Skepticism Evolves—And So Does the Paranormal
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Skepticism Evolves—and So Does the Paranormal MARTIN BRIDGSTOCK t is easy to find milestones in the history of skepti- picked up, and continued to cism. 1976 is important, of course. It’s the date that the use, skeptical ideas. I won prizes ICommittee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), formerly known for the course, and many par- ticipants loved it. One student as CSICOP, was founded. Before that, in 1952, Martin wrote, “MARTIN, YOU DE- Gardner’s great skeptical work was published. His book, STROYED MY FANTASY eventually titled Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science, WORLD!” on a feedback form. is still in print, still selling, and still good. The Australian Sadly, after thirteen years, man- Skeptics was founded in 1981. And, way back in time, the agement concluded that the great skeptic David Hume’s Treatise of Human Nature “fell course was not what the univer- sity wanted, and it was wiped dead-born from the press” in 1739. It didn’t stay dead, of out. course; Hume’s arguments are still powerful today. My own involvement with ing records, we discovered a fi- skepticism began in 1985. In nancial scandal among the cre- my home state of Queensland, ation scientists. Essentially, they Australia, the creation scien- had been swindled out of huge tists were on the march. With a amounts of donated money and fundamentalist premier (corre- tried to keep it quiet (Bridgstock sponding to a U.S. governor) and and Smith 1986). We publicized a fundamentalist minister for the scandal, and the politicians education, creationist demands backed off in horror. A refugee for inclusion in school science from the defeat, Ken Ham, went teaching looked irresistible. I re- to the United States where, I member looking at some of their hear, he is rebuilding Noah’s literature and noting that a vast Ark. mass of evidence seemed on the Since the early days, skep- verge of sweeping away evolu- ticism has spread around the tion. What’s more, their claims world. There are local groups, were referenced to genuine sci- vocal individuals, and in some entific papers. places, large national organiza- After long thought, I went tions. We can direct a withering to my university library and did blast of criticism and contrary some checking. Were their sci- evidence against paranormal entific quotes and references cor- claims, and often we can dis- rect? To my astonishment, they credit them. On the other hand, turned out to be false on a grand judging by assorted polls, the scale. Quotes were altered and overall level of paranormal belief My strong impression is that evidence misrepresented. Cre- remains high, at something over paranormal beliefs are evolv- ationism, for all its righteous po- 70 percent (Shermer 2011). ing to render themselves proof lemics, was a tower of falsehoods. I tried to tackle this directly, against skeptical criticism. One I published my results in local offering a skeptical course at type of defense was described magazines and journals. Then I my university. It intrigued and by Paul Kurtz (1998) as the joined the fledgling Queensland involved many students, and “unsinkable rubber duck” phe- and Australian Skeptics. Check- research showed that many nomenon. Paranormal claims Skeptical Inquirer | September/October 2016 57 ISSUES IN SCIENCE & SKEPTICISM: 40th Anniversary Celebration are made. They are criticized age of women. The importance tics are going into villages in and disappear. Then they pop of younger skeptics is obvious; that country and demonstrating up again in a slightly different we oldies are not immortal, and the falsity of paranormal claims. guise. Skeptics are reduced to skepticism needs younger people This is genuinely dangerous playing whack-a-mole. Another to carry on the fight. The ap- work (Barry 2013), as is show- way in which paranormal claims pearance of many women skep- ing skepticism when violent Is- can survive is to structure them- tics is equally important, and not lamists are around; it can be le- selves so as to be proof against only because half of humanity’s thal, and has been. We need to criticism. Conspiracy theorists brains are in female bodies. One support our brave counterparts in thing I have learned is that fe- other countries. male skeptics see things that men Overall, I suspect, the task of do not see. For example, many the skeptic is not getting any eas- woo practitioners target young ier. Our movement is broadening mothers. Naturally, the mothers and becoming larger and more are anxious to take care of their diverse. At the same time, our children, and the peddlers play paranormal quarry is becoming on this anxiety. Women skeptics both craftier and more stubborn. may be better placed to see and In some cases, they can produce combat this. protective coloring that makes Skepticism is developing and them look like scientists even though they aren’t. I don’t doubt that skepticism is here to stay. Sadly, I suspect that the same ■ Paranormal claims are made. can be said of woo. They are criticized and disap- References Barry, Ellen. 2013. Battling superstition, pear. Then they pop up again Indian paid with his life. New York Times (August 24). Available online at in a slightly different guise. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/ world/asia/battling-super Skeptics are reduced to stition-indian-paid-with-his-life. html?_r=0. Accessed May 31, 2016. playing whack-a-mole. Bridgstock, Martin, and Ken Smith (eds). 1986. Creationism: An Australian Perspective. Melbourne: Mark Plummer for the Australian Skeptics. Gerbic, Susan. 2016. Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia. Available online at http://guerrilla skepticismonwikipedia.blogspot.com. spread ing into areas the found- au/. Accessed May 31, 2016. Kurtz, Paul. 1998. The new skepti- are not affected by counterargu- ers could not have envisaged. cism—a worldwide movement. ments; by definition, the critics One such development is the Skeptic (Australia) 18(2): 23–28. must be part of the conspiracy. guerrilla battle being fought Shermer, Michael. 2011. Demographics Creation scientists and climate of belief. Skepticblog. Available on Wikipedia. The remarkable online at http://www.skepticblog. change deniers are not affected Susan Gerbic (2016) has led a org/2011/05/31/demographics- by science-based criticism; after movement to keep badly evi- of-belief/. Accessed May 31, 2016. all, scientists are either atheists denced paranormal claims out or crooks madly in pursuit of of this important source. An en- Martin Bridgstock, PhD, is a senior grant money. Either way, their couraging feature is that when a lecturer at Griffith University in criticisms need not be heeded. dispute arises between a skeptic Queensland, Australia. He is a Sci- Skepticism too is changing. and a woo pusher, the encyclope- A truly wonderful development dia’s editors do see the skeptics’ entific and Technical Consultant to is the influx of younger skeptics, points. Skepticism is spreading CSI and was elected a Life Member including an appreciable percent- in other ways, too; Indian skep- of the Australian Skeptics. 58 Volume 40 Issue 5 | Skeptical Inquirer.