Dowsing

[The Natural Philosopher]

Those are totally modified by the following verb: The default use of 'when' is the past tense.

The moment when...

[The Natural Philosopher]

I'm sadly a little but bored with it.

Philosophy is interesting, pedantry seldom is.

[Chris Bacon]

It's not pedantry, it's your inability to read and think. Doesn't bother me if you're not up to it - however, thank you for telling me.

[Rob Morley]

When doesn't have a tense because it's not a verb. When the weather clears up I'll put the washing on the line. When I was younger, so much younger than today.

[The Natural Philosopher]

'Last year' doesn't have a tense either, but few people understand it to mean the future.

You have to modify it to 'the last year that I WILL be'...or some such.

[Rob Morley]

The last year of this decade certainly isn't in the past, and I didn't modify its sense of time with a verb - the only verb in that phrase is the present tense "isn't", but we still know it's in the future. You're attaching a sense of time to something which actually only describes a sequence.

[Tony Polson]

I used to do it on the construction sites I used to manage. I also taught several colleagues how to do it. It isn't difficult, and it is certainly very useful.

[Mary Fisher]

Gosh! Better late than never :-)

Thanks.

Mary

>

[tinnews]

Especially if you know (consciously or subconsciously) where the things you are dowsing for are.

In any properly controlled tests that have been done dowsing doesn't work.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Don't knock that though...means of bring subconsciously 'known' facts to the conscious are VERY useful, and form perhaps the basis of most successful 'magic'..

No magic works in properly controlled tests. It seems to produce a mind set inimical to the operation of mechanisms to reflect the subconscious int the conscious..

[Tony Polson]

I was a complete sceptic until I tried it. Until then, I believed it was hokum.

We were starting work on a site that had been covered with brick hardcore and scalpings (quarry waste) and there was no sign of any services. After 5 minutes' tuition I managed to locate two electricity cables, a water main and two sets of telephone ducts within an hour and a half. The locations were extremely accurate, within half a metre or less.

I have never managed to use dowsing to locate water, which I think is where most of the doubts arise. But it is remarkably effective, even in the hands of a sceptic like me, for locating underground services.

I have used it many times since and it has never let me down. But that's probably because I work well within its limitations.

[jg.campbell.ng]

There was a brief discussion yesterday on BBC R4, 3.45pm, In Drover's Boots; seems to be on the web:

The interviewee is vice-president or something of the UK Dowsing Assoc. Reckons that there is no point in a scientific explanation.

Best regards,

Jon C.

[tinnews]

Any good magician will tell you that of course! :-)

[tinnews]

I bet if you did a proper double-blind test it wouldn't work. In fact there is already such a bet available, I think you can win $1000000 if you can show that you really can dowse. James Randi has had an offer of this amount outstanding for many years and no one has won it.

Is it worth a bit of your time for $100000?

[Mary Fisher]

There isn't. We don't need a scientific explanation for how concrete sets or why water doesn't run uphill, we accept it. the explanation might be interesting ut isn't essential to the working of the system.

How many of us know exactly how all parts of our bodies work?

Mary

[Mary Fisher]

I wouldn't. But I don't bet on anything.

It wouldn't attract me.

I wonder why James Randi (never heard of him) is doing it? What point is there?

Mary

[Douglas de Lacey]

a contemporary of mine did a PhD on how concrete sets: I believe his results had an impact on the industry.

C'mon, Mary, keep up. He was mentioned in both the earlier threads on Dowsing (one of which you started). OTOH considering the huge number of silly posts, you might have got tired of reading, and who can blame you. There might be a point if the experiment could actually be done, but I suspect it can't (since "doing an experiment" entails a specific mind-set which is likely to be inimical to whatever-it-is that achieves dowsing (if it does)).

Douglas de Lacey

[Huge]

He's a professional magician and debunker of frauds. The $1M is up for anyone who can realiably demonstrate paranormal powers under an agreed regime.

No-one's managed it yet.

the challenge is here;

[Huge]

Oh, that's a simple one; nobody.

[Mary Fisher]

That's one :-)