A student came by this morning and asked me about the Dalai Lama. As I
understand it, each new Dalai Lama is believed to be the reincarnation
of the previous one. She told me that one proof of this is that objects
belonging to the old Dalai Lama are placed before the candidate. Since
he IS the same person, he should be able to pick those particular
objects from among a group of others that did not belong to him in his
former life. The fact that he is successful at this, the believers
argue, shows that the child is the reincarnated Dalai Lama.
Does anyone know about this ritual? And, being a skeptic, what evidence
might exist that other factors are at work here (my student suggested
the Clever-Hans effect)?
Jeff
--
Jeffry P. Ricker, Ph.D. Office Phone: (480) 423-6213
9000 E. Chaparral Rd. FAX Number: (480) 423-6298
Psychology Department [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale, AZ 85256-2626
"The truth is rare and never simple."
Oscar Wilde
"No one can accept the fundamental hypotheses of scientific psychology
and be in the least mystical."
Knight Dunlap
