SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Vol.17. No. 3 Spring 1993/$6.25 FACILITATED COMMUNICATION ? Miracle or Mirage? Al Gore: Education tor Science Richard Dawkins: The 'Awe' Factor Evry Schatzman: A Threat to Science Martin Gardner: E Prime and Isness Donald Tarter: Sale Science with SETI CSICOP Dallas Conference

Published by the Committee for the Scientific investigation of Claims of the Paranormal THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is the official journal of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, an international organization. Editor Kendrick Frazier. Editorial Board James E. Alcock, Barry Beyerstein, Susan J. Blackmore, Martin Gardner, Ray Hyman, Philip J. Klass, Paul Kurtz, Joe Nickell, Lee Nisbet. Consulting Editors Robert A. Baker, William Sims Bainbridge, John R. Cole, Kenneth L. Feder, C. E. M. Hansel, E. C. Krupp, David F. Marks, Andrew Neher, James E. Oberg, Robert Sheaffer, Steven N. Shore. Managing Editor Doris Hawley Doyle. Contributing Editor Lys Ann Shore. Business Manager Mary Rose Hays. Assistant Business Manager Sandra Lesniak. Chief Data Officer Richard Seymour. Computer Assistant Michael Cione. Production Paul E. Loynes. Art Linda Hays. Audio Technician Vance Vigrass. Librarian Jonathan Jiras. Staff Elizabeth Begley, Ron Nicholson, Alfreda Pidgeon, Ranjit Sandhu, Sharon Sikora, Glen Winford. Cartoonist Rob Pudim. The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, State University of New York at Buffalo. Barry Karr, Executive Director and Public Relations Director. Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director. Fellows of the Committee James E. Alcock,* psychologist, York Univ., Toronto; Robert A. Baker, psychologist, Univ. of Kentucky; Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, author, consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. Barry Beyerstein,* biopsychologist, Simon Fraser Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ. of Southern California; Susan Blackmore,* psychologist, Univ. of the West of England, Bristol; Henri Broch, physicist, Univ. of Nice, France; Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, professor of English, Univ. of Utah; Vern Bullough, Distinguished Professor, State Univ. of New York; Mario Bunge, philosopher, McGill University; John R. Cole, anthropologist, Inst, for the Study of Human Issues; F. H. C. Crick, biophysicist, Salk Inst, for Biological Studies, La Jolla, Calif.; L. Sprague de Camp, author, engineer; Cornelis de Jager, professor of astrophysics, Univ. of Utrecht, the Netherlands; Bernard Dixon, science writer, London, U.K.: Paul Edwards, philosopher, Editor, Encyclopedia of Philosophy; Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., U.K.; Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, Calif.; Kendrick Frazier,* science writer. Editor, THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER; Yves Calif ret. Exec. Secretary, I'Union Rationaliste; Martin Gardner,* author, critic; Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, California Inst, of Technology; Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, Toronto; Stephen Jay Gould, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard Univ.; C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales; Al Hibbs, scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human understanding and cognitive science, Indiana Univ.; Ray Hyman,* psycholo­ gist, Univ. of Oregon; Leon Jaroff, sciences editor, Time; Lawrence Jerome, science writer, engineer; Sergei Kapitza, editor, Russian edition, Scientific American; Philip J. Klass,* science writer, engineer; Marvin Kohl, professor of philosophy, SUNY at Fredonia; Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director, Griffith Observatory; Paul Kurtz,* chairman, CSICOP; Lawrence Kusche, science writer; Paul MacCready, scientist/ engineer, AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia, Calif.; David Marks, psychologist, Middlesex Polytech, England; David Morrison, space scientist, NASA Ames Research Center; Richard A. Muller, professor of physics, Univ. of Calif., Berkeley; H. Narasimhaiah, physicist, president, Bangalore Science Forum, India; Dorothy Nelkin, sociologist, Cornell Univ. Joe Nickell,* author, technical writing instructor, Univ. of Kentucky; Lee Nisbet,* philosopher, Medaille College; James E. Oberg, science writer; Loren Pankratz, psychologist, Oregon Health Sciences Univ.; John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ.; Mark Plummer, lawyer, Australia; W. V. Quine, philosopher, Harvard Univ.; Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of Chicago; Carl Sagan, astronomer, Cornell Univ.; Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical professor of medicine, Stanford Univ.; Evry Schatzman, President, French Physics Association; Eugenie Scott, physical anthropologist, executive director. National Center for Science Education; Thomas A. Sebeok, anthropologist, linguist, Indiana Univ.; Robert Sheaffer, science writer; Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Terrey Hills, N.S.W., Australia; Robert Steiner, magician, author, El Cerrito, Calif.; Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Angeles, Calif.; Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy. Northwestern Univ.; Marvin Zelen, statisti­ cian, Harvard Univ. Lin Zixin, former editor Science and Technology Daily (China). (Affiliations given for identification only.) *Member, CSICOP Executive Council

Manuscripts, letters, books for review, and editorial inquiries should be addressed to Kendrick Frazier, Editor, THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. 3025 Palo Alto Dr., N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87111. Subscriptions, change of address, and advertising should be addressed to: THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Box 703, Buffalo, NY 14226-0703. Old address as well as new are necessary for change of subscriber's address, with six weeks advance notice. Subscribers to THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER may not speak on behalf of CSICOP or THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. Inquiries from the media and the public about the work of the Committee should be made to Paul Kurtz, Chairman, CSICOP, Box 703, Buffalo, NY 14226-0703. Tel.: (716) 636-1425. FAX: (716)-636-1733. Articles, reports, reviews, and letters published in THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER represent the views and work of individual authors. Their publication does not necessarily constitute an endorsement by CSICOP or its members unless so stated. THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is indexed in the Readers' Guide la Periodical literature. Copyright e1993 by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, 3965 Rensch Road, Buffalo, NY 14228. All rights reserved. THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is available on 16mm microfilm, 35mm microfilm, and 105mm microfiche from University Microfilms International. Subscription Rates: Individuals, libraries, and institutions, $25.00 a year; back issues, $6.25 each. THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (ISSN 0194-6730) is published quarterly. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Printed in Canada. Second-class postage paid at Buffalo, New York, and additional mailing offices. Send changes of address to THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Box 703, Buffalo, NY 14226-0703. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Vol. 17, No. 3. Spring 1993 I 1 ISSN 0194-6730 Journal of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal

CSICOP DALLAS CONFERENCE Scholars Focus on Cultures in Collision, In and Out of Science Elena M. Watson 227 The 'Awe' Factor Richard Dawkins 242 free Speech and SLAPP Suits Andrew Skolnick 244

ARTICLES Anguished Silence and Helping Hands: Autism and Facilitated Communication J. A Mulick J. W. Jacobson and F. H. Kobe 270 Facilitated Communication, Autism, and Ouija Kathleen M. Dillon 281 Treading on the Edge: Practicing Safe Science with SETI Donald £ Tarter 288 Education for Science Al Gore, Jr. 297 A Threat to Science Evry Schatzman 302 Charles Honorton's Legacy to Parapsychology Susan Blackmore 306 FROM THE CHAIRMAN A Center for Inquiry Research Library 250

NEWS AND COMMENT 252 Electromagnetic Esoterica / Channeling Woes / Bruton Parish Follow-Up / fizzled Predictions / Ig Noble Laureates

NOTES OF A FRINGE-WATCHER E-Prime: Getting Rid of Isness Martin Gardner 261 PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS Levitated Linda, Ear Coning, and Arkeology Robert Sheaffer 267

BOOK REVIEWS Colin Wilson and Damon Wilson, Unsolved Mysteries Robert A Baker 309 Barry L Beyerstein and Dale F. Beyerstein, The Write Stuff Elver A Barker 312 Kenneth Ring, The Omega Project Gordon Stein 315 E. Fuller Torrey, Freudian Fraud Terence Hines 317

NEW BOOKS 319

ARTICLES OF NOTE 324

FOLLOW-UP Colorado Board of Nursing Continues to Support Therapeutic Touch 327

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 331

ON THE COVER: Illustration by Bruce Adams. HELP US DEFEND SKEPTICISM AGAINST HARASSING SUITS CSICOP LEGAL DEFENSE FOUNDATION

n the Winter 1992 issue of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER we outlined the Idifficulties that the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal is experiencing because of harassing lawsuits filed against skeptics. We feel confident that these suits will eventually be dismissed. Still, we suspect that the lawsuits were brought for reasons other than the redress of alleged grievances. For what do these suits mean? They mean that the pro- paranormalists think they have finally found a way to strike below the belt of scientists and skeptics. For years they have been unable to prove their claims of miraculous abilities. They've grown tired of hearing our challenges. Now they have turned to intimidation by lawsuit in an effort to silence their only persistent critics. It doesn't necessarily matter if the plaintiff wins or loses the suit. Their purpose is to waste their opponents' resources and to intimidate and silence them—in effect, depriving individuals or organizations of their First Amendment rights. We are by no means a wealthy organization, but we are not prepared to surrender our rights. We have vowed to fight back. To do so, we need your support. CSICOP has established the CSICOP Legal Defense Foundation. Its funds will be used to help pay the costs of existing lawsuits and any that may arise in the future, and to countersue when appropriate. Don't allow the claim-mongers to destroy CSICOP (and the values of science and reason it steadfastly represents) through unjust and frivolous legal proceedings. Support the CSICOP Legal Defense Foundation today. It's the best way to blunt this frightening new weapon of the apostles of nonsense.

Yes, I want to help defend the rights of skeptics. Enclosed is my tax-deductible contribution of $

Please make check payable to the CSICOP Legal Defense Foundation Charge my o visa • MasterCard o Check enclosed Exp Sig Credit-card contributors may call toll-free: 1-800-634-1610

Name Address . City State Zip . Mail to: CSICOP Legal Defense Foundation Box 703, Buffalo, NY 14226 CSICOP DALLAS CONFERENCE

Scholars Focus on Cultures in Collision, In and Out of Science

ELENA M. WATSON

shered in by a tremendous Skeptics. The conference was titled Texas thunderstorm, the 1992 "Fairness, Fraud and Feminism: Cul­ U conference of the Committee ture Confronts Science," and as in the for the Scientific Investigation of previous year, the convention focused Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) broadly on the importance of scientific took place at the Harvey Dallas/Fort literacy. But this time there were Worth Airport Hotel October 16 to fewer difficult choices to make, with 18. Local hosts were the North Texas the only concurrent sessions (on the

CSICOP Chairman Paul Kurtz opens the conference, as Bernard Ortiz de Montellano. Joseph Dunbar, Eugenie Scott, and Diana Marinez wait to begin their session on multicultural approaches to science.

Spring 1993 227 CSICOP CONFERENCE second day) pitting claims of crashed multiculturalism session, pointing out saucers against the paranormal in that she believes in objective reality, China. The first day was devoted to which is important to the scientific multicultural and gender issues, with approach. ("Either the earth or the sun the next morning's topic being fraud is at the center of the solar system, in science. Richard Dawkins, noted not both.") In terms of history, this author of The Blind Watchmaker and means that events really occurred and The Selfish Gene, delivered the keynote that, in theory at least, we can address on Friday evening. determine what really happened. A huge Texas "gully-washer" hit ("Either Lee surrendered to Grant or the area the night before the confer­ Grant to Lee—not both.") ence began, providing hail, lightning, Two current trends, the Decon- and flash flooding. Many flights were structionist approach, in which all delayed at the airport, and the ceiling knowledge is considered relative, and above the Prometheus Books display the Politically Correct (PC) approach, began to leak. Luckily, fast action by in which the consequences of ideas are both the CSICOP and Harvey staffs considered more important than saved the books. Saturday morning reality, are currently slipping into the brought yet another surprise, an early educational system and undermining morning evacuation of the first and this method. Scott offered several second floors of the hotel because of examples from that hotbed of PC a fire alarm that fortunately proved thinking, the Berkeley area, where to be spurious. textbooks have endorsed PC views on American Indians. There, because of What's Good and What's Bad Native American spiritual belief in a About Multiculturalism North American creation, references to the early migration via a land bridge CSICOP's founder and chairman, have been deleted from the school- philosopher Paul Kurtz, opened the books. Or, worse, the books state that conference on Friday (October 16), there is "no evidence of such a prior to the first session, "Multicul­ migration." Scott fears these practices tural Approaches to Science: The will result in minorities' becoming Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." He further estranged from the educa­ spoke briefly on the history of skep­ tional system when they discover they ticism and emphasized the need for have been taught untruths. inquiry, upon which the pragmatic Diana Marinez, professor of bio­ "new skepticism" promoted by chemistry at Michigan State Univer­ CSICOP is based. Reflective thinking sity, spoke on the importance of requires reason and evidence and is multiculturalism in science. Most the hallmark of the "educated mind," science is taught as objective and Kurtz said. He also noted the impor­ isolated from culture, but Marinez tance of the skeptical approach in argued that it does not have to be that critical thinking, which should be used way. And, she explained, as the work "in all areas of human endeavor." force rapidly changes, more women Eugenie Scott, executive director of and minorities are needed to fill jobs, the National Center for Science jobs that will be more science-based. Education, Berkeley, California, built The problem is that, statistically on these remarks as moderator of the speaking, minorities are less likely to

228 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 CSICOP CONFERENCE go on to higher education. Only 55 ings were being misapplied in support percent of Chicano children graduate of these extraordinary assertions. In from high school. "There is a 50 the case of melanin converting light percent drop at every level for minor­ to knowledge, for example, the studies ities," she said. Other concerns are cited in support of this assertion refer that "kids think scientists are weird to the reaction of the melanin mole­ nerds" and that Chicanos have been cule to light, not to the abilities of stereotyped as "unscientific." people. Likewise, the ESP claims are To counter this she proposed based on the amount of melanin in teaching kids examples of Mexican- the nervous system, but neurome- American contributions to science. lanin is different from and not corre­ "The materials and resources are lated with skin melanin. available," according to Marinez, even Bernard Ortiz de Montellano, a if they are not always easily accessible. professor of anthropology, also at Some of the examples she gave: use Wayne State, continued in a similar Mesoamerican metal work to teach vein as he discussed the Portland chemistry, incorporate the very visual Baseline Essays. This "Afro-centric" base-20 Mayan math with standard approach to teaching science is heavily mathematics, and in biology classes influenced by the work of the melanin discuss the food plants of the New scholars. Montellano wrote on both World, such as potatoes, chocolate, these subjects in his two-part article and corn. in 51 on multicultural pseudoscience Joseph Dunbar, a Wayne State (Fall 1991 and Winter 1992). Multi- University physiology professor, gave culturalism is too important to be left examples of a bad multicultural to the crackpots, he said. He also noted approach, that of the "melanin scho­ that the problem with any "centric" lars." He began by explaining that, in approach is that it denigrates everyone an attempt to incorporate contribu­ else. tions of many different groups, One of the basic suppositions of the researchers often try to go back and Portland essays is that ancient Egyp­ sort out who contributed what knowl­ tians were black and that they dis­ edge when. And since skin color is covered everything. The pseudo- often a way ethnic divisions are made, scientific melanin theories are used to there are some who think that skin explain how they did this. Of even color contributes particular character­ more concern is the fact that use of istics. The melanin scholars take this the Portland Baseline Essays is wide­ to the extreme. They make certain spread, and this curriculum is being extraordinary claims about alleged incorporated by many cities as an positive advantages of a high level of Afro-centric approach to teaching skin pigment, or melanin. These science. Montellano sees two prob­ claims include an ability for melanin lems with this: these essays could ruin to convert energy to light and sound, it for all multicultural approaches to to convert sunlight to knowledge, to teaching science, and they are teaching protect against mutations, to give one scientific illiteracy. "The essays push extrasensory perception (ESP), and to the idea that the paranormal and interact with addictive drugs. Dunbar religion are part of the scientific discussed each claim in detail, and it paradigm," he says, and cites examples became apparent that scientific find­ from the essays. One credits the

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Egyptians with a superior "transmate- inists," Tavris said, "but there are also rial" science that is beyond the cause loony Republicans, loony scientists. and effect of Western material science. . . ." All of us bring our own biases According to the essays, the Egyptians with us, she pointed out, but in used psi (psychic powers) as a scientific "feminist science" this bias is more discipline and employed professional easily seen than in "normal science." psi engineers. The essays also credit This led to her next question, "If man the Egyptians with discovering evo­ is the measure of all things, where lution 2,000 years before Darwin and does woman fit in?" with being able to fly in glider planes. According to Tavris, traditional A small model of one of the gliders science has a male point of view that is in fact a bird carving, and its often allows a sexual dichotomy to be wingspan would have been too nar­ set up. This gives many people the idea row to actually fly. This is one of the that men and women are opposites. examples Montellano gives of how a As an example, she briefly mentioned political agenda can distort even the current men's movement inspired simple facts. And once again, the by Robert Bly and quipped, "But people most hurt by the teaching of women don't want Iron John, they such nonsense will be the minority want Ironing John!" Even though students. science is intended to be objective, Tavris said, it can sometimes be used Gender Issues in Science to confirm bias. Two current instances of this, she said, are the chauvinist or and Pseudoscience "normal" view, in which women are The second day's session, "Gender seen as the problem, and the feminist Issues in Science and Pseudoscience," view, in which women are seen as not proved to be every bit as lively as the only different from men, but better. first. Moderator James Alcock (York In the first instance, the assumption University, Toronto) opened the is of male normalcy. Women are session by reminding the audience therefore often assumed to have low that parapsychology can be traced self-esteem and to be less self- back to spiritualism and the young Fox confident, rather than men being seen sisters, and that many of the most as arrogant and overconfident. But, famous spiritualists and mediums she said, the case of the so-called "eco- were women, as were most accused feminists" is just as distorted. There witches. More recently, we find that is no evidence that women are more many New Age channelers are peace-loving or earth-loving than women. The question Alcock poses is men. According to Tavris, "Women why? were just as likely to support the KKK; who do you think made those dopey Carol Tavris, a psychologist and costumes?" Gender gaps widen and author of The Mismeasure of Woman, narrow with politics, and the "woman began with a few questions of her is better" school of thought once again own. For starters, she wanted to know assumes a sexual dichotomy. This why "feminism" was used in the excludes the middle ground, which is conference title, "Fairness, Fraud and where most people fall. Feminism," as if it were some loony phenomenon "right up there with But the studies that emphasize the crop circles." "There are loony fem­ differences between the sexes get

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most of the attention, such as the theories involving brain differences in men and women. Tavris said that when one researcher looked at the original data on hemispheric special­ ization she found it applied to rat brains, not humans. Likewise, Tavris stated that most brain lateralization theories have been based on studies that were small and inconclusive. In general, not only do assertions involv­ ing gender differences keep changing, but studies with more convincing evidence of gender similarities rarely get published. This often leads to a polarization of the sexes. Tavris suggests that we not look at sex differences as permanent and un­ changing. Other aspects of people's lives, such as environment, should also Carol Ann Tavris: Attacking stereotypes on both sides, about gender differences and be considered. Because, she asked, similarities. "who benefits from this polarization?" Psychologist Susan Blackmore answer. She suggested the possibility (University of the West of England, that the kind of science CSICOP does Bristol), also opened with a question: is not particularly attractive to "Why are so few members of CSICOP women. And while science in general women?" While admitting that this is considered masculine, she examined trend is general to all science, she the characteristics of stereotypical concluded that this was not the only masculine science versus those of reason, because even fewer women stereotypical feminine science. The are skeptics. Blackmore then ad­ first seeks to conquer and control, is dressed the next question: "Are more objective and predictive, and sets up women 'believers'?" The common dichotomies. Feminine science, on the stereotype is that women do believe other hand, is more concerned with more, so Blackmore took a look at discovery and participation. It is surveys of both experience and belief subjective, understanding, and con­ in the paranormal. In many of the tinuous. studies dealing with experience she found no gender differences, although Using an example from parapsy­ a few studies indicated some differ­ chology, Blackmore pointed out that ence. Differences were more apparent science has to be open to results it in studies dealing with belief. Black- doesn't like. She cited a 1990 exper­ more found fewer men than women iment using the ganzfeld technique in indicated belief in ESP. However, she which positive results were obtained, found that the wording of the ques­ even after researchers had worked tion could indicate a bias. And the with skeptics to eliminate flaws that overall sex differences were small had skewed earlier experiments of enough for Blackmore to seek a better that type. Blackmore concluded with a warning against setting up dichot-

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omies in science. says Goldberg, get their direction The session's last speaker, sociol­ from biology. Social environment is ogist Steven Goldberg (City College, not an independent variable, but a CUNY), author of The Inevitability of dependent variable. But, cautioned Patriarchy, began by stating that Goldberg, one can't go from science science is neither good nor bad, but to what should be; "should" is not a empirical. "Science has a commitment scientific question, and science does to the truth," he said. It is the fact not deal with morality. that is important, said Goldberg; whether it is good or bad is not a Time Out for the News scientific question. He also pointed out that scientific truths are statistical Several other events took place on truths, and he gave as an example of Friday. Among them were a CSICOP polarity the height differences Press Luncheon, held between the two between men and women. The mean sessions; a presentation by televange- difference is slight, but at the list watchdog Ole Anthony, also at extremes it can be great. (Most of the noon; and that evening, the Keynote world's tallest people are men.) Gold­ Address (see box). Anthony's presen­ berg also pointed out that differences tation was sponsored by the North get the most attention simply because Texas Skeptics, who also provided differences are more interesting. In daily convention updates in a newslet­ 1932, for example, Margaret Mead ter. In this bonus session, Anthony wrote about a tribe in New Guinea discussed the work he did in helping in which the sex roles were reversed. ABC-TV's "Primetime Live" investi­ This was, in fact, an exaggeration, and gate Dallas faith-healer Robert Tilton. one that Mead later readily admitted. James ("The Amazing") Randi was also However, even years later many present and described similar work he textbooks still referred to this did for his book The Faith-Healers. opposite-sex-role tribe as an example In addition to the new media, of matriarchy. Goldberg said that even CSICOP Fellows and Consultants also though there is nothing that isn't a attended the press luncheon and, after male or female job somewhere, and a brief introduction by Chairman Paul each society varies, some things are Kurtz, gave short summaries of the the same. And in his search for a true current state of their areas of exper­ matriarchal society he found none. tise. Philip J. Klass, the "Socrates of Instead, he found that all societies are UFOs," previewed the next day's patriarchal; whatever is given high session on crashed saucers and spoke status in a society is masculine, with briefly about the current abduction males being drawn to what is high craze. Five years ago he thought UFO status; and that male dominance is belief was a harmless myth. But that prevalent because of greater male was before the "cult" of abduction aggressiveness. He cited hormonal began, with its missing time, bodily research in support of the last state­ scars, and other so-called evidence ment. Female animals that were that supposedly condemns one and experimentally masculinized, and one's offspring to a lifetime of alien human females who were mistakenly abduction and impregnation. Klass masculinized neonatally, both show said the prevalence and popularity of more aggressive behavior. Societies, this belief indicates the power of the

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Viruses of the Mind, and 'the Awe Factor'

riday evening Richard Dawkins, F the Oxford University zoolo­ gist, gave the 1992 CSICOP Con­ ference Keynote Address. He began by describing how the human child is shaped by evolution to learn quickly, an advantage in learning one's culture, but a disad­ vantage in that it leaves young brains gullible. Dawkins then intro­ duced an analogy between a com­ puter "brain" virus and a human mind virus. The latter is informa­ tion that is spread from one human to another, but does nothing useful except get passed along. A charac­ teristic of such a virus of the mind is that it feels true, even when there Richard Dawkins: The British zoologist is no evidence. Faith without this and author delivered the keynote evidence is seen as a virtue, and address on "Viruses of the Mind" and received CSlCOP's In Praise of Reason mystery is considered a good thing, Award. not something to be solved. These traits could describe any is important to motivate people to number of pseudoscientific beliefs, science the way they are motivated but Dawkins surprised some listen­ to religion. Dawkins also pointed ers by applying them to religion, out that there are two aspects of using Roman Catholicism as an science, the critical and the wonder. example. The next evening receiv­ The appeal of nonsense, such as ing CSICOP's 1992 In Praise of UFOs, is romance, or wonder— Reason Award at the Awards something he referred to as "the Banquet, Dawkins confessed to awe factor." Dawkins said we having been chided a bit for this should "exploit science as example, as CSICOP doesn't usu­ romance," and suggested that ally deal with religious issues of "black holes are more romantic faith unless scientific claims are than any pseudoscience." being made. Dawkins added that science -E.M.W. could use better PR and that those within the scientific community Dawkins's remarks upon receiving should not devalue popularizers of CSlCOP's In Praise of Reason Award science like Carl Sagan. He said it appear on pages 242-243.

