In association with TAM London 2010

Wednesday 20th October 2010, 19.00 – 21.00 @ The Horse Hospital.

Central to the ideologies of the totalitarian regimes and authoritarian governments of the 20th century, conspiracy theories were commonly used against groups; socialists, anarchists, the Kulaks, the Jews. Then something changed, and conspiracy theories became in the popular imagination something that was committed by the government. From Pearl Harbour to JFK, from the Moon landings to Princess Diana time and again the government, the establishment or “Military-Industrial complex” is seen to act against the people’s interests. By the time we get to 9/11, it seems that people are willing to believe governments capable of anything. How did this change in emphasis arise? Is it justified? Joining Neil Denny, presenter of the Little Atoms Radio Show to discuss the rise of the conspiracy theory are;

David Aaronovitch – Writer, broadcaster and commentator, Times Columnist and author of Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History.

James McConnachie – Author of The Book of Love: In Search of the Kamasutra, The Rough Guide to Sex, and co-author ofThe Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories.

Jon Ronson – An acclaimed filmmaker and broadcaster, who made the 5 part series Secret Rulers of the World and the award winning Tottenham Ayatollah for Channel 4, and author of Them: Adventures with Extremists and The Men Who Stare at Goats.

Francis Wheen – Deputy editor of Private Eye, and a News Quiz regular. Author of How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World: A Short History of Modern Delusions and Strange Days Indeed.

This event is ticketed. Tickets cost £4 each and can be purchased via Paypal below.

• 

Payments will be calculated and donated to S.H.A.R.E. by February 20, and a copy of the check posted on the Playing Gods Web site. Just in case you need some encouragement, I will happily autograph each board game as well, and throw in a free Expansion Pack ($5 value).

Does the creator of this blasphemous indie board game need your money? Of course I do. But the people in Haiti need it more. I’m happy breaking even on the deal.

I don’t see heartless pikers at Milton Bradley, Hasbro, or Parker Bros. donating jack squat!

What do you say? If you donate money, I’ll donate my games and time. You get an autographed Playing Gods game and Haitians get desperately-needed money via a skeptic / humanist charity. Everybody wins.

You can order at http://www.playinggods.com. You don’t need any special code: all profits from anything you buy between now and Feb. 20 will be donated. If you’d like to inquire about bulk orders, you can contact me at balls@playinggods.com.

If you’re not interested in this awesome offer, please pass it along to someone who might be.

Thanks!

Ben Radford

• 

The HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London   20th December

An Extra Date Added due to Popular Demand

Tickets are available for the return of 2008’s sold out show of science, song and some interpretative dance.

This is not an attack on religion, but a family friendly celebration of science and the rational world.

Last year saw Jarvis Cocker singing I Believe in Father Christmas with a 25 piece orchestra before Richard Dawkins took to the stage to talk of cobwebs followed by a Top of the Pops dance to Harry Nilsson’s Can’t Live if Living is Without You.

This year promises to be even more eclectic. It will see Mock the Week host Dara O’Briain,  Al Murray The Pub Landlord breaking into song,  Prof Richard Dawkins reading out his hate mail, Mark Steel being shouty and left-wing, physicist and code breaker Simon Singh, Bad Science author Ben Goldacre, CERN scientist and former popstar Prof Brian Cox, I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue Legend Barry Cryer with Ronnie Golden, acclaimed singer songwriter Robyn Hitchcock, multi award winning comedians Josie Long and Richard Herring, Thick of It star Chris Addison, and Martin White’s Mini Mystery Fax Machine Orchestra along with some very special guests.

Tickets available here – http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/Nine-Lessons-and-Carols-for-Godless-People-tickets/

• 

Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People will only be in London this year.

However, something just as good  has turned up instead– New Humanist has teamed up with Robin as media partners for a tour of his School for Gifted Children comedy and science shows, which is what Nine Lessons and Carols started from in the first place. The show is travelling to six venues around England through October, November and December, so those of you unable to make it to London for Nine Lessons may like to consider getting hold of some tickets.

It’s hosted by Robin, with Josie Long, Simon Singh and Gavin Osborn appearing at all the dates. There’ll be various special guests too, including Ben Goldacre and Richard Wiseman. Here’s a list of the dates, along with links to the venues which you can follow to buy tickets:

23 October: Cambridge Junction
25 October: Bath Komedia
29 October: Brighton Komedia
7 November: Folkestone Literary Festival
19 November: Norwich Arts Centre
9 December: Lowry, Salford

• 

A few of you on the Wellcome behind-the-scenes tour showed some interest in a follow-up and references for your records.

Ross MacFarlane has kindly sent me the details of the books and other historic manuscripts he displayed on the tour, which can be requested through the Wellcome Library to members. We thank The Wellcome Trust for their time and effort in organising a great event for the TAM London Fringe.

Malleus Maleficarum
The most influential book in whipping up the European Witch Craze.

Discovery of Witchcraft
Arguments against supernatural belief, including section showing how healers performed ‘magical’ acts (akin to what Randi’s being doing for the last few decades).

Saducismus Triumphatus
Arguments in favour of the supernatural belief.

Numerous cases of surgical operations without pain in the mesmeric state
Reports on successful 19^thC surgery, where the patients were unconscious through mesmerism.

Secret Remedies: what they cost and what they contain
BMA gives the details on some “quack” remedies. Like an Edwardian Ben Goldacre…

De la Warr Laboratories (PP/RRM/A.15)
Mysterious ‘Black Box’ which can cure by remote control…

Oh, and the details for:

Wellcome Images: http://images.wellcome.ac.uk
Wellcome Film: http://library.wellcome.ac.uk/wellcomefilm.htm
and
YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/WellcomeFilm

• 

We’ll be at Conway Hall this Monday, joining a stellar line-up of bloggers, podcasters and webmasters who will answer your questions on how to use the internet to make a difference.

Panellists include:

Rebecca Watson, Skeptics Guide to the Universe and Skepchick
Neil Denny, Little Atoms
George Hrab, Geologic Records
Andy Lewis, Quackometer
Tim Farley, What’s the Harm?
Martin Robbins, Lay Scientist

Pleae come and join us!

• 

SOLD OUT- The Bloomsbury Theatre, London 15th – 19th December

TRY HERE FOR THE HAMMERSMITH SHOW 20th December

The return of 2008’s sold out show of science, song and some interpretative dance. Tickets, by the way, are selling fast, I think Fri and Sat are sold out already, so move quick if you want to come.

