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WE'RE BACK!

October 2025 lilbrary presentations return for another season of lively multi-media presentatioins on "ghost hunting" with from a skeptical viewpoint, including high-tech pseudoscience, skeptical inquiry, critical and thinking pitfalls like cognitive biases. Free admission and open to the pubic. Note: Portions of this presentation may not be suitable for very young audiences.

When and where?

Oct. 21, 6-8pm

Kensington Branch Library

4121 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116

Oct. 28, 5:30-7:30pm

Paradise Hills Branch Library

5922 Rancho Hills Dr, San Diego, CA 92139

honoring the heroes of

skeptical inquiry

Explaining Paranormal Activity: Since PPI strives to honor the scientific method and promote skeptical inquiry of paranormal phenomena, the term "explain" is preferred over the word "debunk." While the term "debunking" is still frequently used, many conscientious paranormal groups are moving away from the term because it is does not dignify the motive of most clients who request investigations. The term derives from bunkum, an insincere public display or statement, which suggests that debunking a paranormal phenomenon means to expose the trickery of duplicitous clients. Such clients are an extreme rarity for investigation groups. "Debunking," in fact, entered into the popular vernacular because of criminal investigators and scientists who, in the interest of protecting the unwitting public, apprehended charlatan spirit mediums, defrauded psychic flimflam, and exposed medical quackery. One of the most famous debunkers who has evolved from a professional illusionist into one of the leading figures of skeptical inquiry is James Randi. The preferred term among paranormal investigators these days is "explaining," which is far more empathetic to the possibility that a client in paranormal distress may have misunderstood or overlooked a rational explanation for paranormal activity, rather than have conspired to dupe the public.

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Surveillance Logs

For many reasons, establishing and following a clear set of surveillance protocols during investigations is crucial. For starters, anyone claiming to honor the scientific method in paranormal investigating understands the importance of controls. By “controls,” we mean those precautions taken to contain how data is collected, to limit contamination of that data, and to identify potential misinterpretations and false positives....

PPI Podcast #8: Investigative Techniques (2011)

Part 1 of our presentation: Science & Beyond - A Look at the Science Behind 21st Century Paranomrmal Investigation - is entitled Investigative Techniques.

presented by PPI Investigator Jason Sieckman. Introduction by PPI Investigator Tim Mountain.

Recorded October 11, 2011

Length: 00:17:32