THE DA VINCI CODE • RECOVERED MEMORY RESEARCH • ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE Skeptical Inquirer THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE AND REASON Volume 28, No. 3 • May/June 2004 Darkness, Creating funnels, Cold War UFOs and Light An Insider Speaks Explaining the Near-Death Experience Confessions of a Former New Ager

'Anti-Science in College Courses RIST

Pathological Parapsychology

Published by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION of Claims off the Paranormal

AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY-INTKNAnONAl (ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO] AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, State University of New York 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 Saul Green. Ph.D., biochemist president of ZOL Irmgard Oepen, professor of medicine (retired), Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Albany, Consultants, New York. NY Marburg, Germany Oregon Susan Haack, Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts Loren Pankratz, psychologist. Oregon Health Marcia Angell. M.D., former editor-in-chief. New and Sciences, prof, of philosophy, University Sciences Univ. England Journal of Medicine of Miami John Paulos. mathematician. Temple Univ. Robert A. Baker, psychologist. Univ. of Kentucky C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist. MIT Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, author, Douglas Hofstadter. professor of human Massimo Polidoro. science writer, author, consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. understanding and cognitive science, executive director CICAP, Italy Barry Beyerstein." biopsychologist, Simon Fraser Indiana Univ. Milton Rosenberg, psychologist Univ of Chicago Univ.. Vancouver, B.C., Canada Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics Wallace Sampson, M.D.. clinical professor of Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ. of Southern and professor of history of science. Harvard Univ medicine, Stanford Univ.. editor, Scientific California Ray Hyman,* psychologist, Univ. of Oregon Review of Alternative Medicine Susan Blackmore, Visiting Lecturer. Univ of the Leon Jaroff, sciences editor emeritus, Time Amardeo Sarma. manger NEC Europe Ltd., West of England. Bristol Sergei Kapitza, former editor, Russian edition. executive director, GWUP. Germany. Henri Broch, physicist. Univ. of Nice, France Scientific American Evry Schatzman, former president. French Physics Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, professor Philip J. Klass, aerospace writer, engineer Association emeritus of English, Univ. of Utah Lawrence M. Krauss, author and professor of Eugenie Scott physical anthropologist, executive Vern Bullough, professor of history, California physics and astronomy. Case Western Reserve director. National Center for Science Education State Univ. at Northridge University Robert Sheaffer, science writer Mario Bunge, philosopher, McGill University Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director. Griffith Elie A. Shneour, biochemist, author, John R. Cole, anthropologist, editor, National Observatory director. Biosystems Research Institute, Center for Science Education Paul Kurtz,- chairman. Center for Inquiry La Jolla, Calif. Frederick Crews, literary and cultural critic, Lawrence Kusche, science writer Dick Smith, film producer, publisher. Terrey Hills, professor emeritus of English, Univ. of Leon Lederman. emeritus director, Fermilab; N.S.W., Australia California, Berkeley Nobel laureate in physics Robert Steiner, magician, author, El Cerrito, Calif. F. H. C. Crick, biophysicist Salk Inst, for Biological Scott Lilienfeld, psychologist Emory Univ. Victor J. Stenger, emeritus professor of physics Studies, La Jolla. Calif; Nobel laureate Lin Zixin, former editor. Science and Technology and astronomy, Univ. of Hawaii; adjunct Richard Dawkins, zoologist, Oxford Univ. Daily (China) professor of philosophy, Univ. of Colorado Geoffrey Dean, technical editor. Perth, Australia Jere Lipps, Museum of Paleontology, Univ. of Jill Cornell Tarter, astronomer, SETI Institute, Daniel C. Dennett, University Professor and Austin California, Berkeley Mountain View, Calif. B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy, Director of Elizabeth Loftus, professor of psychology, Univ. of Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Angeles, the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts Uni­ California, Irvine Calif. versity David Thomas, physicist and mathematician, Cornells de Jager, professor of astrophysics. Univ. Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, AeroVironment. Inc.. Monrovia. Calif. Peralta, New Mexico of Utrecht the Netherlands Stephen Toulmin. professor of philosophy. Univ. of Paul Edwards, philosopher, editor, Encyclopedia John Maddox. editor emeritus of Nature Southern California of Philosophy David Marks, psychologist City University. London. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and director, Kenneth Feder. professor of anthropology. Mario Mendez-Acosta, journalist and Hayden Planetarium, New York City Central Connecticut State Univ. science writer. Mexico City, Mexico Marilyn vos Savant Parade magazine Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., U.K. Marvin Minsky. professor of media arts and contributing editor Andrew Fraknoi. astronomer. Foothill College, Los sciences. M.I.T. Steven Weinberg, professor of physics and Altos Hills, Calif. David Morrison, space scientist. NASA Ames astronomy, Univ. of Texas at Austin; Kendrick Frazier, science writer, editor. SKEPTICAL Research Center Nobel laureate INOUIRER Richard A. Muller. professor of physics. Univ. of E.O. Wilson, University Professor Emeritus, Yves Galifret, vice-president. Affiliated Calif, Berkeley Organizations: France H. Narasimhaiah. physicist president Bangalore Harvard University Martin Gardner, author, critic Science Forum, India Richard Wiseman, psychologist University of Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, Santa Fe Joe Nickell,* senior research fellow, CSICOP Hertfordshire Institute; Nobel laureate Lee Nisbet' philosopher, Medaille College Marvin Zelen. statistician. Harvard Univ. Thomas Gilovich. psychologist Cornell Univ. Bill Nye, science educator and television host Nye Labs • Member, CSICOP Executive Council Henry Gordon, magician, columnist Toronto James E. Oberg. science writer (Affiliations given for identification only.)

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The SKFPTKAI INQLTRER (ISSN 0l94-6"'3O) is published bimonthly by the Committer fot the and on page 63 of the September/October 2003 issue. Or >ou may send a fax request to the editor. Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. 1310 Sweet Home Rd.. Amherst. NY Articles, reports, reviews, and letters published in the SKEPTICAL iNQURER represent the 14228. Printed in U.S.A- Periodicals postage paid at Buffalo, NY. and at additional mailing of­ views and work of individual authors. Their publication does not necessarily constitute an en­ fices. Subscription prices: one year (six issues), $35: two years, $60; three yean. S84; single is­ dorsement by CSICOP or its members unless so stated. sue. $4.95. Canadian and foreign orders: Payment in U.S. hinds drawn on a U.S. bank must ac­ Copyright ©2004 by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of" the Par­ company orders; please add USSIO per year for shipping. Canadian and foreign customers are anormal. All rights reserved The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is available on 16mm microfilm. encouraged to use Visa or MasterCard. 35mm microfilm, and 105mm microfiche from University Microfilms International and is Inquiries from the media and the public about ihe work of the Committee should be made indexed in the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature. to Paul Kurtz. Chairman. CSICOP. Boi ^03. Amherst. NY 14226-0703- Td.: 7 16-636-1425. Subscriptions and changes of address should be addressed to: SKEPTICALIWJLTRFR, Box "03. Am­ FAX; 716-636-1733. herst. NY' 142264F03. Or call toll-free 1-800-634-1610 (outside VS. call 7KV636-1425). Old ad­ Manuscripts, letters, books tor review, and editorial inquiries should be addressed to Kendrick dress as well as new are necessary tor change of subscriber's address, with six weeks advance notice. Frazier. Editor. SKEPrtCAl INQCIRER. 944 Deer Dhve NE, .AJbuqucrquc. NM 87122. Fax 505- SKEPTICAL INQURER subscribers may not speak on behalf of CSICOP or the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. 828-2080. Before submitting any manuscript, please consult our Guide tor .Authors for format and Postmaster: Send changes of address to SKEPTICAL INQURER. BOX ^"03. Amherst, NY references requirements- It is on our Web site at hnp://w^^-.csK»p.org/WguKie-fot-authors.html 14226-0703. Skeptical Inquirer SPECIAL REPORTS 11 Visions' Behind The Passion May/June 2004 • VOL. 28, NO. 3 JOE NICKELL

ARTICLES 14 Belgium Skeptics Commit Mass Suicide 28 Darkness, Tunnels, and Light Stories of darkness, tunnels, and bright light told by those LUC BONNEUX who report near-death experiences actually have a basis in the structure and functioning of the eyes, the brain, and COLUMNS other sense organs that operate during these experiences. G.M. WOERLEE EDITOR'S NOTE Explaining Puzzling Experiences, Observations 4 33 Nurturing Suspicion NEWS AND COMMENT What College Students Learn Reports: Policy, Not Science, Drives Bush Administration / Is About Science Georgia Out of Her Mind? / President Carter Defends Evolution in Skeptics complain about postmodern attacks on science in Biology Classes / Jury Verdict a Pain in the Neck for Chiropractors Saddam: Not Even Remotely Viewed / Community College college "science and society" classes but don't address the Biologists Oppose Alternative Medicine / Position of the Empire reasons these criticisms are so persuasive. When college State Association of Two-Year College Biologists On Alternative students don't learn about the complexities and social Medicine / Noted Researcher, Melvin Harris, Dies / Cold, Icy Sedna dimensions of scientific inquiry, they are vulnerable to the Newest and Farthest Member of Solar System / San Francisco egalitarian appeal of postmodern relativism. Skeptics must Legislator Pushes Feng Shui Building Codes S confront this problem. PHIL MOLE INVESTIGATIVE FILES Psychic Sleuth without a Clue JOE NICKELL .19 38 The Cold War's Classified X' Skyhook Program THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE A Participant's Revelations Philosophy of Science 101 MASSIMO PIGLIUCCI 22 Classified high-altitude, long-duration flights of huge Skyhook balloons, which often returned their secret payloads PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS to the surface, began in 1947 and continued for several decades. This secret Cold War program was the likely Crashed Saucers and Saucer Conferences progenitor of many key aspects of UFO mythology ROBERT SHEAFFER 24

B.D. GILDENBERG NOTES ON A STRANGE WORLD Satan in a Sicilian Fridge 43 The Strange Odyssey of MASSIMO POLIDORO 26 Brenda Dunne Criticism of parapsychological methodology has caused NEW BOOKS 58 researchers to adopt more scientifically valid means of conducting their studies. There are those in the field, SCIENCE BEST SELLERS 59 however, who still reject scientific protocol DOUGLAS M. STOKES FORUM Let's Beat Them at Their Own Game PAUL GILES 60 47 Bridging the Chasm between LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 64 Two Cultures BOOK REVIEWS A former leader in the New Age culture—author of nine titles on auras, chakras, "energy," and so on—chronicles her The Da Vinci Code difficult and painful transition to skepticism. She thanks the skeptical community and agonizes over how the messages of By Dan Brown scientific and critical thinking could be made more effective JOSEPH P. SZIMHART 53 in communicating with her former New Age colleagues. H Preposterous Propositions: From the Genetics of Homosexuality KARLA McLAREN to the Benefits of Global Warming By Robert Ehrlich

RESEARCH REVIEW PETER LAMAL 56

The Sandwalk Adventures 16 I Am Freud's Brain By Jay Hosier MARYANNE GARRY AND ELIZABETH F. LOFTUS JERRY KURLANDSKI 57 EDITOR'S NOTE Skeptical Inquirer IHI MAGAZINE rod StifNCI AND MASON

EDITOR Explaining Puzzling Experiences, Observations Kendrick Frazier EDITORIAL BOARD James E. Alcock Barry Beyerstein keptics are sometimes labeled "debunkers." (Critics usually apply that Thomas Casten term—wrongly—derogatorily. Debunking of unsupported claims has a Martin Gardner S Ray Hyman cherished place in science and in scientific skepticism.) A more appropriate Philip J. Klass Paul Kurtz term, one I like, is "explainers." Following good, critical investigation, science- Joe Nickell Lee Nisbet oriented skeptics often can explain things. Without denying the validity of Amardeo Sarma one's powerful, puzzling personal experience, scientific investigation can pro­ Bela Scheiber CONSULTING EDITORS vide a plausible natural explanation. That's when this business gets rewarding. Robert A. Baker Susan J. Blackmore We have two such articles in this issue. John R. Cole Kenneth L. Feder In "Darkness, Tunnels, and Light," G.M. Woerlee, an anesthesiologist prac­ C. E. M. Hansel ticing in Holland, seeks to explain the "wondrous" phenomena often reported E. C. Krupp Scott O. Lilienfeld since antiquity by the dying or those recovering from near-death experiences. David F. Marks Eugenie Scott As an anesthesiologist he has to view both bodily and mental phenomena from Richard Wiseman a physiological perspective. He started his inquiries out of curiosity, and he CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Chris Mooney ends up showing the ways the functioning of the body can generate seemingly James E. Oberg Robert Sheaffer profound experiences of darkness, tunnels, and light. David E. Thomas B.D. Gildenbcrg explains an entirely different subject. He describes once- MANAGING EDITOR Benjamin Radford classified Skyhook balloon-launch programs during the early decades of the ART DIRECTOR Cold War (beginning in 1947). You'll see show how these extraordinary bal­ Lisa A Hutter PRODUCTION loons and the events surrounding their payload recoveries likely provided stim­ Christopher Fix uli for a host of themes that have become part of UFO lore. These balloons Paul Loynes EDITORIAL ASSISTANT were huge—double the size of the Hindenberg. Their operations were secret David Park Musella because they were part of missions to spy on the Russians or at least take large CARTOONIST Rob Pudim packages of instruments aloft to gain useful information about Soviet threats. WEB PAGE DESIGN Gildenberg's revelations are those of a participant. He worked thirty-five years Patrick Fitzgerald. Designer Amanda Chesworth with Skyhook balloon operations. Reading his article, and learning about Kevin Christopher once-classified projects like Project Gopher and Project Grab Bag, one can Rob Beeston almost (almost) sympathize with UFO believers when they attributed semi- PUBUSHER'S REPRESENTATIVE Barry Karr accurate reports of strange sightings and surrounding military hush-ups to CORPORATE COUNSEL alien spacecraft. Brenton N. VerPloeg BUSINESS MANAGER In another vein altogether, we offer a heartfelt confessional from a former Sandra Lesniak New Age author and leader, Karla McLaren. She describes the anti-science cast FISCAL OFFICER of the New Age movement and her painful struggle to escape its grip and Paul Paulin DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS embrace skepticism, whose style wasn't particularly open or welcoming. She Richard Hull James Kimberly ends up thanking prominent skeptics for their contributions, but I think she CHIEF DATA OFFICER offers some valuable lessons we can all take to heart. Michael Gone STAFF In "Nurturing Suspicion," Phil Mole draws upon his personal experiences Darlene Banks taking graduate-level "science and society" classes. He describes the distorted, Patricia Beauchamp Matthew Cravatta negative view of science that students get in such courses. Postmodernism pre­ Jennifer Miller Heidi Shively vails, and science becomes a caricature. Anthony Santa Lucia John Sullivan Finally, Douglas M. Stokes, a knowledgeable internal critic of research Vance Vigrass methodology in parapsychology, trains his keen critical eye on Brenda Dunne, PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR Kevin Christopher whose "relaxed methodology" doing remote viewing experiments at Robert Jahns EDUCATIONAL DIRECTOR laboratory at Princeton seems central to their reported (and disputed) successes. Amanda Chesworth INQUIRY MEDIA PRODUCTIONS Thomas Flynn DIRECTOR OF UBRARIES Timothy S. Binga

The SKEPTICAL INOUXUH is the official LU journal of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, an international organization.

4 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

Reports: Policy, Not Science, Drives Bush Administration

BENJAMIN RADFORD Houston Wood, a senior scientist at Wood stated that politics overrode A report by a group of more than sixty Oak Ridge Laboratories and an author­ science in how the information was influential scientists, including twenty ity on uranium enrichment by cen­ presented to Congress and the Nobel laureates, asserts that the Bush trifuge. Wood and virtually all other American people. "Science was not administration has systematically dis­ scientists concluded that there was no pushing this forward. Scientists had torted scientific facts and findings to link between the tubes and a nuclear made their evaluation, made their support its policy goals. The report, program, yet their findings were at determination, and now didn't know "Scientific Integrity in Policymaking," odds with Bush administration claims. what was happening." 60 Minutes II was written by Seth Shulman and While a CIA report advocated the correspondent Scott Pelley asked Wood issued on behalf of the Union of administration's view that the tubes were about Powell's claim: "Do you know Concerned Scientists. The 38-page to be used for developing nuclear even one [expert] who says yes, these report (available at www.ucsusa.org) weapons, a set of technical experts from arc for nuclear weapons?" Wood replied, states: "A growing number of scientists, the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge, "I don't know a single one, anywhere." In policy makers, and technical specialists Livermore, and Los Alamos national lab­ this case the true scientific consensus was both inside and outside the govern­ oratories reviewed the CIA analysis and apparently exactly the opposite of what ment allege that the current Bush disagreed with its findings. Independent was stated by the administration in mak­ administration has suppressed or dis­ investigations by the State Department's ing its case for war. torted the scientific analyses of federal intelligence branch and the International agencies to bring these results in line Atomic Energy Agency also concluded —Benjamin Radford with administration policy." that the tubes were unsuitable for ura­ nium enrichment. Benjamin Radford is managing editor of The findings cover many policy SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and author of areas, including environmental protec­ Media Mythmakers: How Journalists, tion, abstinence/sex education, and Activists, and Advertisers Mislead Us pre-war claims that aluminum tubes (Prometheus 2003). found in Iraq were to be used for enriching uranium—and thus creating Is Georgia Out nuclear weapons. In response to an EPA report on the effects of climate of Her Mind? change, the report charges that "the It is probably all over but the shouting Bush administration has sought to now, but once again leaders of my exaggerate uncertainty by relying on beloved Georgia have succeeded in mak­ disreputable and fringe-science reports ing my state the object of worldwide and preventing informed discussion on ridicule. Elected State School Super­ the issue." intendent Kathy Cox first made interna­ tional headlines when she tried to remove While acknowledging that previous the word evolution from the state school presidents also engaged in distorting curriculum in January (see sidebar on fol­ and manipulating science, the report lowing page). The brouhaha over that concluded that the Bush administra­ forced Cox to change her mind, helped tion's efforts to do so were "unprece­ greatly by complaints from former dented." The White House largely dis­ President Jimmy Carter, from the Atlanta missed the report as a politically driven Constitution, and from many CSICOP collection of unrelated incidents that This information was presented to supporters and allies (including from do not constitute a pervasive anti- Secretary of State Colin Powell and me, from the National Center for Science science bias. others prior to their remarks on the Education, and from professors at the University of Georgia and Georgia Still, many of the report's findings topic. Yet Powell embraced the discred­ State University such as Barry Palevitz have been independently verified. One ited CIA report and downplayed the and Sarah Pallas). Even Governor high-profile example, Iraq's aluminum collective scientific position, testifying Sonny Perdue, a fellow Republican and tubes, was the subject of a 60 Minutes that "Most U.S. experts think [the archconservative, condemned removing II segment titled "The Man Who tubes] arc intended to serve as rotors in the word, though he made it clear that he Knew" (February 4, 2004). It featured centrifuges used to enrich uranium."

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 5 NEWS AND COMMENT

Jury Verdict a Pain President Carter Defends Evolution in the Neck for in Biology Classes Chiropractors In early 2004, the Georgia state superintendent of schools Kathy Cox ordered the term evolution removed from the proposed biology curriculum. It was, she Chiropractors across North America went said, "a buzz word that causes a lot of negative reaction." In its place, Cox sug­ into damage-control mode after an gested "biological changes over time." Ontario (Canada) coroners inquest jury After heavy criticism from educators and scientists, Cox apologized and found that neck manipulation was the replaced the word. Among those outraged was former President Jimmy Carter. cause of the death of a forry-five-year-old who weighed in with the following statement: Toronto woman. As a Christian, a trained engineer and scientist, and a professor at Emory The five-person jury announced their University, I am embarrassed by Superintendent Kathy Cox's attempt to censor verdict on January 16, 2004, bringing to and distort the education of Georgia's students. Her recommendation that the a close the nearly two-year-long inquest, word "evolution" be prohibited in textbooks will adversely effect the teaching of one of die longest in Ontario history. It science and leave our high school graduates with a serious handicap as they enter college or private life where freedom of speech will be permitted. found that factory worker Lana Dale Lewis's death was an "accident"—that is, Nationwide ridicule of Georgia's public school system will be inevitable if this proposal is adopted, and additional and undeserved discredit will be caused by the high chiropractic neck brought on our excellent universities as our state's reputation is damaged. manipulation she received about two All high school science teachers, being college graduates, have studied evo­ weeks before her death. lution as a universal clement of university curricula, and would be under pres­ The jury had only three choices for the sure to suppress their own educated beliefs in the classroom. cause of death: undetermined, accident, lilt- existing and long-standing use of the word "evolution" in our state's text­ or natural causes. Lawyers for Canada's books has not adversely affected Georgians' belief in the omnipotence of God as major chiropractic organizations had creator of the universe. There can be no incompatibility between Christian faith argued for two years that Lewis's stroke and proven facts concerning geology, biology, and astronomy. and death were the result of natural causes There is no need to teach that stars can fall out of the sky and land on a flat including her high blood pressure, smok­ earth in order to defend our religious faith. ing, obesity, migraine headaches, and Fortunately, it is the responsibility of the State Board of Education to make the final decision on the superintendent's ill-advised proposal. alcohol consumption. Calling her a "walking time bomb," they told the jurors that neck manipulation had nothing to thought "intelligent" design/creationism along with this radical idea. As columnist do with her stroke and death. deserved equal time. It turned out that Campbell wrote on February 11, a major The jury, after examining 250 exhibits backing down on the word was trivial question still remains: "Why the changes and listening to the often-conflicting tes­ compared with the rest of her proposal. in the first place?" The superintendent is, timony of twenty experts, found that her As Professor Pallas noted (quoted in after all, a graduate of a highly regarded death came as a direct result of the upper Colin Campbell's column in the school (Emory University in Atlanta) and neck adjustment administered by Toronto Constitution on February 10), other thus is unlikely to be as ignorant as her chiropractor Victor Emanuele. Six days ideas that would have been censored proposed changes would suggest. after the manipulation, Lewis was admit­ included "the ecological impact of Campbell's conclusion seems likely to be ted to hospital suffering from a stroke. humans, age of the Earth, common right: that creationists tried "to hijack our She died from another stroke on ancestry, plate tectonics. Big Bang theory, biology classes." The hijacking appears to and the history of life, the Earth and the have been thwarted. September 12. Amani Oakley, the young lawyer for Lewis's large, working-class universe." All may be well that ends well, as this family, called the decision a "complete After a further firestorm of criticism. embarrassing story appears to have and utter victory." Not surprisingly, Tim Superintendent Cox appears to have ended. But there's an important lesson to backed down on the broader destruction be learned: protecting science and sci­ Danson, the high-profile lawyer for the of the science curricula in Georgia. By ence education cannot be taken for Canadian Chiropractic Association and mid-February, the Georgia Board of granted. We must remain vigilant—and the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic Education announced that it "expects the not just in Georgia. College, said the verdict was "perverse" new Georgia curriculum to be world- and characterized the inquest a "massive class, beginning with full inclusion of the —Ed Buckner miscarriage of justice." Danson claimed recognized national standards in each Ed Buckner is Southern Director fir the two world experts did not get to testify at curriculum area." Cox appears, as of this Council fir Secular Humanism and a the inquest and he threatened to appeal writing in late February, ready to go native Georgian. die decision. The lawyer for the coroner's

6 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT office called Danson's charges "utter and inquest was finally called. The family also the co-author of Spin Doctors: The complete nonsense." launched a $ 12 million lawsuit against the Chiropractic Industry Under Examina­ Its not surprising that the chiroprac­ chiropractor who treated Lana Lewis. tion (Dundurn Press, 2002). tors would come out swinging after the The inquest was a tortured affair, decision. Though the inquest process is marred by constant legal wranglings and Saddam: Not Even supposed to be a nonadversarial search for delays. At one point, more than ninety the truth, the chiropractors had three slides of Lewis's artery went missing only Remotely Viewed high-priced legal teams at the inquest to be returned months later by the lawyer Remote viewing is defined by The (one for the individual chiropractor, one of one of the chiropractors; the original Skeptic's Dictionary as ". . . the alleged representing the Ontario College of representative for the family. Dr. Murray psychic ability to perceive places, per­ Chiropractic the provincial regulatory Katz—a well-known chiropractic critic— sons, and actions that are not within the body, and one for the association and the was dismissed after the chiropractors pro­ range of the senses. ..." In short, it teaching college). It is estimated their col­ duced private letters and e-mails they said would include the ability to "see" people lective legal fees were well over two mil­ were received in a plain brown envelope; and things from a distance. The lion dollars. Danson said negative media and Danson, the chiropractors' lead December 13, 2003, capture of Saddam coverage associated with the inquest had lawyer, even made a motion to have the Hussein in the now-famous "spider caused a 25 percent drop in business, family's lawyer dismissed only months hole" about nine miles south of Tikrit, costing chiropractors in Canada more before the inquest's conclusion. Iraq, begs the question: Where were all than $100 million. In the end, these tactics did not sway the psychics and remote viewers? The verdict is likely going to cost them the two-man, three-woman jury. Their Couldn't they have provided the loca­ even more. Among the jury's seventeen landmark ruling was only the second of tion of this torturer and killer of hun­ recommendations are items that may give its kind in Canada. In 1998, a dreds of thousands? potential chiropractic patients pause. Saskatchewan inquest direcdy linked a To my knowledge, there was no for­ Jurors advised that chiropractors obtain chiropractic neck adjustment to the death mal prediction on record—before the written informed consent from every of a twenty-one-year-old Saskatoon capture—by any alleged psychic or patient before performing a neck adjust­ woman. Laurie Jean Mathiason suffered a remote viewer regarding the whereabouts ment and that every patient be given an massive stroke on her chiropractor's table of this ruthless killer. Of course such an information sheet with risks and stroke on February 4, 1998, immediately follow­ accurate prediction would have saved the symptoms clearly spelled out. They called ing a neck adjustment. She died three United States government scores of dol­ for a database to collect all adverse events days later. An inquest found there had lars and probably many lives. following neck manipulation and for been a traumatic rupture of her left verte­ It's interesting that remote viewing large-scale studies into high-neck adjust­ bral artery. predictions are readily made when they ments and stroke. All the jury recommendations, tend to be vague or unimportant—such The verdict is especially important designed to prevent similar future as "seeing" mountain ranges on because the inquest almost never hap­ deaths, concerned chiropractic neck Jupiter—a gaseous planet. Perhaps this is pened. After Lewis's death in 1996, the manipulation. Their instructions that all why the CIA abandoned remote view­ coroner's office invited three top chiro­ chiropractors provide literature about ing in 1995: They tried it, and it didn't practic officials to a meeting in an effort the risks of chiropractic treatment in the work. to avoid a time-consuming and cosdy waiting rooms and that the profession If psychics have failed to pass die inquiry. According to the coroners pre­ work with the government to conduct James Randi Educational Foundation's sent that day, the chiropraaors agreed to studies to determine the incidence of One Million Dollar Paranormal inform their membership of the dangers stroke associated with neck manipula­ Challenge, they're not likely going to be of upper-neck manipulation and to take tion were never carried out. able to collect the $25 million reward steps to inform their patients. They Canada's 5,000 chiropractors esti­ for information leading to Saddam's never did. mate that they perform approximately capture. But all is not lost for remote In 1999, the Lewis family called for an 10 million to 14 million neck manipu­ viewers: Maybe they can provide the inquest. Their request was denied in lations a year. precise location of Osama bin Ladern 2000. But when chiropractors began tak­ ing out ads in local newspapers trumpet­ —Paul Benedetti —Bryan Farha ing the lack of an inquest as proof that Paul Benedetti teaches journalism in the Bryan Farha is a professor at Oklahoma Lewis's death was unconnected to neck Faculty of Information and Media Studies City University and a member of manipulation, the family appealed and an at the University of Western Ontario. He is CSICOP's astrology subcommittee.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/hme2004 7 NEWS AND COMMENT

Community College widely disseminated and attractively Noted Researcher, packaged pseudoscience finds its way Biologists Oppose into biology classroom discussions. Melvin Harris, Dies Alternative Medicine Recently, associations between alter­ For the friends and admirers of British native medicine and well-regarded edu­ researcher Melvin Harris, the bells that In November 2003 the Empire State cational, governmental, and medical rang in New Year's Day 2004 instead Association of Two-Year College institutions have been created. These should have tolled mournfully. Harris Biologists (ESATYCB) voted to con­ relationships emerge as de facto died unexpectedly that afternoon at the firm a position statement opposing any endorsements of alternative medicines age of almost 74, survived by his devoted association between community college theories by respected groups. This per­ wife Maureen. biology instruction with the unscien­ ceived validation of "junk biology" A writer, broadcaster, and television tific beliefs of chiropractic and other undermines the task of biology educa­ researcher, Harris became a highly alternative medicine schemes. The tors whose responsibility is the presenta­ respected authority on nearly every topic ESATYCB is the first statewide educa­ tion of science-based information. on which he set his sights. Whether it was tional organization to openly oppose the Amityville Horror hoax, the alleged the encroachment of alternative medi­ The ESATYCB has no authority over prognostications of Nostradamus and cine into undergraduate academic biol­ New York State's community college Jeane Dixon, or the supposedly ghostly ogy education. biology departments. The expectancy is manifestations of spiritualist charlatans, Alternative medicine uses the lan­ that the policy statement will "red flag" Harris was sure to illuminate and dispel guage of science, but convolutes scien­ alternative medicine as a questionable mystery. His 1986 Investigating the tific reasoning to justify its undemon- source of science-based information and Unexplained remains a definitive work strated claims. Sales pitches that sound provide support for educators who (reissued by Prometheus Books, 2003). similar to research findings abound on openly question dubious medical He was also a leading expert on the the Internet and in print. Televised claims. grisly Whitechapel murders of 1888. In infomercials, uncritical news reports, his Jack the Ripper—The Bloody Truth —Frank Reiser and sensationalized "investigative" pro­ (1987) and The Ripper File (1989), he grams are blurring the line berween that Frank Reiser is president of the Empire shot down myriad "solutions" to the which is considered accepted science State Association of Two-Year College killers identity that were based on fan­ and that which is not. Inevitably, this Biologists. tasies or fiction. His own solution, which he proposed in his The True Face of Jack the Ripper (1994), was, correct or not, a cut above most. Harris worked as a researcher for the Position of the Empire State Association BBC as well as for the popular Yorkshire of Two-Year College Biologists Television-produced series, Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World and Arthur C. On Alternative Medicine Clarke's World of Strange Powers. The Clarke series producer, Simon Welfare, The Empire State Association of Two-Year College Biologists strongly dis­ described him as "a great unsung hero" approves of the association of academic biology departments at two-year who typically kept a low profile but— colleges with unscientific and anti-scientific philosophies and practices. when ready with "all the facts wonderfully These are common among Chiropractic, Naturopathy, Homeopathy and checked"—then "came out with guns many other practices known as "complementary and alternative medicine." blazing." Such affiliations are likely to undercut scientific and critical thinking in the Welfare termed Melvin Harris "the curriculum and hinder colleges trying to maintain high standards in science best researcher I've known." And Isaac education. Additionally, such associations serve to legitimize unscientific Asimov once wrote to him: "You do mar­ and anti-scientific philosophies and practices and weaken the public's velous work, I admire you gready." No understanding of science at a time when a full appreciation of the scientific doubt many others echo those sentiments method is sorely needed. and mourn the loss of Melvin Harris and his contributions to rational inquiry.

Adopted by majority vote November 10, 2003. —Joe Nickell Joe Nickell is Senior Research Fellow for CSICOP.

