Poll: Poll: Investing (tax) money in researching paranormal science?

[Shoggoth2588]

If this stuff gets me one step closer to owning a Holoshed I would gladly spend my tax dollars on Fringe science research. If fringe research leads to Cthulhu and the Great Old Ones rising and gaining supremecy on this planet ... that would still be pretty sweet ^^

 

[Xanadu84]

There's priorities. Paranormal research, though I won't completely discount it, has a very, very low chance of having an application. There's a lot of things we should be doing first. When things like cancer research and alternative energy have so much funding that giving them more just amounts to diminished returns, then you can start putting state money towards paranormal.

Also there needs to be a distinction between paranormal that might have a case, and paranormal that is obviously quackery. In addition, if it's state money, it needs to be peer reviewed, falsifiable, and an understanding that most of the research's purpose will be to discredit paranormal concepts.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

"... Paranormal that might have a case, and paranormal that is obviously quackery."

That is an interesting distinction, as I'm sure there's not an easy way to make it?
For example, what one person would recognise as an obvious quack, others are devout defenders of said practise. For the sake of argument, I'd like to know where you draw the line between "plausible" (for lack of a better word) and "quack" paranormal research?

 

[Crossborder]

You know, why not? If it isn't invested in this, they'll find something else to waste it on.

 

[VZLANemesis]

Fellow Escapees,

as you might know the CIA and KGB spent many millions of dollars in the Cold War on so called "Fringe Science". Stuff that sounds like nonsence to the general public: mind reading, telekinesis, mind control, eternal life, channeling, dowsing, Extra-sensory perception, etc. etc.

My question to you; is money spent on scientists experimenting with stuff like Extra-sensory perception and the like a waste? For example, the money could go to the poor instead, or other science like better fuels.

Keep this in mind tho; tell someone from the 1940's about a microwave oven and he'll think you a weirdo; instantly heating matter with invisible rays?!
Another example; Intel (from the CPU's) has demonstrated wireless electricity some months ago!

Your toughts, please!

What has microwaves and wireless electricity got to do with "paranormal" activities... don't get your point. It IS a huge waste of money btw.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

Fellow Escapees,

as you might know the CIA and KGB spent many millions of dollars in the Cold War on so called "Fringe Science". Stuff that sounds like nonsence to the general public: mind reading, telekinesis, mind control, eternal life, channeling, dowsing, Extra-sensory perception, etc. etc.

My question to you; is money spent on scientists experimenting with stuff like Extra-sensory perception and the like a waste? For example, the money could go to the poor instead, or other science like better fuels.

Keep this in mind tho; tell someone from the 1940's about a microwave oven and he'll think you a weirdo; instantly heating matter with invisible rays?!
Another example; Intel (from the CPU's) has demonstrated wireless electricity some months ago!

Your toughts, please!

What has microwaves and wireless electricity got to do with "paranormal" activities... don't get your point. It IS a huge waste of money btw.

Well, imagine if you where in the government in 1935 or something and I'd come to you and say: "Hey, could you invest like a million dollars in my idea that you can heat stuff with invisible waves that don't heat the air around it, just stuff with water in it".
Would you say yes to this farfetched sounding idea, or give the money to scientists working on say a new type or fertilizer?

To someone from the past microwaves sound about the same far out as reading someones mind?

 

[Deleted]

We should invest our money in my Olympic sized recreation mansion. Also I think the paranormal is pretty bunk, so why waste time on it? Lets look for centaurs and werewolves too!

 

[Deleted]

Well, imagine if you where in the government in 1935 or something and I'd come to you and say: "Hey, could you invest like a million dollars in my idea that you can heat stuff with invisible waves that don't heat the air around it, just stuff with water in it".
Would you say yes to this farfetched sounding idea, or give the money to scientists working on say a new type or fertilizer?

To someone from the past microwaves sound about the same far out as reading someones mind?

Yeah inventions are crazy before they're invented. But ghosts are crazy forever, since the only way to 'prove' ghosts is to have some sort of matter to detect and we don't have anything capable of that. People knew food could be heated by heat waves, so its not completely far fetched for the microwave.

 

[SenorTico]

I will answer your question with my own question: should the words "paranormal" and "science" be used together?



(Hint: No.)

 

[Kenjitsuka]

I'd like to add that there is a lot more "fringe science" getting funded.
Like zero point energy, cold fusion, teleportation, time travel.
Stuff not based in the occult, but on science not main stream accepted as fundamentally correct.

But this type of -according to most scientists- dead end research still get's tax money.
My original question did also mean to include this.

