The chapter delves into the cognitive biases and evolutionary factors that influence people's belief in supernatural phenomena like ghosts and fate. It discusses the role of probabilities and our tendency to misjudge statistics, leading to perceptions of improbable events as impossible. The narrative also examines the link between paranormal beliefs, conspiracy theories, and cognitive biases, highlighting the challenges of critical thinking skills in followers of such beliefs.
Psychologist Chris French has spent decades studying paranormal claims and mysterious experiences, from seemingly-impossible coincidences to paintings that purportedly predict the future. Ian Sample sits down with French to explore why so many of us end up believing in, what he terms, ‘weird shit’, and what we can learn from understanding why we’re drawn to mysterious and mystic phenomena. Help support our independent journalism at
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