Part of a series of articles on the Paranormal
Main articles
Paranormal · Forteana Cryptozoology · Supernatural Ghosts · Psychics Remote viewing · Clairvoyance Extra-sensory perception Near-death experience Precognition · Psychokinesis Psychometry · Telepathy Apparitional experience Parapsychology Haunted locations UFOs · UFO sightings Paranormal UFO explanations Paranormal fiction Ghost hunting · Folklore
Skepticism
Committee for Skeptical Inquiry Debunking · Hoaxes Cold reading · Magical thinking James Randi Educational Foundation Paranormal challenges
Related science articles
Anomalous phenomena Fringe science · Pseudoscience Protoscience · Falsifiability Scientific method
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Paranormal is an umbrella term used to describe unusual phenomena or experiences that lack an obvious scientific explanation. Cryptozoology (from Greek κρυπτός kruptos, "hidden" + Zoology; literally "study of hidden animals" is the study of and search The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events A ghost is said to be the apparition of a Deceased person frequently similar in appearance to that person and usually encountered in places she or he frequented The word psychic (ˈsaɪkɨk from the Greek psychikos—"of the soul mental" refers to the claimed ability to perceive things hidden from the normal senses Remote Viewing (RV refers to the attempt to gather information about a distant or unseen target using paranormal means or Extra-sensory perception. Clairvoyance (from 17th century French with clair meaning "clear" and voyance meaning "visibility" is the apparent ability to gain Extrasensory perception (ESP is the apparent ability to acquire information by Paranormal means independent of any known physical Senses or deduction from previous Precognition (from the Latin præ- “prior to” + cognitio “a getting to know” denotes a form of Extrasensory perception where in a person is said to perceive The term psychokinesis (from the Greek ψυχή, "psyche" meaning mind soul heart or breath; and κίνησις, "kinesis" Psychometry ( Greek: ψυχή psukhē, "spirit soul" + μέτρον metron, "measure" is a form of Extra-sensory perception Telepathy ( Greek τηλε tele meaning "distant" and πάθεια patheia meaning "to be affected by" describes the purported transfer In Psychology and Parapsychology, an apparitional experience is an anomalous quasi-perceptual experience Parapsychology is a discipline that seeks to demonstrate the existence and causes of Psychic abilities and life after death using the Scientific method This is a list of UFO sightings including cases of alleged alien sightings and abductions. There has been a fair amount of crossover between Paranormal events and Unidentified Flying Objects. This page deals with fictional books television radio and movies that are predominantly paranormal-based Ghost hunting is the process of investigating locations said to be haunted. History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological In ordinary usage skepticism or scepticism ( Greek 'σκέπτομαι' skeptomai, to look about to consider see also spelling differences The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry ( CSI) formerly known as the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal ( CSICOP) is a A debunker is an individual who discredits and exposes claims as being false exaggerated unscientific or pretentious A hoax is a deliberate attempt to Dupe, Deceive or trick an audience into believing or accepting that something is real when in fact it is not or that Cold reading is a technique used by mentalists and fortune tellers, Psychics and mediums to determine details about another person in order to In Anthropology, Psychology, and Cognitive science, magical thinking is nonscientific causal reasoning that often includes such ideas as the ability of The James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale Florida Non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and In 1922 Scientific American offered two US $2500 offers (1 for the first authentic spirit photograph made under test conditions and (2 for the first psychic to produce Fringe science is scientific Inquiry in an established Field of study which departs significantly from Mainstream or Orthodox Pseudoscience is defined as a body of knowledge methodology belief or practice that is claimed to be Scientific or made to appear scientific but does not adhere to the Protoscience refers to historical philosophical disciplines which existed prior to the development of Scientific method, which allowed them to develop into Science Falsifiability (or "refutability" is the logical possibility that an assertion can be shown false by an observation or a physical experiment Scientific method refers to bodies of Techniques for investigating phenomena An umbrella term is a word that provides a Superset or grouping of related concepts also called a Hypernym. ^[1] In parapsychology, it is used to describe the ostensibly psychic phenomena of telepathy, extra-sensory perception, psychokinesis, ghosts, and hauntings. Parapsychology is a discipline that seeks to demonstrate the existence and causes of Psychic abilities and life after death using the Scientific method The word psychic (ˈsaɪkɨk from the Greek psychikos—"of the soul mental" refers to the claimed ability to perceive things hidden from the normal senses Telepathy ( Greek τηλε tele meaning "distant" and πάθεια patheia meaning "to be affected by" describes the purported transfer Extrasensory perception (ESP is the apparent ability to acquire information by Paranormal means independent of any known physical Senses or deduction from previous The term psychokinesis (from the Greek ψυχή, "psyche" meaning mind soul heart or breath; and κίνησις, "kinesis" A ghost is said to be the apparition of a Deceased person frequently similar in appearance to that person and usually encountered in places she or he frequented The term is also applied to UFOs, some creatures that fall under the scope of cryptozoology, purported phenomena surrounding the Bermuda Triangle, and other non-psychical subjects. Cryptozoology (from Greek κρυπτός kruptos, "hidden" + Zoology; literally "study of hidden animals" is the study of and search The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's Triangle, is a region of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean in which a number of Aircraft and surface ^[2] Stories relating to paranormal phenomena are widespread in popular culture and folklore, but some organisations such as the United States National Science Foundation have stated that mainstream science "does not support" paranormal "beliefs". Popular culture (or pop culture) is the Culture — patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance — History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The National Science Foundation (NSF is a United States Government agency that supports fundamental Research and Education in all the non-medical Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding ^[3]

