For Matt and Ian

[genericcow]

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

Comments

[behemoth]

The most entertaining show I saw that involved paranormal investigators was "Pen and Teller's Bullshit" on ghost hunters. Obviously not a show I would use to back a serious argument for or against the paranormal or ghost hunters specifically, but it does point out some things that make you feel silly about believing the investigators. There were some gems like one team going over a supposedly haunted house with an EMF gage and then they drew arrows indicating where all the house wiring existed that could generate *gasp* an EMF! The simple fact that most of these teams are comprised of "amateurs" should wave some warning flags. They just don't have a cool greek based name like the amateur cryptozoologists =)

[genericcow]

Dammit, I didn't even know Penn & Teller did a BS episode on ghost hunters. To think I spent my entire morning looking all this crap up! That was valuable time I could've spent reading DamnInteresting.com.

[mustang1701]

I'm pretty sure I have that Penn & teller episode on DVD bro. I've got seasons 1 and 2. I want the other seasons cause that was a damn good show

[wraithtdk]

That's the biggest reason why they cut the power during investigations. And they do know enough that anytime there is a spike, the first thing they look for is electrical equipment that could cause it.

Also, as for Penn & Teller, I love their work, but the fact that they declared war on religion (their actual words) kinda marks them as assholes in my book. I really believe that there are some people who want to DISBELIEVE much harder than believers want to believe, and that it has the same effect, ie they end up with the mindset that if there is another possible explanation for a supernatural occurrence, then it counts as absolute proof that it wasn't supernatural, which simply isn't the case. There are a LOT of mysteries out there (both in the cosmic sense, and in the ordinary "who murdered so and so) that have several POSSIBLE explanations. Just because person 2 COULD have been the killer, doesn't mean that person 1 definitely WASN'T.

1

[wraithtdk]

“So for the time being, looking for the simplest explanation possible, I'm forced to assume that they have little to no experience in paranormal investigation

Re: 1

[genericcow]

"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

2

[wraithtdk]

“As far as actual evidence for the incredibly unscientific way they go about their investigations, this link is a good overall summary of their techniques and includes many links to other debunking pages, as well as video footage of certain "evidence" used in the show, and how it could've been faked. None of the explanations presented on that page or in its links prove conclusively that Ghost Hunters footage has been doctored or tampered with, it just shows how extremely easy it is to recreate with perfect accuracy the "evidence" that the Ghost Hunters use as proof positive of paranormal activity during their reveals at the end of the episode

Re: 2

[genericcow]

"1. Once again, there’s never been a claim of proof positive evidence

3

[wraithtdk]

“The very fact that they started using K2 meters in season 3 is telling of how unscientific the show has become as the seasons move on

Re: 3

[genericcow]

"I never thought the K2 meters were a good idea, and I’m betting they didn’t either, as I only remember seeing them use it once

[vlos_sila_dro]

okay boys - my head hurts now