Round 1. DominusLuciferi v WuTang: Ghosts

The topic for this debate is "Ghosts are real, and science will eventually be able to understand and accept their existence".

There has been a change in participants in this debate.
There has been ANOTHER change in participants in this debate.
DominusLuciferi will be arguing the pro position and will open the debate.
WuTang will argue the con position.

Each debater will have one opening statement each. This will be followed by 3 alternating replies each. There will then be one closing statement each and no rebuttal.


There are no limits on the length of posts, but you may only use 1 post per turn.

Editing is strictly forbidden. This means any editing, for any reason. Any edited posts will be completely deleted. This prevents cheating. A debate moderator must be contacted to request any necessary edits. Check your spelling and use the preview post function- editing will be minimal.


Opening and closing statements must not contain any images and must have no more than 3 references. Excluding both the opening and closing statements, only two images and no more than 5 references can be included for each post. No post shall contain more than 10 sentences quoted from a reference. Links to multiple pages within a single domain count as 1 reference. There is a maximum of 3 individual links per reference, then further links from that domain count as a new reference. Excess quotes and excess links will be removed.

The Socratic Debate Rule is in effect. Each debater may ask up to 5 questions in each post, except for in closing statements- no questions are permitted in closing statements. These questions should be clearly labeled as "Question 1, Question 2, etc.
When asked a question, a debater must give a straight forward answer in his next post. Explanations and qualifications to an answer are acceptable, but must be preceeded by a direct answer.

Responses should be made within 24 hours, if people are late with their replies, they run the risk of forfeiting their reply and possibly the debate. Limited grace periods may be allowed if I am notified in advance.


Judging will be done by a panel of anonymous judges. After each debate is completed it will be locked and the judges will begin making their decision. One of the debate forum moderators will then make a final post announcing the winner.

[edit on 16-2-2008 by The Vagabond]

[edit on 18-2-2008 by The Vagabond]

I would like to thank The Vagabond and AnnunakiX for this opportunity as well as the ATS readers.

“Ghosts are real, and science will eventually be able to understand and accept their existence.”

In order to properly discuss this, we must define “ghost”. Answers.com tells us:

ghost n. 1. The spirit of a dead person, especially one believed to appear in bodily likeness to living persons or to haunt former habitats. 2. The center of spiritual life; the soul. 3. A demon or spirit.

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The word spirit is used in each of these and should also be defined:

spirit n. 1. a.) The vital principle or animating force within living beings. b.) Incorporeal consciousness. 2. The soul, considered as departing from the body of a person at death. 3. Spirit The Holy Spirit. 4. A supernatural being, as: a.) An angel or a demon. b.) A being inhabiting or embodying a particular place, object, or natural phenomenon. c.) A fairy or sprite.

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A ghost can thus be definitively described as “the disembodied incorporeal consciousness of sentient life, as manifested in the physical world”.

Throughout this debate I will seek to prove that ghosts do in fact exist, and illustrate that it is only a matter of time before science understands the phenomenon.

I will present documented cases of ghostly activity.

I will provide eyewitness accounts of ghostly phenomenon throughout history.

I will present evidence that a disembodied spirit can manifest itself and have an effect on our physical reality.

Humans have described ghosts and encounters with ghosts for thousands and thousands of years, from ancient Egypt to Homer’s Iliad, to users on this message board. Belief in this phenomenon is non-discriminatory: a 2003 Harris poll found that:

51% of the public, including 58% of women, and 65% of those aged 25 to 29 but only 27% of those aged 65 and over believe in ghosts.

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This same poll also found that 84% of the public believe in the survival of the soul after death, broken down as:

The 84% of those who believe in the survival of the soul after death include 89% of women but only 78% of men, 86% of those without a college degree but only 78% of those with postgraduate degrees.

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Can this many people truly be mistaken? We will find that they are not, that their beliefs are justified by quantifiable experience, and that there is no doubt of the existence of "ghosts"

Was away, never confirmed participation but would like to. I just got back, so give me a day or so and I will reply and be in the thick of things. Thank you for your patience guys!

WuTang has surrendered. DominusLuciferi will advance to round 2.