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A scientific question would be one answerable by the scientific method. And since that sound tautologic, I will give an example of what I consider a good question to the study described in the diary.

Can people experiencing a NDE percieve and later remember things viewed from an angle that they would have no access to otherwise?

And then you can device a test as:

European Tribune - 'Woo-woo' vs science

The current research programme involves placing artwork in emergency rooms/operating theatres that can only be viewed from high up, in an attempt to verify whether or not reported out of body experiences have any substance to them. (Excuse the pun).

If the test turns out positive, then you can go on and modify it in different ways and see if you can learn about boundary conditions for the phenomena. What this means or what it is can not be answered, only how it manifests. What you want to call whatever you find for - soul, ESP, quantum-information transfer or simply witchcraft - is very much a part of the scientific canon, but not of the method.

A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!

by A swedish kind of death on Sat Oct 18th, 2008 at 05:23:06 PM EST
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What this means or what it is can not be answered, only how it manifests.

Right, and most of the debate around this is about what it means, because how it manifests is basically a collection of self-reported incidents by subjects and though there can be some disagreement on the reliability of self-reporting, that is not a difficulty specific to this particular kind of reported phenomenon.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Oct 18th, 2008 at 05:26:12 PM EST
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Sounds good.  I'm an old school scientist; wouldn't want to be responsible for this work; it might be too prone to fraud; interpretation of the "data", etc.

In the end, might makes right. Nothing has changed since the caveman.
by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Sat Oct 18th, 2008 at 05:30:45 PM EST
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It's all about the interpretation.

That's also true in 'hard' science (no experiment without theory-led manipulation of raw data) but the tension is not that great.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Oct 18th, 2008 at 05:33:14 PM EST
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Not the science that I have been involved with or am currently working on.  I either come up with a solution to a problem or I don't; no excuses allowed.  Not your usual brand of "science", I agree.

In the end, might makes right. Nothing has changed since the caveman.
by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Sat Oct 18th, 2008 at 05:39:31 PM EST
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You're talking about technology, then?

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Oct 18th, 2008 at 05:40:07 PM EST
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Just checked the dictionary definition of "technology".  Yes, I do "science" with a specific goal/problem in mind, usually with a $ motivation.  Currently I'm trying to domesticate truffles.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuber_(genus)

Note: Tried to embed the link but kept fucking up.

In the end, might makes right. Nothing has changed since the caveman.

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Sat Oct 18th, 2008 at 05:56:05 PM EST
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And, in fact, even the link is fucking up.  Hit wiki for "truffles" if you have any questions.  Need to take a shower; back in a bit.

In the end, might makes right. Nothing has changed since the caveman.
by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Sat Oct 18th, 2008 at 05:58:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Here

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Oct 18th, 2008 at 06:00:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
That's them.  I'm trying to "domesticate" the little buggers.

In the end, might makes right. Nothing has changed since the caveman.
by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Sat Oct 18th, 2008 at 06:32:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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