--- In [email protected], "curtisdeltablues" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Like many aspects of the TM movement beliefs, the 1% claims are > carefully worded so they are un-falsifiable.
Curtis has discovered the concept of "falsifiability" but unfortunately hasn't quite discovered how to use it correctly in context yet. It's like the fundie Christian who inhabited alt.m.t for a while and kept yapping about how the only scientific studies that were valid were those that were double-blind. He was also unclear on the concept. Two points Curtis needs to think about: 1. Some claims are *by their very nature* unfalsifiable. It's not a matter of "careful wording," it's that it would make no sense to word them any other way, e.g., "There is life on other planets." 2. In doing research studies on the Maharishi Effect, TM scientists have made *falsifiable predictions* and then tested them. If they wanted to keep the Maharishi Effect theory unfalsifiable, they wouldn't conduct such studies in the first place. That's not to say there aren't big problems with testing the ME theory, or that TM researchers haven't looked at the data selectively. But that has nothing to do with falsifiability per se. > This is a common trick > with groups making absurd claims. Because they are choosing what to > pay attention to in huge amounts of sociological data, they can make > it seem like either "something good is happening" or "something is > purifying in the environment". Of course, "something is purifying in the environment" is not a claim made in the scientific research on the Maharishi Effect. Straw man. > On a smaller scale this is played out > with the claim that TM makes you feel better in every way That isn't a claim I've ever heard in the TM context. , unless it > doesn't, which is termed unstressing. They are only fooling > themselves with this transparent tactic. However, no such explanation about unstressing is advanced in TM's scientific research. And in any case, while unstressing as an explanation for why one doesn't always live in unmitigated bliss from the moment of starting TM may seem like an easy out, it's also possible that it's true. I doubt Curtis would say that psychotherapists, for example, are using a transparent tactic just to fool themselves when they say that therapy will ultimately make you feel better, but you may find yourself feeling worse first. > > Fairfield people are nice, ordinary folks with all the same social > problems common to their age demographic. Nothing special after > decades of devotion to this practice. The same mix of idiots and > geniuses you find everywhere else. They aren't better in any way, but > I don't think they are worse either. Just an odd belief system in a > group of mostly optimistic people. I think you would have to look > long and hard to find another one as whacked as your ex seemed to be. > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "Bill (William)Simmons" > <unclewas@> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], Robert Gimbel <babajii_99@> > > wrote: > > > > > > Maharishi Maheshi Yogi's life work; > > > Has culminated in this theory, > > > It's called 'The Maharishi Effect'. > > > It says; > > > That TM meditators, have an effect; > > > When in transendental deep meditation- > > > That effects the rest of the population; > > > (Yes, I know this sounds absurd) > > > > > > Robert, interesting theories and given that these theories are the > > culmination of MMY's life work. Is it safe to say Fairfield itself > > being the home of the TM movement, the univeristy and so many Tm > > meditators is a community in a state of bliss. Does Fairfield enjoy a > > 0% crime rate. 0 % domestic disputes and a 0% incidence of the > > various other types of social problems that plague other communities > > with a fraction of the population of meditators. > > > > Yes Robert to use your own words this does sound absurd. > > > > If MMY can bring peace to a community with (I think I saw a claim of > > 1% of the population meditating). Then given Fairfields pop. of a > > mere 10,000 people there must be zero reportable incidences in your > > community with such a large population of TM meditators,,,how could > > it possibly be anything but,,,it is afterall a culmination of MMY's > > life work. > > > > Does Fairfield have a zero percent crime rate,,,oh hell lets just say > > a zero percent VIOLENT crime rate??? > > > To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
