For many years, I have studied the history and psychology of magic and the paranormal. During this time, I have been asked certain questions on a regular basis, and two in particular. The first is: have you ever encountered anything that you cannot explain? The short answer to that question is ‘no’, but then, for reasons that will soon become apparent, anyone can provide an explanation for seemingly inexplicable events. Whether the explanation is an adequate one, however, is always a matter of debate. When I answer that question with ‘no’, I am not settling the matter, but expressing a view: I do not believe in the paranormal.

Which brings me to the second question I have been asked on a regular basis: why do people believe in the paranormal? The short answer is that they have encountered things that they cannot otherwise explain. But for those who believe that such things are not real, that is not an adequate explanation. We sceptics, convinced that they are wrong, want to know why they come to the wrong conclusion. We say it is because they don't know better, or because they desire to believe in such things. For many years, I said this myself, until I realized that this, too, was simply inadequate. I have met too many believers to think that their beliefs are simply the product of ignorance and wishful thinking. And I know too many sceptics to think that our beliefs are impervious to such human frailties. At the same time, I do not believe in the paranormal. This book is an attempt to provide an alternative approach to the problem.