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1952 Washington UFO Sightings • Psychic Pets and Pet Psychics • the Skeptical Environmentalist Skeptical Inquirer the MAGAZINE for SCIENCE and REASON Volume 26,.No

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1952 Washington UFO Sightings • Psychic Pets and Pet Psychics • the Skeptical Environmentalist Skeptical Inquirer the MAGAZINE for SCIENCE and REASON Volume 26,.No 1952 Washington UFO Sightings • Psychic Pets and Pet Psychics • The Skeptical Environmentalist Skeptical Inquirer THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE AND REASON Volume 26,.No. 6 • November/December 2002 ppfjlffl-f]^;, rj-r ci-s'.n.: -/: •:.'.% hstisnorm-i nor mm . o THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY-INTERNATIONAL (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., Consultants, New York. NY Irmgard Oepen, professor of medicine Toronto Susan Haack. Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts (retired), Marburg, Germany Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Albany, and Sciences, prof, of philosophy, University Loren Pankratz, psychologist, Oregon Health Oregon of Miami Sciences Univ. Marcia Angell, M.D., former editor-in-chief. C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist. Univ. of Wales John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ. New England Journal of Medicine Al Hibbs, scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist, MIT Robert A. Baker, psychologist. Univ. of Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human Massimo Polidoro, science writer, author, Kentucky understanding and cognitive science, executive director CICAP, Italy Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, author. Indiana Univ. Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Chicago Barry Beyerstein,* biopsychologist, Simon Physics and professor of history of science, Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical professor of Harvard Univ. Fraser Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Canada medicine, Stanford Univ., editor, Scientific Ray Hyman.* psychologist, Univ. of Oregon Irving Biederman, psychologist. Univ. of Review of Alternative Medicine Leon Jaroff, sciences editor emeritus, Time Southern California Amardeo Sarma, engineer, head of dept. Sergei Kapitza, former editor, Russian edition. Susan Blackmore, Visiting Lecturer, Univ. of at T-Nova Deutsche Telekom, executive the West of England, Bristol Scientific American director, GWUP, Germany. Henri Broth, physicist, Univ. of Nice, France Philip J. Klass, * aerospace writer, engineer Evry Schatzman, former president, French Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist. professor Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director, Griffith Physics Association emeritus of English, Univ. of Utah Observatory Eugenie Scott physical anthropologist, execu­ Verm Bullough, professor of history. California Paul Kurtz,' chairman. Center for Inquiry tive director. National Center for Science State Univ. at Northridge Lawrence Kusche, science writer Education Leon Lederman, emeritus director, Fermilab; Mario Bunge, philosopher. McGill University Robert Sheaffer, science writer John R. Cole, anthropologist, editor, National Nobel laureate in physics Elie A. Shneour, biochemist, author, Center for Science Education Scott Lilienfeld, psychologist, Emory Univ. director, Biosystems Research Institute, Frederick Crews, literary and cultural critic, Lin Zixin, former editor. Science and La Jolla, Calif. professor emeritus of English, Univ. of Technology Daily (China) Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Terrey California. Berkeley Jere Lipps, Museum of Paleontology, Univ. of Hills, N.S.W.. Australia F. H. C. Crick, biophysicist, Salk Inst, for California, Berkeley Robert Steiner, magician, author, Biological Studies, La Jolla. Calif; Nobel Prize Elizabeth Loftus, professor of psychology, El Cerrito, Calif. laureate Univ. of Washington Jill Cornell Tarter, astronomer. SETI Institute. Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer. Richard Dawkins, zoologist. Oxford Univ. Mountain View, Calif. Cornelis de Jager, professor of astrophysics, AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia. Calif. Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los John Maddox. editor emeritus of Nature Univ. of Utrecht, the Netherlands Angeles, Calif. David Marks, psychologist City University, London. Paul Edwards, philosopher, editor, David Thomas, physicist and mathematician, Encyclopedia of Philosophy Mario Mendez-Acosta, journalist and Peralta. New Mexico Kenneth Feder, professor of anthropology. science writer, Mexico City, Mexico Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy. Central Connecticut State Univ. Marvin Minsky, professor of media arts and Univ. of Southern California Antony Flew, philosopher. Reading Univ., U.K. sciences, M.I.T. