The Ghosts of Academia

[Author's Note: The following is a letter I wrote in response to an article in the local college
paper, which can be viewed here. I have become increasingly alarmed at the unbelievable credulity of some local college faculty, not only at this college, but at several others in Ohio. Obviously, most colleges cannot afford nor find the greatest possible minds to fill their campuses. Nevertheless, a University is an organization from which we expect a certain level of professionalism and adherence to basic laws of rational discourse. In short: we go to college to learn, not what we would like but what is so, as demonstrated by the excepted rules of logic and critical reasoning. If our teachers, as symbols of learning, appear to advocate an abandonment of those time tested tools of scholarship, we may count ourselves as lost. If my tone seems harsh "I must", to quote the Bard, "be cruel only to be kind", but I welcome opinion.]

In an article in the February 17 issue of the University Chronicle entitled “Who you gonna call?” announced a “ghost hunt” recently held on the Shawnee campus. At first, I was simply amused that kids, ostensibly seeking a higher education, would go in for such pseudoscience. However, when I found that one of the “advisors” to the group is a member of the University faculty, I became livid.

Parents often wonder what they are paying for when they send their children to college, well folks, here it is. This advisor, a Professor of History, Dr. Mirabello, inculcates young minds with some of the following pseudoscientific gibberish: “An investigation might be considered successful if the investigators believed they had encountered paranormal activity or other unexplained phenomena.” And by what criteria do they judge something paranormal? Does Dr. Mirabello even understand his profession? He continues: “’Running water increases paranormal activity,” he said, without further explanation.’” What explanation is necessary, it should be obvious that this is so, right? With this illogic being taught to the next generation it is little wonder we are so easily cowed by our leaders into war.

Professor Mirabello, perhaps you should stick to History and leave the rest of the world, normal or “paranormal”, to science. If you don’t understand what the scientific method or the falsifiability of claims mean, I am sure one of your colleagues in the Physics department would be happy to assist you.