Contents 1 Paranormal research 1.1 Anecdotal approach 1.2 Experimental approach 1.3 Participant-observer approach 1.4 Debunking approach 1.5 Survey approach 2 Belief polls 3 Paranormal subjects 3.1 Ghosts 3.2 UFOs 4 Paranormal challenges 5 Etymology 6 See also 7 References

Paranormal research

Approaching paranormal phenomena from a research perspective is often difficult because even when the phenomena are seen as real they may be difficult to explain using existing rules or theory. By definition, paranormal phenomena exist outside of conventional norms. Skeptics contend that they don't exist at all. In ordinary usage skepticism or scepticism ( Greek 'σκέπτομαι' skeptomai, to look about to consider see also spelling differences Despite this challenge, studies on the paranormal are periodically conducted by researchers from various disciplines. Some researchers study just the beliefs in paranormal phenomena regardless of whether the phenomena actually exist. Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a Proposition or Premise to be true

This section deals with various approaches to the paranormal including those scientific, pseudoscientific, and unscientific. Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Pseudoscience is defined as a body of knowledge methodology belief or practice that is claimed to be Scientific or made to appear scientific but does not adhere to the Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Skeptics feel that supposed scientific approaches are actually pseudoscientific for several reasons which are explored below. In ordinary usage skepticism or scepticism ( Greek 'σκέπτομαι' skeptomai, to look about to consider see also spelling differences Pseudoscience is defined as a body of knowledge methodology belief or practice that is claimed to be Scientific or made to appear scientific but does not adhere to the ^[4]

Anecdotal approach

An anecdotal approach to the paranormal involves the collection of anecdotal evidence consisting of informal accounts. The expression anecdotal evidence has two quite distinct meanings Anecdotal evidence, lacking the rigour of empirical evidence, is not amenable to scientific investigation. A central concept in Science and the Scientific method is that all Evidence must be empirical, or empirically based that is dependent on evidence Scientific method refers to bodies of Techniques for investigating phenomena The anecdotal approach is not a scientific approach to the paranormal because it leaves verification dependent on the credibility of the party presenting the evidence. It is also subject to such logical fallacies as cognitive bias, inductive reasoning, lack of falsifiability, and other fallacies that may prevent the anecdote from having meaningful information to impart. A fallacy is a component of an Argument which being demonstrably flawed in its Logic or form renders the argument invalid in whole For an article about the conceptual problems of the mind see Cognitive closure (philosophy. Induction or inductive reasoning, sometimes called inductive logic, is the process of Reasoning in which the premises of an argument are believed Falsifiability (or "refutability" is the logical possibility that an assertion can be shown false by an observation or a physical experiment A fallacy is a component of an Argument which being demonstrably flawed in its Logic or form renders the argument invalid in whole For other uses see Anecdota. For a comparison of anecdote with other kinds of stories see Myth legend fairy tale and fable. Nevertheless, it is a common approach to paranormal phenomena.

Charles Fort (1874 – 1932) is perhaps the best known collector of paranormal anecdotes. Charles Hoy Fort ( 6 August, 1874 &ndash 3 May, 1932) was a Dutch-American writer and researcher into anomalous phenomena For other uses see Anecdota. For a comparison of anecdote with other kinds of stories see Myth legend fairy tale and fable. Fort is said to have compiled as many as 40,000 notes on unexplained phenomena, though there were no doubt many more than these. These notes came from what he called "the orthodox conventionality of Science", which were odd events originally reported in magazines and newspapers such as The Times and scientific journals such as Scientific American, Nature and Science. The Times is a daily national Newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. For a broader class of publications which include scientific journals see Academic journal. Scientific American is a Popular science magazine, published (first weekly and later monthly since August 28, 1845, making it Nature is a prominent Scientific journal, first published on 4 November 1869 Science is the Academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is considered one of the world's most prestigious Scientific From this research Fort wrote seven books, though only four survive. These are: The Book of the Damned (1919), New Lands (1923), Lo! (1931) and Wild Talents (1932); one book was written between New Lands and Lo! but it was abandoned and absorbed into Lo!. The Book of the Damned was the first published Nonfiction work of the author Charles Fort (first edition 1919 New Lands was the second nonfiction book of the author Charles Fort, written in 1925 Lo! was the third published Nonfiction work of the author Charles Fort (first edition 1931) Wild Talents is the fourth and final Nonfiction book written by Paranormal Author Charles Fort, published in 1932.

