A third common tactic of those promoting paranormalism; Any abnormal result is to be taken of evidence of
a specific phenomena.
Why, might I ask is this reffered to as the Global
Consciousness Project? I see absolutely no relation to consciousness what-so-ever. I see random numbers (apparently) corresponding (poorly) to major global events.
Why not the Global
Heart-Rate Project? Or the Global
Tear-Duct Project? Or the Global
TV-Ratings Project? These names seem just as accurate. Why
specifically consciousness?
Of course, I would be stating the obvious in answering this question, but I shall do so anyway; Heart-Rates and Tear Ducts just don't conjure up the necessary mystical connotations. Also, making grand statements about consciousness is historically the staple of mysticism. Heart-Rates and Tear Ducts just seem so
boring in comparison!
I want to reiterate what 1010011010 said: Even if it could be shown that these anomalies correspond to major global events (and at this stage it is far from clear that this is the case) it is simply not the case that anything significant about a 'global consciousness' follows. There are just so many other variables which have to be taken into account - to do this we would have to see how the random event generators work. Are they truely random? More importantly are the random events
independant? Can we set up controls? Are the REGs shielded from physical influence? Could cell phone usage be interfering with them? There - I just made up a thoroughly compatible alternative hypothesis. Has this been controlled against? What about....And on and on and on...
This is what seperates science from pseudo-science.
A
fourth common tactic of paranormalists is to claim the moral high ground: Just think how many times you have heard Creationists telling you that evolution is based on self-interested survival, and therefore anyone who believes in evoltion is an amoral heathen.
Quote:
But for Dr Nelson, talk of such psychic machines - with the potential to detect global catastrophes or terrorist outrages - is of far less importance than the implications of his work in terms of the human race.
For what his experiments appear to demonstrate is that while we may all operate as individuals, we also appear to share something far, far greater - a global consciousness. Some might call it the mind of God.
'We're taught to be individualistic monsters,' he says. 'We're driven by society to separate ourselves from each other. That's not right.
We may be connected together far more intimately than we realise.'
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Yes. Of course. Because it just so obviously follows from the claim that since random number generators don't work properly during (or after? or before?) times of great tragedy, that therefore this will make everyone into better loving, caring, peaceful human beings.