8 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

Cold, Icy Sedna Newest Sedna appears to be die second most Feng shui contains plenty of common- reddish object in die solar system, after sense techniques such as eliminating and Farthest Member Mars. clutter to reduce stress and painting of Solar System rooms in certain colors to encourage a —Kendrick Frazier good mood. But it is also rife with archaic A small, cold object three times farther Kendrick Frazier is Editor of the superstitions, such as avoiding unlucky from die Sun than Pluto is die newest SKEPTICAL INQUIRER numbers, keeping toilet lids down to pre­ object in our solar system—and die far­ vent chi from going down die drain, and thest yet discovered. Named Sedna, for placing mirrors at strategic points to the Inuit goddess who created sea crea­ San Francisco Legislator deflect negative energy. tures of the Arctic, it is 1,000 miles in diameter, about diree quarters die sire of Pushes Feng Shui Though the principles originated in Pluto. The planetoid—it's too small to be Building Codes China four to five thousand years ago, a called a planet—has a highly elongated simplified version of feng shui has orbit and is now 8 billion miles away from A California lawmaker has proposed diat become a worldwide fad in recent years, die Sun. It takes 10,500 years to make the Golden State "adopt building stan­ especially among businessmen looking to one orbit. Its temperature is about minus dards that promote feng shui principles" increase their success. Corporations are 440 degrees F. in order to increase the "positive energy" also buying into the feng shui craze: Merrill Lynch, Citibank, and Donald "The Sun appears so small from diat available to die state's millions of resi­ Trump have all utilized feng shui princi­ distance diat you could completely block dents. The non-binding resolution was ples for their properties. But this may it out with head of pin," said die leader of put forth in January of 2004 by Leland have less to do with a desire for good chi die research team, Michael Brown of the Yee, Assistant Speaker pro Tempore of dian with business savvy: some CEOs California Institute of Technology. die California State Assembly, and urged may view this as a strategy to win over NASA, which funded the research, the state architect and cities across die Asian clients, for whom bad feng shui announced the discovery March 15. state to adopt design standards consistent widi die Chinese principles of feng shui. can be a deal-breaker. As a press release put out by Yee's Despite California's reputation as office explains, "The structure of a build­ somewhat New Age-y, the harshest criti­ ing can affect a person's mood, which can cism has come from within die Golden influence a person's behavior, which, in State. "Frivolous bills such as these may turn, can determine the success of a per­ cause a few chuckles, and even a mention son's personal and professional relation­ by Jay Leno, but in reality they're no ships, and the aim of Feng Shui architec­ laughing matter," fumes a Modesto Bee ture is to study how die environment in opinion writer (February 18, 2004). which people live may affect their lives, "Every bill introduced in die Legislature, and influence their quality of life." no matter how mundane or silly, con­ Feng shui, which translates as wind sumes staff time for research." Spokes- and water, is a collection of ancient people for the California Building Chinese traditions intended to improve a Standards Commission (CBSC) and the person's life through the carefully California Building Industry Association planned layout of buildings and die have also criticized die resolution, citing objects wiihin diem. Feng shui integrates the shortage of affordable housing and Discovery photo of the distant new planetoid the substantial numbers of rules and reg­ Sedna. NASA announced its discovery March 15. several concepts of Asian mysticism, most essentially the flow of chi, or energy. ulations that already govern the construc­ Sedna was discovered November 14 Supposedly, chi can be manipulated, tion of new buildings. "My gut feeling with a 48-inch telescope on Mount redirected, and even blocked by one's of it is diat in diese times widi the bud­ Palomar. Sedna is apparently die largest environment. According to feng shui tra­ get, cuts to resources, cutbacks, we're solar system object discovered since dition, positive chi is influenced by such looking at the highest priority issues," said Stan Nishimura, executive director Pluto in 1930 (tiny Pluto's status as a things as natural lighting and materials, of the CBSC. "I don't diink diis is our "planet" has in recent years been under electronic equipment, and good airflow. highest priority." strong challenge). Sedna is probably die Artificial lighting and materials, an first detection of die long-hypothesized "unlucky" or "unbalanced" building —John Gaeddert "Oort cloud," a distant repository of icy shape, clutter, and even keepsakes diat bodies that periodically make dieir way stir up bad memories can all produce John Gaeddert is the Assistant Director of negative chi. into die inner solar system as comets. Communications for CSICOP. •

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he controversy over Me1,-1! including the ability to communicate In these we follow the elaborate preparations and ceremonial for the Gibson's The Passion of [fjthee with higher entities—a sort of adult ver- Last Supper. Wc are accorded flowing T Christ has largely ignored a,iin, sion of a child's imaginary playmate. descriptions of the judgment hall of essential fact. While some Christiananss A mystic, Emmerich may also have Caiaphas and the palace of Pilate. Not have praised its "biblical authenticityty" been a pious fraud. She made a show a blow seems to be omitted from Jesus's and others have criticized its "brutal vio'io­- of being Christlike, even sleeping on savage scourging by six drunken and blood-thirsty sadists. We arc told of lence and portrayal of ancient JewsYg" planks placed on the ground in the housewife Veronica wiping Jesus's face (Tokasz 2004), a major source for mucichh shape of a cross, and from the age of with her veil. We learn how special of the movie has received comparativele|yy about twenty-four claiming to receive holes had to be dug for me three little attention. the pain of Jesus' crown of thorns. crosses. And we grieve with the holy women as they wash Jesus's lifeless Soon, blood was flowing down her face. body and lavish it with unguents in Playbook After she was accepted into an preparation for his burial. Reportedly, Mel Gibson "accidentallJly Augustinian convent, she supposedly stumbled upon" a book— The Dolorousous received "a mark like a cross upon her Wilson continues: irst bosom" and still later exhibited a full Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, first But it is precisely this welter of detail published in 1833—which "planted| a array of stigmata (i.e., the wounds of that gives rise to most disquiet. Just seed in his mind and finally played1 a Christ's crucifixion), how satisfied can we be that her large role in motivating him to make ththe She was subjected to a three-week account of the Last Supper is authen­ tic? Should we really believe her asser­ film" (Book 2004). In fact, Gibso;on medical examination in 1819, but "this ck- examination appears to have produced no tion that the Last Supper chalice once (2004) termed the book "great back­ belonged to Abraham? Does her ground and foundation material." particular effects in any way" ("Life" description of Caiaphas's mansion Unfortunately, the book consists of 1833). Neither science nor the Catholic accord with modern excavations of the "visions" of a German nun, Annlne Church has ever authenticated a single the city's first century priestly dwellings? Is it not a little suspicious Catherine Emmerich (1774—1824). A,s aa instance of stigmata. Indeed, many stig- ian matics have been proven fraudulent that the Veronica story as she child she had an invisible "guardian describes it owes nothing to any orig­ angel"; experienced .ipp.iriuon.il encounin_­ (Nickell 2000; Nickell 2004). inal gospel and everything to ters with Jesus, Mary, and various saintsUs; Still later Emmerich claimed to prac- medieval legend? Docs her assertion and displayed a special sensitivity to any[jy­. rice inedia. That is the alleged ability to that Adam was buried at Golgotha thing held sacred ("Life" 1904). In short>rt, forgo nourishment by suspending all eat- owe more to symbol-seeking tradition than accurate reportage? How sure she exhibited many of the traits indicaca-­ ing and, sometimes, drinking (Nickell can wc be that Jesus's body was |ity 1993, 225-229). Emmerich supposedly tive of a "fantasy-prone" personality washed and anointed before burial? (Wilson and Barber 1983). That is nolott subsisted only on wine, and eventually The gospels do not specifically say so, only the personality type of numerou)us "only pure water" ("Life" 1833). She was and according to some, when a Jew religious visionaries, but also of countlesess never properly investigated, but some died a bloody death the religious requirement was that he should not spiritualist mediums, alien abducteesiCS>, inedics who were were exposed as frauds. be washed in order that his life's blood and other fantasizers. They typicallJ|yy „• • Visions should be buried with him- believe they have special powers, ofteten ^ Anne Catherine Emmerich's purported Interestingly, Emmerich (1904, Joe Nickell, CSICOP Senior Researchrch visions—which provide far more elabo- 137-138) envisioned Jesus' mother, fellow, is author, co-autftor, or editor ofof rate and intimate details of Jesus's final Mary, and others wiping up the "sacred numerous investigative hooks, includinging hours than do the gospels—are also sus- blood" from Jesus' flagellation, presum­ Inquest on the Shroud of Turin andnd pect. According to Catholic writer Ian ably to preserve it. In this imagined anec­ Looking for a Miracle. Wilson (1988, 76): dote—repeated in Mel Gibson's The

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June J004 11 Passion of the Christ—the linen towels Anti-semitism? Gratuitous Although at times Emmerich simply were provided by the wife of the Roman Violence? speaks of Jesus' "malicious and cruel ene­ prefect, Pilate. Gibson even goes further: Much of what critics have objected to in mies" (122), at other times, whether whereas Emmerich only claimed to see The Passion—namely the portrayals of intentionally or not, she appears to Pilate's wife "send" the cloths, Gibson Pilate and the Jewish high priest, malign an entire people. She refers to "the has her deliver them in person. Caiaphas, as well as what many have wicked Jews," "the hard hearted Jews," Ian Wilson concludes: viewed as anti-Semitism and gratuitous "the cruel Jews" (101, 106, 115), and other disparagements—reflected in One could go into detail on the way violence—appears to derive largely from Catharine [sic] was anachronistic or Emmerich. Gibson's The Passion in the sinister just plain wrong on point after countenances and actions of Caiaphas's point. . . . But perhaps more telling is followers. the absence in her visions of any con­ Regarding the film's extreme vio­ vincing "period" feel, and the inclu­ lence, while acknowledging that The sion of many stories, like that of Veronica, difficult to accept as any­ Passion offers a "meticulous evocation of thing other than apocrypha. its time and setting," Entertainment Weekly added (Jensen 2004): Emmerich's handling of Veronica's tale is instructive. Representing one of It's also, apparently, the Most Violent the Stations of the Cross in Catholic rit­ Story Ever Told. The scourging of Christ—for some. The Passion's most ual, the medieval story derives from ear­ gruesome sequence—sounds like a lier legends (dating back to the fourth textbook lesson in torture, with century) concerning certain miraculous Gibson's camera doting on the instru­ self-portraits of Jesus. Over the cen­ ments used and the flesh-rendering turies, one type of these came to be damage they can inflict. known as "Veronica's Veil." According And the textbook that obviously pro­ to a pious legend, Veronica was a vided the lesson is, again, Emmerich's Jerusalem woman who took pity on The Dolorous Passion. Jesus as he struggled with his cross on the way to Golgotha. In some versions According to Emmerich's visions of the tale, she gave her kerchief or veil (134): to Jesus so he could wipe the blood and . .. [T]hey then dragged his arms to sweat from his face, and—in return for such a height that his feet, which were her generosity—he miraculously im­ tightly bound to the base of the pillar, scarcely touched the ground. Thus printed the cloth with his holy visage. was the Holy of Holies violently There were numerous such portrait stretched, without a particle ol cloth­ veils, known, not surprisingly, as ing, on a pillar used for the punish­ ment of the greatest criminals: and "Veronicas." However, the term is then did two furious ruffians who believed to be a corruption of vera iconica, were thirsting for his blood begin in that is, "true image," the corruption prob­ the most barbarous manner to ably inspiring the Veronica tale. scourge his sacred body from head to The movie's depiction of Pilate as (Although the "Veronicas" were suppos­ foot. The whips of scourges which vacillating and as eventually succumb­ they first made use of appeared to me edly miraculously bestowed, they were ing to Caiaphas's desire that Jesus be to be made of a species of flexible actually painted. To explain how there crucified (Tokasz 2004), seems to come white wood, but perhaps they were could be many of the "original," another composed of the sinews of the ox, or straight out of Emmerich. She refers to story was invented which told how die of strips of leather. "The undecided, weak conduct of holy image could supernaturally duplicate Pilate" who was "That most weak and She further envisioned: itself [Nickell 1993, 19-22].) Anne Cadierine Emmerich, who was undecided of all judges." In contrast, Our loving Lord, the Son of God, steeped in Catholic traditions, knew diat Caiaphas, she says, "even went so far as true God and true Man, writhed as a worm under the blows of these bar­ Veronica was a made-up name, deriving to endeavor to exclude from the Council all those members who were in die barians; his mild but deep groans from "vera icon" [sic], but she claimed it might be heard from afar; they was used to "commemorate" die woman's slightest degree favorable to Jesus." resounded through the air, as a kind brave act. Emmerich somehow divined According to her, Caiaphas made no of touching accompaniment to the diat Veronica's real name was Seraphia, effort to conceal his hatred of Jesus hissing of the instruments of torture. These groans resembled rather a cry and she added other unlikely details. (Emmerich 1904, 108, 132, 147).

12 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER of prayer and supplication, than insisted each day's filming begin with thy cinematic account of a story essential moans of anguish. ... the celebration of Mass (Neff 2004, 30). to Christianity but merely another tech­ The Jewish mob was gathered The result is a film that offers neither nically impressive yet pseudohistorical together at some distance from the pillar at which the dreadful punish­ an historical nor a fundamentalist view. Hollywood shockumentary. ment was taking place. ... I saw Of course, historically, apart from later groups of infamous, bold-looking Christian sources, there is virtually no Acknowledgments young men, who were for the most evidence for Jesus' crucifixion—or even I appreciate the input of colleagues, espe­ part busying themselves near the his very existence. There are merely a cially Benjamin Radford and Kevin watch-house in preparing fresh Christopher. scourges, while others went to seek few texts that many critics hold to be "too uncertain or too late to provide any branches of thorns. References support for the Gospel story, with the Ashton. Joan. 1991. The People's Madonna: An And so on, in this extreme detailing of only substantial piece of it [allegedly by Account of the Visions of Mary at Medjugorje. violence. the Jewish historian Josephus] easily dis­ London: Fount, 29. The scope of Emmerich's The Dolorous creditable as a total Christian forgery" Book that inspired. . . . 2004. Available at www.passionmovic.com/promotc/book.html. Passion is essentially that chosen by (Doherty 2001, 47; see also Price 2003). Craveri, Marcello. 1967. The Life of Jesus. New Gibson for The Passion. Although an York: Grove Press. article in Christianity Today Doherty. Earl. 2001. Challenging magazine noted tiiat Gibson the Verdict: A Cross-Examination of Lee Strobel's "The Case did not follow Emmerich for Christ.' Ottawa, Ontario, slavishly, it did concede Canada: Age of Reason the debt, acknowledging, Publications. Emmerich, Anne Catherine. 1904. "Many of the details needed The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord to fill out the Gospel Jesus Christ. 20th edition; accounts he drew from her reprinted El Sobrance, Cal­ ifornia: North Bay Books, 2003. book" (Neff 2004). Gibson, Mel. 2004. Quoted in "The Making of Mel Gibson's A "Catholic" Film? The Passion of Christ," PAX Network, February 24. And that is the point many Jensen, Jeff. 2004. The agony & seem to have missed. Con- J ecstasy. Entertainment Weekly. servative Catholic com- J February 20. The life of venerable Anne mentator Cal Thomas 5 Catherine Emmerich.... 1833. (2004) stated that the 8 Appendix of Emmerich 1904, Veronica incident was the ° 251-285. Neff, David. 2004. The passion of only "doctrinely Catholic" As to the accounts of the Passion in Mel Gibson. Christianity Today. element he could see in The Passion, the gospels, they are not only very brief, March, 30-35. thus ignoring the heavy reliance on a Nickell, Joe. 1993. Looking for a Miracle: Weeping but scholarly analysis demonstrates that Catholic "visionary" for much of the Icons, Relics, Stigmata. Visions & Healing Cures. they ate also untrustworthy. For exam­ Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. film's content. ple, as Jesus seminar scholar Robert . 2000. Stigmata: In imitation of Christ. The emphasis on Mary is another Price (2003, 321) observes, "The cruci­ SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 24(1). July/August: strongly Catholic element. The film does 24-28. fixion account of Mark, the basis for all stop short of making Mary a major object -. 2004. The stigmata of Lilian Bemas. the others, is simply a tacit rewrite of SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 28(2), March/April: of veneration (creating what some refer to Psalm 22, with a few other texts thrown 17-19. as "Marianity" [Craveri 1967, 32] or, in." Jesus' exclamation—"My God, my Price. Robert M. 2003. 7*r Incredible Shrinking especially when expressed before statues Son of Man: How Reliable Is the Gospel God, why hast thou forsaken me?"— Tradition? Amherst. N.Y.: Prometheus Books. and other images, as "Mariolatry" comes verbatim from Psalm 22; also Thomas, Cal. 2004. Fox News. Fox television net­ [Ashton 1991]). Yet Gibson, who has from that Psalm are the piercing of the work. February 21. been struck by the positive evangelical hands and the feet, the casting of lots for Tokasz, Jay. 2004. With Passion.' The Buffalo response to The Passion, admits that is all News (Buffalo. New York). February 25. •he garments, and other story motifs. Wilson. Ian. 1988. The Bleeding Mind: An the more amazing since "the film is so Small wonder that a filmmaker would Investigation into the Mysterious Phenomenon of Marian" (quoted in Neff 2004, 35). look elsewhere for details to fill in an oth­ Stigmata. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. Wilson, Sheryl C. and Theodore X. Barber. 1983. The focus should not be surprising erwise sketchy oudine. But Mel Gibson's The fantasy-prone personality, in A.A. Sheikh, since Mel Gibson is a devout Catholic. heavy reliance on a dubious "visionary" is ed.. Imagery: Current Theory, Research, and Moreover, the film's Jesus, Jim Caviezel, unfortunate, producing not a praisewor­ Application. New York: John Wiley & Sons. •

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 13 SPECIAL REPORT

Belgium Skeptics Commit Mass Suicide

LUC BONNEUX

ast year, the major health insur­ dence-based medicine." The CEOs of bull milk) will rise from the liquid, and ance companies in Belgium de­ the insurance companies did not explain kill the skeptic on the spot. All important L cided to cover part of the costs of to SKEPP how quackery would improve newspapers and TV stations were homeopathy. "Covering" is a bit strong: the quality of medical practice. It cannot recruited to witness the terrible extermi­ only 20 percent of the costs are reim­ be the idea to add, to the dangerous nation of these dangerous minds. bursed. The Belgian companies never quacks abusing modern medicine, the It would he a great loss to Belgian theless offer a quality label to quackery somewhat less dangerous quacks selling academia, a terrible blow to all these and an encouragement premium to con­ water and silliness, or is it? And of course, narrow-minded people that do not vince the uninformed public that home­ the final argument was that "Hom­ understand the miracles of homeopathy. opathy has medicinal properties. The eopathy is cheap!" It may cost Belgium Among the twenty-three suicidais were a poor patient remains in the dark about $18 million per year, or some $1.80 for hoard of professors from medical and the real properties of homeopathy, a every Belgian, for something that does other faculties, a rightly famous publi­ magic as powerful as the miracle at not work. Is $ 1,000 cheap for a car that cist and television program maker, and Cana, where Jesus Christ changed water cannot, and never will, operate? The even a few normal people armed with into wine. In homeopathy, alcohol and Belgian health insutance companies nothing but common sense. water are beaten into powerful drugs. deliver astonishing insights in economy. The guy who spawned the idea of the When SKEPP, the (Flemish) Belgian The Belgian skeptics were exhausted skeptical suicide was Joeri Mesens, skeptical organization, attacked the and overwhelmed by such well-crafted indeed an ordinary young man. Once a health insurance companies for wasting arguments. Seeing the errors of the skep­ true believer he became an apostate of people's money to promote quackery, we tic's ways, they resigned themselves to homeopathic salvation after conducting got the traditional response: "People like committing mass suicide by drinking a self-designed, skeptical experiments on it." Insurance payers love to be deceived, lethal dose of terribly toxic and danger­ his poor children. Several times he with­ so let's deceive diem. SKEPP suggested ous drugs: snake poison, Belladonna or held life-saving homeopathic wonder reimbursing red Bordeaux wine, as peo­ deadly nightshade, arsenic, dog's milk, drugs from one of his two sick children, ple love red wine, too. We were not jok­ petrol, and cockroach. Dog's milk does observing that both of them recovered ing: there is a trillion times more evi­ not sound that dangerous, but try milk­ in exactly the same amount of time. The dence that red wine (taken in modera­ ing a pit bull. To assure immediate idea of suicide came to him after an tion) is good for your health. death, these powerful drugs were argument with his mother, a true "Traditional doctors do not perform evi- immensely dynamized: the daring skep­ believer in homeopathy. She was horri­ tics selected the over-die-counter 30C fied when he proposed to drink all of Luc Bonneux has been associate professor homeopathic solutions (reimbursed by her drugs at once. in public health at the Utrecht Medical the health insurance, if prescribed by a The idea was taken over by Tom Centrum (the Netherlands). A medical certified quack). A dynamization of 30C Schoepen, editor-in-chief of the SKEPP's doctor and scientist, financially supported means the poison is diluted 10** times. magazine Wonder en is Gheen Wonder by the people, he says he has a duty to pro­ That is a one followed by sixty zeros. The (Miracles Ain't Miracles). The son of a tect the public from quacks and frauds. whole earth (estimated at 10" molecules) once famous Belgian country and west­ However, he joined the Belgian skeptics is way too small to hold a single molecule ern singer, his looks are better than (SKEPP) for esthetic reasons. "In our short in diat dilution. That is, in homeopathic Johnny Depp's. He effortlessly raises journey through Deep Time, understand­ terms, an awfully powerful dilution. The highly undiluted hormone levels in fel­ ing makes the trip more beautiful and immensely "dynamized" spirits of arsenic low human beings blessed widi a second more enjoyable." and snake poison (not to mention the pit X chromosome, and bewitches our

14 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (female) minister of Public Health. Alas, dency to develop wrinkles. If you feel trolled experiment showed that Randi's they fall for his looks, but they resist his that your organs arc escaping tJirough $1 million was safe: there was not a arguments. They know someone who has your vagina, or if you bark like a dog, shred of evidence that homeopathy dif­ been cured by homeopathy, and even you are more of a Belladonna patient. fered from the pure solvent. It shows more, they know several people who However, if you lose gas from your that a few drips of acidic humor in a know someone who has been cured by vagina and dream of snakes, dog milk is good idea are more efficient than long homeopathy, which is obviously an your poison. serious articles. Not so many people unbeatable argument to subsidize quack­ Finally the time had come. The skep­ know that homeopathy attributes its ery (some jokes about the average Belgian tics on death row solemnly queued to presumed effects to ridiculously large intelligence seem true). As a matter of personally select their own toxin: "In dilutions (delusions?). course, Schoepen and Mesens were joined Flanders fields the skeppies glow, to Most of us, including Prof. Betz, who by the Fidel Castro of the Belgian anti- take their poison, row on row.' In quackery rebels, the Scourge of once followed a serious course of home­ front of the assembled national press Homeopathy, professor in Medical opadiy, have "believed." Being progressive they filled their chalices and drained General Practice Wim Betz. and social, we were critical about die their drinks, fully expecting to meet modern drug industry and embraced Betz treated the press and the public their Maker (if He existed). The skep­ "ecological" and "natural" alternatives. to a talk on homeopathy and on the tics didn't succeed in their suicide But diere is nothing social or progressive products selected for the skeptical sui­ attempt, however. All of them sur­ about deluding people. Permitting your­ cide. Betz did not need a Castro diatribe vived. Those who had come by car had self to be deceived by a silly theory that of eight hours; a solid twenty minutes to wait before returning home, a bit was outdated and untenable even in the was enough to butcher homeopathy: the dizzy from the alcohol on their empty nineteenth century does not show an homeopaths were so kind to deliver stomachs. Indeed, homeopathy in alco­ open or tolerant mind. It only shows you their own satirical texts. To be sure the hol at the liberal dose of a bottle a day are gullible and an easy prey to smooth suicidals knew all the risks, Betz cited might decrease your cardiovascular risk talking quacks. We hope some more peo­ copiously from Kent's Materia Medico, (but a good Bordeaux is still a lot ple discovered this, thanks to our (unsuc­ which covers sixteen pages on arsenic, cheaper and infinitely better). twenty-four on Belladonna, and twelve cessful) suicide attempt. The attempt was amazingly well cov­ on snake poison. We learned among ered by all the national press media. Acknowledgments other things that arsenic "patients" suf­ CANVAS, the equivalent of BBC 2, re- fer more at the seacoast, are restless, Luc Bonneux wishes to (hank Griet Vander- drink with small sips, and have a ten­ broadcast James Randi's homeopathy masscn and Paul de Belder for assistance and documentary, where a carefully con­ helpful comments on previous drafts. Q

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SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 15 RESEARCH REVIEW

I Am Freud's Brain

MARYANNE GARRY AND ELIZABETH F. LOFTUS

ong ago, Freud theorized that we What did Anderson and colleagues their task was to recall roach. could banish our upsetting expe­ do? To answer this question, consider The central question was whether L riences out of conscious aware­ Anderson's earlier study that set the stage subjects would be less likely to remem­ ness, burying them away in an emo­ for his recent one. The earlier study was ber word pairs that they were asked to tional Superfund site. Of course, like all published in 2001, by Anderson and suppress compared with a baseline mea­ toxic waste dumps, the buried material Collin Green, in the prestigious journal sure: memory for word pairs that were would still leach its poison into our Nature (Anderson and Green 2001). not presented at phase two. Anderson everyday lives. The job of the therapist, They asked people to take part in a three- and Green found that being asked to then, is to take charge of the cleanup stage experiment. In the first stage, sub­ remember the word improved memory effort; help us unearth our dangerous jects learned forty word pairs (such as for it, and that sometimes being asked to memories and begin to deal with them. ordeal roach), so that when given the first suppress the word impaired memory for Freud was never quite clear whether this word as a cue (such as ordeal), they could it. They concluded that their results mechanism should be called repression or report the second "target" odier word "support a suppression mechanism that suppression, and he was also never quite {roach). In the second stage, subjects sat pushes unwanted memories out of clear whether the process happened at a computer screen while a cue from awareness, as posited by Freud" (Ander­ automatically or effortfully. But no mat­ each pair (ordeal) appeared on die screen. son and Green 2001, 368). ter what we call it—let's call it repression When each cue appeared, subjects were The new research by Anderson for now—Freud never really explained given either a remember instruction—to repeats the basic experiment, but with a how repression might happen. Recently, think about the target word (roach)—or a twist. This time, subjects were scanned University of Oregon psychology pro­ suppression instruction, to not think about with an fMRI during the second stage, fessor Michael Anderson and his col­ leagues announced that they've figured die target word. In the third stage, every­ to measure brain activity while they it out. What they've done, according to one took a memory test. During the test, tried to either think about or to suppress various media reports, is show how the subjects were given all the first word cues, the target words. At the test, memory brain represses information. and their task was to recall each target. for each target word was tested twice, For example, when given the word ordeal once with the original cue word (ordeal) and once with a new word that was Maryanne Garry is a Senior Lecturer in the Elizabeth Loftus is Distinguished Professor related to the target word (insect). As School of Psychology at Victoria University of Psychology & Social Behavior and of with their earlier work, this time of Wellington in New Zealand. She received Criminology, Law & Society at the Anderson et al. found that, relative to her Ph.D. from the University of University of California—Irvine. She is baseline (a condition where no presenta­ Connecticut, and her research area is past president of the American Psycho­ tions of the pair occurred during the sec­ human memory Address: Victoria Uni­ logical Society and author of twenty books ond stage), die "remember" instruction versity of Wellington, School of Psychology, and more than 375 scientific articles. She produced more remembering. The sup­ Te Kura Maatai Hinengaro, Box 600, received her Ph.D. in psychology from pression instruction sometimes pro­ Wellington New Zealand 6005. E-mail: Stanford University, and her major duced more forgetting. This overall [email protected]. Web page: interest is human memory. E-mail: pattern was true regardless of whether www. vuw. ac. nzlpsyclstafflmary [email protected]. Web page www.seweb.uci memory was tested with the original cue anne-garrylindex.aspx. . edulfacultyllofiusl.

16 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (ordeal) or with the new related word memory test. The suppression instruc­ unsurprising. First, consider what peo­ (insect). In addition, subjects showed a tion caused memory to be about 10 per­ ple do if diey are trying not to remember different pattern of brain activity when cent less accurate—if we average across something. As neuropsychologist Larry they were instructed to think about both the original and new cue tests. The Squire told the New York Times, "It's words versus suppress them, and more worst memories were when subjects possible [that when subjects are trying activity in the frontal cortex when they were asked to suppress the target sixteen to suppress, they] are simply directing were successful at the suppression task. times and then tested with a new cue, dieir attention elsewhere and using a lot What do these findings mean for die but even then, they still remembered of energy and brain resources to think of notion of repression? Anderson and col­ about 80 percent of die target words, something different. I don't think it is leagues have one answer. In the opening compared to about 87 percent baseline necessarily an indication of active sentence of their recent paper, published performance. That's a far cry from mas­ repression" (O'Connor 2004). Perhaps, in the journal Science, they claim that sive repression. In fact, it is a far enough then, we should not be surprised that their behavioral findings demonstrate a cry from repression that a team of asking people to do different tilings psychological mechanism for "die vol­ prominent scientists at Washington causes activity in different brain regions. untary form of repression (suppression) University, St. Louis has been unable to Second, Anderson et al. found that proposed by Freud" (Anderson et al. replicate the basic finding. That is, while when subjects were asked to remember 2004, 232). By the closing paragraphs, Anderson and colleagues have now words, they showed more activity in Anderson et al. claim that they have twice found that the suppression their hippocampus. But after all, they demonstrated a neurobiological mecha­ instruction causes poorer memory per­ did remember more words in diat con­ nism for repressing traumatic experi­ formance, John Bulevich, Henry dition, and the hippocampus is linked ences. To the media, the authors seem Roediger, and David Balota have twice to remembering. Third, Anderson et al. unabashedly enthusiastic about the failed to find any such effect (Bulevich, need to compare brain activity for gen­ Freudian implications of their results. Roeidger, and Balota 2003). That is not uinely suppressed words—words that In a press release (EurekaAlert! 2004) to say there is no suppression effect, but subjects could not recall on eidier mem­ coauthor John Gabrieli, of Stanford, it does mean that it might be rather frag­ ory test—and unsuccessfully suppressed said, "It gets you past the possibility dial ile. Fragile suppression, of course, words (that is, words that they thought there's nothing in die brain that would sounds like it has little resemblance to of even though they had tried to sup­ suppress a memory—that it was all a robust repression. press them). Anderson et al. did not misunderstood fiction." Lead author Still, let us assume that the suppres­ report these crucial data. Michael Anderson went a step further. sion effect exists. If so. Harvard profes­ Some researchers have questioned "This suggests a neurological basis for sor Daniel Schacter (Schacter 2001) and the basic idea behind fMRI research how people can actually shove some­ University of California-Berkeley pro­ itself. William Uttal, author of The New thing out of mind," he told the New fessor John Kihlstrom (Kihlstrom 2002) Phrenology (Uttal 2001), argues that York Times (Anahad 2004). "There's no have both given us a second reason why cognitive constructs such as thoughts question that we're tapping into some­ some scientists have not embraced and thought processes are too unpre­ thing that's relevant to the experiences Anderson et al.'s new claims. In writing dictable to pin down to a specific area of of people who survive trauma and find about Anderson's 2001 study, Schacter the brain. If, as Uttal points out, there is the memories become less and less pointed out a problem that applies to little consensus about what constitutes intrusive over time." For other interpre­ the new Anderson paper as well: both many mental processes, then why tations, you might turn to die media. papers tell us about memories for mun­ should there be consensus about what But they, too, seem to have embraced dane words. How well then, Schacter pans of the brain are in charge of those this research. The brain "can be trained wondered, do those findings help us to mental processes? Surely the study of to forget" trumpeted die BBCnews Web understand repression? After all, one of repression constitutes such an area of lit­ site (BBC 2004). Anderson et al.'s work, the hallmarks of Freudian notions of tle consensus. After all, the basic argu­ gushed CNN medical correspondent repression is that we push distressing, ment in repression is not how it happens Sanjay Gupta, might even help us threatening, personal information out of but if it happens. And it is worth bear­ understand how soldier Jessica Lynch awareness, not mundane irrelevancies. ing in mind Uttal's warning that fMRI could have repressed memories of her Now let us consider the neuroimag- results are worryingly dependent on traumatic experiences (CNN 2004). ing results, which showed that subjects what lab they come from, and dial brain Many in the psychological commu­ had different brain activities when they activity caused by what is supposed to nity, however, have drawn decidedly dif­ tried to remember words dian when be the same cognitive construct can vary ferent conclusions. Why? Let us first diey tried to suppress diem. There are at by an entire brain quadrant or more. consider the results of Anderson et al.'s least three reasons why these results are

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 17 Still, these researchers are convinced esting is what happened when the we do know is that Anderson's study is that they are onto something bigger. women were instructed to forget the not about memory for trauma. In that "There's no question that we're tapping words. We might predict that women sense, it has nothing at all do with repres­ into something that's relevant to the with PTSD would be especially good at sion. Their subjects were not chosen experiences of people who survive forgetting trauma-related words, but not because of a traumatic history; they were trauma and find the memories become show any particular tendency toward not suffering from PTSD, and the words less and less intrusive over time," forgetting other words. Interestingly, they were asked to remember could Michael Anderson told die New York however, all three groups performed hardly be construed as traumatic events. Times (O'Connor 2004). Interestingly, similarly: they remembered more In fact, the closest they come to a trau­ however, earlier research suggests that "remember" words than "forget" words, matic event is pairing the word ordeal trauma survivors are no better than any­ and there was nothing unusual about with roach. body else at ejecting unpleasant memo­ the PTSD group. Put another way, ries. In 1998, Richard McNally and col­ women with PTSD weren't particularly References leagues used a method similar to skilled in banishing traumatic words out Anderson. Michael C and Collin Green. 2001. Anderson's, but they looked specifically of their awareness. Suppressing unwanted memories by executive control. Nature 410: 366-369. Anderson, Michael C, Kevin N. Ochsner, Brice Kuhl. Jeffrey Cooper. Elaine Robertson, Susan W. Gabrieli, Gary H. Glover, and John D. E. Gabriel. 2004. Neural systems underlying the Women who claimed to have Suppression of unwanted memories. Science 303: 232-235. a history of forgetting unpleasant British Broadcasting Corporation. 2004. Brain can be trained to forget. Retrieved January 9 from information did not show any special talent http://ncws.bbcco.Uk/2/hi/hcalth/3380635.stm. Bulevich, John B., Henry L. Roeidger III. and for doing so in this study. David A. Balota. 2003. Can episodic memo­ ries be suppressed? Poster presented at the 44th annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Vancouver, Canada. at the effect of trauma history on the In 2001, McNally, Clancy, and Cable News Network. 2004. "Paging Dr. Gupta' ability to forget positive, neutral, and Schacter did a similar study on a group American Morning. January 9 08:45 ET. trauma-related information (McNally et of women who claimed to have recov­ EurekaAlert! 2004. Research reveals brain has bio­ logical mechanism to block unwanted memo­ al. 1998). Three groups of women par­ ered memories of child sexual abuse ries. Retrieved January 8 from www.eurekalcrt. ticipated in their study. In the PTSD (CSA); another group of women who org/pub_releases/2004-01 /su-rrb0106O4.php. group were women who were sexually suspected they had repressed CSA mem­ Kihlstrom. John F. 2002. No need for repres­ sion (comment on "Inhibitory processes and abused in childhood, and who met the ories but had not yet recovered them; the control of memory retrieval" by B.J. Levy criteria for Post Traumatic Stress and a control group. Regardless of the & M.C. Anderson). Trends in Cognitive Disorder. In the trauma-exposed group emotional valence of the words, all Science 6: 502. were women with similar histories who groups remembered "remember" words McNally, R.J.. Susan A. Clancy, and Daniel 1- Schacter. 2001. Directed forgetting of trauma did not have PTSD. In the control group better than "forget" words. In other cues in adults reporting repressed or recovered were healthy women with no history of words, women who claimed to have a memories of childhood sexual abuse, journal sexual abuse. The women saw a list of history of forgetting unpleasant infor­ of Abnormal Psychology 110 (1): 151-156. positive, neutral, and trauma-related mation did not show any special talent McNally. R.J.. Linda J. Metzger, Natasha B. Lasko. Susan A. Clancy, and Roger K. words. Each word appeared for two sec­ for doing so in this study. Pitman. 1998. Directed forgetting of trauma onds, then it disappeared; half the time, So when Anderson et al.'s subjects cues in adult survivors of childhood sexual the women were then instructed to suppressed their words—where did they abuse with and without posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 107 remember the word they just saw, while go? Drawing parallels between their (4): 596-601. the other half they were instructed to research and Freud's ideas, John Gabrieli O'Connor. Anahad. 2004. Brain may be able to forget it. mused that buried memories can still bury unwanted memories, study shows. New wreak havoc. "It's lurking in them some­ York Times January 9. Retrieved January 9, All the groups remembered more 2004. Available at www.nytimes.com/2004/ words when they were asked to remem­ where, and it has consequences even 01 /09/scicncc/09MEMO.html. ber them compared with when they though they don't know why in terms of Schacter, Daniel L. 2001. Suppression of were asked to forget them. The PTSD their attitudes and relationships" unwanted memories: repression revisited? The Lancet 357: 1724-1725. group remembered just as many trauma (EurekaAlert! 2004). Do these missing Ural, William R. 2001. The New Phrenology: On words as the other two groups, but fewer words still lurk in the subjects of the Localization of Cognitive Processes in the positive and neutral words. More inter­ Anderson et al.? We do not know. What Brain. Cambridge: MIT Press.

