1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910817990703321

Autore

Bridgstock Martin <1948->

Titolo

Beyond belief : skepticism, science and the paranormal / / Martin Bridgstock [[electronic resource]]

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cambridge : , : Cambridge University Press, , 2009

ISBN

1-107-20770-3

0-511-84959-1

1-282-65138-2

9786612651380

0-511-68957-8

0-511-69105-X

0-511-69217-X

0-511-69031-2

0-511-68882-2

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (xi, 202 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)

Disciplina

130

Soggetti

Parapsychology

Parapsychology and science

Skepticism

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographic references (p. 186-195) and index.

Nota di contenuto

Introduction: The paranormal and why it matters -- The nature of science -- The paranormal -- Skepticism--from Socrates to Hume -- Modern skepticism -- Bringing skepticism down to earth -- Skepticism, ethics and survival -- Skepticism beyond the paranormal.

Sommario/riassunto

Whether ghosts, astrology or ESP, up to 80 per cent of the population believes in one or more aspects of the paranormal. Such beliefs are entertaining, and it is tempting to think of them as harmless. However, there is mounting evidence that paranormal beliefs can be dangerous - cases of children dying because parents rejected orthodox medicine in favour of alternative remedies, and 'psychics' who trade on the grief of the bereaved for personal profit and gain. Expenditure on the paranormal runs into billions of dollars each year. In Beyond Belief:



Skepticism, Science and the Paranormal Martin Bridgstock provides an integrated understanding of what an evidence-based approach to the paranormal - a skeptical approach - involves, and why it is necessary. Bridgstock does not set out to show that all paranormal claims are necessarily false, but he does suggest that we all need the analytical ability and critical thinking skills to seek and assess the evidence for paranormal claims.