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Renew Deal

(81,859 posts) Thu Dec 17, 2015, 03:26 PM Dec 2015

Are ghosts real? [View all]

Based on these definitions...

1. the soul of a dead person, a disembodied spirit imagined, usually as a vague, shadowy or evanescent form, as wandering among or haunting living persons.

4. (sometimes initial capital letter) a spiritual being.

5. the principle of life; soul; spirit.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ghost

61 votes, 0 passes \| Time left: Unlimited
	Yes
	12 (20%)
	No
	41 (67%)
	Don't know
	5 (8%)
	Not Sure
	2 (3%)
	Other
	1 (2%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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126 replies

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Highlight:

Are ghosts real? [View all] Renew Deal Dec 2015 OP

Recommended. H2O Man Dec 2015 #1

Don't know. bigwillq Dec 2015 #2

Absolutely. Shandris Dec 2015 #3

Can you explain what a residual harmonic resonance is? whatthehey Dec 2015 #25

A form of vibration, like everything. n/t Shandris Dec 2015 #41

OK - so what is vibrating and what is causing it to vibrate? whatthehey Dec 2015 #45

It's a good question. Presumably one day there will be a good, quality, scientific-style answer. Shandris Dec 2015 #48

Science is "busy trying to be a religion"? Yorktown Dec 2015 #62

That you weren't aware of this (and find it surprising) is enough of an indicator that this... Shandris Dec 2015 #73

Hope your wrist heals Yorktown Dec 2015 #80

Oh I can answer in short, even in moderate. Just not at length, sadly. =( Shandris Dec 2015 #82

I can easily show you where the two things are different Yorktown Dec 2015 #89

I think I see. Shandris Dec 2015 #92

I look forward to it. Yorktown Dec 2015 #99

Well when that day comes I'll take the idea seriously. Now? Not so much. whatthehey Dec 2015 #108

It really depends on the chakra Bonx Dec 2015 #52

groovy Facility Inspector Dec 2015 #111

Lol! Ok nt Logical Dec 2015 #74

Glad you were amused. n/t Shandris Dec 2015 #78

ROFLMAO snooper2 Dec 2015 #113

Being laughed at by the cocksure is a good sign I'm on the right path in life. Shandris Dec 2015 #119

I really wouldn't think that's a good sign, not by itself tkmorris Dec 2015 #120

I'd agree with the 'not by itself', but to be perfectly honest... Shandris Dec 2015 #121

when you try to explain ghosts as a "residual harmonic resonance" people are going to laugh snooper2 Dec 2015 #122

I've seen a few Omaha Steve Dec 2015 #4

Nope! Nt Logical Dec 2015 #75

i've seen Ghost Hunters....NO spanone Dec 2015 #5

I read somewhere once, why do ghosts have clothes on? If their spirit is lingering around, that raccoon Dec 2015 #6

The same reason every hospital isn't haunted by thousands of ghosts :) arcane1 Dec 2015 #29

High EMF fields can induce hallucinations. Oneironaut Dec 2015 #37

Re: waking up or in bed. Hypnagogic hallucination. longship Dec 2015 #90

Yup - that's also called sleep paralysis, or "old hag." Oneironaut Dec 2015 #100

Probably not but possibly, I believe so, I believe so. nt el_bryanto Dec 2015 #7

They are definitely NOT REAL. That being said, I've seen one NightWatcher Dec 2015 #8

So how are they not real? Reter Dec 2015 #17

Same way things in dreams aren't whatthehey Dec 2015 #27

So what do you believe happened? wheniwasincongress Dec 2015 #85

Only when seriously stoned. TreasonousBastard Dec 2015 #9

We are all ISB's padfun Dec 2015 #10

No, as they are clearly a cultural creation. longship Dec 2015 #11

Yes. I've known too many highly credible people, friends and family, CharlotteVale Dec 2015 #12

Like Fox Mulder "I want to believe" MowCowWhoHow III Dec 2015 #13

no Skittles Dec 2015 #14

Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House. longship Dec 2015 #22

I have the book and the movie! Skittles Dec 2015 #33

I reject the concept that gore == spooky. longship Dec 2015 #34

agreed Skittles Dec 2015 #59

Because it's easier to make a movie gory than to build suspense. raccoon Dec 2015 #98

I've seen them twice. zappaman Dec 2015 #15

Well, conservation of energy doesn't explain who ate all my biscottis Gregorian Dec 2015 #16

Of course not. Iggo Dec 2015 #18

Other: sometimes. mahina Dec 2015 #19

I saw my father - long dead - at 840high Dec 2015 #58

I read you. mahina Dec 2015 #86

Thank you. 840high Dec 2015 #95

Since there is no soul, or spirit, no they aren't brooklynite Dec 2015 #20

precisely! n/t wildbilln864 Dec 2015 #63

Are logical constructs real even if not based on a physical reality? Johonny Dec 2015 #21

