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Do You Believe In Any Of The Following?
171 Answers
A survey of 2,000 British adults was commissioned to mark the launch of the new TV series ‘Believe’. The poll asked respondents about their beliefs as well as superstitions that still hold sway in 2014, with the following results:
Top 10 Beliefs in Unexplained Phenomena:
1 - Ghosts (33%)
2 - Sixth sense (32%)
3 - UFOs (22%)
4 - Past lives (19%)
5 - Telepathy (18%)
6 - Psychic ability to predict the future (18%)
7 - Psychic healing (16%)
8 - Astrology (10%)
9 - Bermuda Triangle (9%)
10 - Demons (8%)
http://
Top 10 Beliefs in Unexplained Phenomena:
1 - Ghosts (33%)
2 - Sixth sense (32%)
3 - UFOs (22%)
4 - Past lives (19%)
5 - Telepathy (18%)
6 - Psychic ability to predict the future (18%)
7 - Psychic healing (16%)
8 - Astrology (10%)
9 - Bermuda Triangle (9%)
10 - Demons (8%)
http://
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TTT, I read what you said. I can’t answer your question – but Stephen Hawking pins his hopes on antimatter, foreseeing future technologies that might reach speeds equal to a high percentage of the speed of light. (That last bit unashamedly edited, copied, and pasted from the internet). Is that possible? I don’t know – and neither do you.
I don't believe in any of the things on the original list. Nor do I believe there are aliens. Just because there are a massive number of stars, planets and rocks out there does not mean it is statistically likely that there must be intelligent life on any of them. The creation of life requires not just ideal conditions, but a huge amount of energy. The fact that we are here is amazing. The chances of it happening elsewhere at another time are infinitely small.
TTT - "... it is a statistical certainty that they [aliens] exist and yes you are correct we will never have any contact...."
I used to think the exact same thing (ie. that extraterrestrial life was a virtual certainty) until it was pointed out to me that we may be the first. Logic dictates that one intelligent civilisation has to be the first - maybe we're it. It's a stretch I agree but it's not beyond the realms of possibility.
Do I believe that we're the first intelligent race to emerge in our universe? No - I think it's highly unlikely. But it is a possibility and one worth considering.
I used to think the exact same thing (ie. that extraterrestrial life was a virtual certainty) until it was pointed out to me that we may be the first. Logic dictates that one intelligent civilisation has to be the first - maybe we're it. It's a stretch I agree but it's not beyond the realms of possibility.
Do I believe that we're the first intelligent race to emerge in our universe? No - I think it's highly unlikely. But it is a possibility and one worth considering.
puddle-duck - "... I have no idea, but there again neither do you. But I think to dismiss anything based purely on our own scientific understanding is wrong..."
And what do you think is a valid method for determining what is possible and what's impossible? Known science or one's "feelings"? Empirical evidence and the implied knowledge thereof or irrational logic based on nothing but whimsical notions?
And what do you think is a valid method for determining what is possible and what's impossible? Known science or one's "feelings"? Empirical evidence and the implied knowledge thereof or irrational logic based on nothing but whimsical notions?
naomi24 - "... Stephen Hawking pins his hopes on antimatter, foreseeing future technologies that might reach speeds equal to a high percentage of the speed of light..."
I'm unaware of Stephen Hawking suggesting that contact with alien civilisations living many light-years away from us may be possible by use of "antimatter". Even if your paraphrased 'quote' is correct, TTT's assertion that the distances involved are simply too ginormous to ignore is quite valid. Supposing that we can construct a communication device that operates at almost 100% of the speed of light, it would still take (for example) 8.4 years to receive an answer from Proxima Centaui since it is 4.1 light years away. And that's our closest neighbour.
TTT is quite right when he/she says, "... even if we learn to travel at 10000 times the speed of light, we still will not ever communicate with aliens...". The logic is irrefutable.
