Top 8 Recently Reviewed Books on the Paranormal

One of the things that makes skepticism so difficult is the fact that there are simply so many paranormal and pseudoscientific beliefs out there to be skeptical about. It is difficult to become reasonably familiar with even one or two of these beliefs, but how can anyone be familiar enough to be able to offer a skeptical rebuttal to the claims of dozens?

What do these statistics really mean? How are they calculated, and how should the numbers really be used in constructing an argument or defending a position?

Skepticism, whether it be focused upon political ideologies, religious doctrines, or paranormal beliefs, is not exactly a popular position. Skeptics are criticized for being cynics, for attacking tradition, and for being humorless. Despite this, quite a few people have championed the ideal of skepticism and of critical thinking. Who are they and why do they buck tradition?

People think all the time - thinking is an important part of human existence, after all. Critical thinking, however, is a specialized skill that requires some training and practice. People are able to go about their daily lives without extensive critical thinking abilities, but this can be unfortunate because when done well, skepticism can do a lot to enhance human existence. But how can people improve their critical thinking skills?

Does ESP exist? Are some people telepathic? Can your mind by read by someone else? Are there people, for example Uri Geller, who are genuine psychics? These are all interesting questions, and a large percentage of people would be inclined to answer "yes" to all of them. But why is that?

What is valuable in the book is that it serves as an example of how to proceed in such a difficult and laborious investigation of claims, evidence and arguments. It becomes, then, not simply an education about Roswell, but also an education about skeptical and investigatory methodology.

Everyone dreams, but what do our dreams mean and where do they come from? Questions like this have fascinated humans for ages - probably for as long as our species has had the ability to reflect upon and communicate our dreams. Every culture has accorded dreams some sort of religious, spiritual, or psychological status, making any attempt to better understand their status very complex.

Since the beginning of recorded human history, and probably well before that, people have wanted to learn about what the future would bring for them as individuals and for their societies. Despite this common urge, there has been great diversity in the methods by which people have attempted to learn about the future. What sorts of methods have they used, and why has this common urge existed?