Any conclusive evidence of ghosts?

[Jeff7]

To me it depends entirely on how you define a ghost. I don't believe that they are some lasting representation of, or have a connection to, a dead person's soul. But if you expand the definition to simply mean "unexplainable sounds, motions, or apparitions," then yes, they're obviously real. To argue that everyone who has ever had a ghostly encounter is lying, is flat out preposterous. To argue that they are simply experiencing a mental projection into the physical world, well then THAT requires an explanation as well! How is that happening? What's going on in the mind to make it generate these visions? How does it decide what form an apparition will take? Why is it a small boy versus a lady in a white dress versus an orangutan? How do you explain complete strangers who report seeing similar apparitions? How do you explain movement - telekinesis? You can't simply explain away the unexplainable with something equally mysterious.

The short answer is: Your brain does a lot of stupid things. Luckily a lot of the stupid stuff happens at night, when you're pretty much mostly unconscious.
When it decides to do stupid crap while you're awake, that's when it tends to freak you out a little bit, because you're acclimated to receiving data input from your senses - not "new" stuff coming at you courtesy of your own neurons throwing a tantrum.

And since it's rather unethical to do invasive experimentation on live human subjects, studying the workings of the brain is a rather slow process.
But let's just say, nature didn't really do a whole lot of debugging when it comes to fine-tuning the workings of the brain.

 

[Triumph]

The short answer is: Your brain does a lot of stupid things. Luckily a lot of the stupid stuff happens at night, when you're pretty much mostly unconscious.
When it decides to do stupid crap while you're awake, that's when it tends to freak you out a little bit, because you're acclimated to receiving data input from your senses - not "new" stuff coming at you courtesy of your own neurons throwing a tantrum.

And since it's rather unethical to do invasive experimentation on live human subjects, studying the workings of the brain is a rather slow process.
But let's just say, nature didn't really do a whole lot of debugging when it comes to fine-tuning the workings of the brain.

But this isn't really an explanation either. It's like simply saying, "Just accept it and move on," which isn't exactly how scientists are motivated!

 

[Jeff7]

But this isn't really an explanation either. It's like simply saying, "Just accept it and move on," which isn't exactly how scientists are motivated!

It's not so much "accept it and move on," it's more of, "Here's the reason why this stuff is 'seen': You're imagining it. We don't know exactly why this stuff happens, but it's quite evidently in your head, as there is absolutely no other evidence of these otherworldly entities."
That's where the investigation can go - exploring the brain, and how and why it decides to conjure up this and that. At night, when you're asleep, it seems easy enough: Most of your brain is engaged in the whole REM sleep process, and random memories are accessed as a result. Some portion of your brain is conscious on some level, and it tries to make sense of all the nonsense data it's being fed. If you had full use of your critical thinking abilities, you might sense something's terribly amiss when you turn on the TV to see that a large chicken is the president, and he's going to deep fry your house with you in it. But if it's a dream, you're not concerned with the fact that a chicken shouldn't be president, or that your house can be deep-fried - it's of the more basic concern, that of the imminent pain of being burned by oil.

Now, what causes that sort of thing to happen to a mind in the waking state? Fear is one good one. Quite a few sightings seem to happen when someone's uncomfortable for whatever reason, such as in a large, dark building. Your primitive fear of predators sets in, a tiny voice saying "Something's out there!", and your mind starts fulfilling that prophecy by seeing things that it thinks might or should be there. Now suddenly a small blip in your peripheral vision is not something to be ignored, as it would easily be under less-stressful circumstances. Now it's an apparition, something actually there, something stalking you.

A lot of ancient instinct still drives us, very powerfully. Our history shows that quite clearly, I think. So many eras are defined by conquests, wars, or tyrannical leaders, all apparently on pursuits of power over others, or quests for dominance - all attributes normally seen in animals. We just take it to the next level. Instead of just dealing with immediate rivals, some of our species seek to subjugate everything they possibly can.

A lot of these ancient relics remain within our brains, including an exceptionally active imagination.

 

[kevman]

I wish there were ghosts, at least that way we'd know that there is something once you're dead

 

[lxskllr]

I wish there were ghosts, at least that way we'd know that there is something once you're dead

Maybe you're dead now, and only getting glimpses of the living world ;^)

 

[Jeff7]

I wish there were ghosts, at least that way we'd know that there is something once you're dead

Sounds like it might be a lousy existence though. Non-corporeal, unable to meaningfully affect your surroundings, and your best chance of communicating with your still-living relations is by scaring the hell out of them, and making everyone else think they're slowly going crazy.

 

[kevman]

Sounds like it might be a lousy existence though. Non-corporeal, unable to meaningfully affect your surroundings, and your best chance of communicating with your still-living relations is by scaring the hell out of them, and making everyone else think they're slowly going crazy.

I suppose, they way I see it though is that its marginally better then sleeping forever...

 

[JD50]

It's not so much "accept it and move on," it's more of, "Here's the reason why this stuff is 'seen': You're imagining it. We don't know exactly why this stuff happens, but it's quite evidently in your head, as there is absolutely no other evidence of these otherworldly entities."
That's where the investigation can go - exploring the brain, and how and why it decides to conjure up this and that. At night, when you're asleep, it seems easy enough: Most of your brain is engaged in the whole REM sleep process, and random memories are accessed as a result. Some portion of your brain is conscious on some level, and it tries to make sense of all the nonsense data it's being fed. If you had full use of your critical thinking abilities, you might sense something's terribly amiss when you turn on the TV to see that a large chicken is the president, and he's going to deep fry your house with you in it. But if it's a dream, you're not concerned with the fact that a chicken shouldn't be president, or that your house can be deep-fried - it's of the more basic concern, that of the imminent pain of being burned by oil.

Now, what causes that sort of thing to happen to a mind in the waking state? Fear is one good one. Quite a few sightings seem to happen when someone's uncomfortable for whatever reason, such as in a large, dark building. Your primitive fear of predators sets in, a tiny voice saying "Something's out there!", and your mind starts fulfilling that prophecy by seeing things that it thinks might or should be there. Now suddenly a small blip in your peripheral vision is not something to be ignored, as it would easily be under less-stressful circumstances. Now it's an apparition, something actually there, something stalking you.

A lot of ancient instinct still drives us, very powerfully. Our history shows that quite clearly, I think. So many eras are defined by conquests, wars, or tyrannical leaders, all apparently on pursuits of power over others, or quests for dominance - all attributes normally seen in animals. We just take it to the next level. Instead of just dealing with immediate rivals, some of our species seek to subjugate everything they possibly can.

A lot of these ancient relics remain within our brains, including an exceptionally active imagination.

I find your ideas intriguing and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

[lxskllr]

Here's some neat ghost photos...

http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-best-ghost-photographs.php

Even if you don't really believe in them, freeing up your imagination is kind of fun.

 

[mizzou]

Imma have my first experience when I stay at the st. james inn in new mexico this summer

 

[Jeff7]

I suppose, they way I see it though is that its marginally better then sleeping forever...

The alternative then might be being alive forever.

After the first thousand trillion trillion years, you might start to get bored.


And I'd still love to know how the heck these people's clothing and glasses also make it into the afterlife with them. So what'll happen with our generation? Will your cellphone come with you too, but its battery will also be dead? (And when batteries die, do they also create ghosts? Is a recharging akin to resurrection? All hail the Energizer Bunny Jesus.)

 

[waggy]

I have wondered if what people see as "ghost" are really beings from Extra dimensions