this post was submitted on 29 May 2024
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submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by GardenVarietyAnxiety to c/askphysics
 

I think I need to rephrase the question. I'll post again in a few days.

The replies so far have generally been very polite, given the subject. I was nervous about that. Thanks everyone!


... Hear me out, okay?

Back in 2000 I took my first solo, out of state trip, to meet an online friend. When I got off the bus, she greeted me, and let me know that we had to go stop by her friends house on the way back.

She was Wiccan and needed some Spiritual guidance because the night before she saw a black portal open up in the corner of her room that was giving her really bad vibes.

It wasn't my thing, but I never discounted it. Maybe it was real, and if nothing else it's just how her mind is rationalizing things.

But I guess my question is: Does the Scientific Method rule out the possibility that a "real" portal appeared in her room?

Taking wave function probability into account and the absense of data from the room, is it fair to say that the scientific method doesn't rule out the black portal being real?

Looking for black and white answers if possible, but I'd also love to hear your reasoning~

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I think it would be right in saying the scientific method hasn't ruled it out as it hasn't been applied to the phenomenon in question. There is also no reason to believe it did happen, and our current understanding suggests that if such a thing as a portal is possible (whatever portal means here) it likely would not 'just happen'.

Assuming the witness isn't just lying, I think the best thing would be to rule out psychological or neurological causes first. But without a portal to actually study, the scientific method isn't going to get very far.

[–] GardenVarietyAnxiety 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

likely

I think I should have emphasised the other part... I'm wondering about the possibility, however unlikely, that a wave function "cascade" could take place, creating or giving the illusion of a portal to the observer.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

You keep mentioning wave functions, what is your understanding of them and how do you think they might apply here?