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electronic media. trouble discriminating between what Joe Nickell discussed another media is intended as humor and what is fact. favorite, crop circles. The approach he Eugenie Scott addressed the mul­ took in his SKEPTICAL INQUIRER article ticultural front. She said there is an on this subject (Winter 1992) was to anti-intellectualist undercurrent look at crop circles as a phenomenon. today that is allowing misinformation When Nickell examined their devel­ to seep into multicultural education— opment, he found the circles were the Afro-centric Egyptian myths, intensifying in both number and melanin myths, and the American complexity. As the media picked up Indian origin controversy were cited on them, the "bandwagon" effect took in her conference session. She also over, and soon crop circles had a life noted an anti-science attitude present of their own. Simple rings in farmers' in Political Correctness. fields gave way to satellites and even SKEPTICAL INQUIRER editor Ken- triangles and other shapes. And drick Frazier ended the luncheon by although the media widely reported deploring the current trend in the the two hoaxers who confessed, media of blending news and entertain­ Nickell said, many believers still exist. ment. As readership declines, he said, Barry Beyerstein (Simon Fraser newspapers struggle to capture their University, Vancouver, B.C.), ad­ share of the market. Frazier referred dressed the more down-to-earth to SI as "a gold mine of information" problem of graphology, or hand­ for the public, something few sub­ writing analysis. More organizations, scribers could deny. he said, are turning to graphologists to help identify loyal, honest Fraud in Science employees. Graphologists, who are different from document examiners, Saturday's sessions dealt with topics often claim to be 100-percent accurate, as diverse as fraud in science, crashed and they appeal to employers because saucers, and the paranormal in China. this type of analysis can be done in Psychologist Ray Hyman (Univer­ secret. In the private sector one has sity of Oregon, Eugene), moderated little protection against graphology the "Fraud in Science" session. He being used this way, Beyerstein stressed the importance of replication, pointed out. It is a frightening which makes science a self-correcting thought, he said, considering that process. While this self-correcting most graphology depends on "sympa­ aspect protects against fraud, he said, thetic magic" and has limited validity. it doesn't rule it out. Hyman cited the Mario Mendez-Acosta, of the Mex­ problem of parapsychology, in which ican Association for Skeptical Inquiry, replication is uncommon, and briefly described a current Mexican cult belief discussed the Piltdown hoax. The that there are nearly 200 carnivorous session organizer, Elie Shneour (Bio- alien species living on earth. There is systems Research Institute, San also a widespread rumor in Mexico Diego), pointed out that science does that during the Apollo moon-landing not so much deal with truth as with something terrible happened that was models that have predictive ability. hidden from the public. Mendez- And because the scientist can't start Acosta also commented that the public over with every experiment, he or she generally believes the media and has must rely on the work of others.

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••• . , •

•

\

^

Fraud in science: Walter Stewart gives lively, detective-story recounting of the case involving biomedical researcher Teresa Imanishi Kari and whistleblower Margot O'Toole.

Because of this, Shneour noted, scrutiny, and not just passed along (if honesty is very important in science. not accepted) to the less prestigious Accusing a scientist of fraud could be journals. devastating. However, fraud does Paul Friedman (University of Cali­ occur and is not new. He gave some fornia, San Diego, School of Medi­ examples from history, that of cine), based his comments on his own Prosper Blondlot and N-Rays and the research in how to deal with fraud. previously mentioned Piltdown case. Like Shneour, he maintained that Since World War II, noted Shneour, deliberate fraud is rare, the biggest science has become somewhat of a problem being messiness. Often a bureaucracy, with research being definition of research fraud depends "farmed" and graduate students on what area the research is done in, becoming slaves to researcher "mas­ he said. Traditionally, according to ters." At one time, he said, people went Friedman, when fraud is suspected, it into science for love, not fame. But is dealt with quietly. And if something now there is more of a push to deliberate has gone on, generally "publish or perish." And although people know about it. But if a senior Shneour said that fraud is rare, he researcher is involved, because of the offered several suggestions regarding fear of being wrong, no one will accuse journal publication. Researchers, he him. The way experiments are written said, should take responsibility for up, said Friedman, often makes science everything published under their look more logical and neater than it signature—even in what they cite. He really is. This can make fraud hard to said manuscripts should be given more detect at the journal level. Friedman

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CSICOP's 1992 Awards

highlight of the annual Public Education in Science Award: A CSICOP conference is the Sergei Kapitza, editor of the Rus­ Awards Banquet, where CSICOP sian edition of Scientific American honors distinguished scientists, and member of the Russian journalists, and scholars for their Academy of Sciences, "in recogni­ efforts to educate and contribute tion of his distinguished contribu­ to the public's understanding of tion to the teaching of scientific science and the scientific method. principles and to the public under­ On October 17,1992, five eminent standing of science." Previous win­ scientists and journalists were ners of this award were: Richard recognized by the following Berendzen (1990) and Eugenie awards. Scott (1991). In Praise of Reason Award: Distinguished Skeptic Award: Richard Dawkins, professor of Evry Schatzman, former presi­ zoology at Oxford University and dent of the French Physics Society author of The Blind Watchmaker and and a member of the French The Selfish Gene, "in recognition of Academy of Sciences, "in recogni­ his distinguished contribution to tion of his outstanding contribu­ the use of critical inquiry, scientific tions to the defense of science and evidence, and reason in evaluating critical thinking." Previous winners claims to knowledge." Previous of this award were: Henri Broch winners of this award were: Martin (1990) and Susan Blackmore Gardner (1982), Sidney Hook (1991). (1984), Antony Flew (1985), Ste­ Responsibility in Journalism phen Jay Gould (1986), Carl Sagan Award: Andrew Skolnick, associate (1987), Douglas Hofstadter (1988), editor of Medical News & Perspec­ Cornelis de Jager (1990), Gerard tives for the Journal of the American Piel (1990), and Donald Johanson Medical Association, and Henry (1991). Gordon, author, magician, and

said peer reviewers assume honesty to dealing quietly with suspected and look for flaws in design and logic fraud, he said. One is that the sus­ instead. Replication, a self-correcting picions could be unfounded; another mechanism of science, can help, but is that the public's faith in science not in a case in which the answer is would not be shaken. right but the work was never done. The session's last speaker, Walter Friedman also emphasized that it is Stewart (National Institutes of important to keep a balance between Health), has investigated several skepticism and trust and to remember notorious cases of scientific fraud. He that some work may be fraudulent gave a lively and heartfelt presenta­ because of the researcher's self- tion of his experiences, primarily deception. There are some advantages detailing the case involving Nobel

236 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 CSICOP CONFERENCE

International diplomacy: Lin Zixin (China). Paul Kurtz (U.S.). Sergei Kapitza (Russia), and Evry Schatzman (Ranee) share a free moment before the evening Awards Banquet. All are CSICOP Fellows. columnist, in recognition of their ton Rosenberg (1988), Stephen "outstanding contribution to fair Doig (1990), Keay Davidson (1991) and balanced reporting of paranor­ and Mark Curtis (1991). mal claims." Previous winners of CSICOP in some years has given this award were: Davyd Yost a Frontiers of Science and Technology (1984), Leon Jaroff (1984), Boyce Award. The winners were Paul Rensberger (1986), Ward Lucas MacCready (1986) and Murray (1986), Ed Busch (1987), Lee Dem- Gell-Mann (1987). bart (1987), Michael Willesee (1987), Eugene Emery (1988), Mil­ —Barry Karr laureate David Baltimore and col­ more intrigue than a cheap novel, league Teresa Imanishi Kari. He began in 1985, when a researcher prefaced this spine-tingling episode by working in Kari's lab, Margot briefly mentioning the Darcy case, in Toole, tried without success to which one scientist in just three years replicate Kari's published experiment. published about 150 papers, listing 47 Boole later accidentally found the different coauthors. When looking at original data for the paper, but they the characteristics of the coauthors did not agree with what had been Stewart found that most were just published. This inaccuracy bothered sloppy and about one-third appeared her, so she made a copy of the original to be dishonest. data. From here on, the story gets very The Baltimore case, which has complicated with a number of denials

Spring 1993 237 CSICOP CONFERENCE and cover-ups. Although others pri­ Air Force history, based on a memo vately agreed with O'Toole, that there written by the base's deputy com­ was a problem with the data, it was mander, Lieutenant Colonel Halt. Boole who found herself out of McGaha pointed out that the memo work. Baltimore supported Kari. was written two weeks after the Stewart said that when he asked incident happened and that it was Baltimore about the case, Baltimore directed to the Royal Air Force, not said that Stewart could end up being the U.S. Air Force. humiliated. Even after Stewart's in­ The occurrence, which is confus­ volvement in a congressional hearing ingly treated in the book Sky Crash, on the case exposed a cover-up involv­ involves lights in the woods, said to ing faked lab notebooks, no one went be from a saucer landing. It began on back to clear O'Toole's name. The the night of December 26,1980, when scientific community generally sided Airman Burroughs heard over the with Baltimore, who stonewalled. radio that something had been tracked Stewart cited another example, in on radar. He then saw a light. Think­ which the victim of fraud was pun­ ing it was a crashed plane, he left to ished and the man responsible pro­ investigate the woods. There he saw moted. The problem with fraud, he what he described as a 10-foot trian­ emphasized, is not so much that it gular lighted object that seemed to fly hurts the body of science, but how it through the forest. The next night, is handled in the field and the way when lights were again seen, Halt and whistleblowers are treated. some security people joined the inves­ tigation. They found blinking lights in Clash over Crashed Saucers the trees and three bright lights in the sky. The "Crashed Saucers" session was "Unsolved Mysteries," McGaha moderated by Philip J. Klass, former complained, doesn't really want to senior editor of Aviation Week and solve mysteries. He cited a number of Space Technology, and began with ways the case was presented in order James McGaha, a retired Air Force to "not let facts get in the way of a major, and Robert Young, education good story." Fancy special effects were director of the Harrisburg Astronom­ used to create a disk-shaped object, not ical Society, discussing two cases the triangle described by Burroughs. recently dramatized on TV's Holes found in the ground the next "Unsolved Mysteries." Following day were shown as nice and neat, them was Donald Schmitt, coauthor unlike the real ones. Most damning of UFO Crash at Roswell, who has of all, after a three-hour interview investigated the allegation that the with McGaha, the producers told him: military recovered a crashed flying "I don't know if we'll air this segment, saucer from New Mexico back in 1947. because you just destroyed the case." McGaha began with the "Wood- When the segment did air, only 20 bridge Visitation" case, which took seconds of McGaha's interview were place outside of the U.S. Air Force base included. He gave facts about the case at Woodbridge, England, on two that "Unsolved Mysteries" left out: separate December nights in 1980. The holes were really dug by rabbits; "Unsolved Mysteries" called this the the lights on the first night could be "best-documented" UFO case in U.S. accounted for by the reentry of the

238 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 CSICOP CONFERENCE

Cosmos 746 booster rocket and, at that people are often unable to accu­ 2:50 A.M., by a fireball that appeared rately report surprising events of this over Woodbridge. The triangular- sort. However, this fireball was widely shaped lights were most likely that of photographed and is well documented. a police car that was searching the Young referred to a letter an astron­ woods at about 4:00 A.M. The lights omer had written to "Unsolved Mys­ of the second night were from a teries" about this six months before nearby lighthouse, and the bright the Kecksburg segment aired, offering stars Sirius, Vega, and Deneb. In to provide any information needed. summarizing, McGaha attributed In Kecksburg an early witness of much of the confusion to magical the meteor was a 10-year-old boy who thinking. described it as a star exploding. His Robert Young presented another mother saw the long tail and, after case that had received the "Unsolved hearing a radio report of a suspected Mysteries" treatment. The show plane crash, called the station. The Air claimed that in December 1965 an Force was then called, and since acorn-shaped UFO crashed and was Project Blue Book was still active, recovered in Kecksburg, Pennsylvania three men were sent out. Soon various (see his article in SI, Spring 1991). searches were made, and two roads What was really seen was a very bright were blocked off. On "Unsolved bolide, or fireball, just before sunset Mysteries" a huge military search was on December 9. It was seen over nine shown, along with firemen and police. states and Canada. Young explained In reality, Young estimates there were

The debate goes on: Donald R. Schmitt (left) and Philip J. Klass (right) continue in intense discussion after the conclusion of their session on crashed saucers. Associated Press reporter Robert G. Wieland listens in.

Spring 1993 239 CSICOP CONFERENCE

only about 25 state troopers. And no the UFO crashed in 1947, his suspi­ one ever found anything. In spite of cions were raised of a government this, "Unsolved Mysteries" claimed cover-up. Schmitt discounted the that a mysterious "capsule" was found balloon explanation. He claimed he has and removed in the night. Young said tracked down more than a hundred that of all the reports on the case there witnesses, with consistent stories are only five such "retrieval" stories. about what was really found. Schmitt The first dates from 1979 and was told also hopes to find a nurse who sup­ on a radio call-in show by a man posedly helped with an "autopsy." claiming to have been the fire chief Philip Klass, also speaking about at the time of the sighting. He had the Roswell case, began by saying he, actually been chief in 1964. Only two like Schmitt, believes there is a of the five stories mentioned wit­ crashed-saucer cover-up. But he nesses who had allegedly seen the quickly added that he disagreed with "acorn." One came forward during a Schmitt on who is responsible. Once 1987 UFO display at a local mall, and it is known that one is collecting the other, while "Unsolved Mysteries" crashed-saucer stories, Klass pointed was in Kecksburg. Young also out, story-tellers come out of the reported that 46 people from Kecks­ woodwork. Klass noted that Schmitt's burg have signed a statement disput­ book is only one of three concerning ing the "Unsolved Mysteries" version the so-called Roswell incident, and all of the incident, something never three quote from the same letter by mentioned on the air. the commanding officer of Wright- Donald Schmitt, investigator for Patterson Air Field, saying that the the J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO flying disc phenomenon is real. But Studies, said he considered "Unsolved all three books omit another part of Mysteries" to be entertainment. He the same letter, in which the general classified himself as agnostic on the states there is no physical evidence of UFO issue and said he was a skeptic these discs. about such things as UFO cults, cattle Klass found it unbelievable that the mutilations, alleged abductions, and commanding officer would not know the widely publicized Gulf Breeze case. if the base had recovered a flying Schmitt then addressed the 1947 saucer. Klass next gave the example Roswell case, first by reading from the of General Vandenberg, Air Force early press reports. These refer to chief-of-staff, who, in 1948, after material found by a rancher in New receiving an "Estimate of the Situa­ Mexico as belonging to a flying disc tion" secret report from the Air and said the Army was in possession Technical Intelligence Center suggest­ of the disc. But almost immediately ing that UFOs were interplanetary, these were corrected, saying that the rejected it because of lack of evidence. wreckage belonged to a balloon-borne Klass found it inconceivable that all radar reflector. Schmitt said he had the hundreds of "nobodies" in Roswell originally dismissed crashed-saucer would know of the crashed saucer, but claims. But learning that in 1988 a not the chief-of-staff. He continued ranch hand from Roswell witnessed in a similar vein, presenting more an Air Force radar truck leaving the documents indicating that neither the original wreckage area and that the government, including the CIA, nor drivers had asked if that was where the military had any information

240 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 CSICOP CONFERENCE

Y 'i

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A light moment: Susan Blackmore (right) seems to see the light after Ray Hyman does a "palm reading." The two psychologist members of the CSICOP Executive Council were relaxing Sunday after the conference. (Photos by Kendrick Frazier)

about UFO crashes. Klass pointed out that two of the Roswell books give the wrong date for when the rancher, W. W. Brazel, came into town with the debris from the crash. He sug­ gested the authors had adjusted the date to make it more compatible with memories of the witnesses. This final conference symposium ended, inevitably, with many ques­ tions still unanswered. Even after the scheduled question session, Klass and Schmitt continued in intense discus­ sion between themselves at the front of the auditorium, with reporters and others eavesdropping. By the time they quit, fully two hours later, the evening Awards Banquet was begin­ ning in an adjacent ballroom, and the last listener had long ago left. James Randi, with SI managing editor Doris Doyle At the Saturday evening banquet, Our conference coverage this year is by Randi recounted his famous Project Alpha and introduced Alpha participant Steve Elena M. Watson, a writer in Norfolk, Shaw, who entertained the audience with Virginia, and a member of the National an extraordinary "mentalism" performance. Capital Area Skeptics.

Spring 1993 241 CSICOP CONFERENCE The 'Awe' Factor RICHARD DAWKINS

The following impromptu remarks by figure. The second most shocking Richard Dawkins were made upon his thing I learned about was some of the receiving CSICOP's "In Praise of Reason" rubbish that is taught to primary- award at the 1992 CSICOP Conference school children—the cult of Melanin, in Dallas. Dawkins is professor of zoology and so on. It really looks as though at the University of Oxford and author science and reason are under siege, of The Selfish Gene and The Blind and I empathize very much with what Watchmaker. Sergei Kapitza said today about the need for the forces of science and Thank you very much indeed. I love reason to look to their public relations. I being here. I love the kind of people I suppose I can claim to have devoted who come here. You are, if I may say a lot of my career to trying to increase so, my kind of people. I feel a great the public understanding of science. intellectual comradeship with the I think that something more needs skepticism that I find here. I cannot to be said about the attitude of the imagine a quality which I would rather scientific establishment. We heard be honored for than reason. today, in Walter Stewart's fascinating In your lunchtime speech, Mr. talk about scientific fraud, some Chairman, you gently rapped me over revolting stories about the way certain the knuckles because of what I said senior dignitaries in the scientific about religion in my address last night. establishment closed ranks in order to I gather that religion is off-limits to stop whistle-blowers from rocking the CSICOP. You only attack paranormal boat. The very minor complaint that claims, and of course I understand this. I have is a flea bite compared to this, Nobody would ever suggest, would but, for what it is worth, here it is. they, that the Virgin Birth was There is a tendency for people estab­ paranormal? Or the healing waters of lished in the world of science to Lourdes? Or God himself! I have to undervalue those who devote them­ leave the country tomorrow, so you selves to the public understanding of don't have to worry too much about science. People like Carl Sagan, be­ what I say. In light of that, I'd like cause they have a high profile and are to take the liberty of using the word so good at publicizing science, tend to religion to include all the stuff that you lose prestige to some extent as serious tackle—all the UFOs and astrology, scientists. I think that sort of snobbery spiritualism, levitation—everything. is the last thing we in the scientific The thing that shocked me the and rational community can afford if most during the two days of the we are under siege, as I think we are. conference was the revelation last We were told today that Congress night by James Kimberly [CSICOP's demands results, and that those kinds development officer] that 54 percent of scientific research that take a long of American charitable donations go time, or that don't show something to religion. That is a truly horrifying immediately for their money, tend not

242 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 CSICOP CONFERENCE to get support. I cannot help contrast­ tale about broadcasters and television ing the results that science has pro­ producers short-changing the skepti­ duced, in a very short time, with the cal point of view. Skepticism is appar­ results that religion has produced ently not seen as sexy by the media. during the thousands of years that it When there's a UFO claim they will has been going. Science puts men on devote nearly all the airtime to the the moon. It gets results. What results people who claim to have seen flying has religion ever obtained to justify saucers and a negligible amount of the colossal number of dollars donated time to the skeptics because somehow to it? If only we could somehow tap that is not a story; it's not exciting. some of the motivation that turns Well science, in its awe-inspiring people to religion, and turn it to aspect, is a tremendous story. If only science instead. The kind of spectac­ we could exploit the appeal of it we ular demonstration that we can put could sweep the board, because we on as scientists—curing smallpox, have so much more to offer—in our predicting eclipses to the fraction of accounts of the size, the number, the a second—what an inspiring piece of distance apart of the galaxies; the public relations that constitutes com­ romance of geological deep time; the pared with the pathetic damp squibs stupendous complexity of living orga­ that religion has to offer. nisms; their apparent "design," with I want, finally, to make a distinction its devastatingly simple and elegant between two aspects of science. One Darwinian explanation. Compare is the critical aspect, and that is what these with the poky, parochial, medie­ CSICOP excels at, preeminently. You val world-view that our opponents are are bringing the enormously powerful purveying. Surely we should be cap­ scientific method to bear upon all turing almost all of the awe factor kinds of dubious superstitious claims, that, I suspect, the religious camp is and I applaud you for it. getting away with. The other aspect of science, the one And, to become a bit mercenary that I am more concerned with, is the about it, there's that 54 percent of the wonder, the "awe factor." I ask myself, charitable donations! We should be what is the appeal of religion, what able to at least shave off a bit of that is the appeal of UFOs, what is the 54 percent by putting the right appeal of von Daniken or Velikovsky, amount of emphasis on the romance all that nonsense? I suspect that a part and the inspiring aspect of science, and of it is the kind of awesome romance not just on the critical, more typically that science ought to be the master "CSICOP " aspect. I suspect that this of. Don't let us allow religion to walk may have been partly what Professor away with the awe factor. Science has Kapitza was getting at a moment ago. orders of magnitude more to offer in I do care about, and do greatly this field. Black holes are incomparably value, the debunking aspect of what more wondrous, more romantic, than CSICOP does. But I personally intend anything you read in the pseudoscien- to go on fighting the battle, on behalf tific literature, in New Age drivel, in of the scientific world-view, for the the "occult," in the Bible. Let's not sell "awe factor." science short. I'm enormously honored to receive Over and over during these two this award. I thank you very much days I've heard the same depressing indeed. o

Spring 1993 243 CSICOP CONFERENCE Free Speech and SLAPP Suits

ANDREW SKOLNICK

The following remarks by Andrew Columbia Journalism Review awarded Skolnick were made upon his receiving JAMA one of its coveted "Laurels" for CSlCOP's "Responsibility in journal­ having the guts and integrity to ism" award at the 1992 CSICOP publish this expose in order to correct Conference in Dallas for his investigative a previous mistake. This mistake reporting in the Journal of the American occurred when ]AMA published a Medical Association about the Maha- report that promoted Maharishi rishi Ayur-Veda products (see "The Ayur-Veda products marketed by the Maharishi Caper," SI, Spring 1992). Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and his Skolnick is associate editor for JAMA's Transcendental Meditation move­ Medical News and Perspectives depart­ ment, believing Maharishi, Ayur-Veda ment. to be India's ancient system of healing. The National Council Against t several previous CSICOP meet- Health Fraud said this article is "a Ai ings, I watched with benign envy classic in the literature of consumer as outstanding journalists like Gene health education, and is must Emery, Boyce Rensberger, Lee Dem- reading." bart, and Keay Davidson received this The article also was one of the five same Responsibility in Journalism semifinalists to be judged for this award. The support that this award year's National Association of Science represents, from this unique commit­ Writers' Science in Society Awards. tee—a committee of champions for Last, but not least, the article was free scientific inquiry, academic integ­ rated "gutter journalism" in a press rity, and the rule of reason—comes release from the American Associa­ at a critical time. Like James Randi, tion for Ayurvedic Medicine, one of like CSICOP, and like a growing the parties that is suing me and my number of others who have spoken editor. critically of litigious parties, I have Despite such kudos, under the become the target of a multimillion- advice of attorneys I am unable to talk dollar lawsuit for writing the article about my article or about the lengthy that CSICOP honors tonight. I and investigation behind it. But I would my editor, George Lundberg, are like to give some credit where a lot being sued for almost $200 million— of credit is due. plus legal expenses. This amount is so I am indebted to Phil Gunby, great that, in the unlikely event I lose director of JAMA's division of medical the suit, I intend to declare myself an news and humanities, Richard Glass, independent country and request deputy editor of JAMA, and George foreign aid from the United States. Lundberg, editor, for giving me an The article that CSICOP has enormous amount of freedom to chosen to honor this year has earned conduct this and my other journalistic other kudos. Earlier this year, the investigations. Their support never

244 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 CSICOP CONFERENCE wavered despite the stream of attacks million because he gave a low opinion on my personal and professional of the center's advertising, an opinion character they received. similar to that held by many other Marsha Goldsmith, director of medical authorities. My journalism, JAMA's Medical News and Perspec­ law, and society professor, the great tives department, was the primary Fred Friendly, taught that opinion was editor of the article. I am in her debt protected speech. [On December 16, for keeping me faithful to the English U.S. District Judge A. Joe Fish dis­ language and to a dispassionate dis­ missed the suit against Relman and course of the facts. two of the three other defendants.] I also want to acknowledge the While opinion and truthful state­ enormous help I received from Diane ments are usually protected from Hendel, Pat Ryan, and others asso­ successful lawsuits in the United States, ciated with TM-EX, a support group such speech does not appear to be pro­ for former members of the TM tected from harassing lawsuits that movement. Ryan and Hendel spent are brought to punish critics and to countless hours and dollars on phone intimidate others who would speak calls and faxes that provided me with out. much of the information and docu­ More and more now, opinion and ments upon which my article was truthful speech are being fought with based. SLAPP suits—SLAPP is an acronym I also want to credit CSICOP and for strategic lawsuits against public the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, and people participation. These frivolous and like Randi, and Ken Frazier, and Paul harassing suits are being brought by Kurtz, and all the others, for providing powerful groups with deep pockets. me with the background information Their intentions are not to recover over the past 16 years that enabled damages but to stifle, to silence, public me to catch JAMA's mistake. criticism. Perhaps most of all, I am grateful Those who have followed the trials to George Lundberg for having the and tribulations of CSICOP and James integrity to expose the journal's own Randi don't have to be told how error and the courage to expose the frightfully damaging SLAPP suits can errors of others even when faced with be. SLAPP suits are brought with little the threat of litigious retaliation. expectation of winning. Those who Lundberg is not the only editor of bring SLAPP suits win no matter how a prestigious medical journal to be hit the case is decided. Their rewards are recently with a defamation suit—a virtually guaranteed from the start, suit that in my opinion is totally for the suit ties up defendants and without merit. In August, a month drains their energies and finances, and after the suit was filed against us, punishes them psychologically for Arnold Relman, the recently retired having spoken out. At the same time, editor of the New England Journal of it warns others of what they could face Medicine, and three other medical if they dare to enter the public debate. experts were sued for making critical The SLAPP suit problem has comments about a controversial grown so intolerable that the states cancer treatment center. These com­ of California and New York have ments were published in a major city passed legislation to provide some newspaper. Relman was sued for $6 relief for victims. The new laws, which

Spring 1993 245 CSICOP CONFERENCE go into effect in 1993, will make it Information about such a conference, easier for defendants in frivolous and they expressed an interest in defamation suits to collect their legal participating. I believe there are other expenses from plaintiffs. organizations that also would be Similar protection is needed in the interested in cosponsoring such a 48 other states and in the federal meeting. courts. I believe that the SLAPP- In conclusion, I think it is an suit epidemic will end only after the outrage that in this free land people courts more consistently make plain­ like Randi and groups like CSICOP tiffs pay for abusing the legal process have to risk financial ruin in order to for the purpose of stifling public speak their minds. I think it is out­ debate. rageous that many publications in this Toward that end, I would like to land of liberty are not willing to suggest that CSICOP and other publish articles that are critical of groups represented here consider SLAPP-happy individuals and groups. organizing a conference next year to And I think it's outrageous that a explore remedies for the SLAPP journalist in the United States is epidemic. I've spoken recently with prevented from discussing his work leaders of the Council for Advance­ at an awards ceremony for that work. ment of Science Writing, the National I think it's time we start SLAPP- Association of Science Writers, and ing back. the Scientists Institute for Public Thank you all very much. o

OUT THERE Rob Pudim

Why EVERYONE WAS ALWAYS SOMC3ME80CV IN 7V)EiR PREVIOUS LIFE.

