In the Land of Galileo, Fifth World Skeptics Congress Solves Mysteries, Champions Scientific Outlook

NEWS AND COMMENT In the Land of Galileo, Fifth World Skeptics Congress Solves Mysteries, Champions Scientific Outlook KENDRICK FRAZIER Galileo himself was the subject of an emphasis to a "second principle" of the entire evening of special events the first movement: "to explicate and defend sci- The legacy of Galileo shone like a bril- night of the conference, while a slightly ence and reason and the scientific out- liant star throughout the Fifth World more recent hero of skepticism, the con- look. We are interested in cultivating Skeptics Congress, Oct. 8-10, 2004, juror and investigator James Randi, was public appreciation of science." and appropriately so, for it was held in feted the second night (see side stories). "This is positive," he said "—carrying Abano Terme, Italy, just outside of Randi also gave a talk earlier that day on to the general public our appreciation of Padua (Padova), where Galileo taught "difficult, innocent, and impossible this powerful invention, the discovery of from 1592 until 1610, wrote The Starry applicants" for his $1 million challenge Messenger, and discovered the moons to psychic claimants. of Jupiter. CICAP Chairman Steno Ferluga, Other revolutionary figures in the professor of astrophysics at the Uni- history of science likewise had Padua versity of Trieste, opened the conference connections. Among them were Nico- with a basic statement of the meeting. laus Copernicus, who studied there, and CICAP, CSICOP, and the skeptical Andreas Vesalius, who took his medical movement represent a "new thing," he degree there before publishing his revela- said. "Finally there exists a network of tions about human anatomy in 1543. people to find answers, offer corrections, That was the same year that Copernicus and provide accurate information on published, on his deathbed, On the popular mysteries." Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres, the This "light of reason" can help con- CICAP's Massimo Polidoro moderates a World book that cast aside the notion of an fine paranormal beliefs to those who Skeptics Congress session. Earth-centered universe. Thus began the want to believe, instead of to all those conflict between religious belief and sci- previously innocently confused by mis- entific discovery diat led to Galileo's epic information about claims once ignored tribulations with the Catholic church by scientists. "We skeptics don't deny and that echoes down through the ages mysterious events," he said. "We come to this day. here to solve them." The conference theme was "Solving In his opening remarks, CSICOP Mysteries." Throughout, speakers Chairman Paul Kurtz, professor emeritus touted the unique abilities of the meth- of philosophy at SUNY-Buffalo, noted ods of scientific and skeptical inquiry in that he had come to Italy three times finding solutions to mysteries that oth- beginning twenty years ago to encourage erwise remain the domain of opinion Italian scientists and skeptics to organize Key World Skeptics Congress figures, from left. and speculation. Massimo Polidoro, co-chairman Paul Kurtz. a group. He said he was pleased with the Piero Angela, James Randi, and co-chairman The three-day conference, which had a subsequent work of that group, which Steno Ferluga. sold-out attendance of nearly 500 (the has high visibility in capacity of the comfortable modern con- Italy, and the grand ference center's theater, surrounded by conference it had hotels and restaurants), was cosponsored organized. The mod- by the Committee for the Scientific ern skeptical move- Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal ment has provided (CSICOP) and its Italian counterpart "a critical scientific group, CICAP (pronounced "chee-cap"). examination" of pop- CICAP numbers among its members ular claims and "a some of Italy's leading scientists, scholars, whole new litera- and investigators, many of whom were in ture," Kurtz said. "Investigating Historical Mysteries" session panelists, from left. Joe Nickell, evidence as conference participants. But he gave equal Mariano Tomatis. Luigi Garlaschelli. and James Randi. