Straggler writes:
But is precognition or divination of any sort consistent with the laws of physics as we understand them to be?
As far as my understanding of this universe goes, precognition or divination is utterly impossible in any and all ways.
Even things like this:
Straggler in the Your First Ever EvC Post thread writes:
I had to look (
synesthesia) up. How truly fascinating. I was at college with a guy (pure maths student) who said he saw equations in colours and that he could manipulate them on the basis of eliminating "green" or whatever. I never had the foggiest what he was talking about but he was bloody clever.
Message 42
I no doubt believe your story about your friend. However, I do not think that the "green" involved was some sort of inherent physical property of the pencil-and-paper written equation. I think that the "green" involved is more of a property of his intuition. That is, his intuition of an equation being incomplete was being visualized by the colour green. Of course, more testing would have to be done in order to say one way or the other, but that's what I think without further evidence. (And my guess would be that you agree).
Straggler writes:
Or does causality, arguably the very founding principle upon which all science is based, necessarily preclude such practices?
In a word: Yes.
So precognition. A possibility supported by aspects of quantum theory?
No.
Or something that requires a complete overturning of the whole of science and which is thus impossible by the laws of physics as we currently know them to be?
Yes.
Basically, I use a form of a lemon test. That is, if there was anything to it's validity, then it would be used as much as possible. Yes, I'm sure you can find a few minor police forces who have a "psychic" they talk with to get leads from when they are absolutely out of all other possibilities. But if there was any validity behind such methods, then
all police forces would have an on-payroll psychic to which they always consult. In the same way that since science does work...
all police forces consult science to determine the validity of their evidence. They all do it, simply because it works. If it worked, they'd all do it.
Using this simple lemon test, it's easy for a new method of psychic abilities to be ignored... for a while. But once it proved itself to actually work, it would then get picked up rather quickly. Also, most psychic "methods" have been around for a long time, so the fact that they are not widely used is... telling.
Just 'cause it isn't labelled "snakeoil" doesn't mean it's legit.
Edited by Stile, : I don't grammar good.