246 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Magic for Skeptics II Secrets of Psychics, Mediums, and Mentalists An Institute for Inquiry CSICOP Seminar Friday, Saturday, and Sunday April 16-18,1993 Being a skeptic is neither sufficient nor just cause for denying oneself the pleasure derived from pretending to read minds, predict the future, perceive remote scenes, and talk with discarnate spirits, if you would like to master these skills, then you should attend the Magic for Skeptics II workshop. Concerned specifically with "mental magic," this CSICOP seminar is designed to uncover the secrets of so-called psychics and mediums past and present, as well as those of professional entertainers who imply that they possess paranormal powers. The workshop will also teach attendees (l) how to create their own successful mentalist routines and (2) how to investigate spiritualistic and supernatural pretenders. Since the focus of this workshop is different from that of the 1992 Magic for Skeptics, there is minimal overlap. Make your reservations now. A magic kit will be provided.

Friday. April 16 1:00-2:00 pm: Registration 2:00 - 5:00 pm: How to be a Mentalist I: Credulity Across the Centuries 5:00 - 7:00 pm: Cocktail Party (Cash Bar) Saturday, April 17 9:00 am - Noon: How to Be a Mentalist II: Psychology of Magic Noon - 2:00 pm: Lunch Break 2:00 - 5:00 pm: Investigating Psychics 5:00 - 9:00 pm: Banquet and Entertainment Sunday, April 18 9:00 am - Noon: Question and Answer Session Seminar Leaders Joe Nickell teaches at the University of Kentucky and is a member of the CSICOP Executive Council. He has extensive experience in paranormal investigating and has written several books, including Secrets of the Supernatural and Mysterious Realms. Robert Baker is professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Kentucky, a CSICOP Fellow, and the author of They Call It Hypnosis and Hidden Memories And plan to attend these CSICOP Seminars: June 9-13, 1993, Buffalo N.Y. (Institute for Inquiry Summer Session): Investigating UFOs: Facts, Fallacies, and Fraud, with Robert Baker, Robert Sheaffer, and James McGaha August 19-23, 1993, Eugene, Ore.: Skeptics Toolbox II, with Ray Hyman, Barry Beyerstein, Loren Pankratz, and Jerry Andrus To register or for more information, call or write Barry Karr, CSICOP, Box 703, Buffalo, NY 14226, 716-636-1425. "Crank science books far outsell most books by reputable scientists.

wrote the words above way back in 1981, in my book Science: Good, Bad and Bogus. I think they are still true. The book is a collection of essays, many of them culled from the pages of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. There I dealt with ESP, biorhythms, psychics, and dozens of other fringe-science phenomena.

That was then. This is now. Hardly anyone takes biorhythms, ancient astronauts, or the Bermuda Triangle seriously anymore. I expect that this is at least partly because the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and its parent, CSICOP, have been doing their work.

Psychics? We have lots more to do there. But we need to work from a position of strength. That's where the Center for Inquiry comes in. The Center, in Amherst, New York (a suburb of Buffalo, 60 miles from Roches­ ter, 80 miles from Toronto, an hour by air from New York

Martin Gardner, co-chairman of CSICOP's "Price of Reason" Campaign City, five hours from California), will be able to dedicate these features to the skeptical movement: 1. The world's largest skeptics' library (See Paul Kurtz's article, pp. 250-251.) 2. Our own seminar, meeting, and conference rooms 3. Our own video and audio production center The new facility will provide 25,000 square feet of space, a tenth of a mile from the Amherst Campus of the State University of New York at Buffalo, the largest campus of the country's largest state university system.

Price: $3.96 million in donated capital. I am proud to be co-chairman of this effort with Steve Allen. We have both given to it. But we can't accomplish our goals without your par­ ticipation, too. Please use the postpaid response card in this issue, and let us know how you would like to help out.

<^~^cL^uty\ From the Chairman c ]

he Proposed Center for. uiry Library t PAUL KURTZ

ie founding of the Committee for tant goal, of course, is to extend the the Scientific Investigation of readership and impact of the TClaims of the Paranormal SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, the chief voice (CSICOP) was a unique event in of CSICOP. human history, for it was the first In order to increase the impact of time that skeptics formed an organ­ skeptical thinking and to continue to ized movement of considerable impor­ foster public appreciation for the tance. CSICOP publishes its journal, methods of scientific inquiry, CSICOP the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, with almost has embarked upon three new major 40,000 subscribers worldwide, and projects in the past three years: Skeptical Briefs, a timely newsletter (l) the founding of the Institute for providing information about the Inquiry, (2) the development of a skeptical movement. CSICOP also media center, and (3) the creation of sponsors numerous conferences, a research library. It is the third of seminars, and workshops in North these I wish to focus on here: the America and throughout the world. establishment of a Center for Inquiry It plays a vital role in the media, library. providing newspaper, magazine, Why is this project so critical? First, radio, and television journalists with because there is a huge number of a constant flow of information and popular books and articles published offering scientific evaluations of each year on a wide range of para­ claims of the paranormal. There are normal and fringe-science topics— now almost 70 autonomous and from astrology, spiritualism, and independent skeptics' groups world­ UFOlogy, to psychic phenomena, faith wide. They share the aims of CSICOP healing, and alternative medicine. and also publish magazines and news­ These publications are widely read by letters and convene conferences. the public, and most people do not The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is now know of the existence of critical recognized in the scientific community appraisals of the claims promoted. as the leading source of critiques of There is a significant literature of paranormal and pseudoscientific skeptical critiques examining such claims and as one of the leading claims, but these findings are often proponents of scientific inquiry, lost in the flood tide of pro-paranormal critical thinking, and science educa­ and pseudoscientific literature. tion. Our long-range and most impor- Although there are many specialized

250 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 collections of pro-paranormal writ­ A significant function of the ings—held by organizations devoted library will be to file and index to psychical research, for example, or clippings of newspaper, magazine, and to parapsychology or spiritualism— journal articles using the latest com­ there does not exist, as far as we are puter technology. We have amassed aware, a library that provides access to tens of thousands of these items. We the wide range of skeptical literature. also intend to develop up-to-date As you may know, in 1991—in bibliographies on many scientific, cooperation with the Council for educational, paranormal, and pseudo- Democratic and Secular Humanism, scientific topics. CODESH will main­ the publisher of Free Inquiry maga­ tain a cognate library of freethought zine—CSICOP purchased a building literature. on land adjacent to the new campus The Center for Inquiry library will of the State University of New York be an invaluable source of information at Buffalo. Phase I of our building for SKEPTICAL INQUIRER subscribers as program, which was completed in well as for research scholars, scien­ 1991, was to refurbish and add on to tists, students, the media, and the the existing building, a former resi­ general public. dence, to temporarily house our Many hundreds of the books and executive offices and some of our journals in our collection have been operations. This building, the present donated by individuals or estates. We Center for Inquiry, is much too small. are earnestly seeking to expand this There is a critical need to build a larger collection and are also willing to act edifice. Indeed, the Center for Inquiry as the repository for papers of skep­ Capital Fund Drive is now under way tical investigators. to enable us to construct a new The total capital needs are building on our present property— (1) $500,000 to build and equip the Phase II. This proposed building will library and to acquire books, journals, provide space for a library as well as and reference works, and (2) an for additional offices and rooms for endowment fund of $800,000 to meetings and seminars. provide an annual income of $60,000 Our present plans are to create a for acquisitions, staff, and main­ 3,000-square-foot library to house an tenance of the library, for a total estimated 25,000 books, and there will capital fund of $1,300,000. CSICOP's be space to expand the collection to share would be one half of this— 50,000 volumes. Our periodical collec­ $250,000 for the library and $400,000 tion will contain the leading science for an endowment—a total of journals and magazines, the 40 or $650,000. This is an important part more skeptics' magazines and news­ of our $3,960,000 Price of Reason letters published worldwide, and the Campaign. leading journals in the paranormal We urge all readers to realize that field, from the Journal of Parapsychology the library will do more than be a re­ and the Journal of the Society for pository for knowledge. It will enrich Psychical Research to the Mutual UFO and stimulate research. Interested Network Journal and Fate. We now readers are invited to send in the reply receive some 70 journals, but hope to card inserted between the preceding increase this number to 140. two pages, as soon as possible. D

Spring 1993 251 News and

Comment c &

t's "All Electromagnetic" For example, guess what the lady with the Tarot cards answered when for British Esoterics I asked her why the sequence into I which a customer shuffles the deck should be able to forecast the future? hat could be more tempting "It works by electromagnetic fields" for a vacationing skeptic came her reply without hesitation. W than the ad for an "Esoteric Another representative of the "School Fair" in the middle of London, Eng­ of Tarot Art and Research" (sic!), land? So I happily paid my £2.50 which had organized the fair, was not entrance fee for the opportunity on so sure about the mechanism: No, September 6,1992, to meet "the other there wasn't a scientific explanation side" firsthand in, as it turned out, of the Tarot effect yet, but it could only one of an endless string of similar be forthcoming. Just as in the case of events all over Great Britain. the human aura, she elaborated, the The fair included some sales stands, esoterically minded had the notion a vast array of desks with graphol­ first, but now it's an established ogists and palm-readers waiting for science. How is that? Just look at your customers (at £8 per reading) and free Kirlian photograph. lectures. Naturally I attended the The aura and the importance of its lectures first and promptly got an "cleansing" seems to have taken center impression of what the esoteric uni­ stage among the British esoteric com­ verse seems to be for the British of munity anyway, obeying the Max- 1992: a natural science like any other! wellian equations, of course. So we Just take the astrologer who presented now have to "cleanse our fine electrical the real links between solar activity systems and balance our energies" (as and radio interference as well as the the Emin Network tells in a leaflet that alleged planetary influences on people also complains: "No one ever told us as the same phenomena (which also of this electrical part of ourselves, let includes a causality between Uranus alone how to care for it.") "There is and "all volcanic eruptions between within each of us a vast collection of 1900 and 1950"). He spent much of finely tuned electromagnetic sys­ his talk discussing why the earth's tems," the School of Electrobix and atmosphere, magnetosphere, and Van Related Arts agrees—and offers a six- Allen belts (graphs of which decorated week course to "rebalance and revi­ the walls) do not shield us from the talize the body's energy systems" by planets' forces. And he had the a specific series of movements: "Elec­ answer: Because man is "a tuning trobix has arisen through a thorough fork." Obviously to him the supposed understanding of the human aura and planetary forces actually act by a the electromagnetic systems." From physical radiation! But this was only the stage-demonstration of these the first revelation of this kind. electro-aerobic exercises it seemed to

252 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 me that the human body— in particular, the hands—are I AM MAKING regarded as a big capacitor. THE SACRED SIGN Sometimes the energy even spills from the stage into the THE. LEFT HAN...Umm., audience, someone warned V£PT? me, and offered more in­ sight: "They're balancing the electro and the mag­ netic." But this is only one step in becoming one again with Nature, the School of Med­ \AM—-»B itation Sciences and Arts tells us: "The planet, which is our home, has a blue radi­ ation, and the lives upon her become And guess what caused it, the reces­ open to planetary wisdom when they sion perhaps? No way. It was the are on the same wavelength. Align­ dawning of the Age of Aquarius. ment to this radiation is a necessary step for us to proceed ... to the fullness of ourselves." Even medita­ —Daniel Fischer tion isn't possible without physics these day, it seems. Daniel Fischer writes from Konigswinter, Few spots can be as entertaining Germany. While in London, he barely in London as these Esoteric Fairs, and escaped the temptation to also call the "Live they're unlikely to be gone soon: For Destiny Line," which offers "Live 24 the past two years their organizers hours of Clairvoyance, Tarot, Runes, have noted a big growth in attendance, Astrology and much more!" for just 36 due to a "general turmoil" in society. pence a minute.

]. Z. Knight Divorce suit, however, was not in the outcome, Trial Reveals Workings but in the revelations from the wit­ ness stand about the inner workings J of Channeling Business of the channeling business. J. Z. Knight claims she "channels" acoma, Washington, judge has a 35,000-year-old warrior from Atlan­ ruled against J. Z. Knight, the tis named "Ramtha." Ramtha and T well-known channeler, in a Knight rose to fame when movie star divorce suit. The channeler's former Shirley MacLaine plugged them in her husband, Jeffrey Knight, had asked book Dancing in the Light. Further the court to overturn a 1989 settle­ favorable publicity followed when ment that gave him $120,000. The TV's "Dynasty" star Linda Evans judge sided with the ex-husband and, acknowledged a close relationship to according to the December 5, 1992, both J.Z. and Ramtha. Subsequent Seattle Times, awarded him an addi­ stories in Newsweek, People, and Time tional $792,000. The real story of the put Knight in the forefront of this

Spring 1993 253 revitalized form of spiritualism. shunned medical treatment for his Supporters of J. Z. Knight stress condition until 1991, when he "finally the positive aspects of her counsel. In became convinced Ramtha was a a May 1988 Redbook article, Linda fraud." He went on to claim that Evans said that Ramtha "holds a truth Ramtha "seemed to condone tax or emotion until you can totally feel evasion" and taught about bizarre and know it. He puts the information aliens who lived deep underground in front of you to see. People then have and occasionally kidnapped humans the option of either changing or "for sustenance." keeping their behavioral patterns." In When J. Z. Knight took the stand, the same piece, Evans credited Ramtha her testimony hardly squelched the with enabling her to face the facts of hubbub caused by her ex-husband. her divorce from director John Derek. She denied many of Jeffrey's allega­ "I had to take responsibility for my tions, particularly those concerning part," she said. Ramtha emerged in the unreported income (Morning News articles as a sage voice amid the frenzy Tribune, September 29). She told the of modern life. court she had once channeled Jesus. Not all the publicity about the She also admitted that her lawyers had ancient warrior has been favorable. A written letters to other channelers of December 15, 1986, Newsweek story Ramtha threatening suit if they quoted a former follower who broke continued to use the ancient warrior's away from Ramtha when the spirit name. She explained that Ramtha has said that "Mother Nature" wanted to the "power to teach people to heal "get rid of homosexuals." Other themselves and the power to heal disillusioned followers have spoken them himself" (Morning News Tribune, out against Knight, and one alleged September 24). that she herself could impersonate Her testimony faltered at times. Ramtha without going into a trance. John Gillie wrote that Knight often But not until this case has Knight's used the words "I don't remember" judgment come under scrutiny. and "repeated the phrase dozens of According to a September 10,1992, times in a two-hour session on the article by John Gillie, who covered the witness stand. She claimed she didn't trial for the Tacoma, Washington, remember where she went to business Morning News Tribune, Jeffrey Knight college, when she divorced her fourth told the court he questioned J.Z. about husband, and whether she signed a the high prices they charged for their dozen or more letters and legal racehorses and the promises of high documents" (Morning News Tribune, earnings that Ramtha had made to September 24). investors. J.Z. assured him that "Ram­ Mostly the suit concerned money. tha could foresee and guarantee a At issue was the couple's $3-million horse's future." How accurate the estate, complete with a horse barn lit predictions for equine performance by chandeliers and decorated with turned out to be was not established. wallpaper. According to Jeffrey But, according to an article by Gillie Knight's attorney, J.Z. spent $60,000 in the same paper the following day, in a little more than two months on Ramtha clearly did not foresee one gold. The money comes from thou­ serious problem in the couple's future. sands of Ramtha adherents who pay In 1985, Jeffrey Knight was diagnosed up to $400 apiece to hear the ancient as HIV-positive. He testified in court warrior in person. There are books that, on the advice of Ramtha, he and video cassettes for those who can't

254 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 attend the mass gatherings. According September 30 article. Talking with to documents presented in court, the reporters after J.Z.'s emotional session Ramtha organization made millions, on the stand, Jeffrey Knight said, "My an average of $600,000 a month, while ex-wife was always a good actor." the couple was married. In tears at one point on the witness —Michael R. Dennett stand, J.Z. said her former husband had "called her a fraud" and later "a Michael R. Dennett writes from Federal greedy bitch," Gillie reported in a Way, Washington.

Follow-Up on the Bruton Middleton and her supporters in 1991, Parish Church's Vault the Bruton Parish Church vestry authorized a dig in an attempt to end J Excavation the controversy. The authorized excavation was begun August 18, 1992, by workers s noted in the SKEPTICAL of the Colonial Williamsburg Founda­ INQUIRER (Psychic Vibrations, tion. The dig proceeded in an orderly A Fall 1992), New Age Christian fashion, but it was slowed by ground mystics claimed the Bruton Parish water and the discovery of several Church graveyard in Williamsburg, coffins. The dig was stopped when soil Virginia, to be the location of a burial that had clearly remained undisturbed vault that is supposed to house in historic times was encountered. writings and documents of Francis The Colonial Williamsburg Founda­ Bacon. These documents are supposed tion archaeologist, Marley Brown III, to include, among other things, writ­ granted that, although of minuscule ings "essential to world peace." After probability, a tunnel could have been the unauthorized digs by Marsha dug and the alleged vault built below

r*~nn

DO THEY HOM&STLY THINK ''M

w*m

Spring 1993 255 the level of the current excavation. gear that can detect objects below the G. H. Johnson, a geology professor at surface. They had scheduled several the College of William and Mary, news conferences but failed to show began work to bore 20 holes to a depth up, possibly because warrants were of 20 feet below the current excava­ issued in 1991 charging each of them tion depth (approximately 9 feet). All with two counts of trespassing and that was found was clay, ancient sea two of destruction of property for shells, and ground water. At that point their unauthorized excavations. As the dig was concluded and the exca­ reported in the Richmond Times- vation filled. To summarize, a nine- Dispatch of September 25, 1992, Mid­ person archaeological team excavated dleton and Flint plea-bargained and a 20-foot-by-22-foot hole to a depth each received a suspended 12-month of 9 feet and removed all the soil that jail term and paid a fine of $100 each. had ever been disturbed by man. The Reverend Richard May, Bru- Twenty 20-foot-deep holes were also ton's rector, allowed that he didn't spaced throughout the excavation site. think the dig would change the minds No evidence of a burial vault was of hard-core believers, but he hoped found. it would satisfy "rational skeptics." Through the course of the dig the The church would rigorously prose­ New Age mystics, Marsha Middleton cute anyone for digging in the church­ and Frank Flint, both of Santa Fe, New yard without permission, he said. Mexico, and other Baconites, com­ mented that the dig was a sham, that —Frederick ]. Kozub it wasn't in the right place, and that they would press the church to allow Frederick Kozub is in the Department of a probe of the remainder of the Psychology, University of Richmond, churchyard with sophisticated radar Virginia.

1 1992 Was Another Year those made the year before, which are always nearly 100-percent wrong. of Fizzled Predictions Each year, however, the Bay Area _| for Psychics Skeptics dig up the predictions made the year before, to the embarrassment of those who made them. resident Bush was not re­ Many of the predictions made are elected, Madonna did not so vague that it is impossible to say P become a gospel singer, and a if they came true or not. Some UFO base was not found in the predictions did of course come true, Mexican desert. These were just a few some of those that were unspecific or of the many predictions that had been not at all difficult to guess: Several made for 1992 by famous "psychics," psychics correctly predicted that a but were dead wrong, as chronicled hurricane would cause major destruc­ by the Bay Area Skeptics. tion in Florida or Cuba, but not one At the end of each year, many well- was specific as to the date or principal known psychics issue predictions for location of the damage. Hurricanes the year to come. Twelve months occur, of course, every season in the later, they issue another set of pre­ Caribbean. Significantly, not one dictions, conveniently forgetting prediction that was both specific and

256 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 surprising came true. New York psychic Lou Wright predicted that three men would unsuccessfully attempt to kidnap Candice Bergen in Paris, and Marlon Brando would be arrested for trying to help his son break out of jail (National Enquirer, January 2,1992). Los Angeles psychic Maria Gra- ciette predicted that a secret UFO base, thousands of years old, would be found deep in the Mexican desert and that Vice President Quayle, attending a World Series game, would impulsively interfere with a play (National Enquirer, June 9, 1992). Another New York psychic, John Monti, predicted that "a massive hurricane will devastate Cuba and topple Castro's regime," that a huge AIDS epidemic would "threaten to end professional sports" (National En­ quirer, January 2, 1992), and that a scientific advance would allow women to delay menopause, making it pos­ sible for them to have children into their 60s (National Enquirer, June 9, 1992). The famous Washington, D.C., psychic Jeane Dixon, who supposedly has a "gift of prophecy," saw that Fidel Castro would be overthrown, possibly resulting in Cuba's becoming part of the United States, and that Virginia predicted that Vanna White and her governor Douglas Wilder would gain husband would purchase a "haunted" enough support for a "vice- mansion in Beverly Hills, from which presidential invitation." President­ they would flee in terror a week later. elect Bill Clinton, however, she des­ Madonna's career would be inter­ cribed as "the Democratic shooting rupted by a "mystery illness," but she star," and said that "an organization would recover after having a religious of women will try to block his path" vision and become a gospel singer (The Star, January 21,1992). President (National Enquirer, June 9,1992). Bush's ratings would climb, resulting Joan Quigley of San Francisco, in his reelection (The Star, July 7, White House astrologer to the Rea- 1992). She also predicted "a promising gans, predicted that Bill Clinton would economic upturn in the spring," and run out of money toward the cam­ that "broccoli will become the miracle paign's end and that the total eclipse vegetable of the nineties" (The Star, of the sun on June 30 would cause January 21,1992). earthshaking events in China Chicago psychic Irene Hughes (Washington Post, April 18,1992).

Spring 1993 257 In Northern California, the date of example for students and the public. that devastating California earth­ It is important to note that no quake everybody keeps predicting was psychic succeeded in predicting the pegged for October 17, the third genuinely surprising news stories of anniversary of the Loma Prieta quake, 1992: the destructive fire in Windsor by psychic Ernesto A. Moshe Mont­ Castle; the feud between Vice Pres­ gomery, who claims an accuracy of ident Quayle and Murphy Brown; the 99J/2 percent (San ]ose Metro, February surprising presidential campaign of 27, 1992). Ross Perot. These major news stories Based on the continuing failure of were so totally unexpected that some­ the "psychics" to make accurate one would have had to be genuinely predictions over the years, the Bay psychic to have predicted them 12 Area Skeptics urges everyone—espe­ months earlier! Given the sheer cially the media—to exercise some number of self-styled psychics out healthy skepticism when psychics and there, one would expect that if even other purveyors of the paranormal one of them were genuine, these make extraordinary claims or predic­ things would have been correctly tions. Anyone who accepts the psy­ predicted. chics claims year after year without checking the record is setting a bad —Bay Area Skeptics

Crop-Circle Makers • Get Ig Noble Prize

or the second year in a row, at the same time as the Noble Prize F awards, the MIT Museum and the Journal of lrreproducible Results have awarded their Ig Noble prizes, honor­ ing "men and women whose achieve­ ments cannot and should not be reproduced." Among this fall's win­ ners were, in Physics, David Chorley and Doug Bower, the two elderly landscape painters in England who showed the world how they made many of those mysterious crop circles. (Even so, the debate continues; dedi­ cated circle-ologists still contend that not all the crop-circle patterns could have been made by humans.) Chorley and Bower were honored for "their circular contributions to field theory based on the geometric destruction of English crops."