This is not an attack on religion, but a celebration of science and the rational world.

Last year saw Jarvis Cocker singing I Believe in Father Christmas with a 25 piece orchestra before Richard Dawkins took to the stage to talk of cobwebs followed by a Top of the Pops dance to Harry Nilsson’s Can’t Live if Living is Without You.

This year promises to be even more eclectic. Every night will see physicist and code breaker Simon Singh, Bad Science author Ben Goldacre, acclaimed singer songwriter Robyn Hitchcock, multi award winning comedians Josie Long and Richard Herring, Thick of It star Chris Addison, and the Mini Mystery Fax Machine Orchestra appearing every night.

Special guests will include pagan sock cat worshipper and the man who changed the face of the comic book, Alan Moore (16th), manmade climate change denier and legendary enthusiast Johnny Ball (there should be some interesting backstage arguments there) (15 -17th), Quirkologist and psychologist Richard Wiseman (15th and 19th), I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue Legend Barry Cryer with Ronnie Golden, one of the few singers to have a top ten science hit, John Otway, CERN scientist and former popstar, Brian Cox and many more.

Other acts will include Richard Dawkins, Natalie Haynes, Christina Martin, Marcus Chown, Joanna Neary, Andrew Collins and some star comedians being kept under wraps.

Tickets available here – www.thebloomsbury.com/event/run/1363

• 

This is what I call a major bummer. During a routine medical examination more than a month ago, it was discovered that I had a nasty visitor inside me – yet another stunning example of Intelligent Design at work, friends. My doctors went in and removed it, and things are looking up again. I’ll be pretty weak for a couple of months, but I assure you all that I’m fighting this thing with the very best technical help – I’m not at all shy about embracing technology! – and I’ll be able to keep up with my regular duties as the treatment proceeds.

This is the reason you’ve not seen any recent videos from me. Of course, I’m very fortunate to have good folks like Phil Plait, that Bad Astronomer, along with the ever-present, ever-diligent, and very fierce Linda Shallenberger, to back me up. They stepped in to manage and resuscitate TAM 7, and I think the results speak for themselves…!

The public response to my illness has been very generous and flattering. I’m now all the more aware of just how important our work is, and I intend to stay around for a long time because I’ve got a lot to do. My prognosis is good, even though I’ve decided to go along with this old-fashioned “orthodox” medicine, cutting back on the prayers and faith-healing, and opting for minimal voodoo ceremonies.

I want to thank Sean McCabe, my personal assistant who has been with me for the past year as an intern and now returns to his home on the other side of the world before resuming his interrupted academic studies. He took of a whole year to serve as a JREF resident intern. I’m very grateful to Sean for his most excellent attendance on my needs, and I’m reluctant to see him go. He will be replaced by Brandon K. Thorpe, who now takes on the job of saving me from at least some of my more grievous errors.

In no special order: I want to thank Jamy Ian Swiss, with whom I’ll participate after lunch today in what should be a very entertaining – and maybe embarrassing – discussion, Managing Director A Kovacs, Bart Farkas – who is again handling press relationships for us, Jeff Wagg, the JREF Outreach and Communications Manager, Rich Montalvo & Staci Woodrum – manning the video recording, Alison Smith, who manages the woo-woo applicants for us, our tried-and-true friend Lt. Col. Hal Bidlack, Paul Anagnastopolis – in charge of the JREF scholarship program, and a couple of Scots: Scot Morris, a former editor of OMNI Magazine, who I first met many moons ago in that position, and Scott Romanowski – who commands our very efficient and hard-working volunteer platoon.

Also, volunteer Ed Behr, who has our JREF merchandising under supervision, Karl Shallenberger – again hand-in-hand with Linda – and what TAM could be complete without Michael Shermer and Pat Linse? The constant clicking you’ll be hearing will come from Scott Hurst, who has huge picture files of TAM events and – I’m told – can be talked into sharing them. Jose Alvarez, the artist who created the fabulous “Carlos” character for us in 1988 in Australia – and whose effects are still being felt Down Under! – is among us, too. Our faithful Aussie buddy Richard Saunders, the origami master, will fold almost any damn thing into a fantastic character at the slightest hint. And good old Ray Hall, has once more herded the scientific paper presenters into the corral. Penn & Teller, our most excellent friends, magician Mac King, and the brilliant Banachek are also on board, as usual, to our great delight…

Ladies & gentlemen, our present registration for TAM 7 as of this moment – and it will improve somewhat in the next day or so stands at 1007. But please consider: that figure is a tribute to the JREF staff who work so long and hard for 12 months to get it all together. And 3 days from now, they’ll be settling in to figure out how to make TAM 8 take wing, while being diverted to TAM London – our very first TAM off this continent – which is already oversubscribed, folks, with European skeptics trying to squeeze in wherever they can. We MUST be doing something right, don’tcha think?

And please, folks, during your attendance here, take the opportunity of meeting me in person. That’s why I made a special effort to be here at the event, to share your thoughts. We’ve decided that handshakes are perhaps not advisable, in view of the current ‘flu situation, so forgive me on that count, okay? I’m available in the next few days, there’s always an opportunity. Of course, there may be exceptions. If you’re a rich widow you could get a hug – upon the presentation of valid documentation, of course.

In closing, briefly, I love you all and I – and my staff – are grateful for your support. And I’ll beat this problem I presently have, I assure you.

Ladies and gentlemen of all ages, thank you for attending The Amaz!ng Meeting 7! Thank you, thank you, and thank you…

www.randi.org

• 

I’ll be discussing my book at Open Habitat on Saturday, 6 June, from 19:30 to 20:15 GMT (or 11:30 to 12:15 PDT). If you are familiar with Second Life then you can follow the SLURL link below to reach the island. If you are unfamiliar with how Second Life works, please see the information below.

Open Habitat Amphitheatre SLURL:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Open%20Habitat/132/204/25

The organisers have provided the following information:

Second Life is 3D interactive ‘world’ in which you are represented by an avatar. If you have ever played a computer game, or an X-Box or something to that effect where you have a character/avatar within the game that you control – that is essentially what it is like in Second Life – the main difference being that you interact with other ‘real’ people within a virtual world.

Second Life is full of interesting and exciting places to explore and interact with.

1. To start with you go to http://secondlife.com/ and sign up (it’s free) and create an avatar. Be careful in what name you choose as this cannot be changed!