The distances involved in interstellar travel are so great as to render them literally unimaginable. On such occasions I am reminded of a rather wonderful song by the Monty Python team called the Universe Song. Picking it up a little way in, it goes, "... Our Galaxy itself contains a hundred billions stars, it's a hundred thousand light-years side to side. It bulges in the middle, 16 thousand light-years thick but out by us it's just 3 thousand light-years wide...". Also, our Galaxy is simply one of several billion in the observable universe.
I'm unaware of Stephen Hawking suggesting that contact with alien civilisations living many light-years away from us may be possible by use of "antimatter". Even if your paraphrased 'quote' is correct, TTT's assertion that the distances involved are simply too ginormous to ignore is quite valid. Supposing that we can construct a communication device that operates at almost 100% of the speed of light, it would still take (for example) 8.4 years to receive an answer from Proxima Centaui since it is 4.1 light years away. And that's our closest neighbour.
TTT is quite right when he/she says, "... even if we learn to travel at 10000 times the speed of light, we still will not ever communicate with aliens...". The logic is irrefutable.
The distances involved in interstellar travel are so great as to render them literally unimaginable. On such occasions I am reminded of a rather wonderful song by the Monty Python team called the Universe Song. Picking it up a little way in, it goes, "... Our Galaxy itself contains a hundred billions stars, it's a hundred thousand light-years side to side. It bulges in the middle, 16 thousand light-years thick but out by us it's just 3 thousand light-years wide...". Also, our Galaxy is simply one of several billion in the observable universe.
Sir Alec - "... Just because you have had no experience yourself does not mean that something does not exist..."
Just so I'm clear - I never said that because I personally have had no experience with "ghosts" has lead me to conclude that they do not exist.
What I said is that no one has any evidence whatsoever that they exist. No one. Not one single person has ever provided any verifiable evidence that ghosts exist. The very idea that a person can somehow survive their own death and then inhabit our corporeal world as a "spectre" is absurd. It's stupid. It's laughable.
The argument you use to justify your belief is quite silly. I've also never experienced fairies at the bottom of my garden. Is that reason enough to believe in the literal existence of fairies? No. Of course it isn't. Your argument is fallacious.
Just so I'm clear - I never said that because I personally have had no experience with "ghosts" has lead me to conclude that they do not exist.
What I said is that no one has any evidence whatsoever that they exist. No one. Not one single person has ever provided any verifiable evidence that ghosts exist. The very idea that a person can somehow survive their own death and then inhabit our corporeal world as a "spectre" is absurd. It's stupid. It's laughable.
The argument you use to justify your belief is quite silly. I've also never experienced fairies at the bottom of my garden. Is that reason enough to believe in the literal existence of fairies? No. Of course it isn't. Your argument is fallacious.
birdie, what a nasty little man you are. So my Dad on his deathbed was lying about all his dead relatives? Do not presume that you are superior in any way. Your attitude shows that you are far from it. Your arguments are absurd stupid and laughable. Just as I cannot prove that something does not exist, neither can you prove that it does. Pathetic!
Sir Alec - "... what a nasty little man you are..."
Oh dear. This is typically where all arguments of this type go. They get personal very quickly. I didn’t insult you in any way and yet you've called me "nasty". You seem to be unable to even entertain the possibility that you're mistaken.
You say, "... Just as I cannot prove that something does not exist, neither can you prove that it does. Pathetic.."
I've already shown you the absurdity of such a belief. If you can't understand such a simple concept then there's nothing further to say. If I were you I'd direct the quite obvious anger you're displaying at yourself for putting forward so weak an argument.
Oh dear. This is typically where all arguments of this type go. They get personal very quickly. I didn’t insult you in any way and yet you've called me "nasty". You seem to be unable to even entertain the possibility that you're mistaken.
You say, "... Just as I cannot prove that something does not exist, neither can you prove that it does. Pathetic.."
I've already shown you the absurdity of such a belief. If you can't understand such a simple concept then there's nothing further to say. If I were you I'd direct the quite obvious anger you're displaying at yourself for putting forward so weak an argument.
Svejk, indeed.