258 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Sloppy Words and Physics Dilemmas The answer to lots of "intractable" it. Does this mean that light is both questions often comes down to a particle and wave alternately? I what we mean by the words we bounce a tennis ball on a firm, hard use. Two men, for separate and surface. The ball reacts a certain unrelated reasons, decide to go to way. I bounce the same ball on a the market at the same time. They sticky, soft surface. The ball reacts meet in the market. Is their meeting differently. I drop it down a 40-foot determined or indeterminate? 1 well. It doesn't seem to react at all. have not made up this conundrum; The ball possesses a "complemen­ Aristotle did in his Physics, Book II, tarity of bounceabilities"? Well, Chapter 5. The answer is, of that's one way of putting it. But course, what do you mean by those is it the explanation that accounts words? Depending on what we for the most facts most simply? I mean by them, we can then easily suspect it isn't. I suspect our go on to decide whether their problem with the "dual" nature of unplanned meeting is "determined" light (and particles) is a problem we or not. A lot of quantum theorists have constructed by asking the would make things a lot clearer to wrong questions, using the wrong themselves and the rest of us poor words, or rather, not really defining souls if they took the trouble to how we are using the words. define what they mean by "deter­ I suspect that, at the nitty-gritty mined" and "indeterminate," by level, many of our "insoluble" "cause" and "effect." The two men's dilemmas in physics and elsewhere meeting in the market seems to be are the result of sloppy words. the effect of a cause, or a number Physicists are rarely much good of causes. But has the meeting been with words, so they prefer talking determined, is it the effect of in mathematics, forgetting that cause(s), or are there no causes that math is just another, more concen­ brought about this effect and is the trated form of language and no meeting indeterminate? It's all a better, no more accurate and pre­ terrible dilemma—until we say how cise, than our definitions of the we are using the words, then the forms and principles involved. dilemma disappears. Things may happen in such-and- Other words like "chance" and such a way in mathematical models, "random" need defining too. This but that does not necessarily mean may take time but in the long run it happens that way in the real it will save us a good deal of un­ world of time and space, the one necessary confusion. Radioactive "out there." atoms decay in "random" order that is unpredictable. Does this mean that decay is "uncaused"? Light —Ralph Estling, "What Do You exhibits either particle- or wave­ Mean by That?" New Scientist, like characteristics, depending on August 15, 1992. Reprinted by the instrument we use to observe permission. FOR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS

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MARTIN GARDNER

D E-Prime: Getting Rid of Isness

rom time to time, individuals become smitten with a strong F urge to reform the English lan­ guage. Improving spelling has been the most popular impulse. George Bernard Shaw was a prominent cham­ pion of such a cause. The philosopher- critic I. A. Richards developed Basic English, a simplified subset of English that he hoped would become a uni­ fying world language. Today's writers and editors seek to replace masculine- loaded words like mankind and chair­ man with gender-neutral words like humanity and chairperson. The philos­ opher John Dewey wanted to drop the word truth from philosophical dis­ course, substituting for it "warranted assertability." In recent years, the most curious proposal for a subset of English has come from the ranks of General DAVID B EISENDRATH JR. Semantics, a movement started in the Alfred Korzybski. founder of the General United States some 60 years ago by Semantics movement in the United States. the Polish-born Count Alfred Hab- dank Skarbek Korzybski. The new Count Korzybski was far from the language is called "E-Prime." Few first to be concerned with semantics, outside the movement were aware of the study of how signs, especially it until Cullen Murphy wrote about words, relate to things. An enormous it in " 'To Be' in Their Bonnets: A literature on the topic existed long Matter of Semantics," in the February before the Count even heard of the 1992 issue of the Atlantic Monthly. term. Philosophers going back to Plato The article aroused a great surge of and Aristotle had, of course, been interest among the magazine's much concerned with analyzing the readers. meanings of words. The American

Spring 1993 261 philosopher Charles Peirce pioneered pinpoint. the modern study of signs, and more Korzybski was down on Aristote­ recent philosophers, such as Charles lian logic for its emphasis on identity Morris, Alfred Tarski, Rudolf Carnap, in such syllogistic statements as "All and W. V. Quine, wrote extensively men are mortal." ("Men" obviously about semantics. (See the long article, includes women, but does it include "Semantics, History of," in The Ency­ our apelike ancestors?) To emphasize clopedia of Philosophy.) nonidentity the Count distinguished However, it was Korzybski's mas­ between chair 1, chair 2, chair 3, et sive work Science and Sanity, and cetera. This is called indexing. popularly written books by Stuart Changes in time are indicated by Chase and other enthusiasts, that dating: chair 1920, chair 1992, et brought the word semantics into public cetera. "Et cetera" symbolizes the use. Let me expose my bias at once many, sometimes infinite, referents a by quoting what I said about Science noun can have. ETC. is the title of and Sanity in my 1952 book Fads and the general semantics movement's Fallacies in the Name of Science: leading journal, a quarterly founded by the late (he died in 1992) Samuel It is a poorly organized, verbose, Ichiye Hayakawa. He edited ETC. for philosophically naive, repetitious 26 years, before becoming a contro­ mish-mash of sound ideas borrowed versial Republican senator from Cali­ from abler scientists and philos­ fornia. Many introductions to General ophers, mixed with neologisms, Semantics have been written, but confused ideas, unconscious meta­ Hayakawa's Language in Action (1941) physics, and highly dubious specu­ has been by far the most popular. lations about neurology and psychiatric therapy. Science and Sanity, the 800-page bible of General Semantics, was It was not that Korzybski said published in 1933 by the Count anything wrong about semantics but himself. When I was a philosophy that what he said was trivial. Every­ student at the University of Chicago, body knows, to use one of Korzybski's I used to attend lectures at his Institute best-known slogans, that "the map is of General Semantics. It was said that not the territory." Everybody knows, he chose the building for the Institute, to quote another slogan, that "the 1234 East Fifty-Sixth Street, because word is not the thing." its address had the first six digits in Except in formal logic and mathe­ numerical order. The Count was a matics, all words have fuzzy defini­ stocky man who shaved his head and tions. Fuzzy logic, a flourishing new liked to wear army-type clothing. He approach to formal logic, has been frequently interrupted his talks by designed to handle fuzzy sets. Chairs shouting, "Bah! I speak baby stuff." fade off in many directions, along A man of enormous ego, he fancied continua, into things no one calls a himself one of the world's greatest chair. No sharp lines divide day from philosophers. When the university's night, tall from short, beautiful from philosophy department sponsored a ugly, or the front of your head from symposium on semantics, Korzybski the back of it. (Are your ears in front was invited to speak. He refused or in back?) Moreover, everything because he was not allowed to deliver changes in time. You are not the the main address. person you were many years ago. The As the word general implies, Kor­ universe was once the size of a zybski broadened the meaning of

262 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 semantics to include all the ways that (1969, p. 103), a collection of Russell's living things interact with the outside correspondence, he wrote: "I have world. The turning of a sunflower never admired the work of Korzybski toward the sun is a "semantic reac­ and I do not, in any degree, endorse tion." A baby vomiting to get a second the supposed connection of Aristote­ nursing, the Count wrote, is her lian logic with mental illness." "semantic way of controlling 'real­ For the American philosopher ity.' " The most debatable aspect of W. V. Quine's low opinion of the Science and Sanity is its great emphasis on how learning to evaluate words properly can raise one's intelligence, increase one's health and happiness, and cure all sorts of neuroses, psy­ choses, and psychosomatic ills. Kor- zybski coined the word unsane for people who are not far enough gone to be in mental institutions, but whose neurotic behavior springs from an inability to distinguish their mental maps from the outside territory. The Count strongly disliked the overuse of "is" and all other forms of "to be." Such words, he argued, are a primary source of semantic mischief. We naively assume that all apples are red, forgetting that some are green and some are yellow. Race prejudice arises from such notions as "all blacks are mentally inferior." "Isness," the Count declared, "is insanity." Inciden­ tally, a vast philosophical literature preceding General Semantics deals Cover of the Summer 1992 ETC., showing with identity. A famous paper by forms of "to be" slashed out of English. Note George Santayana, first published in the symbolic bee at upper right. 1915, is titled "Some Meanings of the Word Is." Count, see his autobiography, The Almost all philosophers consider Time of My Life (1985, p. 140), where Science and Sanity a crankish work. "It he calls him "Wayward Waywode" is my considered opinion that Science {waywode is a Polish term for an Army and Sanity has no merit whatever," general). In Quiddities (1989, p. 232), wrote the distinguished philosopher Quine chastises Korzybski for going of science Ernest Nagel in a letter to to such absurd extremes in his attacks the New Republic (December 26,1934), on identity—the Count wrote in replying to readers who objected to Science and Sanity (p. 194) that "1 = his earlier (October 24) hatchet review 1" is false because one 1 is on the left, of the book. the other on the right. As Quine puts Bertrand Russell was the modern it, "He confused the ink spots with philosopher Korzybski most admired. the number, abstract and invisible." The feeling was not mutual. In a letter Alfred Tarski, the great Polish to be found in Dear Bertrand Russell mathematician and logician, had this

Spring 1993 263 to say about Korzybski in his classic III, after many years of arduous paper "The Semantic Conception of training, actually mastered the ability Truth" (1944): to talk fluently, without hesitations, in E-Prime! He is on record as saying It is perhaps worth while saying that he even dreams in E-Prime, and that semantics as it is conceived in this learning to speak it greatly improved paper (and in former papers of the his mental and physical health. Writ­ author) is a sober and modest ing E-Prime is less difficult, though discipline which has no pretentions still not easy. Cullen Murphy of being a universal patent-medicine struggled so hard to put his Atlantic for all the ills and diseases of Monthly article into E-Prime that he mankind, whether imaginary or said it gave him a headache that lasted real. You will not find in semantics any remedy for decayed teeth or a week. illusions of grandeur or class con­ Korzybskians are now divided over flicts. Nor is semantics a device for E-Prime into three factions. Purists establishing that everyone except insist that the language is of little the speaker and his friends is value unless all forms of "to be" are speaking nonsense. excised. Moderate E-Primers object to total exclusion. They prefer a lan­ Note that when the Count said guage called E-Choice (after a grade "Isness is insanity," he used the word of meat), in which "to be" forms are "is." Was this really necessary? He used sparingly. Anti-E-Primers grant could have said, "Constant use of 'is' that learning to write or speak E- tends to damage one's perception of Prime may be a useful teaching device reality." Would it not be helpful, to impress on students the need for therefore, to develop a subset of careful thinking about words, but English in which all forms of "to be"— should not be used otherwise. is, are, am, was, were, been, et cetera— Literature arguing the merits and are verboten? demerits of E-Prime is growing in the In the late 1940s, this thought books and journals of General Seman­ occurred to General Semanticist D. tics. An anthology defending E-Prime, David Bourland, Jr. He called such a To Be or Not, was published by the purified language "E-Prime." The International Society for General term comes from the formula Semantics in 1991. The book's back E' = E - e, where E is ordinary English cover crisply summarizes the volume's from which e (all forms of "to be") content: is subtracted. He first explained his proposal in "Introduction to a Struc­ Some of the benefits: lively, concise tural Calculus: A Postulational State­ writing and speaking; clearer, more ment of Alfred Korzybski's Non- critical thinking; better communica­ Aristotelian Linguistic System" tion, evaluation, and decision mak­ (General Semantics Bulletin, nos. 8 and ing. In E-Prime, you can't say "lam," and this results in a different and 9, 1952). In the same journal (nos. 32 healthier way of evaluating yourself and 33,1965/66), he followed with "A and others. The use of E-Prime can Linguistic Note: Writing in E-Prime." transform how you relate to the The idea of writing and speaking world and to yourself—for the E-Prime caught on quickly among a better! Try it. small group of dedicated Korzybski- ans. Papers written entirely in E- The entire Summer 1992 issue of Prime began to appear. E. W. Kellogg ETC. was devoted to the E-Prime

264 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 controversy, with 21 papers for or against the language. It is filled with examples of how to translate common speech into E-Prime. If a stranger asks, "What's your name?" you can't answer, "My name is John Smith." You must say something like "People call me John Smith." If a child points to some­ thing red and asks, "What color is this?" you should reply, "I call it red," or "Everyone calls it red." You must not tell a child, "That animal you see over there is an elephant." In E-Prime you say, "People call that animal an elephant." To be more precise you should say, "People who speak English call that animal you see an elephant." Note that even this sentence implies that Count Korzybski as "General Semantics" the object seen is an animal, but getting rid of all implied forms of General Semantics, point out that it "to be" is impossible. takes months, sometimes years, to Was Keats a greater poet than master the art of writing and speaking Eddie Guest? You can't say "he was" E-Prime. It is quixotic to expect in E-Prime. The correct statement is: anyone outside the ranks to go to all "I consider Keats a greater poet than this trouble. If we did not constantly Eddie Guest." This implies that Keats use fuzzy words we couldn't talk at and Guest were poets, but we let that all. The fact that no two cows are alike pass. Is it raining? Your correct reply doesn't make the word cow useless in is: "I see rain falling." Is Bill Clinton such sentences as "All cows have president of the United States? Your udders." If you want to tell a neighbor E-Prime answer: "American voters his house is on fire, you don't stop have elected him president." You can't to think that your, house, fire, on, and just say "Yes," because that endorses is lack precise definitions. Even if you the identity in the question. Even warned him in E-Prime by saying, "I Korzybski's famous statement that see flames on your roof," you are the map is not the territory violates using fuzzy words. E-Prime. Correctly rephrased it says, Critics also remind enthusiastic E- "The map and the territory do not Primers that there is no empirical share identical properties." evidence that persons who speak the Although it is possible to eliminate language have become healthier or from English all explicit forms of "to happier or learned to think more be," is it worth all the trouble? Critics clearly. As one contributor to the E- of E-Prime, many within the ranks of Prime issue of ETC. said, the language

Spring 1993 265 seems so preposterous to outsiders Disparition (The Disappearance), a that stressing it may be bad public novel in which E had totally disap­ relations. It suggests to outsiders that peared. It is said that some French General Semantics is an eccentric critics praised the novel without cult. realizing a letter was missing. Here Translating ordinary language into we have a different kind of E-Prime, E-Prime may well be good training for E (English) from which e is subtracted. someone just learning the kinder­ The language might even have some garten levels of semantics, but it slight value in impressing on students strikes me as almost as useless an of cryptography how much E is exercise as translating English into overused in English and French words that avoid the letter E. Because spelling. E is the alphabet's most common Korzybskians have written poetry letter, it is not easy to write good in E-Prime. If their enthusiasm for it English without using it. Neverthe­ continues, I wouldn't be surprised if less, entire novels without the letter someone wrote a novel in E-Prime. In E have been published. The best 1993 E. W. Kellogg hopes to publish specimen in English is Gadsby, by a workbook for high school English Ernest Vincent Wright, printed by the classes that will be written in E-Prime. author in Los Angeles in 1939. Wright I considered composing this column in said he had to tie down his type­ E-Prime, but when a headache deve­ writer's E-bar to keep him from typing loped after the first few paragraphs, an E. In 1969 the famous French I gave it up and went back to common novelist Georges Perec published ha English. D

OUT THERE RobPu*i

THE NATIONAL STW2 MAS A WINNER AT LAST.

266 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Psychic Vibrations

Levitated Linda, Ear Coning, and Arkeology

ROBERT SHEAFFER

Abduction Case of the leader of UFO abductionists, regaled TcCentury " is what the the 1992 MUFON Conference in MUFON UFO Journal called Albuquerque with the supposed cor­ it. Linda, a New York City woman who roboration in a letter from the two uses the pseudonym "Cortile," claims anonymous men—supposedly New that in the wee hours of November York City policemen working "under 30, 1989, she was levitated from her cover"—whom he admits he has never bed and floated out of her twelfth- met. When the story the two men gave floor apartment in lower Manhattan. about their supposed police assign­ From there, she was floated up on a ment failed to check out, they sent a "blue beam" into a flying saucer, second letter, changing their story to accompanied by three extraterres­ claim that they were actually "security trials. What makes her story unique agents" guarding a high-ranking among abduction accounts is not the diplomat. Cortile claims that these two strangeness of her claim, for accounts "agents" first visited her in her of people being floated up out of their apartment, then later kidnapped her beds by "little gray men" are now twice in broad daylight as she walked commonplace. It is not even that her in the neighborhood. They allegedly young son claimed an alien abduction drove her out to a supposed CIA safe of his own, for children's imaginations house on a beach in Long Island. There are seldom more constrained than one of the "agents" supposedly their parents'. What is unique about dropped to his knees to worship her the supposed abduction of Linda with religious fervor, but later Cortile is the claim that it was inde­ attempted to kill her by holding her pendently witnessed by at least four head underwater at the beach. For­ other persons, including two detec­ tunately, she was rescued in the nick tives watching from the ground of time by the other "agent." below. Supposedly they gazed in With the situation getting more astonishment as the UFO, with Linda bizarre each day, a private conclave now on board, soar up above the of prominent UFOlogists was called rooftops of Manhattan, then plunged in October to discuss the case. UFOl- into the East River near the Brooklyn ogist George Hansen wanted to Bridge, on which it allegedly caused request a formal federal investigation several automobiles to stall. of the incidents in which Cortile was Budd Hopkins, the recognized allegedly kidnapped, assaulted, bat-

Spring 1993 267 tered, harassed, and nearly drowned magnet," described as looking like a by the two supposed agents of the U.S. "chrome blender base, topped with a government. He charges that Budd bent barbecue grill and a gizmo on Hopkins, along with Walt Andrus of top." Unfortunately, when the device MUFON and Jerome Clark of CUFOS, was revved up to full speed, its strongly objected to any investigation, "gizmo" detached and fell into the on the grounds that it could be fountain. "politically damaging" to UFO Miss America contestant Kandace research. (Actually, the only "politi­ Williams, who was Miss Mississippi, cally damaging" outcome from such told reporters that she is a human an investigation would be if the magnet and that abnormal ions in her claimed abuses turned out never to blood can drain batteries. She also have occurred.) claims to be a descendant of Julius Jerome Clark issued a statement Caesar. claiming that Hansen had "deliber­ The latest New Age fade at the ately misrepresented" his remarks. Whole Life Expo in Los Angeles was While denying any attempt to sup­ something called "ear coning," which press further research, Clark admits is some kind of procedure for circu­ that he "urged critics to refrain, over lating the smoke from burning the next six months, from pursuing "medicinal herbs" through the ear the [federal] investigation," on the canal. "Ear coning was used in Atlan­ grounds that Cortile's story, if true, tis," allowing the chakras to be represented a "politically sensitive" activated and the auric field balanced." event. Hence any attempt to ferret out Physical effects are said to include the identities of the two mysterious "improved hearing" (which is not agents would simply alarm the agency difficult to believe) as well as enhanced responsible, making it even more breathing, keener color perception, difficult to track down the supposed and even "emotional stability." agents. Having been burned several Nobody knows if it actually cures any times in the past by accepting extraor­ ailments, but it costs $20 an ear. dinary claims that later turned out to be bogus, Clark positioned himself * * * squarely on the fence with regard to this sensational case, proclaiming it is Important news: The 1992 summer "staggeringly complex, and the avail­ expeditions looking for Noah's Ark in able evidence can be read in several the vicinity of Mt. Ararat in eastern ways." Turkey once again found it, but unfortunately probably lost it again. The discovery of the Ark in 1991 was accomplished by creationist Allen Some items recently arriving at this Roberts, whose search was inter­ skeptic's news desk: rupted for several weeks when he was This past September, Jon Madison taken captive by Kurdish rebels. Upon of Kenosha, Wisconsin, initiated his his release, Roberts embarked upon a own search for extraterrestrial intel­ lecture tour, showing slides of what ligence. He and about two dozen looked to the uninitiated like natural followers gathered in the cold and the rock formations. He explained how rain at the Kenosha Veterans' Memor­ wood can, under some circumstances, ial fountain to attempt to draw down petrify very rapidly. He explained that space travelers with his "UFO the structure perfectly fits the biblical

268 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 dimensions given for the Ark, 300 not accept the findings of these cubits long and 50 cubits wide, pro­ maverick creationists. As he explained vided that one uses the "Royal Egyp­ in the ICR's publication Impact, "Pet­ tian Cubit" devised by pyramidologist rified woods from before the Flood do Piazzi Smith in 1864. have tree rings," even though "the The 1992 discovery of Noah's Ark seasons may not have been as pro­ was allegedly accomplished by nounced" in antediluvian times. Roberts's colleagues, creationists Furthermore, he notes that not only David Fasold and Ron Wyatt, who are many of Wyatt's and Fasold's have since parted company and are claims about their findings unsubstan­ unable to agree as to what kind of tiated and misleading, but their evidence they found. Wyatt claims to "molecular frequency generator, with have found a great deal of petrified its hand-held crossing brass rods, wood, supposedly without tree rings. appears to employ the ancient art of This, he explains, is because trees that divination—a practice thoroughly grew before the Flood had no rings. condemned by Scripture." Morris Fasold, on the other hand, believes concludes: "Since the search for the that the Ark was constructed out of Ark began in the 1940s, evidence has reeds cemented together and that they continued to mount that the remains have since decayed away. Both claim of a barge-like structure still exist to have detected rows of corroded somewhere on Mt. Ararat in eastern metal fittings by using something Turkey. Unfortunately, none of these called a "molecular frequency accounts have been substantiated by generator." documentation. . . . For a variety of However, John D. Morris of the reasons, no one has been able to Institute for Creation Research does pinpoint the location." D

Spring 1993 269 The following two articles plus interspersed shorter notes explore the burgeoning controversy over Facilitated Communication, a well-meant but much misused and misinterpreted technique intended to help autistic and other impaired persons to com­ municate.—Editor Anguished Silence and Helping Hands: Autism and Facilitated Communication

JAMES A MULICK, JOHN W. JACOBSON, and FRANK H. KOBE

ie vulnerability of parents of handicapped children to offers of easy or miraculous Tcures is legendary among health profes­ sionals. Like most legends, this one has some A truth to it. Parents are, in fact, astute critics Acceptance of a of the professionals who work with their new procedure children. They react strongly to signs of being used to reach professional aloofness or apparent disinterest or dislike and become understandably fearful at developmental^ signs of indecision. They want intensely for disabled children is their children to overcome the handicap, to grow based on the out of it, to get some swift and effective emotional appeal of treatment. They can forgive and forget aloof­ ness or vague reasoning as long as help and dramatic or easy hope are forthcoming. This transformation of cures, questionable distrust into trust can happen in the space of science, and a single breath. possible perceptual This is not abnormal. All parents want the little boy or girl they see before them to have bias. Its claims a world full of promise and happiness, to grow cannot be into the kind of adult they can so vividly and independently lovingly imagine. Indeed, they begin nurturing dreams of the person their child will become scientifically verified. from the time of their first knowledge of con­ ception. Imagined details change with the passage of time and as experiences unfold, espe­ cially for parents of handicapped children as facts

270 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 about the handicap and resulting ling thoughts that might impede an limitations become evident; but hope, ability to get on with essentials of day- like the child, is seldom abandoned. It to-day living (Meichenbaum 1985: 74- keeps people going. 75); it allows people time to revise Parents of handicapped children their priorities. spend much time visiting and listening Selectively screening out bad news to a bewildering variety of profes­ through denial allows people to carry sional people who sometimes present on with plans and relationships that conflicting information. Despite liter­ would otherwise have to be aban­ ature designed to improve parent- doned, but which may serve other professional collaboration (Mulick and valued functions. Not believing some­ Pueschel 1983; Pueschel, Bernier, and thing that is true also has a darker Weidenman 1988), misunderstanding side. It allows people to go on doing is commonplace, and ever-present things that could be, in part, bad for stress increases miscommunication. someone (including oneself). This is Stress affects both parent and profes­ especially problematic when some sional. Nothing can lessen the emo­ aspects of continuing a course of tional shock for the parents who hear action in the face of contradictory that their child has a significant information are good for the denier, disability likely to result in lifelong but bad for someone else. When this limitations. The anguish is profound is the case, harm can continue for as and tends to be rekindled by everyday long as the person doing the denying events, especially when hoped-for derives benefit from the thoughts and improvements are slow or fail to occur actions the erroneous beliefs permit. (Simons 1987). Professionals empa­ Denial, a form of avoidant coping, thize easily at such times and may is recognized as a common reaction experience similar emotional reac­ to the diagnosis of a serious illness or tions. disability in oneself or a loved one. The destruction of what have been Margalit, Raviv, and Ankonina (1992) termed "highly valued dreams" by demonstrated that parents with dis­ dismal facts produces predictable abled children requiring continuous emotional results (Moses 1983). These special education differed from demo- include guilt, denial, and anger. Of graphically similar parents in their these, only anger, and the aggression increased use of avoidant coping and or hostility that can occur, has been that they exhibited lower confidence adequately studied scientifically and in being able to control and under­ understood in terms of its underpin­ stand their world. Interestingly, a nings in biologically based defensive greater tendency to adopt avoidant reactions (e.g., Bandura 1973; Flan- coping strategies did not appear to nelly, Blanchard, and Blanchard 1984). prevent them from using active coping The others, guilt and denial, are strategies (i.e., more direct problem- essentially cognitive phenomena. solving). Rather, families with dis­ While less well understood, they abled children used a greater mix of represent highly reliable emotional the two problem-solving strategies. effects of bad experiences, which also Further, families whose disabled may have adaptive functions. Guilt children had more socially disruptive may motivate problem-solving and behavior seemed to use more avoidant independent action. Denial seems to coping than families whose disabled work as a cognitive barrier to the children exhibited fewer socially perception of incapacitating or troub­ disruptive acts. These findings also are