Yes edhopper Dec 2015 #38

I've experienced some strange and unexplainable phenomena Blue_In_AK Dec 2015 #23

So has everyone. But most people realize it's coincidence. Nt Logical Dec 2015 #76

The one thing that happened to me Blue_In_AK Dec 2015 #83

If you're able and willing, could you share? wheniwasincongress Dec 2015 #88

Sure. Blue_In_AK Dec 2015 #93

could it have Chris? wheniwasincongress Dec 2015 #94

No, he hadn't gotten up from the couch Blue_In_AK Dec 2015 #96

We can disagree on this. There is no proof of anything like ghosts. Nt Logical Dec 2015 #103

I never said it was a ghost, Blue_In_AK Dec 2015 #118

I think most people wheniwasincongress Dec 2015 #87

So true! Nt Logical Dec 2015 #104

Well a universal metaphysical negative is a bit bold but... whatthehey Dec 2015 #24

No. Nye Bevan Dec 2015 #26

In the original Scooby Doo. Later versions did not honor that, I think. longship Dec 2015 #35

You know edhopper Dec 2015 #39

Yeah, but they're always doing it Mariana Dec 2015 #53

Yes. But, only in the sense that energy can't die or be destroyed. Tierra_y_Libertad Dec 2015 #28

One problem. longship Dec 2015 #36

Doesn't the process require energy? Tierra_y_Libertad Dec 2015 #40

Well, energy comes from well known processes as well. longship Dec 2015 #42

Doesn't the brain function on energy and process it into another form? Tierra_y_Libertad Dec 2015 #43

All energy in ones body comes from the same source. longship Dec 2015 #46

Technically that's not true b/c energy is used. Oneironaut Dec 2015 #65

so a battery should never run dead... wildbilln864 Dec 2015 #64

The energy of the body is spent in the decomposition process and transferred to the soil Spider Jerusalem Dec 2015 #101

I don't pretend to know... LanternWaste Dec 2015 #30

Lol, how about elfs or unicorns? Any pretense there? Nt Logical Dec 2015 #106

Seen 'em 2naSalit Dec 2015 #31

I say no, but then again that is a function of what reality really is and the interactive RKP5637 Dec 2015 #32

Not real they don't exist in reality. People see things virtually though GusBob Dec 2015 #44

I think so, yes justiceischeap Dec 2015 #47

We percieve reality by our senses. Xolodno Dec 2015 #49

I voted NO, bvar22 Dec 2015 #50

Story that won't convince anyone, but... Maeve Dec 2015 #51

We had a "ghost" Mariana Dec 2015 #54

I hope so. wendylaroux Dec 2015 #55

Maybe it's foolishness... Docreed2003 Dec 2015 #56

I'm a scientist through and through mrs_p Dec 2015 #57

We view the universe through our "frame of reference" and perceived reality. IMO in the big RKP5637 Dec 2015 #61

No evidence of ghosts, even with cameras everywhere. And you have to know..... Logical Dec 2015 #107

I never said my experience mrs_p Dec 2015 #123

absolutely... wildbilln864 Dec 2015 #60

Seen one in my life a la izquierda Dec 2015 #66

Ghosts, gods, ghouls, gremlins, goblins, grindilows: I want to believe Yorktown Dec 2015 #67

No. Just No. GeorgeGist Dec 2015 #68

Don't care. nt icymist Dec 2015 #69

No. That requires a soul separate from the physical form, which has not been demonstrated to exist. NuclearDem Dec 2015 #70

Ghosts of election cycle past PowerToThePeople Dec 2015 #71

"Evanescent form"? IDemo Dec 2015 #72

No! Common sense and no proof! But people love make believe! Nt Logical Dec 2015 #77

I see a lot of 'em here on DU. MADem Dec 2015 #79

im exercising a policy SwampG8r Dec 2015 #117

My granddaughter was looking through a photo album with her 3 1/2-year-old son. Frustratedlady Dec 2015 #81

I ask everyone who believes they saw one wheniwasincongress Dec 2015 #84

In Shinto there are many tales of ghosts yuiyoshida Dec 2015 #91

I think ghosts are social osmosis and the power of suggestion Sen. Walter Sobchak Dec 2015 #97

"My house is haunted" is incredibly narcissistic Nevernose Dec 2015 #102

Isn't 'real ghost' an oxymoron? randome Dec 2015 #105

I'm a believer. mnhtnbb Dec 2015 #109

only when people are stupid Facility Inspector Dec 2015 #110

No and I don't believe in the Holy Ghost either! B Calm Dec 2015 #112

Not in any external, falsifiable sense. Orsino Dec 2015 #114

I have seen things I can't explain. NCTraveler Dec 2015 #115

If so, what are they made of? bhikkhu Dec 2015 #116

No. Owl Dec 2015 #124

Several times I've witnessed a person who had just died express themselves. KittyWampus Dec 2015 #125

No EdwardBernays Dec 2015 #126