18 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER INVESTIGATIVE FILES JOE NICKELL

Psychic Sleuth without a Clue

espite the lack of scientific was actually caught attempting to pass undergo a scientific test of her alleged confirmation of their alleged ofF previously gained knowledge as spirit powers by famed paranormal investigator D powers, psychics continue to revelation (Nickell 2001a). James Randi, she subsequently reneged. gain popularity in a credulous society. Edward was to forego the psychic- On Larry King Live she had agreed to Some have undergone makeovers, trans­ sleuth route, but not so the Montel take Randi's "million-dollar challenge" in forming themselves from ordinary psy­ Williams show's resident clairvoyant, no uncertain terms: "Are you willing to chics to psychic sleuths and beyond— Sylvia Browne. (Born Sylvia Celeste take his test," King queried the claimed communicants with the Great Beyond, Shoemaker in 1936, she acquired the clairvoyant, and she replied. "Yeah, what­ in fact. One such purveyor is Phil name Brown—to which she added an e ever test it is." However, her later excuses Jordan, whose flagging career has been for effect—from the third of her four prompted Randi to write her. saying: "Of given new impetus by popular TV husbands.) Since childhood she has course, if you arc afraid of taking the test, mediums (i.e., those who purport to claimed to have an invisible companion, or you are aware that you cannot pass a communicate with the dead). Jordan has and she reports seeing apparitions, talk­ simple double-blind test of your claims, climbed aboard that spiritualist band­ ing to ghosts, having clairvoyant visions, you may wish to further obfuscate the wagon. 1 donned a disguise to get close making psychic medical diagnoses, matter by producing more excuses and to him and check out his alleged powers. divining past lives (including fifty-four problems." Browne's response was to of her own), and possessing other pow­ refuse receipt of Randi's certified letter Ascendant Stars ers (Browne and May 1998). Such an (Farha 2003). Among the superstar psychics is John array of traits is indicative of what psy­ Among many other psychics who Edward. Born John MaGee Jr., he began chologists term a "fantasy-prone" per­ have discovered they too can talk to the his career as a card reader at psychic sonality (Wilson and Barber 1983). dead are James Van Praagh (who has fairs. However, when he learned that Browne purports to be a "psychic been overshadowed by the fast-talking names and other "validating informa­ detective." and she has also gotten on the John Edward) and Rosemary Altea. tion" sometimes applied not to the liv­ talking-with-the-dead bandwagon, Both have also enjoyed some media suc­ ing but the dead, he changed his billing appearing frequently as a medium on cess, including appearances on Larry from "psychic" to "psychic medium." Larry King Live. Her offerings are fre­ King Live and other venues. (I debated His appearances on Larry King Live— quently wide of die mark, but callers and both on radio programs in 1998 which has become a prime venue for a helpful Larry King help her transform [Nickell 1998].) Still another is George spiritualistic hucksters—helped him frequent failures into successes. For Anderson, whose now-waning career launch his own television show. Crossing instance, one woman, who had asked was also once boosted by Larry King Over. Revealingly, on Dateline NBC a about her dead husband, learned that (Anderson 2004). program with which I assisted, Edward Browne saw "something about a clot." The caller agreed, saying, "Yes, he had a Lesser Light Joe Nickell is a former private detective so ire brain hemorrhage at the very last Enter Phil Jordan, psychic sleuth cum and author of numerous investigative minute," although, in fact, a hemorrhage spiritualist. He was, he says, "raised books including Crime Science and is the opposite of a clot (Farha 2003). on dreams," and from about the age Psychic Sleuths. Although Browne committed to of six experienced clairvoyant visions.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 19 Prompted in part by "severe unemploy­ own admission, chosen an area of the "some trees down in a marshy area"— ment," he decided to offer "psychic con­ woods that "no one had searched" but their offerings were of no use what­ sultations" to the public. Two years later, (although Randies and Hough [2001] soever. After Levy's remains were acci­ he launched his reputation as a psychic report odierwise). "Just as I was ready to dentally discovered in late May 2002, detective by supposedly locating a miss­ give up, he says, "I looked down and saw some of the failed psychics attempted to ing five-year-old boy. Although Jordan the footprint of a young barefoot human match their vague speculations with the claims to have been helpful in other headed up the trail." Even with such good known facts (Radford 2002). This is a cases, it is this one that receives the most luck, Jordan happened to be elsewhere— technique called "retrofitting" and is a attention in his autobiography, / Knew in a ravine—when other searchers in the mainstay of alleged psychic detectives This Day Would Come: A Personal party actually located the lost child. They (Nickell 2001b, 125-126). Journey to Psychic Awareness (Jordan had heard him "yelling for help" (Jordan 1999, 58-64). 1999, 58-63). Makeover The case—the rescue of Tommy In 2001 Phil Jordan's fame as a psychic Kennedy in Tioga County, New York— seemed in decline. However, in that year began on August 3, 1975. Young he purchased The Gould Hotel in Kennedy had wandered away from his Seneca Falls, New York, and began family at Empire Lake, and some offering "Psychic Dinner Floorshows" searchers feared he might have fallen twice a week. Also on Saturdays he into the water and drowned. Using psy- scheduled "The Spirit Connection," chometry (or object-reading, an alleged which his promotional literature type of ESP) Jordan supposedly received describes as "a show similar to The John impressions from the boy's discovered T- Edwards [sic] Show on TV" ("Phil shirt. Jordan announced, "He's alive," Jordan" 2003). and, producing a sketch, said, "that's Jordan, who was made an honorary where they will find him." sheriff's deputy for his efforts in the Subsequently, Jordan led searchers into Tommy Kennedy case, is also a licensed the woods where "they found the funeral director and ordained minister exhausted five-year-old, under a tree in of a non-denominational Christian the exact location sketched by the psy­ church. Potentially, he could help police chic the night before" (Randies and find a missing body, secure the crime Hough 2001). scene, supply a coffin, preach at the Unfortunately, the story has become funeral, and give periodic updates from "mythologized," according to Kenneth the person in the spirit realm! L. Feder and Michael Alan Park, who To assess Jordan's spiritualistic ability, investigated the Kennedy case for my I decided to sign up for one of his Figure 1. Phil Jordan, alleged clairvoyant and book Psychic Sleuths (Nickell 1994). medium, at the bar of his Seneca Falls, N.Y., shows. Since I had featured him at chap­ They demonstrated how facts have been hotel where he gives spiritualist readings. ter length in a book (Nickell 1994), I (Photo by "Johnny Adams," a.k.a. Joe Nickell) exaggerated and the story subjected to decided it was best to adopt a pseudo­ various embellishments. For example, A 1989 television re-creation further nym and to disguise my appearance. As the psychic's own accounts (Jordan exaggerated the story, leading Feder and "Johnny Adams," a somewhat homely 1977, 1999) fail to mention the T-shirt, Park (1994) to conclude, "It is curious old yokel with slicked-back hair and a detail given in Arthur Lyons and indeed that this case, with all of its con­ nerdy hornrims, I attended Jordan's ses­ Marcello Truzzi's The Blue Sense: Psychic tradictions and odd coincidences, is con­ sion on August 9, 2003, with some four Detectives and Crime (1991, 74), citing sidered an example compelling enough dozen other hopefuls. Arriving early, I Fate magazine and the tabloid National to be singled out in a television docu­ soon found my small table, its name- Enquirer. It is repeated by Jenny mentary more than a decade after the plate lettered with a red felt marker, Randies and Peter Hough in their cred­ fact." And, of course, it has also been fea­ "ADAMS 1." ulous Psychic Detectives (2001, 86-88), tured in mystery-mongering books such Sitting on a stool, Jordan tried to which, astonishingly, ascribes the as that by Randies and Hough (2001). provide readings for nearly every sitter. Kennedy case to 1982! Revealingly, the powers of Jordan and Some of his first readings seemed to Moreover, Jordan's map was vague and his ilk were illuminated by something of leave die targeted individual puzzled, contained erroneous details. It was appar- a national test case, when Washington, prompting that blank look—albeit endy of little use in the search, during D.Ci intern Chandra Levy went missing sometimes with a nodding head—that which Jordan supposedly received vibra­ for many months. Thousands of self- seemed to say, "I'm trying to make a tions telling him "to go here, to go diere" proclaimed psychics offered "clues"— connection." His was a standard "cold- (Feder and Park 1994). Jordan had, by his Sylvia Browne, for example, visualized reading" technique (in which the reader

20 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER artfully fishes for information and tosses One might have thought that—if he References out vague statements he hopes the sitter really had clairvoyant abilities—Jordan Anderson, George. 2004. George Anderson biog­ will interpret and validate). would have done better. He could have raphy. Available at www.gcorgcandcrson.com/ His most accurate reading seemed to mentioned my mother's Alzheimer's, or gcorgeandcrsonbio.htm; accessed February 9. Farha, Bryan. 2003. Sylvia Browne: TV psychic occur when he told a woman about at least foreseen the life-transforming sidesteps challenges. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER "John"—described as having worn a hel­ news that arrived shortly after my read­ 27:6, November/December 41—44. met of some kind—who had passed ing: die discovery of a daughter (along Feder. Kenneth L, and Michael Alan Park. 1994. over. The lady was baffled, but another with two grandsons) I had not known The mythologizcd psychic detective: Phil woman several feet behind her claimed Jordan, in Nickell 1994. 115-129. about! (Not to pick on Jordan alone, Jordan, Phil. 1977. Psychics search for a missing the reading as her own, and supplied this profound fact also went unmen- child. Fate, August, 60-65. some information that allowed Jordan tioned for thirty-six years by countless . 1999. / Knew This Day Would Come: A to offer further statements she seemed palmists, card readers, astrologers, clair­ Personal Journey to Psychic Self-Awareness. willing to accept. Privaiely primed. voyants, and mediums. It makes you Lyons, Arthur, and Marcello Truzzi. 1991. The After a fifteen-minute break, Jordan wonder: where are their powers when Blue Sense: Psychic Detectives and Crime. New resumed, answering a few questions and you really need them?) York: The Mysterious Press. continuing with the readings. Then, Nickell, Joe, cd. 1994. Psychic Sleuths: ESP and And with me so near, shouldn't Sensational Cases. Buffalo. N.Y.: Prometheus looking at me, he said he really had to Books. Jordan at least have gotten the name come to "this gentleman" next. He Nickell, Joe. 1998. Investigating spirit communi­ stated he saw a woman, possibly my "Nickell"? Couldn't he have announced, cation. Skeptical Briefs 8(3). September: 5-6. mother, who had swollen legs before her "I see an impostor," or have sensed . 2001a. John Edward: Hustling the passing. 1 regarded that as a miss. tremendously negative vibrations com­ bereaved. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 25(6), Novem­ ber/December 19-22. He also mentioned a man who had ing from my direction? -. 2001 b. Real-Life X-Files: Investigating the "raised hogs." That could describe my After die reading, Jordan inscribed a Paranormal Lexington, Ky.: University Press grandfather Nickell (who was a farmer copy of his self-published book to me, of Kentucky, 125-126. as well as a member of the Kentucky addressing me as "Johnny," and happily "Phil Jordan The Psychic Venue." 2003. Innsights state legislature), except that he was any­ ("The Official Newspaper-Menu of the Gould posed for a photograph (figure 1). He Hotel") 1:4, Summer 1. thing but the plain-spoken, matter- seemed, well, totally clueless. Radford, Benjamin. 2002. Psychics wrong about of-fact type the medium described. Chandra Levy. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 26(6). Acknowledgements November/December 9. Jordan also claimed to tune in on a Randies. Jenny, and Peter Hough. 2001. Psychic man who worked for a railroad, but that I am grateful to Ed and Diane Buckner for Detectives: The Mysterious Use of Paranormal was utterly meaningless to me. I have also tipping me to Phil Jordan's current venue in Phenomena in Solving True Crimes. been unable to relate to someone named Seneca Falls, New York, and Tim Binga for Pleasantville. N.Y.: Readers Digest, 86-88. Wilson, Sheryl C., and Theodore X. Barber. 1983. "Charlie" whom Jordan foresaw having a research assistance. My daughter, Cherette The fantasy-prone personality, in A.A. Sheikh, positive influence on my life in the near Roycroft, has added a new dimension to this ed.. Imagery: Current Theory. Research, and future—how near was not specified. article, as well as to my life. Application. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Q

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SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/Iune 2004 21 THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE MASSIMO PIGLIUCCI

Philosophy of Science 101

he goal of this column is to by itself to the discovery of new facts yield certain knowledge, but something stimulate some thinking about about the physical world. more akin to an educated guess based T the nature of science and, there­ on past experience (see this column, fore, of skeptical inquiry. Usually I focus May/June 2003 and March/April 2004). on a particular aspect of the scientific During the twentieth century things methods, sometimes discussing a single moved pretty quickly, with several major experiment, to try to learn something contributions to our understanding of about how science works. Occasionally, how science works being published over however, it pays to step back and take a the span of a few decades. Karl Popper broad look at the entire forest, rather (1902-1994) thought that science than concentrating on individual trees. makes progress not through the confir­ In the following, therefore, I will pro­ mation of theories, but by way of their vide a very short history of the major falsification. Because there is always the ideas in philosophy of science, which possibility that more than one theory the reader can use as a handy reference can account for the available facts. and a key to read future and past Popper reckoned that a theory can never columns on the subject. be shown to be true, however, if the facts The first philosopher to attempt to contradict the predictions of a theory, ground what today we call science in a surely it must be discarded, which is rigorous methodology was Aristotle how science then makes progress. (384—322 B.c), who emphasized deduc­ Imre Lakatos (1922-1974), one of tion, i.e., the process by which one reaches Popper's students, realized that even fal- a conclusion beginning with some speci­ sificationism wouldn't do, because scien­ fied premises (which are assumed to be tists in fact don't throw away a theory at true). Deduction is at the basis of logic, the first sign of difficulty. This is reason­ but it turns out to be of much more lim­ able, since there may be other explana­ ited use in science, because—while an tions for why a given prediction failed, excellent way of working out die implica­ We have to wait until the seven­ including possible problems with the tions of a set of premises—it does not lead teenth century for Francis Bacon conditions of an experiment, with the (1561—1626) to propose induction as analysis of the data, or even with rela­ Massimo Pigliucci is a professor in the die core of the scientific method. For tively minor aspects of the theory, which Department of Ecology & Evolution at Bacon, we are able to make generaliza­ could be improved and tested again. SUNY-Stony Brook and author of tions about the world building on a Lakatos then proposed that science Denying Evolution: Creationism, Scien- steadily expanding knowledge base from works by a succession of "research pro­ tism and the Nature of Science. His which we extrapolate and make predic­ grams," which can be viable and lead to essays can be found at wunv. rationally tions. The problem with induction is new discoveries, or "degenerate." A speaking.org. that—unlike deduction—it cannot degenerate program is eventually

22 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER abandoned because there is a widespread Paul Feyerabend (1924-1994), who esian view, scientists consider several sense rJiat it is no longer fruitful. thought that there really wasn't any such possible hypotheses simultaneously, and A more radical view of research pro­ thing as the scientific mediod, and that continuously confront them with the grams was famously advocated by all approaches to truth should be given available data. After each round of data- Thomas Kuhn (1922-1996), who saw equal access to funding and public theory match-up, they re-evaluate the science as an alternation of two modes of resources—the market of ideas would likelihoods of each theory being correct, operation: during "normal" times, scien­ then establish the best ways to go. As given the facts. No theory ever reaches a tists work widiin a generally accepted appealing as Lhis view can be in some likelihood of one (certainty), in agree­ framework (a paradigm) to solve specific circles, it led Feyerabend to seriously ment with Popper; but no theory can truly be entirely discarded either (a like­ lihood of zero), following Lakatos. However, the likelihood of a theory can The problem with induction is that— be orders of magnitude higher than any unlike deduction—it cannot yield certain of its competitors, which means that the theory in question is accepted tor all knowledge, but something more effective purposes as true. Until the next akin to an educated guess. round, that is. Even die Bayesian scenario, as intu­ itively appealing as it is to the practicing problems, or puzzles. From rime to rime, contend that astrology, for example, scientist, is far from providing a prob­ however, the dominant paradigm is no should be studied regardless of what lem-free explanation of how science longer sufficient, and an increasing num­ astronomers say about the illusory works, and the discussion among ber of puzzles go unresolved. This cat­ nature of constellations. philosophers to understand how scien­ alyzes a situation of crisis, which is More recently, several philosophers tists do it will likely continue for quite resolved only when a new general frame­ of science have proposed a way of think­ some time. work is proposed chat allows science to ing about science rooted in the mathe­ Further Reading resume its normal activity: a paradigm matics of the Reverend Thomas Bayes Chalmers, A.F. (1999). What Is This Thing shift has then occurred. (1702-1761), and therefore termed Called Sciencr? Buckingman, England: Open Even more radical than Kuhn was "Bayesianism." According to the Bay- Umvcreiry.

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SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 23 PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS ROBERT SHEAFFER

Crashed Saucers and Saucer Conferences

he fortieth annual National zines, and videos. The truth is, apart least not any child of this earth—the UFO Conference (NUFOC), from the occasional blockbuster like implication is that the shoe must have T held in North Hollywood, Whitley Strieber's Communion, these been worn by an extraterrestrial. California, this past September, repre­ days UFO promoters count themselves The noted UFOIogist Budd Hopkins sented a highly creative (if disorganized) lucky if they can break even. UFO stepped outside his usual role as a pro­ group of UFO enthusiasts that has given Magazine is struggling to resume publi­ moter of UFO-abduction claims to die world such classic tales as the Men in cation, organizations are shrinking, and regale the Crash Retrieval Conference Black, the MJ-12 conspiracy, and The book sales are extremely slow. The one with the story of a supposed UFO crash Mothman Prophecies. James Moseley, bright spot, selling UFO videos, is mod- that occurred in 1963 north of franchiser and organizer of the past esdy profitable for only few dealers, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Perhaps this thirty-four conferences, has visibly assuming that they don't spend much in is a sign that UFO-abduction mania is slowed down since the last time I saw travel and shipping costs. But don't con­ fading and crash-retrieval claims may be him. We reminisced how at the 1980 clude from the above that levels of UFO taking its place. Hopkins's presentation NUFOC in New York City, he had belief are dropping. UFO belief is prob­ featured "two videotaped, firsthand treated the speakers to a splendid dinner ably as high as ever, but with the growth interviews of hospital and ambulance at the Windows on the World restaurant of die Internet and die sensationalized workers diat responded to a call from atop the World Trade Center. "We won't pseudo-documentaries on cable TV state police. Upon arrival, there were be doing that again," he remarked, mak­ channels, it's just gotten harder to three small alien bodies and an extrater­ ing it clear that he didn't mean just for squeeze money from the believers. UFO restrial craft. The bodies were X-rayed the obvious reason. In spite of a very enthusiasts can get the titillation they and examined, but soon after, the Air favorable location, the preregistration are craving without having to pay much, Force confiscated the evidence and told for this year's conference was smaller if anything, to get it. witnesses that 'this never happened' and than the state's average grade-school One recent UFO conference that did not to tell anyone." Once again, intre­ class size. Once a celebrated party ani­ show somewhat better attendance was pid UFOIogists got "this close" to hav­ mal, Moseley excused himself to the die First Annual UFO Crash Retrieval ing their eagerly sought, smoking-gun assembled tipplers and turned in early. Conference held in Henderson, Nevada, evidence, only to have it snatched away The UFO business isn't what it used this past November. The conference by the Conspiracy. And what is it about to be—only about eighty people turned attracted about 200 attendees, meaning New Mexico that seems to induce out for a world-class conference in the that its organizers probably broke even. equipment failure in UFOs as they fly heart of Los Angeles. From a distance, Perhaps the most dramatic piece of evi­ over? At least half a dozen saucers must die skeptic might assume that big dence, as recounted by Moseley, was Art have crashed in Roswell, if all the con­ money is being made fleecing the Campbell's description of a tiny shoe he flicting crash-site accounts are to be gullible with books, conferences, maga- says he found on the Plains of San believed. San Augustin, Aztec, and now Augustin in New Mexico, a location Albuquerque—the state is a veritable Robert Sheaffer's World Wide Web page for that reportedly had its own UFO crash. saucer graveyard. Probably the UFOs and other skeptical subjects is at Because this shoe is so small and narrow Reticulans know it as "the New Mexico www.debunker.com. that it could not fit even a child—at Triangle," where their craft seem to

24 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER vanish without a trace. In Arizona, some period of approximately 2.43 years, tak­ skeptical, ponder this: the existence of shops sell as a novelty item a Flying ing it from past the orbit of Mars at its extraterrestrial intelligence has just got­ Saucer Pilot's License, valid in that state. farthest point from the Sun to just ten five times more likely, at least If such a license is sold in New Mexico, inside Earth's orbit, where the rock met according to leading British bookmak­ it should be scrupulously avoided, as it its doom. ers. They recently cut the odds diat the seems that every attempt to fly a UFO Even before any UFO claims began Prime Minister will acknowledge the across New Mexico results in a new to surface about it, the Great Lakes existence of ETI by the end of 2004 crash-retrieval site. Fireball was cited as illustrating the from 500:1 to 100:1 (see www.william But one alleged UFO crash that's unreliability of eyewitness testimony. hillmedia.com/index_template.asp?file= currendy getting a lot of attention took Prof. G. W. Wetherill, a professor of 2782). No word on what prompted the place a long way from there, in geophysics and geology at UCLA who re-evaluation, but perhaps they've been Kecksburg, Pennsylvania. According to investigated the incident, was quoted in watching the Sci Fi Channel. witnesses, just before 5 P.M. on the clear Sky and Telescope (February, 1966): "The Perhaps the most exciting recent winter afternoon of December 9, 1965, fireball was observed by many people in development in woo-woo land was the a "fireball" that "seemed to be under Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, announcement by George Noory, host some type of intelligent control" and to a lesser extent in neighboring of the late-night talk show Coast to Coast appeared to crash in the woods near states. In newspaper accounts, a great AM, that he would be participating in an Kecksburg (sec http://ufocascbook.com/ many supposed impact sites were experiment in time travel with the Kecksburg.html). State police respon­ reported, both in southwestern "physicist and hypnotherapist, Irving ded to reports of an object crashing, but Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. Frag­ Glotch." Glotch's device is said to per­ didn't find anything. But according to ments were claimed to have fallen in form "dimensional" rather than "physi­ some accounts, the military cordoned Ohio and Michigan. These imagined cal" travel. It is said to use "eye flutter­ off die area, and hauled off an acorn- happenings arose from the impossibility ing," "special tones," and a "massaging of shaped metal object to some unknown of estimating the distance of an object in die nerves" to transport the fearless trav­ destination. the sky. Almost everyone who saw the eler backward (but not forward) in time. The Sci Fi Channel premiered a sen­ fireball thought it was much closer than (See www.coasttocoastam.com/shows/ sationalist pseudo-documentary on it really was. When it disappeared 2003/12/17.html#glotch.) Glotch re­ October 24, 2003, tided "The New behind a house or a tree many people minds his listeners not to confuse his Roswell: Kecksburg Exposed." As one thought it had fallen only a few hundred time-travel device with his "teleporta- might imagine, it leaned heavily toward yards beyond." tion" device, which works on different the claims that a saucer crashed and was Nor is any of this information partic­ principles. "I teleported a small plant covered up by the military, giving short ularly new. Astronomer Robert Young and a mouse from point A to point B. shrift to any skeptical explanations. debunked the Kecksburg Crash claims But cannot disclose anything else at this The only problem with the so-called when they first appeared on the TV time on this subject." "Kecksburg Crash" is that the object was show Unsolved Mysteries \n 1990, which Appropriately, timc-onztii Noory will identified long ago, was reported to have got extremely high ratings. (See "Old- be wearing "an aluminum suit, crashed in many different places, and is solved Mysteries: The Kecksburg although Glotch insists that this is not known to have actually disintegrated Incident," SI, Spring 1991). Young's "necessary," but merely "helpful" in con­ above Ontario. What the UFO believers paper was revised and reprinted in the taining "the force field." Glotch, who are calling the Kecksburg Crash is book The UFO Invasion (Frazier, Karr, says he has been working on his time- known to astronomers as "the Great and Nickel, eds. Prometheus Books, travel device for twenty-four years, Lakes Fireball of December 9, 1965" 1997). It has been carefully ignored by explains, "The field of universal life is Indeed, it is one of the best-studied fire­ UFO proponents. an uncharted force. George Lucas was balls in history, because of the clear skies The Sci Fi Channel has clearly done correct in his Star Wars movies about the and mild weather that permitted large an extremely good job of leading the force." Noory says that the time periods numbers of people to sec it. It has been public astray. A poll on its Web site he is most interested in exploring are written up in leading astronomy jour­ revealed diat 67 percent of those taking Roswell, New Mexico in July, 1947, and nals, including Sky and Telescope and the the poll believed that the object at the mid sixdi century, to see if an aster­ Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society Kecksburg was an "alien craft" versus oid impact caused the Dark Ages. Asked of Canada (for the details see my Web only 27 percent who chose one of sev­ if Noory will be safe traveling so many page on the case at www.debunkcr.com/ eral prosaic explanations. But the next centuries from home, Glotch replied I Kecksburg.html). Indeed, so much time you hear someone routing believe he will," which seems to leave information was available on this bril­ Kecksburg as "the new Roswell," at least open the possibility that Noory might liant meteor that astronomers were able you'll know that this new crash claim is get stuck back in the Dark Ages, where to determine that before it encountered just as bogus as the old Roswell. such nonsense belongs. Earth, it was in an eccentric orbit with a But before you go off feeling too

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 25 NOTES ON A STRANGE WORLD MASSIMO POLIDORO

Satan in a Sicilian Fridge

The next World Skeptics Congress will be man who did not want to be named. Sicily along with Roberto Spampinato, a held October 8-10, 2004. in Italy (see "I've never seen anything like it." photographer from the magazine. What www.cicap.org/congress). For this reason, I Some fires have spread to engulf we found on our arrival was that the only am devoting four columns to popular houses, and police decided to temporar­ hotel in Canneto was filled widi journal­ Italian mysteries. The previous ones were ily evacuate some forty residents. "There ists from all over the world: CNN, BBC, on a very special liquejying blood and a has been a sense of panic, and people Associated Press, and everyone else was case of scientific fraud related to the have been evacuated from their homes," (or had been) there. A crew from Shroud of Turin. Should you come to the said Salvatore Mezzopane, who works at Denmark told us that they had come to Congress, you could take advantage of the town hall. "We're trying to find the "film the devil." Not surprisingly, they your trip to visit these famous enigmas. cause of the fires, but there are no later left a bit disappointed. answers yet." The locals were quite fed up with all ast February 11, the Reuters Italian utility Enel tried cutting power this media mania. They kept saying that news agency distributed an to the town after die first reports but the diey don't believe in ghosts and even less L extraordinary news item titled fires continued. Tullio Martella, the in demonic activity. When an exorcist "Sicilian town battles 'demonic' blazes." regional civil defense chief, stated on tele­ announced his intention to visit the town, The article began, "A Sicilian town is vision: "What is happening in this area is he was openly invited to stay home. struggling to work out why dozens of an unexplainable phenomenon, certainly But this is not what some journalists household items from fridge-freezers to an anomaly. I can say for sure that there wanted. They need sensationalism, and furniture keep mysteriously bursting arc no previous cases like this one." we witnessed a few examples of manipu­ into flame, terrifying locals and sparking The experts were no closer to lation, such as when a reporter from a theories of demonic activity." explaining the phenomenon; theories local TV station insisted that a lady who Since mid-January, in fact, dozens of ranged from arson to a freak power had been evacuated—who though upset electrical goods and pieces of furniture surge or even poltergeists or demonic was very quiet—should instead scream have been reported to "spontaneously go activity. and curse on camera in order to make die up in flames," causing a great deal of "I've seen things like this before," interview "more effective." She did not damage in Canneto di Caronia, a small Catholic exorcist Gabriele Amorth told agree and die reporter lost his temper. town perched on the Mediterranean Italian newspapers. "Demons occupy a We were then allowed by die firemen island's rocky coast. house and appear in electrical goods.... to enter die evacuated area and look "I've seen unplugged electrical cables Let's not forget that Satan and his fol­ around under their surveillance. We burst into flames with my own eyes, but lowers have immense powers." This is immediately noticed that, in contrast to I just can't explain it," said a local police- when we were drawn into die story. what die newspapers said, this was not a "town" diat had caught fire, but a few Massimo Polidoro is an investigator of We Have Come to Film the Devil houses on a private road (an area of 350 the paranormal, author, lecturer, and Focus, the top-selling, popular science meters), where the inhabitants are all co-founder and head of CICAP, the magazine, asked me if I could investi­ related to each other. Damage ranged Italian skeptics group. His Web site is gate die case and men report for them. from blackened electrical cables to www. massimopolidoro. com. So on Friday die 13th, I went off to burned pieces of furniture. All the fires

26 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER started from cables burning, and there what has caused all die phenomena. ing: the cable gets red hot and die insu- had never been electrical appliances If this explanation satisfied at least lant around it catches fire and burns behaving strangely by themselves. some newspapers and the Governor of anything close to it." There was not much else to see diere. Sicily, other prominent physicists, such The situation was quite strange in We were told diat die phenomena had as Professor Tullio Regge from Turin's Canneto, since all cases of overheating stopped when die area was evacuated, and Polytechnic and Professor Adalberto took place on exposed cables and not on die only single episode after diat was a Piazzoli from Pavia's University, re­ diose running inside walls. Conte sliced very suspicious blackening of a young mained perplexed. The hypodiesis, up some burned cables and nodced man's shoe sole, right after entering his diough interesting, still needed confir­ something else of interest: "Overheated own house alone to recover somediing. mation and lacked details, diey wrote in copper is easy to spot because it becomes "At the moment, there is nodiing rel­ a press release from CICAP, die Italian very dark and is quite fragile; however, evant to report," says Giuseppe Maschio, skeptics group. A few hours later, die here die copper inside the cables was professor of chemistry and head of die National Department of Civil Defense perfectly spotless and all looked normal. various experts gathered here. "The stated diat "it still is not possible to This meant rhar the electrical explana­ Ministry of Telecommunications mea­ endorse one dieory or anodier." tion would not do, the heat was not sured electromagnetic fields; I nil, coming from the inside of the cables but Telecom, and Railways technicians tried from die outside." to find possible electrical leakages. Another interesting fact was that all Nothing out of the normal was found." cables running more than three meters So what could cause tJiese phenom­ high, out of easy reach, had not been ena? "The hypothesis on which we are burned. "Also, it was clear from the working now is diat of a technical acci­ type of burns that the heating was com­ dent, but we still don't know the cause," ing from a heat source placed below says Maschio. each cable. While I was conducting my Others are less caurious. "I sent a few controls, nothing strange happened, vulcanologists," says Enzo Boschi, Presi­ and so I can't say what had really dent of the National Institute of burned those cables." Geophysics and Vulcanology, "to make However, since there were "experts" technical measurements on possible around him who kept on saying diat magmatic movements down deep in the this was an unexplainable phenomenon, earth, but we found no indication of Conte tried a little experiment. "I possible volcanic or seismic activity. If turned my back and with a small lighter this was really a natural phenomenon, it I had in my pocket, I burned up the wouldn't be restricted to such a small outside of a piece of cable I was holding. area. I personally find all diis very odd When I showed it around, it was and do not exclude the possibility of promptly found to be identical to the fraud. If you think about it, nothing Massimo Polidoro and an expert from the civil mysterious ones. . . ." extraordinary has happened since the defense examine a few burned cables. Photo: Whether something fishy had been Roberto Spampinato. area has been evacuated." going on in Canneto—and for what rea­ However, fraud was the only possi­ We were ready to leave beautiful sons—is up to die police to determine. bility that die local chief of the Sicily widi no satisfactory answer when A formal inquiry has now been started. Carabinieri was ready to leave out. we received an e-mail message from a However, what many outside of Italy telephone company technician who was were led to think, as one Scottish corre­ Mystery Solved? called right after die first few fires. spondent put it, was that "one of After a few days, newspapers announced The man, Sergio Conte, told us that Europe's richest and most industrialized triumphantly that the mystery "had he was sent on location by his company, nations is once again hitting headlines been solved." The explanation, said Telecom, because some thought that die around the world as a country where Tullio Martella, lies in an unusual the­ problem was in their lines. He did all his superstition and fear of the paranormal ory formulated by Professor Giovanni testing but found diat all was normal remain pan of modern culture." For this Gregori from the National Research and there were no power leakages or embarrassing result, we have to thank Centre. The theory has to do with geo- surges. "The most common reason for some journalists eager to spice up dieir thermal energy coming from under­ an electrical cable to catch fire," says news either by altering what die locals ground and reaching Earth's surface in Conte, "is because it transmits too much really said (none of them considered spikes. According to Martella and electricity, like in a prolonged short cir­ paranormal explanations) or by inter­ Gregori, die litdc town of Canneto is on cuit or when lightning strikes an electri­ viewing publicity-seeking exorcists and top of one of diese spikes, and diis is cal line. In bodi cases, diere is overheat­ self-anointed experts.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 27 Darkness, Tunnels, and Light

Stories of darkness, tunnels, and bright light told by those who report near-death experiences actually have a basis in the structure and functioning of the eyes, the brain, and other sense organs that operate during these experiences. G.M. WOERLEE

arkness, tunnels, and light are wondrous phenom­ ena sometimes reported by the dying, as well as Dthose recovering from near-death experiences (NDEs). These experiences have been reported since antiq­ uity. Along with many others, I first learned of these experi­ ences from a film I saw in 1990 called Flatliners. The film showed amazing and improbable medical apparati used in an equally improbable and dramatic location. Even so, I was stimulated to read more, and became fascinated by the pos­ sible physiology of all aspects of NDEs. I am a physician specializing in anesthesiology, and have worked as a consultant anesthesiologist in Holland since 1980. An anesthesiologist is not someone who just knocks

