The Case Against the Paranormal

1385 Words3 Pages

Every year when the temperature starts dropping and the leaves begin to get crisp, many ghostly tales resurface themselves for another round of terrifying anyone who is unfortunate enough to be in earshot of their horror. Many nightmares, uneasy looks into the dark, and scary reflections could be avoided if this simple question was answered: is the existence of the paranormal just a figment of the human psyche, or is there significant evidence that proves otherwise? The answer is no. There is not any proof that any such “undead” walk among us. This can be disproved by debunking some of the bogus evidence out there, examining some of the most common “paranormal activities,” and understanding the sensory part of our brain that triggers these fears.
First off, a general understanding of how the common ghost story got started needs to be in place. It is speculated that the tale of Anne Boleyn was the first recordation of ghostly happenings. Boleyn was the mother of Queen Elizabeth I and the second in a whole series of wives by King Henry VIII. She was executed after being tried and found guilty of a whole slew of charges. There are tales that Boleyn haunts the grounds in which she lived, and was ultimately executed some four-hundred years ago. It is speculated that when a person dies with “unfinished business” they haunt the place where they lived or spent their last hours, as with the story of Ms. Boleyn. Tales of ghostly happenings have circulated the world since transcontinental communication became prevalent. If given a second thought these stories can be disproved simply by following any of the preceding methods.
Notably, it is a commonly known fact that many people long to be famous. Another commonly known fact? They don’t car...

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...ence, taking a closer look what why these things could happen, and underingstanding why they happen in our brain. Although it would be a fun idea to think the undead walk among us, it is simply a silly fantasy. But who is to say the spooky tales that generation after generation of people have enjoyed have to stop just because they are untrue? Let there be ghost stories! Even if that is all they are, stories.

Works Cited

Begley, Sharon, Karen Springen, and Kurt Soller. “Why We Believe.” Newsweek 152.18 (2008):
56-60. Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Nov. 2013.

Kelly, Lynne. The Skeptic’s Guide To The Paranormal. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin, 2004. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 4 Nov. 2013.

Philips, Helen. “Spookiness Is In The Brain Of The Beholder.” New Scientist 175.2353 (2002): 17.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Nov. 2013.

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