A stage magician claims he can lift objects with the power of his mind, and in his act, it looks like he really can. A member of the audience says, "I believe he can really do it. Look, the evidence is right there. You can see him do it with your own eyes. What more do you need?" Why might you believe that the stage magic is just an act?
A) Because you should ignore evidence when you are at magic shows.
B) Because you rely on background beliefs about stage magic and magic tricks.
C) Because you don't really want to find out the truth when you are in the audience.
D) Because the evidence proves conclusively that the magic is fake.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is based on understanding that stage magic relies on illusions and tricks that are designed to deceive the audience. Our background beliefs about the nature of stage magic and the knowledge that magicians use sleight of hand, mechanical devices, and other tricks to create the appearance of supernatural abilities lead us to interpret what we see as part of the act, rather than genuine supernatural phenomena.

A Stage Magician Claims He Can Lift Objects with the Power