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The Science of Weird Shit: Why Our Minds Conjure the Paranormal Hardcover – March 19, 2024

by Chris French (Author), Richard Wiseman (Foreword)
5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 6 ratings
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An accessible and gratifying introduction to the world of paranormal beliefs and bizarre experiences.

Ghostly encounters, alien abduction, reincarnation, talking to the dead, UFO sightings, inexplicable coincidences, out-of-body and near-death experiences. Are these legitimate phenomena? If not, then how should we go about understanding them? In this fascinating book, Chris French investigates paranormal claims to discover what lurks behind this “weird shit.” French provides authoritative evidence-based explanations for a wide range of superficially mysterious phenomena, and then goes further to draw out lessons with wider applications to many other aspects of modern society where critical thinking is urgently needed.

Using academic, comprehensive, logical, and, at times, mathematical approaches, The Science of Weird Shit convincingly debunks ESP, communicating with the dead, and alien abduction claims, among other phenomena. All the while, however, French maintains that our belief in such phenomena is neither ridiculous nor trivial; if anything, such claims can tell us a great deal about the human mind if we pay them the attention they are due. Filled with light-bulb moments and a healthy dose of levity, The Science of Weird Shit is a clever, memorable, and gratifying read you won’t soon forget.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    The MIT Press
  4. Publication date
    March 19, 2024
  5. Dimensions
    6.44 x 1.31 x 9.31 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0262048361
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0262048361
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“This fascinating inquiry . . . provides scientific explanations for such otherworldly phenomena as alien encounters, déjà vu, and ghosts . . . The science intrigues . . .Skeptics will feel vindicated.”
—Publishers Weekly

Review

“In The Science of Weird Shit, Chris French, one of the world’s most important skeptics, examines why people come to believe in improbable things, showing that there are plausible scientific explanations for even the most mysterious of them. Readers will immensely enjoy this journey with him and will end up far wiser in the process.”
—Elizabeth Loftus, Past President, Association for Psychological Science; Distinguished Professor, University of California, Irvine
 
“Enlightening, entertaining, measured, thorough, and utterly absorbing.”
—Jim Al-Khalili FRS, Distinguished Professor of Physics, University of Surrey; author of Paradox: The Nine Greatest Enigmas in Physics, Quantum: A Guide for the Perplexed, and The Joy of Science
 
“Funny, fascinating, and mind-expanding. French is an amiable guide through the psychology and science of everything from alien encounters to conspiracy theories and hypnosis to ghosts. He exposes the frauds while sympathetically explaining the psychology of the true believers. You’ll never think about the strange, the paranormal, or all the other weird shit in quite the same way again.”
—Brian Klaas, Associate Professor in Global Politics, University College London; author of Fluke and Corruptible

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The MIT Press (March 19, 2024)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0262048361
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0262048361
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.45 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.44 x 1.31 x 9.31 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 6 ratings

About the author

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Chris French

Chris French

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Chris French is Emeritus Professor and Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and a Patron of Humanists UK. He has published over 200 articles and chapters covering a wide range of topics. His main current area of research is the psychology of paranormal beliefs and anomalous experiences. He frequently appears on radio and television casting a sceptical eye over paranormal claims. He co-authored Anomalistic Psychology (2012, with Nicola Holt, Christine Simmonds-Moore, and David Luke, 2012) and Anomalistic Psychology: Exploring Paranormal Belief and Experience (2014, with Anna Stone). His latest book is The Science of Weird Shit: Why Our Minds Conjure the Paranormal tpublished by MIT Press on 19 March 2024.

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5 out of 5 stars
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hazzashozza
5.0 out of 5 stars Spookily good!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 23, 2024
Verified Purchase
As someone who has read a lot of popular science books, i rate this as one of my all time favourites. This topic is fascinating and Chris French writes clearly and is incredibly witty. The work is scholarly and endlessly entertaining. The only limitation was that there is a last page. An excellent book for anyone who believes in the paranormal and is willing to have their beliefs challenged and for skeptics alike. Best of all, being a true skeptic, French is willing to acknowledge what science can not tell us and the spooky possibility he’s wrong….A great read! 5 stars.
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john elliott
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting & entertaining
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 21, 2024
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A very entertaining read.
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