Spring 1993 271 consistent with the effects of chronic and not always effective. There is an stress on the selection of coping styles. active international research effort. Great strides have been made provid­ Autism ing needed educational and medical services to these and all handicapped Autism is a severe developmental children in the United States (Pueschel disability, fortunately uncommon, but et al. 1988). Still, there is no denying prevalent enough to merit specialized that anyone who works or lives with educational and habilitative services autistic children, especially when they for affected individuals in even are young, has the sense and the hope medium-sized communities. It occurs that with just the right nudge—or in 4 to 5 of every 10,000 children drug or treatment or environment or (Kiely, Jacobson, Schupf, Zigman, and something—they will snap out of the Silverman 1989; Pueschel et al. 1988). syndrome and act as appealing and as It is normally a lifelong disability, normal as they look. Parents of autistic associated with mental retardation in children must harbor such thoughts about 60 to 80 percent of cases, even more often than most of us; defined by seriously delayed and often unfortunately, most autistic children qualitatively abnormal language and simply do not snap out of it, or even communication, and strongly asso­ improve, without much expense, ciated with frequent behavioral abnor­ training, and effort. malities. Common abnormal behav­ Parents of autistic children may be iors include social withdrawal; expected to employ avoidant coping ritualistic, self-injurious, or odd repet­ styles more than most parents (Mar- itive acts; and higher rates of asocial galit et al. 1992) and to be highly or aggressive types of disruptive motivated to obtain services that seem behavior. A single neurophysiological to help their children. For better or cause has not been identified for the worse, these hopes are fueled by the syndrome. implicit promise of our technological An additional tragic fact is that society and its cultural preference for affected children are often otherwise hyping the amazing, the simple, and quite normal in appearance, bearing the ever more dramatic benefits of none of the physical deformities "discoveries" and "breakthroughs." associated with many other develop­ This sets the stage for increased mental disabilities. Hence autistic vulnerability to early adoption of children are sometimes described as untested and poorly conceived inter­ "beautiful," probably a poignant ventions and services. reminder that except for their de­ creased ability to learn many types of Rescuers from Down Under things, to communicate, and to inter­ act socially, they are initially as likely Enter Professor Douglas Biklen of to evoke positive emotional commit­ Syracuse University with an imported ment from adults as any other miracle cure from Australia for the children. often utter failure of autistic children There have been a few signs of to learn to speak normally, a technique improved scientific understanding of referred to as Facilitated Communi­ how to help autistic children learn to cation (FC). FC is "communication by behave and communicate more nor­ a person in which the response of that mally (Lovaas 1987), but the necessary person is expressed through the use techniques are costly and demanding of equipment and is dependent on the

272 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Defacilitated Communication Facilitated Communication is not months ago, and he was delighted. cold fusion or N-rays. Professionals He needed no facilitator—he was have advocated some form of what capable of picking out the letters is now called FC for 20 years. The on his own and stringing them into principle is unassailable: autistics words. have deficits in their communica­ But the charms of the computer tion skills and therefore require paled when his teacher intro­ assistance to communicate—like duced him to an infinitely more providing paraplegics with wheel­ powerful and flexible medium: chairs to compensate for their pencil and paper. Now he happily inability to walk. spends hours printing and tracing But the hard-core hysterics miss words. He does not speak, but is the point. They see FC not as a learning to write. Once he spon­ means, but as an end. The autistic, taneously hopped out of his seat, they say, will forever be dependent went to the blackboard, and wrote upon the facilitator. So even if the "MARK IS HAPPY." His teacher inflated claims for FC are true, wept. what good is it? Unlike a wheel­ FC is merely a stepping stone. chair, one cannot take a facilitator The goal is (^facilitated commun­ along to school, to work, or on a ication. The goal is empower­ family outing. Exchanging depen­ ment. dency upon a parent or caretaker for dependency upon a facilitator —Mark S. Painter, Sr. is no bargain foe the autistic. My autistic son is five years old. Mark 5. Painter, Sr., is a freelance His "teacher introduced him to FC science-fiction writer in Mont Clare, at a computer keyboard several Pennsylvania, and an attorney.

assistance of another person" (Intel­ facilitator to exert continuing influ­ lectual Disability Review Panel 1988: ence on key or picture selection by the iv). FC procedures involve using person being facilitated. graduated physical (manual) prompt­ Biklen has justified and advocated ing, in an initial least-to-most-effort the use of this technique in the United hierarchy, with gradual reduction of States (Biklen 1991; 1992; Biklen, guidance, to help a person point to or Morton, Gold, Berrigan, and Swamin- strike the keys of a typewriter, a com­ athan 1992), an amazingly effective puter keyboard, or a paper facsimile. effort. FC has been given wide and The intent is to support a person's relatively uncritical recognition in the hand sufficiently to make it more popular press (e.g., Spake 1992; feasible to strike the keys he or she Whittemore 1992; in contrast to more wishes to strike, without affecting the skeptical treatment by Shapiro 1992) key selection. In practice, the manual and scandalously credulous treat­ guidance is maintained indefinitely, ment in nationally televised news suggesting an opportunity for the programs.

Spring 1993 273 This "therapy" is currently used or typed conversation. In fact, proced­ nationally with thousands of handi­ ural detail was specifically character­ capped people each day at a likely ized as unnecessary for such a "simple" direct cost of millions of dollars each procedure. Additional points made: (a) month. Biklen has bolstered his argu­ Clients might not seem to be looking ments by developing a novel theory at the keyboard, (b) Interfering behav­ of autism based in reframing its root ior problems might need to be opposed cause as a form of developmental with just-right amounts of physical apraxia (i.e., a disorder of voluntary force to prevent movement of the control of movement). Scientific learner's hand away from the key­ evidence for developmental apraxia in board. (It was implied that eventually, autism is lacking. Autistic youngsters through FC, patients will thank you are often characterized by belter- for doing so, as one of Veale's own developed motor than verbal skills, patients communicated even while even real nonverbal problem-solving apparently trying vigorously to escape talent. This presents little conceptual her grip.) (c) Because true commun­ difficulty for Biklen. He also appears ication is not composed of factual to imagine that people with no questions and answers but, rather, of prior evidence of acquiring letter- open-ended alternating comments, recognition skills can quickly begin one shouldn't ask factual questions in typing out sentences of fairly complex FC training; instead, one should just grammatical structure, albeit with a be receptive to what is produced by little help from their facilitator, and the handicapped individual. indeed have had hidden literacy all Veale did not caution the audience along despite previous classification as about possible facilitator influence. severely mentally retarded. She used testimonial evidence in the form of transcripts of FC conversa­ A Feeble Professional Response tions and a guest appearance by a grateful parent. Although statements Speech pathologists are prominent in made in conference papers are rela­ the clinical promotion of FC, especially tively ephemeral, they can have an via fee-for-service introduction of the inordinate impact on the practices of basic procedures to parents and para- paraprofessionals and parents who professionals directly involved in day- may not be skeptical of obtaining to-day care of people with handicaps. unexpected literacy (especially when Two of the present authors (Mulick they are led to expect it by conference and Kobe) attended a presentation by presenters). These features have little a speech pathologist at a recent state resemblance to the valid training in autism meeting in Ohio. The speaker instruction for handicapped people (Veale 1992) stressed that facilitators that we have seen (Matson and Mulick must enter the FC situation with 1991). complete trust and belief in the autistic Novice FC trainees may not be well person's communicative competence, informed about how to teach or with the intention that together you can modify behavior. When the advice show others. given is inconsistent, it will surely Veale did not describe the FC induce different practices by different training procedure in any detail. trainers. Whereas these vague in­ Apparently, you prop the keyboard up structions encourage trainees to be­ on an easel and hold the child's hand lieve they need not require clients to near the keys while having a verbal look directly at the keyboard, Rose-

274 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 mary Crossley (1992a), the originator competence in individuals for whom of FC in Australia, states that looking a clear history of learning cannot be at the keyboard is absolutely neces­ documented. We are aware of little sary. Whereas the foregoing descrip­ support for a motor-impairment tions of benefit suggest that theory of autism. There is scientific substantial progress can be obtained evidence relevant to each point. rather quickly, Crossley (1992b), Because its claimed effects were so Crossley and Remington-Gurney marked, so unexpected in the context (1992), and Biklen et al. (1992) state of existing scientific knowledge, FC that basic competence (e.g., some provoked academic research interest, understandable content) may require up to six months. DEAL (1992) states that six years may be needed to attain communicative competence. "At present, there are no Unfortunately, no measurable defi­ scientifically controlled studies nition of "basic competence" is pro­ vided. All sources reviewed by us that that unambiguously support favor the use of FC mention some benefits in expressive language person with autism who demon­ strated unexpected literacy upon the function for people with mental first try with FC. Transcripts of retardation or autism apparent conversational content are the only evidence provided (e.g., by taking part in FC." Biklen, Morton, Saha, Duncan, Gold, Hardardottir, Kama, O'Connor, and Rao 1991). We feel that the perceived first by the government and others unexpected literacy and sudden com­ in Australia and recently by a few municative competence is likely due behavioral scientists in the United to facilitator influence in most, if not States. Studies in Australia used all, such cases. message-passing (giving information to a nonverbal person while the "facilitator" was out of the room, and Scientific Evidence and FC subsequently attempting to verify the nonverbal person's comprehension via There has been no adequate controlled the typed content of FC) or question- veridical support for any of the crucial asking directed to the disabled person claims made by FC proponents. We are with masking of facilitator hearing by aware of no demonstration that white noise. While there were isolated complex and meaningful linguistic instances of apparent valid commun­ performance, independent of possible ication through FC, a review by facilitator influence, has been obtained Cummins and Prior (1992) concluded from people who had been diagnosed that the responses of all people tested severely or profoundly mentally in these studies were contaminated by retarded using valid methods by influence over content by the qualified diagnosticians. Complex facilitators. linguistic performance is highly corre­ Another message-passing evalua­ lated with IQ and level of functioning tion study in the United States (involv­ in people with mental retardation and ing 23 people) reported that the autism. We are aware of no evidence validity of communications could be for rapid emergence of linguistic confirmed for none of the participants,

Spring 1993 275 despite the fact that all were be­ ment in older children with autism lieved to be conversing with some (Schreibman, Koegel, and Koegel degree of ability by facilitators and 1989), and growing recognition of therapists (Szempruch and Jacobson effective nonspeech communication 1992). approaches. The use of computers A controlled study involving 12 with adapted input devices and elec­ clients (believed by their caregivers to tronic, printed, or synthesized speech have been routinely communicating output is well established with motor- via FC for some time) and 9 facili­ impaired people (e.g., Cory, Viall, and tators, by Wheeler, Jacobson, Paglieri, Walder 1984; Demasco and Foulds and Schwartz (in press), was more 1982; Mulick, Scott, Gaines, and explicitly revealing. In a procedure Campbell 1983). Appropriately config­ where two stimulus pictures were ured and adapted computers have long employed, Wheeler et al. (in press) been useful as instructional devices, show that clients responded accu­ communication tools, environmental rately with labels of the pictures only control systems, and game platforms when the same pictures were seen by with special populations (Vander- the facilitators. Sometimes clients heiden 1982), just as they are for were shown the same pictures as the everyone else. Other communica­ facilitators; sometimes the pictures tion systems successfully used by were different. Clients responded people with autism include manual "accurately" with labels of some sign language and picture or idiogram- pictures even when the pictures were based systems. Clearly, the issue is seen by the facilitators but not by the not how communication is mediated, clients, revealing that the typing was but whether or not it is controlled controlled by the facilitators. by someone else, whether or not there are at least two independent In yet another study, the recom­ participants in a communicative tran­ mended training sequence for FC was saction. used over 40 sessions with 21 young people with autism (Eberlin, McCon- nachie, Ibel, and Volpe 1992); the technique produced no unexpected Motor Apraxia in Autism literacy, and no client was able to better his or her measured expressive The FC perspective directly challenges language skills using FC over the level neuropsychological and linguistic that was obtained using controlled perspectives, founded in a large body testing of these abilities verbally. At of scientific research, about the present, there are no scientifically language of autistic people. Language controlled studies that unambiguously is complex and involves elaborate support benefits in expressive lan­ neurological substrata. The speech guage function from taking part in FC and language of autistic people differs for people with mental retardation or greatly from that of other people, autism. presumably as a result of neurological There have been controlled re­ impairment. While understanding of search studies of very successful com­ the spoken word by autistic people is munication training in toddlers and consistent with their general intelli­ preschool-age children with autism gence, they tend to retain and use the using conventional methods (e.g. meaning of what is said to them Lovaas 1987), more limited but still differently, without some of the social successful reports of speech improve­ information that normally accompan-

276 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 ies language and that occurs without much effort for the average person. For example, people with autism who "In a procedure where two can talk have difficulty sharing nuan­ stimulus pictures were employed ces of meaning that involve taking another person's perspective. They . . . clients responded accurately also have difficulty expressing their with labels of the pictures only emotions and accurately attributing emotions to others. These features when the same pictures were greatly affect what autistic people say, seen by the facilitators." how they say things, and in some ways, what they mean by what they say. The language of people with dysphasia, and speaking the words, autism who have normal intelligence dyspraxia. (and quite a few do) is more concrete, Neurological terms have specific sometimes esoteric, and more oblique meanings. What is described by FC compared to the average person. The proponents refers to difficulties, language of autistic people previously rather than inabilities, of people who diagnosed with severe mental retar­ are considered autistic, in using words dation, but now using FC and cited in certain ways. The quandary in as examples of success, in contrast, is trying to understanding the proposi­ often rich in interpersonal subtleties tions that proponents offer, in a well beyond the aspirations of many largely post-hoc fashion, to explain the college English majors (but perhaps disorder and why FC is needed is not beyond those of philosophically complicated by the fact that they seem inclined teachers or therapists with to confuse terminological distinctions. master's degrees who promote FC). The prefix properly related to "diffi­ How is all this viewed by FC culty" is dys, not a. If neuroscientists proponents? The motor-impairment were to offer the same arguments that perspective on language function set are set forth in articles advocating FC, forth in writings on FC is based on they would consistently use the terms the concept of motor apraxia. Apraxia dysphasia and dyspraxia. refers to the neurologically deter­ There is a great deal of evidence mined inability to voluntarily initiate that what autistic people say intrin­ behavior or movement (because one sically reflects the social character of cannot "figure out" how to move). In much of their unusual behavior, how contrast, the term aphasia, which was they seem to regard other people, and once the term used for problems in some features that might accurately language, now is reserved for more be described as specific dysphasia(s) strictly cognitive or conceptual prob­ and specific vocal dyspraxia(s). Never­ lems in using language. Champions of theless, neurophysiological research FC believe that people who have has not yet demonstrated even a firm autism are not affected by aphasia but, basis for a specific dysphasic disorder. rather, by apraxia, which involves the However, aside from using terms that, neurological substrate of the move­ as they are normally used, do not apply ment system for organizing or per­ to the effects of autism on how people forming speech. At the same time, speak, FC proponents further suppose they argue that autistic people have "global apraxia" characterizes autism: problems "finding" the words (espe­ that affected people cannot voluntar­ cially nouns), which should be called ily initiate movement. The usage

Spring 1993 277 error, again, is that they mean autistic scientific groups have abandoned people only experience difficulty. issues related to people with chronic Further, there is no research evidence disabilities, whom they cannot cure, at all to support the position that to the human service organizations people with autism experience such and government agencies that vocally global problems. The usual clinical and confidently present themselves as finding, familiar to any psychologist meeting all disability needs. At the who routinely works in this area, is same time, toleration of marginal that motor impairment and delay is standards for care and quality by the much less prominent than commun­ learned professions serving disabled ication disorder and delay 0acobson people does everyone a serious disser­ and Ackerman 1990). In fact, when vice. Ineffective services can be costly, playing quietly, or simply walking or unnecessarily increasing the strain on using a climbing toy, their relatively the nation's health budget. Further, smooth and coordinated movement it represents indirect support for the and lack of physical deformity is part prevalent belief among growing seg­ of the reason autistic children look so ments of the public that health pro­ appealingly normal and kindle such fessionals and scientists are not truly general interest and hope. to be trusted. Surpringly, although the media and disability advocacy groups have Conclusion greatly promoted FC, little fundamen­ tal opposition by professionals to FC There is good reason to be skeptical has emerged. Very little criticism has of extravagant claims made for FC. been voiced within developmental Our impression is that, at best, it disability service agencies or regula­ represents a false ray of hope for many tory bodies. Many seem to view FC families. Many parents and empathic, as the greatest breakthrough of all concerned paraprofessionals might be time, the very breakthrough for which especially vulnerable to the appeal of advocates interested in full integration FC because of avoidant coping styles of all handicapped people have been or the action of cognitive denial waiting so that no one will, by virtue mechanisms that reduce perception of of inability to express themselves, be some features of severe disability in deprived of a place in society. Many others. in disability services, who might be The promotion of FC diverts effort critical, understandably hesitate to be, and funding from more plausible long- probably for fear of rejection by those term strategies that have empirical involved with FC every day at their support. The theoretical confusion place of work. gratuitously injected into the research Why, at the same time, there has and professional literature by FC not been an aggressive and visible proponents is damaging to accumula­ reaction by professional and scientific tion of knowledge about handicapping societies in medicine, psychology, and conditions and their causes and neuroscience is more difficult to detracts from the credibility of sincere explain. There are numerous pressing efforts to integrate findings about issues facing professionals and scien­ abnormal development. The popular tists in their own fields, many involv­ confusion of FC with other nonspeech ing funding and competition for communication systems that have resources. It may also be that large been used successfully with disabled portions of these professional and people will discourage public support

278 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 for these tried-and-true strategies Biklen, D. 1992. Typing to talk: Facilitated when the FC bubble bursts. And communication. American Journal of burst, it will. In the end, regret will Speech and Language Pathology: 15-17, 21- 22, January. provide small solace. The irony of FC . 1991. Communication unbound: is perhaps best revealed by a poem Autism and praxis. Harvard Educational reproduced in the Fall 1992 issue of Review, 60: 291-314. The Advocate, a newsletter of the Biklen, D., M. W. Morton, D. Gold, C. Berrigan, and S. Swaminanthan. 1992. Autism Society of America (p. 16), a Facilitated communication: Implications poem that won recognition for its for individuals with autism. Topics in author, identified as a 26-year-old Language Disorders, 12: 1-28. youth with autism. The poem (despite Biklen, D., M. W. Morton, S. N. Saha, J. its spooky resemblance to an old Duncan, D. Gold, M. Hardardottir, E. Kama, S. O'Connor, and S. Rao. 1991. Beatles song) was said to have been "I AMN NOT A UTISTIVC OH THJE produced via FC. Two lines, in par­ TYP" (I'm not autistic on the typewriter). ticular stand out; it begins, "I am you, Disability, Handicap & Society, 6:161-180. and you are me. . . .", and goes on, Cory, L. W., P. H. Viall, and R. Walder. 1984. ".. . We are each other as we are what "Computer Assisted Communication Devices." In Transitions in Mental Retar­ We can be. . . ." dation, Vol. I: Advocacy, Technology, and The professional and scientific Science, ed. by J. A. Mulick and B. L. communities, as well as government Mallory, 151-173. Norwood, N.J.: Ablex. human service and regulatory agen­ Crossley, R. 1992a. Facilitated communica­ tion. Invited address at the Annual cies, should not allow people with Conference of the Northeast Region X handicaps and their families to be used American Association on Mental Retar­ by a few professors and therapists dation, Albany, N.Y., October 5. who stoke their hopes with empty . 1992b. Getting the words out: Case promises, regardless of their sincerity, studies in facilitated communication training. Topics in Language Disorders, 12: while reaping personal or political 46-59. rewards and working hard to prevent Crossley, R., and J. Remington-Gurney. systematic verification of their claims. 1992. Getting the words out: Facilitated Such practices should always be called communication training. Topics in Lan­ guage Disorders, 12: 29-45. into question. In our experience, Cummins, R. A., and M. P. Prior. 1992. people with handicaps can be valued Autism and facilitated communication: A members of their families and com­ reply to Biklen. Harvard Educational munities without resorting to appeals Review, 62: 228-241. to miracle cures. There is effective DEAL (Dignity Through Education and Language) Communication Centre. 1992. help available, help that makes scien­ Facilitated Communication Training. Caul- tific sense. The genuine efforts of field, Victoria, Australia: Author. scientifically trained and compassion­ Demasco, P., and R. Foulds. 1982. A new ate professionals surpass all fad horizon for nonvocal communication treatments, and always will. Advances devices. Byte, 7:166-182, September. Eberlin, M., G. McConnachie, S. Ibel, and in treatment and understanding come L. Volpe. 1992. A systematic investigation at the price of rigorous training, of "facilitated communication": Is there dedication to accuracy and scientific efficacy or utility with children and standards, and objective verification of adolescents with autism ? Paper presented all treatment claims. at the Annual Conference of Northeast Region X of the American Association on Mental Retardation, Albany, N.Y., References October. Flannelly, K. ]., R. J. Blanchard, and D. C. Bandura, A. 1973. Aggression: A Social Blanchard, eds. 1984. Biological Perspec­ Learning Analysis. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: tives on Aggression. New York: Alan R. Prentice-Hall. Liss.

Spring 1993 279 Intellectual Disability Review Panel. 1988. About Raising a Child with a Disability. Report to the Director-General on the San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Validity and Reliability of Assisted Com­ Spake, A. 1992. "In Classroom 210 . . . " munication. Melbourne, Victoria, Austra­ Washington Post Magazine, 17-22, 28-30, lia: Victoria Community Services. May 31. Jacobson, J. W., and L. J. Ackerman. 1990. Szempruch, J., and J. W. Jacobson. 1992. Differences in adaptive functioning Evaluating the Facilitated Communications among people with autism or mental of People with Developmental Disabilities retardation. Journal of Autism and Devel­ (TR #92-TA2). Rome, N.Y.: Rome DDSO. opmental Disorders, 20: 205-219. Vanderheiden, G. 1982. Computers can play Kiely, M., J. W. Jacobson, N. Schupf, W. B. a dual role for disabled individuals. Byte, Zigman, and W. P. Silverman. 1989. 7: 136-162, September. Prevalence of Developmental Disabilities Veale, T. K. 1992. Facilitated communication. (Project Report). Staten Island, N.Y.: New Presentation at the 4th Annual State York State Institute for Basic Research Conference of the Austism Society of in Developmental Disabilities. Ohio, Toledo, October 23-24. Lovaas, O. I. 1987. Behavioral treatment and Wheeler, D. L., J. W. Jacobson, R. A. Paglieri, normal education and intellectual func­ and A. A. Schwartz. In press. An exper­ tioning in young autistic children. Journal imental assessment of facilitated com­ of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55: munication. Mental Retardation. 3-9. Whittemore, H. 1992. He broke the silence. Margalit. M., A. Raviv, and D. B. Ankonina. Parade: The Sunday Newspaper Magazine, 1992. Coping and coherence among pp. 8, 25, September 20. parents with disabled children. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 21: 202-209. Matson, J. L., and J. A. Mulick, eds. 1991. James A. Mulick is professor of pediatrics Handbook of Mental Retardation. New and psychology at the Ohio State University. York: Pergamon. He was supported in part by the U.S. Depart­ Meichenbaum, D. 1985. Stress Inoculation ment of Health and Human Services, Bureau Training. New York: Pergamon. of Maternal and Child Health Special Project Moses, K. 1983. "The Impact of Initial Diagnosis: Mobilizing Family Resources." MCJ 009053. He is a fellow of the American In Parent-Professional Partnerships in Psychological Association. He has been a Developmental Disability Services, ed. by clinician and researcher since 1975, working J. A. Mulick and S. M. Pueschel, 11-34. to improve access and quality in services for Cambridge, Mass.: Academic Guild Pub­ children with handicaps and their families. lishers. Write him at Department of Pediatrics, Mulick, ]. A., and S. M. Pueschel, eds. 1983. Division of Psychology, 700 Children's Dr., Parent-Professional Partnerships in Devel­ opmental Disability Services. Cambridge, CHPB-4, Columbus, OH 43205-2696. Mass.: Academic Guild Publishers. John W. Jacobson is an associate planner Mulick, J. A., F. D. Scott, R. F. Gaines, and with the New York State Office of Mental B. M. Campbell. 1983. "Devices and Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. Instrumentation in Skill Development He recently served as national president of the and Behavior Change." In Treatment Issues and Innovations in Mental Retardation, ed. Psychology Division of the American Asso­ by J. L. Matson and F. Andrasik, 515-580. ciation on Mental Retardation, as president New York: Plenum. of its Northeast Region X chapter, and Pueschel, S. M., J. C. Bernier, and L. E. organized the 1992 Northeast Region X Weidenman. 1988. The Special Child: A meeting around an examination of Facilitated Source Book for Parents of Children with Communication. His address is 62 7 Plymouth Developmental Disabilities. Baltimore, Md.: Paul H. Brookes. Ave., Schenectady, NY 12308. Schreibman, L., L. K. Koegel, and R. L. Frank H. Kobe is a fellow in pediatric Koegel. 1989. "Autism." In Innovations in psychology at the Ohio State University and Child Behavior Therapy, ed. by M. Hersen, Children's Hospital in Columbus. He has 395-428. New York: Springer. experience in a variety of developmental Shapiro, J. P. 1992. See me, hear me, touch disability service agencies as a psychology me. U.S. News & World Report, 63-64, July 27. service provider, researcher, and community Simons, R. 1987. After the Tears: Parents Talk residence agency board member.