Reported events that he collected include teleportation (a term Fort is generally credited with coining); poltergeist events, falls of frogs, fishes, inorganic materials of an amazing range; crop circles; unaccountable noises and explosions; spontaneous fires; levitation; ball lightning (a term explicitly used by Fort); unidentified flying objects; mysterious appearances and disappearances; giant wheels of light in the oceans; and animals found outside their normal ranges (see phantom cat). Teleportation is the movement of objects from one place to another more or less instantaneously either by Paranormal means or through technological artifice (from German poltern, meaning to rumble or make noise and Geist, meaning " Ghost ", " Spirit " Crop circles are patterns created by the flattening of crops such as Wheat, Barley, Rapeseed (also called "canola" Rye Spontaneous combustion is a type of Combustion which occurs without an external ignition source Levitation (from Latin levitas "lightness" is the process by which an object is suspended against Gravity, in a stable position Ball lightning is an atmospheric electrical phenomenon the physical nature of which is still Controversial. Phantom Cats also known as Alien Big Cats (ABCs are a phenomenon of a number of countries and states including Britain, Australia, New Zealand He offered many reports of OOPArts, abbreviation for "out of place" artifacts: strange items found in unlikely locations. An out-of-place artifact ( OOPArt) is a term coined by American zoologist Ivan T He also is perhaps the first person to explain strange human appearances and disappearances by the hypothesis of alien abduction, and was an early proponent of the extraterrestrial hypothesis. Alien Discussions Proceedings of the Abduction Study Conference. The extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH is the Hypothesis that some UFOs are best explained as being creatures or space aliens from other planets

Fort is considered by many as the father of modern paranormalism, which is the study of paranormal phenomena.

The magazine Fortean Times continues Charles Forte's approach, regularly reporting anecdotal accounts of anomalous phenomena. Fortean Times - "The World of Strange Phenomena" - is a British monthly Magazine devoted to the anomalous phenomena popularised

Experimental approach

Main article: Parapsychology

Experimental investigation of the paranormal is largely conducted in the multidisciplinary field of parapsychology. Parapsychology is a discipline that seeks to demonstrate the existence and causes of Psychic abilities and life after death using the Scientific method Parapsychology is a discipline that seeks to demonstrate the existence and causes of Psychic abilities and life after death using the Scientific method Although parapsychology has its roots in earlier research, it began using the experimental approach in the 1930s under the direction of J. B. Rhine (1895 – 1980). Joseph Banks Rhine ( September 29, 1895 &ndash February 20, 1980) (usually known as J ^[5] Rhine popularized the now famous methodology of using card-guessing and dice-rolling experiments in a laboratory in the hopes of finding a statistical validation of extra-sensory perception. Extrasensory perception (ESP is the apparent ability to acquire information by Paranormal means independent of any known physical Senses or deduction from previous ^[5]

In 1957, the Parapsychological Association was formed as the preeminent society for parapsychologists. The Parapsychological Association was formed in 1957 as a professional society for parapsychologists following an initiative by J Parapsychology is a discipline that seeks to demonstrate the existence and causes of Psychic abilities and life after death using the Scientific method In 1969, they became affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (or AAAS) is an organization that promotes cooperation between Scientists defends scientific freedom encourages That affiliation, along with a general openness to psychic and occult phenomena in the 1970s, led to a decade of increased parapsychological research. ^[5] During this time, other notable organizations were also formed, including the Academy of Parapsychology and Medicine (1970), the Institute of Parascience (1971), the Academy of Religion and Psychical Research, the Institute for Noetic Sciences (1973), and the International Kirlian Research Association (1975). Each of these groups performed experiments on paranormal subjects to varying degrees. Parapsychological work was also conducted at the Stanford Research Institute during this time. SRI International, based in the United States is one of the world's largest contract Research institutes. ^[5]

With the increase in parapsychological investigation, there came an increase in opposition to both the findings of parapsychologists and the granting of any formal recognition of the field. Criticisms of the field were focused in the founding of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (1976), now called the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, and its periodical, Skeptical Inquirer. The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry ( CSI) formerly known as the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal ( CSICOP) is a The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry ( CSI) formerly known as the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal ( CSICOP) is a ^[5]