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER January/February 2005 5 NEWS AND COMMENT truth about nature through experimen- native medicine can be hazardous to said this is an example of how skeptics tal science." your health (Silvio Garattini, Mario can do research that involves the public. So in this mission, Kurtz said, "the Negri Institute, Milan). Three or four As for Carolyn Watts's call for more skeptical movement has moved on . .. leading figures in these fields spoke in interactions between skeptics and para- to other equally important things." each session, followed by a lively ques- psychologists, Wiseman agreed, to a Kurtz spoke admiringly of Galileo. tion period. point. "Should we collaborate if the "In one sense," he said, "Galileo is a Only a few highlights can be men- research is about genuine open inquiry? symbol of skeptical inquiry. He ques- tioned here, some brief examples. CICAP Yes," he said. Skeptical psychologists can tioned authority. He rejected author- plans to eventually publish a book based and have helped mightily with a number ity—Aristotle, the Church. on the conference proceedings. of parapsychology experiments, he said, "Galileo is die great martyr to die The opening session, "Parapsy- tightening up controls and finding small skeptical cause," Kurtz said. He rejected chology and Skeptics: Is Dialogue errors, which can easily creep in. But too occult explanations, and he championed a Possible?" had a bittersweet quality many parapsychological researchers have new method involving experimentation, because the scheduled leadoff speaker, another aim altogether, he said. "There hypotheses, theories, and mathematics. Robert L. Morris, professor of parapsy- are people who are certain of the "Galileo was a heroic figure, a great chology at the University of Edinburgh answers," he said. "They are engaged in skeptic," said Kurtz. "He was not a and highly respected by both skeptics a process of persuasion, not inquiry, and dogmatic skeptic, but thought that and parapsychologists, had died unex- they have an agenda. CSICOP looks at there were reliable methods for achiev- pectedly in August. He was only sixty. these people very carefully. Should we ing knowledge." Carolyn Watt, a senior research fellow collaborate with them? No." And one more point from Kurtz: at Edinburgh's Koestler Parapsychology James Alcock (York University, "Science and skepticism go hand Unit, which Morris had established and Toronto) described why parapsychology, in hand. Skepticism is a great tool of headed, gave a talk in his stead, dedi- despite its long history of research, some science." cated to him. She spoke on "productive of it involving eminent scientists, still has Thus began three sparkling days of and unproductive interactions" between gained no status as a science and is in fact presentations, discussions, questions, parapsychologists and skeptics, urging ignored by most scientists. There is no entertainment (including a lunchtime more of the former and less of the latter. unambiguous definition of a psi phenom- first-ever performance of "skeptical" In the productive category are "direct, enon, no strongly replicated effect, no arias from famous operas), and special personal, involvement and collabora- theory offered, no consistency with other events and demonstrations. tions," much like Hyman has done in areas of science, and no progressive accu- It was a truly international conference, the past with Charles Honorton or that mulation of knowledge. "Despite a long with attendees from twenty countries. Richard Wiseman has carried out in the history, parapsychology does not have a Speakers heralded from Argentina, U.K. Unproductive interactions include single acknowledged 'fact,'" said Alcock. Belgium, Canada, China, Egypt, Ger- debates at a distance, which become Furthermore, he said that collabora- many, Italy, France, Russia, Spain, die increasingly polemical, and unsupported tion with parapsychologists is difficult. United Kingdom, and the United States. and sweeping statements, including "Parapsychologists can't propose what The conference language was English, unscientific rhetoric and misrepresenting would disconfirm psi," he lamented. "To with simultaneous translation into Italian, opponents' views. diem, finding nothing doesn't count.... although occasionally that was reversed. Richard Wiseman (University of We can help by being respectful and Formal conference sessions dealt Hertfordshire), who has high visibility constructive and by being hard-nosed with parapsychology (moderated by Ray in the U.K. as a psychologist who and critical. But the problem is that the Hyman, University of Oregon); hoaxes, involves parapsychologists, the media, failure to find supporting evidence will fakes, and myths (Lorenzo Montali, and the public in his investigations, not dampen parapsychological zeal." University of Milan); investigating his- spoke of some of his recent experiments, The session on investigating historical torical myths (Massimo Polidoro, including research with a medium mysteries featured several interesting case University of Milan—his column in this described recently in The Times (U.K.) studies. CSICOP's senior research fellow issue on fact and fiction about the and his "Mind Machine," a multimedia and SI "Investigative Files" columnist Joe Kennedy assassination is based on his interactive kiosk that invites the public Nickell reported on his investigations presentation); magic and the psychology to participate in an

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