280 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Facilitated Communication, Autism, and Ouija

KATHLEEN M. DILLON

acilitated Communication (FC) is a tech­ nique that allegedly helps persons who are F unable to communicate, or who have limited communication skills, to communicate better, sometimes at a level far exceeding their presumed abilities. It is claimed that what is needed is a facilitator, someone who typically supports the subject's pointing finger—or hand, wrist, elbow, or shoulder—and a list of letters, numbers, words, or characters. These symbols can be on a piece of paper—one with a laminated or smooth surface is preferred—or on a The end product computer or typewriter keyboard. One device of Facilitated that has gained popularity for FC is the Canon Communicator, a small, portable electronic Communication keyboard with a tape printout. appears to be This technique was developed in the 1970s by Rosemary Crossley and her associates at the nothing more Dignity Through Education and Language than the old Ouija (DEAL) Communication Centre in Melbourne, Australia, for work with people with cerebral effect. palsy. It was introduced into the United States by Douglas Biklen, director of the division of special education and rehabilitation at Syracuse University. FC is now being used as a communication aid for individuals with autism—a serious disorder often characterized by multiple and profound problems in cognitive reasoning, communication, and socialization skills—with claims of miraculous results. In one case, a mute young girl, apparently with no awareness of the meaning of money or the significance of holidays and presents, allegedly typed out that she didn't like Christmas

Spring 1993 because she didn't have the money to drawn Ouija board that can be used buy her mother a present. It has been and also reports cases of Ouija being reported that in other cases individ­ performed on typewriters or simply uals who had previously been unable with pencil or pen on blank paper to read or write or cipher found (with messages using the latter tools themselves in college classrooms .usually referred to as automatic typing out their exams with their writing). This is also the case with FC. facilitators. The other component of both classical Although FC has been criticized as Ouija and FC is a pointer. In the case being nothing more than a phenom­ of Ouija, traditionally a small three- enon of the Ouija board type, Biklen pointed planchette is used with the argues that messages produced often fingers resting lightly on it; however, have typographical errors, phonetic anything can be used that can slide spellings, unusual utterances, and over the surface of the board with the content unfamiliar to the facilitator. subject's fingers resting on it. For These and similar arguments actually example, Hunt suggests using an serve to further the case that FC and inverted juice glass. In the case of FC, Ouija are quite similar if not identical. the pointer is the finger of the subject, This article will elaborate on the and the facilitator lightly supports that parallels, as I see them, between Ouija finger or some part of the subject's and FC. My information on Ouija arm. comes primarily from a text by Stoker In Ouija, the subject may have his Hunt (1985), Ouija: The Most Dan­ or her eyes closed (especially in the gerous Game. The examples of FC case where a second party is also in provided here come from two training contact with the planchette); Hunt sessions I attended that were con­ says that some people can perform ducted by Biklen's associates for Ouija while engaged in other activ­ parents of individuals with autism. ities, such as talking or reading. In First, FC and Ouija share many of filmed accounts I have seen of FC with the same physical components. Both autistic individuals, the subject often typically use a board with alpha­ appears to be focusing attention numeric characters. Although a Ouija everywhere but on the keyboard or board can be easily purchased. Hunt list. includes an illustration of a hand- In both Ouija and FC, and this is a critical point, the facilitators or the persons using the planchette swear YES NO they are not guiding the pointing, but that the movement comes from some­ thing other than their own volition. In the case of FC, the movement is said to be coming from the subject; in Ouija, it is said to be coming from either a spiritual realm or the subject's unconscious. Facilitators have told me that until they tried FC for themselves they too were skeptical, but that once they tried it they knew the source of I2345G7890 the movement was definitely not A hand drawn replica of the printing on themselves. People who use the Ouija a Ouija board. board (as well as people who have

282 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 participated in table-turning at believe the facilitators are honest and seances, or who have used pendulums sincere and are not consciously or or dowsing rods) have also sworn, deliberately engaging in deceit. How­ even on their lives, that they are not ever, just because the facilitators have the source of the movement. the sensation that the movements or James Randi (1986) writes that messages are not originating from there are two kinds of people claiming themselves, this does not mean that to have special powers, those who they are not. honestly believe they have these This is a hard reality to grasp. powers and those who are outright Faraday, as early as the mid-1800s fakes. From all I have seen of FC, I conducted experiments demonstrat-

Spring 1993 283 ing that the pressure on moving tables who move the board, in response to in seances came from the operators. the subconscious or conscious Similarly, Randi has explained how, impulse. There is no mystery in the despite strong sensations to the movement; the mystery, if any, is in contrary, the movement of dowsing the source of the impulse." rods can be explained simply as the For both FC and Ouija, it is alleged effect of a physical system under that the "energy" must be right in tension. These sensations are illu­ order to have things work. In FC, the sions, and powerful ones. In all these argument is often made that a skeptic cases, it comes down to a matter of cannot be a facilitator, or that the a lack of understanding rather than subject cannot perform in a testing intentional fraud. situation. It is also reported that the My sense is that in FC the move­ subject sometimes cannot have a ment may indeed come from the parent as the facilitator, "because the subject as a conditioned response, but parent is for love," "because the parent that direction to a particular letter can't be trusted," or for various other comes unwittingly from the facilita­ reasons. tor. (Subjects are at first very resistant In Ouija, the explanation for the to pointing, but M&M's or other effect is either that another spiritual reinforcements are sometimes offered world has been contacted or that the to get them to begin; and once the messages are coming from an uncon­ messages start coming, the ecstasy of scious or preconscious level of the the facilitator over the response of the subject. In FC, no explanation has so subject is probably a potent rein- far been offered, although often the forcer.) Facilitators argue that they are process is referred to as magical or it not conscious of the messages before is said that no explanation is needed they are typed, and I don't deny this. if it works. It is another parallel between FC and The argument has been used that Ouija. because the messages often contain With FC, the messages are often typographical errors, phonetic spell­ much more complex than a single ings, or unusual utterances, it cannot thought. They are sometimes said to be the facilitator sending them. How­ come so fast and are sometimes so ever, compare this claim to the obser­ lengthy that they could not possibly vations of James Merrill, who used have been generated by the facilitator. Ouija to compose poetry: Hunt (1985) This same argument has been raised says: "Merrill describes the originals with Ouija. In one extraordinary case, as looking like the compositions of Pearl Curran was able over a five-year children, all 'drunken lines of capitals period working with the Ouija board lurching across the page, gibberish,' to dictate 29 bound volumes (4,375 until punctuated and divided into single-spaced pages) of conversation words, sentences, and paragraphs." in the form of epigrams, poems, The messages in both cases are allegories, short stories, plays, and interpreted post hoc. Once a message full-length novels. For one of her is received, its meaning is looked for. novels, she was able to dictate the last For example, in FC, the message "ju" chapter of 6,000 words in a single was interpreted as the word "juice" evening through the Ouija board. when a boy with autism was asked When asked about the Ouija board, what he had for breakfast. In another Curran replied that it was "just a piece example, "ju" was interpreted to mean of dead wood, nothing more. It is I "jump" in response to the question.

284 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 The FC Experience

In January 1992, Catherine Koffs, that' the young child "has been her husband Steve, and their three- reading for a long time" and "knows year-old autistic daughter, Missy, a lot." attended a Facilitated Communica­ Despite her initial skepticism, tions (FC) workshop in Philadel­ Koffs wondered if she had wit­ phia. They paid $250 to attend a nessed a miracle. "I loved it," she lecture and private FC session. says. "I walked out of there Koffs reports that the facilitator thrilled." But the thrill faded over held Missy's right hand inside her time, as Missy's parents proved own, with only the child's limp unable to reproduce the facili­ index finger protruding. Missy tator's dramatic results, despite allegedly answer th*e question painstaking efforts. Missy shows "What is your name?" by typing no interest in the alphabet, let "MITSSTY" on the alphabetic alone evidence of an ability to keyboard. read. "It looked like the facilitator was Catherine Koffs,. like many doing the typing," says Koffs. With parents and professionals, con­ FC, Missy also identified 'BILG tinues to believe that "there's some­ BIRD," and her sister, "JENNZ" thing to it," but describes the (Jenny). She also asked for a persons conducting the workshops "SNAC." "That still bothers me," as "zealots" and "true believers." "It Koffs says. "We didn't use the word looks fishy," she says, echoing 'snack' around the house. That's many others. not a Missy word;, that's a teacher word." But the facilitator suggested —Mark S. Painter, Sr.

"What do you want to do today?" might have had juice would be begging Similarly, in both cases, successes the question. Interestingly, the boy did are noted and "failures" ignored. By not have juice or water for breakfast trying and discarding "wrong" that day, his mother told me. He had answers, the facilitator can eventually rhubarb pie! She had said nothing hit upon the "correct" one. This is not about this earlier, however, because as impossible a task as it may seem she didn't want to embarrass the if you realize that individuals with facilitator in public, she said. autism often have incredibly limited It is hard to test whether or not repetoires. I know one boy who eats a facilitator has had prior knowledge spaghetti and meatballs for dinner relating to a particular message or every day. In the case regarding the answer. Again, facilitators may often guess that "ju" stood for juice, this boy have knowledge without being aware usually had only one of two drinks for of it. One way to test the foreknowl­ breakfast—water or juice. Typically edge factor would be to set up a the facilitator is someone who has situation in which the person with worked with the autistic person in autism would know the correct other contexts. To claim that the response, but the facilitator would facilitator did not suspect that this boy not. The messages tested would have

Spring 1993 285 FC and the Parent Professionals are very quick to more. And what do we get for our dismiss the abilities of autisties. money? Parents themselves "can't Our children are often tagged with facilitate," they tell us. Our children the additional label of "mentally will require FC for life, they say, retarded." Parents know better. We and will never communicate on live with autisties. We see their sly their own. If a parent has the smiles, the gleam of intellect in temerity to ask the child a question their eyes, and their astute the facilitator does not already problem-solving skills. We see know the answer to, the parent when the "nonverbal" autistic child may be told that "autisties don't like perks up at the mention of the word to be tested," or that testing is "cookie," or spontaneously breaks against the FC "philosophy." out into song. In short, the price we are asked So when Facilitated Communi­ to pay in an effort to communicate cation (FC) proponents say they with our children is to allow have found a way around the wall, strangers into our families to parents are quick to believe. FC mediate our relationships with our confirms our faith in our children. Own kids and to accept everything But. . . the stranger tells us on blind faith. The workshops and sessions can cost $250. The equipment $800 —Mark S. Painter, Sr. to be of a simple nature that could harm to the subject and to others. be independently verified. Proponents There is a seductive quality to both of FC argue, however, that facilitation techniques that can lead to obsessional does not work in a testing situation. and exclusionary activity. Writes Hunt Catch 22! (1985): "The more suggestible a Another interesting point about FC 'player,' the more dangerous the Ouija messages: These messages are often game. In the early stages of obsession given more credibility than the utter­ or possession, its victim becomes ances or behaviors of the subject. In increasingly reliant on the Ouija one case, a child was asked if he liked Board. He craves more and more ice cream. He said no, and then revelations. Soon the messages physically objected to eating it. But the become the experimenter's sole inter­ facilitated message read "yes," and the est. Normal activities and relation­ facilitator concluded that the boy ships become less important and even really did like ice cream but was just boring. The victim feels alive and alert acting stubborn. only when working with the Ouija The arguments that Ouija can be Board." A similar phenomenon takes taken simply as a form of entertain­ place when FC is used for individuals ment and that it can't hurt to just try with autism. There is a passionate FC whether you believe in it or not excitement associated with the "dis­ are similar. However, the no-harm covery" or notion that a person often contention is simply not true—both thought to be retarded may in fact be Ouija and FC have the potential for a genius who just needed a way to

286 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 communicate. One mother said she and sometimes different questions. In was skeptical, but once you start, you the first condition, the subject got 8- can't go back. Another mother said her 9 of 10 correct. In the second condi­ daughter asked via FC for a hiatus tion, she got none correct. In the third from all other forms of education until condition, she got 4 out of 10 correct she found herself. Other mothers at when she heard the same questions the meetings asked how they could get as the facilitator; but none of her FC as part of their child's IEP (indi­ responses were correct when she vidual education plan). Another heard a question different from the woman is dropping all behavioral one the facilitator heard. However, techniques for her son in favor of FC. four of these incorrect answers were "They didn't teach him how to read the correct answers to the questions or write after five years of behavioral received by the facilitator. training and he shows he did this on Why is Facilitated Communication his own with FC," she complained. "So being accepted so uncritically by the why go back to behavioral tech­ families of autistic children? Certainly niques?" the answer lies in the fact that autism It should be pointed out, however, is viewed in catastrophic terms. In that the consensus among scientists many studies comparing the stress is that so far behavioral techniques are caused by having a child with autism the only methods that have shown any with that of having a child with success with changing for the better Down's syndrome or a terminal the behaviors of individuals with disease, autism always ranks highest. autism. It is extremely difficult to be the Rimland (1992), in the Autism parent of an autistic child; I know from Research Review, reports several cases empirical studies, and I have expe­ of misuse of FC that have led to rienced this anguish in my personal disasters for some families in the life. There is nothing I would like more United States and Australia. "In case than to have FC work as it is claimed after case, poorly trained, overzealous to work. But unfortunately, not only facilitators have uncovered, they do these powers not hold up under believe, evidence of child molestation examination, they may lead one down by family members. They report the a dead end or even a perilous road. parents to the authorities and then the nightmare begins." Some cases have Bibliography been dropped at pretrial stages, but others have involved lengthy legal Biklen, D. 1991. "Facilitated Communication: trials, and some are still in court. An Outline of the Technique." Unpub­ In one interesting case of alleged lished manuscript. Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y., September 19. abuse uncovered via FC and reported Hunt, S. 1985. Ouija: The Most Dangerous in the Autism Research Review (6[l), Game. New York: Harper & Row. 1992), FC was tested by an indepen­ Randi, J. 1986. Flim-flam. Buffalo, N.Y.: dent agency under a number of Prometheus Books. conditions: (l) The subject and the Rimland, B. 1992. Facilitated Communica­ tion: Now the bad news. Autism Research facilitator could hear the questions. (2) Review International, 6(1):3. The facilitator heard music through headphones while the subject heard the questions. (3) Both the facilitator Kathleen M. Dillon is a professor of and the subject, wearing headphones, psychology at Western New England sometimes heard the same questions College, Springfield, MA 01119.

Spring 1993 287 Treading on the Edge: Practicing Safe Science with SETI

DONALD E. TARTER

or those of us in the diverse entourage of individuals who have worked to promote Fthe search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), October 12, 1992, the five hundredth anniversary of the first voyage of Columbus to America, represented a step into a new age. On that day, two of Earth's great hearing aids, the giant radio telescopes at Arecibo, Puerto Rico, and Goldstone Tracking Station, California, turned on to begin the most powerful search When you search yet mounted to find out if we are alone in the universe. This NASA-sponsored search joins for aliens with other searches, such as those by the Planetary public money, Society and the University of California, good mental Berkeley, to give a massive boost in search space and sensitivity. hygiene is The megachannel extraterrestrial assays essential. (META) searches sponsored by the Planetary Society, which began in 1985, were extremely powerful for their time. Now, however, these searches are dwarfed by the capacity and sensitivity of the NASA search. The opening ceremonies at Goldstone were given an added air of excitement by Carl Sagan's revelations that the META searches have revealed a small number of tantalizing signals that meet all the criteria of an ETI signal except the absolutely essential necessity of repeatability. The coor­ dinates of these events have been given to the NASA team to investigate with their far more sensitive instruments. The path to this point for the NASA search has been long and frustrating. SETI stands at the edge of established physical and biological

288 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Radio telescope at Goldstone Tracking Station, California NASA sciences. SETI's recent history has discovered would be "H-R-M-S Posi­ been one of fighting for scientific tive." In a slight act of rebellion against respect and then fighting for funding. NASA authority, in my writing I shall Right up until the most recent budget continue to refer to the program by was passed, budget-cutting congres­ its better-known acronym SETI. sional members hunted for a federal SETI's credibility within the scien­ program they thought could be elim­ tific community has steadily increased inated. SETI has been so frequently over the past few decades, but it still ridiculed and singled out as such a has many outspoken detractors. Even program that officially SETI no longer the detractors, however, seeem to exists. Shortly before NASA's current have a basic fondness for the program. search began, the space agency Zen Faulks, a University of Victoria announced that the program's name biologist, in a dismal assessment of the had been changed to the High Reso­ prospects of a SETI discovery recently lution Microwave Search (HRMS)— stated in the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER: a mumbling sort of acronym that can't be pronounced. NASA has often been . . . The incredible improbability of described as the agency that made the alien intelligence should be taken greatest human adventure in his­ into account when deciding how tory—going to the moon—boring. It much of our effort SETI should seems they may be trying for that occupy, but I would be disheartened to see the search stopped. . . . The distinction again. At the dedication fallout for all the sciences, especially ceremonies, Sagan quipped that he the biological sciences, would be so hoped some of the signals META gargantuan if we did contact an

Spring 1993 289 alien intelligence . . . that it seems Abstinence foolish to abandon the entire affair. SETI remains an intellectual game Just as with abstaining from sex, worth playing, even if only on a abstaining from interest in aliens does small scale. (Faulks 1991) not seem to be very popular. The quest to answer the question "Is there other Among the general public, little is intelligent life in the cosmos?" is a known about this exotic electronic primal intellectual interest. In earlier endeavor; and of those who express decades, abstinence from the search interest, many are from fringe groups. for alien life-forms was easier for Among the knowledgeable general astronomers. Outside of the limited public there exists a strong tinge of visual abilities of their optical tele­ skepticism that such an enterprise is scopes, there was simply no way to serious, and there always is a common deal with the issue scientifically. questioning as to whether the endea­ In the early 1930s, Karl Jansky, of vor is worth funding with public Bell Laboratories, began to develop money. radio telescope technology. With this We in the SETI community often technology a new means of assessing feel our marginal status, even in our the cosmos came into being. It was closest personal relationships. My not until 1959 that serious sugges­ own mother, for instance, steadfastly tions were made to use this technol­ refuses to discuss my professional ogy to search for extraterrestrial life. interest with her friends, lest they In that year, the seminal article in think something is wrong with me. Nature, by Giuseppe Cocconi and I have colleagues who smile and nod Philip Morrison, titled "Searching for tolerantly but keep their intellectual Interstellar Communications" was to distance when the subject is men­ begin modern SETI. As is often the tioned. If you are actively engaged in case in science, without knowledge of the SETI enterprise the burden is on Cocconi and Morrison's suggestion, a you to demonstrate that you are a young radio astronomer named Frank responsible member of the scientific Drake used the 85-foot dish at the community. National Radio Astronomy Observa­ Many in the scientific community tory in Greenbank, West Virginia, to regard SETI as similar to AIDS, as a search for signals from two nearby potentially lethal infection. I maintain, stars, Epsilon Eridani and Tau Ceti. however, that the SETI virus is not In SETI lore this is known as the necessarily fatal to one's scientific famous project "Ozma." standing. SETI scientists, recognizing Two decades later, the develop­ the risks of their passions, have taken ment of modern computerized multi­ great care to practice "safe science." channel analyzers made possible In many ways they have been more large-scale attempts to monitor radio scientifically cautious than colleagues emissions from space. As the number in other disciplines. The unwritten of channels available for analysis rules that have emerged in the SETI became greater, the search became enterprise bear a striking resemblance more credible in terms of the prob­ to the rules for safe sex. Just as with ability of discovery. By the 1980s, the safe sex, these rules may be hard to scientific and technological ground­ follow; but when you are hunting for work for sophisticated SETI was aliens, being careful is the only way available. to ensure your scientific survival. The cultural groundwork had also

290 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 been established for the project. In the international astronomical Scientists like Carl Sagan, Arthur C. community, interest continued to Clarke, and Philip Morrison stirred grow. In 1982, Commission #51, the interest with their talks and writings. Bioastronomy Commission, was Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. established in the International Astro­ Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey, nomical Union (IAU). Boston Univer­ Stephen Spielberg's ET: The Extrater­ sity astronomer Michael D. Pappagian- restrial, and Sagan's science series nis led this effort. From its initial size Cosmos on television are but a few of of about 150 members, it has grown the major media events that helped to nearly 300, making it one of the shape cultural interest in the subject. largest commissions within IAU. Meanwhile, in NASA, diligent Unfortunately, there is a sad sim­ work by John Billingham, Barney ilarity between the SETI revolution Oliver, Sam Gulkis, Mike Klein, Jill and the sexual revolution. Just when Tarter (no relation to the author), and we thought we were about to learn other scientists, helped overcome the "joys of sex" in a sexually eman­ internal resistance to a SETI program. cipated society, the pandemic of AIDS The same individuals, with the help appeared. In the SETI revolution, just of many others, later led efforts to as SETI scientists were beginning to secure funding from Congress. learn the joys of being a federally - hx*^/ 1 *

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Radio telescope at Arecibo. Puertio Rico. r \ASi

Spring 1993 291 funded program, one of the greatest animals . . . the contemporary rein­ budget crises in the history of America carnation of phoenixes and unicorns" appeared. Tax-supported scientific (Swift 1990:323). programs are coming under increas­ The radio astronomer Charles ingly harsh scrutiny. The slightest Seeger, longtime SETI advocate, has indiscretion may produce ominous stated a more moderate position with results. Sex and SETI are no longer respect to UFOs: "I don't . . . call it just fun and games—they are poten­ nonsense, because I think it is a tially lethal if not practiced with great fascinating aspect of humanity. But care. Safe science with SETI is not just there is no reasonably respectable desirable, it is essential. evidence that we are being visited by extraterrestrials. . . ." (Swift 1990: Be Careful with High-Risk Groups 302). Jill Tarter, chief project scientist at SETI and the Air Force have a common NASA Ames, perhaps best summed problem—UFO enthusiasts. Before up the tough-minded approach to the the days of sophisticated SETI UFO subject taken by most SETI searches the Air Force was the prime scientists when she said: "I have an target for UFOlogists. The continuing open mind on whether anyone has insistence that the Air Force "knows seen anything that has a reality to it; something," or is "hiding something," a closed mind on the idea that what with respect to alien life-forms has a has been seen is a manifestation of life of its own. Proving the negative extraterrestrial visitation, and an case is impossible. Now that SETI is absolute demand that people who are getting serious, it is likely that this pursuing this subject attempt to treat type of annoying attention will shift this the way we would any other toward the international radio- scientific investigation, and that is to astronomy community. arrange for hard, reproducible, believ­ In order to be "politically correct" able evidence" (Swift 1990:371). (i.e., fundable), the last thing in the This sort of hard-nosed, no- world SETI scientists want is to be nonsense approach has made the task identified with UFO interests. The of keeping distance from the high-risk suspicion that SETI was somehow UFO groups easier. According to Seth part of the "UFO thing" led former Shostak, public programs scientist at Senator William Proxmire to give the the SETI Institute in Mountain View, 1979 SETI budget request the great California: "UFO groups almost never Congressional "booby prize," his ask us to speak to them. They avoid famous "Golden Fleece" award. Even us. They know our approach to the though Carl Sagan was eventually issue and leave us alone." able to enlighten Senator Proxmire, leading him to withdraw his opposi­ Avoid High-Risk Behavior tion to SETI, many would-be Prox- mires have staged a perennial In recent years there has been much procession of similar charges in vir­ ado about new-age science and tually ever budget hearing since. Is insights based upon emerging new there any wonder that SETI scientists paradigms. Supposedly, these new are touchy about the UFO issue? developments will rattle traditional Freeman Dyson, one of the many science to its roots. The framework prominent figures associated with of theoretical discussion in SETI, SETI, dismisses UFOs as "mythical however, remains firmly rooted in the

292 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Interstellar Contact Will Enrich Our Lives

"Now, after all our efforts over the nurture people's yearning curiosity past three decades, I am standing about the beings who will no doubt with my colleagues at last on the contact us. At the same time, I want brink of discovery. ... I see a to quell the misleading myths about pressing need to prepare thinking extraterrestrials, from the mis­ adults for the outcome of the taken belief that they have visited present search activity [NASA's us in the past, to the terrifying idea new formal SETI mission, scanning that they will wrest the future from for signals from a million stars or our hands." more at a time]—the imminent detection of signals from an extra­ terrestrial civilization. This discov­ —Astronomer and SETI pioneer ery, which I fully expect to witness Frank Drake, in Frank Drake and before the year 2000, will pro­ Dava Sobel, Is Anyone Out foundly change the world. . . . There? The Scientific Search for Interstellar contact will enrich our Extraterrestrial Intelligence lives immeasurably. ... I want to (Delacorte Press, 1992) classical tradition, and those roots of physical forces as we understand haven't been rattled yet. Speculations them here on Earth (naturalism). If of a quasi-mystical nature among life exists elsewhere in the universe, SETI scientists are rare. its course of evolution may be deter­ Classical science rests upon three mined by forces similar to those that basic assumptions about the universe. have shaped our own evolution (deter­ First, the cosmos can be explained minism). Our own biological and without reference to supernatural or technological evolution has led us to mystical entities or forces that occupy the point that we are able to use a realm different from and inaccessible electromagnetic energy to send signals to occupants of physical reality as we over vast cosmic distances. Other know it. This is the principle of intelligent beings might do the same. naturalism. A second basic assump­ Such signals, if they exist, can be tion is that we live in a determined detected and perhaps interpreted universe where cause and effect are (empiricism). operative at all levels, except perhaps The naturalistic, deterministic, and the subatomic one. This is the prin­ empirical perspective of the SETI ciple of determinism. Finally, through enterprise is tempered by the classic careful observation of the physical caution of William of Ockham, who world, we can come to know and, in in the fourteenth century insisted that many cases, predict and control its "entities must not needlessly be dimensions. This is the principle of multiplied"—the famous scientific empiricism. dictum of Occam's Razor. This is SETI has traditionally rested firmly interpreted in modern science as on these three cornerstones of clas­ saying that if two theories have equal sical science. If intelligent life exists explanatory power, the one based on elsewhere in the universe, it is prob­ the fewer assumptions is given pref­ ably the natural evolutionary outcome erence. In reference to SETI, this