Birdie, //I'm unaware of Stephen Hawking suggesting that contact with alien civilisations living many light-years away from us may be possible by use of "antimatter".//
I didn’t say Stephen Hawking suggested that contact with aliens may be possible by use of antimatter – I said he’s suggested that by the use of antimatter it may be possible to traverse vast distances – and if you were unaware of that before, you’re not now.
//Even if your paraphrased 'quote' is correct, ….//
Unlike some contributors, I never post anything in the hope that the reader won’t investigate it. I don’t invent information – you should know that.
// TTT's assertion that the distances involved are simply too ginormous to ignore is quite valid……Supposing that we can construct a communication device that operates at almost 100% of the speed of light, it would still take (for example) 8.4 years to receive an answer from Proxima Centaui since it is 4.1 light years away. And that's our closest neighbour.//
I’m very well aware of the enormity of our galaxy and of the universe. However, at almost the speed of light, the distance between earth and our nearest neighbour (approximately 4 light years) is hardly ‘ginormous’. Bit of a mix up in your thinking there, Birdie. TTT’s logic isn’t irrefutable and neither is yours.
As for your post to Fred, your aggression is completely unwarranted. You’ve told her the idea is absurd, stupid, laughable, silly, and fallacious, but you most certainly haven’t shown her the absurdity of her belief, as you claim. Just as she cannot provide evidence, neither can you provide evidence to conclusively debunk her claimed experiences – and before you launch into the usual ‘burden of proof’ rhetoric - we know.
Birdie, //I'm unaware of Stephen Hawking suggesting that contact with alien civilisations living many light-years away from us may be possible by use of "antimatter".//
I didn’t say Stephen Hawking suggested that contact with aliens may be possible by use of antimatter – I said he’s suggested that by the use of antimatter it may be possible to traverse vast distances – and if you were unaware of that before, you’re not now.
//Even if your paraphrased 'quote' is correct, ….//
Unlike some contributors, I never post anything in the hope that the reader won’t investigate it. I don’t invent information – you should know that.
// TTT's assertion that the distances involved are simply too ginormous to ignore is quite valid……Supposing that we can construct a communication device that operates at almost 100% of the speed of light, it would still take (for example) 8.4 years to receive an answer from Proxima Centaui since it is 4.1 light years away. And that's our closest neighbour.//
I’m very well aware of the enormity of our galaxy and of the universe. However, at almost the speed of light, the distance between earth and our nearest neighbour (approximately 4 light years) is hardly ‘ginormous’. Bit of a mix up in your thinking there, Birdie. TTT’s logic isn’t irrefutable and neither is yours.
As for your post to Fred, your aggression is completely unwarranted. You’ve told her the idea is absurd, stupid, laughable, silly, and fallacious, but you most certainly haven’t shown her the absurdity of her belief, as you claim. Just as she cannot provide evidence, neither can you provide evidence to conclusively debunk her claimed experiences – and before you launch into the usual ‘burden of proof’ rhetoric - we know.
Nothing quite brings out the spectre of a laundry list of logical fallacies and humankinds seemingly boundless capacity to believe in the unexplained if not patently absurd than the inability to grasp the essential nature of the means and process of consciousness and reason exacerbated by an unbridled imagination.
mibs, rather than make unverified assumptions about anyone’s inability to grasp the essential nature of the means and process of consciousness and reason, or to criticise what you perceive to be unbridled imagination, it’s far more rational to acknowledge that the unexplained is, indeed, unexplained – don’t you think?
I do not understand the arrogance of the human race who will say that they do not believe there is an existence of anything they cannot see or touch when it is an established fact that outside our normal vision there are x rays, ultra violet rays & any number of things that are present in our atmosphere that we know are there but cannot see, likewise there are sounds outside our audible range that other animals can hear but we cannot. So basically I am saying there maybe ghosts of events past recorded somehow in some medium we have yet to discover, fairies & other life forms that are at the moment not visible to us but actually exist just outside our visual range. I expect a lot of ignorant ABers to scoff at my suggestions but I say to you all keep an open mind &''Just Wait & See''.
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