Ghostly encounters, alien abduction, reincarnation, talking to the dead, UFO sightings, inexplicable coincidences, out-of-body and near-death experiences. How should we go about understanding them? In this fascinating book, Chris French provides authoritative evidence-based explanations for a wide range of superficially mysterious phenomena, and then goes further to draw out lessons with wider applications to many other aspects of modern society where critical thinking is urgently needed. The Science of Weird Shit convincingly debunks ESP, communicating with the dead, and alien abduction claims, all the while maintaining that our belief in such phenomena is neither ridiculous nor trivial.
Anomalistic PsychologyFrom alien encounters to visions of ghosts, this introduction to anomalistic psychology explores the fascinating area of the psychology of belief in paranormal phenomena. Engaging and accessible, it considers empirical evidence from a variety of psychological perspectives, including from clinical, developmental and cognitive psychology.
This collection brings together the best articles from ‘The Skeptic’ magazine, the UK’s foremost and longest-running sceptical magazine, which pursues the truth through reason and evidence by examining science, psychology, secularism, philosophy, critical thinking and the claims of the paranormal. The volume covers a wide range of topics such as psychic fraudsters, psychic healing, alien abduction, near-death experiences, false memories and much more. Contributors include Susan Blackmore, Richard Wiseman, John Diamond, Edzard Ernst, plus interviews with Paul Daniels and Stephen Fry.
Anomalistic Psychology
From the ancient world to the present day, anomalous experiences – such as apparitions, premonitions, out-of-body and near- death experiences – provide stories that continue to mystify and intrigue. In this lively introduction, the authors investigate what these stories signify, and why some people turn to the paranormal for explanation. From defining anomalous experiences to examining the psychological models and methods that have been used to explain them, this text will help open up these strange tales to analysis. Whatever your level of study, this introduction will guide you through the key areas of this fascinating subject.