Also, anyone care to read up a bit feel free at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fringe_science

 

[Kenjitsuka]

I will answer your question with my own question: should the words "paranormal" and "science" be used together?

(Hint: No.)

Heh, well how about "The paranormal can always be debunked by solid, sceptic natured science" ?
I am a sceptic myself by the way.

Another phrasing of the question might be: Is any reseach that -highly likely- won't have a practical use in the coming decades worth funding?

For example: time travel or teleporting matter?

 

[Proteus214]

Well, imagine if you where in the government in 1935 or something and I'd come to you and say: "Hey, could you invest like a million dollars in my idea that you can heat stuff with invisible waves that don't heat the air around it, just stuff with water in it".
Would you say yes to this farfetched sounding idea, or give the money to scientists working on say a new type or fertilizer?

To someone from the past microwaves sound about the same far out as reading someones mind?

The difference is, microwaves were discovered and the effects of them were studied before the concept of the microwave oven became reality. The great thing about science is anyone can repeat an experiment and reach the exact same conclusions as everyone else who performs the experiment. The paranormal remains such because scientific investigation has yielded nothing from that area.

Also, I doubt the sales pitch for the microwave sounded anything like "Hey, could you invest like a million dollars in my idea that you can heat stuff with invisible waves that don't heat the air around it, just stuff with water in it."

 

[VZLANemesis]

Fellow Escapees,

as you might know the CIA and KGB spent many millions of dollars in the Cold War on so called "Fringe Science". Stuff that sounds like nonsence to the general public: mind reading, telekinesis, mind control, eternal life, channeling, dowsing, Extra-sensory perception, etc. etc.

My question to you; is money spent on scientists experimenting with stuff like Extra-sensory perception and the like a waste? For example, the money could go to the poor instead, or other science like better fuels.

Keep this in mind tho; tell someone from the 1940's about a microwave oven and he'll think you a weirdo; instantly heating matter with invisible rays?!
Another example; Intel (from the CPU's) has demonstrated wireless electricity some months ago!

Your toughts, please!

What has microwaves and wireless electricity got to do with "paranormal" activities... don't get your point. It IS a huge waste of money btw.

Well, imagine if you where in the government in 1935 or something and I'd come to you and say: "Hey, could you invest like a million dollars in my idea that you can heat stuff with invisible waves that don't heat the air around it, just stuff with water in it".
Would you say yes to this farfetched sounding idea, or give the money to scientists working on say a new type or fertilizer?

To someone from the past microwaves sound about the same far out as reading someones mind?

Except that microwaves are something that come from studies and science, opposed to "I guess the human mind MUST work for something else, let's try to find out what else is there"
See the difference there? I KNOW this can be done and here's why vs. I guess there's gotta be "magic" out there, let's find out...
Btw, this is gonna be my last post here, this thread and it's discussion makes no sense whatsoever.
EDIT: microwaves (the waves themselves) have been a science fact since the eighteen hundreds :S

 

[Break]

I think it was good that the paranormal has been researched - it would've been remiss of them to simply dismiss such a potentially powerful idea on the basis that "it's just silly". However, since there was no forthcoming discoveries in the area, it seems like a waste of time and money to research it further, when there's no new evidence to suggest the existence of such things.

 

[titanium turtle]

hell try anything- a breakthrough could happen that will change the earth

 

[titanium turtle]

Not tax money, spending what little money we have on wild goose chases is pointless when it could be spent on healthcare, or education, or strippers.

I aggree with you're policies of strippers

 

[titanium turtle]

Until we start producing Space Marines it's all lesser science in the eyes of the God Emperor, his name be praised.

emperor is puny compared to da might Gork!
WAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!

(also what is you're preferred type of cake)

 

[Supreme Unleaded]

Didnt the German Nazi's have complete paranormal squads, and didn't they also do ALOT of paranormal testing during the war. I don't know, I think its a good Idea to put SOME tax dollars into it but keep most of the money private.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

Didnt the German Nazi's have complete paranormal squads, and didn't they also do ALOT of paranormal testing during the war. I don't know, I think its a good Idea to put SOME tax dollars into it but keep most of the money private.

Hitler was obsessed with the occult, yes.
He paid archeologists to look for the Holy Grail, the Lance of Longinus ("Spear of Destiny") and so on.
A full list can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Socialism_and_Occultism

As for if they had "paranormal squads", I guess that is a matter of what one exactly means with that term. ;-)

 

[nimbeljack]

Until we start producing Space Marines it's all lesser science in the eyes of the God Emperor, his name be praised.

emperor is puny compared to da might Gork!
WAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!

(also what is you're preferred type of cake)

XENOS SCUM! PURGE THE UNCLEAN!