2. Once your avatar is set up, click on the following link to go to Open Habitat (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Open%20Habitat/132/204/25) or simply run a search using the Second Life in world group search using the terms “The Open Habitat Project” and you will find a link to the island.

3. If you have any problems, please email Maria Hume (mhume[at]orange.fr) and/or get in touch with her in world by running a search for Marya Blaisdale (Second Life name) and she will help you get to the right place at the right time.

NB: It is important to note that you do need a broadband/cable connection to use Second Life and a ‘decent’ graphics card. You can find more information on specifications on the Second Life web site link above.

• 

June 9 and July 7

As part of my research on telephone telepathy, I am running two days of testing events as a joint project with Graham Nicholls, an installation artist who has worked at the Science Museum. We are looking for a few people to take part in these tests as subjects. The tests are happening at Shoreditch Town Hall (near Old Street Underground Station) on Tuesday June 9 and Tuesday July 7 during the daytime. Each person would be needed for about one hour, for which he or she would receive £20 plus £10 travel expenses (in cash straight after the test). Currently we have about 4 vacancies for June 9, and 6 for July 7.

What we need are people who think of themselves a quite intuitive, and who fairly often have the experience of knowing who’s calling before they answer the phone or look at the caller ID display. To take part in the test, they will each need to have three contacts, close friends or family members, who are free to take part on their mobile phones. The contacts can be anywhere in the UK, but need to be available to make a call to the subject if and when requested to do so by text message.

If you might be interested I would be very grateful. Please email me direct, with some details about yourself, and also stating whether you could take part on June 9, or July 7, or either, and whether you would prefer to come in the morning or afternoon. I will then send more details. If any of your friends or family members in the London area, might be inetersted, please pass on this information to them.

Rupert Sheldrake
sheldrake[at]sheldrake.org

If there are any problems, please feel free to message me back and I’ll try and answer questions but you are best advised to email Dr Sheldrake directly for further details.

• 

Building on the success of last year’s Science Blogging 2009: London conference, we’d like to announce that Science Online London 2009 will take place on Saturday August 22, 2009 at the Royal Institution of Great Britain in London. We hope that you can attend.

We decided to change the name of the conference this year to reflect the wide range of science-related activities occurring online today. This year’s programme will include sessions on blogging and microblogging, online communities, open access, new teaching and research tools, author identifiers, etc.

Registration will soon open on the conference website: http://www.scienceonlinelondon.org. You can now sign up to receive email alerts on the site.

There will probably be a registration fee to cover the costs. Exact amount tbc, but likely to be in the range of £10.

Suggest sessions/topics

We need your ideas for sessions and speakers: panel discussions, keynote speakers, demos, etc. Volunteer yourself as a speaker or suggest others you’d like to hear from. Please post your ideas to the conference’s Nature Network forum, Friendfeed group, or email them to topics@scienceonlinelondon.org.

Sponsors

We need sponsors! If you or your organization would like to be a sponsor, please email sponsor@scienceonlinelondon.org. You can also suggest organisations you think we should approach.

Hosts

The event is co-hosted by Nature Network (Nature Publishing Group), Mendeley and the Royal Institution of Great Britain.

Start the networking and spread the word!

You’ll find groups for the conference on Nature Network, Twitter (tag: #soloconf_09) and Friendfeed.

Please also blog/Twitter/etc about the event (if you haven’t already!) to help us spread the word. Attached is our logo for you to repost on your blogs. And forward this message to your friends and colleagues!

~ The Organisers

Matt Brown / Nature Network, Martin Fenner / Hannover Medical School, Richard P. Grant / F1000, Victor Henning / Mendeley, Corie Lok / Nature Network and Jan Reichelt / Mendeley

• 

Letters of Support

Dave Gorman

Nick Cohen

Dr Evan Harris M.P.

Simon Singh (Introduced by Prof Brian Cox)

• 

Becomes iTunes Featured..at last!

• 

Bloomsbury Theatre, 29th June

in association with New Humanist magazine

Another night of scientists, musicians and comedians with Chris Addison, Simon Singh, Marcus Chown, Ruth Padel, Martin White, Gavin Osborn, Helen Keen, Christina Martin, Peter Buckley Hill, Lucy Porter, A. L. Kennedy, Darren Hayman and hosted by Robin Ince.

Further guests will be announced at newhumanist.org.uk.

Proceeds will go to the Rationalist Association.

Tickets will cost £20 (£15 concessions) and go on sale this Friday via the Bloomsbury Theatre website.

Demand is likely to be high, so be sure to check in there as soon as you can to book your seats.

• 

Today saw the March edition of Leeds Skeptics in the Pub. Norm had decided to pull out last week so Daryl bravely stepped up at the last minute to present his talk. There were quite a few new faces down there which was good to see, hopefully the word is starting to spread.

Daryl’s talk was amazing, it was about the power of exponentials and the technological singularity which obviously was of great interest to me as a computer scientist. It was interesting because we also carried out usual hat of skeptism but nobody could really pick any major wholes in the latest thoughts outlined by Ray Kurzweil in his book “the singularity is near.”

In the book he outlines that the technological singularity is both achievable and near given that technological growth is exponential. It really is a facinating area and one that I will be keeping a much closer eye on in future.

• 

The Boston Phoenix

By GEORGIANA COHEN | March 19, 2009

EVIDENTLY, MY DEAR WATSON? Rebecca Watson’s Boston Skeptics group isn’t all about casting aspersions — there’s critical thinking and the occasional pi(e)-throwing contest, too.

It’s a few days after Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday, and Rebecca Watson is posted up at the Asgard, a popular bar down the road from MIT, passing out leaflets promoting an upcoming “Skeptics in the Pub” event. The flyers suggest evolutionary-themed pickup lines: “I’d like to sail my HMS Beagle right into your Galapagos” and “If I were an enzyme, I would be DNA Helicase so I could unzip your genes.” The last time the Boston Skeptics gathered for Sunday brunch, they consumed 28 pancakes. (They keep records.) This time, they’ve been joined by members of the Boston Atheists group, so more than 40 diners overflow two long tables in the back room of the Asgard, guzzling coffee, ordering breakfast, and chatting about Battlestar Galactica — poised to break the pancake record.