As astronomer Carl Sagan put it, "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence"^[6], and experimental research into the paranormal continues today, though it has waned considerably since the 1970s. Carl Edward Sagan ( November 9 1934 &ndash December 20 1996) was an American Astronomer, astrochemist, author ^[7] One such experiment is called the Ganzfeld Experiment. The purpose of the Ganzfeld Experiment, like other parapsychological experiments, is to test for statistical anomalies that might suggest the existence of psi, a process indicating psychic phenomena. Psi is a term from Parapsychology derived from the Greek, ψ psi twenty-third letter of the Greek alphabet; from the Greek ψυχή ^[8] In the Ganzfeld Experiment, a subject (receiver) is asked to access through psychic means some target. The word psychic (ˈsaɪkɨk from the Greek psychikos—"of the soul mental" refers to the claimed ability to perceive things hidden from the normal senses The target is typically a picture or video clip selected randomly from a large pool, which is then viewed in a remote location by another subject (sender). Ganzfeld experiments use audio and visual sensory deprivation to remove any kind of external stimulus that may interfere with the testing or corrupt the test by providing cues to correct targets. Sensory deprivation is the deliberate reduction or removal of stimuli from one or more of the senses A 'hit' refers to a correctly identified target. The expected hit ratio of such a trial is 1 in 4, or 25%. ^[8] Deviations from this expected ratio might be seen as evidence for psi, although such conclusions are often disputed. Psi is a term from Parapsychology derived from the Greek, ψ psi twenty-third letter of the Greek alphabet; from the Greek ψυχή ^[9] To date there have been no experimental results that have gained wide acceptance in the scientific community as valid evidence of paranormal phenomena. ^[7]

Participant-observer approach

While parapsychologists look for quantitative evidence of the paranormal in laboratories, a great number of people immerse themselves in qualitative research through participant-observer approaches to the paranormal. Quantitative research is the systematic scientific investigation of Quantitative properties and Phenomena and their relationships The objective of quantitative Qualitative research is a field of inquiry that crosscuts disciplines and subject matters. Participant observation is a set of Research strategies which aim to gain a close and intimate familiarity with a given group of individuals (such as a religious occupational Participant-observer methodologies have overlaps with other essentially qualitative approaches as well, including phenomenological research that seeks largely to describe subjects as they are experienced, rather than to explain them. ^[10]

Participant-observation suggests that by immersing oneself in the subject being studied, a researcher is presumed to gain understanding of the subject. Participant observation is a set of Research strategies which aim to gain a close and intimate familiarity with a given group of individuals (such as a religious occupational In paranormal research, a participant-observer study might consist of a researcher visiting a place where alleged paranormal activity is said to occur and recording observations while there. Participation levels may vary. In studying a supposedly haunted location, for example, the researcher may conduct a séance or participate in other activities said to cause paranormal activity. A séance (ˈsay-ons is an attempt to communicate with spirits The word " séance " comes from the French word for "seat" "session"

Criticisms of participant-observation as a data-gathering technique are similar to criticisms of other approaches to the paranormal, but also include an increased threat to the objectivity of the researcher, unsystematic gathering of data, reliance on subjective measurement, and possible observer effects (observation may distort the observed behavior). "n objective account is one which attempts to capture the nature of the object studied in a way that does not depend on any features of the particular subject who studies it ^[11] Specific data gathering methods, such as recording EMF readings at haunted locations have their own criticisms beyond those attributed to the participant-observation approach itself. The electromagnetic field is a physical field produced by electrically charged objects.

The participant-observer approach to the paranormal has gained increased visibility and popularity through reality-based television shows like Ghost Hunters, and the formation of independent ghost hunting groups which advocate immersive research at alleged paranormal locations. Reality television is a genre of Television programming which presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations documents actual events and usually features ordinary For other uses of the name see Ghosthunters (disambiguation. Ghost Hunters is a Reality television series featuring Ghost hunting is the process of investigating locations said to be haunted. One popular website for ghost hunting enthusiasts lists over 300 of these organizations throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[12]

Debunking approach

Main article: Debunking

The debunking approach is a response to claims of paranormal phenomena, and consists of finding a "normal" explanation instead of a paranormal one to account for the claims. A debunker is an individual who discredits and exposes claims as being false exaggerated unscientific or pretentious The basis for this approach is Occam's razor, which suggests that the simplest solution is the best one. Occam's razor (sometimes spelled Ockham's razor) is a principle attributed to the 14th-century English Logician and Franciscan Friar, ^[13] Since standard scientific models generally predict what can be expected in the natural world, the debunking approach presumes that what appears to be paranormal is necessarily a misinterpretation of natural phenomena, rather than an actual anomalous phenomenon. Scientific modelling is the process of generating abstract, conceptual, Graphical and or mathematical models. In Science, the term natural science refers to a naturalistic approach to the study of the Universe, which is understood as obeying rules or law of In contrast to the skeptical position, which requires claims to be proven, the debunking approach actively seeks to disprove the claims. In ordinary usage skepticism or scepticism ( Greek 'σκέπτομαι' skeptomai, to look about to consider see also spelling differences ^[14]

