waltz1982

I’m sure everyone has seen the signs for “$5 Psychic Readings” in their town or while traveling elsewhere. What I wanted to discuss here were your thoughts on using psychics for more than just personal entertainment, more specifically in police and detective work.

There’s been documented cases in the past where police haven’t been able to solve a crime, at which point they turn to a psychic for help.
What I find the most interesting is when the psychics they hire actually solve the case.

What are your thoughts on this? What about using psychics to help solve some of the current investigations (such as the Peterson or Hacking
trials?)

I’m not an expert myself on the topic, but I’ve been learning a bit more from a new show on Court TV called Psychic Detectives. It’s on Wednesday’s at 9:30pm in case you want to watch it too.

the_marq

No.

Statiscialy speaking psychics have less accuracy than than a monkey flinging poo at a target.

__________________
The Truth:

Johnny Cash could have kicked Bruce Lee's ass if he wanted to.

#3 in a series

CSflim

Mysteriously all psychics powers seem to become impotent when brought under controlled conditions.

Strange that.


EDIT: A mod should really move this to tilted paranoia.

__________________

kutulu

You'd think that a psychic would be able to find something more productive to do with her life. Reading palms for $5 and answering questions about people's love lives seems like a waste of a true talent.

JumpinJesus

My wife and I have become convinced that we share some sort of psychic connection. There have been moments where she would ask me what I just said when I hadn't said anything, and moments when I've asked her what she said when she hadn't said anything.

One day, she asked me what I just said. I replied, "I didn't say anything." I then thought for a moment. I asked her, "Out of curiosity, what did you think I said?" She would then proceed to tell me exactly what I had just been thinking.

This happens on a regular basis, at least 2-3 times a week. We have no control over it and we can't predict the future, but we have reached a point where it's as if we can read each other's minds.

__________________
"I can normally tell how intelligent a man is by how stupid he thinks I am" - Cormac McCarthy, All The Pretty Horses

FeltTip

This is actually an urban myth. There is not ONE documented case where a psychic "solved" a crime. There have been a few lucky guesses but usually it is things like "I see a body down by the river".

Most rivers are VERY long. No psychic has ever said "The body is on the west side of the river 1/4 mile north from the bridge".

And most police departments do not "hire" psychics. Usually when a particularly horrible crime occurs the police are deluged by people from the loony bin claiming to be psychics.

I'll make you an expert: IT DOESN'T EXIST. Educate yourself at www.randi.org - read up on the topic of "cold reading".

Also, ask yourself this question - if psychics were real, why has not one ever been able to win the $1,000,000 prize put out by the James Randi Educational Foundation which is for anyone who can prove they have paranormal powers?

Even so called "expert" psychics like Sylvia Browne refuse to be tested. They know they are fakes and won't admit and in the meantime keep fleecing the public out of millions.

sapiens

You speak the truth!

nukeu666

if a million monkeys type something...one is bound to type a shakespere manuscript

__________________
Why did the Comp. Engineer get X-mas and Halloween mixed up?
Because Oct(31) == Dec(25)

guthmund

To be fair, no one could statistically be more accurate than a poo flinging monkey as they are extremely accurate in flinging the poo.

Ahem....back to topic. FeltTip is right on the money. Visit Mr. Randi and allow him to show the magic of professional psychics through the wonders of HTML.

We desperately want to believe in psychics. We desperately want to talk to dead relatives, find missing loved ones and talk to our animals....I mean, see into the future. Psychic's are phenomenal self-promoters who love to exploit our desperation to believe in this paranormal crap.

That's not to say I don't believe in any of this, just not these shameless charlatans who think nothing of raping our emotions to make a quick buck and a spot on television.

__________________
No signature. None. Seriously.

TheBrit

Two experiences,.
Psychic talking to my dad "Your father is talking to me..."
Dad: That's strange, he's still alive.

