Top Skeptic Goes Ghost busting

 "Every generation of humans believed it had all the answers it needed, except for a few mysteries they assumed would be solved at any moment. And they all believed their ancestors were simplistic and deluded. What are the odds that you are the first generation of humans who will understand reality ?"    — Scott Adams.

Michael Shermer is the editor of “Skeptic Magazine” and the new version of Phil Klass. His smug, one dimensional answers to complex phenomena seems to satisfy the dead scientists, those who’s imaginations and insights have all but  been lost. So it was with some amazement  that while watching a new program on Travel Channel, “Paranormal Challenge”  whose face pops up as a judge?…you guessed it- good old Dr.  Shermer.

http://www.skeptic.com/

The show is hosted by Zak from the “Ghost Adventure” Series. This seems to be a spin off show for the summer. They take two actual paranormal investigative groups and put them inside a famous hunt and judge them on history, teamwork, equipment and of course evidence.

They usually have three judges from well known and respected fields in the paranormal community who decide along with Zak which side wins.

So what was the good doctor doing there? Did he come with an open mind to be an objective judge?….NAH! He came to set the competing groups up with a lie.  See the idea here… according to Garp …OH, I mean Dr. Shermer, is that you tell the groups different false tales filled with scary details  about a certain rooms in the haunt. Then you can watch and see how these investigators will be influenced by the false flags. Anyway, to give you a taste,  here is a video of the part in the show that deals with Michael Shermer. After the video I have some comments including a “hats off” to Dr. Shermer.

It is easy to spout all types of easy answers and throw a great deal of data at something and announce a mystery is solved. It is quite another to put your ideas in motion out of your head and in the real world to test them. Here Dr. Shermer failed because any good paranormal investigative group worth it’s salt should be aware of power of suggestion.

I give credit to Mr. Shermer for being honest and saying he found them objective and that he gave an EVP a 4 or 5. That was fair. But unless Dr. Michael Shermer is willing to go the whole nine yards and spend an overnight in the most haunted places in America (take your pick) then it will still be subjective opinion. Because, just  like  in the UFOs experience, getting up close and personal with a ghost is a life changing experience.

Joe Capp

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