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and direc­ Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer, Foothill College, David Morrison, space scientist, NASA Ames tor, Hayden Planetarium, New York City Los Altos Hills. Calif. Research Center Marilyn vos Savant Parade magazine con­ Kendrick Frazier,* science writer, editor. Richard A. Muller, professor of physics. Univ. tributing editor and CBS News correspondent SKEPTICAL INQUIRER of Calif., Berkeley Steven Weinberg, professor of physics and Yves Galifret. vice-president. Affiliated H. Narasimhaiah, physicist, president, astronomy, Univ. of Texas at Austin; Nobel Organizations: France Bangalore Science Forum, India Prize laureate Martin Gardner,* author, critic Dorothy Nelkin, sociologist, New York Univ. Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, Santa Joe Nickell,* senior research fellow, CSICOP Richard Wiseman, psychologist. University of Fe Institute; Nobel Prize laureate Lee Nisbet* philosopher, Medaille College Hertfordshire Thomas Gilovich, psychologist. Cornell Univ. Bill Nye, science educator and television host, Marvin Zelen, statistician, Harvard Univ. Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, Toronto Nye Labs * Member, CSICOP Executive Council Saul Green. PhD, biochemist president of ZOL James E. Oberg. science writer (Affiliations given for identification only.) • • • Visit the CSICOP Web site at http://www.csicop.org • • • The SKErnt'Al INQMRER (ISSN 0194-6730) is published bimonthly by the Committee for the Articles, reports, reviews, and letters publidied in the SMITKAI INQ) IRI.R represent the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. 1310 Sweet Home Rd., Amherst. NY views and work of individual authors. Their publication does not necessarily constitute an 14228. Printed in U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at Butt Jo. NY. Subscription prices: one year endorsement by CSICOP or its members unless so stated. (six issues). S35; two years. $60; three years, $84; single issue. $4.95. Canadian and torcien orders: CopyrrigjH ©2002 by die Commlivcc '«•• il.c Scientific [nvctucauioa of Claims of the Payment in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank must accompany orders; please add US$10 per year Paranormal. All right*, reserved. The SftXPIH M KijURrK is J suitable on 16mm microfilm. for shipping. Canadian and foreign customers are encouraged to use Visa of MasterCard. 35mm microfilm, jnj 105mm microfiche from UmvcrMis Microfilms International and is Inquiries from the media and the public about the work of the Committee should be made indexed in the Reader's Ciuidc to Periodical titcrjiuie to Paul Kurtz, Chairman. CSICOP. Box 703. Amherst. NY 14226-0703 Tel.: 716-636-1425. Subscriptions and changes of address should be addressed to: SKEFiH M INQIiRER. BOS FAX-716-636-1733. "03. Amherst. NY 14226-0703. Or call loll-fcc I -800-634-1610 (outside U V .all "16-636- Manuscripts, letters, books for review, and editorial inquiries should be addressed to Kcndrick 1425). Old address as well as new arc necessary for change of subscribers address, with six Frazicr. Editor. SKEPTKAI Lsytmu. 944 Deer Drive NE. .Albuquerque. \'M 8712Z Fax 505- weeks advance notice. Sunt* M |M.-I IRtR subscribers may not speak on behalf of CSICOP 828-2080. Before submitting any manuscript, please consult our Guide for Authors for format and or the SKEFTIGU INQUIRER references requirements. It is on our Web site at hrrrK//w»w.csKop.or^si/gtude-ror-aurhor\ html Postmaster Send changes of address to SKEPIK U K'.K IBtR. Bm "03. Amherst. M and on page 69 of rhe March/April rssue. Or you may send a tax request to the editor. 14226-0703. 44 Are Skeptics Cynical? Popular Misunderstandings Skeptical Inquirer of Skeptics November/December 2002 • VOL. 26, NO. 6 Many people seem to confuse cynicism with skepticism, and believe that critical thinking results in a negative attitude ARTICLES about life. However, this opinion rests on a number of mis­ 22 Politicizing the Virgin Mary: taken assumptions about the nature of skepticism. Skeptics The Instance of the Madonna of must correct these misconceptions if they hope for the wider Medjugorje application of critical thinking. Apparently individual experiences of the paranormal can, PHIL MOLE on some occasions, be shown to arise largely out of the broadest social forces, including even those that result in COLUMNS cross-national warfare. RAYMOND A. EVE EDITOR'S NOTE: Statistical Self-Deceptions, and When History Isn't 4 27 Hypothesis Testing and the Nature NEWS AND COMMENT Washington Post Commemoration of 1952 UFO Sighting Omits of Skeptical Investigations Telling Details / Microanalytical Great Walter C. McCrone, Dies / Testing hypotheses is the fundamental activity of scientists Anti-Gravity Shield Rises Again, and the Zero-Point Fringe / and skeptics. Now, a debate within the scientific commu­ Psychics Wrong About Chandra Levy / Houdini Reappears / nity may be about to radically change the way we think Martin Gardner Donates
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