28 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER patients out, sits down, opens a newspaper, and waits for the sur­ •Susan Blackmore's neural-noise theory. In 1989, Tom geon to finish his work; instead, he or she keeps patients alive and Troscianko and Susan Blackmore reasoned that there were more nerve cells within the visual cortex representing the insensible to pain during operations, and ensures that patients central parts of the retina than there were representing its survive their operations in the best possible condition. This work peripheral parts. A computer simulation of increasing neural requires me to view all bodily and mental phenomena from a noise in the visual cortex induced by drugs or disease very basic physiological perspective. So in my practice, I ask revealed a blob of white light gradually increasing in size, myself, "How can the functioning of the body generate this phe­ which, when viewed on a screen, gave viewers the sensation of moving down a tunnel toward a bright light and finally nomenon? What is the mechanism? How does it work?" My being enveloped by the light (Blackmore 1991). An elegant approach to the study of NDE phenomena is very similar, which idea, but it neglects basic facts, such as die relative oxygen is why this article is about the ways die functioning of the body consumptions of retina and brain, as well as the fact that can generate darkness, tunnel, and light experiences. people can "see the light" while at the same time seeing things around them. These facts render the neural-noise the­ Darkness, tunnel, and light experiences are part of the so- ory an inadequate explanation of tunnel and light experi­ called "core-NDE" described by Kenneth Ring, an eminent ences, except perhaps for situations where rhere is epileptic NDE researcher in the 1970s and 1980s. He described the nerve activiry within the visual cortex. core-NDE as having the following components (Roberts and Owen 1988): feeling blissful sensations; leaving the body; What is another explanation for these experiences? After entering a tunnel or darkness; perceiving a bright light; and all, they are real experiences. People who have undergone them entering the light. are neither mad nor hysterical, and diey really have undergone Wonderful, fantastical experiences ... but what is the darkness, tunnel, and light experiences. But how? I began my mechanism? How can they be explained? Many people offer study with the light experience, distilling its properties from explanations ranging from the preposterous to those worthy of the stories I heard and the many reports I read. These proper­ serious consideration. Among them: ties are: people see bright light; the light does not hurt the eyes; this light is seen not only during NDEs undergone by • Real experiences of a spiritual or immaterial realm. The apparently unconscious people, but also reported by the con­ immaterial is unseen, unheard, and unable to be sensed or measured empirically; it is unprovable. scious dying; and no one else can see this bright light. • A dream arising from the collective unconscious. The great psychoanalyst Carl Jung proposed this idea. Indeed, inculca­ The Lovely Brightness' tion of cultural identities and myths certainly occurs during Any successful physiological theory about the light experience the upbringing of each person. But the invocation of these must be able to explain these properties. After my medical stud­ aspects of each person's unconscious to explain tunnel, dark­ ness, and light experiences is to use an explanation that is just ies, I left Australia to specialize in anesthesiology in England. as unprovable as is any immaterial or spiritual explanation. While there, I worked in the now defunct Hackney General • Recollection of the birth experience; an explanation pro­ Hospital, as well as the equally defunct Mothers' Hospital. This posed by the late Girl Sagan. This is a curious and dubious latter was an obstetrics hospital in the impoverished district of explanation. After all, babies' eyes are shut during birth, their Clapton in London's East End. Because I'd practiced there, a brains and vision are undeveloped, and there is no way to know what a baby experiences. Furthermore, why should report related by Sir William Barrett in the book Death-Bed people undergo a repeated birth experience while dying? Experiences attracted my attention (Barrett 1926). I knew the • The effects of drugs and medicines. Most people undergoing hospital, how the rooms appeared, and how they were lit, as these experiences arc not under the effects of any drugs or well as the nature of the women who came there to have their medicines. babies delivered. In Barrett's report, a dying woman first saw • Carbon dioxide intoxication or oxygen starvation. Many people undergoing these experiences are not suffering from only darkness, and subsequently saw a "lovely brightness," as carbon dioxide overload or oxygen starvation. well as "bright forms." The obstetrician reported her observa­ •A flood of endorphins (morphine-like substances in the tions. At one point she wrote: "But then she turned to her hus­ brain), released by the dying brain. This is a compelling idea, band, who had come in, and said, 'You won't let the baby go to but an inadequate explanation, and at best very difficult to prove. anyone who won't love him, will you?' Then she gently pushed him to one side, saying, 'Let me see die lovely brightness.'" A matron was also present, and reported: "Her husband Born and raised in Western Australia, CM. Woerlee is a physician was leaning over her and speaking to her, when pushing him and anesthesiologist who has taught and practiced in Leiden, the aside she said, 'Oh, don't hide it; it's so beautiful.'" Netherlands, for the past twenty-three years. His hook Mortal These two sentences reveal that this woman saw the "lovely Minds: A Biology of the Soul and the Dying Experience has just brightness" because her medical condition caused her pupils to been published by DeTijdstroom in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The widen. The woman was dying of heart failure, and lethal heart preface and first chapter of the book are available at the company's failure causes oxygen starvation; severe oxygen starvation Web site, www.tijdstroom.nl litis article was originally given as a talk at the European Skeptics Conference in London. Sept. 5-7, causes the pupils to widen. Furthermore, sympathetic nervous 2003. Address: Dr. CM. Woerlee, Kagerstraat 4, 2334CR Leiden, system activity is maximal during lethal hean failure, and this The Netherlands. E-mail [email protected]. also causes the pupils to widen.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/lune 2004 29 No one else in the room saw the bright and wonderful cause of the "bright light" and "bright forms" seen by this light, and nowhere does this report mention that the lighting woman. However, to her and her family, as well as to all in the room was increased. The size of the pupils of the other observers, the experiences and observations she reported while people in the room did not change because the level of illumi­ dying were not just mental and optical manifestations of a nation in the room did not change, so they did not see the mundane biological event. Instead, they were an intense and bright light. This woman pushed her husband aside because he wondrous confirmation of deeply held socio-cultural beliefs in did indeed block the light. So she saw bright light because her a life after death. This story beautifully illustrates how pupil pupils widened, admitting more light into her eyes. Light widening due to a multitude of causes can arouse visions of enters the eyes through the pupils, and the diameter of the "bright light" and "figures of light." human pupil varies from 1 millimeter to as much as 10 mil­ limeters. A small calculation reveals the magnitude of the Oxygen Deprivation effect of pupil widening: the area of the pupil through which At the same time as I read this account, I was also studying the light is admitted into the eye is a circle, and pupil area = 71 effects of oxygen poisoning and oxygen starvation, and learned 2 (pupil radius) . This means that the amount of light entering that both tunnel and darkness experiences could be caused by each eye can increase by as much as 100 times. oxygen starvation. Oxygen is an essential ingredient in complex Pupil widening is indeed a likely reason she saw a "lovely chemical reactions within all cells of the body, generating vital, brightness." Another sentence in this same report also caught energy-rich chemicals. Oxygen starvation can occur when there my eye: "She lived for another hour, and appeared to have is: too little oxygen in the air; abnormal lung function; abnor­ retained to the last the double consciousness of the bright forms mal heart function; too little blood; anemia; abnormal red blood she saw, and also of those tending her at the bedside. . . ." cell function; obstructed or severed blood vessels; abnormal cell Fascinating—and also very revealing. As an amateur pho­ function; or any combination of one or more of these factors. tographer, I realized this was also an effect of pupil widening. Oxygen starvation causes failure of all the organs and tissues Pupil widening reduces the depth of field. A person whose of the body, and the eyes and brain are most sensitive to its pupils are widely dilated not only sees bright light, but only effects, failing before any other organs. Furthermore, the retina clearly sees people upon whom the eyes are focused, while all has a higher oxygen consumption than the brain, which is why other people are seen as bright and blurry forms. So this unfor­ oxygen starvation causes the functioning of the retina to fail tunate woman interpreted the bright and blurry images of out- before significantly affecting the functioning of the brain. of-focus people elsewhere in the room as "bright forms." Oxygen starvation does not cause all parts of the brain to The optical effects of pupil widening were very likely the fail at the same time. The brain stem, which generates

30 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER consciousness, is the part of the brain most resistant to oxygen normal sensory signals transmitted into the brain may be starvation. Therefore, oxygen starvation will cause vision to interpreted incorrectly. And die malfunctioning brain may fail before causing a loss of consciousness. And indeed, the even misinterpret normal sensory signals as sensations of experience of fainting proves this. Fainting is due to a sudden, movement, falling, or flying. Oxygen starvation is a common fortunately temporary, failure of blood flow to the head, cause of brain malfunction, as well as die cause of the terminal resulting in oxygen starvation of the brain and loss of con­ loss of consciousness of more tlian nine in ten dying persons sciousness. Just before losing consciousness, many people (Murray 1997). And oxygen starvauon causes malfunction of notice that everything suddenly "went gray," "went dark," or muscle spindles, the sense organs diat provide die brain with "went black." Perception of grayness or darkness is a conscious most of its information about body position and movement. experience, so tJiese people are actually saying diat their vision Muscle spindles are special muscle structures sandwiched failed before they lost consciousness. Some people also report between die fibers of every muscle. There is about one muscle tunnel vision just before losing consciousness. spindle per 1,000 ordinary muscle fibers. Muscle spindles are both sense organs and muscle fibers, sensing and transmitting Oxygen starvation can cause both tunnel and darkness experiences. The reason for this lies in the structure and functioning of the blood sup­ ply of the retina. The macula is the optical center of the retina; it has the greatest blood supply, while die flow of blood to the retina Oxygen starvation is a common cause of brain decreases with distance from the macula malfunction, and causes malfunction of muscle according to the inverse square law. Yet the oxygen consumption of each part of the spindles, the sense organs that provide the retina is much die same, so oxygen starva­ tion will cause failure of peripheral vision brain with most of its information about before causing total visual failure. Indeed, body position and movement. experiments with oxygen starvation in human volunteers prove this fact. This is why tunnel experiences occur only in NDEs caused by oxygen starvation, while toxins and poisons to the brain sensations of weight, of movement, of falling, of cause a "pit experience" before causing failure of vision. floating, and of flying. Moreover, the tensing and relaxing of So oxygen starvation explains why not everyone has a tunnel experience during an NDE. Oxygen starvauon also explains muscle spindles relative to the surrounding muscle fibers also why the tunnel experience is not a true component of generates similar sensations. the NDE, but is instead a manifestation of the cause of the Severe oxygen starvation causes convulsions. Muscle spin­ NDE (Greyson 1983). dles sense these movements and transmit the sensations to the brain. Victims may also sense odiers attempting to aid diem. The brain malfunctions during oxygen starvation, causing Somatic Sensations muscle spindle tension to differ from die tension of die sur­ Aha, say the critics, but during a "tunnel experience" people rounding muscle fibers. Body parts where muscle spindles are feel themselves moving, flying, or being drawn through a tun­ relaxed relative to surrounding muscle fibers feel heavier than nel toward a light or entering the light. So they say oxygen normal, while body parts where muscle spindles are tenser than starvation cannot be the cause of tunnel and light experiences. the surrounding muscle fibers feel lighter than normal. Again, Yet oxygen starvation explains these sensations very well. all these phenomena have been well established experimentally. Furthermore, a close study of the way oxygen starvation affects During NDEs caused by oxygen starvation, a combination conscious perception of sensations explains all these things of brain malfunction, abnormal muscle spindle function, ran­ without the necessity of invoking a human soul, paranormal dom movements due to convulsions caused by oxygen starva­ sensations, or immaterial spirit worlds. tion, and movements of the oxygen-starved person's body The human brain is about one and a half kilos of jelly-like made by people treating and helping the person all combine to tissue contained within the protective confines of the hard generate sensations of movement. When this is combined with bones of the skull. Mind is a product of brain function, and all a total loss of vision, tunnel vision, or die effects of pupil sensations enter the brain as signals conducted into the brain widening, sensations of moving through darkness or a tunnel along sensory nerves. The mind only knows what is happen­ toward light can occur. Some people also say diey felt them­ ing widiin the body, to the body, and in the world around the selves being "drawn to die light." This is quite possibly a result body by interpreting the sensory nerve signals conveying sense of the initial restoration of central vision, followed by an data into die brain. So if tliese sensory nerves transmit signals increasing restoration of peripheral vision as oxygen supplies into the brain indicating that the body is moving, falling, or to the eyes increase. A person undergoing such an experience flying, the conscious mind perceives the body to be moving, would first see a small spot of light at the end of a tunnel falling, or flying. Furthermore, if the brain malfunctions, even which would gradually increase in size to envelop die whole

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/lune 2004 31 visual field. This would give die illusion of moving toward a enveloped by the light. Finally, delivery rooms are kept warm light at die end of a tunnel, and even of entering the light as so the newly born babies do not cool down after birth. This retinal function was restored. was die warmth she felt. All these things make it possible to explain and understand Darkness, tunnel, and light experiences are wondrous, the sequence of events during NDEs caused by oxygen starva­ seemingly paranormal experiences. Nonetheless, it is evident tion. Consider a report in Return From Death (1986), written that they can be explained by the body's responses to oxygen by Margot Grey. Grey reported the story of a woman who starvation. The combination of tunnel and light experiences nearly died in childbirth. This woman reported diat "I was can only be explained by oxygen starvation, and nothing else. moving very rapidly down a long, dark tunnel. I seemed to be Other associated experiences, such as darkness and out-of- floating. I saw faces which came and went and who looked at body experiences, can also be generated by odier changes in me kindly, but did not communicate. I did not recognize body function induced by a wide range of different conditions. them. As I got nearer to die end of the tunnel I seemed to be This explanation of tunnel-and-light experiences does not surrounded by a wonderful warm glowing light." constitute conclusive proof that this is the only mechanism by which diese experiences can arise. After all, this explanation The terminal loss of consciousness while dying during does not preclude paranormal or immaterial explanations. But childbirth is always due to oxygen starvation caused by con­ it is an alternative, provable physical explanation that accounts vulsions that can occur in late pregnancy (due to a toxic con­ for all aspects of these experiences, as well as making it possi­ dition called "pre-eclampsia"), massive blood loss, heart fail­ ble to predict when these experiences are likely to occur. ure, amniotic fluid embolus, hyperventilation, etc. An expla­ nation of die sequence of events related by this woman is that References she lost consciousness and all memory of events. Her resusci­ Barren, W. [1926] 1986. Death-bed Visions: Psychical Experiences ofthe Dying. tation restored consciousness and her memory, but the oxygen London: Aquarian Press. supply to her retina was still insufficient to restore vision and Blackmore, S. 1991. Near-death experiences: in or out of the body? SKEPTICAL normal sensory function. All this caused sensations of moving INQUIRER 16: 34-45. in a dark tunnel. Furdier restoration of the oxygen supply to Grey. M. 1986. Return from Death: An Exploration of the Near-death Experience. London: Arkana. her body restored central vision, which together with widened Greyson, B. 1983. The near-death experience scale: construction, reliability, pupils caused her to sense movement toward a bright light at and validity. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. 171: 369-375. the end of a tunnel. Her recovery progressed, and retinal func­ Murray, C.J.L., and A.D. Lopez. 1997. Mortality by cause for eight regions of the world: Global burden of disease study. Lancet 349: 1269-76. tion was fully restored, but not normal vision or brain func­ Roberts, G., and J. Owen. 1988. The near-death experience. British Journal tion—so she felt herself moving out of the tunnel to be of Psychiatry 153: 607-617. D

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32 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Nurturing Suspicion What College Students Learn About Science

Skeptics complain about postmodern attacks on science in college "science and society" classes but don't address the reasons these criticisms are so persuasive. When college students don't learn about the complexities and social dimensions of scientific inquiry, they are vulnerable to the egalitarian appeal of postmodern relativism. Skeptics must confront this problem.

PHIL MOLE

ix years ago, while finishing my graduate public-health coursework at an Illinois university, I took a class that S forged my interest in skepticism and critical thinking. The course, called "Behavioral Sciences in Public Health," cer­ tainly had anything but this purpose among its educational goals. This course was a local species of a relatively new genus—the "science and society class," examining the cultural and social contexts and implications of scientific discovery. Students frequendy encounter these courses in graduate school, usually as an interdisciplinary-studies class required by their department curriculum. While the specific content of these classes varies, a surprising number of them teach a highly radical view of science that exclusively focuses on its real and imagined deficiencies.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 33 Much of die time, these classes confuse rather than clarify sional medical skepticism of alternative medicine to the perse­ issues pertaining to science and society. For example, the syl­ cution of witches and heretics in centuries past. labus for "Behavioral Sciences and Public Health" promised to I recently completed a second "science and society" course help students "become suffkiendy confused about the com­ as part of a graduate educational-studies curriculum. This plexities of professional life," to teach them information course, called "Introduction to Research Purposes and needed to "critically participate in public health-care practices" Methodologies," proved remarkably similar to the earlier and create a "thick reading of one's social position." I am still course. We learned repeatedly that science was seriously flawed not sure what the first and last objectives mean—perhaps I was and that scientific inquiry was only one of many possible "sufficiently confused." But I learned soon enough that the methods of learning about the world. There was a similar class was not interested in teaching students to critically par­ emphasis on feminist alternatives to science and the same ticipate in public-health care or in anything else requiring sci­ emphasis on "patterns of male dominance" inextricably woven into rhe methodology of science. A paper by Lee Harvey presented a new paradigm of social research, rejecting the traditional ethnographic goal of objective explanation. Lee alleged that the conventional approach The course was not a balanced, reeks of cultural presumptions and moved to replace it with a methodology "which critically informed discussion of the merits attempts to link the detailed analysis of and limitations of science. ethnography to wider social structures and systems of power relationships in order to It was a lopsided diatribe against the get beneath the surface of oppressive struc­ arrogance of science and its suppression tural relationships" (Harvey 1990). Many of rhe other papers, with varying intensity, of other, allegedly valid "ways of knowing. renewed the charge that science is bigoted and exclusionary. To the authors of these articles, science is but a flickering shadow in Plato's cave and can claim no superiority to other methods of describing ultimate entific literacy. The course was not a balanced, critically reality. If the light of scientific reason dispelled the rival shad­ informed discussion of the merits and limitations of science. It ows of intuition, old-world folk medicine, and anecdotal evi­ was a lopsided diatribe against the arrogance of science and its dence, these authors preferred to praise the darkness. suppression of other, allegedly valid "ways of knowing." We read articles claiming the language, assumptions, and An Incomplete Education: methodologies of science to be inherently sexist and imperialis­ What Science Classes Do Not Teach tic, and fundamentally opposed to die role of intuition and the My initial exposure to the criticisms of science in "Behavioral expression of femininity. An article by Ruth Hubbard main­ Sciences and Public Health" stimulated me to learn why these tained diat scientists construct fact claims in order to justify critics were reaching such radical conclusions. To learn more their own economic positions and prevent the social mobility about the source of their ideas, I had to train myself in philos­ of women and ethnic minorities (Hubbard 1990). We perused ophy of science and the rules of critical thinking. As a result, I the writings of Sandra Harding and Luce Irigaray and read can now see even more clearly than ever that the authors usu­ more testimony diat science represents the ideologies of white ally included in "science and society" courses are deeply mis­ males seeking to disenfranchise, deflower, and discredit femi­ taken in their claims that science is not superior to other sys­ ninity at every opportunity. These authors discussed "alternate tems of inquiry. They are also mistaken in their judgment that epistemologies," suppressed by chauvinist scientists, and con­ science reflects only sexist and imperialist assumptions. But I sidered conventional science inherently inauthentic. Harding can also clearly see that their radicalism is not possible without directly implicated the ethics and methodology of traditional a deep ignorance of what science is and how it works. science in "wrong-headed environmental policies and rhe long- Unfortunately, science teachers and other supporters of science recognized alienation that people in industrialized societies feel play a large part in propagating this scientific ignorance. from their culture, communities, and 'true selves'" (Harding Skeptics are often quick to disparage postmodern critics of sci­ 1996). Other articles went even further, comparing profes- ence but slow to address rhe larger science-education problems that allow their message such a large measure of success. Phil Mole is a freelance writer who frequently writes about issues Both critics of science and the college students they seek to relating to science and philosophy. He lives in Chicago with his indoctrinate obtain their scientific knowledge from science wife, Venecia, and hopes to earn a teaching certification in the classes in high school and college. Bodi groups leave these near future. E-mail PhilipMole72@aoLcom. classes with an incomplete image of how science works, and

34 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER this ignorance shapes their receptiveness to radical deconstruc- posed him to stress competition for limited resources in his tions of science. Too often, science textbooks and professors model of evolutionary change. This emphasis on selection present science as a codified body of theorems and facts, and allowed him to explain how new species could form through a ignore die messy history of arriving at our current knowledge. series of modifications but did not emphasize the role of non­ To a point, this strategy is understandable. There is only so selective forces in evolution. Since Darwin's time, evolutionary much time in a semester, and teaching about all of die false researchers of different theoretical persuasions have correcdy starts, dead ends, and conceptual confusions in the history of demonstrated that much evolutionary change does not reflect science threatens to gobble up valuable class time. Yet we can­ adaptation due to direct competition between species. We cur­ not properly understand how science works if we do not pay rently realize that selectively neutral mechanisms such as due justice to diis complexity and learn how and why scientists genetic drift play major roles in evolution, but we do not reject choose one scientific dieory Darwin's The Origin of instead of anodier. This com­ Species. Darwin's great book prehension requires us to still contains the most cogent examine what rival theories demonstrations of the reality coexisted with the theories of evolution and still provides that eventually gained accep­ the basic intellectual frame­ tance and the reasons these work for modern discussions theories seemed attractive to of evolution. scientists of that time. Why, These examples show mat for instance, do physicists no scientific truth is not all or longer believe an invisible ether permeates all of reality? nothing and progress does If the ether is simply a silly not cease because scientists outlandish idea, why did so have cultural and ideological many brilliant scientists biases. We simply need scien­ think the ether existed in the tists to differ in dieir particu­ first place? lar biases and a system of sci­ entific inquiry open to new When we examine specific viewpoints and facts. This is episodes in scientific history, not to say that diere have not we see diat social and personal been many egregious errors in biases do not necessarily the history of science and impede the search for objective many times when sexists and truth. James Clerk Maxwell racists used die veneer of sci­ developed his laws of electro­ entific fact to bolster their magnetic radiation in the dubious claims. Nevertheless, nineteenth century while even socially biased scientists retaining the common cultural can and do make lasting con­ belief in die existence of the tributions to scientific knowl­ ether. Maxwell even believed edge. The nineteendi-century the existence of the edier was scientist Paul Broca used necessary for the propagation comparative anatomical stud­ of electromagnetic waves. After all, the existence of a wave ies to "prove" blacks were mentally inferior to whites, but he apparently implied the existence of a medium. Just as ocean also made important discoveries in cognitive neuroscience. He waves require water to travel, electromagnetic waves also completed important studies of aphasia—an inability to use require a medium through which to be transmitted. Einstein language resulting from a localized brain injury. We may later rendered die concept of the ether unnecessary with his rightly deplore his racism, but we cannot erase his accom­ dieory of relativity, but Maxwell's equations are no less valid. The truth of Maxwell's equations did not depend on the real­ plishments. We also cannot ignore the fact diat odier scientists ity of die ether, because his theory contained much else diat is eventually exposed die flawed methodology of his comparative true and useful. brain studies and debunked his racist conclusions. Competing biases among scientists are a major reason for the success of Similarly, the existence of scientific bias docs not under­ scientific inquiry. mine the validity of evolution. Charles Darwin was thinking of Thomas Malthus's Essay on the Principle of Population when Credulity: he conceived of the "struggle for existence" at die center of his The Consequence of an Incomplete Education theory of evolution by natural selection. He was working with What happens when students never learn about die historical a Victorian cultural bias toward individualism that predis­ development of science—when diey never comprehend die

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 35 significance of the scientific method? They leave their science As currendy taught, "science and society" classes do not classes with a highly idealized, intellectually impoverished view nurture the critical thinking abilities of students. They only of science that is highly vulnerable to attack. When they nunure a deep suspicion toward all truth claims, particularly encounter modern cultural criticisms of science in "science those claims perceived to clash with the political ideals of stu­ and society" classes, they have no larger perspective to balance dents. The corollary to this rejection of truth claims, paradox­ against these claims. They never learned that great scientists ically, is the promiscuous acceptance of truth claims. If there have often been fantastically wrong and never learned about are no valid criteria for accepting the truth of science, then vir­ the role of bias in developing scientific theories. As a result, tually any idea about the empirical world is valid and there are any evidence that scientists do have bias, or that they some­ no authoritative reasons to reject or accept any particular idea. times make mistakes, causes them to question the validity of There is only one idea students believe is objectively true, and the entire scientific enterprise. In Christopher Hitchens's that is the idea that all truth is relative. And in a climate of rel­ memorable phrase, "utopia becomes the subconscious enabler ativity, they feel free to campaign for their own subjective of cynicism." If students initially learned anything about the visions of reality and accept those ideas that best accord with complex social history of science, they would have some intel­ their intuitive sense of what the world ought to be like. They lectual armor against the ideologically charged claims of mod­ dismiss questions about what the world actually is like as ern science critics. hopelessly naive or symptoms of the dreaded disease of elitism. Much has been said about the influence of postmodernism on radical critics of sci­ ence, but my own experience convinces me that we are simply seeing a modern The greatest irony hidden from modern variation of a long democratic tradition: critics of science is that they are actively mistrust of authority. Postmodernism, with its fancy jargon about social con­ undermining the very foundation of the structivism and observer-mediated reali­ democratic society they claim to cherish. ties, has simply reinvigorated the anti-elit­ ism and ideological relativism always pre­ Democracy can flourish only in a climate sent in democratic societies. In a deep of rationalism that sees some sense, postmodern relativism is simply a ideas as true and others as false. new language for reclaiming the emotional attachment to egalitarianism fostered by grammar and high-school history classes. Students taught a sanitized vision of modern society in which die tenet diat "all men are Even worse, teachers of "science and society" classes are created equal" later bumps against the hard realities of inequality doing very little to broaden the perspectives of their students. and the role scientists have played in strengthening those Students study only the ideas of the far, radical left—the "mar­ inequalities. The radical relativism of postmodernists touches just ginalized" souls who scoff at criteria of judgment and decry the the right chord widi these jaded students. In a world where elitism of anyone claiming to have real knowledge about the heroes have clay feet and justice is elusive, postmodernism pro­ empirical world. Instructors do not provide exposure to vides the solace of believing diat egalitarianism still dirives in the responsible scholarship about the social underpinnings of sci­ intellectual plane. If all men are not created equal, they can at ence or any works written from non-radical perspectives. The least take comfort in the equality of ideas. absence of a more balanced selection of readings is especially Thus, most critics of science are acting from admirable puzzling, given the abundance of quality material available in motives. When they complain of the marginalizing effects of most good bookstores or in peer-reviewed journals. Yet neither traditional science, they believe they are acting in the spirit of the "science and society" classes I took bothered with diese of equality. They believe that science isolates and trivializes texts. Students did not have opportunities to read such fair- other groups to solidify its own status, and they want to res­ minded works as David Hulls Science as a Process, Helen cue these isolated voices from perceived oblivion. But they Longino's The Fate of Knowledge, Michael Ruse's Mystery of fail to realize a fatal flaw in their approach. By emphasizing Mysteries, or any number of important articles from history-of- only the flaws and biases of science, they present a skewed science journals such as Isis and Osiris. Instead, students read image that not only contradicts responsible scholarship but the same tired bromides about the "social construction" of sci­ also erodes both public understanding and support of sci­ entific knowledge and die oppression of "die Other"—with ence. In a society largely dependent upon scientific knowl­ the latter word usually capitalized lest we miss the message. edge, these are dangerous ideas. Indeed, the greatest irony Indeed, none of the readings in either class I took cited any hidden from modern critics of science is that they are actively respected science historians or philosophers or even acknowl­ undermining the very foundation of the democratic society edged their existence. they claim to cherish. Democracy can flourish only in a

36 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER climate of rationalism that sees some ideas as true and others philosophy of science in core science curricula. Presendy, stu­ as false. Science, with all of its limitations, is still the best dents in high-school and college science classes learn only die methodology for discovering this truth. end products of scientific inquiry, and none of its inherent This realization, however, requires some familiarity with methods and ideas. If students are to fully understand the suc­ the real methodology and ideas of science—not just postmod­ cesses of science, they need to learn about its failures and the ern caricatures of them. It is quite easy to convince students to historical contexts of scientific ideas. They have to understand devalue science when they never learned what science is in the the way science thrives from competition between rival scien­ first place. Teachers innocent of the slightest knowledge of sci­ tists with opposing biases and ideologies. This knowledge will ence cultivate the ignorance of students, and they even con­ give students a broader intellectual defense against the plain­ tive but ill-informed claims of modern science critics. vince students that this ignorance serves progressive political interests. They encourage students to adopt a purely political Some students, unfortunately, enter their "science and view of science and do not encourage them to acquire the sci­ society" classes with no core science courses to their credit. entific knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary for For this reason, universities need to ensure that these classes informed discussion. The student emerges from "science and provide students with a balanced perspective about science, society" classes with no valid criteria for evaluating scientific not simply indoctrination into radical politics. Students arguments and comes to believe that only political and rhetor­ should have the opportunity to read what experts in the phi­ ical considerations really matter. Who makes the most impas­ losophy and history of science have to say and understand the sioned speeches for political egalitarianism? Who seems to be logic of scientific inquiry. Classes that do not provide these sticking up for the rights of the underdog? Students learn to opportunities cannot claim to provide a responsible educa­ banish the notion of scientific objectivity with a shrug and tion. They leave students poorly prepared for participation in embrace the rhetoric of anyone invoking die ideals of equality a scientific, democratic society. and democracy. Their minds become mere flotsam and jetsam Throughout American history, there has always been a adrift on the waves of rhetoric. You can almost feel die collec­ tension between the productive ideal of allowing open pur­ tive shifting of their opinions during class discussions, while suit of truth and the counterproductive ideal of simply sub­ dieir peers present reductive, emotionally appealing sum­ ordinating all questions of truth to public opinion—the maries of various positions in complicated scientific debates. establishment of tyranny by majority. If the latter ideal com­ prises die current goal of "science and society" classes, the Would they so easily succumb to these ideas if they had former ideal may prove an effective remedy. A democratic learned more about realities of scientific inquiry instead of malady requires a democratic cure. We skeptics need to focus only the idealized fantasies presented by science teachers or the our attention not only on exposing the sham egalitarianism dystopian fantasies of radical science critics? of postmodernism but also on showing that science is a bet­ ter foundation for democratic ideals. As scientist Robert Conclusion: What Then Is to Be Done? Lawrence Kuhn recently stated, "Science needs democracy as Skeptics should acknowledge the depth of the problems entan­ much as democracy needs science. Vigorous scientific gled with postmodern criticisms of science. Too often, we have research reflects democratic principles in action, and free and ridiculed the radical critics without trying to understand the open scientific inquiry cannot take place without the protec­ appeal of their ideas or the conditions necessary for the accep­ tive support of a robust democracy" (Kuhn 2003). If we try tance of their message. The preceding analysis should demon­ to teach students about the complexities of scientific inquiry, strate that most students learn nothing of importance about we can lessen the nurturing of suspicion and more effectively the nature of science in their core science classes, and this igno­ nurture the thinking skills needed to become that greatest of rance leaves them receptive to alternate models of scientific rarities in modern society: an informed citizen. inquiry. Not surprisingly, students are most appreciative of those descriptions of science that best satisfy their own long­ Further Reading ings for justice and equality. After learning thai science is Haack. Susan. 2003. Defending Science—Within Reason: Between Scientism much more contentious than their high-school and college and Cynicism. Amherst, New York: Prometheus. Harding, Sandra. 1996. Gendered ways of knowing and the "epistemological courses led them to believe, these students crave emotional crisis" of the West. In Goldberger. et al. (eds.) Knowledge, Difference and solace. They want the kind of certainty that only relativism can Power. New York; Basic Books. provide, in which indifference to the very idea of authority Harvey. Lee. 1990. Critical Social Research. London: Unwin Hyman. Hubbard. Ruth. 1990. The Politics of Women's Biology. New Brunswick, New erases all real doubts. "Science and society" classes address this Jersey: Rutgers University Press. need and fill the intellectual void partially created by the Hull, David L 1990. Science as a Process: An Evolutionary Account of the incompleteness of the students' earlier science courses. As a Social and Conceptual Development of Science. Chicago: University of result, postmodernism erases the helpful doubt that stimulates Chicago Press. Irigaray. Luce. 1987. Is the subject of science sexed? Hypatia, 12(3). real thinkers to rigorously challenge their own preconceived Kitcher, Philip. 2002. Science. Truth, and Democracy (Oxford Studies in the notions and pursue the difficult pleasure of objective truth. Philosophy of Science). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kuhn. Robert Lawrence. 2003. Science as democratizcr. American Scientist, 91(5). To remedy this situation, we have to change the educa­ Longino, Helen E. 2001. The Fate of Knowledge. New York: Princeton tional process itself. First, we need to address the history and University Press.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 37 The Cold War's Classified Skyhook Program A Participant's Revelations

Classified high-altitude, long-duration flights of huge Skyhook balloons, which often returned their secret payloads to the surface, began in 1947 and continued for several decades. This secret Cold War program was the likely progenitor of many key aspects of UFO mythology.