The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, formerly the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), is an organisation that aims to publicise the skeptical approach. The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry ( CSI) formerly known as the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal ( CSICOP) is a It carries out investigations aimed at debunking paranormal reports, and publishes its results in its journal the Skeptical Inquirer. The Skeptical Inquirer is a bimonthly American Magazine published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI with the subtitle

Former stage magician, James Randi, is a well-known debunker of paranormal claims^[15] and a prominent member of CSICOP. James Randi (born August 7 1928 (stage name The Amazing Randi) is a stage magician and scientific skeptic best known as a challenger of Paranormal As a skeptic with a background in illusion, Randi feels that the simplest explanation for those claiming paranormal abilities is trickery, illustrated by demonstrating that the spoon bending abilities of psychic Uri Geller can easily be duplicated by trained magicians. In Mythology, and in the study of Folklore and Religion, a trickster is a God, Goddess, spirit, man woman or anthropomorphic Spoon bending is the apparent deformation of objects especially metal Cutlery, either without physical force or with less force than normally necessary Uri Geller (אורי גלר born György Gellér ( Hungarian name December 20, 1946) is an Israeli British performer ^[16] He is also the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation and its famous million dollar challenge offering a prize of US $1,000,000 to anyone who can demonstrate evidence of any paranormal, supernatural or occult power or event, under test conditions agreed to by both parties. The James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale Florida Non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and The James Randi Educational Foundation ( JREF) is a Fort Lauderdale Florida Non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden" ^[17]

An alternative to debunking is found in the field of anomalistics. Anomalistics is the use of Scientific methods to evaluate Anomalies (phenomona that fall outside of current understanding with the aim of finding a rational Anomalistics differs from debunking in that debunking works on the premise that something is either a misidentified instance of something known to science, or that it is a hoax, while anomalistics works on the premise that something may be either of the above, or something that can be rationalized using an as yet unexplored avenue of science. ^{[18][19] [20]}

Survey approach

While the validity of the existence of paranormal phenomena is controversial and debated passionately by both proponents of the paranormal and by skeptics, surveys are useful in determining the beliefs of people in regards to paranormal phenomena. The term validity (also called logical truth, analytic truth, or necessary truth) as it occurs in Logic refers generally to a property of In ordinary usage skepticism or scepticism ( Greek 'σκέπτομαι' skeptomai, to look about to consider see also spelling differences These opinions, while not constituting scientific evidence for or against, may give an indication of the mindset of a certain portion of the population (at least among those who answered the polls).

Belief polls

One such survey of the beliefs of the general United States population regarding paranormal topics was conducted by the Gallup Organization in 2005. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Gallup Organization provides a variety of Management consulting, human resources and statistical research services Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[21] The survey found that 73 percent of those polled believed in at least one of the ten paranormal items presented in the survey.

Items included in the survey were as follows (the percentage of respondents who indicated that they believed in the phenomenon is in parenthesis): Extrasensory perception (41%), haunted houses (37%), ghosts (32%), telepathy (31%), clairvoyance (26%), astrology (25%), communication with the dead (21%), witches (21%), reincarnation (20%), and channeling spiritual entities (9%). Extrasensory perception (ESP is the apparent ability to acquire information by Paranormal means independent of any known physical Senses or deduction from previous A haunted house is defined as a house that is believed to be a center for Supernatural occurrences or Paranormal phenomena A ghost is said to be the apparition of a Deceased person frequently similar in appearance to that person and usually encountered in places she or he frequented Telepathy ( Greek τηλε tele meaning "distant" and πάθεια patheia meaning "to be affected by" describes the purported transfer Clairvoyance (from 17th century French with clair meaning "clear" and voyance meaning "visibility" is the apparent ability to gain Astrology (from Greek grc ἄστρον astron, "constellation star" and grc -λογία -logia) is a group of Systems Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers Mediumship is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Louisiana Voodoo, and

Only one percent of those surveyed believed in all ten items.

