Is it possible that some people who we think are mentally ill are actually victims of demonic possession? One psychiatrist says yes. Another psychiatrist says no – believing this is true is a matter of not carefully thinking about what you see and hear from others. In this episode I break down the claims made by Richard Gallagher and a counterpoint to Gallagher which was written by Steven Novella. Along the way we’ll learn about logical fallacies such as the “argument for incredulity” and the “argument of ignorance”. I think you’ll find this fascinating and I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.
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- the Argument of Incredulity: “Well, I can’t explain it, so it must be unexplainable!”
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- the Argument of Ignorance: “Well, I don’t know how to explain it therefore…it must be UFOs, or demons, or otherworldly forces…”
Resources
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- Skeptic Steven Novella: A Psychiatrist Falls for Exorcism
Learn more about logical fallacies
Graham
August 19, 2016In regards to the speaking of Latin, if the girl in question is Catholic, the regularly use Latin in mass (possibly other denominations as well). What background and credibility do the 6 people vouching have?
Michael
August 19, 2016We know from many studies of the brain that the hippocampus and to some extent the amygdala play huge roles in our brain’s ability to remember. Damage to the hippocampus for example, results in observable detriments in a person’s ability to remember. I prefer to make decisions based on evidence. As far as I know, there’s no evidence for the existence of demons.
Toby
August 19, 2016Skeptical of possession? Where is consciousness, or memory for that matter? How far down can we delve into the atom before we get to what is irreducible? Demons are real.