Thanks to Nielsen Magic for permission to use the above image.
Ah, yes! Assumptions. Assuming. And you know what happens when you break down the word assume, don't you?
The truth is, making assumptions is an important part of living a healthy mental life. If we didn't make assumptions we would, quite literally, go crazy. Making assumptions allows us to proceed through this world in a much more proficient, efficient, effective and timely manner. If we didn't make assumptions it would be a difficult process just to get out of bed in the mornings. But assumptions are also an important weapon within a conjuror's arsenal - not to mention a con-artist's arsenal - which allows them to create effective and stunning illusions.
Before we proceed any further let us once again turn to James "The Amazing" Randi as he so eloquently and effectively talks about assumptions...
So you see, making assumptions is a natural part of living - but it can also have disastrous and deleterious effects if assumptions aren't questioned every so often, especially under certain circumstances. By taking advantage of how we use assumptions a conjuror is better able to fool his audience. By the same token, an unscrupulous person can utilize these very same notions to perpetrate a fraud on an unsuspecting public. French physician, anatomist and anthropologist, Pierre Paul Broca (June 28, 1824 - July 9, 1880), summed it up nicely when he said...
"The least questioned assumptions are often the most questionable."
Pierre Paul Broca
That is exactly what a good conjuror will do - take advantage of those least questioned assumptions. By so doing, a conjuror can create astounding effects. By the same token, a con-artist, a fraud and an unscrupulous individual will take advantage of those very same assumptions which can lead one down a dangerous path either physically, mentally and/or financially. For this reason it is advantageous to come to some understanding of those principles that a conjuror utilizes to deceive people honestly. There is also another way that a conjuror can use assumptions effectively to fool his/her audience. This really became apparent a number of years ago from an unsuspecting source - a source that outraged many within the conjuring community.
Back in 1997, Fox TV introduced a one hour television special called, Breaking the Magician's Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed. The performer was billed as "The Masked Magician," his identity being protected by the wearing of, you guessed it, a mask. The individual behind the mask was a California native known professionally as Valentino, his real name being Leonard Montano.
The Masked Magician - Valentino (Leonard Montana)
Valentino's schtick was to expose (apparently) some of the greatest secrets within the conjuring arts to the general public. His rationale for doing so was, he claimed, to "encourage the new generation of magicians, established magicians, magic enthusiasts, magic historians, scholars, inventors and to promote public interest in the Art of Magic with particular emphasis on preserving its history as an art form, entertainment medium, and hobby." Valentino felt - rightly or wrongly so - that by exposing the secrets of the conjuring arts to the public they (the public) would have a better appreciation of the art form, thus, allowing them to enjoy future conjuring performances that much more. Dissecting the logic of his thinking is beyond the scope of this website. Suffice it to say that most conjurors were outraged by Valentino's blatant exposures of some of the conjuring arts greatest kept secrets. However, not everyone felt that way. In one sense, Valentino did a great service to this art form by pushing some conjurors out of their comfort zones by getting them to think more about what it was they were actually doing. And by doing this these conjurors were actually able to play that much more with people's assumptions - especially those people that may have witnessed Valentino's special.
I'm sure everyone is familiar with the classic illusion of "Sawing A Woman In Half." It is a standard of magic that has been around for a century. Following is a classic presentation by the American conjuror, Mark Wilson, the first major conjuror to regularly appear, at the time, within this fairly new medium called television. In this clip, he is bisecting his lovely wife, Nani Darnell.
Through the years, a number of different methodologies have been created to present this classic illusion. On the Fox special, Valentino performed a version of this illusion and then exposed how it worked. To make it absolutely clear, I will not expose the methodology that was employed by Mark Wilson, nor will I expose any other effect that is being utilized by any conjuror today. Some of these effects, though, may be described on this website for illustrative purposes with no secrets being revealed. Effects whose secrets are explained are those that are considered within the public domain of beginner's effects.
A person not versed in the conjuring arts, and having witnessed Valentino's exposure of this classic, would automatically make assumptions in the future - that is, they would believe that they know how the "Sawing A Woman In Half" illusion works - if they were to see another performer present this same illusion. And that is a classic example of how an assumption can come back and bite an individual in their assumption, so to speak.
Let us now look at an updated version of the "Sawing A Woman In Half" illusion that would stymy anyone who would assume, or believe, that they knew how the illusion worked based on Valentino's exposure of his method. If they were to believe the methodologies were the same as what they witnessed Valentino perform, they would be wrong - although, through the aid of cognitive dissonance, they would believe that they have the correct solution. To present this modern updated version of the "Sawing A Woman In Half" illusion, here's Australian illusionist, Tony Laffan, as he presents "Clearly Impossible."