The items selected for the survey were chosen because they "require the belief that humans have more than the 'normal' five senses. "

Another survey conducted in 2006 by researchers from Australia's Monash University^[22] sought to determine what types of phenomena people claim to have experienced and the effects these experiences have had on their lives. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Monash University is a Public university based in Melbourne, Australia. The study was conducted as an online survey with over 2,000 respondents from around the world participating. The results revealed that around 70% of the respondents believe to have had an unexplained paranormal event that changed their life, mostly in a positive way. About 70% also claimed to have seen, heard, or been touched by an animal or person that they knew was not there; 80% have reported having a premonition, and almost 50% stated they recalled a previous life. Premonition refers to a situation when future events are foreknown or forecast or foretelling ^[22]

Polls were conducted by Bryan Farha at Oklahoma City University and Gary Steward of the University of Central Oklahoma in 2006, and compared to the results of a Gallup poll in 2001. Oklahoma City University, abbreviated OCU, is a Coeducational, urban private University located in Oklahoma City, in the Midtown The University of Central Oklahoma, often referred to as UCO, is a four year Coeducational public University located in Edmond, Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Gallup Poll is the division of Gallup that regularly conducts public Opinion polls in the United States and more than 140 countries around the world ^[23] They found fairly consistent results.

Percentage of Americans polled

	belief	not sure	belief	not sure
	Farha-Steward		Gallup
psychic/spiritual healing	56	26	54	19
ESP	28	39	50	20
haunted houses	40	25	42	16
demonic possession	40	28	41	16
ghosts/spirits of the dead	39	27	38	17
telepathy	24	34	36	26
extraterrestrials visited Earth in the past	17	34	33	27
clairvoyance and prophecy	24	33	32	23
communication with the dead	16	29	28	26
astrology	17	26	28	18
witches	26	19	26	15
reincarnation	14	28	25	20
channeling	10	29	15	21

Other surveys by different organizations at different times have found very similar results. The Gallup Poll is the division of Gallup that regularly conducts public Opinion polls in the United States and more than 140 countries around the world The word psychic (ˈsaɪkɨk from the Greek psychikos—"of the soul mental" refers to the claimed ability to perceive things hidden from the normal senses Faith healing is the attempt to use Religious or spiritual means such as Prayer, mental practices spiritual insights or other techniques to prevent Extrasensory perception (ESP is the apparent ability to acquire information by Paranormal means independent of any known physical Senses or deduction from previous A haunted house is defined as a house that is believed to be a center for Supernatural occurrences or Paranormal phenomena Demonic possession is often the term used to describe the control over a human form by Satan himself or one of his assigned advocates A ghost is said to be the apparition of a Deceased person frequently similar in appearance to that person and usually encountered in places she or he frequented Telepathy ( Greek τηλε tele meaning "distant" and πάθεια patheia meaning "to be affected by" describes the purported transfer Ancient astronaut theories or paleocontact are various proposals that intelligent extraterrestrial beings have visited Earth and that this contact Clairvoyance (from 17th century French with clair meaning "clear" and voyance meaning "visibility" is the apparent ability to gain Prophecy, generally describes the disclosing of Information that is not known to the Prophet by any ordinary means Astrology (from Greek grc ἄστρον astron, "constellation star" and grc -λογία -logia) is a group of Systems Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers Mediumship is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Louisiana Voodoo, and A 2001 Gallup Poll found that the general public embraced the following: 54% of people believed in psychic/spiritual healing, 42% believed in haunted houses, 41% believed in satanic possession, 36% in telepathy, 25% in reincarnation, and 15% in channeling. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. The Gallup Poll is the division of Gallup that regularly conducts public Opinion polls in the United States and more than 140 countries around the world The word psychic (ˈsaɪkɨk from the Greek psychikos—"of the soul mental" refers to the claimed ability to perceive things hidden from the normal senses Faith healing is the attempt to use Religious or spiritual means such as Prayer, mental practices spiritual insights or other techniques to prevent A haunted house is defined as a house that is believed to be a center for Supernatural occurrences or Paranormal phenomena Demonic possession is often the term used to describe the control over a human form by Satan himself or one of his assigned advocates Telepathy ( Greek τηλε tele meaning "distant" and πάθεια patheia meaning "to be affected by" describes the purported transfer ^[24] A survey by Jeffrey S. Levin, associate professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk found that over 2/3 of the U. S. population reported having at least one mystical experience. ^[25][23]

A 1996 Gallup poll estimated that 71% of the people in the United States believed that the government was covering up information about UFOs. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) The Gallup Poll is the division of Gallup that regularly conducts public Opinion polls in the United States and more than 140 countries around the world The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A 2002 Roper poll conducted for the Sci Fi channel reported that 56% thought UFOs were real craft and 48% that aliens had visited the Earth. Extraterrestrial life is Life originating outside of the Earth. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 ^[23]

