From: michael.huxley5@btinternet.com   
      
   "David Mitchell"  wrote in message   
   news:pan.2007.02.01.06.39.48.934177@edenroad.demon.co.uk...   
   > On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 18:43:48 -0800, h elmer | espeance wrote:   
   >   
   >>> >It's a matter of record that birds _do_ imitate telephone rings   
   >>   
   >> agreed, but always defaulting and trying to come up with a phsyically   
   >> based reality answer doesn't mean that somebaody isn't having an obe   
   >> (or other psychoc experience)   
   >   
   > No; but the mundane explanation is by far the most likely, so it makes   
   > sense to eliminate it first.   
   >   
   >>> Within this context, I find the expression "anecdotal at best"   
   >>> slightly offensive, and certainly not friendly at all.   
   >>> Many of the users of alt.out-of-body believe in certain   
   >>> phenomena that you would describe as impossible.   
   >>> Clairvoyance is but an example. If you want to participate   
   >>> in these discussions as a civilized and polite person,   
   >>> maybe you should not label them as anecdotal, or worse,   
   >>> just because they express their convictions.   
   >>> I strongly believe in the possibility of expressing   
   >>> opposite opinions in a polite and, why not, friendly manner.   
   >>   
   >> me too, me too, me three - mountains of anecdotes are worth exploring,   
   >   
   > "Exploring?" How?   
   >   
   > Surely the first step is to find out whether there actually _is_ anything   
   > to explore.  (Otherwise you're just wasting everyone's time, especially   
   > your own).   
   >   
   >> and really take the obe (or i.e., clariaudience) out of the   
   >> paranormal, and put it into the realm normal human experience   
   >   
   > Again, how?  What methodology would you use? What criteria for proof?   
   > And if you have answers for those questions, how do you know that your   
   > methods would work - have they been tested, and, if so, how?  If not, how   
   > do you know they would work?   
   >   
   > If you _can_ answer all of _those_ questions, I rather suspect you'll end   
   > up with something very like the scientific method.  ;-)   
   >   
   At some time in our history, "Science" gave us a flat Earth, Phlogiston and   
   told us that heavier than air flight was impossible. Our poets and dreamers   
   encouraged to see beyond mere evidence and we created the supposedly   
   impossible. If we had waited for proof we would not have the many wonderful   
   technologies that we have today. Open minds gave us the future and will   
   continue to do so.   
      
   MikeH   
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