Spring 1993 293 means that we need not assume that Even in the remote possibility that any unusual or exotic conditions (at with our present generation of radio least no more unusual or exotic than receivers we are able to detect the exist here on Earth) are necessary for noise of knowing beings, we should the formation and evolution of life. be prepared for the possibility of Likewise, it also means that in the success and the possibility of human process of examining interstellar radio error. Of great concern to the SETI emissions, those of an interesting but community is the possible erroneous nonrepetitive nature are chalked up announcement of a discovery of an as not being indicators of other extraterrestrial civilization that turns intelligence. Occam's Razor surgically out to be either a natural cosmic removes the joys of single strange phenomenon, a hoax by pranksters, signals from the tedious work of radio or a hitherto unknown source of radio astronomers. frequency interference (RFI). It is precisely because the SETI In just over 30 years of small-scale enterprise is on the edge of established radio searches, radio astronomers science that its practitioners have been have thus far avoided the embarrass­ extremely careful to play within the ing spectacle of announcing nonexist­ rules of accepted scientific assump­ ent aliens. There were times when it tions and procedures. Quasi-mystical was sorely tempting to scream, "We speculation is the luxury of well- Found Them!" Frank Drake's first established and securely funded scien­ search in 1960 produced obviously ces. SETI enjoys neither distinction. intelligent emissions, which at first The assumptions on which SETI seemed to be from the star Epsilon rests can be, and have been, debated Eridani. After repeated checks over ad nauseam; but, as the director of the several weeks, it turned out to be Planetary Society's SETI Project, earthly radio interference. In 1965, META I (Megachannel Extraterres­ Soviet astronomers discovered the trial Assay #1), Paul Horowitz has pulsating signals of CTA-102. Tass, said: ". . . You can argue yourself blue the official Soviet news agency, in an in the face, but if you want to answer attempt to claim another first for this question you are going to have Soviet science, claimed them to be to do the experiment" (SETI Institute signals from distant civilizations. The 1990). Soviet astronomers, however, took With the dawn of the NASA pro­ the courageous step of rebuking Tass gram, this exotic cosmic experiment for this interpretation. In 1967, the is now beginning on a massive scale. clear identification of rapid and pre­ It is being conducted well within the cisely timed high-energy signals by prudent practices that have thus far Jocelyn Bell and Anthony Hewish at successfully guided the human scien­ the Mullard Radio Astronomy Obser­ tific adventure. vatory, Cambridge, seemed, at first, to be of intelligent origin. After careful investigation and several months Gel the Safe Science Message Out delay, they turned out to be pulsars— If safe sex is to be effective, people one of nature's most unusual physical must know what it means. If SETI's objects. All of these incidents indicate safe science is to work, the public must that the astronomical community has learn to apply its rules to their own a long track record of responsible thinking. Public information policy is behavior in such matters. The ques­ critical for SETI. tion is: Will this responsible behavior

294 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 continue under modern and more well-verified announcement of signal complex circumstances? acquisition. "Acquisition Day," as The growth of the tabloid media, Philip Morrison likes to call it, would an increasing tendency to conduct be one of the most significant days science by press conference rather in human history. The SETI commun­ than by peer review, and the growing ity would be announcing one of the competition for funds and recognition great discoveries of science, perhaps among scientists could threaten a the greatest discovery in scientific cautious and deliberate researching of history. This would be a discovery that a potential discovery. The SETI com­ lies close to established cultural munity definitely wants to avoid what mythologies, sensitivities, hopes, and has been called the "cold-fusion fears. It is not likely that announce­ confusion." That famous debacle ment of a discovery would come with within the fusion-energy community clear and complete answers as to the damaged the reputation of individuals, origin and meaning (if any) of the institutions, and to some degree message. It is precisely this vacuum science itself. of information that public reaction Recognizing the potential problems would seek to fill. In the absence of with announcing a discovery of extra­ complete scientific information, terrestrial intelligence, several rumor, speculation, and exploitation members of the SETI community, would very likely occur. How should myself included, have struggled to find the SETI community respond? solutions. A post-detection protocol The unknowns of the post-contact has been drafted ("Declaration of period could be a public information Principles . . ." 1990). This effort has nightmare for SETI scientists. The been spearheaded by Michael A. G. SETI community is only beginning to Michaud, of the U.S. Department of think through these issues (Tarter State, and Jill Tarter. That protocol 1992). A great deal of planning must has now been adopted by the major be done, even if such planning is for scientific organizations involved in the an event that is only remotely SETI enterprise. The post-detection probable. protocol is an effort to steady the SETI In the meantime, the public should community's step in case it does come be informed of the difficulties in up with some very interesting signals. identifying and interpretating an alien It is a complicated—some say "Byzan­ signal. They should realize that mis­ tine"—procedure of checks, double takes could be made. If a discovery is checks, and notifications to be carried made, the public should understand out before announcement is made. the deep commitment that scientists The protocol is voluntary, as it must in the SETI community have shown be, and in practice it may be difficult to careful and open science. One to carry out. The protocol agreement, should exercise extreme caution about however, does stand as an official accepting conspiracy theories that recognition of the responsibility of claim the government or scientific science to the integrity of its own community is hiding something. One enterprise and to the orderly notifi­ should expect and tolerate a great deal cation of officials and the public that of confusion, rumor, and nonsense. a discovery of potentially enormous Indeed, the public should, for its own consequence has been "made. mental hygiene, remember the mes­ A more difficult task is to try to sage of safe science. If you can't envision what might happen after a abstain from your interest in aliens,

Spring 1993 295 be careful about joining risky groups, University of Arizona Press. avoid high-risk thinking, and ask for Tarter, Donald E. 1992. "Interpreting and more information. Reporting on a SETI Discovery: We Should Be Prepared." Space Policy, May, pp. 137-148. Note Donald E. Tarter (591 Sharpes Hollow This paper derives from lectures given at the 1992 Summer Session of the International Rd., New Market, AL 35761) is a Space University, Kitakyushu, Japan. I would lecturer at the International Space like to thank my colleague John Elder for University and a member of the Inter­ suggesting the title. national Academy of Astronautics SETI Committee. References

"Declaration of Principle Concerning Activ­ Editor's Note ities Following the Detection of Exterres- trial Intelligence." 1990. Acta Earlier discussions of SETI issues have Astronautka: journal of the International appeared in the following SKEPTICAL Academy of Astronautics, 21, no. 2: 153- 154. INQUIRER articles: Carl Sagan, "The Fauiks, Zen. 1991. "Getting Smart About Burden of Skepticism," Fall 1987; Getting Smarts," SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Thomas R. McDonough, "Searching 15: 263-268, Spring. for Extraterrestrial Intelligence" "Quest for Contact." 1990. A videotape, (interview), Spring 1991; Zen Faulkes, narrated by Jill Tarter, SETI Institute: Mountain View, Calif. "Getting Smart About Getting Swift, David W. 1990. SETI Pioneers. Tucson: Smarts," Spring 1991.

OUT THERE i**Pudin

296 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Education for Science

AL GORE, JR.

hen I was in grade school, one of my classmates noticed that the west coast W of Africa and the east coast of South America would fit together like pieces of a puzzle. "Teacher," he asked, "were those continents ever next to each other?" "Of course not," answered our teacher, "that's ridiculous!" Feeling foolish, the boy went back to memo­ rizing the names of countries and their capitals. Not too many years later the theories of plate tectonics and continental drift were developed, £% after scientists had puzzled for years over the Leadership in the apparent "fit" of continental outlines. My classmate's hunch was a good one. By now, global economy many of the names of countries and capitals requires quality that we memorized have changed, as the factual education. information that's transmitted in classrooms often does, but what remains for a lifetime are Education for the attitudes toward learning that are conveyed. science should be What kinds of attitudes are we conveying to a mind-stretching our children? Every child is born eager to learn. The kinds voyage of of inquiries that have intrigued scientists discovery. Children throughout history are the daily thoughts of must be given the childhood. "How many stars are there?" "How does that seed make a flower?""Why do I grow?" chance to use and Parents and teachers have always been chal­ strengthen every lenged by questions like these. They have tried to provide answers that would satisfy a young creative and mind, and if they are really engaged in teaching inquiring instinct how to learn, they have encouraged more they have. questions and helped children learn how to find the answers. Today, America's leadership in a global economy depends on the extent to which we can generate the right questions and nurture the process by which they are answered. Every young child, every student throughout our educational system, and every adult in the work force must be able to acquire the skills and

Spring 1993 knowledge they need to compete, and think that only a few students are to explore and lead the way to a new going to be "good at math and science," century of achievement. and we cannot possibly predict all of Education for science should be a the applications they may need to mind-stretching voyage of discovery understand. We can predict with for all of us. It is as fundamental as certainty that we will all need to be our understanding of ourselves, of our conversant with the technologies of surroundings, and of life itself. All of the future. As workers or home­ the mysteries, all of the frontiers, all owners we may need to know every­ of the great adventures that lie before thing from how to program a VCR us will be more accessible to us with to how to assemble a super-collider. a greater knowledge of scientific Students who were being prepared disciplines. to be good industrial workers were The need for a sophisticated level taught by teachers who lectured to of scientific skill and the methods to them. When they were tested, they achieve that skill is far greater and needed only to remember and repeat profoundly different today than in the the teachers' words. Instead of util­ past. Agrarian and industrial societies izing a child's natural curiosity and felt the need for relatively few people creativity, we sought to mass produce who were technologically sophisti­ the workers who, in turn, would mass cated and able to devote themselves produce our products. Worse, we to breakthroughs like the combine or allowed millions of students to the cotton gin that enabled the econ­ accomplish far less than they were omy to remain competitive and effi­ capable of, and we never counted the cient. Those who had little formal cost. education or few verbal and mathe­ We could seat children in rows and matical skills could still achieve the talk at them when we were going to American dream with hard work and expect them to stand in rows in a willingness to learn. factories and mills. If they are to be Now the harvest is information and prepared to be the workers and technology, and scientific education thinkers of the twenty-first century, has become the critical skill. Today an they must be experiencing the world economy dependent on information directly, guided by teachers who act and technology cannot survive with­ like coaches in helping them to for­ out workers at every level who can mulate and answer difficult questions. not only use computers but program Now we know we must give our and design the tools with which they children the opportunity to use and will perform their tasks. Increasingly, strengthen every creative and inquir­ we are turning our production pro­ ing instinct they possess. We know cesses to highly specialized "short that they must learn to work co­ runs." This enables smart manufac­ operatively, to write intelligently, to turers to respond to very specific speak persuasively, and to acquire a market niches and shortens product fundamental level of competence in life cycles. math and science. . . . Today's workers know that they The number of college-age people may change jobs frequently, even if in this country reached an all-time they do not change employers, high in 1983 but will continue to because the industries in which they decline through most of the 1990s. By work are changing and developing so the year 2000 the level is expected to rapidly. We can no longer afford to be below the 1970 level. Today, the

298 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 college drop-out rate is twice the high- school drop-out rate. Moreover, fewer college students are seeking careers in We must use every opportunity science and related fields. A survey conducted by the American Council to reawaken in our students a on Education and the cooperative sense of wonder and begin to Institutional Research Program at UCLA found that in 1988 only 15.3 satisfy their natural scientific percent of entering freshmen chose curiosity. science majors, compared with 21.3 percent in 1966. We urgently need to expand and awaken in our students a sense of diversify our science and engineering wonder and begin to satisfy their labor pool, but it is estimated that only natural scientific curiosity. It has been 15 percent of the entering work force said that "science is a contact sport," in the year 2000 will be native-born and any teacher can tell you that the white males or Asian Americans, who favorite activities of young children have traditionally been over- are those that allow them to roll up represented in science, math, and their sleeves and get elbow deep in engineering. African-American stu­ their studies. We give outdated books dent enrollment in science and engi­ to children sitting in quiet rows, rather neering has declined almost 20 percent than allowing them to plunge their since 1981. The rate at which black hands into the mysteries of growing and Hispanic students continue their plants or crystals. And then, as our science programs through graduation students become more sophisticated has been 29 percent, compared with in their abilities, we increasingly the national average of 79 percent. divorce "science" from real life and Women comprise nearly half the experience and from the other disci­ nation's work force, and the Small plines they are studying. The joy of Business Administration estimates learning and the wonder of scientific that by the year 2000 women will own discovery are frequently lost in half of the nation's companies. Yet attempts to "sort out" those who are only 16 percent of all scientists and "not really serious" about science. We engineers are women. Overcoming do not have a single child to waste; the stereotypes that have prevented not one future parent or teacher or us from encouraging scientific educa­ scientist; not one productive citizen of tion for women and minorities is not the United States. only an issue of equity, it is now an Equally important are opportuni­ issue of economic growth and survi­ ties for students to visit and, when val. During the Reagan/Bush/Quayle possible, participate in some of the years this talent shortfall has been professional settings where scientific completely ignored at the federal level, skills are utilized. Educators know that and the NSF has had to create an in­ the students who are able to find ternal "gender equity" task force to after-school or summer jobs that put address the problem. . . . their scientific skills to practical use In order to attract and retain more are much more likely to pursue careers students into science and technology, in the field. Even college students and convince all our students that they frequently have no clear conception need to be scientifically literate, we of ways in which they can practice the must use every opportunity to re- science they are studying. The image

Spring 1993 299 superhighway for information—and the new technology that will help us It is time to strengthen harness ever more effectively the democracy by assuring that all capacity of our most powerful super­ computers. This information super­ our citizens will be scientifically highway will link them with schools, literate and eager to make wise research centers, and universities. Legislation I introduced in 1992 will use of technologies as they help us rapidly move the technologies emerge. we develop to help improve our schools, make our businesses more profitable, and our health care more of "science nerds" must be supplanted effective. Bill Clinton and I have by the image of explorers at the edge proposed a national information of our known world. As our knowl­ infrastructure as a high priority for edge and the uses we create for it the 1990s expand exponentially, we must inspire Students who do not even have young men and women with concrete access to tape recorders and slide visions of the future. . . . projectors, and who are forced to use Two outstandingly creative junior- outdated texts, will never be able to high-school teachers in Nashville have compete in a world in which their devised a vocational education curric­ fellow workers were taught with ulum that introduces students to videodiscs and CD-ROMS in multi­ applied technology in robotics, lasers, media, interactive programs. Our pneumatics, computer-controlled school systems have invested a mere machine lathes, and applied physics. $5 per student per year in technology During summer vacation, these over the past decade. Many school teachers built a series of modular systems are struggling with drastically learning centers in a former wood­ reduced budgets at the local level, and working classroom. Using a self- states are faced with a cut-back of taught series of lesson plans, each federal support; but whatever the student in their class is able to school budget, the purchase of useless progress to the completion of a task, or uninspired material is money such as building a rocket. Science wasted, and even the smallest invest­ education takes on a new meaning ment in materials that fire a child's when junior-high vocational educa­ imagination is money well spent. A tion students become self-taught small investment in technology will rocket scientists! build a path to the superhighway of Understanding and utilizing tech­ the future and feed a school's need nology is critical to the future of to become part of a larger system of education, especially education for education. . . . science. I have worked for nearly 12 We are ideally positioned to main­ years to secure legislation that would tain leadership in science and math. improve access to technology by Americans win more Nobel prizes and teachers, scientists, students, busi­ produce more scientific publications nessmen, doctors, and librarians. The than any other country in the world. High Performance Computing Act Students from around the world seek that I introduced and fought for until advanced degrees at American univer­ it passed will create the nation's first sities. It is not enough to set a National high-speed computer network—a Education Goal that states, "Our

300 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 students are to be first in the world the millennia are being brought in math and science by the 21st together by the fact that school­ century." Active leadership that children in small towns in Tennessee encourages the participation of par­ are using satellite beams to learn ents, teachers, and entire communities Japanese and advanced science so that is needed to accomplish this goal. We they can compete successfully in a must prepare our children to take global economy. Revolutionary infor­ advantage of the enormous opportu­ mation and technology lie waiting to nity that our country provides. transform our educational system. In classrooms across the country, They are already growing and reach­ American children are asking ques­ ing out to our children. For too long tions that may have just as much we have relegated scientific learning scientific importance as the question to an elite few; it is time to strengthen my classmate asked about the conti­ democracy by assuring that all our nents that fit together. We can't afford citizens will be scientifically literate to let those questions go unanswered. and eager to make wise use of tech­ We can't allow that student's curiosity nologies as they emerge. National to be stifled. We can't wait until a leadership is needed to assess, coor­ student in another country finds the dinate, and promote our enormous answer and creates a scientific revo­ existing resources, both human and lution. With the available and expand­ scientific. The Clinton/Gore adminis­ ing technology, with the wealth of tration will seek to create a vast ideas and approaches that are being network utilizing these talents and developed, with the combined resour­ technologies that will continue to ces of business, applied research, and propel our children and our nation higher education, we can form a into a position of world leadership in cooperative system that will continue the future. to produce the world's leading scien­ tists and enable them to put their Al Gore, Jr., is Vice President of the United knowledge into practice. We will also States. Prior to his election, he was a U.S. be able to educate the most scien­ senator and Chairman of the Senate tifically knowledgeable citizens and Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and the most technically proficient Space. This article is excerpted from an workers in the world. address he gave at the University of New The continents that we now know Mexico, Albuquerque, October 28, have drifted apart geologically over 1992.

Spring 1993 301 Evry Schatzman was the recipient of the Distinguished Skeptic Award at the 1992 CSICOP Conference in Dallas and was a speaker at the Saturday luncheon. This article is based on those remarks. A Threat to Science

EVRY SCHATZMAN

e are living in a critical epoch. Every­ thing is changing on a time scale W shorter than the interval between two generations. The state of the world 30 years from now is so uncertain that it is impossible to make any predictions. In this situation, what is the possible role of science? I am raising this question here because I think CSICOP can play an important part in the necessary actions. A The spreading I am perhaps pessimistic, but I think there is a threat to science throughout the world. This public appears to be in contradiction to the results misunderstanding given by the current Science Indicators, a report of the National Science Board (NSB), briefly and mistrust of analyzed in the Fall 1992 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. science is I shall try to explain why I nevertheless stick to the idea that there is a threat to science. dangerous in First, what do we call science? A line in the these rapidly NSB report, "Eighty percent agree with the changing times. proposition that even if it brings no immediate benefits, basic science research should be supported by the federal government," brings us to the main point. Science can be opposed to technology. Science discovers laws of nature, and technology uses this knowledge to build tools, instruments, and machines. In laborato­ ries, a new tool can help to discover a new law of nature, but the tool itself does not depend on unknown properties. Surprisingly, the confusion between science and technology is found in the writings of many philosophers, in their thinking that basic scientific research and technology are not different. Basic scientific research explores the unknown. A discovery is unknown before being made. Technology is based on the use of known properties of matter. The first statement among several used by the

302 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 NSB to elicit public attitudes toward science was: "Science and technology are making lives healthier, easier, and Reason more comfortable." Eighty-two per­ Against Dogmatism cent of American and 74 percent of French adults agreed with the state­ At the Union Rationaliste, we ment. If we consider the present advocate the use of reason against ecological movement, which often dogmatism and of science against suggests that science is at the origin pseudoscience, and defend hu­ of pollution and fosters the belief that manism against the continuous the atom bomb is an emblem of attempts of the Catholic church science, the data published by the NSB to control education, morals, and, are surprising. Was there a bias to the if it were possible, the state. This questions? last question has been a major part There are a variety of attitudes of our activities during the past toward science: Some people admire several years, which does not science because it brings truth. Some mean that we forgot about astrol­ people do not trust science because ogy, homeopathy, and other pseu- what they get from quantum mechan­ dosciences. We took part in the ics is that it does not bring truth. But action against the strange affair the aura of science is such that lots of "water memory," invented by of people are convinced that there are Jacques Benveniste to justify scientific proofs that astrology and homeopathy. The trouble with other such pseudosciences are right, that story is that some scientists, and many of them complain that these in a discrete and anonymous way, matters are not taught at the univer­ helped Benveniste, whose labor­ sities and are not studied in research atory was supported by homeo­ centers. pathic drug firms. Science el Vie, Let us leave now the general public a well-known and excellent mag­ and go to the political level. Politicians azine of the popularization of are interested in the applications of science, was condemned for def­ science when there is a possibility that amation, and during the prelimi­ they will lead to new industrial nary investigation Benveniste developments, increased production, received help from people with and improved economic growth. The political power. Altogether this problem is that scientists cannot raises important and deep socio­ promise anything; it is not possible to logical questions. predict the benefit of discoveries that have yet to be made. Consequently, —Evry Schatzman politicians have a tendency to cut the budget of scientific research in fields that have not produced any benefit I would like to stress now. and do not show promise of benefit Most politicians, being ignorant in on the horizon. In this respect, the science, rely on two kinds of infor­ very small number of political repre­ mation: on one side, the history of the sentatives who come from the scien­ applications of science from World tific community are very important; War I to World War II, and on the but most politicians have no knowl­ other side, the dissertations of edge of the nature of science and thinkers and philosophers. On the scientific research, and this is the point first side, we have an example.

Spring 1993 303 Twenty years ago, Physics Today, the community. monthly magazine of the American These statements about theory Physics Society, mentioned that the apply particularly to Prosper Blondlot, new generation of politicians, having who "discovered" N-rays. I think he no experience of the incredible appli­ was essentially a poor physicist, cations of scientific discoveries during reflecting the state of French physics World War II, were not as convinced early in this century, probably com­ of the value of basic scientific research pletely ignoring Maxwell's electro­ as their seniors had been. This was magnetic theory of light and not the explanation of the sudden drop in deliberately committing fraud. The the amount of state support for discovery of the weakness of his N- science. On the other side, the situa­ ray experiments took place early tion is perhaps worse in Europe than enough for the French Academy of in the United States. Constant refer­ Sciences to deliver its award to ence to quantum mechanics and to Blondlot for all his work rather than Heisenberg's uncertainty principle for his discovery of N-rays. gives to a large well-educated but not I think we cannot stress sufficiently scientific public the idea that it is not the wonder of realizing that an possible to have confidence in science, experiment based on a law of nature to trust science. The consequence is can be successful. This can be done quite clear: Why should the state at an elementary level and shown to invest in a domain that cannot be pupils by nice experiments they can trusted? conduct themselves. The enthusiasm This brings us to the question of generated by discovering that a scien­ how to teach science in order to make tific statement corresponds to an clear that science is part of culture. observable phenomenon seems to me But we have to consider the difference part of culture. between teaching science as a tool, It is important to note that, if eventually as a professional tool, and teachers themselves are not convinced teaching the nature of science. that a scientific statement expresses • Scientific discourse gives a repre­ a real property, they will not be able sentation of natural processes; the to carry the message to their pupils. major property of this knowledge is When I am speaking about the threat that it is operational. We here meet to science, I am also thinking of a slow a philosophical problem. Theory is a disaggregation of the message to representation of reality. Theory can pupils, with the possibility that in a be incomplete, but it can predict new few years people will consider scien­ phenomena, one of the best examples tific work to be like an activity of being the experimental discovery of entities on another planet, of beings the wave properties of electrons after foreign to Earth. the discoveries of Louis de Broglie. In What worries me is the potential this respect, the French school of decay of science in an epoch where physics in the first half of the century the time scale of all events is decreas­ was much influenced by positivism. ing and becoming shorter than the Experimental data were the only time interval between two genera­ reliable things; theory was always tions, 20 or 30 years. Let us assume considered as speculative. I am a that no World War III will occur. The theoretician, and I had to fight hard world population will have increased in my younger years to have theory by 50 to 100 percent. Migration will accepted by the French scientific have become a great worry. Energy

304 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 problems will have to be solved on a of hope, a need for a vision of a happy planetary scale. Specialists claim that future, a weakness of people's person­ Earth could easily feed 50 billion alities that appears to be compensated people, but producing food is not only for by beliefs that give the feeling of a technical problem: food production, safeness. These sociological and psy­ for social reasons, is already difficult chological problems have to be under­ in many countries and can become stood if we want to fight efficiently worse. I always have the feeling that against unsupported beliefs. Ap­ politicians are talking of tomorrow's proaching these questions also problems with nineteenth-century belongs among the duties of CSICOP. thoughts and language, as if we had This is part of our task; it will help eternity ahead of us. the defense of science, and I am sure We are not going to build an that we can do it. ideology, the new version of the future, the new Utopia that will help Evry Schatzman is president of the French us to cross the turn of the century. Union Rationaliste, founded by the great But at least we should approach these physicist Paul Langevin in 1931. problems. People have strange beliefs, Schatzman is a member of the French yes. But there is a lack of security, Academy of Sciences and has been teaching an uncertainty of social life, an absence astrophysics at Paris University.