A 2001 National Science Foundation survey found that 9 percent of people polled thought astrology was very scientific, and 31 percent thought it was somewhat scientific. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. The National Science Foundation (NSF is a United States Government agency that supports fundamental Research and Education in all the non-medical Astrology (from Greek grc ἄστρον astron, "constellation star" and grc -λογία -logia) is a group of Systems Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding About 32% of Americans surveyed stated that some numbers were lucky, while 46% of Europeans agreed with that claim. About 60% of all people polled believed in some form of Extra-sensory perception and 30% thought that UFOs were "some of the unidentified flying objects that have been reported are really space vehicles from other civilizations. Extrasensory perception (ESP is the apparent ability to acquire information by Paranormal means independent of any known physical Senses or deduction from previous "^[26]

Paranormal subjects

Main article: List of paranormal subjects

This section explores the notable paranormal beliefs that appear in popular culture. Although this is not intended to be a complete list the following subjects are widely considered to be paranormal Selected varieties of Alternative medicine Popular culture (or pop culture) is the Culture — patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance —

Ghosts

Main article: Ghosts

For believers, ghosts are generally seen to be the spirit or soul of a deceased person. A ghost is said to be the apparition of a Deceased person frequently similar in appearance to that person and usually encountered in places she or he frequented A ghost is said to be the apparition of a Deceased person frequently similar in appearance to that person and usually encountered in places she or he frequented The English word " spirit " comes from the Latin " spiritus " (breath The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living ^[27] Alternative theories expand on that idea and include belief in the ghosts of deceased animals. Sometimes the term "ghost" is used synonymously with any spirit or demon^[28], however in popular usage the term typically refers to a deceased person.

The belief in ghosts as souls of the departed is closely tied to the concept of animism, an ancient belief which attributed souls to everything in nature. The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals ^[5] As the nineteenth-century anthropologist James Frazer explained in his classic work, The Golden Bough, souls were seen as the creature within that animated the body. Anthropology (/ˌænθɹəˈpɒlədʒi/ from Greek grc ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos, "human" -λογία -logia) is the study of The Golden Bough A Study in Magic and Religion is a wide-ranging comparative study of Mythology and Religion, written by Scottish anthropologist Sir ^[29] Although the human soul was sometimes symbolically or literally depicted in ancient cultures as a bird or other animal, it was widely held that the soul was an exact reproduction of the body in every feature, even down to clothing the person wore. This is depicted in artwork from various ancient cultures, including such works as the Egyptian Book of the Dead, which shows deceased people in the afterlife appearing much as they did before death, including the style of dress. ' The Book of the Dead' is the common name for the Ancient Egyptian Funerary text known as ' Spells of Coming' (or ' Going') ' Forth By Day'

A widespread belief concerning ghosts is that they are composed of a misty, airy, or subtle material. Anthropologists speculate that this may also stem from early beliefs that ghosts were the person within the person, most noticeable in ancient cultures as a person's breath, which upon exhaling in colder climates appears visibly as a white mist. Anthropology (/ˌænθɹəˈpɒlədʒi/ from Greek grc ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos, "human" -λογία -logia) is the study of ^[5] This belief may have also fostered the metaphorical meaning of "breath" in certain languages, such as the Latin spiritus and the Greek pneuma, which by analogy became extended to mean the soul. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Pneumatology is the study of spiritual beings and phenomena especially the interactions between humans and God. In the Bible, God is depicted as animating Adam with a breath. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. See also Adam and Eve Adam ( Hebrew: אָדָם was according to a literal interpretation of Genesis, the first man created by

Numerous theories have been proposed by skeptics to provide non-paranormal explanations for ghosts sightings. In ordinary usage skepticism or scepticism ( Greek 'σκέπτομαι' skeptomai, to look about to consider see also spelling differences ^[5] Although the evidence for ghosts is largely anecdotal, the belief in ghosts throughout history has remained widespread and persistent. The expression anecdotal evidence has two quite distinct meanings

UFOs

Main article: UFOs

The possibility of extraterrestrial life is not, by itself, a paranormal subject. Extraterrestrial life is Life originating outside of the Earth. Many scientists are actively engaged in the search for unicellular life within the solar system, carrying out studies on the surface of Mars and examining meteors that have fallen to Earth. The Solar System consists of the Sun and those celestial objects bound to it by Gravity. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 ^[30] Projects such as SETI are conducting an astronomical search for radio activity that would show evidence of intelligent life outside the solar system. Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence ( SETI) is the collective name for a number of activities to detect intelligent Extraterrestrial life. Radio is the transmission of signals by Modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible Light. ^[31] Scientific theories of how life developed on Earth allow for the possibility that life developed on other planets as well. eVolution is the third Album by eLDee, it was due to be released in 2008 A planet, as defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU is a celestial body Orbiting a Star or stellar remnant that is The paranormal aspect of extraterrestrial life centers largely around the belief in unidentified flying objects and the phenomena said to be associated with them. Extraterrestrial life is Life originating outside of the Earth.

