The Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries of Our Time.
Micheal’s blog post on his dialog with Rupert Sheldrake
http://www.michaelbrooks.org/blog/post/2009/01/27/I-never-knew-I-was-a-skeptic-till.aspx
Go here to check out this podcast
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=77
Friday, February 27, 2009
New Skeptiko Podcast
Psychic Medium John Holland
Guest: John Holland, renown psychic medium and author of Power of the Soul.
You can check it out here
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=76
Guest: John Holland, renown psychic medium and author of Power of the Soul.
You can check it out here
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=76
Friday, January 9, 2009
More evidence for Mental Mediumship
According to podcaster Alex Tsakaris, he has started doing trials on mediums and skeptic cold readers. The results so far appear to show strong statistical evidence for mediums sorta confirming previous research such as the cross correspondences, showing what they are doing anamalous cognition. An recent interview which was done by Alex Tskaris he interviews Michael Tymn afterlife researcher on skeptiko. Trial 3 is apparently underway.
http://www.mediumexperiment.com/trial3/survey.php?sid=52CC57
Guest: Michael Tymn author of the new book, The Articulate Dead, discusses the history of mediumship and the scientific research surrounding the topic.
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=72
http://www.mediumexperiment.com/trial3/survey.php?sid=52CC57
Guest: Michael Tymn author of the new book, The Articulate Dead, discusses the history of mediumship and the scientific research surrounding the topic.
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=72
Monday, November 3, 2008
New Skeptiko Podcast
Here's another new skeptiko podcast
Dr. Jon Klimo on Channeling and Consciousness
Guest: Dr. Jon Klimo, discusses his 30 plus years of research into channeling and other unexplained aspects of human consciousness.
You can watch it here
Enjoy
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=67
Dr. Jon Klimo on Channeling and Consciousness
Guest: Dr. Jon Klimo, discusses his 30 plus years of research into channeling and other unexplained aspects of human consciousness.
You can watch it here
Enjoy
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=67
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Interesting Case And New Skeptiko Podcast
You can read about it here
Dead woman wakes up after 17 hours with no brain activity!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1021818/The-mother-came-dead--minutes-life-support-machine-turned-OFF.html
Also another new skeptiko podcast by Alex Tskaris
Titled: Noreen Renier, Psychic Detectives and Skeptics
Guest: Noreen Renier, discusses her work as a psychic detective and adds new information to the skeptical investigation of Ben Radford in The Skeptical Inquirer.
“You’ve got to realize, the police are very skeptical. They’re not going to give me any clues or information. Of course, they don’t know where he is. But, no, they give me nothing, and I don’t need anything. I mean, I’m really am a psychic, and this is my job.”—Noreen Renier
Check it out here
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=64
Dead woman wakes up after 17 hours with no brain activity!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1021818/The-mother-came-dead--minutes-life-support-machine-turned-OFF.html
Also another new skeptiko podcast by Alex Tskaris
Titled: Noreen Renier, Psychic Detectives and Skeptics
Guest: Noreen Renier, discusses her work as a psychic detective and adds new information to the skeptical investigation of Ben Radford in The Skeptical Inquirer.
“You’ve got to realize, the police are very skeptical. They’re not going to give me any clues or information. Of course, they don’t know where he is. But, no, they give me nothing, and I don’t need anything. I mean, I’m really am a psychic, and this is my job.”—Noreen Renier
Check it out here
http://www.skeptiko.com/index.php?id=64
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