Has anyone read about James Randi??

[beavis]

If he wasnt a fraud, somebody would have collected that money already.

[crazy_colombiang]

he has a website www.randi.org

[Ybom]

quote:Applicant agrees that all data (photographic, recorded, written, etc.) gathered as a result of the testing may be used freely by JREF in any way that Mr. Randi may choose.

I dislike rule 3 here on the challenge, and I wouldn't go to him to prove my abilities just for this reason. Someone who can do something paranormal won't need fame or fortune to be happy anyways. This is probably why no one has passed the preliminary tests.

The big thing here though is not the cash, it's proving to someone who disbelieves that anything really is possible. Is that enough to warrant taking up the challenge? I'm concerned that the tests are unfair as well, so they can retain their level of face. Can someone find a record of all the applicants please?

[edit]I'm going to Florida in a couple of days again. I will try to schedule a trip to this foundation to get a whiff of its air...if you get my drift.[/edit]

[crazy_colombiang]

I dont like that rule too. I think that he can manipulate the answers for the test.

[Ybom]

Ahh you're monitoring this topic...i just sent them an email asking more info regarding the challenge itself and some of the past "tests" that have been conducted. I'll also check the bbb! (nothing came up regarding the bbb search, but paranoid people still wouldn't be convinced...so I wait for more info)

[crazy_colombiang]

tell me what you find out if you want you can post it here or send it to me at fantasmita36@hotmail.com []

[crazy_colombiang]

The Foundation is committed to providing reliable information about paranormal claims. It both supports and conducts original research into such claims.
At JREF, we offer a one-million-dollar prize to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event. The prize is in the form of negotiable bonds held in a special investment account. The JREF does not involve itself in the testing procedure, other than helping to design the protocol and approving the conditions under which a test will take place. All tests are designed with the participation and approval of the applicant. In most cases, the applicant will be asked to perform a relatively simple preliminary test of the claim, which if successful, will be followed by the formal test. Preliminary tests are usually conducted by associates of the JREF at the site where the applicant lives. Upon success in the preliminary testing process, the "applicant" becomes a "claimant."

To date, no one has ever passed the preliminary tests.

[Makaveli]

That challenge is really just a publicity stunt.  Here is more information on him and his challenge:

http://www.alternativescience.com/james-randi.htm
http://skeptics.victorzammit.com/deluding.html
http://michaelprescott.freeservers.com/FlimFlam.htm
http://skeptics.victorzammit.com/reward.html
http://www.survivalafterdeath.org/articles/keen/jamesrandi.htm
http://www.victorzammit.com/articles/debunker.html
http://www.cfpf.org.uk/letters/2001/2001-12-20_mr2pw.html
http://www.skepticalinvestigations.org/controversies/Keen_psychicchallenge.htm
http://www.alternativescience.com/randi_retreats.htm
http://www.cfpf.org.uk/articles/background/nicholls.html
http://www.sheldrake.org/controversies/randi.html

[kakkarot]

ya know, i've been thinking about randi and his supposed test for a long time now, and the only two ways i can think of for someone to be able to collect that money (without divine intervention []) is to 1) hack the account, or 2) use telepathic control over randi to force him to hand over the money.

and i couldn't see too many people having both the strength of intrusive telepathy and such a great desire for that money in order to justify them bothering to try anyway. i mean, if i had that kind of telepathic power i wouldn't use it in a publicity stunt for an easy million, since i'd likely either tinkle off too many people or tip off too many governments/military-type-organizations that wouldn't want such a potential threat lying around. it would probably be best for a strong telepath to stick to the background of society's view and gather their fortunes without too many people knowing about it.

just my two cents (that other people haven't already added) [|)]

~kakkarot

[Risu no Kairu]

I think you should use the search function.

[James S]

quote:Originally posted by kakkarot

ya know, i've been thinking about randi and his supposed test for a long time now, and the only two ways i can think of for someone to be able to collect that money (without divine intervention []) is to 1) hack the account, or 2) use telepathic control over randi to force him to hand over the money.

LOL!!!
Now THAT'S something I'd like to see!

Part of the thing with Randi is, like Beavis said, he is a fraud - a professional fraud - an illusionist. There's probably nothing that a true psychic could do (except perhaps Kakkarot's second suggestion), that he hasn't already fooled people into thinking he can do himself through illusion. I don't think he'd know a true psychic if one came up and slapped him on the face....with his own hand!

James.