B.D. GILDENBERG

was busy calibrating instrumentation for top-secret Project Mogul in the spring of 1947. In retrospect, I was I totally unaware of the project's actual identity. My secu­ rity clearance was for the lower rating of confidential. I was unaware of the project title for another forty-eight years, until 1995. Welcome to the arcane world of classified Skyhook pro­ grams and Cold War intrigue. In this review, I hope to reveal many of those once-classified programs, how they generated UFO mythology, and why that relationship has not been fully addressed. I write from a thirty-five-year professional career as a Skyhook balloon specialist and direct experience with most

38 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER of the programs in these revelations. I was also an investigator At Alamogordo AFB headquarters, Mogul was listed as a for a special Project Blue Office and years later worked on the guided-missile program. That represented a further cover-up Pentagon Roswell report. procedure. The actual purpose of the project was stratospheric A Skyhook balloon provides constant-level performance at detection of distant nuclear bomb tests. Unknown to Roswell a predetermined altitude. It is usually constructed of special enthusiasts were classified programs that operated for decades plastics and can lift tons of payload for durations of days or afterward, based on Project Mogul technology. longer. The latter capability was once highly classified. One unclassified derivative was Project Blue Book, the Air Skyhook balloons were huge. The average size of those dis­ Force investigation of UFOs. An initial sponsor was the Air cussed in this article was double the six million cubic feet of Material Command, headquarters for Project Mogul. Blue the Hindenberg. Their diameters were about 300 feet with a Book originated in January, 1948, under the title Project Sign. flaccid length of 430 feet. Primarily cruising in the stratos­ Project Mogul prompted the initial development of a USAF phere, the balloons change color at high altitudes during sun­ Skyhook facility at Alamogordo AFB (today Holloman AFB). rises and sunsets, while the Earth below is almost dark. These It was eventually governed by the Cambridge Research characteristics equate to a superb UFO generaror. Laboratories in Massachusetts and became the prime USAF It is therefore more than a coincidence that die birth of this Skyhook launch site, still active today. Project Blue Book had vehicle in 1947 coincided with the origin of the twentieth cen­ outlying reporting offices throughout the country. Their func­ tury UFO epidemic. That epidemic was highlighted by the tion was to gather UFO reports and send them to the Blue Roswell incident, with Project Mogul the prime seed. That Book main office at Wright Field, Ohio. relationship has already been detailed in a number of At Holloman AFB, the Blue Book office was situated in our SKEPTICAL INQUIRER articles (for example, Thomas 1995). Skyhook Balloon building. That choice was biased by the sig­ nificant percent of reports generated by our relatively new The Skyhook Program vehicle. This office was also unique in that it, like the Wright The prime launch site for Project Mogul was Alamogordo Air Field Center, analyzed reports. I joined the Holloman Base in New Mexico, west and therefore upwind of Roswell. Skyhook group in 1951 for a thirty-year tour and immediately The 1947 launches were in June and July, but there were ini­ became involved with Project Blue Book. tial UFO reports around the East Coast prior to the summer There was a more discrete reason for this special Blue Book (Brookesmith 1995). These were preliminary test launches role. In 1951, we became the primary center for unclassified from New Jersey and Long Island. Project Moby Dick. In at least one pro-Roswell book that pro­ There were also sightings in the summer of 1947 in the ject was erroneously dated 1947 and classified as secret western and northwestern United States. A 1949 Air Force (Randle 1994). Such misinformation contributes to the investigation (Trakowski 1949) could not correlate those mythology of government cover-ups. sightings with Project Mogul, but the Air Force was unaware of a Navy program launching cluster balloons in Colorado that Rumors and Cover-ups same summer. Coordination between branches of the military Project Moby Dicks stated purpose was to study stratosphere was limited in the years just following World War II. wind trajectories, as defined via three-day Skyhook flights. Accordingly, the dilemma of that 1949 report added fuel to a After training for over a year at our location, crews and equip­ developing UFO mythology. ment moved to three West Coast sites for the operational Clusters of weather balloons launched from both New phase. Although the announced purpose did result in final Mexico and Colorado triggered reports of flying saucers reports containing those stratospheric trajectories, rhere was sighted in formations throughout the West. They briefly pre­ actually a secretive phase. Moby Dick was in fact a cover-up ceded plastic Skyhook balloons, but their performance as con­ for top-secret project WS-119L. stant-level vehicles was marginal. Beside the alphanumeric title, secret projects have secret An iniii.il government coverup for Project Mogul saw an names that vary for different phases. This program was called assembled crew not associated widi the project launching a simi­ Project Gopher at our Alamogordo AFB launch site. It later lar configuration, but without the classified payload. Newspapers accumulated titles including Grayback, Moby Dick Hi, were invited to die launch again at Alamogordo Air Base. Years Gentrix, and Grandson. later, as the Roswell legend resurfaced, UFO proponents Even the WS prefix was a cover-up, since it was not a denounced Project Mogul as a cover-up for their alien event. weapon system. The actual project goal was balloon recon­ naissance of the Soviet Union. The entire subject is extensively B. D. Gildenberg has had thirty-five years of continuous experi­ covered in an excellent book by historian Curtis Peebles ence with Skyhook operations and an additional twenty-two years (Peebles 1991). Project Moby Dick was actually gathering tra­ as a consultant. He has authored or co-authored articles in many jectory data for Project Gopher, although the information also skeptical magazines. His other background experiences include generated unclassified data for meteorological applications. cryptography in the World War II Pentagon, work on the Pentagon We flew five Gopher (WS-119L) test flights in 1951 and Roswell reports, and involvement in astronaut tests prior to 1952 from our Air Force Skyhook Center. The payload was NASA. E-mail: [email protected]. kept in a hanger during flight preparation under continuous

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 39 armed guard. Outsiders noticed this and ensuing rumors flights to obtain trajectory data for WS-461L. In the April eventually generated tales including a secret Project Aquarius. 1994 issue of Omni magazine, a retired airman proclaimed In Randle's UFO Casebook (Randle 1989) he notes, "a possible solid proof of UFO activity. He had glimpsed logs from the Project Aquarius; Headquarters may be in Alamogordo with European NATO Command Center for 1958. They reported an important Branch in Montana." In fact, we did have an UFOs coming out of the USSR at 100,000 foot altitudes. auxiliary training camp in Montana. The mythology of Project That nicely described WS-461L flights cruising in from the Aquarius is nebulous but has something to do with an MJ-12 Pacific Ocean launches. committee maintaining communications with Roswell aliens. The entire Skyhook reconnaissance program produced All this intrigue came to a head when the CIA suddenly marginal data, but its recovery techniques phased into satellite showed up at our office and at launches. UFO reports peaked programs. Moreover, die Soviets were so impressed they actu­ in 1952, as our local Skyhook activity increased from ninety- ally developed several high-altitude aircraft dedicated to inter­ two hours the previous year to 694 hours aloft. Moreover, cepting our Skyhooks! In the 1960s, Premier Khrushchev launches from the Moby Dick West Coast sites were com­ developed a habit of banging his shoe on the table in protest mencing. Eventually they, along with additional sites in at the UN. In one such case, he exhibited a WS-119L payload, Missouri and Georgia, contributed 640 flights. perhaps with some of our trainees' initials on it. Late in 1952, I spent a month at Edwards AFB, California, to forecast three-day trajectories for Moby Dick flights, as specified in my travel orders. Forty years later, I discovered from Peebles's The Moby Dick Project (Peebles 1991) that I actually had been working on a top-secret program called Flying Cloud, WS-124A! Skyhooks were to be evaluated as a balloon bomber in the event of an actual war. Proposed payloads included nuclear warheads, but the program was aban­ doned as intercontinental ballistic mis­ siles became viable.

UFO Mythology There were a number of peripheral events associated with these programs. At Alamogordo AFB in 1952, we dispatched F-86 jet aircraft to see if they could inter­

Pre-flight preparation of four-ton reconnaissance camera launched by a Skyhook balloon. cept our Skyhooks at various altitudes. The exercise was designed to evaluate what The CIA requested that we not identify most of those Soviet interceptors might experience when our reconnaissance sharply increasing Skyhook reports. The strategy was to gener­ balloons arrived. The event was described in Timothy Good's ate a UFO outbreak over the USA extending to the USSR Above Top Secret (Good 1988), published thirty-six years later. It when our WS-119L Skyhooks arrived there. Ironically, the represents a classic example of how portrayals of classified mili­ ploy initially worked, since the Soviet Air Force could not tary testing can become transformed over decades into some­ intercept die first wave. They allowed their public to play our thing out of diis world. Date and aircraft type were correct but UFO game. The strategy ended after a few leaking Skyhooks die latter were described as trying to intercept an evasive UFO were shot down and the payloads were exhibited, along with dial featured hovering and accelerations up to 700 mph. protests, to President Eisenhower. Alamogordo Air Force Base was renamed Holloman AFB Thus, complex interplay of Moby Dick, WS-119L, and in 1953. On October 27 of that year, we launched an unclas­ UFO reports defined the unique role of our Blue Book office sified payload. It failed to terminate at die scheduled twelve- in that era. Since top-secret WS-119L was not declassified hour flight duration, and, six days later, it was detected by the until more than thirty years later, that intrigue can only now Royal Air Force over die Atlantic headed for London! This of be addressed. course generated UFO hysteria (Good 1988). Newspapers Although initial phases of WS-119L were launched from announced it could not be a Skyhook since diere was presently Europe and Turkey, a final phase, WS-461L, was launched no such activity in Europe, but altitude and performance from the Pacific. There was a direct parallel to Moby Dick, reports agreed widi our vehicles capabilities. Ironically, British where unclassified Project White Cloud launched Pacific intelligence officers also knew that but would not disclose die

40 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER objea's identity. They too were involved with the WS-119L in midair by USAF cargo aircraft. That prompted stories of program, and test flights were to be launched from Scotland. aircraft being attacked by a UFO while the mother ship (the Yet this incident is still highlighted in UFO literature as a clas­ Skyhook) hovered high above. sic case for their cause. Grab Bag was a special UFO generator. After stratospheric We flew a few classified programs in the late 1950s and sampling, lifting gas was partially released through a valve in 1960s which included special flares at night from twenty-mile the apex of the Skyhook. The entire ensemble was thus low­ altitudes. That was a predictable UFO generator. ered to within a few thousand feet of the ground. Then it Philip Corso's book The Day after Roswell (CORSO 1997) con­ released a parachute with the payload while the under-loaded tained many significant errors including movements of some of balloon rocketed upward to eventually shatter. Since most of Wernher von Braun's German scientists, who shared our build­ these activities occurred at night, Grab Bag generated probably ing at Holloman AFB. Sixty pages were dedicated to a once- the most detailed UFO events in the literature. For instance, secret U.S. Army project for a lunar base called Project Horizon. "A conical shaped object descended from the sky. It hovered at an estimated 3,000 feet. A smaller UFO landed within fifty Plans were initiated in 1959 but were finally cancelled because feet" (Brookesmirh 1995). Project Apollo had exhausted space funds. The story was suspi­ ciously infused with hints of alien activity on the Moon. That was interesting because that same year my Skyhook Center was flying a classified Army project, code named ... Project Hori­ zon! It had nothing to do with lunar bases and involved photo­ graphic studies of the horizon. The purpose was to obtain cali­ bration information for guided missiles. In 1967 and 1969, we flew ever more advanced, classified reconnaissance cameras. These cameras were huge, weighing from 6,000 to 8,000 pounds, and encased in ten-foot cylin­ ders. They were tracked by several helicopters carrying armed military police to surround the payload after landing. With Roswell often downwind, this very likely contributed to that UFO story line, and time compaction is a vital ingredient in creating such myths and legends. Skyhook incidents near to or on the ground, like this pre­ vious case, provoked more UFO tales than balloons at an alti­ tude. There was a cluster of this type of event in the 1960s (Peebles 1994), which evoked much media coverage. It persists today as a hallmark UFO case, and features the most detailed witness descriptions. One of those events had serious overtones, involving sensi­ tive military sites, with no obvious revelations to this date. It is noted in Good's book. Above Top Secret (Good 1988). "A metallic disc-shaped UFO with bright flashing lights moving slowly over the site. It stopped and hovered at 500 feet then the UFO climbed vertically and disappeared at high speed" (this was in March, 1967). The location was a Minuteman missile site at Minot, North Dakota. I became suspicious after reading this, aware of a top-secret Skyhook program in that era, with one launch site in the Dakotas. There were other This photograph shows Skyhook Ballon 93 leaving the deck of the USS Norton Sound (AV-11) on March 31, 1949. U.S. Navy Photo. descriptions that rather precisely identified the program, despite scattered inclusions of media mythology. That is a precise description of the basic Grab Bag profile. The program was Project Grab Bag, also called Sky Dipper The Minuteman case with a UFO climbing vertically to dis­ or Cold Ash. Again, there was a cover-up unclassified pro­ appear at high speed sounds very much like the under-loaded gram. Program Ash Can. Both programs involved sampling balloon zooming skyward to disappear as it self-destructed. radioactive fallout debris in the stratosphere. After a brief Navy Project tracking included three helicopters. If the winds test sequence, Grab Bag, now under the USAF, became oper­ were light, the entire ensemble would be valved to the surface. ational in 1956, extending briefly into the 1970s. Its highly Again, UFO reports clearly identified the process. "Floating classified signature was due to the fact that a final product red lights which moved over a highway and into a field at involved establishing details of Soviet plutonium production. night. It appeared like a two-story building, with other lights Even our Project Ash Can attracted more than the usual grouped around it. The lattet sometimes hover around the Skyhook attention, since parachute and payload were snatched central object" (Fawcctt and Greenwood 1984).

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/lune 2004 41 The payload did indeed have red lights. The other hovering It is important that all this activity be revealed. Project Grab lights were the helicopters. Just before landing the sample Bag generated the most detailed descriptions of UFOs in the lit­ would be transferred to another container via a powerful cen­ erature. Even relatively skeptical individuals might have won­ trifugal blower. That noise amplified the mystery. Occasionally dered about those sightings, believing them to be too complex to the tracking crew would transfer the sample into metal cylin­ dismiss. I hope these revelations provide a vital insight into what ders, engendering even more strange noises in the dark. Other was "behind die looking glass" of secret Cold War activities. activity was also reported: "Radiation fields and other forms of The Pentagon published the first two detailed reports in energy have appeared to be directly connected with a hovering 1995 (Weaver and McAndrew 1995), demonstrating how top- or landed UFO" (Brookesmith 1995). The radioactivity, secret Project Mogul became the initial trigger for the Roswell although slight, was from the sample being transferred by mystery. Readers may wonder why that effort has not been recovery personnel to another container. repeated for once-classified events detailed in this article. Readers may wonder why, after recovery. Grab Bag person­ Actually, it was only at the urging of a congressman, the late nel would not have notified local authorities without disclosing Steve Schiff of New Mexico, that the Pentagon began work on classification. The answer is diat proceedings were so classified the Roswell affair. Having participated in the preparation of that they could not identify their mission under any circum­ die final report (McAndrew 1997), I can reveal there was sub­ stance. The program was a natural for engendering mystery and stantial resistance to the whole process. A number of times we a treasury of lucrative narratives for UFO folklore. thought the enterprise would be cancelled. It was only via last- Meanwhile, at our Holloman AFB Skyhook Center, we minute intervention by the Secretary of the Air Force that the continued to launch a variety of classified reconnaissance report was finally published. Many Pentagon authorities cameras, now with loads up to five tons. Again, there were believed diat the Roswell and UFO investi­ gations in general were not worthy of dis­ traction from more pressing matters of national importance. Project Grab Bag generated the most detailed Despite providing accurate hardware descriptions of die programs we have cov­ descriptions of UFOs in the literature. ered, some reports included stories of onboard aliens and other typical elements of UFO mythology such as stalled cars and skin burns. They were imitating numerous UFO witnesses with a tendency to repeat stories tracking helicopters with armed military police (MPs). People that preceded their own sightings. in southern New Mexico were used to seeing military heli­ We can deplore or marvel at the persistent thirst for other­ copters on various missions. However, we flew a number of worldly fantasies, but a sage in Elizabethan England had an apt reconnaissance camera missions in 1975 in northeastern New comment that can categorize even contemporary mythology: Mexico where military helicopters were seldom seen. This cre­ ated some suspicion. "Unidentified helicopters" had also So full of shapes is fancy, that it alone is high fantastical. helped to amplify Grab Bag as a UFO generator, triggering —Shakespeare. Twelfth Night, Act 1, Scene 1 later myths involving military helicopters. There was an outbreak of mutilated catde stories in Colorado References and northeastern New Mexico in 1975. Strange helicopters were Brookesmith, Peter. 1995. UFO: The Complete Sightings. New York: Barnes part of die scenario. The Albuquerque Journal reported "ghost & Noble: 37. 83. 39. copters" buzzing ranches (Peebles 1994). The presence of armed Corso. Philip. 1997. The Day After Roswell. New York: Simon & Schuster. Fawcett, Lawrence, and Barry Greenwood. 1984. The UFO Cover-Up. New MPs onboard added to the frenzy. The FAA Area Coordinator York: Simon & Schuster 19. announced an investigation of this outbreak but never revealed Good. Timothy. 1988. Above Top Secret. New York: William Morrow: 35, what it had found. The FBI also became involved with similar 272, 300. McAndrew, James. 1997. The Roswell Report: Case Closed. Washington. results. Both agencies had quickly discovered it was our highly D.C.: Government Printing Office. classified program. Their "case closed" reaction is still highlighted Peebles, Curtis. 1991. The Moby Dick Project. Washington: Smithsonian today in government cover-up tales. Institution Press: 128. . 1994. Watch the Skies. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press: Clearly, secret Skyhook balloon programs magnified govern­ 153-154,216. ment cover-ups and engendered numerous UFO stories, sight­ Randle, Kevin, and Donald Schmitt. 1994. The Truth About the UFO Crash ings, and myths. Classified aircraft also contributed to UFO folk­ at Roswell New York: Avon Boob: 154. Randle. Kevin. 1989. The UFO Casebook. New York: Warner Books: 175. lore during die Cold War. The U-2 reconnaissance aircraft fol­ Thomas, David. 1995. Recollections of Project Mogul. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER lowed WS-119L operations over die USSR. It triggered similar 19 (4) July/August: 15-18. UFO reports, even while training in die U.S. However, unlike Trakowski, Captain. 1949. I-cttcr to Air Material Command. April 18. Weaver, Richard, and James McAndrew. 1995. The Roswell Report: Fact vs. supersonic aircraft. Skyhooks remained widiin sight for long Fiction in the New Mexico Desert. Washington, D.C: Government durations, landing widi strange payloads, far from dieir origin. Printing Office.

42 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER The Strange Odyssey of Brenda Dunne

Criticism of parapsychological methodology has caused researchers to adopt more scientifically valid means of conducting their studies. There are those in the field, however, who still reject scientific protocol.

DOUGLAS M. STOKES

t takes a lot of hubris to become a parapsychologist. One has to have the temerity to come to the conclusion that I one's own judgment—and that of a small cadre of rene­ gade scientists—is superior to the collective judgment of the entire scientific establishment when it comes to the reality of phenomena such as ESP and psychokinesis. While such self- confidence is virtually a prerequisite to doing scientific work in parapsychology, too much hubris may be a bad thing. There are some psi researchers who believe that they can ignore the hard-earned lessons about what constitutes proper scientific methodology—knowledge gained over more than a century of intense and often acrimonious debate with skep­ tics. They instead rely on their own "creative judgment"—

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 43 -y

at # B*£

g I 5 i even if that means violating the basic canons regarding accept­ The summer 2003 issue of the Journal of Scientific able procedures in psi research. One such researcher is Brenda Exploration (JSE) began with an article by Dunne and Jahn J. Dunne. summarizing die results obtained by Dunne to date (Dunne Dunne is best known for her work on remote perception, a and Jahn 2003). The journal is the flagship publication of the term she uses to describe the remote viewing paradigm made Society for Scientific Exploration and was created in some popular by physicists Russell Targ and Hal Putoff in the early sense as an attempt at counterprogramming to the SKEPTICAL 1970s (see Targ and PuthorT 1977, for instance). In these INQUIRER. It publishes articles by scientists whose work has experiments, an "agent" travels to a remote location and a been rejected or ignored by mainstream or "establishment" sci­ "percipient" in the laboratory attempts to describe the location ence. In the past year alone, JSE has featured articles on qi visited by the agent. Dunne began her work on remote per­ energy, face-like features on Mars, the Loch Ness monster, ception at Mundelein College in Chicago and the University electronic voice phenomena, anomalies in relativity theory, of Chicago in collaboration widi John Bisaha. She then moved transoceanic contacts in prehistoric America, rock that crackle, to Robert Jahn's Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research spark, and glow before earthquakes, biological cold fusion, and (PEAR) center in Princeton, New Jersey, where she continued the confessions of a grave-robbing UFOlogist. Unfortunately, her research program. the JSE has all too often served as a haven and publication out­ let for parapsychologists who feel that dieir work has been Douglas M. Stokes is a well-known internal critic of research unfairly rejected by "mainstream" parapsychology (which itself methodology in parapsychology. He was one of the contributors to is of course rejected, if not held in outright contempt or dis­ The Skeptics Handbook of Parapsychology, and a summary of dain, by the actual scientific establishment). However, despite his work may be found in his book The Nature of Mind, published its flaws, mainstream parapsychology has learned and largely by McFarland in 1997. He is presently a management consultant incorporated hard lessons about proper methodology in die specializing in statistical analysis with the firm of Sullivan, Cotter, course of its century-long debate widi its critics in the main­ and Associates, Inc. in Detroit. stream scientific community. More often dian not, die reason

44 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER aspiring parapsychologists' work is rejected for publication by, uon and various foil locations. Under this procedure, the target or criticized in, the mainstream parapsychological journals is is not randomly selected but rather is nonrandomly con­ ihat it fails to adhere to die basic minimal methodological structed by the agent through his or her choice of which aspects standards accepted by all competent workers in the field. of the target location to photograph, etc. Thus, had the percip­ ient and die agent, who were often friends, had similar thought Dunne's Failure to Randomize processes that day or similar recent experiences, this may have The most basic and perhaps most elementary of these stan­ caused die percipient to articulate themes in his or her descrip­ dards is that targets in ESP experiments should be randomly tion of die target location that were similar to diemes in the selected. Dunne's research has failed to live up to this standard agent's photographs of the target locauon. For instance, if they even once in the course of her nearly three-decade-long and were both depressed, die percipient may describe a dark loca­ uon, and the agent at die remote woodland location may focus widely publicized research program. her picture-taking on shadowed areas beneath the trees rather At die very outset of parapsychology, it was recognized that than on the bright sunlit valley in the opposite direction. nonrandom selection of targets may result in spurious evi­ Anodicr problem widi diis procedure is that the trials were dence for ESP. For instance, if I tell you that 1 am thinking of conducted over a period of several months, so that seasonal an integer between one and ten (inclusive), you may be more changes and weadier panerns could creep into both the percip­ likely to guess certain numbers (e.g., seven) rather than others ients' impressions and the agent's pictures.1 I pointed out these (e.g., nine). If your bias in guessing and mine in selecting the problems in two early reviews of Dunne and Bisaha's work in number to be the target are similar (which they are likely to be by human nature), then there will be a greater than 10 percent chance that your guess will be correct. Similarly, in Russell Targ and Hal Puthoffs famous picture-drawing experi­ At the very outset of parapsychology, ments with Uri Geller at Stanford Research Institute, the method of selecting the target it was recognized that nonrandom selection was to open a dictionary "at random" and of targets may result in spurious draw the first "drawable" word on the page. Targ and Puthoff regarded this as a satisfac­ evidence for ESP. tory approach to randomization. However, in the one example they give of this process, the first drawable word on the page chosen was farmer. (The decision as to which words are "drawable" is of course itself subjective in nature.) In the the Journal of Parapsychology (Stokes 1978a, 1978b). Another target drawing created based on this word, the "farmer" is given problem in this early research is that Dunne and Bisaha tested not only a pitchfork, but horns and an elaborate tail. To top subjects using sampling without replacement combined with this off, the word devil was wrinen above the farmer. In trial-by-trial feedback to the subject. When a limited series of attempting to guess this target, Geller, ensconced inside SRI's target locations is involved, the subject may increase his proba­ famous shielded room, drew several religiously oriented pic­ bility of a match with the target location by studiously avoid­ tures of Earth together with tablets, an apple, and tridents or ing giving descriptions of targets already seen, thus ensuring menorahs. If Geller and the person constructing the target had that the judges will not match his impression with the previ­ just been, say, viewing a collection of paintings by ously seen targets, increasing the probability that they will Hieronymous Bosch or watching a clip from The Exorcist, this match his impression with the current target. Even worse, the may have prompted them both to construct drawings with reli­ subject can provide explicit cues to the judges as to which gious themes, producing a spurious match. As I pointed out in matches not to make (e.g., "1 feel that die target involves water my review of Targ and Puthoff's book when it was first pub­ but is nothing like the marina we saw yesterday"). These prob­ lished (Stokes 1977), if the dictionary word can be interpreted lems were pointed out early on, both by me (e.g., Stokes 1981) diis loosely, then the target selection process cannot be said to and by Jim Kennedy (e.g., Kennedy 1978). be random at all. As mentioned above, the target locations were ostensibly In Dunnes initial research, the target location for each trial chosen randomly in Dunne and Bisaha's early research. was ostensibly randomly selected. (Recall that Dunne's remote However, in a scathing review of Dunne's research program, perception research involves an agent traveling to a remote Hansen, Utts, and Markwick (1992) note that the randomiza­ locauon, while a percipient attempts to divine the nature of die tion process is inadequately documented in most of Dunnes location through ESP.) However, in Dunne's research protocol, research. These authors also take Dunne to task for multiple the agent took pictures of the target location and these pictures statistical errors as well as the fact that the percipient was not were provided to die judges who rated die degree of correspon­ closely monitored in order to limit die possibility of fraud. The dence between the percipient's impressions of the target loca­ PEAR team's response to this critique (Dobyns, Dunne, Jahn,

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 45 and Nelson 1992) was less than adequate and rather uncon­ There is a very clean procedure available to the PEAR team vincing, especially regarding the sort of procedural errors dis­ that would avoid all of these problems: create a pool of targets cussed above. In their most recent publication, Dunne and for each trial prior to the trial, and have the target descriptions Jahn (2003) dismiss the critique as "irrelevant" and "incor­ prepared before the trials. Then choose a target location ran­ rect," demonstrating that they have learned little from such domly from the pool, and compare the correspondence of the constructive criticism. percipient's description with the chosen target location against those of the alternative locations that were not selected. This Current Research procedure was pointed out to the PEAR team over a decade In her latest research, Dunne has apparently abandoned the ago by Hansen, Utts, and Markwick (1992) in their extensive idea that it is necessary to select targets randomly at all. critique of Dunne's program. Instead, she has adopted what she calls the "volitional proto­ Dunne and Jahn claim that there is no problem with their col," in which the agent freely chooses the target location. Of relaxed methodology, as the trials using better procedures (e.g., ostensibly random selection of targets) yielded results that were just as strong as those using more a more relaxed method­ Dunne and Jahn claim that there is no problem ological standard (e.g., the volitional trials). with their relaxed methodology, as the trials However, even the best of their procedures is so woefully inadequate as to render their using better procedures yielded results that results useless. And why embark on a were just as strong as those using more a more research program using a flawed procedure that will prove noching even if striking results relaxed methodological standard. However, are obtained? Jahn and Dunne claim that the even the best of their procedures is so woefully odds against their overall results being due to chance coincidence are more dian ten mil­ inadequate as to render their results useless. lion to one. But chance is not the likely explanation, methodological inadequacy is. Thus, Dunne and Jahn have amassed impres­ the 336 "formal trials" reported in her latest overview of her sive evidence for some type of anomalous phenomenon. research program (Dunne and Jahn 2003), 211 utilized the Unfortunately that anomalous phenomenon is not ESP or volitional protocol and are thus absolutely worthless as evi­ "remote perception" as diey call it, but rather the unending folly dence of ESP and only 125 involved the (ostensibly) random of a research team that should know better by now (if only they selection of the target. would listen to their "unfair" criucs in die "mainstream" para- Dunne's latest procedure is to have the agent and percipi­ psychological journals). ent check off a list of "descriptors" regarding the target loca­ tion (e.g., whether the scene is "confined or expansive," Note whether it is "noisy or quiet," whether it involves the presence 1. For example, the percipient may describe dripping red leaves on a rainy autumn day and glistening snow on a bright winter day. these elements will of water, is indoors or outdoors, etc.). The degree of match likely be captured in the agent's photographs as well, enabling the judges to between the descriptors checked (or rated) by the percipient match die target locations to the percipients' impressions without any ESP on and agent is then compared to the statistical distribution of the part of the percipient being involved at all. matches between the percipient's descriptor list and those pro­ vided for other locations on other trials. However, the same References problems exist as for die pictures taken by the agent in Dobyns, Y.H., B.J. Dunne, R.G. Jahn, and R.D. Nelson. 1992. Response to Hansen, Utts and Markwick: Statistical and methodological problems of Dunne's early research. The location is not the target; rather the PEAR remote viewing (sic) experiments. Journal of Parapsychology 56. the target is the agent's description of the location. Common 115-146. thought processes and common experiences can thus lead die Dunne, B.J., and R.G. Jahn. 2003. Information and uncertainty in remote perception research. Journal of Scientific Exploration 17, 207-241. agent and the percipient to provide similar descriptions. For Hansen, G.P., J. Utts, and B. Markwick. 1992. Critique of the PEAR remote- instance, if diey are in glum mood, they may both rate the viewing experiments. Journal of Parapsychology 56, 97—113. location as "confined and quiet" rather than as "expansive and Kennedy, J.E. 1979. More on methodological issues in free-response psi exper­ noisy." The agent may even consciously or unconsciously bias iments. Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research 73, 395—401. Stokes, D.M. 1977. Review of Mind-reach: Scientists Look at Psychic Ability by his ratings to correspond with those he believes the percipient R. Targ and H. Puthoff. Journal of the American Society for Psychical is likely to give. In an appendix to their paper, Dunne and Research 7'1, 437-442. Jahn attempt to deal with the issue of common rating biases . 1978a. Review of Research in Parapsychology, 1976, edited by J.D. Morris. W.G. Roll and R.L. Morris. Journal of Parapsychology 42. 70-76. between the agent and percipient by making comparisons only . 1978b. Review of Research in Parapsychology, 1977, edited by W.G. within agent-percipient pairs. This, however, does not address Roll. Journal of Parapsychology 42, 313-319. the issue of biases rJiat may fluctuate from trial to trial. Also . 1981. Review of Research in Parapsychology, 1979. edited by W.G. Roll, Journal of Parapsychology 45, 175-183. the problem of the percipient's avoidance of descriptions of Targ, R., and H.E. Puthoff. 1977. Mind-Reach: Scientists Look at Psychic previously seen target locations remains. Ability. New York: Delacone Press. D

46 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Bridging the Chasm between Two Cultures

A former leader in the New Age culture—author of nine titles on auras, chakras, "energy," and so on—chronicles her difficult and painful transition to skepticism. She thanks the skeptical community and agonizes over how the messages of scientific and critical thinking could be made more effective in communicating with her former New Age colleagues. KARLA McLAREN

've been studying the conflict between the skeptical com­ munity and the metaphysical/new age community for a Ifew decades now, and I think I've finally discovered the central issue that makes communication so difficult. It is not merely, as many surmise, a conflict between fact-based view­ points and faith-based viewpoints. Nor is it simply a conflict between rationality and credulity. No, it's a full-on clash of cultures that makes real communication improbable at best. I know this firsthand, because as a former member of the New Age culture, I struggled for years to decipher the lan­ guage, the rules, the attitudes, and the expectations of the skeptical culture. Yet for a great while, all I could hear from the skeptical culture was noise—and confusing noise at that.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 47 I'm not really sure how to introduce myself, except perhaps roundly trashed by the skeptical culture, because I was never in with this paraphrase: "I have seen the enemy, and she is me." the field to scam anyone—and neither were any of my friends I'm an author and healer (or I was, actually) in the metaphys­ or colleagues. I worked in the field because I have a deep and ical culture. I wrote about energy and chakras, auras, healing, abiding concern for people, and an honest wish to be helpful in the different kinds of psychic skills . . . the whole shebang. I've my own culture. Access to clearheaded and carefully presented traveled throughout the states doing book tours, seminars, and skeptical material would have helped me (and others like me) workshops. I've appeared at all the top New Age venues, such at every step of the way—but I couldn't access any of that infor­ as the Omega Institute, Naropa University, and the Whole mation because I simply couldn't identify with it. Until now. Life Expo (which I call the Hell Life Expo, but that's another I'm writing this piece as a thank you letter to the skeptical story). My books have been translated into five languages, and community. I want to thank you for helping me to fully I've even had a title in the One Spirit Book Club. understand just how much bad training I've been exposed to Understanding the metaphysical/New Age community and in my metaphysical/New Age culture (actually, it's not my cul­ culture has been a central focus of my life and my career. ture any longer, but for simplicity's sake, let me continue to I'm not just a member of the New Age community—I've claim it for the duration of this piece). But I'm also writing as also been a purveyor of the very things the skeptical commu­ an attempt to open a dialogue, and perhaps to begin bridging nity is so concerned about. I've been involved in metaphysics the precipitous chasm that exists between our two warring cul­ and the New Age for over thirty years, I've written four books tures, because at this point, the lion's share of people from my and recorded five audio learning sets in the genre, and I was culture can't really hear much (if anything) from the skeptical considered one of the leaders in the field. culture. And that's a real shame. I'm not in the field any longer, but it's hard to truly disap­ This cultural divide is making it nearly impossible for me to pear when so many of my books and tapes are already out be honest in my own culture about the changes I've made. Right there. It's also hard to disappear when I don't really know what now, my Web site says that I'm on sabbatical. I've cancelled all to say to tlie people in my culture. The cultural rift is so workshops, turned down numerous book contracts, and I'm extreme that anything I say will prove that I have gone to the slowly deconstructing my career. I've cleared out files, e-mails, other side, the wrong side—the side of the enemy. In actual and letters, thousands of letters, from people who considered mc fact, however, I have just seen enough to know that the skep­ an expert. I'm turning down all requests for interviews and con­ tics and the critical thinkers have some extremely pertinent sultations, and I'm going back to school to get my degree in and meaningful things to say. I've now studied enough skepti­ sociology and behavioral sciences. If I write another book about cal and scientific information about paranormal abilities and the New Age culture, I want to write it as a sociologist—not as events to question many of the precepts upon which my work a mystic or as a naysayer, because neither of those positions has was based. More important, I've seen enough to understand been truly helpful to people in my culture. firsthand the real costs of the New Age. The fight between our cultures has often been an ugly and I've also learned to understand the differences and similari­ confusing one, and in all honesty, that fight can't be won the ties in die New Age and skeptical cultures, so that I no longer way we're fighting it. I'm tired of seeing so many people get react in a stereotypically offended fashion when I or the people hurt when so little good comes of that hurt. So I'm going to I know and love are referred to as frauds, shams, or dupes. I try something new, and I'm going to try to find a way to expi­ understand now diat these terms are not meant disparagingly, ate the damage I feel I've done. But first I need to find the for the most part. I understand now that these terms often mask words to tell people in my culture what I'm doing and why. a great deal of care and concern for people in the New Age cul­ On one level, my story is not a typical one, because I'm not ture. It's sometimes hard to unearth that concern—it often simply a New Age follower who finally woke up. However, requires an almost anthropological capacity to understand the even though it is unusual and perhaps even unheard of for cultural differences between us—but the concern is there. someone in my position to make a complete turnaround, I Until I understood that concern, I couldn't find myself in think the process I followed is fairly typical. I started out in my the skeptical lexicon. I couldn't identify myself with the uncar­ youth, knowing (through direct experience) that the things I ing hucksters, the wildly miseducated snake-oil peddlers, the learned in the New Age and metaphysics were true, and that self-righteous psychics, the big-haired evangelists, or the mega- naysayers were just that. After a time, though, I began to ques­ lom.mi.iL.il eastern fakirs. I couldn't identify my work or myself tion the things I saw that didn't fit—the anomalies, the cures with the scam-based work or the unstable personalities so that didn't work, the ideas that fell apart when you really looked at them, and so forth. I wrote passionately about the Karla McLaren has been a member of the metaphysical/New Age trouble I saw in my culture, and I even became a voice of rea­ culture for thirty-two years. She has authored nine titles in the genre, son. Sadly, though, every time I tried to research the things including Emotional Genius, Energetic Boundaries, and Your that disturbed or troubled me, I hit a wall. Aura & Your Chakras: The Owner's Manual. She is now decon­ That wall, built of deep cultural differences and decades (or structing her career, and is returning to (real) college to get her (real) centuries) of distrust, meant that I could find nothing within Masters in Sociology and Behavioral Sciences. She is currently co- my culture that could help me think critically. Critical think­ writing a book on bridging the skeptical and New Age cultures. ing and skepticism live in anorher world from mine—they live

