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Illusionists and stage hypnotists like Derren Brown are well known for performing shows where they showcase their alleged expertise to make people fall into all sorts of tricks, from faith healing to Ouija board sessions.

Talking about Derren Brown specifically, I've noticed that he has been brought up on this stack in the past, in both questions and answers, but this doesn't always elicit good reactions (e.g. see this answer). Why is it so? Do renowned stage hypnotists and illusionists like Derren Brown have any scientific credibility whatsoever? Are they making use of legitimate techniques backed up by scientific evidence and research?

Bryan Krause
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    I'm not sure how using science-based knowledge in one's job constitutes "scientific credibility". Many people use knowledge gained through scientific research backed by evidence in their jobs (eg, programmers, electricians, architects, politicians...). Does that grant them "scientific credibility"? Perhaps you are asking if the explanations that Derren Brown gives of his techniques are accurate reflections of scientific knowledge? Or if those descriptions accurately reflect his actual performances? – Arnon Weinberg Jul 25 '21 at 13:42
  • @ArnonWeinberg - Yes to the last two questions. Are Derren Brown and others exploiting psychological knowledge gained through (or corroborated by) scientific research? –  Jul 25 '21 at 13:56

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