Any one ever purchased a haunted house?

"For now let's all look for the most parsimonious explanations before we invent another dimensional realm"

Yep, I agree. So what is the most parsimonious explanation for those footsteps I heard?

I don't know. More info needed. If I honestly suspected a ghost walking up and down my hallway at night, I would be putting up a nanny cam to catch it out. That would be a good way to get some solid evidence to examine.

As yet there are any number of more parsimonious explanations. Sometimes people hear things that aren't there... it happens. Perhaps fatigue or any other number of factors is coming into play. Or maybe old pipes in the house rattling at night due to the change in temperature making it sound like foot steps. Maybe a possum, rats, etc... Maybe someone is walking up and down the hallway and not telling you for some reason. Maybe it is an echo from accross the street, etc... Maybe you're lying about what you're hearing. Maybe you have schizophrenia or another dellusional disorder. Who knows what the explanation is. But all of the above is still a lot more parsimonious explanation than ghosts.

But if you do get a recording device and can demonstrate these unexplained noises, then awesome. Submit it as evidence of the supernatural, have it scientifically evaluated and if proven you'll be up for a big pay day from many different organisations that put up rewards for this sort of thing.

Oh by the way it may be none of those explanations. I have no idea. So don't think I'm calling you a liar or dellusional etc... That wasn't the point I was making. - I do think it would be amazing though if something supernatural could be shown. But as yet, just because something doesn't have an explanation that you are aware of, that doesn't make it supernatural. Otherwise I could classify everything I've seen Penn and Teller do as supernatural. I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation, but I have got absolutely no idea. Like the one he does where he turns the coins into fish WTF!
 
I have already given all the details earlier in this thread.

I am a scientist with 2 post grad degrees. I am not saying it WAS a ghost, I am telling the story of a phenomenon which I experienced twice and other family members experienced multiple times. My mother had a "rational" explanation which did not match the way sound travels. I went on both occasions back into the deadlocked house and searched each room and there was no-one there inside at the time.

I am quite willing, indeed hopeful, for a rational explanation but none has been found.
 
BTW another point. You and other sceptics refer to "seeing ghosts" and your explanations are primarily visual.

Most of us have one preferred sensory modality and for me it is visual. However I have not claimed to SEE a ghost. I did hear things for which I could find no rational explanation.

What possible explanations are there for auditory 'ghosts' ie for people to hear things that are mental inventions?
 
BTW another point. You and other sceptics refer to "seeing ghosts" and your explanations are primarily visual.

Most of us have one preferred sensory modality and for me it is visual. However I have not claimed to SEE a ghost. I did hear things for which I could find no rational explanation.

What possible explanations are there for auditory 'ghosts' ie for people to hear things that are mental inventions?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auditory_hallucination

Lots of reasons for hearing things that aren't there.

I'm not too sure what your point is. Are you saying that because you prefer to see things you can't be fooled by hearing things? Or that hallucinations are only visual? I don't think I'm understanding you correctly...
 
I have already given all the details earlier in this thread.

I am a scientist with 2 post grad degrees. I am not saying it WAS a ghost, I am telling the story of a phenomenon which I experienced twice and other family members experienced multiple times. My mother had a "rational" explanation which did not match the way sound travels. I went on both occasions back into the deadlocked house and searched each room and there was no-one there inside at the time.

I am quite willing, indeed hopeful, for a rational explanation but none has been found.

Like I said in the previous post. Just because you haven't found a rational explanation it doesn't mean one doesn't exist. There are many things I don't have a rational explanation for. Penn and Teller was my previous example. Penn getting into a big bag, filling it with helium and then the bag floating up in the air, Penn reappearing elsewhere. I have no idea how that happened. But I'm sure the reason is rational even if I am unaware of it.
 
I am quite willing, indeed hopeful, for a rational explanation but none has been found.

Maybe your mind is closed to it ?:)

Open your mind to the possibilities and it will surely come.;)


Another thing. Sceptics.

Why are the people who rely on scientific evidence for ghosts, called sceptics?

Why are those who rely on scientific "evidence" on Climate change called believers?
 
Maybe your mind is closed to it ?:)

Open your mind to the possibilities and it will surely come.;)


Another thing. Sceptics.

Why are the people who rely on scientific evidence for ghosts, called sceptics?

Why are those who rely on scientific "evidence" on Climate change called believers?

To me science by nature is sceptical, as it involves critical thinking. Scientists are incredibly critical observers. When everyone in the world is saying the earth is flat, scientists are going against the trend and critically examining the evidence.

I really think this is why the general population gets the ***** with science because it seems like scientists are always there to disagree with their opinions. But hey it's just the nature of science. And if we are really honest with ourselves I think we can accept that our opinions are worth much less than sometimes we feel they are.

As for your point about climate change. I think that's just due to the burden of proof falling on the one putting forth the theory. The OP put forward the theory that ghosts explain noises in the night, etc... So the burden of proof falls on them so we are the sceptics. But with climate change the theory is put forward by scientists, so the burden of proof falls on them, and those that are on the other side are called the sceptics.
 