48 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER across a chasm where no bridge and no safe passages exist. It what they did, and I directly experienced healings and psychic wasn't until I became a citizen of the Web that I was able to readings that I couldn't logically refute. undertake the harrowing journey across that chasm and land, In that period, it would have been wonderful to come finally, on solid ground. upon skeptical and critical thinking techniques, but alas, crit­ How did a card-carrying, aura-wearing, chakra-toting ical thinking wasn't taught in my high school. I didn't even leader of the New Age become able to understand and even­ know the category existed! When I went to junior college, I tually embrace the skeptical culture? Well, it took quite a took geometry and logic for my critical thinking courses and while, so let me start at the beginning. thus I missed out on the subject once again. In my education, I first encountered the New Age in 1971, when I was ten I didn't gain the skills I needed to help me understand what years old. My mother had been experiencing numerous arthritic was occurring when New Age and metaphysical ideas and symptoms that just weren't responding to medical care, and she techniques seemed to work. My empirical experience was headed for a wheelchair. "proved" the validity of things Somehow, she found a yoga class, like psychic skills, auras, chakras, and slowly, she became well again. contact with the dead, astrology, She also became a vegetarian (which and the like—and I had very little was very avant garde at the time) in my intellectual arsenal at that and we began frequenting health time to help me understand what food stores in search of unusual was truly occurring. things like whole grain cookies, For instance, an understanding cod-liver oil, and bean sprouts. Our of cold reading would have helped lives changed very swiftly, especially me a great deal. I never knew what after Mom became a yoga teacher cold reading was, and until I saw herself and entered more fully into professional magician and the metaphysical/New Age culture. debunker Mark Edward use cold Yoga has been jokingly called the reading on an ABC News special "gateway drug" to the New Age. last year, I didn't understand that I That was certainly true for us. had long used a form of cold read­ Our family fell apart over this ing in my own work! I was never massive change (though my par­ taught cold reading and I never ents' marriage was rocky anyway), intended to defraud anyone—I as my father was and still is a skep­ simply picked up the technique tic with a strong intellect and good through cultural osmosis. native training in scientific and To be fair, a skeptical move­ critical thought processes. One of ment did arise during my early my brothers, who is now a mathe­ teens, but it unfortunately created matics professor, joined with my a deep cultural rift that continues father, while the rest of us kids to this day. In the seventies, Uri (four total) went along in our own Geller became popular. My first ways with my mother's interest in real contact with someone in the metaphysics, spirituality, and the New Age. skeptical culture was watching James Randi on television, just We switched from conventional medicine to homeopathic tearing Geller to bits. I didn't understand what was happening. care, learned to meditate, and joined groups that listened to Uri Geller appeared on the Mike Douglas show and on the supposedly "channeled" beings—we became a part of the "in" Merv Griffin show, and you could clearly see him perform his crowd. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay area, and went to paranormal feats right there on television. Surely Mike and high school in Marin County (the epicenter of the New Age Merv wouldn't be involved in lying to the public? I really did­ explosion of the seventies and eighties), so I was surrounded at n't understand what Randi's problem was with Geller, and my all times by unusual people and experiences. It was a fun and friends and I thought Randi was very vitriolic. I didn't learn often exciting time, and though I much preferred the magical about critical thinking from Randi—what I learned was that world my mother showed us to the mundane world my father some people just had it in for healers and people witJi paranor­ defended, I was always a very bright and skeptical person. mal gifts. I know he would not like to hear this, but it's still Even in my early teens, I was able to see right through ques­ true: James Randi's behavior and demeanor were so culturally tionable things like est, Scientology, breatharianism, urine insensitive that he actually created a gigantic backlash against drinking, and the really dangerous cults—yet that same skep­ skepticism, and a gigantic surge toward the New Age that still ticism and intelligence actually helped me validate other rages unabated. unusual experiences (of which I had many). I knew many psy­ I certainly understand and support James Randi's anger, chics and alternative healers who seemed to be very good at frustration, and even vitriol now (especially after having lived

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 49 through the New Age for so many decades), but all I could see ings to figure out that I was direcdy challenging many of the then was a very sarcastic man who seemed to attack Geller per­ foundations upon which the New Age is built. Actually, my sonally. Now, after having been a regular visitor to Randi's Web culturally sensitive capacity to attack without attacking and site (www.randi.org), I can see him as a deeply caring man who criticize without criticizing was so effective that some avid works tirelessly for an important cause. I also see that he is very readers still don't know what 1 was saying. concerned about some of the unbalanced New Agers who write From a vantage point outside the New Age culture, my cul­ to him in barely legible missives. I empathize with Randi, ture's disavowal of emotions and the intellect may seem very because people like that write to me, too (though I take on the strange and nearly inexplicable. Nevertheless, it is a very real cul­ role of hero in their fevered fantasy lives, while Randi is treated tural component that must be understood and considered if any as a villain). Now that I can see him as an individual and under­ useful communication is going to occur. If we want to success­ stand his culture, I can see James Randi as the excellent (and fully communicate with someone, we've got to understand not intense) man he is—but it took me a while. Had Randi under­ just their language, but the cultural context from which their lan­ stood the New Age culture back when Uri Geller was becom­ guage springs. From what I've seen in both the New Age and the ing popular, he could have easily spoken in a way that might skeptical cultures, this understanding is absent. I certainly didn't have been heard—or at least in a way that wouldn't have caused understand the skeptical culture until I spent real time consider­ such a violent backlash. Or perhaps I'm being too idealistic. ing it as a culture—and I know from my reading that most peo­ ple in the skeptical culture don't understand the New Age culture at all. As a result, the yelling between our cultures just becomes louder while the real communication falls I certainly didn't understand the into the chasm that divides us. In all the din, skeptical culture until I spent real time people in my culture hear what they deem to be hyper-intellectual and emotionally considering it as a culture—and I know charged attacks upon their cherished beliefs, from my reading that most people while people in your culture hear what they deem to be wishful thinking, scientific illiter­ in the skeptical culture don't understand acy, and emotionally charged salvos in the New Age culture at all. defense of mere delusions. This is of course a tragedy, but after As a result, the yelling between our reading through the skeptical literature for cultures just becomes louder while the last three years, I feel that this tragedy may be avoidable. I understand your cul­ the real communication falls ture now, and I understand the concern, into the chasm that divides us. care, and interest you have for the people in my culture. I'm now able to read past text I once considered inflammatory and see the dedication behind it—not just your dedica­ tion to competent research and information- You see, I've been speaking to people in this New Age cul­ gathering, but your dedication to clear communication. I see ture in their own language, and though I certainly was heard, your faith in human intelligence, your anger about swindlers I don't think that, in the end, I really did any good. Growing and charlatans, your open-minded ability to question author­ up as I did in nutty, kooky Marin County, I was able to see ity and accepted wisdom, and your willingness to fight to fur­ some of the most egregious examples of New Age chicanery— ther a cause close to your heart. My favorite people in the New and as I matured into a writer and healer, I always warned Age culture share these same qualities. I feel that people in against them. The problem is this: In my culture, you can't your culture are capable of reaching out to my culture in sen­ openly attack anyone or their character, and you can't use truly sitive ways that will have a chance of being heard—because it's focused skepticism. In my culture, personal attacks are consid­ vital that you are heard. ered an example of emotional imbalance (where your emo­ It's vital that a way be found to help people in my culture tions control you), while deep skepticism is considered a form question, think about, and critically interpret the barrage of of mental imbalance (where your intellect controls you). Both information and misinformation they receive on a daily basis. behaviors are serious cultural no-nos, because both the emo­ However, it's also vital that the information be culturally sen­ tions and the intellect are considered troublesome areas of the sitive. For instance, the first time I visited the skeptical health psyche that do very litde but keep one away from the (sup­ care Web site called Quackwatch, it felt as if I were walking posedly) true and meaningful realm of spirit. When I wrote into enemy territory. "Quack" is a very loaded word—it's a my books and recorded my audio programs, I had to write and fighting word! Though site owner Dr. Stephen Barrett has speak so carefully that it took most people two or three read­ every right to call his excellent Web site anything he likes, I

50 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER wonder why it couldn't have been called, for instance, works (or whatever it is diey're doing this week). There's an Health Watch, Healinglnfo, DocFacts, or something equally awful lot of scientific jargon all over the New Age now, and nonthreatening. Why do I have to type the word "quack" while it's sad to see science being bent and mangled by my when I want a skeptical review of the choices I make in med­ culture, I have to say that it shows we're listening to you. It ical care? And why do I have to spend so much time translat­ shows that we're trying to get it right—to say things in a way ing on the skeptical sites I visit—or just skipping over words you can hear. I know that my culture's sloppy and disre­ like scam, sham, quack, fraud, dupe, and fool? Why do I (the spectful use of science is something that angers and confuses sort of person who actually needs skeptical information) have many people in the skeptical community, but can we look at to see myself described in offensive terms and bow my head in it in a different light? shame before I can truly access the information available in People in my culture have heard you and we're trying to your culture? answer—but we don't understand you. Our cultural training I have a selfish reason for asking these questions, because about the dangers of the intellect makes it nearly impossible one of my first ideas was to make my own Web site a culturally for us to utilize science properly—or to identify your intellec­ sensitive portal to the skeptical sites—yet I cannot find a way tual rigor as anything but an unhealthy overuse of the mind. 1 to do so. I've got a Web page mock-up brewing in my files—a know that sounds silly, but think of the way you view our page that I've rewritten maybe fifty times or more—that tries to introduce the concept of skepticism in an open and nonthreaten­ ing way. I'd like to include links to the bril­ People in my culture have heard you liant urban legends site (snopes.com), to and we're trying to answer—but we Bob Carroll's online Skeptic's Dictionary (skepdic.com), to CSICOP and the don't understand you. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (csicop.org), and to Our cultural training about the dangers The Skeptic (skeptic.com). I also really wanted to include Quackwatch (quack- of the intellect makes it nearly impossible watch.org) and James Randi's site for us to utilize science properly—or to (randi.org)—but I just can't find the words. Sure, I can use my site to prepare people for identify your intellectual rigor as the journey, but I know from experience anything but an unhealthy that they would be in for quite a shock once diey clicked on the links. I mean, it's one overuse of the mind. thing to find out that much of my culture and belief system was based on gossamer and hearsay, but it's another thing altogether to see people like myself being denigrated and pitied. capacity to dive deeply into matters of spiritual or religious I found your culture and persevered through die (perhaps study. You don't often treat our rigor as scholarship, per se unintentionally?) insulting text and the demeaning attitudes (though it takes quite an intellect to understand and organize because I had a serious need. I had a need to understand the the often screamingly inconsistent sacred canon)—instead you avalanche of New Age ideas, gadgets, meditation techniques, tend to treat our work as an overabundance of credulity or per­ and personalities I encountered as my career gathered momen­ haps even a stubborn refusal to listen to sense. tum. I saw so much as I traveled and spoke to people in my It is possible that our two warring cultures will never build culture, and so much of it worried me that I began to use the a bridge across die deep rift that divides us. I know that in my Internet to organize diis avalanche and acquaint myself fully own case, die transition from my culture to yours was long, with information in my field. It was a harrowing journey, to arduous, and deeply painful. It was not an easy traipse across a say die very least. I waded into your culture for much-needed well-constructed bridge. In essence, I had to throw myself off information, and ended up losing my own culture in the a cliff. I had to leave behind my career, my income, my cul­ process. During the most difficult throes, I joked that I would ture, my family, my friends, my health care practitioners, most have had to cheer up to be merely despairing—and that I of my business contacts, my past, and my future. I say diis not would have had to calm down to be merely enraged. I'm still to garner sympadiy bur to show what the leap truly entails. working through this. The New Age is a complete culture with its own rules, ideals, What I see in the tragic dash between die New Age and infrastructure, and social life. When I finally realized that my skeptical cultures is that, for the most part, die skeptics have not yet been able to speak in a way that can be heard. cultural training had me teetering on a foundation of can­ Certainly, neither have people in my culture been able to per­ dyfloss and dreams—and worse, diat my work had encouraged form that same feat. I see some scientific types working in the others to teeter alongside me, I was inconsolable, yet I had New Age culture, trying to prove diat chi exists or prayer absolutely no one to turn to.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/tune 2004 51 I've made it, I think, through my rage and horror at my own to talk to people in my culture about your culture, but that's a complicity in helping people remain susceptible—and perhaps lot harder. I first need a rest, and I need to be in a real school, through my grief and despair (though that's more cyclical) about studying real science and getting a real degree (people in my my own miseducation. Now I'm considering what to do from culture tend to pursue offbeat degrees in offbeat subjects at here. I've discovered in just the few (less than ten) conversations offbeat schools). Watching people in the New Age has been as I've had with faith-based people that skeptical information is hard on me as it has been on you. Underneath all the magic, absolutely threatening and unwanted. What I didn't understand the wise ghosts, and the never-ending remedies lies a well of until recendy is that when you start questioning these beliefs, pain and loneliness that is immense and overwhelming. 1 there's a domino effect that eventually smacks into your whole always saw it—I always saw the excruciating truth of my cul­ house of cards—and nothing remains standing. Opening the ture, and I thought I could help. That I didn't help—not questioning process is a very dangerous thing, and people in my truly—is possibly the greatest devastation of my life. I need to culture seem to understand that on a subconscious level. In heal from being a healer. response to their extreme discomfort, I've become completely My voice was an important one in my culture; therefore, silent around believers—which is hard, because they make up I've got to take responsibility for what I've done. I need to edu­ most of my friends, family, and correspondents. cate myself and come back into the fray in a healthy and If I were in this business for the money, I would have never respectful way. Maybe by the time I've organized my thoughts, seriously questioned what I was doing. I would have turned a bridging culture will already exist. Maybe I'll find a way to back as soon as my research challenged or threatened me. But be heard—or to translate the skeptical lexicon in such a way I wasn't in it for the money. I was there to help people, often that people in my culture can access it without being insulted very disturbed people who were trammeling after this cure, or shamed. One thing I'll be sure to stress is the fact that there that device, these gurus, or those miracle supplements. I tried is actually more beauty, wonder, brilliance, and mystery in sci­ to help people in my culture make sense of all the ideas and ence than there is in the mystical world. gadgets that were coming at them with such rapidity, but I was One of the biggest falsehoods I've encountered is that skep­ unable to make even a dent. When I understood fully that, no tics can't tolerate mystery, while New Age people can. This is matter how good my intentions, the mere mention of things completely wrong, because it is actually the people in my culture like auras, chakras, and "energy" brought with them a host of who can't handle mystery—not even a tiny bit of it. Everything truly unsafe and untested assumptions—and that I was lead­ in my New Age culture comes complete with an answer, a rea­ ing people into an arena where skepticism and critical think­ son, and a source. Every action, emotion, health symptom, ing were forbidden—I knew that it was time to stop, and stop dream, accident, birth, death, or idea here has a direct link to the completely. It was a wrenching, isolating, and despair-filled influence of the stars, chi, past lives, ancestors, energy fields, decision, but since my focus is to help others, it was the only interdimensional beings, enneagrams, devas, fairies, spirit ethical or moral shift for me to make. guides, angels, aliens, karma, God, or the Goddess. I respectfully ask that you in the skeptical community con­ We love to say that we embrace mystery in the New Age sider making a similar (though hopefully not so jarring) shift culture, but that's a cultural conceit and it's utterly wrong. In in your behavior and approach to us. I understand now, after actual fact, we have no tolerance whatsoever for mystery. years of reading and research, that the skeptical culture exists Everything from the smallest individual action to the largest because of a very real concern for the welfare and well being of movements in the evolution of the planet has a specific meta­ others. Of the two cultures, I can honesdy say I now vasdy pre­ physical or mystical cause. In my opinion, this incapacity to fer the skeptical one. However, I know firsthand that the skep­ tolerate mystery is a direct result of my culture's disavowal of tical viewpoint cannot be heard or assimilated in the New Age the intellect. One of the most frightening things about attain­ and metaphysical community; it is anathema, and that's a ing the capacity to think skeptically and critically is that so shame for every single one of us. It is a shame because the many things don't have clear answers. Critical thinkers and search for the truth, the concern for the welfare of others, the skeptics don't create answers just to manage their anxiety. need to be treated with respect, and the need to be welcomed Maybe I'll find a way to capitalize on my culture's thirst for in a culture—are all things my people share with yours. We answers, and my people's capacity to work with conflicting have a different language and different references, but we share information (metaphysical ideas change every six months or so these basic human needs. I would ask you to respect our and therefore people in my culture are very accustomed to humanity, and approach us not as if you are reformers or switching mental gears). I have faith now that I didn't have redeemers. I would ask you to approach us as fellow humans before: faith in your culture's concern and integrity, and faith who share your concern and interest in the welfare of others. I in my culture's curiosity and capacity to learn new things. I've would ask you to be as culturally intelligent as you are scien­ also learned firsthand that bad training, though damaging, is tifically intelligent, and to work to understand our culture as not a life sentence. clearly as you understand the techniques, ideas, and modalities I have a lot of work and research to do, but I do see a possi­ that have sprung from it. We arc a people, not a problem. bility now that I didn't see before. I want to thank you for your I think I have found a way to speak across the chasm, to work and your efforts to protect people like me from harm. You you. I am now learning to perform that same feat in reverse— make a difference. I hope one day to be able to do the same. •

52 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS

Fact, Fiction, and Strained Symbolism JOSEPH P. SZIMHART

I he Da Vina Code. By Dan Brown. Doubleday, Random House, Inc., New York, 2003. ISBN 0-385-50420-9. 454 pp. Hardcover, $24.95.

hen I purchased The Da to Opus Dei guidelines. Silas works for Jesus bloodline was protected through Vinci Code after the New someone he knows only as "the Teacher," the centuries via other sects like the WYear arrived in 2004 I was a wealthy Briton who we later find out is Templars. In the novel a conservative aware that it was a best seller in 2003 obsessed with finding die Holy Grail of Pope has died and a new, liberal leader­ (and still is) and that millions of people Arthurian legend. The curator happened ship in the Vatican emerges, one that have read it. Until then I ignored the would rescind Opus Dei's significant sta­ reviews and had little idea of the con­ tus as a prelature. The Teacher, identified tent. Some reviewers early on had said at the end as Leigh Teabing the ultra- author Dan Brown's research was wealthy Briton, finds a way to manipu­ "impeccable." Brown's editor continues late the Vatican and Opus Dei to get his to stand by his man saying that Brown hands on the Holy Grail. made nothing up save the fictional, con­ Sir (he is a Knight) Teabing utilizes temporary story wrapped around sensa­ the latest in surveillance equipment and tional religious controversy. After I extensive research to pin down informa­ browsed through the story initially I tion about the Grail, which he believes realized what I was in for and why all should have been revealed. He does not the ensuing critical flack from art histo­ want to be exposed as the one who forces rians, religious scholars, and Catholic the secret from the Priory, so he devises apologists. I was about to go on another an elaborate scheme. He convinces the the-Catholic-Church-has-it-all-wrong, Opus leader, Bishop Aringarosa, that the New Age ride. Grail secret will indeed be revealed, thus The story begins at night in the creating a catastrophe for Roman Louvre Museum in Paris where an albino Catholicism and wiping out Opus Dei's monk dressed in a hooded cloak shoots a reason for being. Aringarosa has a secret curator in the stomach. The monk, Silas, meeting with Vatican officials who is a radical numerary member of the already know about the potential devas­ ultra-conservative Opus Dei sect of the tating Grail revelation, and they strike a Catholic Church. He wears a cilice, a to be the leader of a secret sea (the deal. The Vatican pays the Opus leader thong that cuts flesh, around his thigh, Priory of Sion) that hides and protects 20 million euros in Vatican bonds to and he flagellates himself bloody as part the Grail and a cache of ancient manu­ find the Grail and destroy the evidence. of a self-purification cult in accordance scripts that could prove that Jesus Christ In return Opus would retain its standing had fathered a child. Sarah, widi Mary and the Church could survive. He con­ Joe Szimhart has been a specialist in cult Magdalene. According to a fringe leg­ vinces the devoted Silas, an outcast all his information for two decades. He also is an end, Mary and her followers as the true life, to kill each of the four men who artist, and he works in the mental health Christians fled to France and perhaps hold the secret after they reveal it. field. He lives in Douglassville, Pennsyl­ England to avoid persecution from Peter Teabing however plans to get the Grail vania. E-mail: [email protected]. and the Apostles. Their "secret" and the for himself in the end.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 53 BOOK REVIEWS

Enter Robert Langdon, a well- liest Christians despite the fringe sects in "Dismantling The Da Vinci Code" known Harvard professor of religious that derived new meanings and wrote (Crisis, September 1, 2003). Miesel studies who specializes in symbolism contrary texts. Brown makes it appear states, "So error laden is The Da Vinci and arcane wisdom. The curator wanted that the Church really did destroy Code that the educated reader actually to meet him in Paris, as Langdon had almost all evidence of the truth about applauds those rare occasions where written a manuscript that inadvertently Jesus. Brown's primary characters also Brown stumbles (despite himself) into revealed the secret that the curator and explain to Sophie how the Churchmen the truth." only three others held. Before he died executed over 5 million witches (pagans) Brown's book presents Leonardo's on the floor near the Mona Lisa, and suppressed the sacred feminine most famous painting, the Mona Lisa, as Sauniere, somehow managed to strip off principle purportedly valued by far more esoteric than the fine, idealized his clothes, then arrange his body Leonardo and other initiates of a god­ portrait of the lady LA Giaconda appears. according to a famous Leonardo da dess-based or sun-worshipping pagan Brown's hero, Langdon, finds androgy­ Vinci drawing of a naked man in a cir­ cult. Brown does claim at the beginning nous symbolism derived from an inter­ pretation of seeming inconsistencies in the landscape behind the figure, and he argues that Mona Lisa is "an anagram of The book inspired a one-hour, ABC-TV news the divine union of male and female." In effect, Brown creates a mockery of special and rounds of debates as well as reviews Leonardo's intent as an experimental that range from praise to vitriol. artist. A pentagram (or star) that appears on the dead curator (drawn in his own blood) indicates to Langdon, the sym­ cle, "the Vitruvian Man." Sauniere also of the book that "All descriptions of art­ bolist, that Sophie's grandfather knew a managed to write some symbols in visible work, architecture, documents, and code Leonardo used to indicate the and invisible ink and in his blood on and secret rituals in this novel are accurate." sacred feminine eschewed by the Roman around his body. Enter Sophie Nevue, a Derivative would have been more accu­ Church. Leonardo allegedly inserted as a French criminal investigator and code rate than accurate. kind of subtext subliminal signals about cracker, along with Bezu Fache, the lead We do not have to search far to find the "goddess" and the female principle, French crime investigator. Sophie hap­ some of Brown's sources, as he mentions about sun worship and pagan truths. In pens to be the curators estranged grand­ them within the didactic or preachy seg­ my view Leonardo's aesthetic use of daughter. Due to the curator's codes and ments in the plot. Among his primary geometry transcended any mere refer­ mysterious anagrams created at the crime- sources are: Holy Blood and Holy Grail ence to goddess worship—-his was a sci­ scene, Sophie and Robert arc drawn in (so by M. Baigent, R. Leigh, and H. entific as well as an aesthetic approach to to speak) to solve the murder, and later Lincoln; The Templar Revelation: Secret beauty, not a devious one. Leonardo may the Grail mystery. Guardians of the True Identity of Christ not have been the ideal Catholic So, if this is mere fiction, why all the by Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince; and (Brown's book notes that he was homo­ fuss? The book inspired a one-hour, The Woman with the Alabaster Jar: Mary sexual), but he certainly was not the con­ ABC-TV news special and rounds of Magdalene and the Holy Grail by niving occultist described by Brown. debates as well as reviews that range Margaret Starbird. Scholars have found According to biographers Antonina from praise to vitriol. I think it is insurmountable flaws in all these books, Vallentin and Vasari, at the end of his life because Brown appears to take his thesis books that are highly speculative but Leonardo reconciled with the Catholic seriously: History would be very differ­ with New Age appeal. A book not men­ Church, took communion, and ent had Constantine in 325 A.D. and the tioned. Daughter of God by Lewis lamented that "he had offended against subsequent Roman Church not Perdue (2000), is close enough in plot God and men by failing to practice his excluded certain sex rites, equality for and content that there has been legal art as he should have done." females, and Gnostic texts from the accusation of plagiarism against Brown The novel pivots on the pentagram Christian canon—and he appears to by Perdue. I read the Perdue book also, as a feminist marker, and our heroes are back the story with "facts." However, and 1 do find significant similarities. off on a whirlwind detective excursion Brown's novel simplistically claims that Perdue identifies over thirty "elements." while running for their lives. The under Constantine and the Council of However, if you want more thrills and French police initially target Langdon as Nicea at a single stroke Jesus was made shoot-em-ups, read Daughter of God the prime suspect. During their flight divine. The reality is that the divinity of Criticism from the Catholic front from Fache and the police Langdon and Christ was never in question among ear­ comes from Sandra Miesel, a medievalist Sophie meet with Leigh Teabing,

54 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS

apparendy an ally, at his sumptuous villa once studied astrology and could cast a leader, the huckster Pierre Plantard, where he shows diem a large reproduc­ horoscope in any of several systems. along with an accomplice deposited die tion of Leonardo's famous mural. The Astrology as a science is completely Dossiers Secrets into the Bibliotheque. Last Supper. Wrongly, the novel wants us baseless and unreliable for character The parchments were fakes all along, as analysis to a fault, but astrologers, like to believe that the mural represents the exposed on the same BBC program good salesmen, can be very convincing, moment that Jesus instituted the mentioned above. especially if you show interest in their As for Jean Cocteau (1889-1963), I Eucharist rite, but Leonardo illustrated product. Invariably, most folks who have a translation of an interesting auto­ John 13:21 when Jesus warns, "One of want a reading are easily impressed you will betray me." because the astrologer's product is the biographical book by him called Teabing, die Grail expert, points to the client's character and fate. We are all Opium: The Diary of a Cure. Cocteau lack of a central chalice in the design as interested in ourselves and we will find wrote the journal account liberally illus­ proof diat the Grail is not a material cup. many "hits" or accurate statements in trated in his surrealistic style in 1929 He goes on, with Langdon's acquiescence, almost any reading (unless you happen while in treatment for "opium poison­ to point to a "V shape between an to be an informed skeptic). Sophie is ing" at an asylum in France. Cocteau Apostle to Jesus' right and Jesus as a sym­ very impressed with her experts, was a brilliant filmmaker and writer bol of die female. He identifies that apos­ Langdon and Teabing, she is in unfamil­ who apparently never gave up opium. iar territory, and she has an emotional de as Mary Magdalene, not the Apostle The Da Vinci Code states on page 327 need to support her dead grandfather. John who art historians see. Indeed, that Jean Cocteau was Grand Master of Naturally, she comes up with an affir­ the Priory of Sion from 1918-1963. Leonardo painted John as young and mative response. Brown's novel wants us The Brown book also claims that Victor effeminate, but diis was a convention that to believe that Leonardo played occult developed before and during the tricks like this on the Church through Hugo was Grand Master from Renaissance. And one has to ask, if that is his many, many lucrative Church com­ 1844-1885. Cocteau in Opium says, Mary, where is John? There are only thir­ missions, when he had only one that "Victor Hugo was a madman who teen figures. Teabing also claims that diere was not even completed. believed himself to be Victor Hugo." is a disembodied hand with a knife (next Awkward for Dan Brown, is all I can say. to Judas) while St. Peter is posed with his The novel claims that Leonardo da A few final words about mistakes: left hand in a cutting gesture at the pur­ Vinci was a Grand Master of the secre­ Opus Dei members do not wear monk's ported Mary's throat. He says Leonardo tive Priory of Sion as were Victor Hugo robes. Brown's albino, Silas, apparently wanted to indicate diat the Church had and the twentieth century French artist sees very well without lenses—highly cut off Mary Magdalene as die chosen Jean Cocteau. There is no evidence that unusual for someone with albinism. leader of Christ's church. A transfixed they or Leonardo were members; the Brown's hero, Langdon, states, "Ori­ Sophie can only think, "This is the Priory of Sion is essentially a new reli­ ginally, Tarot had been devised as a secret woman who single-handedly could gious movement that appeared after means to pass along ideologies banned by crumble the Church?" Mary with her World War II. It announced its existence die Church" (p. 92). Tarot playing cards bloodline is the Holy Grail, the womb in 1962 after formally establishing itself (and diey were playing cards, not magical that held the seed of Jesus. in 1956. This new Priory has no con­ texts used by initiates) arrived in Europe What I see is that Judas obscures nection to the Order or Abbey of Sion from the Middle East in the fifteenth cen­ Peter in Leonardo's composition, so that of the Middle Ages as the book claims as tury. The occult Tarot, the progenitor of Peter's right hand appears awkwardly "fact" on the opening page. The Abbey current Tarot decks, appeared and devel­ with the knife, but his left is merely rest­ group was dissolved by King Louis XIII oped singularly in France between 1780 ing as a caution on St. John's shoulder as of France by 1619 with die premises and 1880. There is nothing ancient about John leans an ear toward Peter. The turned over to the Jesuits. The Order of the occult Tarot and diey hid nothing composition rests on two "W" shapes Sion disappeared from history according from the Churchmen who understood that contain four sets of Apostles with to a Time Watch BBC (1996) program, very well what they were about (see A Jesus in a pivotal, central pose. If you want to find feminine V shapes you can "The History of a Mystery." Brown Wicked Pack of Cards: The Origins of the find many, but you can find nary a states that the Bibliotheque Nationale of Occult Tarot by R. Decker, T. DePaulis, Mary. LInfortunately. this may be the Paris "discovered parchments known as and M. Dummett, 1996). novel's weakest lecture, yet it contains Les Dossiers Secrets, identifying numer­ The number of poor souls the key to the Magdalene/Jesus union ous members of the Priory of Sion, condemned and executed by the Catho­ around which the entire quest revolves. including Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, lic Inquisitors is not "five million" Brown interprets die evidence in The Victor Hugo and Leonardo ..." as one as Brown's book claims. Scholars today Last Supper much like an astrologer of his "facts." A fact Brown does not set the number between 30,000 interprets a horoscope for a client. I mention is that the new Priory sect and 90,000, with most splitting the

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2001 55 BOOK REVIEWS difference. And to drive one last stake who would take the Bible "literally." Yet, faiths understand the stories are into Brown's grail myth, the Baigent, in the end, we find Langdon kneeling in metaphorical." He would not expose the Leigh, and Lincoln claim that "holy awe at the Louvre at die entry pyramid. truth because "Religious allegory has blood" means "holy grail" originates He finally "knows" where the bones of become a part of the fabric of reality. with Sir Thomas Mallorys misspelling Mary Magdalene are buried, and perhaps And living in that reality helps millions in his fifteenth-century Le Morte with die cache of secret manuscripts that of people cope and be better people." D'Athur. Holy Grail should have been le would crumble the Christian Church. There's more to his argument, but saint graal and not San great. Talk about literal. When pressed to reveal the gist of it is that we should let Unfortunately, Brown has his "Teacher" the secret, Langdon argues that he would sleeping dogs lie—I intend the pun— proclaim on page 250, "The word not "wave the flag" of evidence in the and not throw them any Magdalene Sangreal derives from San Greal—or faces of the millions of deluded souls who bones. The Da Vinci Code is a decent Holy Grail." And, "Sang Real literally believe that Buddha was born of a lotus thriller if the reader is unaware of (or meant Royal Blood." blossom, or Jesus of a literal virgin. manages to suspend) the reality that Brown's Langdon criticizes Christians "Those who truly understand their undermines the story.

by proponents of a proposition, as well as Are You Sure About That? a note on statistical significance. PETER LAMAL Ehrlich's approach is nicely illustrated in his chapter devoted to the proposition 8 Preposterous Propositions: From the Genetics of Homosexuality to that cholesterol is harmless, advocated by the Benefits of Global Warming. By Robert Ehrlich. Princeton the Swedish physician Uffe Ravnskov. University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 2003. ISBN 0-691- Ravnskov challenges the view, almost 09999-5. 342 pp. Hardcover, $27.95. universally held by the medical establish­ ment, that high levels of cholesterol in ntelligent design is a scientific alter­ confidence that the idea is true based on the blood cause coronary heart disease (CHD). Furthermore, Ravnskov believes native to evolution: True or false? the evidence, to four flakes, meaning no that high levels of blood cholesterol have Okay, well how about this: You really credible evidence for the idea." Ehrlich I little relation to your intake of saturated do not have to worry about your choles­ acknowledges that his ratings are subjec­ fats or cholesterol. He also does not terol. How confident are you in your tive and influenced by his biases, but says believe that arteries are blocked as a result answer, and what is the basis for your that he will reveal any biases he has. Of of high levels of cholesterol in the blood. confidence? The two above propositions course, we can have biases of which we are in the set of eight that Ehrlich con­ are unaware. Ehrlich presents data from Ravnskov siders. His purpose is to help us decide The introductory chapter includes and others and then evaluates the evi­ which of the eight "might be true and questions that we should ask when con­ dence. Ravnskov, for example, has pre­ which are complete nonsense," based on sidering controversial ideas: How do the sented data showing a weak positive cor­ the weight of the evidence for and against proponents of the idea claim to know relation (0.39) between age-adjusted each. Ehrlich chose these particular that it is true? How might the data said to mortality from CHD and percentage of propositions because they are controver­ support the idea be interpreted differ­ fat in the diet across twenty-two coun­ sial and because they have important ently? How can the idea be tested? tries. Ehrlich points out, however, that public policy implications. At the end of We are also wisely cautioned against the idea that there are many other vari­ ables besides dietary fat that must be each chapter he gives the proposition a making up our minds too quickly when taken into account when considering rating according to how well the case for considering controversial or new proposi­ CHD is hardly surprising. At the same it has been made. His rating scale is based tions. As Ehrlich points out, if we decide time, however, Ehrlich says that on the "flakiness" of each proposition. about the validity of a proposition too "Ravnskov is largely correct regarding the Zero flakes means "a reasonable degree of quickly, we can fall into the trap of filter­ lack of hard evidence linking a high-cho­ ing all relevant evidence through our pre­ lesterol diet and heart disease." Further Peter Lamal is emeritus professor of psychol­ conceived view while failing to give con­ on, Ehrlich lists six arguments Ravnskov ogy at the University of North Carolina trary evidence sufficient weight. "That advances to support his view and offers a at Charlotte and a Fellow of the Division trap is the very essence of prejudice." rebuttal of each. of Behavior Analysis of the American The introductory chapter also Psychological Association. E-mail: includes a useful set of questions to ask Ehrich concludes the chapter by say­ plamal@carolina. rr. com. when presented with claims of causality ing that Ravnskov has presented some

56 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS convincing data that dietary cholesterol Innate?", "Are People Getting Smarter or teria" used to judge whether a given the­ and fat do not, by themselves, have a very Dumber?", "Can We Influence Matter ory is scientific. But when discussing significant effect on blood cholesterol by Thought Alone?", "Should You SETI, he says that its unfalsifiability does and on the risk of CHD. But he says Worry About Global Warming?", "Is not render it nonscientific because that Ravnskov does not seem to have Complex Life in the Universe Very "researchers might actually find a signal." made his case that cholesterol level is not Rare?," and "Can a Sugar Pill Cure You?" This example illustrates the contemporary a significant risk factor for CHD. Ehrlich impressively covers a wide doubt concerning the weight that should Ehrlich rates the proposition that high range of topics, and we are once again be accorded the Popperian falsifiability cholesterol is not worth worrying about reminded of die tentative nature of many criterion. at two flakes. assertions made about the world. When 1 believe the vast majority of the The other propositions that Ehrlich discussing the characteristics of theories readers of this book will learn a good considers are indicated by their chapter that are scientific, Ehrlich says mat "falsi- deal, even if they disagree with some of titles: "Is Homosexuality Primarily fiability is die most important of the cri­ Ehrlich's conclusions.