But in the end, the flapjack tally somehow falls short. The tab, nevertheless, comes to $554 (including tip). People start tossing cash around. Then Scott Frazer, a 23-year-old software engineer from Brighton, throws down a credit card, complicating everything.

“I’m okay with being an asshole,” he says.

Fellow skeptic Jared Juliano reassures him: “You’re in the right crowd.”

Skeptics aren’t just assholes, though. When they’re not counting pancakes or making natural-selection puns, the Boston Skeptics double as public advocates for the cause of critical reasoning. They worship the scientific method and insist on filtering everything, from religion to the color of the sky, through experimental verification and critical reasoning.

“A lot of people, I think, get the false impression that science is something that only happens in a lab,” says Watson, “when, in fact, science is just a really great way of sorting things out, of stripping away your own senses, which can be fooled, and understanding how you can be fooled.”

They host talks at local bars — where guest speakers hold forth on topics ranging from atheism to the abuse of quantum mechanics — and organize field trips. They attend Harvard’s Humanist of the Year award ceremonies together. In December, 40 skeptics descended on Boston’s Museum of Science to browse the cryptozoology exhibits. They also just screw around.

On March 14, antic BSers held a “pi(e)” fight on the Boston Common. And this May, a group is heading down to Foxwoods to see Penn and Teller, minor deities in the skeptics’ world, perform.

The pies, pancakes, and pilsners are the skeptics’ comforting props — the glue of a community reinforcing what can be a lonely, challenging way to look at things. Members frequently discuss “interfacing” (i.e., coping) with a world that runs on blind faith.

Enter the Skepchick
Watson, a T-shirt-and-jeans kind of girl with geeky glasses and an ebullient demeanor, worked her way through Boston University as a magician. In 2005, while attending the Amaz!ng Meeting — an annual skeptics conference organized by magician and paranormal debunker James Randi — Watson was inspired to start a blog called Skepchick, which focuses on psychics, self-image, and “anything on Oprah, pretty much,” sorting fact from fiction, especially in areas where women may be targeted. Like a lot of skeptical activity, it’s done with a sense of humor; one of Skepchick’s early successes was a pin-up calendar featuring scantily clad female skeptics, Watson included.

“It’s a weird overlap,” says Watson, who also co-hosts the popular podcast “The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe” and contributes skeptic-centric articles to the blog Bostonist (bostonist.com). “When you’re a magician, you learn all the secrets behind everything. You see psychics like John Edward or Sylvia Brown doing magic tricks, but they’re calling them magical supernatural powers. They’re using that lie to manipulate people’s emotions or take their money.” Magicians like Watson see that as a call to action; Penn and Teller’s Showtime series Bullshit!, a skeptic touchstone, embodies that ethos.

But Watson saw the need for more. Taking a cue from friend Sid Rodrigues’s London-based Skeptics in the Pub organization, she started a Boston version a year ago. About 70 people showed up for the first event, a talk with local blogger Mike the Mad Biologist. Out of that effort, the Boston Skeptics were born. Since then, similar events have been launched in Pittsburgh, Chicago, Calgary, Phoenix, Atlanta, and elsewhere around the world.

Oh yeah?!
So who joins Boston Skeptics? And why?

“There are a lot of people out there who struggle with certain questions about how the world works, and they don’t know that there are other people out there who feel the same way,” says Watson.

Tressa Breed, a 42-year-old administrative assistant from Gardner, sees the group as an opportunity to make up for having “spent too much time living too quietly.” For Claudia Flores, a 32-year-old government researcher from Falmouth, the best part of the group experience is “realizing that I’m not alone, that your off-the-wall thinking is not unique.”

Others have professional objectives. “The more I can learn about [science versus pseudoscience],” says Elizabeth Grimm, a 26-year-old science-and-health-regulations lawyer, “the better I’ll be able to help folks separate fact from fiction.”

Groups like Boston Skeptics are also resources for people who may just be emerging from the shadow of a “long-held belief,” which suggests such things as a religious conviction, social prejudice, or superstition.

And some skeptics are activists. Atlanta-based software engineer and one-time pub-night guest speaker Tim Farley took the call to advocacy to heart. His Web site, whatstheharm.net, compiles accounts of the financial and physical victims of homeopathy, detoxification, psychics, chiropractic medicine, exorcisms, and more. (The site has been praised by no less than doubter-royalty Penn Jillette himself.) By Farley’s current tally — drawn from 790 sampled and documented cases — 368,379 people have been killed and more than $2.8 billion lost as a result of pseudoscientific practices.

“Why are we skeptics? Are we just complainers who sit in the corner and make snide remarks?” Farley asks rhetorically. “I needed to do something and not just be another skeptic.”

Another common denominator among many skeptics is atheism. That said, skeptics claim to be more concerned with separating church and state and the dangers of fundamentalism than with convincing someone there is no God. But that doesn’t mean they don’t want to have a discussion.

“We tend to think that your religion or your beliefs about astrology are just as open to criticism as, say, the political party you’re in,” says Jackie Lavache, co-founder of Boston Atheists.

“Nobody’s going to tell you that you shouldn’t believe in whatever you believe in,” says Watson. “It’s more like, ‘Why do you believe that?’ ”

So, in a room full of godless heathens, what sayeth a person of faith? Catholic and self-described “pop-culture girl” Jen DeChristofaro works with Watson and spends a lot of time hanging with the Skeptics. “You have to be pretty willing to step outside your box,” DeChristofaro admits, adding that listening to Watson made her consider for the first time why somebody would be an atheist. “If you respect other people’s ideas, you’re going to learn something. Even if you don’t agree with it 100 percent, you’re going to know something you didn’t know before.”

Yes, mutual respect is a big part of the skeptics’ creed, despite the common perception that they’re a bunch of know-it-all jerks. Or assholes.

“A lot of people just take things on faith. I don’t come out and confront them about it,” says Scott Frazer. He has a friend who believes in shamanism — which Frazer calls “legitimate BS” — but he doesn’t call him out. “There’s no point in an argument. I’ll lose him as a friend.”

Georgiana Cohen doesn’t believe a thing Rebecca Watson told her — especially about the high price of pancakes at the Asgard. She can be reached at georgy.cohen@gmail.com. Maybe.

• 

He said: “Some of these tours claim Edinburgh is the most haunted city in Europe, but it doesn’t even register as the most haunted in Britain. York has more alleged ghost ‘sightings’.

“However, regardless of the number of sightings, once you put these things under the microscope, they just don’t stand up to scrutiny.

