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CONFERENCE REPORT

Highlights of CFI’s Twelfth World Congress ‘, Public Policy, and the Planetary Community’

KENDRICK FRAZIER

The ’s 12th World repeatedly that in opposing creationism, defending good science against political Congress in Washington (Bethesda, we are “fighting not religious belief but indifference and, worse, interference. Maryland, actually) was grandly yet the infusion of religious doctrine into Her lively title tells the story: “The appropriately titled “Science, Public public policy.” Philosopher/historian United States, a Former Global Leader in Policy, and the Planetary Community.” Barbara Forrest updated developments Science, Apologizes for the 2001–2008 In one way or another it covered just in the intelligent design wars since the Service Outage.” In her current job she about every topic CFI and its affiliated Dover decision in 2005, including the represents textbook publishers for grades organizations the Committee for latest troubling activities of antievolu- K–12. She warned that only a handful of Skeptical Inquiry (publisher of the tionists in Texas and Louisiana. And people pick the textbooks your children ) and the Council Lincoln/Darwin historian David Con- use. “They are not teachers, usually. for Secular Humanism (publisher of tosta said: “I am convinced Lincoln was They are scary people, some of them.” Free Inquiry) deal with. a deist. He did not believe in the divin- She lamented that just the previous week Everyone seemed to enjoy it. The day in Texas opponents of evolution in text- afterward, CFI founder and chairman books declared an “insufficiency of evi- called the congress “exhila- dence” for natural selection. rating.” As he said, “The responses of •Author Susan Jacoby’s (The Age of our readers and supporters were over- American Unreason) litany of “anti-intel- whelmingly positive. What a stunning lectualism and sheer intellectual lazi- response that we received from them!” ness” in America over the past forty Ron Lindsay, CFI’s CEO and president, years. “We are in serious intellectual likewise called the conference very suc- trouble. We don’t value knowledge cessful and said many attendees com- enough.” She gave a long series of exam- mented favorably to him “that they ples of what she calls “junk thought,” noticed the skeptical/scientific side of ideas that are “impervious to evidence.” our organization was on display more She also defended the virtues of reading, than usual, which they appreciated.” a practice much marginalized in today’s That’s true, I think. Many people in hectic age of instant electronic commu- the audience told me at various times how nications. much they appreciate and value the •Paul Kurtz’s luncheon address on SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. SI and its articles the planetary perspective. He said and the work of the Committee for humanism includes genuine caring for Photo: Brian Engler Skeptical Inquiry got a lot of public men- Former Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder gave others and a respect for the dignity and tion, too, in the talks, intros, and sessions. an invigorating talk at CFI’s World Congress. value of every person on the planet. “We Here are a few highlights for me: have common ground with all members •The opening session on Darwin ity of Christ. He was not baptized. He of the human family.” He said we need and Lincoln, evolution, ID and cre- questioned miracles of the Bible. He a new planetary ethic that mitigates ationism, and legal challenges of liked to tell jokes about preachers.... human suffering and increases the sum church-state separation involving the He probably couldn’t get elected today.” of human good and happiness. “As skep- latter. Civil rights lawyer and CFI board •Former twelve-term U.S. Congress- tics and rationalists, we need to cultivate member Edward Tabash emphasized woman Patricia Schroeder’s rousing talk a new planetary ethic. We need to be

