An accessible and gratifying introduction to the world of paranormal beliefs and bizarre experiences. Ghostly encounters, alien abduction, reincarnation, talking to the dead, UFO sightings, inexplicable coincidences, out-of-body and near-death experiences. Are these legitimate phenomena? If not, then how should we go about understanding them? In this fascinating book, Chris French investigates paranormal claims to discover what lurks behind this "weird shit." 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. Using academic, comprehensive, logical, and, at times, mathematical approaches, The Science of Weird Shit convincingly debunks ESP, communicating with the dead, and alien abduction claims, among other phenomena. All the while, however, French maintains that our belief in such phenomena is neither ridiculous nor trivial; if anything, such claims can tell us a great deal about the human mind if we pay them the attention they are due. Filled with light-bulb moments and a healthy dose of levity, The Science of Weird Shit is a clever, memorable, and gratifying read you won't soon forget.
Product Identifiers
Publisher
MIT Press
ISBN-10
0262048361
ISBN-13
9780262048361
eBay Product ID (ePID)
5060635086
Product Key Features
Book Title
Science of Weird Shit : Why Our Minds Conjure the Paranormal
Author
Chris French
Format
Hardcover
Language
English
Topic
Philosophy & Social Aspects, Parapsychology / General, General, Cognitive Psychology & Cognition
Publication Year
2024
Genre
Psychology, Body, Mind & Spirit, Science
Number of Pages
416 Pages
Dimensions
Item Length
9.3 in
Item Height
1.5 in
Item Width
6.4 in
Item Weight
23.3 Oz
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
Lc Classification Number
Bf121.F72 2024
Reviews
"This fascinating inquiry . . . provides scientific explanations for such otherworldly phenomena as alien encounters, déjà vu, and ghosts . . . The science intrigues . . .Skeptics will feel vindicated." -- Publishers Weekly
Table of Content
Contents Foreword by Richard Wiseman ix Preface xiii 1 WEIRD SCIENCE 1 2 WAKING NIGHTMARES 33 3 HIGH SPIRITS, PART 1: GHOSTLY ENCOUNTERS 69 4 HIGH SPIRITS, PART 2: COMMUNICATING WITH THE DEAD 111 5 FANTASTIC MEMORIES OF ALIEN ENCOUNTERS 133 6 MANY HAPPY RETURNS? 171 7 DYING TO KNOW THE TRUTH 191 8 NO SUCH THING AS COINCIDENCE? 215 9 TRICKS OF THE MIND 235 10 SKEPTICAL INQUIRIES 247 11 DREAMS OF THE FUTURE 267 12 LESSONS FOR (THE) LIVING 283 EPILOGUE: THE LIMITS OF SKEPTICISM 301 Author's Note and Acknowledgments 317 Notes 321 Index 365