Philosophy of Religion

The Quest after Ghosts

Ghosts are all around us: if we but have the eyes to see.

Is this so? Is it true?  What accounts for the current popularity of belief in ghosts and searching for them?

Can we trust reports of those who hunt for ghosts? Ghost Busters??  Ghost hunting television series

Alternative Naturalistic Explanations of reports of encounters with ghosts:

Possible Psychological Phenomena in Experiences of Ghosts:

• Misidentification

• Psychology of atypical Perception

• Depression

• Dissociation

• Attention deficit hyperactive disorder ADHD

• Self Delusion

• Hallucinations

• Subjective biases

READINGS: offered through links to internet sites and some below

1. Matthew J Sharps, Eyewitness to the paranormal: The Experimental Psychology of the ‘Unexplained” Skeptical Inquirer 36(4):39-43

How accurate are observations of human beings?  How accurate when they are influenced by their motivations or surroundings?

VIDEOS:

• Test your brain perception 1:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_CN5kY_FeY&feature=related
• Test your brain perception 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzXi5bCikCc&feature=fvwrel
• Test your brain perception 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DAdQiuyv7s&feature=relmfu
• Observation Test http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GEEvvTiiQk
• Awareness Test http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=EzC_sHTW43c&feature=fvwp
• Apple Awareness Test http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=mvNbXB722eI&feature=endscreen
• Bogosity Ep. 7: Pareidolia (Part 1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x9fkQlxfvw
• The Eyewitness Test: How do you stack up?    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6fRH5MLBIU
• Agents of Cracked : Why You Can't Trust Eye Witness Testimony  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7bwRU30pUQ&feature=related
• Eyewitness Identification - Getting it Right http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZsckuKiH94

How accurate are our memories?

VIDEOS:

• How Accurate Is Visual Memory?   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hu_A08ACWk&feature=bf_prev&list=PLB96E0577AE35CEB3
• Exclusive: The Bunny Effect  manufacture someone's memory?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZlPzSeUDDw&feature=relmfu
• Stress And Memory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngdfTgfFIlQ&feature=relmfu

How and why do people believe in what has little evidence to support it?

VIDEOS:

Psychology of Belief,, Part 1: Informational Influence http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1A9vrsw6Hw&feature=relmfu

Psychology of Belief, Part 2: Insufficient Justification  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkJc6c3nKMw&feature=relmfu

Psychology of Belief, Part 3: Confirmation Bias http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoCqftOYHX4&feature=fvwrel

Psychology of Belief, Part 4: Misinformation Effect  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJic51MeVaU&feature=related

Psychology of Belief, Part 5: Compliance Techniques http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x19z5Jb_pg&feature=relmfu

Psychology of Belief, Part 6: Hallucinations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwJsNTZFdcU&feature=relmfu

Psychology of Belief, Part 7: Projection http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCFLHGNc1wo&feature=relmfu

Psychology of Belief, Part 8: Need for Closure http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jHO-7aodbw&feature=relmfu

Psychology of Belief, Part 9: Agenticity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwP9QusSxfc&feature=relmfu

Psychology of Belief, Part 10: Summary and Conclusions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B09Lou1kv7M&feature=relmfu

 http://casualentropy.blogspot.com/2011/12/flow-chart-part-10.html

Web Surfer's Caveat: These are class notes, intended to comment on readings and amplify class discussion. They should be read as such. They are not intended for publication or general distribution.