In Defense of Higher Values • Riddle of the Crystal Skulls • Prayer Study Failure
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SI Jul-Aug 06 Cover V1 5/30/06 12:14 PM Page 1 IN DEFENSE OF HIGHER VALUES • RIDDLE OF THE CRYSTAL SKULLS • PRAYER STUDY FAILURE THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE AND REASON Volume 30, No. 4 • July/August 2006 • INTRODUCTORY PRICE U.S. $4.95 • Canada $5.95 07> Published by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal 0556698 80575 SI J-A 2006 pgs 5/30/06 1:29 PM Page 2 THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION of Claims of the Paranormal AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY–TRANSNATIONAL (ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO) AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, University at Buffalo Barry Karr, Executive Director Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow Massimo Polidoro, Research Fellow Richard Wiseman, Research Fellow Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director FELLOWS James E. Alcock,* psychologist, York Univ., Toronto Susan Haack, Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts Robert L. Park, professor of physics, Univ. of Maryland Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Albany, Oregon and Sciences, Professor of Philosophy and John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ. Marcia Angell, M.D., former editor-in-chief, New Professor of Law, University of Miami Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist, Harvard England Journal of Medicine C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales Massimo Polidoro, science writer, author, Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, author, David J. Helfand, professor of astronomy, executive director CICAP, Italy Columbia Univ. consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. 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Krauss, author and professor of physics Eugenie Scott, physical anthropologist, executive Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, professor and astronomy, Case Western Reserve University director, National Center for Science Education emeritus of English, Univ. of Utah Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director, Griffith Robert Sheaffer, science writer Vern Bullough, professor of history, California Observatory Elie A. Shneour, biochemist, author, State Univ. at Northridge Paul Kurtz,* chairman, Center for Inquiry director, Biosystems Research Institute, Mario Bunge, philosopher, McGill University Lawrence Kusche, science writer La Jolla, Calif. John R. Cole, anthropologist, editor, National Leon Lederman, emeritus director, Fermilab; Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Terrey Hills, Center for Science Education Nobel laureate in physics N.S.W., Australia Frederick Crews, literary and cultural critic, Scott Lilienfeld, psychologist, Emory Univ. Robert Steiner, magician, author, El Cerrito, Calif. professor emeritus of English, Univ. of Lin Zixin, former editor, Science and Technology Victor J. Stenger, emeritus professor of physics California, Berkeley Daily (China) and astronomy, Univ. of Hawaii; adjunct Jere Lipps, Museum of Paleontology, Univ. of Richard Dawkins, zoologist, Oxford Univ. professor of philosophy, Univ. of Colorado Geoffrey Dean, technical editor, Perth, Australia California, Berkeley Jill Cornell Tarter, astronomer, SETI Institute, Daniel C. Dennett, University Professor and Austin Elizabeth Loftus, professor of psychology, Univ. of Mountain View, Calif. B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy, Director of California, Irvine Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Angeles, Calif. the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts Univ. Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, Ann Druyan, writer and producer, and CEO, AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia, Calif. David Thomas, physicist and mathematician, Cosmos Studios, Ithaca, New York John Maddox, editor emeritus of Nature Peralta, New Mexico Cornelis de Jager, professor of astrophysics, Univ. David Marks, psychologist, City University, London. Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy, Univ. of of Utrecht, the Netherlands Mario Mendez-Acosta, journalist and Southern California Kenneth Feder, professor of anthropology, science writer, Mexico City, Mexico Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and director, Central Connecticut State Univ. Marvin Minsky, professor of media arts and Hayden Planetarium, New York City Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., U.K. sciences, M.I.T. Marilyn vos Savant, Parade magazine Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer, Foothill College, Los David Morrison, space scientist, NASA Ames contributing editor Altos Hills, Calif. Research Center Steven Weinberg, professor of physics and Kendrick Frazier, science writer, editor, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Richard A. Muller, professor of physics, Univ. of astronomy, Univ. of Texas at Austin; Yves Galifret, vice-president, Affiliated Calif., Berkeley Nobel laureate Organizations: France Joe Nickell, senior research fellow, CSICOP E.O. Wilson, University Professor Emeritus, Martin Gardner, author, critic Lee Nisbet,* philosopher, Medaille College Harvard University Bill Nye, science educator and television host, Nye Labs Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, Santa Fe Richard Wiseman, psychologist, University of James E. Oberg, science writer Institute; Nobel laureate Hertfordshire Thomas Gilovich, psychologist, Cornell Univ. Irmgard Oepen, professor of medicine (retired), Marvin Zelen, statistician, Harvard Univ. Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, Toronto Marburg, Germany Saul Green, Ph.D., biochemist, president of ZOL Loren Pankratz, psychologist, Oregon Health * Member, CSICOP Executive Council Consultants, New York, NY Sciences Univ. 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SI J-A 2006 pgs 5/30/06 1:29 PM Page 3 Skeptical Inquirer COMMENT AND OPINION July / August 2006 • VOL. 30, NO. 4 13 In Defense of the Higher Values KENDRICK FRAZIER ARTICLES COLUMNS EDITOR’S NOTE Explanatory Frameworks and Investigative Exposés. 4 NEWS AND COMMENT One Big STEP: Another Major Study Confirms That Distant Prayers Do Not Heal the Sick / Florida Psychic Jailed for Fraud / Governor Snubs Kentucky Academy of Science about Intelligent Design / Dinosaur Adventure Land Slated for Demolition / ‘Alien Rains’ of Kerala Not So Alien after All / A Swedish Professorship in Parapsychology / Alien Autopsy Hoax Revealed—Again / The Wrong Stuff: Men’s Magazine’s Psychic Columnist / Center for Inquiry Opens in India. 5 INVESTIGATIVE