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.
Why I am against believing in the irrational
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.