Are ghost sightings actually hallucinations caused by magnetic fields? Over recent years, a number of researchers have put forward this explanation for hauntings, perhaps most prominently Dr Michael Persinger (he of the ‘God helmet’). A new paper by skeptic Jason Braithwaite casts a critical eye over some of these claims:
The implication from these studies is that some spontaneous haunt-reports may be explained, at least in part, as magnetically induced hallucinations. However, although this view is very popular, it is often misunderstood by scientists, sceptics, paranormalists and the general public. Quite often in the popular literature and on the unregulated non-peer-reviewed internet this ‘neuromagnetic’ account is cast as one claiming that strong magnetic fields may exist in reputedly haunted locations as metaphorical ‘hot-spots’ and as such may be responsible for some anomalous perceptions, that any ‘blip’ on an EMF meter is meaningful, or worse still, that such fields may well be some physical correlate of the paranormality of a haunting. In addition, it appears to be the case that the idea is being accepted somewhat uncritically by some researchers as its apparent basis in physics and biophysics can be quite seductive at first glance. As a consequence of these observations, it appears to be a good time to take a closer and more evidence-based look at an argument that while tantalising, may well be, at the very least, insufficient as it currently stands. The present paper provides a comprehensive examination of the evidence for an against the neuromagnetic account.
Read the entire paper: Magnetic Fields, Anomalous Experiences: A Sceptical Critique“.
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