Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!ucbvax!ernie.berkeley.edu!tedrick
From: tedrick@ernie.berkeley.edu (Tom Tedrick)
Newsgroups: net.philosophy,net.sci
Subject: Re: Contempt prior to Investigation
Message-ID: <12357@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Thu, 13-Mar-86 18:47:30 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.12357
Posted: Thu Mar 13 18:47:30 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Mar-86 19:01:24 EST
References: <435@ccivax.UUCP> <13400007@uiucdcsp> <12239@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <358@unirot.UUCP> <284@ll-xn.ARPA>
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: tedrick@ernie.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Tom Tedrick)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 36
Xref: watmath net.philosophy:4442 net.sci:586

>> [Discusses scientists' rejection of claims of the paranormal.]
>> ...Look, it's mighty clear to me you just don't want to believe...
>
>You're absolutely right: I don't want to believe.  I won't believe until
>you beat me over the head with repeatable experiments.  All revolutionary
>scientific ideas are initially subject to 'contempt prior to investigation'.
>
>This approach has served science well for centuries.  If you want
>scientists to accept your ideas, you must steel yourself to withstand
>their contempt, and doggedly pursue your researches until you produce
>repeatable results.  This is the lot of the scientific pioneer.

There is one small point that seems to be ignored sometimes. That
is, in order for something to be treated scientifically, it has to
be subject to repeatable experiments.

But that doesn't mean that there are not things that cannot be
treated scientifically. Suppose that certain things happen
which just cannot be controlled well enough to be subject to
repeatable experiments. I personally have experienced several
totally non-standard events in my own life that do not fit
into a conventional world view.

I don't know how to explain them. I don't expect you to believe
me. But imagine you are in my shoes. Imagine you *KNOW* these
things have happened (I don't expect you to believe that I
*KNOW* as there are all kinds of ways people have tried to
explain these things away when I mention them. Just try to
imagine that you *KNOW* something that you cannot prove or
explain to people who haven't had the experience. Also I would
appreciate not being called an idiot.)

What (assuming you allow me the above) am I supposed to think?

I can't accept conventional theories as complete, yet I can't
fit my experiences in a scientifically repeatable framework.