Post by Jose Parra on Sept 4, 2015 5:00:19 GMT
In general, there is no doubt that we are pattern-seeking animals. Usually, we tend to gravitate towards what feels good or is comforting. Depending on our life situations, we may see and find things that make us feel uncomfortable, because we choose to. The idea of an abnormal siting, may make us come or feel closer to a higher being, thing or savior.
Apophenia is an interesting concept. I had no idea, there was a name for all those ‘miracles’, we have been experiencing. Even worse, I had no idea they weren’t miracles! Instead it’s been a game of Connect the Dots, all along.
We like patterns! We see and use them on our day-to-day lives. It is because of this that we also search for patterns then place them together to form concrete believable stories.
There is a church in Mexico, that is known for ‘reviving’ the dead and allowing the grievers to see the deceased body respond to their sorrows and prayers. While the body lies there, (dead mind you) and listens to the cries and prayers, it then responds by it shedding tears. This occurrence does not happen with every deceased body in the church. Now as we know, dead bodies do seep bodily fluids, the tear ducts however are no longer functioning.
Another example is the ‘Apparition’ of the Virgin Mary on a glass building in Clearwater, FL. People flocked by the thousands to see the Virgin Mary. They believed that it was indeed an apparition, not realizing, that there was a palm tree and a water sprinkler, that had a major role in the ‘apparition’
This apparition hasn’t been the only one or the last one.
We as humans also like faces. We see them in the clouds, on toast, wet spots on the pavement and even on Mars. In 1976, NASA’s Viking 1 took images of the planet. When the photographs returned, on the surface was a resemblance of a human face. The public went crazy! It believed there was life on the planet and that the images had been created by aliens. It wasn’t until 20 years later that does ideas were debunked, with closer images and showed that it was an illusion created by light.
We humans are prone to see significance and find meaning in random events because of faith. Faith in what?. or who? It varies by individual. My neighbor that buys Lotto everyday, may one day indeed win the Lotto, because his faith drives him to buy a ticket everyday. I on the other hand, never buy a Lotto ticket, therefore I won’t be winning tomorrow, according to Littlewood’s Law. If a sing Voodoo Voodoo everyday and long enough though, I may get my Bachelor’s degree in a couple of years!
Apophenia is an interesting concept. I had no idea, there was a name for all those ‘miracles’, we have been experiencing. Even worse, I had no idea they weren’t miracles! Instead it’s been a game of Connect the Dots, all along.
We like patterns! We see and use them on our day-to-day lives. It is because of this that we also search for patterns then place them together to form concrete believable stories.
There is a church in Mexico, that is known for ‘reviving’ the dead and allowing the grievers to see the deceased body respond to their sorrows and prayers. While the body lies there, (dead mind you) and listens to the cries and prayers, it then responds by it shedding tears. This occurrence does not happen with every deceased body in the church. Now as we know, dead bodies do seep bodily fluids, the tear ducts however are no longer functioning.
Another example is the ‘Apparition’ of the Virgin Mary on a glass building in Clearwater, FL. People flocked by the thousands to see the Virgin Mary. They believed that it was indeed an apparition, not realizing, that there was a palm tree and a water sprinkler, that had a major role in the ‘apparition’
This apparition hasn’t been the only one or the last one.
We as humans also like faces. We see them in the clouds, on toast, wet spots on the pavement and even on Mars. In 1976, NASA’s Viking 1 took images of the planet. When the photographs returned, on the surface was a resemblance of a human face. The public went crazy! It believed there was life on the planet and that the images had been created by aliens. It wasn’t until 20 years later that does ideas were debunked, with closer images and showed that it was an illusion created by light.
We humans are prone to see significance and find meaning in random events because of faith. Faith in what?. or who? It varies by individual. My neighbor that buys Lotto everyday, may one day indeed win the Lotto, because his faith drives him to buy a ticket everyday. I on the other hand, never buy a Lotto ticket, therefore I won’t be winning tomorrow, according to Littlewood’s Law. If a sing Voodoo Voodoo everyday and long enough though, I may get my Bachelor’s degree in a couple of years!