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concerned with the planet Earth. It juror’s warning not to take at face value the very recent Talibanization of Paki- seems to me that is the positive state- any proclaimed evidence of psychic pow- stan, even in Islamabad, where he teaches ment of humanism.” ers. At the end, Randi announced that his at a university. It has become very dan- •Astrophysicist John Mather’s (the famous one-million-dollar challenge to gerous, he said. Terrible things have first NASA scientist to win the Nobel claimants for proof of paranormal powers begun happening there in just the past Prize) beautifully illustrated talk on the under controlled test conditions, which several months. (The day after the con- entire history and future of the universe, was to end, will in fact be renewed. “It ference ended, news organizations from its origin in the “Horrendous was going to terminate in 2012,” he said, reported the imposition of Islamic law by Space Kablooey” (as he calls the Big “but now it will continue.” the Taliban in the Swat Valley of Bang) 13.7 billion years ago to the time •Major awards to Paul Kurtz, Randi, Pakistan. Further Taliban inroads have when the Sun goes out 7.6 billion years and Lawrence Krauss (see story below). prompted subsequent military action.) from now . . . and beyond. He reported •A session I moderated on Skepti- •The Saturday evening awards ban- on the 1998 discovery that the cosmic cism and Science seemed well received quet featured a live oratorio of composer expansion is accelerating, the mystery of (due especially to the presentations by Richard Einhorn’s new original composi- dark energy, the plans for the next big the witty and lively , tion (personally introduced by Einhorn) space telescope to be launched in 2013 with lots of video demos on perception “The Origin,” a celebration of the life (the James Webb Space Telescope), and and misperception, and equally so and work of Darwin based on Darwin’s the quest to directly observe more exo- , with her research own words in On the Origin of Species. planets. Cosmology may have no practi- demonstrating false memory, plus Joe •Awards banquet speaker Lawrence cal benefits, he said, but space science Nickell, on investigating rather than just Krauss’s (a CSI fellow and Arizona State sure does. People often forget that their debunking, and Armadeo Sarma, on University physicist and author) talk on weather reports, GPS devices, tele- alternative medicine fads in Germany “Science and Public Policy: An Oxy- phones, and television all “depend on and the rest of Europe). moron.” He concluded with the call, things out there in space.” •A small lunch given by Paul Kurtz “We must all become evangelists for sci- •NASA climatologist Drew Shin- for international participants in the con- ence. We cannot tolerate unambiguous dell’s full report on “The Science of gress, including the Chinese delegation nonsense in a democracy.” Climate Change.” He noted that our (where we were able to renew acquain- knowledge of climate change comes tances with several of the Chinese col- Kendrick Frazier is editor of the SKEPTICAL from detailed scientific observations, and leagues we met in Beijing in October INQUIRER. he reviewed the interplay and repeated 2007) and those from the U.K., Ger- testing that goes on between scientific many, the Netherlands, France, Russia, observations and computer models of India, Pakistan, and Senegal. Randi, Krauss, Kurtz climate. Some conclusions: the planet is •A lively audience-participation, Honored with Major getting warmer, natural forcings (solar packed-house session at the end of the Awards variation, volcanoes, etc.) have been flat afternoon Saturday on The Future of in recent years, the twentieth-century . Run by Ben Radford and , Lawrence Krauss, and Paul warming is largely caused by greenhouse myself, I gave some introductory com- Kurtz were honored with major awards at gas increases, and the rate of future ments. and James Under- the Center for Inquiry’s 12th World warming is likely to increase. He noted down also participated. Sean McCabe Congress in Bethesda, Maryland. All were that apathy and resistance to change in of the James Randi Educational Foun- presented at the Saturday evening awards this area goes back to the 1840s when a dation (he also writes a skeptical blog banquet, April 11. smokestack-cleaning technology for for the general public at www.weird- ships of the Royal Navy was squelched things.com) emphasized the positive * * * by industry. messages of skepticism, noting that James Randi received the Committee for •James Randi’s lively participation in there are now nine network TV shows Skeptical Inquiry’s In Praise of many sessions, hallway discussions, and featuring scientists or science oriented. Award “in recognition of his distin- his own late afternoon talk about how eas- Proclaimed McCabe: “Skepticism is guished contribution to the use of critical ily we all can be fooled. “I know the art of cool . . . and it’s getting cooler.” We inquiry, scientific evidence, and reason in deception. I know how people are fooled. then opened it to the audience. A lot of evaluating claims to knowledge.” And I know how to do that.” He de- good ideas and discussion came out of As everyone knows, Randi has for scribed repeated examples of very smart the session. decades been a tireless and charismatic people being fooled by trickery. “You can •A sobering presentation by Pakistani critical investigator of those who claim be fooled as well,” he said. It’s the con- nuclear physicist Pervez Hoodbhoy on paranormal powers, forthrightly chal-