[Aries]

Maybe he is a psychic and its all a big plan to get high powered psychics to come there, then the military grabs them!
dun dun dunnnnnnnn
Not sure what to think, except that if he really doesnt believe, then no one will be able to change that. Psychic or not.
-Aries

[beavis]

Somebody could make him believe. They just cant make him pay.

[crazy_colombiang]

quote:Not sure what to think, except that if he really doesnt believe, then no one will be able to change that. Psychic or not.

Well if someone could fly and destroy his lab with some kind of psychic ability, then he would really change his mind![]

[Makaveli]

I don't think it's losing the money that would ever keep him from giving a fair challenge it's his reputation and ego.  His whole career is based on debunking and discrediting the paranormal so he would look like a complete idiot if someone showed him to be wrong after all he has done.  He seems to have too big of an ego to ever let that happen and give an unbiased challenge.

[crazy_colombiang]

quote: I donÂ't think itÂ's losing the money that would ever keep him from giving a fair challenge itÂ's his reputation and ego. His whole career is based on debunking and discrediting the paranormal so he would look like a complete idiot if someone showed him to be wrong after all he has done. He seems to have too big of an ego to ever let that happen and give an unbiased challenge

Yea thats true he would look like someone who just waisted his time.

[Aries]

"Well if someone could fly and destroy his lab with some kind of psychic ability, then he would really change his mind!"

Yea that would probly work...
-Aries

[crazy_colombiang]

He is one of the best-known popular skeptics regarding the paranormal
He is Giving $1 million to anyone who can prove that they have any kind of psychic abilities.
What do you guys think about that?

[beavis]

I know I said

If he wasnt a fraud, somebody would have collected that money already.

but its too much money not to find out if Randi's a fake, with how good at telekinesis I am this month.

I want to try Randi's million dollar paranormal challenge!

My thread about it here:
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149433#149433

[atalanta]

I have had recent discussions with Victor Zammit about Randi's challenge.  Victor is a Sydney retired lawyer.  He has a $1 million challenge to Randi and other debunkers to disprove the available scientific evidence on paranormal abilities/afterlife.  Its been up for grabs for several years now and CSICOP, Randi and others know about it, they haven't bothered to try.  Victor has a mirror copy of the contract that Randi has.  In other words, the challenge that Randi has up is a fraudulent one.  Victor has warned psychics to stay away from it because the structure of the contract is such that Randi can and will take advantage of the situation and the psychic.

I wrote to Victor asking for clarification.  He told me the following, psychics are meant to do a preliminary test, assuming they pass this test they then advance to the second test.  To date no one has advanced to the second test, but that is not because there haven't been psychics who have been successful but because if they are successful, Randi will not contact them any further.  According to Victor's experience, the complaint that the psychics who have had the misfortune of signing up for this test have had, is that once they pass the preliminary, Randi drops all communication.  It is in the contract that if he wishes he can do that.

Another complaint is that the test is not independent, the test is done by associatives of Randi who hold the same views as him and negatively bias the tests.  In one situation, they brought out a young Russian woman who claimed to be a medical intuitive.  They treated her so poorly, separating her from her support person and translator, changing pre-arranged conditions, etc, all in an attempt to negatively influence her.  Despite all this, she still did very well and definitely within scientifically acceptable statistical levels.  Did she claim her money, no, because she had agreed to almost perfect scores rather than statistically acceptable scores.  She is a naive 17 year old who unfortunately did not receive legal or scientific advice.  Had she been left alone and not treated so badly, she may well have scored those perfect scores, but Randi always has a way out.  She was so poorly treated, that from my understanding, an academic skeptic from a major university was fired over this scandal.

Before anyone goes signing up for his challenge, please visit Victor Zammit's site.  www.victorzammit.com  

Also, have a look at www.skepticalinvestigations.org.  They have a list of profiles of people from CSICOP, Randi included which briefly describe their history and motives.

Allison Dubois, whose story has been replicated in a series called Medium also has something to say about Randi.  She calls him a irritating little man and describes him as a dishonorable man who would be out of a job if he allowed the truth to prevail and she warns psychics to avoid his challenge.  www.alisondubois.com

Personally, I couldn't do the test.  The slightest sense that there is something negative in the air and I go from being above average in my hits to being below even chance.  I don't know how people could even contemplate to being tested by someone who is standing near them expecting them to fail and treating them like a con or a fool.  Got to have King Kong ... you know what to do that.  Good luck to you.