In many cultures, people flock to seek the help of those who claim to be able to speak to the dead.
From one-on-one sessions to packed arenas holding thousands of people, mediums offer the ultimate gift, the chance to communicate with a deceased loved one. This, however, brings into play a powerful aspect of the human psyche. When offered such a gift, evidence and rational thought can easily take second place to a desperate wish to believe.
The number of human beings that have died in the past is measured in billions, as is the number of people alive today. With such a vast number of living people thinking back to those that have passed away, it is may not be too surprising that adverts for the services of mediums fill newspapers and magazines.
Speaking to the Dead
To speak to the dead, the first requirement is to believe that a person’s personality survives death. This is a widely held belief, and is the cornerstone of many world religions. It is also an ancient tradition, with tales of ghosts and spirits stretching back into antiquity.
That science can find no evidence for life after death does not deter those who believe. It is comforting to imagine a reunion with family and friends, and is usually a belief that does not interfere with everyday life.
The second requirement is for those that have died to have the ability to communicate with the living, and vice-versa. For this, all current evidence is purely anecdotal.
The Dangers of a Medium’s Claim
There is, of course, another explanation. That such a tiny proportion of the population claim to be able to speak to the dead, when the minds of everyone else remain silent, the possibility of fraud must be considered. With a target audience desperate to believe, large amounts of money can be made.
This is the first danger. Vulnerable and grieving members of society are often targeted, and offered condolence, at a price.
The second danger stems from the untruths that mediums may be telling. Entire conversations from ‘the dead’ are often held with a grieving relative. This may offer comfort in some situations, but there are clear risks. In the most extreme cases, parents of missing children have ‘spoken’ to their dead child, only to be reunited years later.
Claims of Evidence of Communication with the Dead
As the late Carl Sagan said, “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence”. Most evidence of a medium’s incredible powers are anecdotal, and fails to satisfy scientific rigour. There is, however, a huge range of techniques that are employed in finding out information about the target audience, from cold reading (a technique that uses body language), to eaves-dropping on the audience before the start of the show.
Like anything paranormal, science cannot completely disprove the claims of mediums. However, the evidence for such fantastic claims have never withstood scientific scrutiny, and with the potent mix of a desire to believe and a desire to make money involved, the rational conclusion is that communication with the dead, regardless of whether the mind survives death or not, is apparently false.
Further Reading
- Sagan, Carl. The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark. Ballantine Books; Reprint edition (1 Mar 1997).
- 'The Skeptic' Website
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