“When I was out doing the ghost tours, I was presenting stories as fact, when most of the time they had several interpretations and on many occasions had no historical basis whatsoever.

“With a bit of research, I was able to discover that the truth was often more exciting than the myths.”

Mr Pryce e-mailed his ideas to Dr French, head of the University of London’s Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit, who suggested that a good way to gauge the popularity of such tours would be to set up an Edinburgh chapter of the growing Skeptics in the Pub phenomenon.

Dr French said: “Skeptics in the Pub has been going for about ten years in London, but in the last 18 months it’s grown from a hard core of around 30 people to a group of over 200 who meet over a pint to hear regular presentations and discuss alternative explanations for supernatural phenomena.

“There are now Skeptics groups springing up all over England, but to the best of my knowledge no one’s tried a walking tour before.”

Dr French was among the 30 people who attended the first Edinburgh Skeptics meeting at Nicol Edwards pub on Niddry Street last week – billed as “Edinburgh’s most haunted pub”.

He believes the popularity of the inaugural meeting is a testament to the potential market for Mr Pryce’s tours.

However, Mr Pryce hasn’t got the city’s ghost tour operators rattling in their ghostly chains just yet.

Ian McKain, manager of Auld Reekie Tours, said: “We’re not worried in the slightest! What we do is intended to be tongue-in-cheek and is supposed to be entertaining.

“Alex Pryce has tried to set up tours in the city before with little success – probably because he takes life too seriously.”

• 

Confessions of an Ex-Creationist

Matt Parker takes a comedy tour of his faith conversion

Host:	London Skeptics in the Pub

Date:	16 March 2009
Time:	19:00 – 22:00
Location:	The Penderel’s Oak
Street:	283 High Holborn
Town/City:	London, United Kingdom
:	View Google Map Google MapQuest Microsoft Yahoo

Phone:	02072425669
Email:	pub@skeptic.org.uk

Description

Matt Parker grew up in a conservative Christian family and attended a church where the Bible was taken as the literal word of God, even in the matters regarding the creation of the Universe.
A series of events at school and university have since turned him into the jaded sceptic he is today but it has left him with a unique insight into Creationism culture.

Matt will be candidly discussing what Creationists believe, why some normal people are convinced by them and how he feels about all of this – specifically in the context of being a Maths and Science teacher.

Matt Parker is best described as a Stand-up Mathematician who does everything in his power to make more people excited about Mathematics.
When he’s not doing his Maths routine around the country, Matt finds time to be a ‘normal’ teacher in a London secondary school, educating young people in the way of Maths and Physics, currently his favourite number is 496.

• 

In his bestseller, The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell discusses the psychological and sociological factors that make some ideas an overnight success, while others simply crash and burn. Many appear out of the blue, such as new novels that move rapidly from cult status to international bestsellers. Happily for him, this was the fate of his own book. Other examples he gives are even more curious: those objects or ideas that have been around for a long while, but suddenly and unexpectedly become cool. Gladwell opens his book with the story of Hush Puppies, which became must-haves in the 1990s, after having first been adopted by the ultra-cool of Manhattan.

In Britain we are in the early stages of one of these tipping points right now. It relates to something that until about 18 months ago was seen as an uncool minority interest, but suddenly seems to have become the new rock’n’roll. It is the collection of ideas, interests and attitudes that fall within the general remit of scepticism. The umbrella term includes a commitment to critical thinking and science, a questioning of all forms of dogma and, ideally, a genuine open-mindedness and willingness to be guided by empirical evidence. Sceptics tend to be atheists or agnostics, humanists, and politically left of centre, but none of those attributes are compulsory.

Evidence for the rise of scepticism is clear. Last April, two projects I am involved with, Skeptic magazine and Skeptics in the Pub, organised An evening with James Randi and Friends in London. If you didn’t know already, James Randi would be the patron saint of scepticism if sceptics were allowed to have patron saints. The support acts that evening included Richard Wiseman, Sue Blackmore and Ben Goldacre. Tickets sold out within a few days – around 450 of them. I suspect the success of that evening was an important factor in persuading Randi to hold his next Amazing Meeting in London in early October this year.

Then there is the runaway success of last year’s Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People: A Rational Celebration for Christmas organized by Robin Ince. Featuring a stellar cast of Richard Dawkins, Ricky Gervais, Tim Minchin, Mark Thomas and Ince himself, tickets for the first event sold out so fast that two additional shows had to be arranged to meet demand. There is a real sense of community at these events. You feel like you are among your own kind of people. It’s probably the nearest many of us will get to a sense of religious belonging.

This sense of an active sceptical community is building. We all read about the unexpected success of the atheist bus campaign. With it came a sense of belonging, a sense that at last atheists and agnostics had a voice. Meanwhile Skeptics in the Pub events are cropping up around the UK, from Leicester and Edinburgh to Leeds and Birmingham and internationally are springing into existence almost by the hour.

What might be behind this sudden rise of scepticism? A number of possible triggers spring to mind, but I’d be interested to hear what others think. First, there is no doubt that religion is a hot topic, and has brought prominent arguments against it from the likes of Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. Recent atrocities committed in the name of religion have led those of little or no faith to openly question why religious views have traditionally been granted some sort of special protected status as being beyond criticism.

More broadly, a band of highly articulate and entertaining commentators, such as Gervais, Charlie Brooker, Minchin, and Ince now actively advocate a sceptical agenda in their work. The use of humour in presenting their arguments is very effective in pointing out some of the more absurd aspects of religion, the paranormal, and the New Age. As HL Mencken once famously remarked, “One horse-laugh is worth ten thousand syllogisms. It is not only more effective; it is also vastly more intelligent.”

And we can never neglect the role of the internet. It may have been a coincidence, but attendance at Skeptics in the Pub took off dramatically after the organisation ventured onto Facebook. Perhaps we should now try Twitter too. There are now numerous websites for the seriously sceptical, and among my favourites are the Skeptic’s Dictionary, James Randi Educational Foundation, the Center for Inquiry, BadPsychics, Skepchick, UK Skeptics, the Association for Skeptical Enquiry and, dare I say, my own department, the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit (APRU).

