Posted by John Nichols on February 20, 2005 at 21:14:12 from 165.91.196.86 user Mcneacail.
In Reply to: Re: dowsing still in use posted by John Nichols on February 20, 2005 at 20:51:11:
Of course the hypothesis that:
Some people can not dowse
can be tested.
1. We seek one human who is in the set of all humans.
2. I fit that bill so to speak
3. I can not dowse at all so we have one human who says he can not dowse.
4. Assuming that he is believed as telling the truth then the hypothesis is true.
Finally observe - both hypotheses could be true at the same time as we have four possible categories of people.
1. People who can and do dowse.
2. People who can dowse but who have never tried
3. People who can not dowse
4. People who can not dowse but say they can.
If we accept my statement that I can not dowse nor claim to dowse than Set 3 exists. It has at least one member – I. And I assume Andy B.
I have no doubt set 4 exists. There are always people who claim skills they do not have - even people who graduated from Yale.
Now if set 1 exists then by extension set 2 exists. So the test is merely is there a single human that fits into set 1. We obviously can not test all human beings so my original hypothesis will rely on finding at least one who can be shown to dowse using accepted scientific method.
That this is not likely to happen has more to do with scientist’s attitude to such things than a lack of ability to at least try.
The fifth category of people is those who have para-normal powers. On that the hind quarters of a cow apply as the source of the truth of such abilities.
JMN