For Matt and Ian
Regarding the show Ghost Hunters (and TAPS in general):
I'm bored at work like usual, so I figured I'd follow up on our conversation about Ghost Hunters, and try to consolidate a lot of the stuff that I've come across that kills most or all the credibility TAPS has ( Read more... )
I'm bored at work like usual, so I figured I'd follow up on our conversation about Ghost Hunters, and try to consolidate a lot of the stuff that I've come across that kills most or all the credibility TAPS has ( Read more... )
The show’s been on for three or four years, and TAPS had been around for ten years before that, so they have at least 13 years experience.
“video/audio analyzation, proper video/audio recording techniques,”
Which is why they have their team, some of who do have experience in AV technique. The thing about recorded audio/visual is that they’ve never once claimed that anything they recorded was proof of the supernatural. The most they’re willing to say is “we can’t explain it,” that doesn’t mean it can’t BE explained, and they’ve never claimed otherwise. They usually put up footage interesting footage on their website so that people who ARE experts can go over it if they want to.
“field investigative techniques, or really, proper investigative techniques for the purpose of scientific observation at all.”
Nor have they claimed to. However, it’s not like there’s a college out there full of professors to teach you the RIGHT way to detect the presence of supernatural entities. However, I haven’t heard anyone bring up any flaws in the way they conduct investigations, or suggestions on how to do it better. I’m sure they’d welcome the input.
“So, they're basically plumbers who take footage and make a show out of it. They have absolutely no real credentials in any kind of scientific field in any way related to what they do on their show, at all.”
And who DOES have scientific credentials in the field of Ghosts, demons and other otherworldly occurrences? Where does one GO for such credentials? Hogwarts?
“In addition, they have used dowsing a number of times as an investigative technique, which any expert in a related scientific or investigative field can tell you is about as effective as bringing Lassie on board to help.”
They haven’t using dowsing since the first season. The idea was to try different angles and see what they came up with.
“They've also associated more than one time with John Zaffis, a noted "Demonologist" and frequent guest on Coast to Coast AM , which should raise your skeptic alarm markedly.”
I don’t see what the problem is with consulting with a Demonologist about a possible demon haunting. I believe demons exist, why shouldn’t they be studied?
“If you really listen to the "reveals" at the end of any given episode where a "haunting" is found, you will hear telltale cold-reading techniques, such as priming the house/building owner, and upon seeing the video, immediately telling the owner that all normal explanations for the footage have been ruled out, and that whatever footage they're looking at could not possibly be anything other than proof of paranormal activity.”
Except that’s not at all true. What they say is that they couldn’t explain in, and that they tried everything they could think of to explain, recreate and debunk it, and failed to do so; that they do believe that something’s going on, but it’s not necessarily proof positive. They have never once claimed to have indisputable evidence of a haunting.
“Secondly, your estimate of maybe 8 times on the show total where they have come up with what they would call a haunting or even an unexplainable phenomenon, is grossly off. This link shows a breakdown of just the first two seasons of the show. In the first season, 25% of the investigations came away with a positive "haunting", and others found evidence of paranormal activity. This jumped to about 52% in season 2. Simplest explanation? Finding ghosts nets more viewers than not finding ghosts.”
Either that or having some notoriety gets them jobs beyond the family that heard a noise in the basement. (p.s., sweet mercy, I think the front page of that site tried to mug my eyeballs)
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I have ten years playing Street Fighter 2, but I would not call myself an experienced SF2 player, especially since I still button mash.
"Which is why they have their team, some of who do have experience in AV technique."
I'm glad you know this, because I wasn't able to find any bios on any of the supporting cast, at all, on the TAPS site or the Sci-Fi site. If they have AV experience, they hide it well (assuming there isn't a full cast bio with education and work experience listed somewhere in an episode...).
"The thing about recorded audio/visual is that they’ve never once claimed that anything they recorded was proof of the supernatural."
No concerning any one piece of evidence, no. But they have used that evidence to declare a place haunted, many times.
"Nor have they claimed to. However, it’s not like there’s a college out there full of professors to teach you the RIGHT way to detect the presence of supernatural entities."
Actually, there is... it's called majoring in physics.
"However, I haven’t heard anyone bring up any flaws in the way they conduct investigations, or suggestions on how to do it better. I’m sure they’d welcome the input."
So... you missed every link I posted in the OP? Because every single one of them brings up flaws in the way they conduct their investigations, and most of them have suggestions on how to do it better, notably, by doing it scientifically. As for welcoming the input, there are multiple posts from people on forums claiming that they were banned from the TAPS forums simply for posting footage like in the links above along with explanations of how it could've been explained perfectly naturally. TAPS seems to not like dissenters.
"And who DOES have scientific credentials in the field of Ghosts, demons and other otherworldly occurrences? Where does one GO for such credentials? Hogwarts?"
Religiously? Priests and ministers, I suppose. Scientifically? No one, because there is absolutely no evidence in 2000 years of science corroborating the existence of demons.
"They haven’t using dowsing since the first season. The idea was to try different angles and see what they came up with."
Then why didn't they include Lassie? Dowsing is not a scientific technique, and has been proven conclusively to not work in any circumstance, and never has. It's not an angle that needed to be made, unless they were simply trying to look like they "knew" what they were doing.
"I don’t see what the problem is with consulting with a Demonologist about a possible demon haunting. I believe demons exist, why shouldn’t they be studied?"
From a religious perspective there's nothing wrong with sutdying demons or consulting a Demonologist when you need some infos, but scientifically it's pointless, since his knowledge and expertise is about a phenomenon that never been proven to exist. They could've consulted an astrologist to see if the house was haunted because it was built under a bad sign, but it would've been equally worthless.
"Except that’s not at all true. What they say is that they couldn’t explain in, and that they tried everything they could think of to explain, recreate and debunk it, and failed to do so; that they do believe that something’s going on, but it’s not necessarily proof positive. They have never once claimed to have indisputable evidence of a haunting."
That's not true; there are episodes where they do come up with that explanation, but at least one "reveal" I watched while working on the OP had them saying that the owner's house was definitely haunted, and presented three pieces of video footage as proof of the haunting, telling the owner that they had ruled out all natural explanations.
"Either that or having some notoriety gets them jobs beyond the family that heard a noise in the basement. (p.s., sweet mercy, I think the front page of that site tried to mug my eyeballs)"
Getting more jobs doesn't equate to getting more positive readings. (PS I know, that's why I didn't link to the main page... the info needed was on the page I linked :)).
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