From The telepathy debate of last month thread, Ian says:
To explain this in an analogy, when hit my hand with something heavy, I immediately feel pain afterwards. Perhaps its just coincidence that I hit my hand with a ball peen hammer, and the sensation of pain which occurs afterward are not causally connected at all, its just coincidence that they occurred at the same time.
I hit my hand again, I feel pain again.
I hit my hand a third time, I feel pain a third time.
A few more trials and a badly broken hand later, I start to suspect that there is a connection between dashing my hand to pieces with hammer and the pain that accompanies it.
In that above instance, I conclude that coincidence is insufficient for explaining why my shattered and mashed up arm is accompanied by pain.
Now, let us take this principle and expound on it a bit. I am going to prove the existence of the paranormal (more specifically I'll be proving Anomalous Cognition) by determining that the events listed are too numerous and too extraordinary to be occurring by mere "coincidence".
Over the past few days, I have been collecting a series of psychic events, by the end of this post you ought to believe that I am indeed a clairvoyant.
Big List of Psychic Things:
I know most of those accounts are anecdotal, but I tried to detail as much verification as I possibly could.
I think its obvious: Coincidence is insufficient to explain all of those events. Now, I am a meticulous record keeper of my own life, I lost the original list of psychic events (I should have transferred it to notepad when I had the chance). I notice quite literally dozens of so-called "coincidence" occurrences which occur to me on a daily basis. I'll see if I can detail more examples by the end of today.
Note: I would definitely apply for the JREF prize, but there are a few things restricting me:
1. My psychic powers are not intentional, I cannot call upon them to give me information at will.
2. I dont have the money. Contention 6 of JREF Prize Application reads "All expenses such as transportation, accommodation, materials, assistants, and/or all other costs for any persons or procedures incurred in pursuit of the reward, are the sole responsibility of the applicant. Neither the JREF nor J[ames] R[andi] will bear any of the costs".
By now, I have made my point.
It is quite obvious that I am merely making a statement about a humans natural tendency to find "connections" between events which are not actually related in the least. The point of this thread is to satire Ian's and others' concerns regarding "things that are just too coincidental".
To explain this in an analogy, when hit my hand with something heavy, I immediately feel pain afterwards. Perhaps its just coincidence that I hit my hand with a ball peen hammer, and the sensation of pain which occurs afterward are not causally connected at all, its just coincidence that they occurred at the same time.
I hit my hand again, I feel pain again.
I hit my hand a third time, I feel pain a third time.
A few more trials and a badly broken hand later, I start to suspect that there is a connection between dashing my hand to pieces with hammer and the pain that accompanies it.
In that above instance, I conclude that coincidence is insufficient for explaining why my shattered and mashed up arm is accompanied by pain.
Now, let us take this principle and expound on it a bit. I am going to prove the existence of the paranormal (more specifically I'll be proving Anomalous Cognition) by determining that the events listed are too numerous and too extraordinary to be occurring by mere "coincidence".
Over the past few days, I have been collecting a series of psychic events, by the end of this post you ought to believe that I am indeed a clairvoyant.
Big List of Psychic Things:
- I am a frequent PalTalk user. 2 nights ago an unusual series of events occurred. I would type something, and then another member would type the exact same thing as I typed immediately after I had typed it. No, it was not merely a "hello" or "hahaha", but actual sentences. I believe this has occurred between myself and JREF members Wyvern and Pirate_Lad.
This is verifiable by the folks who frequent the Room For Skeptics room on PalTalk. I usually designate the psychic link by saying something like "Me and [insert psychic link here] are actually 2 people sharing the same mind".
- Yesterday, I was going to play the song ChumbaWumba in the PalTalk room. There was no pretensive warning, but immediately after I had loaded up the song, Ceptimus begins the play it. Verify information here.
- I was reading through the JREF, and I came across a post which I thought was laugh out loud hysterical. I clicked the PM button to congradulate the poster for his poster, and as I'm being taken to the "send new PM" page, I get the alert box which tells me I've recieved a new PM. Before I send the PM I had intended, I decide to read the new PM I had just recieved.
Lo and behold, it was from the exact same person who I intended to PM. Lo and behold (echo), they sent me a PM commenting on one the funny things I had written.
I would display the PM and recipients, but I have some things regarding privacy. (In actuality, I dont usually like to mention that I've recieved a PM in the first place.)
- More PM fun: I usually have the JREF on my mind a lot (seeing as how I maintain a 20+ post per day average, its not surprising). More than once, I have been thinking of JREFer, and when I log onto the boards I have recieved a PM from them.
This last occurred on 02-06-2004 and 02-07-2004.
- Before Sister Yahweh came home from work today, I was busy updating my big list of funny things Sister Yahweh says (she has this habit of saying absolutely hilarious things without realizing it).
When she arrived home, she decided to come to my room and ask me if I still had that list of things she says. (Thats one psychic connection)
I said I did, then she says this: "Remember that time I said 'My mom is like 'now I know what you guys do on the phone, you just sit on the phone and make plans all night'... thats right, soon its gonna be murder plans...".
Funny thing about that quote, while I was updating the list of funny things she says, that was the exact same quote I was busy editing the grammar on. (That is the other psychic connection)
- Very recently in the last month I had a friend who I hadnt spoken to in a few years call my house (seeing as how I moved twice from the time she last called, it was amazing my phonenumber had stayed the same).
When I picked up the phone, I knew it was for me (note: very few people ever call my house with expressed intention of speaking to me). I also knew immediately before I answered the phone who was calling.
- This morning, I had thought to myself "I wonder when they are going to show that episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the ubervamps again", I flip the channel and there it was: The exact episode I was thinking about.
- I often think of what I would like to see people wear. Usually, the following day, that person will be wearing exactly what I wanted them to wear.
- Quite often, I will be thinking of something. Later on, someone will act according to my thoughts. Sorry if thats vague, but its 4:17 AM and I cant muster the effort to give any examples of that occurring at the moment.
I know most of those accounts are anecdotal, but I tried to detail as much verification as I possibly could.
I think its obvious: Coincidence is insufficient to explain all of those events. Now, I am a meticulous record keeper of my own life, I lost the original list of psychic events (I should have transferred it to notepad when I had the chance). I notice quite literally dozens of so-called "coincidence" occurrences which occur to me on a daily basis. I'll see if I can detail more examples by the end of today.
Note: I would definitely apply for the JREF prize, but there are a few things restricting me:
1. My psychic powers are not intentional, I cannot call upon them to give me information at will.
2. I dont have the money. Contention 6 of JREF Prize Application reads "All expenses such as transportation, accommodation, materials, assistants, and/or all other costs for any persons or procedures incurred in pursuit of the reward, are the sole responsibility of the applicant. Neither the JREF nor J[ames] R[andi] will bear any of the costs".
By now, I have made my point.
It is quite obvious that I am merely making a statement about a humans natural tendency to find "connections" between events which are not actually related in the least. The point of this thread is to satire Ian's and others' concerns regarding "things that are just too coincidental".
. I for the record voted Planet X for lack of a better option 
.
).