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CONFERENCE REPORT

lenging them to undergo testing under cosmology and also an author of popu- time achievement award from the Center controlled conditions and exposing lar science books (The Physics of Star for Inquiry. Named The Eupraxsopher those who intentionally deceive others. Trek, Fear of Physics, Hiding in the Award, it was given for his extraordinary He also has been an effective educator of Mirror) recently moved from Case leadership in the causes of humanism and the scientific and skeptical communities Western Reserve University to Arizona scientific skepticism, his lifetime of about the need to understand the meth- State University. There he is Foundation accomplishment, and his moral and ethi- ods magicians use to deceive, so as not Professor in the School of Earth and cal guidance. The award is named for a to be deceived themselves by pretenders Space Exploration, director of the term Kurtz himself coined, from Greek to psychic powers. Origins Initiative, and co-director of the roots for “good/well,” “conduct/practice,” Cosmology Initiative. Krauss is one of and “scientific and philosophic wisdom.” science’s most effective spokesmen. In He defines eupraxsophy as “a set of con- his frequent public appearances and victions and practices offering a cosmic articles and op-ed columns in major outlook and an ethical guide to life.” newspapers and magazines he defends Kendrick Frazier, editor of the good science and warns against the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and a board mem- politicization of science. He has been a ber of both the Center for Inquiry and strong and effective opponent of cre- Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, pre- ationist efforts to dilute the teaching of sented the award to Kurtz. He noted science. that were it not for Kurtz none of the organizations represented at the con- gress would exist, and the worldwide movements they spawned would likely never have occurred. Frazier praised Kurtz as “truly, one of the world’s extra- ordinary persons.” He noted that Kurtz Photo: Brian Engler James Randi received CSI’s In Praise of Reason is a unique and remarkable combination Award at the Twelfth World Congress. of philosopher, scholar, and intellectual; author/editor of more than forty books Paul Kurtz, founder and chairman of in philosophy, humanism, and skepti- CSI, presented the award to Randi, not- cism; founder of a major book publisher ing that it is granted only to “outstanding (); creator and orga- contributors to rational inquiry and sci- nizer of a network of nonprofit organi- entific thinking.” He noted that Randi zations advancing humanism and scien- was one of the original founders of CSI tific skepticism; an international diplo- and is “a leading critic of people who mat who attracts and welcomes diverse Photo: Brian Engler engage in chicanery and fraud.” He Lawrence Krauss received CFI’s Scholarship in people from nations around the world; praised Randi for his application of rea- the Public Interest Award. and an inspiring leader with extraordi- son to concrete cases. “Your greatest qual- nary vision and courage. ity is that you are an educator, a teacher. Ronald Lindsay, CEO and president “He stresses not negativism but the You have shown that the easiest people to of the Center for Inquiry, presented the affirming values of humanism and skep- deceive are PhDs, a great insight to all of award to Krauss. “No one can match ticism. . . . He has lived life to its fullest, us. You expose myths and hoaxes.... Lawrence Krauss’s tireless efforts on with exuberance and extraordinary ser- You stand out in history.” behalf of the public understanding of vice to others. By elucidating, living, science,” he said. “He is one of the few and advancing strong missions, ethical * * * prominent scientists to successfully credos, and causes greater than our- Lawrence M. Krauss received the bridge the chasm between science and selves, he inspires us all to try somehow Center for Inquiry’s Scholarship in the popular culture.” to do the same.” Public Interest Award “in recognition of his outstanding contributions in * * * * * * defense of scientific inquiry and on Paul Kurtz, founder and chairman of the At a conference luncheon a day earlier, behalf of improving the public’s under- Center for Inquiry and of its affiliate orga- Paul Kurtz was also presented with an standing and appreciation of science.” nizations the Council for Secular award from the National Capital Area Krauss, a leading theoretical physicist Humanism and the Committee for Skeptics. NCAS President Scott Snell, at the interface of particle physics and Skeptical Inquiry, received a special life- who works at NASA’s Goddard Space

