Global Consciousness Project posted by Ben

Global Consciousness Project -- consciousness, group consciousness, mind

This is one of the more bizarre scientific studies that I've seen in a long time. I do not put 'scientific' in quotes in the preceding sentence because the methodology and mathematics generally seem to follow the scientific method, even if the conclusions drawn are just a bit... different.

Basically, this researcher at Princeton has been measuring deviations from expected norms in ongoing random number generators around the world and is claiming that the most significant deviations occur during (or before!) major worldwide events, like the recent tsunami or the September 11th attacks. If it weren't at Princeton, with support from supposedly reputable scientific institutions around the world, I would dismiss the whole thing out of hand. As it is, however, they go to great lengths to provide both raw data and conclusions on their website, effectively asking skeptics to analyze that data themselves. Now, good faith doesn't prove anything, as discussed in this prior post, but it certainly speaks to their belief in the project that methodological transparency is presented as normative.

So why bother posting this? Well, as a screenwriter, it certainly provides food for narrative thought, regardless of real-world verifiability or application.

For whatever it's worth, I hope that I can draw sufficiently clear distinctions in my posts between speculation and fact. This is speculation. The list of Bush's budget cuts is fact. That Bush is an evil tyrant intent on destroying the world is specious speculation. That many of his programs have had disastrous consequences is fact. See the difference?