In a room with about 80 retired women.
Psychic: Can anybody take a George?
Half the people in there knew a dead person called George!
Psychic: He had black hair, then went bald. He fought in France during the war...
About 10 people left...
Psychic: He still loves you
About 5
"Say hello to his daughter"
3...
Then there was a little more description, followed by the last old woman saying "That's my George, you've described him exactly! How did you do it? What does he want?"
Psychic: The house needs repointing.
Some guy called George came from beyond the grave to tell someone that their house needed repointing!

CSflim

When they wear a top hat, carry a black and white cane and perform the seemingly impossible, we call them "magicians". When they spew out endless amounts of new-age mysticism and perform the seemingly impossible, we call them "psychics".

Personally I find magicians to be far more entertaining, and their tricks (for that is all they are) tend to be much more impressive and interesting to watch. Also you know that the people you are admiring and being entertained by are being "honest in their deception" and are not fraudsters.

__________________

:::OshnSoul:::

Genuine spychics focus on the "NOW". They may see the near future, but do not "predict", but sense. They will not tell you of a death, when or who you will get married to. They can sense the past, as it is connected to and has affected your present.

CSflim

So in other words, they guess like the rest of us.

__________________

soma

Good god, if they could, they would become financial advisors and make fat salaries off of the stock market.

CSflim

Why would they want to do that, when they can sit in caravans at the side of the road and charge $5 consultancy fees?

__________________

VitaminH

What movie had that topless psychic in it...Mallrats was it? It is unclear...

Anyway, that's my kind of reading.

__________________
"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever."
- Napoleon Bonaparte

CSflim

The topless psychic with three nipples! Yeah, that's from mallrats.

__________________

FeltTip

Please define what a "genuine" psychic is in objective terminology, with any claims made verified by testing.

DJ Happy

I like the sound of 'spychics.' They sound sexy.

KellyC

I wanna see this.

Guy walks up to psychic. Guy punch psychic in the face...

Guy: Bet you didn't see that comin' did ya?
Psychic: .............oww.........

__________________
Him: Ok, I have to ask, what do you believe?
Me: Shit happens.

Munku

It'd have to be infinite. There's a hell of a good chance a million monkeys wont do shit.

Awesome. That was funny.. :P

TheBrit

The internet has proved that.

cjayemail

i dont think they can, unless there actually witches, in which case they can

__________________
never underestimate the predictability of stupidity

Fibrosa

Police can be just as gullible as the average person. Also, out of all the psychics that 'help' a case, why is it that only a VERY small fraction of any of them (if there are any at all) actually come through?

It's because psychic phenomenon doesn't exist.

__________________
D'oh!

whocarz

While I'm not 100% sure if psychic phenomena exists or not, I think those that claim to have psychic powers are full of shit.

__________________
If there exists anything mightier than destiny, then it is the courage to face destiny unflinchingly. -Geibel

Despise not death, but welcome it, for nature wills it like all else. -Marcus Aurelius

Come on, you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever? -GySgt. Daniel J. "Dan" Daly

:::OshnSoul:::

Ok, first of all, I couldn't spell (PSYchics )

What I mean by genuine has been read up on and also learned first-hand.

Take Sylvia Brown, for instance. Amazing, blunt, and honest. She will say "I don't know" when she is unsure and she does not say specific things about the future, maybe a general idea.

A friend of mine has seen psychics/tarot readers before and has been blown away at their accuracy, without her having to reveal anything.
I then chose to go see one she recommended and she did a tremendous job. She spoke of being in the Now and using the Energy all around for her awareness. She taped the session for me and had my husband listen and he was amazed as well.
btw- it's not "testing"- it was a chosen experience in which I am glad I had. It helped me realize more of myself and my situation in life.

madcow

Everytime I see this topic I keep thinking it says physics.

kutulu

lol, same here. I've read the whole thread and kept track of it but it still says physics when i first see it.

Blackthorn

It's already been said but quite simply the answer is:

NO. What they see better than anyone is your money moving from your pocket into their pocket.

