Alex is a transgenderwriter, photographer and philosopher specializing in ethics and philosophy of language living in Lincoln, Nebraska. S/he is a native of Merrimack, New Hampshire. S/he is an avowed skeptic and founder of a local group of skeptics who are interested in using skeptical inquiry to find rational explanations for paranormal phenomena. Generally, Alex tries to keep an open mind to new and unusual phenomena, but s/he prefers to take a rational, scientific approach to such claims. As a child, s/he was a True Believer, but as s/he developed, s/he came to understand that everyday physics can explain most claims of the paranormal, while human trickery can explain the rest. (This is unusual, as studies show that adults are more likely to attribute strange occurrences to the paranormal than children in the 8-12 year age range.)
S/he has suffered and recovered from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and alcoholism, but cautions against twelve-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous, as there is no empirical evidence that these programs do any good. Effort is the key.
While Alex agrees that our knowledge of science is incomplete and may never be complete, s/he believes that "extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof." S/he is an agnostic and believes that knowledge of God and an afterlife is unattainable, but believes that science and philosophy can explain the workings of the universe at large.
Numerous studies have shown that not only are believers more likely to make certain logical fallacies, such as the conjunction fallacy, but that they have underdeveloped critical thinking skills. While creative thinking is important, it is critical thinking that helps us evaluate and analyze the world around us. Furthermore, paranormal beliefs and belief in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are positively correlated, and it is important that the dangers of homeopathic medicine are exposed for the world to see, as people are currently taking unnecessary risks with their health or even their lives. Some studies also show that belief in the paranormal is even more detrimental than may be thought at first, but Alex is skeptical of some of these claims.
If you are a believer and want to see the light (or just want a good, friendly debate), or if you are looking for information on psychological approaches to the belief in the paranormal, please leave a message on this article's talk page. Alex has access to articles on the paranormal going back to 1977 and is something of an expert on the topic.
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