Michael, Your student might want to reflect on a couple other biblical texts that support the sort of skeptical scrutiny that you're about. Consider, for example, the empiricism of Moses (Deuteronomy 18:22, Today's English Version): “If a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord and what he says does not come true, then it is not the Lord’s message.” Ergo, put it . . . whatever . . . to the test. And about the idea that certain humans possess a quasi omniscence (reading minds, seeing the future), omnipresence (out of body travel and remote viewing), or omnipotence (moving or influencing objects with their mental powers) consider the biblical skepticism: "I am God, and there is none like me" (Isaiah 46:9). Humans, in this view, have dignity but not deity. And this gives me a chance to sneak in a mention of a just-released new book of my own that might be of interest to the student and some Tipsters (The American Paradox: Spiritual Hunger in an Age of Plenty, Yale U. Press). The preface and first chapter give the gist, and are available free to anyone at www.davidmyers.org. Another new book of possible interest is Elliot Aronson's just-released, Nobody Left to Hate: Teaching Compassion After Columbine (Freeman). The book focuses Aronson's expert knowledge of social psychology, his research on cooperative learning, and his remarkable rhetorical skills onto the task of creating a more positive atmosphere in schools. Dave Myers At 03:31 PM 4/4/00 -0400, you wrote: >Hi all, > >I turn to you for wisdom in how to respond to a student... > >I teach a "Weird Beliefs" course in which we critically examine >Psi/ESP, among other things. We covered the Psi portion of >the course several weeks ago, and we discussed recovered/ >false memories today. Interestingly, my question involves >responding to the former issue, rather than the latter. > >At the end of each class I take attendance by having everyone >spend 5 minutes writing informally about their thoughts on >the lecture, and/or any questions they might still have. Students >turn these in and I always provide written responses to any >questions. > >Today a student turned in the following question at the end of >her paper, and I'd like your thoughts about how to respond to >it: > >"Not to get off the subject, but I found out that there was a > prophet named Daniel in the Bible who was thrown in a > cave full of lions because he had the power to see the > future or something. My thing is if this type of stuff which is > like a psychic power is in the Bible, that must mean there > is some type of proof about the psychic world. Right !?" > >In our class discussions of Psi, we talked not only about the >reasoning/perception/memory errors that might contribute to >paranormal belief, but also talked about the history of >experimental Psi research, with all its problems and weak- >nesses. So I don't think that regurgitating the facts is >going to have an impact here. > >I am struggling with striking the proper balance between >respecting her religious faith and fulfilling my obligation as >a critical-thinking teacher by explaining why a Biblical story >"don't make it so" by scientific standards. I'm also not >sure whether she's claiming that because the Bible says >it it's true, or that the Bible wouldn't say it unless there were >other, corraborating sources of evidence, too. > >Any advice on an approach? > >-Mike David G. Myers Hope College Holland, MI 49422-9000 www.davidmyers.org
