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Comment by groffee | Hacker News Reader

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I'm curious what techniques you might employ to give this a shot. There have been at least a few double-blind trials that have yielded results that are no better than random, according to the wiki entry on the topic, which I had to read to even understand what dowsing was.

I can make the ghost of Marilyn Monroe manifest by slapping my forehead and repeating the mantra “imamug” over and over.

You have to do it about 30-50ish times before she appears.

If you don’t believe me try it yourself. It’s that simple.

Dowsing doesn’t work. If it did every scout and every soldier would be taught to do it.

There would be special forests set aside just to grow the best dowsing twigs.

It wouldn’t be alternative science, it would just be science.

> Dowsing doesn’t work. If it did every scout and every soldier would be taught to do it.

Playing the guitar doesn't work. If it did we'd all be millionaire rock stars surrounded by hot groupies.

I mean, I DON'T actually believe in dowsing, but everything I've read about it asserts that it's something that requires special skills and/or talents. The fact that not everyone can do it is not actually evidence either way.

Here’s the great part people have tried it in controlled experiments, and found it doesn’t work any better than random guesses.

Overconfident sheltered programmers thinking they can judge something they’ve never been part of is an epidemic in this industry

When examining claims like this I trust the opinion of those familiar with "magic" over software engineers: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xOsCnX-TKIY

In this case though, they seem to agree.

I love James Randi and I think dowsing is BS, but James Randi doesn't claim to be magic. He's a performer and an illusionist - someone who does tricks which look like they're magic.

Given this background Randi is sceptical of those who claim to have real magical powers. While he might try to remain objective, his whole thing is that magic is BS. I'm sure if you asked someone like Uri Geller if dowsing is real he'd probably have different answer

I believe it was also Randi who pointed out how strange it is that 'real magic' refers to the kind that doesn't exist, while fake magic is the kind that does exist.

The most startling sort of magic exists in our world, but we don't call it magic when it works. For instance, we can inscribe complex patterns on silicon crystals and accomplish incredible things like this, but it's "not magic" because it actually works.

So if I put a spoon on top of my TV and it doesn't bend. Should I still maintain that Uri Geller's opinion is as valid as anyone elses?

I mean oil company bosses probably have a different opinion on global warming. Is that opinion equally valid?

I can't speak for others, but I've only got 70-100 years on this planet. I haven't got time to confirm for myself every single thing, but that's ok because people like scientists can look into the claims, and they publish how they did the research so I can check myself if I don't trust them.

I also have a rock that repels tigers. It works! No tiger attacks so far.

Totally agree. I tried it, found water.

Civil engineer here: it baffles the mind, but it works!

Edit: would recommend you call 811 before you dig :)

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