Pseudoscience and Extraordinary Claims of the Paranormal: A Critical Thinker's ToolkitISBN: 978-1-4051-8123-5
Hardcover
432 pages
September 2009, Wiley-Blackwell
This is a Print-on-Demand title. It will be printed specifically to fill your order. Please allow an additional 10-15 days delivery time. The book is not returnable.
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PART 1: INTRODUCTION Chapter 1: The Continuum Mysteriosum Making
Sense out of Mysteries: The Continuum Mysteriosum Extraordinary,
Nonparanormal Mysteries An Invitation Chapter 2: Why Study These
Things? The Dangers of Unexamined Paranormal Claims The Risk of
Paranormal Passion and the Critical Thinker?s Toolkit Eight
Reality-Checks: The Critical Thinker?s Toolkit PART II: THE
CRITICAL THINKER?S TOOLKIT EVALUATE SUPPORT FOR A CLAIM Chapter 3:
Reality Check: Are the Sources Credible? Astrology Questionable
Sources The Question of Authority When Experts Get It Wrong An
Invitation to Question Chapter 4: Reality Check: Is the Logic Valid
and Sound? Basic Logic Informal Logical Fallacies Premises, Logic,
and Hypothesis Testing Chapter 5: Reality Check: Are Claims Based
on Science: (Observations, Tests, and Theories)? Observations Tests
Theories Sagan?s Balance and the FEDS Standard Science and
Alternative Hypotheses CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS Chapter 6:
Reality Checking for Oddities of Nature and the World of Numbers
Probability Estimates and Bias Math Ignorance Coincidences The
Clumpiness of Randomness The Law of Very Large Numbers Science and
Chance Summary: Psychic Bias Chapter 7: Reality Checking for
Perceptual Error and Trickery Top-Down Processes and Perception
Manipulations of Magicians and Psychics: The Cold Reading Toolkit
Hypnotic Suggestion Enhancers Chapter 8: Reality Checking for
Memory Errors Memory Myths What is Memory? Memory Errors
Déjà vu The Déjà vu Reality Check Chapter 9:
Reality Checking for the Placebo Effect What are Placebos? Weak and
Strong Placebos Is the Placebo Effect Real? Underlying
?Placebogenic? Mechanisms Placebos and Superstitious Beliefs
Placebo Controversies Placebos and Performance Chapter 10: Reality
Checking for Sensory Anomalies and Hallucinations Sensory Phenomena
Migraines Tunnel Experiences Hallucinations Hallucinations and the
Critical Thinker?s Toolkit PART 3: THE PARANORMAL FILES Chapter 11:
Spiritualism and the Survival Hypothesis History of the
Spiritualist Movement Impact of Spiritualism Spiritualism Today
Research on Life after Death Research on Channeling and Mediums
Conclusion Chapter 12: Parapsychology The Language of
Parapsychology Research on PSI Conclusion: The State of PSI
Research Chapter 13: Energy Treatments and Complementary and
Alternative Medicine (CAM) Contemporary Views of Energy: The
Scientific Perspective Concepts of Energy in Children and Western
History: Vitalism Chinese History and Energy: The Yin-Yang School
Chinese Energy Treatments Western Energy Treatments Conclusion
Chapter 14: Supernatural Cures and Faith Healing The Varieties of
Healing Experience The Evidence Chapter 15: Creationism,
Intelligent Design, and God Great Debate Things Great and Small
Chapter 16: The Reality Checkup: Using your Toolkit The Reality
Checkup How to Carry on a Civilized Discussion about the Paranormal
Parting Words: The Paranormal Challenge APPENDIX A: Complementary
and Alternative Medicine APPENDIX B: Critical Thinking and
Paranormal Resources APPENDIX C: Susan Blackmore on Paranormal
Research