Early in the history of UFO culture, believers divided themselves into two camps. The first held a rather conservative view of the phenomena, interpreting it as unexplained occurrences that merited serious study. They began calling themselves "ufologists" in the 1950s and felt that logical analysis of sighting reports would validate the notion of extraterrestrial visitation. Ufology is a Neologism coined to describe the collective efforts of those who study Unidentified flying object reports and associated evidence ^[5]

The second camp consisted of individuals who coupled ideas of extraterrestrial visitation with beliefs from existing quasi-religious movements. These individuals typically were enthusiasts of occultism and the paranormal. The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden" Many had backgrounds as active Theosophists, Spiritualists, or were followers of other esoteric doctrines. This article is about the philosophy introduced by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky Spiritualism is a Religion founded in part on the writings of the Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772 In contemporary times, many of these beliefs have coalesced into New Age spiritual movements. New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature ^[5]

Both secular and spiritual believers describe UFOs as having abilities beyond what is considered possible according to aerodynamics and physical laws. A physical law or scientific law is a Scientific generalization based on empirical Observations of physical behavior (i The transitory events surrounding many UFO sightings also limits the opportunity for repeat testing required by the scientific method. Scientific method refers to bodies of Techniques for investigating phenomena Acceptance of UFO theories by the larger scientific community is further hindered by the many possible hoaxes associated with UFO culture. The scientific community consists of the total body of Scientists its relationships and interactions A hoax is a deliberate attempt to Dupe, Deceive or trick an audience into believing or accepting that something is real when in fact it is not or that

Paranormal challenges

Main article: List of prizes for evidence of the paranormal

In 1922, Scientific American offered two US $2,500 offers: (1) for the first authentic spirit photograph made under test conditions, and (2) for the first psychic to produce a "visible psychic manifestation. In 1922 Scientific American offered two US $2500 offers (1 for the first authentic spirit photograph made under test conditions and (2 for the first psychic to produce Scientific American is a Popular science magazine, published (first weekly and later monthly since August 28, 1845, making it The word psychic (ˈsaɪkɨk from the Greek psychikos—"of the soul mental" refers to the claimed ability to perceive things hidden from the normal senses " Harry Houdini was a member of the investigating committee. The first medium to be tested was George Valiantine, who claimed that in his presence spirits would speak through a trumpet that floated around a darkened room. Mediumship is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Louisiana Voodoo, and For the test, Valiantine was placed in a room, the lights were extinguished, but unbeknownst to him his chair had been rigged to light a signal in an adjoining room if he ever left his seat. Because the light signals were tripped during his performance, Valiantine did not collect the award. ^[32]

Since then, many individuals and groups have offered similar monetary awards for proof of the paranormal in an observed setting. These prizes have a combined value of over $2. 4 million dollars. ^[33]

Etymology

The word “paranormal” has been in the English since at least 1920. ^[34][35] It consists of two parts: para and normal. In Behavior, normal refers to a lack of significant deviation from the average In most definitions of the word paranormal, it is described as anything that is beyond or contrary to what is deemed scientifically possible. ^[36] The definition implies that the scientific explanation of the world around us is the 'normal' part of the word and 'para' makes up the above, beyond, beside, contrary, or against part of the meaning.

Para has a Greek and Latin origin. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Its most common meaning (the Greek usage) is 'similar to' or 'near to', as in paragraph. A paragraph (from the Greek paragraphos, " to write beside " or " written beside " is a self-contained unit of a discourse in In Latin, para means 'above,' against,' 'counter,' 'outside,' or 'beyond'. For example, parapluie in French means 'counter-rain' – an umbrella. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people "Parasol" redirects here For other uses see Umbrella (disambiguation, Umbrella (song or Parasol (disambiguation It can be construed, then, that the term paranormal is derived from the Latin use of the prefix 'para', meaning 'against, counter, outside or beyond the norm. '

See also

Paranormal: Cryptozoology, Forteana, Ghosts, Haunted locations, Mysticism, New Age, Occult, Paranormal fiction, Paranormal guides (U.S.), Paranormal explanations for UFOs, Parapsychology, Psychics, Supernatural, UFOs, USO, UFO sightings, Jim Callahan (magician)

Authors: Charles Fort, Bernard Heuvelmans, J. Francis Hitching, J.B. Rhine

Skepticism: Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, Debunking, Ghost Hunters, Hoaxes, James Randi, Prizes offered for paranormal proof, Skepticism

Science: Anomaly, Fringe science, Pseudoscience, Scientific method

References

The Parapsychological Association was formed in 1957 as a professional society for parapsychologists following an initiative by J Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

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