Oh goody. Another thread gets derailed and becomes a soapbox about climate change.

Agreed. I've had enough of hearing arguments about climate change. It's the rare opporunity that you get to hear about ghosts. Most people won't talk about it in public because they are afriad of being judged. So this is a good place for it. And it's such an interesting thing. From my point of view, it's the way the brain comes up with superstitious beliefs to explain things that the individual doesn't understand, rather than the brain accepting it just doesn't know something. The way the brain works is facinating. Like split brain patients who have had their corpus collosum severed. The right side of the brain can no longer communicate with the verbal left side of the brain. So an object/puzzle will be shown to the right side of the brain and then the participant has to pick up the object. When asked to explain why they picked up the object the verbal side will just make stuff up. So even subconsciously our brains won't accept "I don't know" as an answer. There must be an answer, even if it's just made up.


http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/split-brain/splitbrainexp.html
 
I'm enjoying the brain stuff. I received this email today and it took me 1.47 minutes to find the man in the coffee beans. I clearly need some practice and more protein :p.


THE TRICK IS TO FIND THE MAN IN THE COFFEE BEANS: This is bizarre - after you find this chap - it's so obvious. Once you find him - it's embarrassing, and you think, "Why didn't I see him immediately?"



Doctors have concluded that if you find the man in the coffee beans in 3 seconds, the right half of your brain is better developed than most people. If you find the man between 3 seconds and 1 minute, the right half of the brain is developed normally. If you find the man between 1 minute and 3 minutes, then the right half of your brain is functioning slowly and you need to eat more protein. If you have not found the man after 3 minutes, the advice is to look for more of this type of exercise to make that part of the brain stronger! And yes, the man is really there!

After you find the man in the beans forward the e-mail to your brainy friends!
 
Back on topic my tenant has just given notice as she believes the house is haunted. She 'realized' this just after she signed the 6 month lease so had to get the house blessed prior to her moving in. Obviously the blessing didn't work.
 
I'm enjoying the brain stuff. I received this email today and it took me 1.47 minutes to find the man in the coffee beans. I clearly need some practice and more protein :p.


THE TRICK IS TO FIND THE MAN IN THE COFFEE BEANS: This is bizarre - after you find this chap - it's so obvious. Once you find him - it's embarrassing, and you think, "Why didn't I see him immediately?"



Doctors have concluded that if you find the man in the coffee beans in 3 seconds, the right half of your brain is better developed than most people. If you find the man between 3 seconds and 1 minute, the right half of the brain is developed normally. If you find the man between 1 minute and 3 minutes, then the right half of your brain is functioning slowly and you need to eat more protein. If you have not found the man after 3 minutes, the advice is to look for more of this type of exercise to make that part of the brain stronger! And yes, the man is really there!

After you find the man in the beans forward the e-mail to your brainy friends!

Funny pic. But the explanation stuff is all just fluff unfortunately.
 
Back on topic my tenant has just given notice as she believes the house is haunted. She 'realized' this just after she signed the 6 month lease so had to get the house blessed prior to her moving in. Obviously the blessing didn't work.

Sounds like they are looking for an excuse to move out. Just tell them that if they can scientifically prove that there is a ghost there that you will let them out of their lease :p
 
Oh goody. Another thread gets derailed and becomes a soapbox about climate change.

No soapbox at all.
It was a reasonable question in comparison to another subject.

You want I to be what you want, not what I was asking.

Oh goody indeed. Such a dragon.
 
I am very rational (though 'arty') and although I firmly believe in ufo's from other planets I have never seen one, so dont let my mind run out of control. I dont believe in god (or father christmas etc.) but something very strange was going on in our old house (as detailed back up further in this thread) I only heard things, but only ever saw one thing. I was v e r y sleep deprived (with a hyperactive toddler) and going back to bed late at night saw a black pulsating glittery pear shaped object about 1mtr high sitting in front of me further up the hall. Was so tired I couldnt have cared less and went back to bed. always regretting not going up to it and poking it, but many years later, realise it was an hallucination. So I am quite rational and open to logical explanations, but have never found one for the other things that went on in that house.
 
Maybe your mind is closed to it ?:)

Open your mind to the possibilities and it will surely come.;)


I have looked for a rational explanation and still can't find one. I inspected the house on both occasions immediately upon hearing them and no-one was there. They were clearly footsteps, not echoes or creaking boards. No waterpipes there to creak either. My mother's "rational" explanation defies the way sound travels (she said she'd heard the footsteps many times). My brother was so terrified he locked himself in his room til we came home.

As I have already said, I am a scientist and I do not say it WAS a ghost, just an unexplained phenomenon which many people would label 'ghost'. And I would be quite happy if someone could suggest a rational explanation. But so far no rational explanation has been found.

As a scientist I can only say I heard footsteps, there was no-one there, and no rational explanation has been found.
 
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