Is telekinesis real? - Emma Bryce

隔空取物確有其事嗎? - Emma Bryce

譯者: 瑞文Eleven 林Lim 審譯者: Sherry Chen

當惡名昭彰的虛構人物--魔女嘉莉

When the infamous fictional character,

Carrie White, left her high school prom hall ablaze,

離開了已陷入火海的高中舞會大廳

and brought terror upon her town,

繼續以隔空取物的念力

she relied on her powers of telekinesis,

即以心靈力量操縱物體的能力

the ability to manipulate physical objects using the power of the mind alone.

使整個小鎮居民陷入極端恐慌

But while Carrie is just a fictional film based upon a fictional book,

但是，儘管魔女嘉莉只是源自於 史蒂芬·金所著的恐怖小說 所改编而来的電影中，

belief in telekinesis isn't fictional at all.

對隔空取物的信仰，可是一點也不虛幻

For centuries, humans have claimed they really do have the power

幾個世紀以來，一直有人聲稱 自己具有隔空取物能力

to control the motion of objects using only their minds.

能利用只意念的力量控制物體的移動

Levitation, opening doors at will and spoon bending

用意念將人懸浮在空中、 開門或拗彎湯匙等等

are all intriguing examples.

都是耐人尋味的例子

It happens in the Matrix when Neo freezes bullets midair,

像是電影「駭客任務」中， 救世主尼歐讓子彈停留在空中

and it's a skill that Yoda has honed to a T.

這也是「星際大戰」裡尤達大師的絕學

But is telekinesis real,

到底隔空取物是真實的， 或只是像嘉莉、尤達與尼歐一樣，都是虛構的呢？

or just as fictional as Carrie, Yoda and Neo combined?

To investigate, we need to evaluate telekinetic claims

為了調查真相，我們需要透過科學的眼光， 以科學方法檢驗隔空取物的說法

through a scientific lens using the scientific method.

Telekinesis is part of the discipline called parapsychology,

隔空取物是所謂的超心理學的一支

in which researchers study psychic phenomena.

超心理學研究心靈現象

Parapsychologists regard what they do as a science,

超心理學家自認研究的是科學

but other scientists disagree.

但其他科學家並不認同

Let's start with a few basic observations.

讓我們先從一些基本觀察開始

Observation #1:

觀察現象一：

While there are loads of anecdotes out there about telekinesis,

雖然一直有隔空取物的軼事傳出

there's no scientific proof that it exists;

但都沒有經過科學證實

no studies conducted according to the scientific method

沒有嚴謹的科學研究

and repeated under lab conditions can show that its real.

例如在實驗室控制條件下重複， 以證明其真實性

In the 1930s, the so-called father of parapsychology, Joseph Banks Rhine,

在20世紀30年代，所謂的超心理學之父-- 約瑟夫•班克斯•萊茵

tested in the lab whether people could use telekinesis

在實驗室中測試人們是否能利用意念

to make a dice roll the way they wanted it to.

控制骰子的滾動

But afterwards, scientists couldn't replicate his results,

但後來，科學家們無法重複他的實驗結論

and since replication is key to proving an idea,

而因為「可以重複實驗」是驗證一個論點的關鍵

that was a problem.

這樣一來就大有問題了

Aside from scientists,

除了科學家， 還有無數自稱可隔空取物的人

there are also countless self-proclaimed telekinetics,

but all have been exposed as tricksters,

不是被證實為騙徒

or can't perform under conditions where they're not totally in control,

就是無法在他們沒有控制權下進行表演

suggesting that they manipulate the situation to get the results they want.

這表示他們有動手腳

Today, there's even a huge stash of prize money available from lots of organizations

今日，許多組織提供巨額獎金

for anyone who can prove that psychic abilities, like telekinesis, are real.

頒給能被證實具有類似 隔空取物之類超能力的人

But these riches remain unclaimed.

