[extropy-chat] Precognition on TV

[Mike Dougherty]

Is this considered (by this group) to be well-respected enough science
and review?
http://www.physorg.com/news89542035.html

If we can entertain the notion that smell is working via quantum
detection, is it so impossible that there might be some weak
interactions in the brain that bubble up as precognitive insight?  I
suggest much of the "training" and "success" that the claimants have
could be explained by hypersensitive correlation between subconscious
memory and a relatively rare fitness algorithm upon which to draw
conclusions.  I also agree that it would seem there should be more
obvious advantage or exploit on record if such abilities are absolute.
 I believe the definition of "bullshit" is too encompassing to be 100%
free of error.  Maybe psi effects only manifest inside the 'rounding
error' such that as precision is increased, the effectiveness is
minimized - some percentage of the human population tolerate much
greater imprecision and are rewarded with unseen influences affecting
probability (from good luck to outright miracles)  To the more careful
consideration of scientific examination, those unseen forces are
quantified and the magic is factored out of the equation.

Quote (from above link):
Whereas the basic chemical image of smell in the past was a "lock and
key" model, with different shaped molecules fitting in different
receptors, the LCN team explains how the electron tunneling mechanism
is more of a "swipe card" model. Similar to a credit card, an odorant
molecule would be "read" by receptors that picked up its vibration
spectrum, along with matching its shape.

"The major other theories of how receptors generate signals that are
specific to certain molecules are all ones depending on molecular
shape, mainly 'lock and key' mechanisms," said Stoneham. "As we say in
our Physical Review Letter, this popular model fails badly for these
small scent molecules (similar molecules smell different,
differently-shaped molecules smell the same, the actuation process is
ill-defined)."
EndQuote.

* even bullshit serves a purpose as fertilizer