Once the sceptical community reached a critical mass, events could be organised in the confident knowledge that enough people would turn up to ensure their success. If such events appeal to you, you might want to sign up to the APRU’s Psychology of the Paranormal email list. It’s free and we’ll keep you informed of events of interest, including our own Invited Speaker Series, with forthcoming talks by Nick Pope, Bernard Carr, and Simon Singh, and some interesting events organised by the London Centre for Inquiry, including one-day events dealing with God in the Lab and Science and Religion.

Whatever factors may have combined in sociologically interesting ways to produce the rise of modern scepticism, it is to be welcomed. It is not just about giving previously isolated geeks a sense of community, it is about promoting critical thinking as widely as possible throughout society. We live in an age where companies advertise products on the basis of fake science, alternative therapists sell pseudoscientific and unproven treatments to uninformed consumers and, arguably, human greed and irrationality has brought the world to the brink of environmental and financial disaster. Not only that, but alienated religious fanatics yearn for nothing more than the death of as many non-believers as possible in their quest for personal martyrdom. Have we ever needed critical thinking more?

So where will this newfound scepticism end? Are we on the verge of a new age of enlightenment? Or is the rise in scepticism just another Hush Puppies fad that will have its moment and pass? Human beings are in many ways inherently irrational and almost certainly always will be. But we can only hope that the sceptical message continues to spread more widely and grow in influence for at least some time yet. Rationality is not our natural mode of thought. We are ruled by our emotions and by self-serving cognitive biases. But it is not overstating the case to say that our very survival may depend upon our ability to rise above that and to think differently – to address the difficult problems that we face as rationally as we possibly can.

• 

Invited Speakers and topics include:

• Prof Chris French: The Psychology of Anomalous Experiences
• Dr Jason Braithwaite: The Haunted Brain: Towards a Cognitive Neuroscience of Anomalous Cognition
• Dr Christine Mohr: A Neuroscientist looks at the paranormal
• Dr Chris Roe: Psi as Unconscious: A review of some recent research developments in parapsychology
• Nick Pope: The Ministry of Defence X-files
• Dr Karen Douglas: The Social Psychology of Conspiracy beliefs
• David Wilde: Interpreting the anomalous: finding meaning in out-of-body and near-death experiences
• Emma Louise Rhodes: A Matter of Life and Death: A Sceptical Look at Spiritualism
• Dr John Walliss: Between the Worlds: Mediumship in the 21st Century
• Xavier Mendik: The Lure of the Dark side: Sex, death and the paranormal in cult movies

The delegate rate for both days of the conference will be only £65 at the Early-Bird booking discount (£75 if booked after July 1st). This price includes access to both days of the conference (10 talks, 5 per- day); an invitation to the Friday night welcoming wine reception to be held in the castle; tea, coffee and biscuits each morning and afternoon session; a two course hot fork buffet style lunch on Saturday and Sunday, and full access to the castle and grounds for the duration of the conference. An optional conference Banquet for speakers and delegates in the castle on Saturday evening is priced separately at £45. For further updates on the conference, more information on the castle, its surroundings, accommodation details, and how to order your booking pack please see the conference websites below:

http://www.ukskeptics.com/conference-2009.php
(for updates and Conference details)

http://www.muncaster.co.uk/muncaster-castle-paranormal-conference
(for Conference Bookings)

Best wishes

Wendy Cousins

• 

We thought that you might be interested to know that tickets are now available for a brand new series hosted by Derek Acorah! As with all of our shows, the tickets are FREE!

DEREK ACORAH

Derek Acorah, arguably one of the UK’s most popular and well known psychic mediums, will be appearing in his very own studio show and in terms of entertainment it doesn’t get much better than this: Derek in a studio setting with his fans and followers who have come from miles to see and interact with him.His stage shows across the UK are packed out; so this is a chance to put his talent as a brilliant showman on screen for a wider audience to witness and enjoy.

These one hour programmes will fascinate many – believers and sceptics alike – because Derek in front of an audience is a truly great watch.

If you would like to join us next week during the daytimes at The Sky Studios in Osterley West London, then apply now!

This series will be recorded at Sky’s studios in West London (nearest tube: Osterley in zone 4 of the Picadilly line, nearest station: Syon Lane) on Tuesday 6th, Wednesday 7th, Thursday 8th & Friday 9th January 2009 in the daytime.Booking is now open and may apply online via our website at http://www.sroaudiences.com If you would like to join us, then apply now!

The minimum age for attendance at this show is 18. Our office is not open for the usual hours over New Years but we shall notify successful applicants as quickly as possible by email with their eticket.

You may also apply for tickets online where you’ll also find details of all the shows for which we are booking. Other shows currently booking include ‘Golden Balls’, and ‘Most Haunted Live’. Tickets for all of our shows are FREE. To see all the other shows for which we are currently booking, please visit our website at http://www.sroaudiences.com
We look forward to seeing you at a show in 2009!

Happy New Year!

Martin & the team

SRO Audiences

• 

http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_45389.htm

• 

AS SEEN ON “THE COLBERT REPORT”! Do atheists celebrate Christmas? As strange as it may sound, many do! Order of St. Nick is proud to serve the atheist, agnostic, skeptic, scientific, humanist, and free-thinking communities with these exclusive atheist Christmas cards.

10 Cards/Package • 5.5 x 4.25 Inches • Includes Envelopes • Singles Available

Darwin Atheist Christmas Cards £12.70 (GBP)	Evolution of Tradition Secular Cards £12.70 (GBP)	Humorous Atheist Snowman Christmas Cards £12.70 (GBP)	Rudolph’s Nose is an Evolutionary Advantage Cards £12.70 (GBP)
Darwin Snarky Quote Agnostic Christmas Cards £12.70 (GBP)	Secular Greetings Holiday Cards £12.70 (GBP)	Natural Selection Christmas Cards for Atheists £12.70 (GBP)	Skeptic Monkey Atheist Christmas Cards £12.70 (GBP)

• 

A reminder of tomorrow evening’s event at the Dana Centre, for which you are asked to pre-book. Full details at:

http://www.danacentre.org.uk/events/2008/11/25/455

Speakers
Chris French, psychologist, Goldsmiths College, London
Ray Tallis, neurologist and philosopher, (formerly) University of Manchester
Henrik Ehrsson, neuroscientist, Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Nigel Wright, who has had an out-of-body experience

Facilitator: Narender Ramnani, Royal Holloway, University of London

Unless you have had an out-of-body experience, you cannot imagine what it really feels like, say people who have journeyed through one. Others dismiss it as a figment of imagination. Yet this curious phenomenon has been recognised for centuries and has fascinated believers and sceptics alike. Scientists have found it hard to study these events.

