Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Statistics

I received the following statistics from Barry Karr of the Skeptical Inquirer (SI) in a solicitation.  He claimed that a recent public opinion poll found:
  • 52% believe that it is possible for a house to be haunted.
  • 36% believe in black cats bringing good/bad luck
  • 55% definitely believe in religious miracles
  • 23% have witnesses a miraculous physical healing
  • 16% have received a miraculous healing
  • 46% are creationists
  • 57% believe people can be possessed by demons.
The problem for me is the "poll" and the participants are not identified.  Such absence of verifiable evidence hardly builds my confidence in these claims.  SI would not accept such careless reporting on pseudo-science topics and should hold to this higher standard for itself.

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