Skeptical Inquirer EDITOR'S NOTE TKI MAGAZINE '0(t SCIENCE AND REASON

EDITOR Kendrick Frazier EDITORIAL BOARD Science Always Trumps Pseudoscience— James E. Alcock Barry Beyerstein Thomas Casten and a Still Broader Mission for SI Martin Gardner Ray Hyman write on deadline just after the CSICOP Conference "Hoaxes, Myths, and Philip J. Klass Paul Kurtz IManias" in Albuquerque. Like the others before it, it was well-attended, Joe Nickell lively, and invigorating—even inspiring. We'll have a report or two about the Lee Nisbet Amardeo Sarma presentations in our next issue. But the conference talks, our Executive Council Bela Scheiber meeting, a new generation of young speakers at die development luncheon, CONSULTING EDITORS Robert A. Baker social interactions—and the fact that we're starting in on a new year, 2004— Susan J. Blackmore stimulated a few thoughts of my own I want to share. John R. Cole Kenneth L. Feder ne, skeptical inquiry is darned fun. Speaker after speaker clearly C. E. M. Hansel Orevealed that they enjoy what they do—investigating/evaluating bizarre E. C. Krupp Scott O. Lilienfeld claims, revealing how the claims don't meet criteria for good evidence, David F. Marks showing what good science has to offer as an alternative. Eugenie Scott Richard Wiseman Two, a new generation of skeptical inquirers is in place. More about this CONTRIBUTING EDITORS in our coming reports, but previous concerns that no one is stepping up to Chris Mooney succeed those who founded the modern skeptical movement more than a James E. Oberg Robert Sheaffer quarter century ago are unwarranted. At universities, on new Web sites, and David E. Thomas throughout our own expanding Center for Inquiry/CSICOP staff and pro­ MANAGING EDITOR liferating CFI centers, fine young investigators and articulate spokesmen for Benjamin Radford ART DIRECTOR science and skepticism are on die job. That's refreshing to see. Lisa A. Hutter Third, I think CSICOP and the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER can take some credit PRODUCTION Paul Loynes for what some see as possibly a diminishing popular interest in things "para­ Christopher Fix normal." There's evidence that classic paranormal topics don't excite die same CARTOONIST uncritical popular appeal they once did, and that may well be due in part to Rob Pudim WEB PAGE DESIGN die efforts of diose who have worked so hard over die past diree decades to Patrick Fitzgerald. Designer reveal the foolishness and fallacies. That doesn't mean popular interest has Amanda Chesworth Kevin Christopher gone away. It is hasn't and it never will. But some of the older topics are now Rob Beeston

passe, and language, terms, and topics shift and adapt. We'll shift and adapt PUBUSHER'S REPRESENTATIVE widi diem, and stay on top in the investigative/evaluative wars. Barry Karr Fourth, there is no longer cause for any profound sense of isolation on the CORPORATE COUNSEL Brenton N. VerPloeg part of science-minded skeptical inquirers and people who don't share soci­ BUSINESS MANAGER ety's various religious enthusiasms. The skeptical and humanist movements Sandra Lesniak FISCAL OFFICER have proliferated, spread, even merged some to share resources, groups, and Paul Paulin publications (did you know CFI-International in Amherst, New York, where DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS CSICOP is headquartered, now publishes seventeen periodicals?). New Richard Hull James Kimberly regional centers, new skeptical Web sites are everywhere. CHIEF DATA OFFICER And that brings me to my fifth point, related to the one above, but even Michael Gone STAFF more general. If we ever get into a funk about society's inability to distinguish Darlene Banks good science from pseudoscience, because we deal with the latter down here Patricia Beauchamp in die trenches all the time, we need to realize that good science is an over­ Matthew Cravatta Jennifer Miller whelming force of its own, (mosdy) unaffected by popular nonsense, and it is Heidi Shively Anthony Santa Lucia everywhere. John Sullivan In addition to everything we do in scientific skepticism— Vance Vigrass Every issue of Science, Nature, Scientific American, Science News, New PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR Kevin Christopher Scientist, Discover, and Science et Vie is a repudiation of pseudoscience. EDUCATIONAL DIRECTOR Every PBS Nova television show and countless others on die Discovery Amanda Chesworth INQUIRY MEDIA PRODUCTIONS channel and elsewhere are repudiations of pseudoscience. Thomas Flynn Every hallway discussion where scientists and engineers exchange ideas DIRECTOR Of UBRARIES for die meaning of their latest data, how to assess its validity or understand Timothy S. Binga The Sumou INQUIRER is the official journal of the Committee for the Scientific Continued on page 11 Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, an international organization.

4 January/February 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER