[Simulated (OP)]

Are they real?

I was watching a show on SciFi and it is titled "Ghost Hunters". There was this thing called the K2 meter. They could "talk to the ghost" with it. They would ask the ghost a question like are you a female? 2 spikes for yes 1 for no. (Spike on the meter). And they would answer that question. Then they go are there more of you around here? The Ghost would answer with a yes or no.

This sort of freaked me out because they keep the meter going.

Then later in the show they asked the ghost to drop the room temperature from 69 degrees to 62. And surprisingly it did. Just that one little area.

Now if this is not proff (idk how to spell it) that there are ghost then I don't know what would be.

What are you opinions on this topic?

[paul.fr]

Simple answer, no ghosts do not exist.

[paul.fr]

Are they real?

I was watching a show on SciFi and it is titled "Ghost Hunters". There was this thing called the K2 meter. They could "talk to the ghost" with it. They would ask the ghost a question like are you a female? 2 spikes for yes 1 for no. (Spike on the meter). And they would answer that question. Then they go are there more of you around here? The Ghost would answer with a yes or no.

This sort of freaked me out because they keep the meter going.

Ok. firstly these shows are about showing you the ghost, relying on the people that watch them to also believe that ghosts exist. They then use dodgy science, or rely on the viewer not knowing their science to prove the existance of the ghost.

The k2 meter is an EMF Detector, otherwise known as electromagnetic field detectors, they are supposed to pick up on  an apparent electrical field being caused by the ghost, what they actually pick up on are electrical fields caused by electrical objects.

But, no you say. the room was empty, and void of any electrical items such as a tv for instance. Well the walls will still have electrical cable inside them, this will be picked up by the detector and so will their broadcasting equiptment. It's all just a con, plain and simple.

[DoctorBeaver]

Simple answer, yes ghosts do exist. The question should be "What are they?"

[DoctorBeaver]

Paul - there was a study a while back to do with where ghosts are most often seen. Results showed that most ghost hotspots displayed higher levels of EM from the environment.

I can't remember who it was who did the research, but I'm pretty sure it was a uni. I'll try to find something about it.

I've found this. It's a bit old but I think it's all part of the same research. I'll see if I can find more.

http://www.haque.co.uk/haunt.php

And there are some papers to download here...

http://www.apaw71.dsl.pipex.com/MADS/htmlfiles/Papers.html

[paul.fr]

Simple answer, yes ghosts do exist. The question should be "What are they?"

Doc, i just don't believe it. These are all commercial money making programmes, if you visit a haunted house you expect to see or feel something because you have been told before hand that there is a ghost there.

you will also have had this ghosts appearance discribed to you, and hay presto you have your vision and guess what, its the same man/woman or you felt that ghostly chill whilst walking a draughty coridor in an old house/castle.

All of these people carry cameras, why have they never managed to provide us with a clear cut photo?

[paul.fr]

i posted before you put those links in, so here are a few counter links to enjoy. the second link contains video clips.

http://www.skeptic.com/reading_room/

http://www.randi.org/

[DoctorBeaver]

I appreciate that the TV programs are commercial and, as such, go for sensationalism. I've watched a few of them and they are total rubbish.

However, as you may or may not be aware, I've been a student of mysticism & the occult for quite a few years. I've experienced things that seem to defy scientific explanation. I do, though, have a sort-of theory which, guess what, is to do with QM.

Actually, I can't even say that it's a theory yet. It's just a vague inkling I've got. But the more I learn about QM, the better it seems to fit.

I'll try to write down an explanation (not easy as I think more in images than words) & post it here sometime so that you, George, Ian et al can rip it to shreds.  []

[DoctorBeaver]

Randi annoys me. If a ghost jumped out & bit him on the nose he'd deny it had happened.

[DoctorBeaver]

Thanks for the links. Unfortunately I haven't time to read them yet as I'm going to be very busy today.

We're off to Kent tomorrow to pick up 1 of Sandra's brothers & her sister's year-old niece so we're blitzing the house today. That's not easy with the brats making more mess as fast as we clear up.

[paul.fr]

Randi annoys me. If a ghost jumped out & bit him on the nose he'd deny it had happened.

that is true, but i like the man. i still hold to the power of persuasion, and the people on such shows are obviously very open to persuasion.

[DoctorBeaver]

Randi annoys me. If a ghost jumped out & bit him on the nose he'd deny it had happened.

i still hold to the power of persuasion, and the people on such shows are obviously very open to persuasion.

Oh, absolutely. It's the same with a lot of "mediums". I went to a theatre once to see a show with a medium. I only went out of curiosity. I was astounded how gullible the audience was. The tricks the medium used were so transparent.

OK, I'm a psychologist so maybe I'm a bit more aware than the average person of how suggestion works. But the way some members of the audience were reeled in was, to be honest, quite scary.

The medium would say something like "I'm getting a message from John. Does anyone know a John who passed away?". Half the audience put up their hands thinking the message is for them. Then the medium says "It's for someone over this side of the theatre". That means 25% are still interested. Medium keeps narrowing it down slightly each time until 1 person is convinced it's a personal message from them. By the time the medium has finished, the person is certain the medium "Got the name, the place, etc etc spot on". Yeah sure!

[Simulated (OP)]

Thanks Guys? LoL.

[that mad man]

I would like to think that they are not real otherwise I would go crazy trying to find out where they live and why.

And how come they always moan and rattle chains? Why are there no "modern" ghosts?

[DoctorBeaver]

I would like to think that they are not real otherwise I would go crazy trying to find out where they live and why.

And how come they always moan and rattle chains? Why are there no "modern" ghosts?

It takes a long time to learn how to rattle chains, and ghosts aren't allowed to haunt until they've mastered the art. That's why there are no modern ghosts.

[Simulated (OP)]

It takes a long time to learn how to rattle chains, and ghosts aren't allowed to haunt until they've mastered the art. That's why there are no modern ghosts.

Wow Doc. Are you sure? That's different!

[DoctorBeaver]

It takes a long time to learn how to rattle chains, and ghosts aren't allowed to haunt until they've mastered the art. That's why there are no modern ghosts.

Wow Doc. Are you sure? That's different!

Yes. And learning how to correctly carry one's head under one's arm takes practice too. New ghosts keep banging the top of their necks on things.

[Simulated (OP)]

Um Doc, your scaring me. LoL.

[paul.fr]

And how come they always moan and rattle chains? Why are there no "modern" ghosts?

How frightening would the sound of a ghost tapping away at his PC be?

[DoctorBeaver]

And how come they always moan and rattle chains? Why are there no "modern" ghosts?

How frightening would the sound of a ghost tapping away at his PC be?

Or texting on its mobile phone  []