Darwin oiunwrt as Comic Book FltfCKlttt&R, Super-Hero JERRY KURLANDSKI

The Sandwalk Adventures. By Jay Hosier. Active Synapse, Columbus, Ohio, 2003. ISBN 0-9677255-1-8. 160 pp. Softcover, $20.

ay Hosier begins his graphic novel BUT x HOV/^ee The Sandwalk Adventures with a rrs JOST (feh. I TfMJNfi WHAT You WERE ME, on tiiwrv REALlY ©OIN*. parody of a creation myth. Like all ONE, UTUE WE WERE DONE. HAM»YOOR Jparodies, this one extracts the essence of FAITHFUL the thing being parodied—just enough SERVANT. DIDN'T % exPLMN to make it recognizable—and presents THE BASICS OF this essence in an unexpected context. EVOLUTION Here we learn soon enough die context of TO YOU? this particular creation myth: it belongs to a colony of follicle mites residing in Charles Darwin's left eyebrow, and refers back many mite-generations to the time when Darwin made his five-year voyage on die HMS Beagle. ri u WHEN yw SAID -me The Sandwalk Adventures is a historo- WORLD WASN'T sa ffeNS OLD AND mm- You scientific comic book, if such a genre MONT CREATE THE exists. As a comic book, it relates an SPECIES, YOU WERE amusing series of conversations berween -resnufc OUR Darwin and one of the aforementioned mites, a young female named Mara. We OH learn that the mites, imagining him to be a god, have built an entire mythology HEAVEN'S , SAKE* Jerry Kurlandski is a software engineer liv­ ing and working in the New York City area. E-mail: jkurlandski@hotmail. com.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 57 BOOK REVIEWS around Darwin, whom they refer to as species to her, the book starts to fulfill its Darwin, thus fulfilling the book's diird "Flycatcher." Only with great difficulty second role—that of an introduction to main function. is the mighty Flycatcher able to convince the theory of evolution. Hosier is a well- Some graphic novels manage to fuse Mara that he is not a god, that he is not published biologist on staff at Juniata text and drawing into a distinct art all-powerful and did not, in fact, create College in Pennsylvania. As a reader, you form; The Sandwalk Adventures is not the world—which turns out to be much, sense that he's had to introduce the theory one of them. Hosier is first and foremost a biologist, not an artist. Still, his work is entirely competent, and often witty, as when he visually puns on the well-known "March of Progress." His With its clever drawings and engaging style, it should previous graphic novel, Clan Apis, appeal to the specialist as well as the lay person. received a number of awards and nomi­ nations, including a 1998 Xeric Award. The Sandwalk Adventures is an odd but cohesive amalgamation of the absurd and the scholarly. The book pro­ much older than she and her fellow to students many rimes, and, in so doing, vides an informative, always-entertain­ mites traditionally believed. Much of the he's figured out how to present it in an ing look into the theory of natural selec­ fun of the comic book side of the novel interesting manner without sacrificing tion and the man who first formulated occurs when Hosier lampoons die other accuracy. A reader well-versed in the the­ it. With its clever drawings and engag­ mites who—against all evidence—cling ory is unlikely to learn much from ing style, it should appeal to the special­ to a literal interpretation of their myths. Hosier's exposition in the graphic novel ist as well as the lay person. Because we Mara is a curious creature, and she part of the book, but at the back there is a live in a time and place in which wants to know the true answers to the lengthy annotations section providing Darwinism seems to losing rather than questions that her colony's myths attempt details that cannot be served in a comic gaining public acceptance, perhaps this to resolve. When Flycatcher begins book format. This section also contains a book, and more like it, could help to explaining his notions of die origin of the good deal of biographical information on reverse the tide.

NEW BOOKS

Listing does not preclude future review. local, state, and now national levels. The 351 pp. $26 , hardcover. The author of Why book analyzes the Wedge Strategy's threat to People Believe Weird Things here turns to the Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of public education and to the separation of question of why people cheat, gossip, care, Intelligent Design. Barbara Forrest and church and state. share, and follow the Golden Rule. The Paul R. Gross. Oxford University Press, essential ques­ 2004. 401 pp. $40. hardcover. This valuable Magnificent Mars. Ken Croswell. Free tions of good and new book is an Press. 210 pp. $60. hardcover. With Mars evil have occupied CREATIONISTS authoritative, hard­ all over the news now, this beautifully people for cen­ TROIAN hitting look at the illustrated large- turies, but here HORSE latest manifestation format book with Shermer draws of creationism. good scientific text upon more recent Intelligent Design, comes along at just work of evolu­ not so much cri­ the right time. The tionary psycholo­ Ixtrltifntl /Avy* tiquing IDs claims gists, biochemists, *- large color photo­ (which previous graphs of Mars and anthropolo­ refutations have from a host of gists to instigate a r .>•««. |oii amply exposed) but Mars-orbiting search into the PAUI K Gum exposing the organi­ spacecraft through roots of morality zation and political relations that drive the 2003—and useful and the evolution of our complex ethical sys­ movement. The system operates on a very color graphics— tems. Science, he shows, has a lot to tell us detailed plan—the Wedge document, a set of put into fine perspective the close-up photos about good and evil. well-articulated goals, strategies, and tactics, from the surface we arc now receiving from which first surfaced in 1999. Lucratively this year from the Mars rovers Spirit and funded, the Wedge-guided ID promoters Opportunity. Whatever Happened to Good and Evil? carry out no science program whatsoever and Russ Shafer-Landau. Oxford University instead intrude their religiously motivated Press, 2004. 150 pp. $26, softcover. Since ideas successfully into educational politics at The Science of Good and Evil. Michael the attacks of September 11, 2001, we have Shermer. Times Books/Henry Holt, 2004. seen a resurgence of the language of good

58 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and evil and a comfort with the idea that people can believe the manifestly implausi­ refer to the outrageous antics of "psychic some moral standards are objective (true ble. I wonder how it is that millions of peo­ readers," but to the natural human abilities independently of what anyone happens to ple can devote their lives to, and even die for, that we often call intuition or empadiy. The think of them). In this book, Shafer Landau ili.ii which is ultimately irrational. ... I am author (professor of psychology, University (professor of philosophy, University of ceaselessly inter­ of Texas at Arlington) has been studying Wisconsin) argues that—contrary to much ested in the connec­ such matters for fifteen years, and this is his faddish relativist thinking—some moral tion of religion to summary of that views art better than others, despite the sin­ the arts, to politics, research. He devel­ cerity of the individuals, cultures, and soci­ to sex, to war, to oped an innovative ethics, to race rela­ eties that endorse diem. Some moral views video-based procedure are true, others false. Individuals, and whole tions, to the media, for measuring people's societies, he says, can be seriously mistaken to general construc­ empathic inferences when it comes to morality. This introduction tion, to family, to ver_y d and used the proce­ to such ethical questions is written especially law...." He begins dures to study differ­ for general readers with no philosophical by noting tliat reli­ background. gion seems to be ent aspects of everyday everywhere. "Some mind reading. He ex­ days it feels like the whole world is reli­ wiiham tch.es, ph.d. plores the validity of Invitation to the Sociology of Religion. gious." (That is true, except in Western the belief in women's Phil Zuckerman. Routledge, 2003. 156 pp., Europe.) His guide seems especially relevant intuition, why twins have similar thoughts S21.95. softcovcr. This brief guide to the now with all the recent popular interest and and feelings, and broader questions such as, sociology of religion by one of the contribu­ argumentation about Mel Gibson's movie are there ways of detecting when someone has tors to our March/April 2004 Science & The Passion of the Christ. a hidden agenda? And how research on every­ Religion issue (an assistant professor of soci­ day mind reading can be applied to improving ology, Pitzer University) is far livelier than its parenting skills, improving counseling, or even title might suggest. Zuckerman confesses Everyday Mind Reading: Understanding sales and marketing. that, unlike most irreligious people, he is fas­ What Other People Think and Feel. cinated by religion. "Religion is a personal William Ickes. Prometheus Books, 2003. fixation. I wonder how it is that millions of 349 pp. S25. hardcover. The title doesn't —Kendrick Frazier SCIENCE BESTSELLERS Top Ten Best Sellers

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SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 59 FORUM

Let's Beat Them at Their Own Game

PAUL GILES

y profession I'm a comedy profession. King is known for asking seeking comfort and advice. They are writer. By nature I'm a skeptic. easy questions of all his guests, rarely personable and charming and every­ B You might wonder why I men­ following up even when a challenge is thing necessary to promote confidence tion both together. In many ways the clearly called for, and usually not press­ and rapport with people in an age of two are the same thing. In order for me ing for answers. It's called throwing soft- media saturation. They wouldn't be in to do my job I've got to be able to pick balls, and King allows them to be batted business if they were crabby introverts out the hypocrisies, inconsistencies, and over the center field wall like they were who didn't care if people liked them. contradictions in people and situations tossed underhand to Barry Bonds. It's We, on the other hand, when given and point them out in an entertaining the style of almost all his interviews. the opportunity for rebuttal in the way. Okay, basically my job description He's the kind of guy whose first question media, come off looking like crabby is wise ass, but it's something for which to Adolph Hitler would be, "You introverts who don't care whcdier peo­ I now get paid instead of getting sent to wanted to be an artist when you were ple like us. We provide no answers, the principal's office. young, didn't you?" Larry King Live is always hedge our statements to appear Skeptics also look for inconsistencies not a news show in the conventional fair, and counter demonstrations of psy­ and contradictions. A perfect example is sense, and just because it's on CNN chic "skills" with the standard retort: the oxymoron creation science. But here doesn't mean it's going to aspire to the Science hasn't been able to prove the die analogy runs into trouble. This was same journalistic standards as that net­ existence of you-fill-in-thc-blank. We're highlighted by the two articles in the work's other programming. everyone's Dad who says, "You can't go November/December 2003 issue of the Second, asking if ratings should dic­ to the party," and when asked why, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Chris Mooney's tate treatment is not the question we replies, "Because I said so, that's why." "King of the Paranormal" and Bryan need to ask. It's a fact that ratings drive The average person doesn't really care Farha's "Sylvia Browne: TV Psychic everything in the entertainment and what science has proven or disproven. Sidesteps Challenges." news industries, and quite frankly it's Most of their contact with scientific Mooney makes the point that Larry hard to see why they shouldn't. thought comes from newspaper and King and his producers air quite a few Television needs to make money. television pieces on the foods they eat. shows that portray psychics and the Putting low-rated shows on the air They know that last week margarine was paranormal in a favorable light. He then makes no sense from a business stand­ healthier than butter, but this week but­ goes on to blame ratings as die reason point. No. The question should be, ter is heairJiier than margarine, eating a much more time is devoted to psychics "Why are ratings so high for King's high-fiber diet will or won't prevent than to skeptics, asking, "[Sjhould rat­ shows on the paranormal, and why colon cancer (depending to whom you ings alone dictate the treatment of the doesn't he give skeptics equal time?" talk to), and foods high in fat make you paranormal on a television network like As someone who's worked in the fat, unless you eat nodiing but high-fat CNN?" Good question. Only there are entertainment world, writing for televi­ proteins on the Atkins diet, in which two things wrong with it. sion, radio, and too many comedians, case they'll make you skinny. All that First, dubbing King a "true lion of I'd like to answer that. Much as I hate to comes from men and women in white journalism" overstates his place in the say it, die psychics are a hell of a lot coats with a lot of alphabet soup after more entertaining dian we are. rJieir names who speak for science. Paul Giles is a comedy writer. He wrote The psychics not only tell people Wouldn't you be confused? 'Unintelligent Design" in our November/ what they want to hear, tiiey clearly and The psychics and speakers to die dead December 2002 issue. confidendy provide "answers" to diose are never confused and never disagree.

60 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER They don't change their minds every two average person in a way that it is not more open to your ideas if instead of weeks, only their specialties, depending only convincing but interesting? preaching the scientific gospel you point on what ability is hot at the moment. In Remember, in the pages of SI we're out the inconsistencies of the paranor­ many instances they call on the long, preaching to the choir, and a rather mal in such a way that those people unbroken traditions of things like tarot small choir it is. The forces of irrational­ think they're in on the joke. cards and astrology, which by dieir stay­ ity are the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Which brings me to Farha's piece. A ing power lend an air of credibility. The but we're a trio singing in the subway great deal is made of Sylvia Browne's average person doesn't understand that working to be heard over the roar of the performance on the September 3, 2001, changing theories to explain new infor­ passing trains. Larry King Live show. He presents us mation is a much better tradition. Where Penn Jillette called people like with a transcript of a reading Browne But why can't we be as certain of our­ John Edward "scum" and "liars" and gave while James Randi, the other guest selves outside of our own publications other names less printable, the most we on the show, watched and listened. He and circles. Mooney mentioned the seem to muster in the general media is a then reproduces Randi's analysis of her Showtime series Penn and Teller: little playground taunting. "Oh yeah? reading which Randi placed on his Web Bullshit! When I watched the first Prove it!" They don't have to. Remem­ site. It's a good analysis. Unfortunately episode I practically stood on my chair ber, they have all the "answers." They're it's too little too late. cheering. They not only presented an air believable. They're entertaining and I saw that show. At every point in the of confidence in their disdain for the sympathetic. Belief in their powers is a reading I could tell how she did it. I paranormal and provided easy-to- matter of faith, which to the believer is heard her get the diagnosis entirely understand damning evidence, they beyond proving. wrong, pick up the correct answer from were entertaining. Can we say that? In all Penn and Teller have the right idea. the caller, twist around her misses to honesty, and putting aside our own pos­ Attack but be entertaining. Show how make them seem like hits, and a number itive biases toward the people who rep­ the tricks are done in the popular media. of other things not mentioned in the resent the skeptical view, can we con­ Ridicule and be amusing. A lot of my article or on Randi's Web site. When tend that our message is presented to the job is doing that and it works. People are King asked Randi to explain Browne's

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 61 seeming prescience, I gleefully antici­ ing the entire show, Browne had all the by going on the offensive outside die pated his taking her to task point by "answers," and Randi didn't try to radier small world of skeptical media, point, which would have made her look explain a thing. He sounded arrogant doing it without fear of legal action ridiculous to an audience of millions. I and above it all. There were so many because they knew they could easily waited, but that bus never came. Randi's opportunities to make her look foolish prove, as we can, that paranormal pow­ response? "Larry, you're asking me to and for Randi to be positive and enter­ ers are the province of the self-deluded explain specific things. I don't know taining, and all of them were wasted. and the con artist. I'm saying let's not be who this woman is who called." I'm not saying we should all be so self-satisfied that we feel exposes in So? He didn't have to explain specific comedians when it comes to promoting our own publications seep into the con­ things, just the obvious wrong answers the skeptical view. I'm saying that we'll sciousness of the masses. Let's appear on and fishing expeditions. He didn't have get more on-air time when people write these shows prepared and ready to argue to know who the woman was. Who she to shows like Larry King Live and say, our points without qualifiers. That's was would have been relevant only if "I'd like to see more of that skeptic guy. when we'll get equal time. Let's beat the Browne got everything right. Radier I liked h\m. He knew what he was talk­ Brownes and Edwardses at their own than the triumph this episode is implied ing about." I'm saying Penn and Teller game. We're smarter than them. Let's to be, it was a disaster. Once again, dur­ got an entire series of entertaining shows prove it. •

THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY Amherst, New York ummer Main session 88!io n July 11-25 f reason | revelation | conflict | reconciliation )

Intensive 2-week courses available to audit or for State University of New York undergraduate credit: Revelation and Interpretation: A Critical Analysis An introduction to biblical criticism and Islamic studies Punishment, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation: Religious and Secular Perspectives An interdisciplinary introduction to the ethics of responsibility, punishment, and forgiveness and the politics of reconciliation. Faculty: Ikl\ ! \ H GerdLudemann, Professo r of History and Literature of Early Christianity at Georg-August University Gottingen, Germany, visiting scholar at Vanderbilt University and author-of Jesus After 2000 Years: What he really said and did Trudy Govier, former Associate Professor at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario and author of A delicate balance: What philosophy can tell us about terrorism and Forgiveness and Revenge Ibn Warraq, senior research fellow at the Center for Inquiry and editor of What the Koran Really Says, The Historical Muhammed, and Leaving Islam

CFI On Campus Conference July 23-25 Beginning summer 2004 (July 23-25), CFI On Campus will be hosting an annual conference for CENTER its student and faculty members, in tandem with CFI's Summer Session. Held during the last FOR weekend of the Summer Session, CFI On Campus' annual conference will feature grassroots INQUIRY & Oft Campus training seminars, education in the scientific outiook, and entertainmentattainment. For more information, see www.campusinquirer.org. wvww.centerforinquiry.net/summer04 ~\A\\\\

62 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Kendrick Frazier I Proper criticism. Ray Hyman I The lighter side of skepticism. Pudim I A skeptical look at FILL IN THE GAPS IN YOUR Karl Popper, Gardner. MAY/JUNE 2001 (vol. 25. no. 3): The shrinking file- drawer. Srokes / The Pokemon Panic of 1997, Radford I The Antinous Prophecies, Pickover I Common myths Skeptical Inquirer COLLECTION of children's behavior. Fiorello I Bertrand Russell and critical receptiveness. Hare I CSICOP 2Sth Anniversary • 15% discount on orders of $100 or more • section: From the editor's seat: 25 years of science and • $6.25 a copy, Vols. 1-18 (55.00 Vols. 19-25). To order, use reply card insert • skepticism. Kendrick Frazier I Science vs. pseudo- science, nonscience, and nonsense. James Alcock I CSI­ COP timeline / Primal scream: A persistent New Age therapy. Gardner. MARCH/APRIL 2004 (vol. 28. no. 2): Special Issue: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2002 (vol. 26. no. S): Special Science and Religion 2004: Turmoil and Tensions. Why is Report: Circular Reasoning: The 'mystery' of crop cir­ MARCH/APRIL 2001 (vol. 25. no. 2): Darwin in mind. Edis religion natural? Boyer I Skeptical inquiry and religion, cles and their 'orbs' of light, Nickell. Fourth World / A bit confused. Roche I What can the paranormal teach Kurtz / Exorcising all the ghosts. Edis I The roles of reli­ Skeptics Conference Report / A skeptical look at us about consciousness?, Blackmore I Spontaneous gion, spirituality, and genetics in paranor­ September 11 th. Chapman and Harris I human confabulation, Nienhuys I Italy's version of Harry mal beliefs, Kennedy I Development of Sheldrake's Crystals, van Genderen, Houdini. Mister / A psychological case of 'demon' and beliefs in paranormal and supernatural Koene and Nienhuys I Teaching skepti­ 'alien' visitation, Reisner I Distant healing and Elizabeth phenomena, Whittle I Religious beliefs Skeptical Inquirer cism via the CRITIC acronym, Bartz / Targ, Gardner. and their consequences. Laynq / Secular­ Skepticism under the big sky. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2001 (vol. 25. no. 1): Special ization: Europe yes, United States no, Schwinden. Engbreihl. Mercer and Section: Issues in Alternative Medicine: Medicine Zuckerman I Not too 'bright,' Mooney I Patterson / Why was The X-Files so wars. Seidman I Herbal medicines and dietary sup­ Point of honor On science and religion, appealing?, Goode / Winchester mys­ plements. Allen I Psychoactive herbal medications, Haack / Benjamin Franklin's Enlight­ tery house. Nickell. Spinella I Chiropractic Homola I Damaged goods7 enment deism, Isaacson I In praise of Ray Science and child sexual abuse. Hagen / Special Hyman, Alcock I Hoaxes, myths, and man­ JULY/AUGUST 2002 (vol. 26. no. 4): Special Report: Alternative medicine and Report: Science indicators 2000/ Facilitated commu­ ias (report on the Albuquerque confer­ nication, Gardner. ence), Frazier I The stigmata of Lillian f * W the White House commission, Gorski. Bemas, Nickell. London I Special Section: Science and NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2000 (vol. 24. no 6): The face pseudoscience in Russia, Kurtz, Efremov. behind the Face on Mars. Power I The new paranat Krugfyakov I Who abused Jane Doe? Part JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2004 (vol 28., no. ural paradigm. Kurtz I Francis Bacon and the true ends 2. Loftus and Guyer I The high cost of 1): Anti-vaccination feveriver,. Hoyt I of skepticism. Friedberg I Worlds In collision: Where skepticism. Tavris I Graham Hancock's shifting cataclysm, Skepticism of cancat Gaynor I Fallacies and frus- reality meets the paranormal. Radford I Why bad Brass / The Mad Gasser of Mattoon, Ladendorf and nations. Mole I Judgi g authority, Lipps IA geologist's beliefs don't die. LesTer / Supernatural power and cul­ Bartholomew I Moscow mysteries. Nickell. adventures with Bimini beachrock id Atlantis true tural evolution, Layng I The brutality of Dr. Bettelheim, Gardner. believers, Shinn I The real method of scientific discov­ MAY/JUNE 2002 (vol. 26. no. 3): Who abused Jane ery. Gunman I Oxygen is good—even when it's not Doe? Part 1. Loftus and Guyer / Is the Mars Effect a SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2000 (vol. 24, no. 5): Voodoo theft, Hall I Contemporary challenges to Willi3m social effect?. Dean I Gray Barker's book of bunk. science and the belief gene, Park I Rogerian Nursing James's white crow. Spitz I UFOs over Buffalo!, Nickell. Sherwood I The king of quacks: Albert Abrams. M.D.. Theory, Raskin / Sun sign columns. Dean and Mather I Haines I Benny Hinn: Healer or hypnotist?. Nickell. The psychic staring effect. Marks and Colwell I NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2003 (vol. 27. no. 6): Ann Management of positive and negative responses in a MARCH/APRIL 2002 (vol. 26, no. 2): Special Reports: Druyan talks about science, religion, wonder, awe. and spiritualist medium consultation, Greasley I The laws Bioterrorism and alternative medicine, Atwood / Carl Sagan. Druyan I Less about appearances: Art and of nature: A skeptic's guide. Pazameta I Special 'Mothman' solved! Nickell / Bigfoot at fifty, Radford I science. Mow/in I King of the paranormal. Mooney I Report: On ear cones and candles. Kaushall and Cripplefoot hobbled. Daegllng I Pseudohistory in Sylvia Browne. Farha I Neither intelligent nor designed. Kaushall I Little Red Riding Hood. Gardner. Martin I Fellowship of the rings: UFO rings vs. fairy rings, ancient coins. Carrier I Are science and religion com­ JULY/AUGUST 2000 (vol. 24. no. 4): Thought Field Nieves-Rivera I The curse of Bodie. Nickell. patible?, Kurtz / The emptiness of holism, Ruscio I Undercover among the spirits, Nickell. Therapy: Can we really tap our problems away?. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2003 (vol. 27. no. 5): The ongo­ Gaudiano and Herbert I Absolute skepticism equals JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2002 (vol. 26, no. I): Myths of ing problem with the National Center for dogmatism. Bunge I Did a close encounter of the third murder and multiple regression, Goertzel I Education, kind occur on a Japanese beach in 1803?. Tanaka I Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Atwood / scientific knowledge, and belief in the paranormal, Rethinking the dancing mania. Bartholomew I Has sci­ What does education really do?, tosh, Tavani. Njoroge, Goode I A university's struggle with chiropractic ence education become an enemy of scientific ratio­ Wilke, and McAuley I Nostradamus's clever 'clairvoy­ DeRobertis I Snaring the Fowler: Mark Twain debunks nality?, Ede I Krakatene: Explosive pseudoscience from ance', Yafeh and Heath I They see dead people—Or do phrenology, Lopez / Three skeptics' debate tools the Czech Academy of science. Slaninn I David Bohm they?, Underdown I Energy, homeopathy, and hypnosis examined, Caso / Mickey Mouse discovers the 'real' and Krishnamurti, Gardner. in Santa Fe, Seavey I Faking UFO photos for the twenty- Atlantis, Hardersen I Atlantis behind the myth. first century, Callen I Haunted plantation, MickeM. Christopher! 10th European Skept i Congress report. MAY/JUNE 2000 (vol. 24, no. 3): Special Report: The new bogus MJ-12 documents, Klass I Mass delusions JULY/AUGUST 2003 (vol. 27, no. 4): Sperial Report: Mahner I Voodoo in New Orlea i. Nickell I Some thoughts on induction. Gardner. is of the past millennium, Bartholomew Chasing Champ: Legend of the Lake Champlain mon­ and Goode I Doomsday fears at RHIC. ster, Nickell I The measure of a monster, Radford I The NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2001 (vol. 25, Guiterrez I Save our science: The strug­ Rorschach inkblot test, fortune tellers, and cold reading no. 6): A critique of Schwartz et al.'s gle for rationality at a French university, Wood. Nezworski. Lilienfeld. and Garb /Can minds leave after-death communication studies, Broch I Paraneuroscience?. Kirkland I bodies?, Bensley I Memory recovery techniques in psy­ Wiseman and O'Keeffe I Magical think­ Bohm's guided wave theory, Gardner. chotherapy, Lynn, tortus. Lilienfeld. and Lock. ing in complementary and alternative MARCH/APRIL 2000 (vol 24, no. 2): medicine, Sfevens / Educational mal­ MAY/JUNE 2003 (vol. 27. no. 3): The Luck Factor, Wise­ Risky business: Vividness, availability, practice, Moore I Philosophers and psy­ man I More hazards: Hypnosis, airplanes, and strongly and the media paradox. Ruscio / Physics chics: The Vandy episode. Oldfield ICSI- held beliefs. Pankratz I 'Premenstrual dysphoric disor­ and the paranormal, 'r Hooft / Efficacy COP 25th Anniversary section: The ori­ der' and 'premenstrual syndrome' myths. Flora and of prayer. Tessman and Tessman I Can we gins and evolution of CSICOP. Mister / Sellers I A patently false patent myth—still!, Sass / tell if someone is staring at us?. Never a dull moment. Kan I John Wired to the kitchen sink. Hall I Mediumship claim Baker I Assessing the quality of Edward: Hustling the bereaved. Mi'ckeW / responses. Schwartz and Hyman / Dowsing mysterious medical Web sites. Levi / The demon- Ernest Hemingway and Jane. Gardner. sites. Nickell. haunted sentence. Byrne and Normand I SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2001 (vol. 25, no. Mad messiahs. Gardner. MARCH/APRIL 2003 (vol. 27. no. 2): The Blank Slate, 5): Special Issue: Science and Religion Pinker / Omission neglect The importance of missing 2001. Holy wars. Tyson / The dangerous JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2000 (vol. 24, no. 1): information. Kardes and Sanbonmatsu I Acupuncture, quest for cooperation between science and religion. Special Report: The ten outstanding skep­ magic, and make-believe. Ulett I Walt Whitman. Sloan Pandian I Design yes. intelligent no. Pigliucci I A way tics of the twentieth century / Two paranormalisms or I The James Ossuary. Nickell. of life for agnostics?. Lovelock I Science, religion, and two and a half?. Goode / Anna Eva Fay, Polidoro I The the Galileo affair. Moy I The god of falling bodies. pseudoscience of oxygen therapy, Allen I Confessions of JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2003 (vol. 27. no. 1) How not Stenger I The relationship between paranormal a (former) graphologist Tripkian /The Second Coming of to test mediums, Hyman I Beliefs on trial, and the beliefs and religious beliefs. Sparks I Science and reli Jesus, Gardner. legality of reasonableness. Fisher I Placebos, nocebos. gion in an impersonal universe. Young / Arthur C NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1999 (vol. 23, no. 6): The and chiropractic adjustments. Homola I Pliny the Clarke's Credo.' Clarke I A designer universe?, Universe and Carl Sagan, Davidson I The millennium Elder: Credulist skeptic or both?. Parejko / Unfazed: Weinberg I An evolutionary-genetic wager, Avise I thought contagion. Lynch / Debunking the debunkers: Mark Twain debunks the mesmerizer, Englebretsen I Shroud of Turin scandals, NickeW / Multiverses and A response to astrology, Kelly I The physics behind Amityville Horror. Nickell blackberries. Gardner. four amazing demonstrations. Willey I Another lunar NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2002 (vol 26, no 6): Politi effect put to rest Sweet / Special Report: Blooming JULY/AUGUST 2001 (vol. 25. no. 4): Confronting vet­ cizing the Virgin Mary, fve / Hypothesis testing and shroud claims, Nickell I The star of Bethlehem. erinary medical nonsense, Imrie I Junk science and the the nature of skeptical investigations, Pigliucc I Gardner. law. Codes / Chevreul's report on the mysterious oscil­ Intelligent design: Dembski's presentation without lations of the hand-held pendulum. Spitz and arguments. Perakh I Hugo Gemsback. skeptical cru­ Marcuard I CSICOP 25th Anniversary section: A quar­ sader. Miller I Alternative medicine and pseudo- ter-century of skeptical inquiry. Paul Kurtz I Thoughts For a complete listing of our back issues, call 800-634- science. Momstein I Are skeptics cynkal?. Mole I on science and skepticism in the twenty-first century, Psych* pets and pet psychics. Nickell. 1610. or see Imp•:, www csicop 019. si, back-issues.html LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

servative Protestant religion. They do not We have called Health Canada and question the efficacy of vaccination, but they every consumer-protection organization we consider it sinful. There were 3,000 cases of can find, and there doesn't seem to be any­ illness and three fatalities. thing one can do against this public-health One of the fatalities was a seventeen-year- fraud. old boy on die island of Walcheren. After such I just picked up your magazine at a local a case, the vaccination percentages increase grocery store, and suddenly I don't feel so mysteriously and the epidemic ends. This alone. Thank you for your excellent publi­ same area was also hit by a polio epidemic cation. some ten years ago. These people live in close- knit communities with little contact with the Audrey Cope outside world. They have a separate high Qualicum Beach, British Columbia school, and during the epidemic, physicians Canada who wanted to educate the students were not allowed to use the word vaccination. Memory is short in my province of I know personally that pertussis is a serious Zeeland: the provincial GGD (Joint Health disease—I had a case myself three years ago Services) warned recently that the vaccina­ and was extremely sick for over a month. tion percentage for D(k)TP in Zeeland (89.9 However, the numbers presented by Mr. percent) was below the international stan­ Hoyt arc useless, since neither the whole-cell dard of 90 percent, not to mention the gen­ vaccine nor the acellular vaccine, when given Anti-Vaccination Hysteria eral Dutch average of 95.3 percent. in early childhood, provide protection after But "fortunately," Zeeland also has a clas­ age ten. I read with interest the article by William J. sical homeopath who specializes in children In addition, in the U.S. (and probably in Hoyt concerning anti-vaccinationism, focus­ and who can quite easily treat all these dis­ other countries), reporting of pertussis is ing on the pertussis vaccine ("Anti- eases and their complications with homeopa­ highly variable. My anecdotal experience Vaccination Fever," January/February 2004). thy. He also successfully treats children who indicates that doctors normally do not even One peripheral point to mention is that the get diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or other seri­ consider pertussis as a diagnosis. Only an pertussis vaccine currently used no longer ous illnesses after their vaccinations. Our estimated 10 percent of pertussis cases are causes the annoying but transitory reactions present laws allow this kind of person to reported, and underreporting is greater that gave credence to the idea that serious practice medicine—he is not a medical doc­ among adults. reactions are associated with the vaccine. tor. The Netherlands is a paradise for quacks. As a result, the incidence statistics are More important, this is not an isolated suspect—an increase in awareness of pertus­ Marie P. Prins example of the unfortunate effects of anti- sis by doctors could easily cause a dramatic Oost-Souburg, The Netherlands vaccinationism. Great Britain is now suffer­ increase in reports. And since the incidence ing outbreaks of measles, rubella, and statistics include both incidence among chil­ mumps because of unfounded accusations dren younger than ten and children and by a British gastroenterologist thai the com­ The anti-vaccination misinformation being adults older, no conclusions about vaccine bined vaccine causes autism. Authorities in circulated is indeed disturbing. What is even effectiveness or vaccination rates can be northern Nigeria have resisted oral polio vac­ more frightening is that the naturopathic drawn from them. For example, Guris, et al. cine because of rumors started by a British physician in our town is selling the "Opti- reported that overall increases in pertussis journalist that AIDS is the result of contam­ Protect Vaccine Alternative," which she incidence in the U.S. between 1990 and inated vaccines. In both cases, abundant evi­ states is "a homeoprophylactic protocol 1996 were due to increases in rates among dence negates the connection, but once ideas designed to confer immunity against stan­ ten to nineteen-year-olds, while rates among like those start to circulate, they enter into dard childhood diseases." She even issues a children and infants were stable. folklore and arc difficult to extirpate. certificate to parents that certifies that "the above individual has been protected against 1 favor vaccination for pertussis with the It gives one little comfort to reflect that the standard grouping of childhood diseases acellular vaccine, but think the arguments in anti-vaccinationism is as old as vaccines including: diphtheria, German measles, Mr. Hoyt's paper do not hold up to critical themselves or to understand that once a dis­ HIB, measles, mumps, polio, tetanus, and examination. ease disappears due to vaccination, people whooping cough." begin to doubt that they need it. The para­ Don Karz dox is that in much of the world, vaccines are My husband went to the office to do his Madison, Wisconsin badly wanted but unavailable, while in own investigation and was flabbergasted to developed countries they are often attacked. hear that this naturopath could mix up a vac­ cine against most every known disease (or as Bimini Beachrock Stanley A Plotkin, M.D. many as my husband could think up at short Doylestown, Pennsylvania notice). So misinformed parents can now The article by Eugene A. Shinn was excellent make the decision not to vaccinate and still feel their children are protected with these ("A Geologist's Adventures with Bimini Beachrock and Atlantis True Believers," The Netherlands had a measles epidemic fraudulent vaccines. The vaccines come in January/February 2004). He reviewed the only three years ago among people who do capsule form for die amazing price of history and placed die contretemps in not vaccinate because of their extremely con­ US$250.

