Belief Survey results

Results from the "Belief Survey"

It's been a few weeks since I closed off this survey, so I thought I'd better supply the results.

 

 

There are people who can read other people's minds.
	True 2 3% Probably True 5 7% Equally likely/Don’t know 3 4% Probably false 11 16% False 46 69% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

People can be cured by faith healers.
	True 2 3% Probably True 4 6% Equally likely/Don’t know 9 13% Probably false 12 18% False 40 60% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

The positions of the sun, stars and planets at birth can affect a person's body, character and destiny.
	True 1 1% Probably True 1 1% Equally likely/Don’t know 3 4% Probably false 6 9% False 56 84% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

There are people who can see into the future.
	True 2 3% Probably True 4 6% Equally likely/Don’t know 3 4% Probably false 8 12% False 50 75% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

Poltergeists (ghosts) can move physical objects.
	True 5 7% Probably True 3 4% Equally likely/Don’t know 3 4% Probably false 4 6% False 52 78% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

There are people who can talk to the spirits of the dead.
	True 4 6% Probably True 2 3% Equally likely/Don’t know 5 7% Probably false 4 6% False 52 78% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

After a physical body dies, a person can reincarnate in another physical body.
	True 1 1% Probably True 1 1% Equally likely/Don’t know 8 12% Probably false 8 12% False 49 73% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

There are people who have been possessed by demons.
	True 3 4% Probably True 3 4% Equally likely/Don’t know 9 13% Probably false 5 7% False 47 70% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

There is life elsewhere in the universe.
	True 12 18% Probably True 34 51% Equally likely/Don’t know 15 22% Probably false 3 4% False 3 4% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

Alien spacecraft have landed on the Earth.
	True 0 0% Probably True 0 0% Equally likely/Don’t know 11 16% Probably false 28 42% False 28 42% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

There are people who have been abducted by space aliens.
	True 0 0% Probably True 0 0% Equally likely/Don’t know 5 7% Probably false 19 28% False 43 64% People may select more than one checkbox, so percentages may add up to more than 100%.

Podcast: Episode 15 - On Belief: The Skeptic and The Psychic

In this episode I interview a practicing psychic. I ask her to answer questions about paranormal phenomena and what the basis of her belief is. I am joined by good friend Ben (pictured at Mt Hutt in NZ with me), who I discuss this with – in terms of Thomas Gilovich’s book How We Know What Isn’t So – The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life.

Here's the link to direct download: (47 mins & 22 mb) and you subscribe here: http://huntinghumbug101.podbean.com/feed/or by clicking one of the buttons below.

More notes:

• Thanks to the American Bookstore – their coffee shop was closed but they let us bring in take away coffees from somewhere else anyway. Love those guys.
• Many major league baseballers have August birthdays.
• The TV show - The One. With skeptical judge from The Skepic Zone - Richard Saunders.
• The Young Australian Skeptics.
• The belief survey questions.
• My question on Yahoo Answers.
• Writing a review for itunes: http://www.askdavetaylor.com/how_to_vote_favorite_podcast_apple_itunes.html Go do it now @ Review us on iTunes
• Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/theoclark
  

And The Chaser with John Edwards:

A "legitimate" psychic hotline

Karen Stollznow, associate editor of the Australian Skeptic, demonstrated how easy it is to become a telephone and email psychic. She recently received the following correspondence from an ex-employee of the same psychic company (Absolutely Psychic Network) in response to her article:

Hi Karen

I commend you for this website. Indeed there are many psychic networks that are questionable. I know because I have worked for PRN, Psychic Friends Network and other networks as well such as Psychic chat and psychic source. Psychic chat owns a sex club and psychic source has another hot line that markets sexual hookups. But I think you should cut some slack to Absolutely Psychic because they are no where near the sleeze bags in the market. APN is 1 thing and 1 thing only: TESTED PSYCHICS. Now, in my humble and respectful opinion, being offered a contract is much different than being able to maintain it. Calls are monitored and client feedback factors into maintaining the position. This is the equivalent of marriage. Walking down the aisle doesn’t guarantee you a successful marriage. But a person of your great merits knows that and I don’t need to elaborate in any further because you weren’t contracted by them.

Freedom of speech is a great liberty but the written word doesn’t always portray the entire or accurate story. For this reason, I will extend my liberty in free speech as I have worked for Absolutely Psychic Network (APN) for 7 years and have found it to be EXCELLENT.

As for the 2nd person who alleges to have worked for them, I can only say that if she researched the market she would notice that Absolutely Psychic Network/Absolutelypsychic.com (APN) offers the highest pay scale. They have given me a raise every year and gift card for such long years of service. Independent contractor work liberates one to pursue other career paths simultaneously. If she doesn’t have other venues of expression, then sure frustration is possible. But I believe that the universe may be trying to say something to that person. I’m 51 years old and have been around the block longer for quite some time.

Namaste
Belle

This email is really quite inane the whole way through. However, notice how 'Belle' tries to make this particular psychic service from the other "sleazy" ones by pointing out the others also run sex lines. It's an attempted Poisoning of the Well towards the other psychic hot lines, as if that has anything to do with Absolutely Psychic Network. Isn't that equivalent to being the best player in the worst team (pick any sport)? So we have a Red Herring as well.

"Belle" also attempts to "prove" her case with the False Analogy with a marriage. As Jef and I said with our podcast on false analogies, the problem with analogies in argument is how easy it is to turn them around, back onto the advocate.

"Belle" said:

Now, in my humble and respectful opinion, being offered a contract is much different than being able to maintain it. Calls are monitored and client feedback factors into maintaining the position. This is the equivalent of marriage. Walking down the aisle doesn’t guarantee you a successful marriage.

I.e. Karen might have fooled the APN to get the contract initially, but they'd have worked out she was a fake eventually. But, of course, I've been told that there are women who manage to fake it with their husbands throughout their entire marriage...