What is paranormal/supernatural?
According to wikipedia:
Paranormal is a general term (coined c. 1915–1920) that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure.Paranormal phenomena are distinct from certain hypothetical entities, such as dark matter and dark energy, only insofar as paranormal phenomena are inconsistent with the world as already understood through empirical observation coupled with scientific methodology.
Thousands of stories relating to paranormal phenomena are found in popular culture, folklore, and the recollections of individual subjects.In contrast, the scientific community, as referenced in statements made by organizations such as the United States National Science Foundation, maintains that scientific evidence does not support a variety of beliefs that have been characterized as paranormal.
Okay. Thanks Wiki.
I guess another word for paranormal could be supernatural. Things like magic, witchcraft, ufos, etc. fit into this category too. Pretty much anything that can't be explained rationally or without speculation. IE: if you have to guess at what it was you saw, or heard, or felt, etc., it could be categorized as paranormal/supernatural simply because you cannot positively label whatever it was. I think it's not only a shame that people in our current world believe that paranormal/supernatural things exist, but it is illogical. For instance: many people believe in ghosts. And yet there is no definitive proof that they exist. There is just conjecture and speculation. Saying that you saw a ghost is not proof any more than saying you saw Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. I'll agree that you saw something-something you cannot explain. That gives you no right to jump to conclusions and say that what you saw was a ghost. This is just one example of the plethora of ridiculous stories that surface everyday. I try to look at things logically and without bias and not jump to conclusions. If I witness something I can't explain I don't then assume that black magic is involved or that aliens are suddenly visiting our planet. Here's another way to look at it: 2 + 2 = 4. (When we can see all integers in the equation the result is obvious). On the other hand: 2 + X = Y. (Until we have a value for X we cannot determine the value for Y). This is what is called logic. This is what is called using your brain.
On the other side of that coin, however:
I understand the need for imagination and fanciful thought. Hell, I thrive on such stuff. I'd much rather play a video game like WoW (magic/dragons/etc.) than Ghost Recon (current-day military simulation). In other words, I like delving into fantastical situations rather than playing a game than just simulates real life & things I could actually do in the here and now. To me there's no point in playing games that involve things that do actually exist. This goes for books too. I write stories about the things I like to imagine. Not about what already exists in the current world. Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Eragon, Harry Potter, Twilight, The Hunger Games, these are the stories that interest me. Either take a familiar world and twist it into something different, or create something totally new.
At any rate, I just thought I'd rant about this topic as it was on my mind today. I wanted also to include a couple website links to Tv shows and movies of the paranormal/supernatural vein. As far as entertainment value goes I highly recommend them. As far as anything else goes just don't take this stuff so seriously.
http://idoubtit.wordpress.com/paranormaltv/
http://www.ranker.com/list/supernatural-movies-and-films/reference
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