64 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

context, provided a number of helpful pho­ believes in something." When people find in terms of numbers and counting to chil­ tographs, and included a thorough explana­ out you don't believe in anything you can't dren. Gunman's claim is akin to someone tion of the scientific inquiry in terms that I, keep them away. It's a lot of fun! claiming that "Mathematics simply allows us a layman, could understand. However, sad to to work through simple arithmetic and say, as the author recognizes, the true believ­ John C. Holden determine, for instance, that 6 times 7 is 42." ers will remain unconvinced and in the dark. Omak, Washington In an earlier article (May/June 2003), They seem to have turned off their critical Massimo Pigliucci also dismissed deduction thinking capability, if they ever had it. as trivial, and I wrote a letter (September/ You may be aware that in 2003, the October 2003) pointing out his mistake. I Minimi "road" was shanghaied by the author am disappointed now to sec another article of 1421-.The Year the Chinese Discovered where the writer also misunderstands the America [reviewed in SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, scope and application of logic. Readers of the November/December 20031- Briefly, part of SKEPTICAL INQUIRER deserve an accurate and his tale, which he presents as nonfiction his­ thoughtful explanation of the role, power, tory and which he continues to flog with a and limitations of logical deduction. straight face, is that twenty ships of a 1421 Chinese fleet sailed into shallow water, eight John Grant hit reefs, ripped their wooden hulls, and put Baltimore. Maryland in at Bimini Island for repairs. They built the "road" with their ballast rocks, a "slipway" to facilitate pulling the ships up, out of the Burton Gunman's argument (January/ water for repair. February 2004) that science is based on abduc­ tion, not induction, overlooks that abduction Never mind that the "road" is more or is a situational description of induction. less flat and parallel to the beach and never Inductive inferences posit predictions would have accomplished its stated mission. about the unknown based upon generaliza­ 1421 is full of such audacious nonsense. The tions derived from patterns within the author has no real evidence for any of the Thanks for an entertaining read. It brought known. But Guttman claims: "A scientist other claims I have examined, only an awe- back memories of many frustrating discus­ does not make a lot of particular observa­ inspiring imagination. Sources are cited, to sions I have participated in. I take issue, tions and then try to generalize from them to be sure, but it turns out they don't support however, with Mr. Mole's comment near the some hypothesis H." Instead Guttman pro­ what the author claims. end of the article: ". .. these same abilities do not . . . exempt us from the responsibilities poses this abductive inference as an alterna­ Bill Hartz of teaching others." I submit that while it tive to induction: Long Beach, Washington may benefit society and perhaps us to teach others when opportunity presents itself, the 1. Some surprising phenomenon P is responsibility actually lies with the others observed. themselves. When a person's choice lies 2. P would be explicable as a matter Talking with True Believers between a comfortable belief and an uncom­ of course if H were true. fortable challenge to that belief, that person 3. Hence there is reason to think that This is one skeptic who does not "dread con­ often chooses comfort, by free choice. I H is true. versations with true believers" (Phil Mole's know this to be true, because I have on occa­ However, the second premise requires "Fallacies and Frustrations," January/Febru­ sion actually caught myself doing it. ary 2004). I enjoy them—always have. induction to determine what would be expected to occur in the normal course of Rather than battling your friend's belief sys­ Juergen Baumann tems with a sword (as depicted in the accom­ events. Describing inductive inference, Vancouver, British Columbia David Hume observes: "We transfer the past panying cartoon in the article) it's better to Canada encourage the true believers to question your to the future |. . . and) we transfer all the dif­ disbelief. This tactic will make them less ferent events, in the same proponion as they defensive and more open to your critical way have appeared in the past" (in An Enquiry of thinking. How Scientists Discover Concerning Human Understanding). To determine what would be "explicable as a The benefits of playing the "gentle skep­ matter of course," we must consult past tic" (for want of a better word) are: (1) you Burton S. Gunman's claim in "The Real experience and detected patterns therein. do not have to be an expert in every cult, Method of Scientific Discovery" (January/ From that we hypothesize probable courses pseudoscience, or religion and thereby risk February 2004) that "Deduction simply of events in the future. In other words, we losing a skirmish on an imperfect offensive allows us to work through verbal puzzles and transfer patterns from the known to the battleground; (2) each challenge helps you to determine, for instance, that if some Aargs unknown via classical Humean induction. perfect your own personal rational episte- arc not Blobs and all Crans arc Blobs, then mology; and (3) anger and confrontation are some Aargs are not Crans" is wrong, because Therefore, abduction does not supplant avoided and you keep your friends (or stu­ ilicie is much more to deduction than that. induction but instead usefully describes it dents) in the long haul. Elementary logic is usually introduced in within the situational context in which President Eisenhower once said, "I don't terms of such puzzles and simple deductions. it occurs. Despite any number of challenges care what a person believes in as long as he But consider that mathematics U introduced over the years, Hume remains correct.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Mj,y|M( 200.1 6S LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

induction is the method of experimental, or ducive to tornado formation. So we can ening. The opening paragraph, however, scientific, reasoning. identify times and geographical areas where contained a misstatement I wish to correct, tornadoes are likely or unlikely, possible or and it failed to mention what I think many Ian Goddard impossible, and even estimate their probabil­ scientists would consider the most interest­ Rockville, Maryland ity of occurrence. After all, the ability to pre­ ing relic in Italy. dict when something is probable is still a pre­ Polidoro writes, "Even personal garments diction (consider quantum mechanics). And that belonged to martyrs and saints are still Judging Authority it is precisely because these predictions have kept and worshiped in various Italian been successful (statistically in the field and, churches." Not exactly. Catholic doctrine Jere Lipps's article "Judging Authority" not incidentally, in recreations of tornado reserves worship for God alone, not for (January/February 2004) was well timed rel­ phenomena in the laboratory by recreating relics or even for the saints with whom relics ative to an argument I've been having with the hypothesized conditions) that our expla­ arc associated. Relics are physical objects some friends who are psychotherapists. I nation of tornadoes is accepted as a scientific associated with people who had an exem­ have repeatedly challenged their "authority" fact. Otherwise, it would not be. At best, it plary relationship with God. They can serve to judge people, especially when some ol would join the category of "untested as foci for worship (of God), but they are not their behavior is at least questionable. hypotheses" that is filled by, for example, themselves objects of worship. quite a lot of cosmological theory. So our However, their tendency is to stack the deck Scientists visiting Florence may be inter­ explanation of tornadoes does allow predic­ in their favor. Using the following "diag­ ested and surprised to find the finger-bone of tions (in the field and in the lab), and noses"—only a partial list—taken from the a revered seventeenth-century Italian dis­ Pigliucci is wrong to claim otherwise. And DSM-IV, their bible of disorders, they are played in an ornate reliquary in the Institute that explanation is only accepted because its capable of declaring those who challenge and Museum of the History of Science. The predictions have proved successful. them of having a mental disorder. finger belonged to Galileo.

31281: Conduct Disorder, Childhood- As for chaotic systems (Pigliucci's one Carmen Giunta Onset Type or Oppositional other example), if we know the defining Associate Professor of Chemistry Defiant Disorder equation for a system, we can predict the Le Moyne College 3129: Disruptive Behavior Disorder pattern its data will exhibit (the kind of Syracuse, New York NOS [not otherwise specified] shapes and frequencies it will exhibit, and so 31381: Oppositional Defiant Disorder on). Even though, as with tornadoes, we can­ 3152: Disorder of Written Expression not predict the exact and specific dips and VI581: Noncompliance with Treatment swells in any given pattern of data, we can Science/Pseudoscience V7101: Adult Antisocial Behavior 31234: Intermittent Explosive Disorder still predict the overall shape and behavior of Editorial 30023: Social Phobia that data over time. And it is precisely because chaos theory can predict just such Thanks for your upbeat and informative edi­ I wonder if that's how the Soviets kept particular patterns in data that the scientific torial ("Science Always Trumps Pseudo- their dissidents in the psychiatric institutions community believes it is a correct explana­ science," January/February 2004). If tradi­ and how people in our own society are often tion of those patterns. And let's not forget tional pseudoscience is on the decline, that is marginalized in the same fashion. the fact that chaos theory predicts that cer­ excellent news—but there are other negative tain kinds of computational technology trends that worry me. I have a growing con­ Timothy P. Scanlon (those that employ nonlinear calculations) cern over limitations imposed on research for Hyattsville, Maryland will in certain specific circumstances be more political or social reasons. Biotech firms arc successful than others (those that employ lin­ leaving Silicon Valley because there are so ear calculations), and this has been borne out few stem-cell lines available in the U.S. for Explanations Must Predict in practice, as nonlinear computation has medical research. Those who control the been employed to improve even cell phones. U.S. census arc unwilling to use standard sta­ So once again, both in the field and in the As much as I like Massimo Pigliucci, I must tistical approaches to correct for sampling lab, chaos theory makes predictions, and is take issue with his recent argument that sci­ errors. In California there has been a move to accepted as scientific fact only because it entific explanations don't need to predict stop collecting ethnic data, one effect of makes those predictions and those predic­ anything (January/February 2004). I am which would be to make it impossible to tions have come true. quite certain that is untrue. Explanations identify race-based inequities in the applica­ must predict something, or else we could tion of education. Voices are often raised never find or present any evidence those Richard C. Carrier against collecting and analyzing information explanations were true. Contrary to Columbia University that would determine the effectiveness of Pigliucci's thesis, the necessary role of suc­ New York, New York laws, the social consequences of stiff sen­ cessful prediction is true of every claim tences for marijuana users, or the deterrent accepted as scientific fact. His examples only effects of capital punishment. The DOE is prove this point against him. still using "lie detector" screening to identify Relics Not Worshipped security risks. No one seems to be interested Consider tornadoes. Our scientific expla­ in evaluating the effectiveness of antiterror­ nation of tornadoes certainly docs generate I found Massimo Polidoro's column on liq­ ism initiatives such as passenger screening in predictions: tornado warnings arc based on uefaction miracles involving blood relics airports. And it is difficult to undertake the fact that the explanation for tornadoes ("What a Bloody Miracle!" January/ rational comparisons of the risks of basing an tells us the conditions required for and con­ February 2004) very interesting and enlight­

66 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR energy policy on fossil fuels versus nuclear Vaccine News tion of the facts, as usual, hasn't done any­ generation of electricity. thing to sway me. With a level playing field, science will The News and Comment item "Studies Amy Nelson win, but I am less confident if the playing Clear Childhood Vaccine of Links to SIDS, [email protected] field is tilted for ideological reasons. Autism," states: "A study released in March Advances in science often have negative 2003 confirmed that there is no evidence of impacts on some segments of society. If our Benjamin Radford replies: a link between Sudden Infant Death leaders perceive the costs of new knowledge Syndrome (SIDS) and multiple vaccines as unacceptable to them or their con­ Instead of a "misrepresentation of the facts." I given in infancy. Marie McCormick, head of stituents, they could effectively discourage think we have a misunderstanding of science. A the committee that wrote the March report, certain lines of research. link between SIDS and vaccines has been said that 'although the timing of infant vac­ claimed by some doctors and anti-vaccination David Morrison cinations coincides with the period is most activists. That claimed link has been repeatedly (CSICOP Fellow) likely to occur, parents should rest assured scientifically studied, and, as Nelson herself Saratoga, California that the number and variety of childhood points out. "the evidence is inadequate to accept vaccines do not cause SIDS.'" or reject causal relationships. " That is how sci­ ence works: variables and groups are controlled, 1 am having trouble with an apparent incon­ tested and compared, and either a significant link is found or it isn't. In this case, the evi­ sistency in the January/February 2004 issue. dence did not support the claim. On page 4 [Editor's Note]: "Every PBS Nova television show and countless others on Nelson seems to be arguing backward saying the Discovery Channel and elsewhere are that the link was not disproven. She is correct repudiations of pseudoscience." that vaccines could still be causing death to On page 34: ["Fallacies and Frustra­ infants. It's possible: no medical treatment is tions") "This kind of ignorance is especially entirely risk-free, and science does not operate on prevalent among paranormalists, who often absolute certainties. As always, the issue is not learn everything they know about a particu­ Not SIDS, maybe, just sudden death. what is possible but what conclusions the evi­ lar poltergeist haunting or UFO abduction A quick glance at the report's summary, dence supports. The larger issue, and one that by watching Discovery Channel programs, found at www.iom.edu/report.asp?id=5391, Nelson entirely sidesteps, is tlje real risk to chil­ and aren't aware of the strong counterargu­ shows a much grimmer picture of the rela­ dren: The evidence strongly suggests that children ments and other parts of the story withheld tionship between vaccines and infant death. are at far greater risk from childhood diseases from them. . . . The public often fails to real­ It's a picture you hide by including only one than from the vaccinations given to prevent them. ize that programs such as those found on the small part of their findings. Discovery Channel have a well-documented Actually, the Committee found that the policy of denying airtime to anyone skeptical evidence is inadequate to accept or reject of paranormal claims." Errata Corrige causal relationships between SIDS and sev­ Can you resolve this? eral vaccines (Hib, HepB. OPV, and IVP). I beg to differ with the conclusions of the Nor is it adequate to accept or reject a causal Elin Larson article by Kendrick Frazier [News and relationship between exposure to multiple Purcellville, Virginia Comment) in die January/February 2004 vaccines and sudden unexpected death in issue. Some time ago, I purchased two mag­ infancy. Nor is it adequate to accept or reject Kendrick Frazier replies: netic shoe insoles for the sum of $52. a causal relationship between HepB and After using them diligently for a few neonatal death. In other words, these vac­ weeks, I found a significant difference with Our colleague David Morrison is certainly cor­ cines still could be causing deaths of infants. rect: Distortions, misuses, and abuses of science respect to ordinary leather insoles: the mag- in the policy arena are a serious concern, per­ Finally, the report stated that diphtheria, soles hurt like hell! toxoid, and whole-cell pertussis vaccines arc haps especially so now. As I wrote in the latter Peter Castruccio part of my editorial, we intend to devote more causally linked to death from anaphylaxis in Gambrills, Maryland attention to such issues in SI (see News & infants. And yet you want to reassure us that parents are worrying needlessly about vac­ Comment this issue, page 5). cines? I suppose you think it's okay if some As for the paradox noted by Elin Larson, I babies die unexpectedly in infancy, as long as was trying to encourage those dedicated, hard­ Limitations of Knowledge the death's not labeled SIDS. You pulled out working skeptics who sometimes get discouraged the one positive finding from the report and In a letter (January/February 2004). Rui Vicira by pseudoscience's perennial popularity I think ignored all the others, which indicated that my general point still holds, that "good science is offers Putnam's "Brain-in-a-vat scenario," a further research is needed to prove or dis­ version of Descartes's "dream or demon" everywhere" and that, in lite long run, "pseudo- prove links between vaccines and death, and hypothesis, as a limitation of knowledge. science is no match for it and never will be." you held back the fact tiiat a link was found All species of this hypothesis essentially Rut in regard to the television networks that between three vaccines and death from ana­ say that a brain cannot know whether state­ focus on public affairs and documentaries, and phylaxis. even some material published in scientific jour­ ments about nature are accurate if all infor­ nals, I should have tempered my praise with a Am I worried about vaccines' effects on mation is from sources other than external rase such as "with notable exceptions. " my children? Yes. And your misrepresenta­ reality. The conclusion is dictated by the

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June J004 67 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

premise and thus is unremarkable. use different words, like spiritual, they would vides an adequate explanation for the con­ More simply, doubt can cheaply be cast nevertheless have characteristics that we gruence between the world that exists and upon any finding by repeatedly noting the mean when saying, material—separate exis­ the information that our senses provide obvious possibility that, for whatever reason, tences in a space. about the existence of that world. It is true information or interpretation may be inac­ The brain-in-a-vat description may be that our senses can be misled, as when we curate. This provides a shabby refuge for only an illustration of how a material scientist perceive the sequence of static images on a people who think it witty and wise to con­ could deceive a material victim, but even motion-picture screen as continuous stantly suggest that science may be wrong, there it is a failure. According to Vieira, motion, but we can explain that phenome­ regardless of evidence. Putnam writes as though unaware that all non in terms of the real world. It is true that We no longer regard mental experience as conscious beings have bodies with needs, and we have no sense of radio waves, but expla­ produced by a passive brain's interface with that, devastatingly to philosophical idealists, nations based on our perceptions of the externality. To prevent the vatted brain's these needs arc constantly changing. Even world demonstrate that they exist; we don't independent activity, Putnam's computer Bishop Berkeley had to assume that God was directly sense them because our ancestors would have to supply the brain's internal often making him feel hunger that led him to could make no use of them. processes as well. But such a brain would not suppose that he was breaking crusts of bread John Forester meet the functional definition of a human to put into an idea of a stomach. The fool­ Lemon Grove, California brain. As a nonfunctioning attachment to ishness of this train of thought would have the computer, it would not even exist in a led a less opinionated thinker to give up his Ralph Estling replies: systemic sense. reasoning even if he had to turn atheist. . . . A further fallacy is that acknowledging Harry E. Mongold doubt renders all statements equally doubt­ My thanks to Rui Vieira (Utters, January/ Manhattan, Illinois ful. If we were cither ignorant ol doubt or February 2004) for agreeing that "there is a certain of it, we would consider all state­ great deal of absurdity in continental philoso­ ments equal in probability. Doubt informs It seems strange that we still discuss phy. " He then goes on lo admonish that this us to assess accuracy in terms of probability. Cartesian skepticism and Kantian categories absurdity doesn't apply to analytic philosophers Behavior of humans and at leas: some other (as in Rui Vieira's letter) in response to ear­ like Rene Descartes and Hilary Putnam. animals, such as chimps, indicates that they lier discussions when the evolutionary devel­ A good philosophical thing to do before are capable of doubt and they investigate the opment of living beings has long been admonishing someone is to read what he has probable accuracy of explanations for per­ accepted. In a sense, Kant was correct, that written. The phibsophers I was "overly dismis­ ceived experience. our senses of space and time are imposed sive" about in my reply (July/August 2003) from outside us, but for the wrong reason. were those in practice from the late eighteenth Information in nature vacillates between We sense that the world has three dimen­ century onwards, starting with the German degrees of probability and certainty. As sions and runs according to time, because Idealists, and going on from them. Descartes physicist Heinz R. Pagels pointed out, infor­ that is the correct view of the world. Any died in 1650. Putnam admittedly is of more mation originates in the subatomic realm on animal species will tend to develop those recent vintage. Nevermind. The point is that a probabilistic basis. But the resulting infor­ senses that provide accurate and useful infor­ both carried skepticism to heights far beyond mation that enters the macrocosm has shed mation about the world in which it lives. An the gravitational pull of sanity. (How do I its probabilistic, or "fuzzy," character. animal whose senses depict the shape of its know I exist? Because I think. Ah, but how do If knowledge must be stated in terms of world in only two dimensions will suffer you know you think and are not merely a dis­ probability—if we are philosophically barred from competition with animals who sec the embodied brain kept in a vat of nutrients by from certainty—this is not a practical limita­ world in three dimensions (except when the some insane computer? And so on.) tion on science. After all, if a given finding animal with two-dimensional vision lives proves to have only a particular probability only in niches in which lack of three-dimen­ Speculation about the unreality of external of accuracy, that simply leaves science more sional perception is of little importance). reality preceded Descartes and Putnam by almost to discover. four thousand years, forming tlie backbone of An animal whose senses depicted the both Hinduism and Buddhism. Life, on the I doubt, therefore I am. shape of the world in four dimensions would other hand is short and idle speculation, specu­ William S. Bunn never develop in a three-dimensional world, lation for which no evidence exists or can exist, is Algonac, Michigan only in a four dimensional world. The same long not to say tedious, pointless, and very silly argument is commonly made about the All new ideas given out for public consider­ sense of smell, but without any of the episte- ation should possess three ingredients: I) a real The principal job of a competent philoso­ mological uncertainty that we have applied possibility that they could be true, 2) that they pher is to explain away ridiculous ideas of to the sense of space. We lack an acute sense are important, and 3) that they are original. other philosophers. The principal ridiculous of smell because our ancestors lived in envi­ All three. Two out of three isn't enough. The last idea is that a capable thinker can hold the ronments where smell was not very useful, philosopher to manage this was David Hume while dogs have an acute sense of smell notion that material bodies do not exist but (1711-1776). His dates are significant. By the because their ancestors lived lives in which are only imagined. middle of the eighteenth century, science and the sense of smell provided very useful and Hilary Putnam's brain-in-a-vat scenario, scientific thought had become well established accurate information. There is no more rea­ as Rui Vieira terms it, would obviously not in the West, and so philosophers and their "nat­ son to apply epistcmological uncertainty to ural philosophies" were no longer required be evidence against -justified knowledge of the sense of space than to the sense of smell. rhe real world," even if it were true. Both Sitting in easy chairs and informing the world brains and vats are matter, if one wanted to In summary. Darwinian evolution pro­ what was the true nature of things was no

68 May/June 2004 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR longer sufficient. You now had to go out and But how else can we "compare relative value" ... 'And' a Correction learn something, get your hands dirty, perhaps if we are only to talk about the failings of even stink up the parlor with misty chemicals. what he refers to as the "paranormal?" In a letter to the editor Victoria Simmons If you wanted to tell the world about science, Atwood came across as a bully for one-sided wrote in response to some remarks by Steven you first had to learn something about it. This skepticism. Flora (Letters, January/February 2004), we fact has yet to implant itself in the brains of accidentally omitted a crucial "and." The Arvey Olsen many modern "philosophers of science." sentence as she submitted it read properly: Okotoks, Alberta So in the last two or three decades of the "... he asserts that 'menstruation was Canada eighteenth century, philosophers gave up the celebrated by females of the ancient Celtic unequal battle with science and opted to and Druid religions.'" We apologize for become pedants. They no longer wrote for intel­ dropping the "and."—EDITOR ligent readers but only for each other, half of Kimball Atwood is not believable. If he has some pre-history with Myra Jones, he should them proclaiming the obvious, the other half Inappropriate Art denying it. It all made work for the working stale what that is. To launch into the kind of academic. . . . hostile, provocative response that he docs is not skepticism but merely arrogance. To It is with a mixture of chagrin and sorrow characterize Jones's letter by saying that "it that I write. No, 1 am not canceling my sub­ Rui Vieira has also submitted another letter, demonstrates several misrepresentations and scription, but I do wish to protest the car­ but I think this discussion has consumed fallacies common to apologies" is not justi­ toon on page 36 of ihc March/April issue. enough space for now.—EDITOR fied by the contents of her letter. I can think of no acceptable reason to I also have the feeling that some writers provide your readers with such a negative, in 5/ seem to come with a chip on their caricatured stereotype of a religious Jewish Worries About Terrorism shoulders, which is so evident that it gets in man, presumably a rabbi. Considering how the way of any serious investigation of alter­ open anti-Semitism has become in the Regarding our response to Pinker and Tite's nate points of view. Arwood's responses are a world, would it not have been better to bewilderment (Letters, January/Fcbiuaiy case in point. . . . simply show a rabbi with a bishop and leave 2004) over our comments of how much peo­ out the preposterous nose? Nah. Even if anti- Bill Aird ple worry about being victims of terrorism, Semitism were at an all-time low, it still we grant that it is difficult to assess hypo­ Willowdale, Ontario would not be appropriate. thetical situations quantitatively. Our pri­ Canada mary resource is a Web compilation of polls Perhaps the arrist is at fault, but more so on terrorism: www.pollingreport.com/tcrror. you who after all looked at it and approved it him. A sample question that has been asked Growing Skeptics for publication. Please, a bit more sensitivity in CNN/L/&4 Today/GaWup polls almost in the future. monthly since 9/11 is "How worried arc you Over the last few years, I have come to real­ Bertram H. Rothschild that you or someone in your family will ize the importance of every skeptic being Aurora, Colorado become a victim of terrorism: very worried, able to talk about being a skeptic. One of the somewhat worried, not too worried, or not absolute best resources for me to fine-tune Several other readers complained about an worried at all?" Responses run about 10 per­ my skills as a skeptic is the Skeptic's Toolbox illustration depicting a man in rabbinical garb cent in the "very worried" response and in Oregon. We need to get more people and carrying the Torah with exaggerated facial around 30 percent in the "somewhat worried" versed in analyzing extraordinary claims and features which can easily be interpreted as phys­ category. We grant that it is a bit ambiguous the extraordinary evidence that is often pre­ ical stereotyping of those Jewish ethnicity. We how "worry" translates into probability, but sented to support the claims. apologize to readers who were offended. these responses appear to be considerably stronger titan supposing that they are "at some I think that the Toolbox is a valuable risk, though not at high risk." resource that needs attendance by more peo­ ple. To stimulate this, I challenge the folks Alan W. Harris who return to the Toolbox to bring someone Senior Research Scientist with them or to sponsor someone through a Space Science Institute scholarship of some sort. [The next Toolbox La Canada, California will be held August 12-15, 2004.] I'm sure that CFI can find a student or skeptic who could use some help to attend. I for one will bring a person with me next year or I will Arrogance, Not Skepticism notify CFI by June that I will sponsor one person who they think will benefit from If you're a skeptic, you're a skeptic. What's attending. wrong with that? When Myta Jones was I hope that others who keep coming back respectfully skeptical of Kimball Arwood's will think about this and hopefully some will article for lambasting NCCAM, was she out be able to make a similar commitment. of line? Judging from Arwood's reply, "Pointing to the failings of 'mainstream Herb Masters medicine' is irrelevant to criticism of CAM." San Carlos. California

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2004 69 THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL AT THE CENTER FOR \NQV\W-INTERNATIONAL (ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO) AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Network of Affiliated Organizations International

AUSTRALIA. Canberra Skeptics. Canberra Australia. Shatin NT China. Investigation of the Anomalous Phenomena Peter Barrett. President. PO Box 555. Civic Square COSTA RICA. Iniciativa para la Promocion del (KCIAP) Kazakhstan. Dr. Sergey Efimov, Scientific ACT 2608 Australia. Australian Skeptics Inc., Pensamiento Critico (IPPEQ San Jose. Victor Quiros Secretary. E-mail: efimOafi.south-capital.kz. Astro- Australia. Barry Williams. Executive Officer. Tel. 61 V. Tel.: 506 275 43 52; e-mail: victorcrOracsa.co.cr. physical Institute Kamenskoye Plato Alma-Ata, 2-9417-2071; e-mail: skepticsOkasm.com.au. PO A.P. 1513-1002 Paseo de los Estudiantes San Jose. 480020 Republic of Kazakhstan. Committee for the Box 268. Roseville NSW 2069 Australia www.skep- Costa Rica, http://webs.demasiado.com/vicr. Scientific Expertise of Claims of the Paranormal tics.com.au. Australian Skeptics—Hunter Region CZECH REPUBLIC Sisyfos-Czech Skeptics Club. Czech (CSECOP). Newcastle/Hunter Valley. 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Science & Reason, Hampton Rds, Virginia. co.us/community/rms. NEVADA. Skeptics of Las Vegas, (SOLV) PO Box 531323. Lawrence Weinstein. Old Dominion Univ.-Physics CONNECTICUT. New England Skeptical Society (NESS) Henderson. NV 89053-1323. E-mail: rbanderson Dept. Norfolk, VA 23529 US. New England, Steven Novella MD. President. Tel.: Oskepticslv.org. Web site: www.skepticslv.orgj. WASHINGTON. Society for Sensible Explanations, Western 203-281-6277; e-mail: boardetheness.com. 64 NEW MEXICO. New Mexicans for Science and Reason Washington Tad Cook. Secretary E-mail: Cobblestone Dr. Hamden, CT 06518 IIS (NMSR) New Mexico. David E. Thomas. President. K7RAOarrl.net. PO Box 45792. Seattle, WA 98145- www.theness.com. Tel.: 505-869-9250; e-mail: nmsrdaveOswcp.com. PO 0792 US. httpy/seattleskeptics.org. DC .MARYLAND. National Capital Area Skeptics NCAS, Box 1017, Peralta, NM 87042 US. www.nmsr.org. - PUERTO RICO. Sociedad De Esceptkos de Puerto Rico. Luis Maryland. D.C.. Virginia. D.W "Chip Denman NEW YORK. New York Area Skeptics (NYASk) metropoli­ R. Ramos. President 2505 Parque Terra Linda. Truiillo Tel.: 301-587-3827. e-mail: ncasOncas.org PO Box tan NY area Jeff Corey. President. 18 Woodland Alto. Puerto Rko 00976 Tel 787-396-2395; e-mail: 8428. Silver Spring. MD 20907-8428 US Street Huntington. NY 11743. Tel: (631) 427-7262 e- LramosOescepticospr.com; Web site www.escepti- http://www.ncas org mail: jcoreyOliu.edu, Web site: www.nyask.com. cor.com. FLORIDA. Tampa Bay Skeptics (TBS) Tampa Bay, Floida. Inquiring Skeptics of Upper New York (ISUNY) Upper New York Michael Sofka. 8 Providence St. Albany. NY The organizations listed above have aims similar to Gary Posner. Executive Director. Tel.: 727-209-2902; those of CSICOP but are independent and e-mail: tbsOcfiflorida.org; PO 8ox 8099. St 12203 US Central New York Skeptks (CNY Skeptics) autonomous. Representatives of these organ za- Petersburg. FL 33738 US. http://members.aol.rom/ Syracuse. Lisa Goodlin. President. Tel: 315 446-3068; e- tions cannot speak on behalf of the CSICOP Please tbskep. mail; infoOcnyskeptks.org Web site, cnyskeptks.org send updates to Barry Karr. PO Box 703 Amherst 201 Milnor Ave.. Syracuse, NY 13224 US. GEORGIA. Georgia Skeptks (GS) Georgia Rebecca Long. NY 14226-0703. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS George Agogino, Dept of Anthropology, Eastern New Gerald Gokfin. mathematician. Rutgers University, New Jersey Massimo Pigliucd. professor in Ecology & Evolution a: Mexico University Donald Gokbmith. astronomer; president Interstellar Media SUNYStony Brook, NY Gary Bauslaugh. educational consultant Centei for Alan Hale, astronomer. Southwest Institute for Space James Pomerantz. Provost and professor of cognitive and Curriculum. Transfer and Technology. Victoria. B.C. Canada Research. Aiamogordo, New Mexico linguistic sciences. Brown Unrv Richard E. Berendzen. astronomer. Washington, DC Clyde F. Herreid. professor of biology. SUNY. Buffalo Gary P. Posner, WD. Tampa. Fla. Martin Bridgstock. Senior lecturer. School of Science. Terence M. Hines. professor of psychology. Pace University, Daisie Radner. professor of philosophy. SUNY, Buffalo Griffith University, Brisbane. Australia Pleasantville, N.Y. Robert H. Romer, professor of physics. Amherst College Richard Busch. magiciarVmentalist. Pittsburgh, Penn Michael Hutchinson, author; SXHTKAI INOUIWH representa­ Karl Sabbagh. journalist. Richmond. Surrey. England Shawn Carlson. Society for Amateur Scientists. East tive. Europe Robert J. Samp, assistant professor of education and Greenwich. Rl Pti*p A lama, assoc professor of astronomy, Univ. of Virginia Roger B. Culver, professor of astronomy, Colorado State Univ. William Jarvis. professor of health promotion and public medkine. University of Wisconsin-Madison Felix Ares de Bias, professor of computer scence, health. Loma Linda University. School of Public Health Steven D. Schafersman, asst. professor of geology, Miami University of Basque. San Sebastian, Spain I. W. Kelly, professor of psychology. University of Univ.. Ohio Mkhael R. Dennett writer, investigator. Federal Way, Saskatchewan Bela Scheiber/ systems analyst Boulder, Colo Washington Richard H. Lange. M.D.. Mohawk Valley Physkian Health Chris Scott statistician. London, England Sid Deutsch. consultant Sarasota. Fla. Plan, Schenectady. NY Stuart D. Scott Jr.. associate professor of anthropology. J. Dommanget astronomer, Royale Observatory, Brussels. Gerald A. Larue, professor of biblical history and archaeol­ SUNY. Buffalo Belgium ogy, University of So. California. Erwin M. Segal, professor of psychology. SUNY, Buffalo Nahum J. Duker. assistant professor of pathology, Temple William M. London. Touro University, International Carta Selby, anthropologist/archaeologist University Rebecca Long, nuclear engineer, president of Georgia Steven N. Shore, professor and chair. Dept of Physio Barbara Eisenstadt psychologist educator, clinkian. East Council Against Health Fraud. Atlanta. Ga and Astronomy. Indiana Univ. South Bend Greenbush. NY. Thomas R. McDonough, lecturer in engineering. CaHech. and Waclaw Szybalski, professor. McArdle Laboratory. William Evans, professor of communication, Center for SETI Coordinator of the Planetary Society University of Wisconsin-Madison Creative Media James E. McGaha. Major. USAF; pilot Sarah G. Thomason. professor of linguistics. University John F. Fischer, forensk analyst Orlando. Fla. Joel A. Moskowitz. director of medical psychiatry, Eileen Gambrill, professor of social welfare. University of Calabasas Mental Hearth Services, Los Angeles of Pittsburgh Tim Trachet journalist and science writer, honorary California at Berkeley Jan Willem Nienhuys. mathematkian, Univ. of Eindhoven, Sylvio Garattini. director, Mario Negri Pharmacology the Netherlands chairman of SKEPP. Belgium Institute, Milan. Italy John W. Patterson, professor of materials science and engi­ David WWey. physks instructor. University of Pittsburgh Laurie Godfrey, anthropologst University of Massachusetts neering. Iowa State University •Member. CSICOP Executive Council

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INTERNATIONAL PRANCE EUROPE P.O. Box 703. Amherst NY 14226 Prof Henri Broch. Dr. Martin Manner Tel.: (716) 636-1425 Umversite of Nice. Faculte des Sciences, Arheilger Weg 11. D-64380 Rossdorf. Germany Pare Valrose, 06108. Nice cedex 2. France Tel:+49 6154 695023 WEST www.unke.fr/zetetics/ 4773 Hollywood Blvd.. Los Angeles. CA 90027 Tel.: (323) 666-9797 NEPAL MOSCOW METRO NEW YORK Humanist Association of Nepal Professor Valerii A. Kuvakin 1 Rockefeller Plaza. #2700. New York. NY 10020 P.O. Box 5284. Kathmandu. Nepal 119899 Russia. Moscow. Vorobevy Gory. Tel: (212) 265 2877 tel: 011977 125 7610 Moscow State University. Philosoohy Dept. cf. Center for Inquiry International ",.. to promote and defend reason, science, and freedom of inquiry in all areas of human endeavor." THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL

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Hubble Sees Galaxies Galore Galaxies, galaxies everywhere — as far as NASA's Hubble Space Telescope can see. This view of nearly 10.000 galaxies is the deepest visible-light image of the cosmos. Called the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, this galaxy-studded view represents a "deep"

core sample of the universe, cutting across billions of light-years. . % 1 • The snapshot includes galaxie's of various ages, sizes, shapes, and colors. The smallest, reddest galaxies, about 100, may be among the most distant known, existing when the universe was just 800 million years old. The nearest galaxies—the larger, brighter, well-defined spirals and ellipticals — thrived about 1 billion years ago. when the cosmos was 13 billion years old. NASA issued this image March 9. . • • , Credit: NASA, ESA. S. Beckwith (STScI) and tbo HUDF Team • Skeptical Inquirer* THE MAGAZINE (OH SCIENCE AND REASON The Committee is a nonprofit scientific £nd educational organization.' The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is its official journal. * ' •» / • i The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims ofthe' such inquiries to the scientific community, the media, and the Paranormal encourages the critical investigation of paranormal public, ft also promotes science and scientific inquiry, critical and fringe-science claims from a responsible, scientific point of thinking, science education, and the use of reason in examining view and disseminates factual information abffit the results of- important issues.

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'est Lo^Angeles. California Metro Ne# York Manhattan. New York FranceTimversite ol Nice. Franc Peru Lima. Peru Europe Rossdort. Germany ^ " Florida St. Petersburg, Florida Nigeria Oyo State, Nigeria Nepal Kathmandu, Nepal Moscow Moscow State University