Questions Only VI: How Much Is Too Much?

[scottydog]

No.

But would it surprise you at all to hear that somehow, most of my friends believe in ghosts? Including Mrs. scottydog?

[RJDiogenes]

Has Mrs. scottydog ever seen a ghost?

[scottydog]

Yes, in our house. A civil was Confederate soldier. There were lots of battles around here.

She's even given him a name -- Beauregard

What kind of proof would you need to believe that ghosts are real?

[RJDiogenes]

She's even given him a name -- Beauregard

My Mother was convinced we had a ghost in the house in Weymouth-- she named him Seymour, because he could "see more" (although she thought it was the ghost of the former owner).

What kind of proof would you need to believe that ghosts are real?

Wouldn't there have to be verifiable proof, just as with any other scientific research?

[scottydog]

Does that mean the capture of an actual ghost? What would you say to it during interrogation?

[RJDiogenes]

Well, you wouldn't have to capture it-- it could surrender voluntarily. You'd think that would have happened at least once, since the dead outnumber the living by about thirty to one. I'd probably ask it if there were any other ghosts in the room.

Do you believe in an afterlife and, if so, what form does it take?

[scottydog]

My belief is that death is a mystery. Who knows? No one. It is as much speculation to say there is no afterlife as it is to say that there is.

And speaking of ghosts, I need to share in the check-in thread about the latest suspicious activity in our house. It really is bizarre. I'm not saying it's a ghost, but it is unexplainable -- as of right now. Perhaps more will be revealed.

If you had to guess, what would you say is going on in our house?

[RJDiogenes]

I think a physical explanation is most likely, like a floorboard or something, especially since it seems like it's your footsteps that trigger it.

What will you do next if a ghost does turn up in your videos?

[scottydog]

Would it surprise you if I peed in my pants?

Would it be reasonable to put the house on the market?

[RJDiogenes]

Have you seen Poltergeist?

[scottydog]

Oh yes. Probably three times.

For some reason, I rarely enjoy movies about haunted houses. There's usually not much of a hero's journey.

Did you know I co-authored an article reporting research showing that people believe that good-doers have “transcendent” immortality, with their souls persisting beyond space and time, whereas evil-doers have “trapped” immortality, with their souls persisting on Earth, bound to a physical location such as a house?

[RJDiogenes]

Interesting. You'd think people would prefer good spirits to stick around and be helpful and for the bad spirits to float off somewhere. If this conception of the afterlife is true, do you think it's a sign of a badly designed universe?

[scottydog]

I kind of like the good guys' ghosts being transcendent. That way they can be with you any time and any place!

And it makes sense for the bad guys' ghosts to be trapped or imprisoned somewhere.

So what is some good evidence that the universe is badly designed? Hmmm. Let's start with our penis being the instrument of both peeing and procreating. I know it's efficient but jeez, isn't that gross?

[RJDiogenes]

There was an SF story or novel, and I unfortunately forget which one, that had aliens who were basically human, but their reproductive and excretory systems did not evolve in tandem. Unfortunately, evolution and biology do not care about being gross.

Do you think it's a sign of bad design that the speed of light is the upper limit on travel?

[scottydog]

Is that the universe's way of discouraging interstellar travel?

Or is it the universe's way of encouraging us to get more inventive of warp speed?