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Flight Center, presented Kurtz with NCAS’s Phillip J. Klass Award “for outstanding contributions in promoting critical thinking and scientific under- standing.” The award honored Kurtz as “the person most responsible for the modern organized that coalesced in the mid-1970s,” which included founding CSICOP (now CSI) and the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. “It was CSICOP’s eminent coalition of physical and social scientists, medical doctors, magicians, historians, journal- ists, and others, assembled and ener- gized by Kurtz’s dynamic leadership and far-sighted vision, that ushered in the modern age of scientific skepticism,” said NCAS’s award statement. “Much is Photo: Brian Engler SI editor Kendrick Frazier presented Paul Kurtz with The Eupraxsopher Award. owed Kurtz as well for the formation of independent local skeptics groups like tions can be—and the danger in assum- humorous anecdotes from his decades of NCAS. Under his leadership CSICOP ing they are accurate. tireless work, including a Bob Newhart- published a call for forming such groups CSI senior research fellow Joe like standup routine in which Randi and provided them with invaluable Nickell explained the important distinc- gave his side of a telephone conversation guidance and material support to con- tion between investigating and debunk- he had many years ago. It seems that a nect with other skeptics in their com- ing. While investigation often leads to prestigious scientist was impressed by a munity and to organize.” debunking, he said, a good investigator psychic’s ability and warned Randi that must follow the evidence to the most his million-dollar prize might be in jeop- reasonable conclusion rather than begin ardy. He described the amazing psychic CFI World with an assumption about the nature of feat to Randi, who while on the phone Congress: the mystery. With humor and wit, he promptly located one of Martin recounted anecdotes from many of his Gardner’s books on magic, faxed the rel- More Highlights cases, including that of Toronto’s evant page to the scientist, and patiently “haunted” McKenzie house, one of his waited for a response that never came. Longtime CSI fellow and SKEPTICAL first investigations. Joe solved the mys- Randi’s take-home message is sage advice INQUIRER contributor Elizabeth Loftus tery by tracing unexplained, ghostly for everyone, lay public and skeptical presented a talk about her pioneering, noises to a stairway in the building next inquirer like: “You too can be fooled.” decades-long research into memory. door. He interviewed an employee there Susan Jacoby, author of The Age of Claims of paranormal events and experi- who was well aware of the ghost claims American Unreason, lamented the lack of ences often come down to memories and but never brought it up; it seems Joe was critical thinking in America. Quoting recollections, in which the credibility of the first person to ask about it! Ralph Waldo Emerson, Jacoby noted the claim rests on how accurate a person’s Introduced by , James that “The mind of this country, taught memories are. Other times the result of “The Amazing” Randi put his skills as a to aim at low objects, eats upon itself.” faulty memory is more serious than a magician to work immediately. He She drew on many examples of the sorry mere belief in the paranormal—includ- approached the stage, adjusted the state of intellectual affairs in America, ing many innocent people having been podium microphone, and began his from Sarah Palin to the dominance of convicted and imprisoned based on eye- talk. He soon wandered away from the video culture over print media to “junk witness testimony. Loftus drew from podium with no loss in volume, surpris- thought” and rampant anti-intellectual- recent examples (such as then-presiden- ing the audience. Randi revealed that ism. Jacoby’s talk was not all gloom-and- tial candidate Hillary Clinton’s false the microphone he had been speaking doom; she saw some encouraging signs memory of visiting Bosnia under sniper into for several minutes wasn’t even on; in President Obama’s promise to restore fire and a clip of her recent appearance he had guided the audience’s assump- science to its rightful place in govern- on the newsmagazine 60 Minutes about tions with a mere gesture and was in fact ment (see p. 8 in this issue). a miscarriage of justice) to demonstrate speaking on a wireless microphone. once again just how fallible our recollec- Randi regaled the audience with — Benjamin Radford

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