There's a staggering amount of "reliable" evidence -albeit anecdotal, to suggest the mind can exist independently of the brain- you only have to look. More recently the view that we might be living in a simulation is suggestive of the fact that we exist as a materialistic avatar controlled and interlinked by a mind/consciousness. There are veridical accounts of NDe's and even quantum entanglement allows for the existence of forces that cause actions on "objects" in a non materialistic way-so I don't see why apparitions of some or even different states of existence are a problem?
Ghosts - The white floaty things that go oooooooo
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Soldato
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This is literally the same thinking behind religion. Just believe that it's correct and that's enough evidence for God to exist.
We've discussed this before but this is an unwinnable paradox. With regards to UFOs, for instance, have you ever tried taking a high-res photo of something very high up in the sky moving at speed? It's not easy and you need a very good camera. Also, one can't predict UFO sightings so you'd have to have such a camera on you at the time. Also, even if you did great a great shot of the thing, everyone would just say it was CGI.
Well UFO's are one thing but in reality nothing paranormal has ever been clearly photographed has it, the Yeti, bigfoot, alien visitors who had tea with someone etc
No its not the same as religion as the kinds of examples and experiences I'm alluding to actually refer to evidence that has been confirmed and is open to falsification if a contrary explanation can be found - as opposed to belief or hearsay.
You are not understanding what I said because your response hasn't acknowledged or even discerned the difference.
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Soldato
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'There's a staggering amount of "reliable" evidence -albeit anecdotal .................. you only have to look'
This sounds exactly what religions say. No empirical proof, just have to 'look yourself' into the true meaning.
Look at the Newby ghost photo. It's a very clear picture and has yet to be proven as fake. The biggest problem is that people don't want to believe because they're scared of something unknowable, uncontrollable, intangible and beyond present scientific knowledge.
A little spooky tale for you...
When my dad died of cancer he kept seeing things in the lead up to his death. He hated living alone in his house (the one I mentioned earlier in this thread) and, despite being one of the most rational people I've known, said the house was unfriendly to him. He asked to stay at my brothers for a while which is when he said it. He often saw things while there, or in the hospital. At one point he said he could see the grim reaper standing by the nurses station. On the day of his death he kept staring at things past us next to his hospital bed and he did look a little worried. Although we had some very worrying experiences in his house ourselves, we assumed at the time that it was because of a secondary tumour on his brain.
But last year my mum also died of cancer, but no secondary brain tumour. A day before she died she also started seeing things. My brother and I were with her as she died. Minutes before she had a look of real fear on her face and was really looking at something next to her. It was scary to watch and we kept trying to calmly tell her that there was nothing there and whatever she was seeing was just in her mind. But I have to say the look on her face was horrible.
In both cases it was most likely the brain shutting down causing them to see things. Having looked into it, it isn't uncommon and is called Death Visions. But it's horrible to watch someone you love look scared in their final moments.
When my dad died of cancer he kept seeing things in the lead up to his death. He hated living alone in his house (the one I mentioned earlier in this thread) and, despite being one of the most rational people I've known, said the house was unfriendly to him. He asked to stay at my brothers for a while which is when he said it. He often saw things while there, or in the hospital. At one point he said he could see the grim reaper standing by the nurses station. On the day of his death he kept staring at things past us next to his hospital bed and he did look a little worried. Although we had some very worrying experiences in his house ourselves, we assumed at the time that it was because of a secondary tumour on his brain.
But last year my mum also died of cancer, but no secondary brain tumour. A day before she died she also started seeing things. My brother and I were with her as she died. Minutes before she had a look of real fear on her face and was really looking at something next to her. It was scary to watch and we kept trying to calmly tell her that there was nothing there and whatever she was seeing was just in her mind. But I have to say the look on her face was horrible.
In both cases it was most likely the brain shutting down causing them to see things. Having looked into it, it isn't uncommon and is called Death Visions. But it's horrible to watch someone you love look scared in their final moments.
My mother in law swears our house is haunted, she sometimes stops here to look after our two dogs when we are away. The house however up until about 2003 was lived in by my Father in Laws parents and she is convinced that they are haunting the house & don't want her here as they didn't like her or something.
I've never seen anything odd happen, that said the app for all the smart devices is on my phone and password protected so there is only me that can turn the downstairs TV on at 2am along with random lights in the house
I've never seen anything odd happen, that said the app for all the smart devices is on my phone and password protected so there is only me that can turn the downstairs TV on at 2am along with random lights in the house
I'm talking anecdotal evidence that meets the threshold for falsification and scientific investigation-which is a lot more than religion does in many respects. So it's not like religion.
Soldato
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You could collect all this anecdotal evidence in a book, almost like a bible for ghosts. 
You could collect all this anecdotal evidence in a book, almost like a bible for ghosts.
The Holy BOO!-ble.
Reliable anecdotal... that's pretty much an oxy-moron.
There's a reason that science runs double blind experiments with control groups etc.
Eye witness evidence is the least reliable evidence, there's tons of investigations into just how poor it is. People have terrible memories, that fill in details all the time. I have a very solid memory, my earliest memory, of me when I was about 3, in my buggy on a really rainy day, with the rain cover on.
Only problem is, I know that it's false. It's almost certainly based on a real experience, but I know it's false, because the steps to our door and the path, are from when I was closer to 6/7 years old (extension to the same house). People can be convinced of virtually anything, memories aren't fixed, but flexible, and can be manipulated. There's a reason why the likes of Derren Brown can have some much fun at our expense.
Hypnosis in general is a good way to see how the brain can be manipulated too. I was never sure if it worked, fairly sceptical in truth (science degree). Got called up to be part of a stage hypnosis show (so it's not all plants!). Played along for the most part, or at least thought I was playing along. He then told us that when he blew his whistle the chair would feel really hot. I was getting bored by then and decided I wasn't going to react. He blew the whistle and my body took over. I can't say I felt the heat, but my body sure as hell didn't want to stay sat down. Next up he gave me a book, told me to start reading and it would be the funniest book I'd ever read. It was a passage about near death experiences, but I could barely get through the first sentence before tears of laughter were running down my face.
The human brain is a million miles away from infallible, and can be manipulated (deliberately or otherwise). Anecdotal is not reliable. Years ago people used to see witches flying in the sky, then it was updated to UFO's, as our fantasy developed, how many people see witches on broomsticks these days? Have they all died out, or just fly easyjet?
I've looked, it's a simple double exposure, see this website showing how it's done,
https://www.diyphotography.net/photographer-recreates-three-famous-ghost-photos-ever-taken/
And this one for a bigger laugh:-
https://www.flickr.com/photos/davewebster14/7375336862/
I don't think people used to see witches flying in the sky as such, but witches did used to to rub mandrake root oil on broomsticks and use them for masturbation in sex magick around Hallowe'een [Samhain]. These sticks would then be 'ridden' through fields in order to help 'predict' the heights of next year's crop.
"oh yeah, ghosts man. Definitely not real children"
"ooh exciting and plausible. I shall investigate no further"
Soldato
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Thank you for acknowledging my thoughts.
Guest: Did you hear children crying last night?
Pedo ring operator: Oh no that was just plausable ghosts.
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I did have a little chuckleUnless of course there really was children chained up in a cellar
