>I am a philosopher writing a paper on science and the supernatural.  I
>am interested in how the scientists of this group would respond to the
>following hypothetical case, and answer the proposed questions.
>
>Suppose your friend John shows you a film that depicts a man with a
>wand standing behind a table with, we are told, a large piece of lead
>on top of the table.  We watch as the man waves the wand over the
>lead, muttering incantations, touches the lead creating a flash of
>smoke and voilą, when the smoke clears we see a shining lump of (we
>are told) gold, approximately the same size and shape as the lead. 
>The man then informs the audience that what we just witnessed is not
>some cheap trick, but a genuine act of the supernatural - calling upon
>forces beyond what can be explained by science, from outside our
>natural reality. He claims that we just witnessed is nothing less than
>the supernatural transmutation of lead into pure gold. Moreover, the
>wizard is prepared to repeat this feat before any group of scientists
>and skeptics.
> 
>Now John is inclined to believe that the magician's claim is true. 
>When asked why, he says:  Well we know there are more things on heaven
>and earth than can be explained by science.  The media routinely
>reports on the unexplained and supernatural.  The wizard is prepared
>to defend his claim. The film appears to be genuine, and having no
>particular reason to disbelieve the magician's claim, he is inclined
>to take the film as prima facie evidence in favor of the supernatural.
> 
>Consider the claim:
> 
>(S)  The wizard in the film supernaturally transmuted the lead into
>gold.
> 
>Some questions:
> 
>1.    Is John's acceptance of S rational based on the reasons he gave?
>
>
>2.   In what sense is S unscientific or "beyond the bounds" of
>science?
>
>
>3.   Is S scientifically testable or falsifiable?
>
>4.   Does or can scientific results or investigation affect the
>rationality of belief in S?
>

Sounds like quantum mechanics!

When I read this it brought to mind this quote from Einstein,
"The greatest miracle, is there are no miracles."
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