但從沒人領到獎金

Observation #2:

觀察現象二：

When we investigate telekinesis,

當研究隔空取物時

there's no consensus about what exactly is being measured.

對於被測量的標的並無共識

Are powerful, Yoda-like brainwaves at work perhaps?

研究像尤達大師一樣強大的腦波？

Since nobody agrees, it's difficult to apply a research standard,

因為沒人同意，就很難作為研究標準

something required in all other types of science

有時需要全然不同類型的科學

to test the validity of ideas.

來測試論點的正確性

Observation #3:

觀察現象三：

The point of science is to discover the unknown,

科學的精髓就是要探索未知

and in the history of scientific investigation,

在科學探究的歷史中

it's definitely happened

的確發生新發現與舊體系相違背

that new discoveries have gone against established science,

and even overturned whole branches of science.

甚至顛覆整個理論體系的例子 (如地球繞日學說)

Such discoveries must be proven extra carefully

此類發現必然經過仔細查證且經得起檢驗

to withstand skepticism.

In the case of telekinesis,

在隔空取物的例子

the idea goes against established science,

此現象違背現行科學定律

but lacks the powerful evidence in favor of it.

也缺乏有力證據支持

Our universe is controlled and explained by the laws of physics,

我們的宇宙由物理定律控制與解釋

and one of these laws tells us that brain waves can't control objects

其中一條定律告訴我們：腦波無法控制物體

because they're neither strong nor far-reaching enough

因為腦波不夠強大， 也無法影響頭殼以外的任何物體

to influence anything outside of our skulls.

Physics also tells us that the only forces that can influence objects from afar

在物理原理中，能夠隔空移動物體的力

are magnetic and gravitational.

只有磁力與重力

Probably the closest thing to telekinesis that science can explain

在科學上，與隔空取物較為相近的例子

is the use of thoughts to control a robotic arm.

是利用思想控制機械手臂

In the brains of stroke patients who can't move,

腦中風的病人肢體無法移動

researchers can implant tiny wires into the region that controls movement,

研究人員在病人腦中控制運動的區域 植入細小的電線

and then train the patient to concentrate on moving a robotic arm,

並訓練病人集中精神去控制機械手臂

which acts like an extension of their minds, and it works.

結果機械手臂就以腦袋想要的方式移動

It's amazing, but it isn't telekinesis.

這太神奇了，但不是隔空取物

The patients thoughts aren't just vague, undetectable things.

病人的思想並非模糊難測

They're measurable brain signals,

而是可測量的腦部訊號

translated through wires into a robot.

經由電線傳給機械手臂

Science can measure, test and explain the motion,

科學能測量、測試及解釋這些動作

and that's how we've shown that this kind of mind control is real.

這就是我們證實精神控制可行的方法

Science is a slow process of accumulating

不管支持或反對一種論點

the evidence that either stands for or against an idea.

科學都是緩慢累積證據的過程

When we stack up evidence,

當我們不斷堆疊證據時

we can see which tower grows tallest,

可知哪一疊堆得最高

and in the case of telekinesis, it's not the tower showing that it exists.

在隔空取物這一堆，根本堆不起來

Some say this mystical phenomenon can't fit within the confines of science,

有人說神秘現象不屬於科學研究的範疇

and that's okay.

這樣說也行

But then telekinesis becomes purely a matter of personal conviction.

但此事就屬於個人信念了

If something can't be assessed scientifically,

既然不能以科學方法評估

then it can't be described as scientific either.

就不能視為科學

So the results of our investigation

所以我們的調查結果顯示

reveal that however much we may want to believe

儘管我們很希望能證實有神奇力量

that the force really is within us,

the case for telekinesis remains weak.

但結論是，隔空取物實為不可能

Sorry Neo, Carrie and Yoda.

很抱歉！尼歐、嘉莉與尤達大師

Your skills are mind-blowing, but for now, they belong in the movies.

你們本事令人振奮，但至今為止， 你們仍屬於電影世界！