Magic

[faithlessgod]

They are all fakes so every one that you spot, you know is a fake.

Are you a cynic or a sceptic? You presume thay are all fakes without even checking!

As a sceptic I know that
a) There have been many fakes (or shown to be so at least part of the time)
b) All accurately reported effects used by "real" psychics are creatable by magicians
c) No psychic has yet passed a repeatable independant test to be shown genuine.

so applying Hume's dictum to any claimed psychic I chose the lesser miracle that is they are mistaken or fraudulent.

The burden of proof is on the psychic to show otherwise.

I might end up with the same conclusion as you Baz, but if you are automatically cynical, that is question their motives first, you will never even to begin convince those floating thinkers who may still become beleivers or skeptics to move in the sensible direction.

[Baz94]

Faithless, I do believe they are all fakes.
If I do not beleive that someone can be psychic, then how can I possibly have any other opinion?

As for:

Y’all limey skeptic arsoles… throwing a psychic out one of your God dam’ Skeptic meetings. Let them try it with me, I’ll kick their arse so high they'll be able to clean their teeth and wipe their butt at the same time!

Scarey aint u :lol:
Quite ironic really, Location USA being "Gods country" yet you don't even have a patron saint? Don't spose anyone wanted the job ;)

If a skeptic walked into a psychics meeting, I wonder what the outcome would be?

Personally, I disagree with throwing ANYONE out of ANY meeting just for a simple difference in opinion.

[faithlessgod]

Faithless, I do believe they are all fakes.
If I do not beleive that someone can be psychic, then how can I possibly have any other opinion?

Exactly my point, that I was making was about the difference between being a skeptic or a cynic.

There are many psychics who beleive thet they are genuine and unaware that that they are doing cold reading for example. Are they fakes (as in deliberately fooling their audience) or just mistaken (with no awareness - however unconsidered- of what they are really doing).

Of course there is nothing wrong being cynical about various topics such as this, but it is not really productive in a skeptical enquiry thats all.

[Baz94]

A Fake FcUK jumper doesn't know it is a fake but it is still a fake.

A Fake isn't always necassarily WRONG but a fake regardless.

A Cynic?
Well, are all Athiesis Cynics too? If they don't believe in god then don't they look at anyone like preists etc as all fakes?
If you don't believe in real magic (eg, wicca etc) then surely all witchest and such as the like must be fake. Does that make you a cynic?

Cynic: one who believes that human conduct is motivated wholly by self-interest

I never said that they are "motivated wholly by self-interest" and neither meant to insinuate it.
When I say they are "Fake", I simply mean "Not real"

[faithlessgod]

Hey Baz. We broadly agree and I am not trying to attack you. This thread has just triggered some thoughts re skeptic versus cynic better explored in a new thread when I have time.

[EQ]

Magic as an art form I enjoy. Magic done to con, I will vent very rude words on. also don't like being told how they did it on some magic tricks. Just a slight contradiction to my scepticism but I don't claim to be perfect. :lol: