Extraordinary Knowing - Week 1 1

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1 Extraordinary Knowing Week 1 by Tom G. Nielsen Today s Agenda Class Preliminaries Initial Questions The Class Online The Books -- Break Credible Evidence The Rules of Science Skepticism Discussion Initial Questions What is Extraordinary Knowing? What Does Extraordinary Knowing Reveal About Who We Are? (Self/Soul) Where We Are? (Cosmos) How We Know? (Mind) What Our Reality Is? (Worldview) Why Extraordinary? Occurs Spontaneously Often Comes Unbidden Affectively Charged Just Unexplainable, Impossible Why Extraordinary? (continued) Doesn t Fit Our Current Worldview Common Sense Reality Systems of Logic & Reasoning Our Laws of Nature Scientific Beliefs & Dogma Religious/Spiritual Beliefs & Dogma After the Break We will consider how Credible Evidence The Rules of Science Skepticism are affected by these extraordinary aspects of extraordinary knowing. Extraordinary Knowing - Week 1 1

2 The Class Online OLLI at Auburn Blogs Overview The Class Blog Blog Page 8-Week Schedule Post Links Blog Posts Visit the Class Blog, Regularly Add Comments, Questions, & Links to Related Resources The Class Online Class Website Overview Weekly Schedule Recommended Readings Handouts Explore Linked Resources Related Resources The Books Extraordinary Knowing The ESP Enigma Other Books Parapsychology & the Skeptics Entangled Minds Science and the Akashic Field The Field The Wave The Afterlife Experiments Opening to the Infinite & More (see Handouts) Extraordinary Knowing -- Break -- About Lizby Lizby s Presentation Chapter 1 The Harp Chapter 2 The Neurosurgeon Chapter 8 An Epistemic Crisis Extraordinary Knowing - Week 1 2

3 Credible Evidence Experimental Investigative Experiential Anecdotal Personal The Rules of Science The Gold Standard of Research Experimental Controlled - Control Group Randomization Double-blind (esp. in medical research) Unimpeachable Evidence Plausible Alternative Hypotheses Skepticism Issues Effect Size, Power & Errors (I & II) Observer/Experimenter Effect Equity & Integrity Worldview Scientism Balanced, Evidence-Based Skepticism Scientism Fundamentalist The only true science is experimental science. Reductionist The whole can be explained by its parts their relationships, and their functioning. Irrational I wouldn t believe it even if it were proven true. Skepticism Issues Effect Size, Power & Errors (I & II) Observer/Experimenter Effect Equity & Integrity Worldview Scientism Balanced, Evidence-Based Skepticism Quotables Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. -- Carl Sagan Cosmos Extraordinary skepticism requires extraordinary accuracy. --Gary E. Schwartz, PhD The Afterlife Experiments Extraordinary Knowing - Week 1 3

4 Skeptics or Scoffers? Perhaps the most insidious rhetorical trick has been the misappropriation of the label "skeptic" to describe what are actually scoffers. -- Marcello Truzzi Marcello Truzzi (continued) As sociologist Robert K. Merton pointed out, organized skepticism is a fundamental norm in science. However, the term skepticism is properly defined as doubt, not denial. It is a position of agnosticism, of nonbelief rather than disbelief. Marcello Truzzi (continued) The true skeptic (a doubter) asserts no claim, so has no burden of proof. However, the scoffer (denier) asserts a negative claim, so the burden of proof science places on any claimant must apply. When scoffers misrepresent their position as a form of "hard-line" skepticism, they really seek escape from their burden to prove a negative position. Diane Powell, MD A critical review of the laboratory data for psychic phenomena reveals cumulative data would have been sufficient evidence for other areas of research. [p.5] Diane Powell, MD (continued) A primary reason psychic phenomena are hotly contested by the scientific community is that the validity of the phenomena would mean a major scientific revolution similar to the Copernican revolution that forced us to accept the sun as the center of the solar system. Scientific revolutions are not easy matters. [p. 6] For More on Skepticism Visit the Extraordinary Knowing Website to learn more about Zen And the Art of Debunkery Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal Committee for Skeptical Inquiry Scientism Extraordinary Knowing - Week 1 4

5 A Skeptic s Journey Maureen Caudill Physics Major BS (summa cum laude, UConn) MS (Cornell) 20+ Years of Work Scientist/Researcher/ Developer/Patentholder Author Naturally Intelligent Systems (MIT Press) Understanding Neural Networks: Computer Explorations (MIT Press) Romance Novels A Life-changing Experience Maureen attended the six-day Gateway program at The Monroe Institute (TMI) Had her first psychic experiences at TMI Recounts them in The Book, Suddenly Psychic The Beyond Reason Interview 3:19 6:19 1:15 3:31 Your Journey Exploring Extraordinary Knowing Over the next seven weeks you are invited and encouraged to Imagine Being a Witness to an Epistemic Crisis, a New Scientific Revolution Open Your Mind and Heart to the Evidence and a New Worldview Explore The Possibilities and Implications Enjoy The Journey, in Amazement and Wonder Extraordinary Knowing - Week 1 5