sophia8
Master Poster
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2003
- Messages
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In the latest Commentary, Randi quotes (about a Russian study of NDE):
Blindness is not an either/or state - like deafness, there is a sliding scale. The majority of 'blind' people actually have a small amount of visiual acuity - only a small minority are totally and completely without any sight whatsoever. Go to any insitute catering for the blind, and you will find white strips on stair-edges, cupboard doors painted with big coloured squares to indentify the contents etc.
This is how "blind psychics" and the like are able to get away with it - everyone assumes they can't see a thing, when they can actually make out colours and shadows and stuff. (Although it's possible that some 'born blind' people don't even realise themselves that they are seeing something.)
Unless the 'blind' person being tested is completely without eyes or optic nerves, always assume they they possess a little sight.
When presented with the results of any study involving the blind, one should also ask "How blind were these people?"
Blindness is not an either/or state - like deafness, there is a sliding scale. The majority of 'blind' people actually have a small amount of visiual acuity - only a small minority are totally and completely without any sight whatsoever. Go to any insitute catering for the blind, and you will find white strips on stair-edges, cupboard doors painted with big coloured squares to indentify the contents etc.
This is how "blind psychics" and the like are able to get away with it - everyone assumes they can't see a thing, when they can actually make out colours and shadows and stuff. (Although it's possible that some 'born blind' people don't even realise themselves that they are seeing something.)
Unless the 'blind' person being tested is completely without eyes or optic nerves, always assume they they possess a little sight.