So what are the out-of-body experiences that around 1 in 10 people claim to have had? They are usually described as the sensation that you are floating above your body, your mind somehow disconnected from your physical self. They can be triggered by trauma or impending death, alcohol or drugs. They can be intensely spiritual and produce a whole host of profound emotions from fear to serenity.

Theologians, philosophers and psychologists continue to debate out-of-body experiences. What is actually going on in the brain is still unclear. Henrik Ehrsson recently conducted virtual-reality experiments at University College London to induce the illusion in volunteers. His results suggest that the brain circuits responsible for processing of visual and tactile sensory information may become disconnected.

Our speakers this evening – a philosopher, a psychologist and a neuroscientist – will discuss this strange state of mind, and we will hear from someone who has had an out-of-body experience following major surgery.

Can the mind really become disassociated from the physical brain? Or are out-of-body experiences hallucinations? What do you think?

Event organised by:
The European Dana Alliance for the Brain, the British Neuroscience Association and Art and Mind

Cheers,

Chris French

• 

Facebook Group

Subscribe with iTunes

• 

Bad Faith Awards 2008

The New Humanist Podcast

• 

Weird Science Day: A CFI London event (in conjunction with South Place Ethical Society)

Saturday, 17th January 2009. 10.45am-4pm

Venue:
Conway Hall
25 Red Lion Square
London
WC1R 4RL

11am-12am
Prof. RICHARD WISEMAN
Investigating the impossible: A skeptical approach

For over 20 years, psychologist Richard Wiseman has delved deep into  the mysterious world of the paranormal, carrying out high profile,  and often controversial, investigations into the impossible. In this  talk, Wiseman describes some of his more colourful adventures,  presenting a scientific look at a range of seemingly paranormal  phenomenon, including fire-walking, ghostly encounters, and ESP.  Discover whether such phenomena really exist, what the future holds  for parapsychology, and why we are all attracted by the lure of  strange stuff. Free packet of peanuts for the best question.

Psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman started  his working life as a professional magician and currently holds  Britain’s only Professorship in the Public Understanding of  Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He frequently appears  on the media, and has written over 60 academic articles and several  books, including The Luck Factor and Quirkology.

12am-1pm
Prof. CHRIS FRENCH
Eight Years of Weird Science at Goldsmiths

The Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit (APRU) was set up by  Professor Chris French in 2000 in the Department of Psychology at  Goldsmiths (for full details, visit www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/apru).  Anomalistic psychology may be defined as the study of extraordinary  phenomena of behaviour and experience, including (but not restricted  to) those that are often labeled “paranormal”. Over the last eight  years, members of the APRU have investigated a wide range of weird  and wonderful topics, including alien contact experiences, sleep  paralysis, haunted houses, dowsing, and telepathy. Many paranormal  claims have been scientifically tested under properly controlled  conditions along the way. This overview will present the results of  such investigations – and also reveal why Uri Geller cannot stand  Richard Wiseman!

Chris French is a Professor of Psychology and  Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology  Department at Goldsmiths. He has published over 100 articles and  chapters covering a wide range of topics within psychology. His main  current area of research is the psychology of paranormal beliefs and  anomalous experiences. He frequently appears on radio and television  casting a sceptical eye over paranormal claims. He is the editor of  The Skeptic magazine (UK version; www.skeptic.org.uk).

2pm-3pm
Dr STEPHEN LAW
Is creationism scientific?

Polls consistently indicate about 100 million Americans believe the  entire universe is six thousand years old and that all species were  created as described by Genesis. Even more amazingly, many of these  people also believe that this theory is consistent with the  scientific evidence. Indeed, there are multi-million dollar research  centres in the U.S., run by PhD-qualified staff, that aim to defend  young-Earth creationism. How have so many people become so deluded  about what is, and isn’t, good science? What are the basic  confusions? Stephen Law illustrates with his own pet theory – that  dogs are spies from the planet Venus.

Stephen Law is senior lecturer in philosophy at  Heythrop College, University of London, editor of THINK: Philosophy  for Everyone (Royal Institute of Philosophy), and Provost of CFI  London. He is the author of many philosophy books, including The  Philosophy Files (for children 12+) and The Philosophy Gym (which  contains such dialogues as “The Strange Case of The Rational  Dentist” and “What’s Wrong With Gay Sex?”)

3pm-4pm
Dr BEN GOLDACRE
Listen up flakes: science is seriously so much more interesting than  anything you can make up with your woolly new age claptrap.

Ben Goldacre is a writer, broadcaster and medical  doctor from the UK who is best known for his ‘Bad Science’ column in  The Guardian newspaper, examining the claims of scaremongering  journalists, quack health products, pseudoscientific cosmetics  adverts, and evil multinational pharmaceutical corporations, as well  as wider themes such as the medicalisation of everyday life and the  psychology of irrational beliefs. He has a background in medicine and  academia, trained in Oxford and London, works full time for the NHS,  appears regularly on radio and TV, and has written for publications  as diverse as Time Out, the British Medical Journal, New Statesman  and The Lancet, as well as writing and presenting ‘The Rise Of The  Lifestyle Nutritionists’ and ‘The Power of Placebo’ in 2008 on BBC  Radio 4.

• 

To book tickets call on 020 7387 5706.

The Albany 240 Great Portland Street W1 5QU (Great Portland St tube)

• 

Tickets Go On Sale on Monday 13th October @ 9am

Buy from Ticket Zone

Buy from Ticketmaster

Doors – 6:30 PM

Tickets – £25-£30

Last year, Robin Ince made the mistake of appearing on ITV’s London Talking to debate “Is Britain becoming more secular?” By the time he got to the studio, the subject had changed to “Who is taking the Christ out of Christmas?”
Suffice to say, he got quite cross during the barrage of lies from radio shock jocks and misinformed fundamentalists. Robin tried to make it clear that, as an atheist, he wasn’t against Christmas as a time for gluttony and reflection; he was just against the journalists and manipulated fundamentalists shouting about winterval and other myths. This was beyond Stephen Green of Christian Voice’s comprehension, so he kept muttering, “I don’t think he does want Christmas blah blah blah”.