__________________
What are you willing to give up in order to get what you want?

World's King

I knew you were gonna ask that question.

__________________
heavy is the head that wears the crown

:::OshnSoul:::

Aren't they making a living though? Doing something they love & enjoy?
Just like Doctors, photographers, business owners? They take our money too, so that they can give us what we want.
Also, there are many psychics who do it by donation only.

StickODynomite

There are some psychics that are very specific and precise, according to my mother. Like the one that told her she would have three children, two of which would be a surprise (which turned out to be true..). And that happened before she had any kids.

Could be a lucky guess, but the other things she told my mother are just way too specific to be a "lucky guess". Ya can't explain everything

__________________
"The human mind is like a parachute, it works best when open."

usrbinboy

I don't think there's anyone who can see the future.

__________________
I'm somebody's fetish.

FeltTip

SYLVIA BROWN IS A CHARLATAN. She is a FAKE. She is a LIAR. And she backed down from the JREF test for $1,000,000.

There are no psychis. Zero. She has never been accurate. If you think so, go back and read transcripts of her talking to the callers she has on her stints with Larry King. Her "hit" percentage is exceedingly low - low enough to be pointless AT BEST.

Ug.

StickODynomite

No need to get all emotional about it FeltTip. People believe in some things differently, its no big deal.

__________________
"The human mind is like a parachute, it works best when open."

brianna

In addition to the Randi site people should also read "the demon haunted world: science as a candle in the dark" by carl sagan. Sagan takes on much of a psuedo-science that is prevalent in out culture not only outlining why such things as "psychic" readings are not credible but also why believing in such things is detrimental to society at large.

I would like to see some of the people who believe in psychics explain why they hold onto this belief even though psychic refuse to have their abilities scientifically tested.

tornhelm

Gee, isn't it amazing that people back down from being tested by a bunch of confirmed skeptics. I know that if I had any psychicness to any discernable degree I wouldn't subject myself to that JREF test, because while a million dollars is nice, there isnt anything that you can do to make sceptics believe you, and I have more self-respect than to parade myself around like that. A lot of the people I know who claim to be psychics (I am undecided on the issue and don't go to them for readings etc because it isn't my cup of tea).

On the using psychics to help solve crime cases, I have seen too much of that working to disbelieve that it can help, and if you didn't froth at the mouth every time someone even _mentioned_ the word "psychic" then you might have too. And it isn't a case of "solving the crime" per se, but more adding additional information which allows the police to turn up new leads to solve the cases.

You should at least have the decency to admit that if there are such things as psychics, then there would be easily 20-30 times the amount who are charlatans and it is them, not the genuine ones, who are the cause for the bad name being a psychic has had attached to it.

dood

nevermind :P

summerkc

I thought at first you asked if physics can be used to see into the past or future, then I realized I'm an idiot.

As for psychics and physics telling and seeing the future in not possible. There are some theories that you may be able to see the future in OTHER parallel dimensions that are branched off from our own, but that is still not very usefull to us.

As for the past, well you get into the whole relative speed of time where you could slow down your own clock where everyone else is moving at a "normal" speed, and you would sort of arrive in the future, but moving back is not possible so again it wouldn't have any consequeces. It would basically be like being on a long journey and after you return everyone has aged incredably fast. That was you could travel quicker through time, not really travel to the future.

If you are into this stuff read "The Fabric of the Cosmos" pretty down to earth explainations, but also goes into the mathamatics in the back of the book if you are into that sort of thing.

summerkc

I'd would also like to add that I find it amazing that the people who generally take this stuff as fact are generally non-church goers or atheists that will be the first to tell you that a belief in God is silly, immature, and un-scientific. I think that humans need assurance that they are here for a reason, not just because of a spark in some primedial water billions of years ago. So people will invent religious like beliefs in place of structured religioin. Whether it be psychics, aliens, scientology, Kabbalah, etc.

Not attacking anyone here, just an observation that may or maynot be correct.