Welcome to this bilingual (Swedish-English) group blog by family members living on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, "the pond". Our interests range from the scientific to the eclectic, including gourmet food, horses, art and literature, computers, species in nature, history and iron, and photography. Three generations are posting here.
One question I have asked several people who say they believe in ghosts is "do ghosts manifest themselves in the physical reality?". No-one has actually answered that question yet.
If you can see them, then it must be physical, no? Is light physical? I don't believe ghosts are dead people, but I believe there are things in this world that we don't have explanations for, at least not yet. A few hundred years ago nobody could explain lightning and thunder, magnetism, genetics, and diseases in as scientific, logical ways as we can today. Maybe 100 years from now there will be a scientific explanation for ghosts and other supernatural phenomena?
"If you can see them, then it must be physical, no? Is light physical?"
Light is physical, yes, but our experience of light doesn't need to be based on light. Our mind is capable of tricking us to an amazing degree, especially if there are stimulants (memories, associations, drugs) or if it is in a certain state (hypnosis, dreaming, trance, mental illness). Assuming I was a ghost I would, if I could, operate in the mental realm. It must be so much more energy efficient than actually rattling those chains... ;)
But that opens up the philosophical can of worms, "What is real?".
Otherwise I agree with you. However all scientific studies of presumed paranormal phenomenas I have heard of have failed to prove the existence of such.
I would say that thoughts are physical, but we don't have tools and knowledge to measure and interpret them. And even then one must probably have a very detailed blueprint of how that specific brain is wired. Anyhow you kind of blew a hole in my question. Dang it! ;)
Let me rephrase: Do ghost operate outside the viewers body?
One question I have asked several people who say they believe in ghosts is "do ghosts manifest themselves in the physical reality?". No-one has actually answered that question yet.
ReplyDeleteIf you can see them, then it must be physical, no? Is light physical? I don't believe ghosts are dead people, but I believe there are things in this world that we don't have explanations for, at least not yet. A few hundred years ago nobody could explain lightning and thunder, magnetism, genetics, and diseases in as scientific, logical ways as we can today. Maybe 100 years from now there will be a scientific explanation for ghosts and other supernatural phenomena?
ReplyDelete"If you can see them, then it must be physical, no? Is light physical?"
ReplyDeleteLight is physical, yes, but our experience of light doesn't need to be based on light. Our mind is capable of tricking us to an amazing degree, especially if there are stimulants (memories, associations, drugs) or if it is in a certain state (hypnosis, dreaming, trance, mental illness). Assuming I was a ghost I would, if I could, operate in the mental realm. It must be so much more energy efficient than actually rattling those chains... ;)
But that opens up the philosophical can of worms, "What is real?".
Otherwise I agree with you. However all scientific studies of presumed paranormal phenomenas I have heard of have failed to prove the existence of such.
"I think therefore I am."
ReplyDeleteBut thoughts aren't physical, and can't be measured, can they? But they are real, no?
I would say that thoughts are physical, but we don't have tools and knowledge to measure and interpret them. And even then one must probably have a very detailed blueprint of how that specific brain is wired. Anyhow you kind of blew a hole in my question. Dang it! ;)
ReplyDeleteLet me rephrase: Do ghost operate outside the viewers body?
(Annars är de hjärnspöken... ;))
Physical things we don't have the tools to measure - sounds like mirage and ghost images to me...
ReplyDeleteIf so, did for example neutrinos exist before we found a way to detect them?
ReplyDeleteWhat is neutrinos?
ReplyDeleteNeutrino.
ReplyDelete"are able to pass through ordinary matter almost undisturbed and are thus extremely difficult to detect"
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many has gone through my brain or heart without me knowing about it. Isn't that a weird thought?