Well, to prove that he does enjoy this season of laziness, alcoholism and regret, he is presenting a rational celebration of the Christmas season in the guise of Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People. Rather than talking of Jesus’s birth, acclaimed science author Simon Singh will talk about the birth of the universe. Instead of talking about Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, Bad Science Columnist Ben Goldacre will talk of alternative medicine and charlatans, while Josie Long will talk about the wonder of the stars.

So far the confirmed speakers are Stewart Lee, Mark Thomas, Ricky Gervais, Dara O’ Briain, Tim Minchin, Justin Edwards, Chris Addison, Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh, Josie Long, Jo Neary and Richard Dawkins.

Music will be provided by the fabulous Martin White Orchestra (22 piece), Malcolm Middleton (ex of Arab Strap and creator of 4 remarkable LPs or albums if you wish), Jarvis Cocker, Luke Haines, Gavin Osborn, Phil Jeays, Mark Thomas may well be bringing his harmonium, Darren Hayman.

The evening will also include projections of classic archive footage of Carl Sagan and Richard Feynman.

Robin Ince will host the night.

It’s not just for agnostics and atheists, hopefully it will be a night celebrating the wonder of the universe so as long as you’re not a crazed fundamentalist you can enjoy it. If you are a crazed fundamentalist, then please come and hold a placard up outside and shout like a halfwit.

Please check the New Humanist website on the 24th October for more details of confirmed acts.

More info nicked from here: http://www.rickygervais.com/thissideofthetruth.php

• 

I have already told you about an event coming up at the Dana Centre on November 25 considering the nature of out-of-body experiences. The chair for the evening will be Narender Ramnani and the speakers will be as follows:

Chris French: Introduction to OBEs
Henrik Ehrsson: OBE, Illusions of Body Ownership and the Brain
Ray Tallis: Philisophy, Implications and Interpretations

The organisers are keen, however, to hear from someone who has actually had a vivid OBE and would be willing to stand up in the audience and give a brief description of what it felt like. If you would be willing to do so, please let me know (c.french[at]gold.ac.uk). They only want one person to do this (although others are free to talk about their own experiences if asking a question, of course), so I’ll put the first person who fits the bill in touch with the organisers.

Also, I want to thank all those people who got in touch to tell me about their sleep paralysis experiences. I will reply to you all individually once things calm down a bit but term has just started and things are a bit hectic!

Best wishes,

Chris French

• 

This is your final reminder that Susan Blackmore is kicking off the APRU’s Invited Speaker Series today at 6.10 pm in Room 256, Richard Hoggart Building, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, London SE14 6NW (for maps, directions, etc., visit the College web site: www.goldsmiths.ac.uk NB: if you do not know your way around Goldsmiths, allow enough time to find the room. Note that it is NOT the room we used last year!)

All talks are open to everyone.

Attendance is free and there is no need to book in advance. For further information, visit http://www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/apru/speakers.php

The title of Susan’s talk is “Is God a Dangerous Meme?” and here is her abstract:

God is certainly a meme; an idea (or set of loosely related ideas) that is copied from person to person, and shows a fascinating variety of survival tricks. Not only does the God meme satisfy minds that were not evolved to accurately assess the origins of the universe or the likelihood of life after death, but wraps itself up in religious memeplexes that use threats and promises to ensure their own propagation. But is it dangerous? Taking a memetic perspective we can ask how religious memes manage to infect so many people and how this infection affects individuals, societies, or indeed the whole planet.

Biography
Sue Blackmore is a freelance writer, lecturer and broadcaster, and a Visiting Lecturer at the University of the West of England, Bristol. She has a degree in psychology and physiology from Oxford University (1973) and a PhD in parapsychology from the University of Surrey (1980). Her research interests include memes, evolutionary theory, consciousness, and meditation. She practices Zen and campaigns for drug legalization. Sue Blackmore no longer works on the paranormal

Best wishes,

Chris French

• 

Park sides with the forces of reason in a world of continuing and, he fears, increasing superstition. Chapter by chapter, he explains how people too easily mistake pseudoscience for science. He discusses parapsychology, homeopathy, and acupuncture; he questions the existence of souls, the foundations of intelligent design, and the power of prayer; he asks for evidence of reincarnation and astral projections; and he challenges the idea of heaven. Throughout, he demonstrates how people’s blind faith, and their confidence in suspect phenomena and remedies, are manipulated for political ends. Park shows that science prevails when people stop fooling themselves.

Compelling and precise, Superstition takes no hostages in its quest to provoke. In shedding light on some very sensitive–and Park would say scientifically dubious–issues, the book is sure to spark discussion and controversy.

“If a tree falls on a scientist in a forest with no one else around does it mean he won’t make a sound? Not if that scientist is the indomitable Bob Park, the skeptic’s skeptic, the Ralph Nader of nonsense, the man who rose from the (nearly) dead to pen this uncompromising critique of superstition and the beliefs that follow once you abandon science and reason. Read this book. Now.”–Michael Shermer, publisher of the Skeptic and author of Why Darwin Matters

“Bob Park has done it again. His lucid, humorous, style–the envy of those of us who fancy themselves writers–gets through the pervasive nonsense that he finds everywhere, from the ‘afterlife’ delusion to intelligent design. He rightly and joyously celebrates how science has led us from the Dark Ages to the brink of understanding a myriad of mysteries that we should contemplate with a reverence that was once reserved for priests and witchdoctors. No one knows better than Bob–personally–the real miracles of medical science surpass anything offered by religion. As he says in this provocative book: ‘Science is the only way of knowing–everything else is just religion.’”–James Randi, president of the James Randi Educational Foundation

“Superstition is yet more evidence that Bob Park is always worth reading. At times funny, at times acerbic, always thoughtful, Bob Park is not one to ‘go with the flow.’ There is a lot to think about in this book, as usual.”–Eugenie C. Scott, executive director of the National Center for Science Education

“You may have the impression that mythology expired with the ancient Greeks and Romans. Far from it, mythology has only evolved into another perhaps more pervasive form. It is an insidious force in the modern scene. Park slays the modern dragons with authority and acerbic wit, whether it is ESP or intercessory prayer. The book is a delight.”–Val Fitch, Princeton University, 1980 Nobel laureate in physics

“Opinionated and well-informed, this is a lucid promotion of rationality in a world of rising superstition. We can disagree with the author but he forces us to think harder.”–Yves Gingras, University of Quebec, Montreal
About the Author
Robert L. Park is professor of physics at the University of Maryland. He is the author of “Voodoo Science: The Road from Foolishness to Fraud“.

•