Logic Defied

Wow, has it ever been an exciting few months. For those of you keeping up with the research we’ve been doing in our lab, things have slowly been taking off.

We’re now working on some new video clips featuring the Science of Magic – be sure to check back regularly to see some new footage. On top of that, some very amazing magicians and psychologists have come together to write another paper about the Science of Magic; you can read about it here.

With the holiday season rapidly approaching, the time is now to book your corporate party. There are still a few dates available. To contact me about booking your company’s party, please visit my magician website at www.alym.com.

Happy holidays!

Abstract

It is argued here that cognitive science currently neglects an important source of insight into the human mind: the effects created by magicians. Over the centuries, magicians have learned how to perform acts that are perceived as defying the laws of nature, and that induce a strong sense of wonder. This article argues that the time has come to examine the scientific bases behind such phenomena, and to create a science of magic linked to relevant areas of cognitive science. Concrete examples are taken from three areas of magic: the ability to control attention, to distort perception, and to influence choice. It is shown how such knowledge can help develop new tools and indicate new avenues of research into human perception and cognition.

Download full article here

Links:
UBC Visual Cognition Lab