Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Folks, the skeptics are not sending their best. Today, we're discussing three arguments that purport to demonstrate that ghosts are not real. I was unimpressed by these "refutations" and wanted to explain why I think they miss the center of the spectral target. While I don't positively believe in ghosts, I don't think pretending weak arguments are decisive is very productive.
In short, these arguments rely on dubious assumptions about the nature and behavior of ghosts, assumptions which are ultimately little more than speculations on the part of skeptics. In response, I offer a few speculations of my own, which can serve as undercutting defeaters. At best, the skeptic succeeds only in refuting a narrow subset of ghostly hypotheses. While these arguments are interesting and notable, they fall short of being conclusive refutations.
DUALISM PLAYLIST youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgCsHWkb9NYvJN4Yq-qMyOJilAVsdY2b9&si=6IEro1Yf_ZBmeuWJ
Twitter thread where I first encountered Wang Chong https://x.com/echetus/status/1861192727892832762
Wang Chong - IEP https://iep.utm.edu/wangchon/
PHILOSOPHY ON THE FRINGES - Ghosts and Hauntings podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ghosts-and-hauntings/id1670780660?i=1000674793925
Dale Allison Interview - Encountering Mystery youtu.be/YpMiprlCx-o?si=ESsxm9cwNEjWDMMX
Greenbrier Ghost - Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World youtu.be/Vy6q4FF997M?si=jJvg-yTHwgbad4Qg
Music for this episode was performed by yours truly (except the drums).
Linktree https://linktr.ee/emersongreen
00:00 Intro
01:29 Argument from Physical Shape
05:32 Argument from Population
16:24 Argument from Ghostly Efficacy
21:36 What are ghosts?
Folks, the skeptics are not sending their best. Today, we're discussing three arguments that purport to demonstrate that ghosts are not real. I was unimpressed by these "refutations" and wanted to explain why I think they miss the center of the spectral target. While I don't positively believe in ghosts, I don't think pretending weak arguments are decisive is very productive.
In short, these arguments rely on dubious assumptions about the nature and behavior of ghosts, assumptions which are ultimately little more than speculations on the part of skeptics. In response, I offer a few speculations of my own, which can serve as undercutting defeaters. At best, the skeptic succeeds only in refuting a narrow subset of ghostly hypotheses. While these arguments are interesting and notable, they fall short of being conclusive refutations.
DUALISM PLAYLIST youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgCsHWkb9NYvJN4Yq-qMyOJilAVsdY2b9&si=6IEro1Yf_ZBmeuWJ
Twitter thread where I first encountered Wang Chong https://x.com/echetus/status/1861192727892832762
Wang Chong - IEP https://iep.utm.edu/wangchon/
PHILOSOPHY ON THE FRINGES - Ghosts and Hauntings podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ghosts-and-hauntings/id1670780660?i=1000674793925
Dale Allison Interview - Encountering Mystery youtu.be/YpMiprlCx-o?si=ESsxm9cwNEjWDMMX
Greenbrier Ghost - Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World youtu.be/Vy6q4FF997M?si=jJvg-yTHwgbad4Qg
Music for this episode was performed by yours truly (except the drums).
Linktree https://linktr.ee/emersongreen
00:00 Intro
01:29 Argument from Physical Shape
05:32 Argument from Population
16:24 Argument from Ghostly Efficacy
21:36 What are ghosts?
