Back to Icculus' tough question: "what exactly is your take on 'ghost phenomena' in general?" Hmm. Here's Stephen's view of the world in 478 words.

First, I'm not trying to render summary judgment on all paranormal reports, or the world in general. Also, as ever, I speak only for myself here. Logisti has his own views, and they may differ from mine.

I'm not sure I see how ghosts– formerly living humans that are still able to think and act independently of their bodies after death– can exist. I've seen strong evidence that our memories, our personalities, and our very senses of self are tied very closely to our brains. When my brain stops working, I'll no longer have the things that make me me. If a little brain damage can alter these, think of what total brain death can do.

I do believe in mysteries, though, and there are plenty to be found. What is dark matter, this stuff that makes up 99% of the universe? How did the universe begin? How did life start on Earth? Is there a single theory that describes the laws of the universe? How exactly does the brain work? Are there other intelligent beings in our universe?

Then there's the possibility that there's something interesting happening in these accounts– something not ghostly, but worthy of scientific study. I think that that's true even if it turns out to be merely "tricks of the mind," since the mind is surely worthy of study.

Perhaps there are versions of the ghost hypothesis that might fit into my view of the world. Maybe there are intelligent beings made of dark matter. Maybe our reality is more socially-constructed than we realize, and memories and stories can take on a life of their own. Maybe this world is a computer simulation with an occasional glitch. Maybe I'm simply wrong.

If we find evidence of ghosts, I will be surprised. I would have to rearrange my worldview quite a bit to accommodate ghosts. However, if I ever find such evidence and could verify it… that'd be a great day, and I would toss my old worldview like a tattered T-shirt.

I don't consider myself a reductionist or a materialist. I make no assumptions as to what the world is made of. (Especially since last time I checked the physicists were claiming it was made of string. Now that's a universe Grant should be comfortable in.) Nor do I think that low-level descriptions of reality necessarily are the best.

I am a skeptic, and as such I require objective, compelling, and verifiable evidence. For me, though, being a skeptic also requires constantly challenging my preconceptions. What if I'm wrong? Can I devise a test to prove or disprove my belief? It's that process that gets me going and keeps me interested in investigating the paranormal.