Does dowsing work?

[billvon]

It's also strange that many claim to not believe in psychics or the supernatural then offer it as a supposed explanation to dismiss something.

I am not dismissing it.

As James R has said, it is easy to prove. Bury several pipes, some with water, some without. If the dowser can detect which pipes contain water, then there is objective proof of their ability. No such test has resulted in a confirmation of their ability.

And again, if the person says "well, I can't do that! I look at property and look for drainage, soil type, slope etc rather than detect pipes" then great, they are good hydrologic engineers. They are not dowsers.

 

[James R]

Divination ... is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic, standardized process or ritual.
​

I suspect the comma in that quote shouldn't be there.

It should read, "divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic standardized process or ritual".

The word "occult" essentially implies the involvement of supernatural forces, powers and/or beings.

Dowsing is a form of divination. It doesn't matter if it uses a "standardized" process, as long as that process is "occult". If you're doing a hydrological survey using regular human senses or scientific instruments, that is neither dowsing nor occult. If you're waving a Y-shaped stick around and trying to tune into local ley line vibrational energies, then you're dowsing.

 

[DaveC426913]

Divination ... is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic, standardized process or ritual.
​

I suspect the comma in that quote shouldn't be there.

:slaps forehead: Of course! I wondered about the strange verbage but it didn't click.