The key point to keep in mind is this: with most conjuring effects there is usually more than one method of creating the same effect. In some instances there can be literally hundreds of methods. Earlier we looked at an example of a levitation as presented by David Copperfield If you missed it, you can watch it here. Believe it or not, throughout the years, there have been literally hundreds of methods developed to create the illusion of a body being suspended or levitated in the air with no visible means of support. By way of an example, a number of years ago a friend of mine, Canadian conjuror Bruce Armstrong, wrote a book for fellow conjurors entitled, The Encyclopedia of Suspensions and Levitations. (Calgary, AB: Micky Hades, 1976).
Bruce ArmstrongThe Encyclopedia of Suspensions & Levitations
Within the covers of this excellent book, Bruce explains nearly 100 different methods of creating the illusion of suspending or levitating a person in the air with no visible means of support. Keep in mind that this book was written over three decades ago. It was not an exhaustive study of all the methods available at the time but it did cover a lot of ground. Fast forward to the present and I can pretty much guarantee a similar book, if written today, would be nearly double the size of Bruce's tome, if not larger. The point is this: just because you may know how a particular effect is performed - that is to say, you may know it's secret - do not assume that is the method that is used all the time. In all honesty, the best that you - or, for that matter, any conjuror - can say when watching a performer present an effect is, "I know at least one method of how that effect can be performed. I'm not certain that is the method that s/he is using, though." That is being honest and will keep you safe from making wrong assumptions.
You may be asking yourself, what does this discussion have to do with developing and/or enhancing your critical thinking skills? It can be summed up in four words: beware of making assumptions. When you watch a conjuror perform there is no harm that can come to you if you do make incorrect assumptions except for, perhaps, a few strained brain cells in trying to figure out how s/he works her/his magic. There is no personal danger that can come to you either physically, mentally or financially. However, the same cannot be said if you are dealing with a con-artist, a fraudster or an unscrupulous individual. They could very well be relying on the fact they you will make assumptions. You have to be on your guard at all times. When you watch a conjuror you know you are being entertained and, therefore, do not have to be so attentive regarding assumptions. You can suspend your disbelief and simply enjoy the entertainment. However, when you are exposed to a situation where an individual is making claims of a supernatural, parapsychological or a pseudoscientific nature, you must never make any assumptions about what you are witnessing or being told. This could potentially get you into serious trouble.
Let us now look specifically at how our five senses - sight, smell, sound, touch and taste - can actually fool our brains. Included in the next segment will be some actual effects that you can perform yourself. This will allow you to experience first hand how your mind works and how it can be fooled. If you're ready, let us begin...
Bruce Armstrong
The Encyclopedia of Suspensions & Levitations
Within the covers of this excellent book, Bruce explains nearly 100 different methods of creating the illusion of suspending or levitating a person in the air with no visible means of support. Keep in mind that this book was written over three decades ago. It was not an exhaustive study of all the methods available at the time but it did cover a lot of ground. Fast forward to the present and I can pretty much guarantee a similar book, if written today, would be nearly double the size of Bruce's tome, if not larger. The point is this: just because you may know how a particular effect is performed - that is to say, you may know it's secret - do not assume that is the method that is used all the time. In all honesty, the best that you - or, for that matter, any conjuror - can say when watching a performer present an effect is, "I know at least one method of how that effect can be performed. I'm not certain that is the method that s/he is using, though." That is being honest and will keep you safe from making wrong assumptions.
You may be asking yourself, what does this discussion have to do with developing and/or enhancing your critical thinking skills? It can be summed up in four words: beware of making assumptions. When you watch a conjuror perform there is no harm that can come to you if you do make incorrect assumptions except for, perhaps, a few strained brain cells in trying to figure out how s/he works her/his magic. There is no personal danger that can come to you either physically, mentally or financially. However, the same cannot be said if you are dealing with a con-artist, a fraudster or an unscrupulous individual. They could very well be relying on the fact they you will make assumptions. You have to be on your guard at all times. When you watch a conjuror you know you are being entertained and, therefore, do not have to be so attentive regarding assumptions. You can suspend your disbelief and simply enjoy the entertainment. However, when you are exposed to a situation where an individual is making claims of a supernatural, parapsychological or a pseudoscientific nature, you must never make any assumptions about what you are witnessing or being told. This could potentially get you into serious trouble.
Let us now look specifically at how our five senses - sight, smell, sound, touch and taste - can actually fool our brains. Included in the next segment will be some actual effects that you can perform yourself. This will allow you to experience first hand how your mind works and how it can be fooled. If you're ready, let us begin...