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Spring 1993 305 Charles Honorton's Legacy to Parapsychology

SUSAN BLACKMORE

harles Honorton was one of parapsy- chology's foremost researchers. He died C November 4, 1992, of a heart attack at his home in Edinburgh, leaving the small world of parapsychology in shock. Although many of us knew that he had had heart problems for some time, the loss of an active researcher in the midst of his career and at the age of only 46 must always be a shock. To parapsychology In 1990 Honorton it was doubly so because of the unique impor­ tance of his work. published the results I wanted to write something in his memory, of 11 well-designed not only because I knew him for many years ganzfeld but because his loss will have an enormous experiments yielding impact on parapsychology. And I am not at all sure just what that impact will be. strongly significant Chuck and I had not, to say the least, seen results. Unlike so eye to eye on the paranormal. I remember with many earlier studies affection a somewhat drunken argument at a in parapsychology, parapsychology convention at Tufts University in which we were both more or less reduced these cannot be to tears and hopeless hugs by our complete easily dismissed. failure to understand how the other could go on believing what they did. At that time, in 1985, he was director of the Psychophysical Research Laboratories, in Princeton, New Jersey. In 1989 the funding dried up (as has happened to so many parapsychology laboratories), and he moved to Edinburgh University to work with Bob Morris and his team at the Koestler Chair. After his arrival there, he and I had many extended phone conversations and learned that, whatever our differences, we shared a deter­ mination to try to understand paranormal claims and an unwillingness to accept shoddy research or shoddy criticism. An Italian skeptics' journal recently asked three well-known parapsychol-

306 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 ogists and three leading skeptics to level way above the assumed .05, and write about parapsychology's future. that many studies suffered from Chuck and I were asked to comment procedural flaws. He subjected the on the contributions from opposing data to meta-analysis and showed that points of view. Although I have not some flaws positively correlated with yet seen his response, I have a sneak­ effect size—in other words, the flaws ing feeling that his and mine will have were probably responsible for the more in common than in opposition. effect and the data were too weak to But that is enough of my personal support any claims about psi (Hyman memories of Chuck; more important 1985). is to explain why his death will make In response, Honorton (1985) used such a difference. a statistical technique to eliminate the It is often said that in parapsychol­ problem of multiple analysis. He ogy fads come every decade or so and showed that the successful result's did then go away: like S. G. Soal's work not depend on any one investigator in the fifties and dream-telepathy in and performed his own meta-analysis, the sixties. The supposed fad of the which showed no relationship be­ 1970s was the ganzfeld. But it has not tween flaws and study outcome. The gone away yet. whole debate was published in 1985 It was in 1974 that Honorton and and was a turning point in parapsy­ Harper published the first paper chology. Although people remained describing the psi-ganzfeld technique divided over the substantive issue— in which the subject, or receiver, Is there ESP in the ganzfeld or not?— relaxes on a comfortable chair or bed, there was general agreement that the has halved ping-pong balls over the debate was extremely useful and that eyes to produce a uniform visual field both Hyman and Honorton were to (the ganzfeld) and white noise or be congratulated for their persistence repetitive sounds fed through head­ and courage in working together and phones. His hypothesis was that this seeing it through to a joint statement reduction in patterned sensory input (Hyman and Honorton 1986). Perhaps would encourage free-flowing image­ most important was that the debate ry and the incorporation of extra­ brought together skeptics and parap- sensory perception (ESP), and that it sychologists to discuss the issues. I can would be far easier to study than other recall several conferences at which "psi-conducive states," such as med­ they tried to agree on just what would itation and dreaming. The significant count as a flawless experiment. Realiz­ results encouraged many other para- ing, of course, that such an ideal is psychologists to replicate or extend unattainable, it was still possible to the method. reach some general agreement. It was By 1982, when the Parapsycholog- then that Chuck designed a com­ ical Association teamed up with the pletely automated ganzfeld testing Society for Psychical Research in a procedure. centenary conference, the "Ganzfeld Over the next few years Honorton Debate" was under way. Ray Hyman and his team at Princeton worked with had taken on the task of evaluating their system and in 1990 published the the entire database of some 40 ganz­ results of 11 experiments with 241 feld experiments. He argued that the volunteer subjects and 355 ganzfeld claimed 55-percent success rate was sessions (Honorton et al. 1990). I can a gross overestimate, that multiple only imagine the amount of time and testing pushed the true significance work involved in this from my own

Spring 1993 307 experience with a simple ganzfeld work with, and we may yet get to the experiment with just 20 trials. The bottom of the mystery—whether the results of these automated studies solution is a psychic or a normal one. were staggeringly significant. My own But if they fail I suspect we shall never impression from reading the paper know why Chuck Honorton seemed many times was that the experiments to have the magic touch when it came were very well designed and the to producing psi. results certainly not due to chance. If Was it his personality? Was it they were due to something other something he brought to the exper­ than psi it was not obvious what it imental design? Was his hypothesis was. In other words, these experi­ about sensory noise reduction actually ments stood out from all the mass of correct? I am very, very sorry that we failed, barely significant, or obviously are not to see Chuck himself repeat flawed studies. these experiments over here and give Why were they successful? That is us the chance to find out. His death the crux of the matter and one of the was a blow to parapsychology and he reasons Chuck Honorton will be so will be greatly missed. sorely missed. Everyone interested in parapsychology, whether believer, References disbeliever, or skeptic, ought to take these results seriously. They cannot Honorton, C. 1985. Meta-analysis of psi be dismissed lightly. They conform to ganzfeld research: A response to Hyman. most, if not all, of the requirements journal of Parapsychology, 49: 51-86. laid down by the skeptics, and the Honorton, C, R. E. Berger, M. P. Varvoglis, M. Quant, P. Derr, E. I. Schechter, and results were highly significant, con­ D. C. Ferrari. 1990. Psi communication vincing many of the reality of labor­ in the ganzfeld. journal of Parapsychology, atory psi. Certainly the Edinburgh 54: 99-139. group took them seriously and were Honorton, C, and S. Harper. 1974. Psi- delighted that Chuck was able to come mediated imagery and ideation in an experimental procedure for regulating to Scotland to set up the same auto­ perceptual input, journal of the American mated system in a different place and Society for Psychical Research, 68:156-168. with different colleagues. They, like Hyman, R. 1985. The ganzfeld psi experi­ the rest of us, wanted to know ment: A critical appraisal, journal of whether the same results would be Parapsychology, 49: 3-49. Hyman, R., and C. Honorton. 1986. A joint obtained. communique: The psi ganzfeld contro­ Now, of course, we shall never versy, journal of Parapsychology, 50: 351- know. The Edinburgh team is deter­ 364. mined to carry on Chuck's good work, but what will they find? If they are Susan Blackmore is senior lecturer in as successful as his Princeton team psychology at the University of the West was, then there will be something to of England, Bristol.

308 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Book Reviews Unsolving 'Solved' Mysteries

Unsolved Mysteries: Past and Present. By Colin Wilson and Damon Wilson. Contemporary Books, Chicago, 1992. 426 pp. Paper, $13.95.

J ROBERT A. BAKER

olin Wilson, one of the most hallucinations. Often described as prolific of the modern para- "waking dreams," such visions are normalists (author of such frequently of the ghost-at-the- C bedside variety (p. 18). books as The Occult; Poltergeist!; The Psychic Detectives; and The Encyclopedia Nickell and Fischer clearly establish of Unsolved Mysteries), has published beyond a shadow of a doubt that the yet another paean of psychic propa­ ghostly noises in Mackenzie House ganda. Unsolved Mysteries: Past and came from the house next door and Present is coauthored by his son that this was the only material basis Damon. Colin, nevertheless, not only for the legend of the hauntings. professes to having many skeptical Wilson simply doesn't accept Nickell's friends—Melvin Harris, Ian Wilson, explanation of the coffins mystery and and Marcello Truzzi—but also goes his evidence that the entire thing was out of his way to praise CSICOP a hoax, or the Mackenzie haunting luminary Joe Nickell for his solution explanation. In Wilson's words, "If you to the mystery of the Barbados happen to believe, as I do, that there "restless coffins." Wilson spoils it all, are such things as ghosts, then you however, by immediately proceeding would require a further demonstra­ to "unsolve" the coffin mystery by tion that the sightings of a shadowy overlooking essential elements of woman and a man in a frock coat were Nickell's explanation and, from his also the result of the rumbling boiler" literary bench, ruling that both the (p. xix). Of course no such claim was coffins and "The Ghost of the Mac­ ever made, but this fact does not get kenzie House" are still "unsolved" in the way of Wilson's contention. mysteries. Any unbiased reader of In a similar manner, and using these two cases, found in Nickell and some of the strangest paralogical Fischer's Secrets of the Supernatural arguments ever made, the Wilsons (Prometheus, 1988), would definitely manage to "unsolve" 33 additional not agree. In Nickell's words, historical enigmas and psychic or supernatural occurrences. In carrying As ghostly occurrences go, how­ out their feats of literary prestidigi­ ever, Mrs. Edmund's visions are of a type that is all too common. tation the Wilsons use so many Indeed, they match a phenomenon circumlocutions and confabulations, psychologists term hypnopompic as well as contrary and contrived

Spring 1993 309 arguments, that they have managed the phenomena to anything published to create a new genre of reasoning in this century. fully deserving of its own name: The Wilsons' philosophical stance Wilsonlogic. In Wilsonlogic, for exam­ is better understood once one reads 2 ple, 2 + 2 = 4 /3; if A = B and B = the senior author's confession in their C, then A = Z; if all men are mammals, Introduction. Here he tells us that he and man is a mammal, then all men started out as a scientist but soon are horses; and, finally, if five-headed found science hydra and mermaids were mentioned in ancient legends, then the legends horribly cold and one-sided. It was are, obviously, true! The most egre­ obvious that the world of literature gious examples of Wilsonlogic are and music was as exciting—and as found in three chapters, "Was Philip intellectually valid—as the world of Dick Possessed by an Angel?" "Fairies: stars and atoms. Yet there was no Are the Little People Just a Fairy question of rejecting science, only Tale?" and "The Mystery of Hypnosis: of trying to find some wider form of knowledge that could embrace Real Life Svengalis and the Telepathy both worlds. Theory." When, a quarter of a century In the case of Philip Dick it is crystal later, I was commissioned to write clear from his behavior and his symp­ a book on 'the occult' I approached toms that Dick was a mentally-ill it with the same skepticism I had individual, under treatment by psychi­ felt at age fifteen. Within a week atrists and also poisoned by excessive or two I had come to recognize that alcohol and drugs. Yet, according to skepticism is merely a name for intellectual laziness. Precognition, the Wilsons, Dick's hallucinations telepathy, out-of-body experiences, were nothing of the sort; they were, "second sight" and poltergeist instead, evidence of "the spirit world." hauntings are all undoubtedly real. With regard to the fairies that Elsie But how could they be fitted into Wright and Frances Griffiths con­ a scientific framework? (pp. xiii- fessed to having cut out of picture xiv). books and faked in photographs for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, according to Wilson's answer to his own question the Wilsons Elsie and Frances really was simple: brain research! According did see real fairies by the stream in to his misunderstanding of what he Cottingley despite their confession! has read, brain research says that we And no matter what science and have "two brains," a right one and a research say about hypnosis, not only left one. The left one is "scientific" and are there real-life Svengalis who can the right one is "paranormal," i.e., make people do what they want—even sensitive to psychic vibrations and kill—but it is also possible to hypnotize such. Wilson senior also sees himself people telepathically. Also, while as a "sensitive" and professes to have under hypnosis people can perform become a skilled dowser and one who "miraculous" feats like keeping their is "sensitive to the local atmosphere." rigid body suspended between two In reading further one encounters chairs! In this regard the Wilsons' Wilsonlogic again in the authors' use naivete and lack of understanding of of the old William James chestnut that hypnotic phenomena are truly amaz­ in order to disprove that all crows are ing. They also clearly prefer black you only have to produce one eighteenth- and nineteenth-century single white crow. Ergo: a bookful of accounts of fallacious thinking about cases of fraud or excessive gullibility

310 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 proves nothing except that those everything paranormal; and, finally, particular cases are fraudulent. dead people in the form of zombies In similar fashion, the Wilsons then really do come back from the grave proceed to argue that despite every and walk among us, as do vampires. mystery that science and the scientific Not only are vampires real but they community has investigated and are, like poltergeists, "earthbound found to be due to fraud, human spirits" or "hungry ghosts" who draw gullibility, misrepresentation, disin­ energy and vitality from the living. formation, misinformation, rumor, One could, cavalierly, dismiss all of misinterpretation, excessive human this nonsense as nothing more than credulity, exaggeration, superstition, silly superstition, which we have and psychological fallibility, the effort always had with us and probably in each and every case is faulty, always will. But what is particularly inadequate, and unable to explain the unsettling in this instance is that too original mystery. Thus, in the strange many uninformed readers picking up world of the Wilsons, King Arthur and this book—readers who are unfamiliar Merlin were real people not legends; with the carefully researched skeptical the dead do come back and avenge and scientific investigations that have themselves on their murderers; crop clarified and solved these issues years circles and flying saucers are both ago—are likely to conclude that this genuine mysteries; Philip K. Dick's admittedly well-written and pseudo- hallucinations "were not entirely scholarly tome is not only authori­ subjective and unreal," i.e., he wasn't tative but accurate. Unfortunately, a paranoid schizophrenic but really despite its glossy and literate veneer, was possessed by an angel and talked there is little difference between the with God; the Dogon tribe really was arguments made in this book and visited by spacemen from the dog-star those one finds in the Weekly World Sirius; Arthur Conan Doyle's Cot- News, The Globe, and the National tingley fairies were real and Frances Enquirer. Griffiths really did see fairies by the Literary pretensions, inaccuracy, stream; Rudolph Hess had a double obfuscation, paralogic, misrepresenta­ and the double died in Spandau prison; tion, and deliberate mystification of the Hope diamond, being a crystal, can the natural and normal are not in the absorb emotion and "curses" and it best interests of human welfare. therefore really is cursed and haunted; There are enough social, medical, and hypnosis, despite hundreds of years scientific mysteries all around us, of research, is still a mystery, and mysteries desperately in need of hypnosis via telepathy is not only research and solution, without wast­ possible but happens frequently, and ing valuable time on spurious and real-life Svengalis do exist; band leader specious ones—particularly supersti­ Glenn Miller did not die in an airplane tions, fallacies, and conundrums that over the English Channel but was human inquiry and ingenuity have killed in a brothel brawl in Paris; confronted and solved years ago. modern man uses only one-fifth of his total brain capacity; the dead most certainly can and do possess the living; Robert A. Baker is emeritus professor of sea monsters do exist; the famous psychology at the University of Kentucky "crystal skull" has ominous and and author of They Call It Hypnosis magical powers; "vortices" or "energy and Hidden Memories: Voices and whirlpools" can explain just about Visions from Within.

Spring 1993 311 Evaluating Graphology

The Write Stuff: Evaluations of Graphology—The Study of Handwriting Analysis. Edited by Barry L. Beyerstein and Dale F. Beyerstein. Prometheus Books, Buffalo, N.Y., 1992. 490 pp. Paper, $21.95.

ELVER A. BARKER

aving made a 16-year intensive branches of graphology? The Write and near futile search for sci­ Stuff is meant to be "an overview of H entific research reports that the best evidence available on both validate the claims of graphologists, sides of the dispute about graphol­ I eagerly awaited publication of The ogy," but I searched the book in vain Write Stuff. According to the editors, for summaries of studies of large all of the 12 critics of graphology who numbers of subjects that show high were invited to contribute to this book correlations between handwriting responded with essays, but only three signs and personal traits. (This claimed of the several invited graphologists did evidence by all of the irreconcilably so. different and competing branches of This is a symposium by both critics graphology is apparently rigidly kept and practitioners of graphology. The secret from both their students and editors are among the critics. Barry the public. People who are scientifi­ L. Beyerstein is professor of psychol­ cally oriented have sound reason to ogy at Simon Fraser University in believe that not enough of these Vancouver, British Columbia. Dale F. scientific reports exist to warrant Beyerstein is professor of philosophy calling any branch of graphology a at Vancouver Community College. science. Did the founding practition­ There is a brief history of graphol­ ers of the conflicting graphology ogy. Joe Nickell, a questioned- schools irrationally jump to conclu­ document examiner, makes the sions by judging the whole by only important distinction between the some of its parts?) true science of handwriting analysis Chapters by leading critics of to determine forgeries, and whether graphology—specialists in personal­ particular documents were written by ity, cognitive psychology, and psycho­ the same person, and the pseudo- logical testing—assess graphologists' science of graphology, which claims to claims against the standards used in interpret character and personality their fields. traits, aptitudes, attitudes, interests, Oskar Lockowandt, a professor of proclivities, and, in some branches, psychology at the University of Biele­ intelligence and mental and physical feld, Germany, and one of Europe's health. The two fields are commonly most prominent graphologists, con­ confused because practitioners of the tributed two chapters. One is "The latter often engage in the former. Present Status of the Research of The number-one question is: How Handwriting Psychology as a Diag­ did all of the many precise dogmas nostic Method." He cites studies that about correlations between handwrit­ have conflicting results and disagree­ ing signs and personal traits originate ments among researchers. His refer­ within the several conflicting ences to studies published in German

312 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 analytic Cues." He also favors the holistic approach: "Sign interpreta­ tion, the attempt to tie specific per­ sonality traits to specific signs or features found in . . . handwriting has never been well validated for any projective technique. . . . Global interpretation has consistently been superior to sign interpretation. . . . Since the meaning of a sign changes depending on the other signs with which it occurs, a sign cannot be interpreted in a constant manner from one person to another." (This is getting as complicated as astrology.) Then in the same paper, he gives illustrated examples of how specific handwriting signs correlate with suggest that they are validations of specific personal traits, but he offers the sign/trait correlations, but he does no summaries of research reports that not summarize those research validate his claims. reports. Lockowandt says: "Handwrit­ Graphologists are. being contradic­ ing psychology has always objected to tory when they speak against what simple correlation studies on the they call "a too simplistic approach" grounds that it is impossible to predict and in favor of "a holistic approach" any criterion from a single graphic in which the practitioners claim not characteristic. This objection is reme­ to zero in on single handwriting signs died by multiple correlation tech­ but rather to analyze the handwriting niques ... in which several graphic patterns as a whole. This is an evasion characteristics are combined in the of their responsibility to furnish prediction of criteria. . . . The results evidence for the individual sign/trait of validity studies correlating individ­ correlations, which they have to use ual characteristics with criteria are in order to analyze the whole. predominantly negative, but valida­ Patricia Wellingham Jones, a prac­ tion studies using multiple correlation titioner of the Roman-Staempfli have yielded more positive results. school of graphology, in her chapter . . . Contrast-group studies of specific on the evaluation of the handwriting writing characteristics have led to of successful and unsuccessful inconclusive or conflicting results. women, writes: "The results of this They have been more successful at study suggest that achievement or validating interpretations of hand­ success can be inferred fairly easily writing." But our total handwriting is from measures used in graphological made up of individual parts, and analysis." One study is never enough graphologists of all the branches do from which to draw conclusions. Her consistently use claimed individual study needs to be replicated many sign/trait correlations. times with large groups of other James C. Crumbaugh, a clinical subjects by many different research­ psychologist and a member of the ers working independently of one International Graphoanalysis Society, another. If all of the researchers get contributed the chapter on "Grapho- the same results, then rational con-

Spring 1993 313 elusions can be drawn. hundred prison inmates who are It is admitted that most of the serving time for burglary, robbery, or practitioners of all the branches of extortion. Handwriting specimens graphology get their training through could also be obtained from an equal correspondence courses from money- number of persons known for their oriented graphology schools and integrity. The coordinator of the classes. In my view, none of the study, who should not be a graphol­ research cited should give them the ogist of any brand, would analyze the legal right to practice their claimed 200 samples to determine if the "science," for payment or not, when Graphoanalysis claim is correct. Addi­ the results of their interpretations are tionally, all 200 specimens could be used as a basis for discrimination in photocopied and analyzed by at least employment, personal relations, judg­ 12 certified Graphoanalysts, working ing whether someone would be a independently of one another, who credit risk, selection of juries, and would be told that the test was to other areas where honesty, justice, distinguish which of the specimens and scientifically determined facts indicated dishonesty and deceitfulness should be the rules. and which did not. The included studies by psycholo­ Until such studies are made by gists on the many inaccuracies and many researchers independently and occasional accuracies of graphologists the findings support the claims of one are important because they cause any or more of the branches of graphology thinking person to be distrustful of (all of the conflicting claims of the graphology, but they are of secondary many branches cannot be valid), the value. Of first importance, there must use of graphology for interpreting be studies that get to the roots of this personal traits is extremely dubious popular dogma, which is posed as a and unwise. science but has thus far not been The burden of proof should be on proved to be a science at all. those who make the claims. If they Researchers need to study large refuse to provide proof, nongraphol- numbers of subjects to determine ogists need to play a role. Even so, whether the claimed correlations the self-proclaimed experts of each between handwriting signs and per­ school of graphology should not only sonal traits are valid. Lockowandt is be willing but eager to volunteer in right that the claims of graphology this kind of research. If they are need to be researched in universities. certain their claims are valid and if But graphology should not be taught they have a social conscience, they will in educational institutions as a legit­ come forth as volunteers to the imate science for interpreting personal psychology departments of universi­ traits until and if it is proved to be ties and other research institutions, that. These studies need to be made and to private researchers, and ask to of the vast number of detailed claims be tested. of all of the conflicting branches of Because there are some people with graphology. Ph.D.s who believe in graphology does Specifically, in the Graphoanalysis not make it true. There were some branch, it is claimed that a person who Ph.D.s and M.D.s in the previous writes circle letters with initial and century who were converts to the double loops within the letters is pseudoscience of phrenology. deceitful and dishonest. Handwriting The contributions of two attor­ specimens could be obtained from a neys, John D. Raugh and Robert S.

314 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Carswell, each address the practice of correlations between handwriting graphology in light of relevant stat­ signs, whether individually or collec­ utes and precedents in the United tively interpreted, and personal traits. States and Canada. With recent legal The book has a major flaw: Much of restrictions on the use of polygraphs it is written in such highfalutin and psychological stress evaluators, language that it is beyond the under­ graphologists have rushed in to fill the standing not only of the average void. They appeal to some personnel reader but of many of the people who executives and to some attorneys, need it most. court judges, and police, and they reap a financial harvest from their legalized practice. Elver A. Barker is a member of the Rocky The value of this text is that it Mountain Skeptics and a fine arts brings out the glaring lack of research instructor at his Timberline Art Studio data necessary to prove the claimed in Denver.

Have UFO-Abductions and Near-Death Experiences a Common Origin? The Omega Project: Near Death Experiences, UFO Encounters, and Mind at Large. By Kenneth Ring. Wm. Morrow, New York, 1992. 320 pp. Hardcover, $20.00.

GORDON STEIN

e have lately been bombarded important is that the circumstances of with books about UFO en­ the NDE and those of the UFO W counters and abductions. experience are entirely different. The Before that, there were a number of NDE occurs when there are witnesses books about near-death experiences to the physical body of the expe- (NDEs). Now, Kenneth Ring, a psy­ riencer, for example, in an operating chology professor who has been room. Even if the person having the interested in NDEs, has tried to tie NDE feels that he or she has traveled the two phenomena together. Ring "out of the body," the body in question feels that the personalities of people is still being observed by others. In who have NDEs and of those who contrast, UFO encounters almost claim UFO encounters are similar. He always occur when there are no feels that both phenomena can be witnesses who are not having the same explained as due to the same type of experience. People having NDEs often internal process in the mind of the claim to have seen relatives, friends, affected person. and religious figures. This has not This position, although attractive been reported to have occurred in a on the surface, really does not agree UFO case. NDE experiences occur with some important factors. Most while the person is involved in a

Spring 1993 315 just about now. Ring includes a table in which he lists 14 characteristics of NDEs and "close encounters of the fourth kind" (meetings with aliens). The two experiences couldn't be more different, Ring notes; yet he concludes that because of the polar differences, the experiences are cut from the same cloth. The secret lies in the personality characteristics that both types of experiencers have. That similarity is fantasy-proneness. Ring defines this as "the spontaneous tendency to enter into a state or rapt absorption focused on a world of self-created fantasy." The last half of the present book is an account of "The Omega Project," in which Ring studied the fantasy- proneness of NDE and UFO experi­ traumatic life-and-death situation. encers. He gave long sets of questi­ Such is almost never the case in UFO onnaires to members of both groups encounters. There is no corroborating and concluded that they showed a physical evidence for an NDE, while common pattern of childhood abuse abductees sometimes report physical and greater temporal-lobe sensitivity. marks, bruises, and scars as a claimed According to Ring, the latter makes result of their abduction experience. them more susceptible to the influ­ It therefore appears that the circum­ ence of electromagnetic effects that stances of the two phenomena are may come from inside the earth's quite different. That removes an crust. Again, I begin to see those red essential prop for Ring's argument. flags waving. Although Ring's hypothesis is not Ring concludes with a Jungian demolished by this, it is considerably analysis of the possible sources of weakened. The burden of proof is NDEs and UFO experiences, both of upon him to buttress his position by which he traces to mental processes supplying us with enough similarities that are responding to some deep between the two phenomena that we human need. While it is tempting to can minimalize the importance of the classify both phenomena as mere difference. mental processes, whether you can Does Ring deliver? Although he accept Ring's explanation depends admits that UFO experiences "are real upon whether you can accept Jung's in their effects," [emphasis in the work in general. I have difficulty with original], that of course does not mean it. Nevertheless, Ring's work is cer­ that these people really have been tainly provocative and should be of abducted by aliens. It merely means interest to all who are struggling to that they really believe that they have understand both the NDE and the been. The similarity Ring claims abduction experience. between NDEs and UFO is found in the "archetypal structure" of the experi­ Dr. Stein is a physiologist and a CS1COP ences. I begin to see red flags waving Consultant.

316 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Freudian Thought Not Freudian Fraud Freudian Fraud: The Malignant Effect of Freud's Theory on American Thought and Culture. By E. Fuller Torrey. HarperCollins, New York, 1992. 362 pp. Hardcover, $25.00.

TERENCE HINES

n graduate school I was once related to the supposed subject of the assigned a particular textbook. I book. I dutifully purchased it and began Likewise, Chapter 3, "Sexual Polit­ reading. The more I read the more ics of Ruth Benedict and Margaret puzzled I became. While the material Mead," covers a great deal of ground I was reading had some general that has almost no direct relevance to resemblance to the supposed topic of the issue of Freudian thought in the book, it was certainly not what America. True, both Benedict and I'd expected. The puzzle was solved Mead, who studied with Boas, were when I looked at the title page and favorable to Freud's theories, but the discovered that the wrong set of pages chapter hardly mentions Freud or his had been bound into the cover of the theories, or even the influence of book. Freud on Benedict and Mead. Rather, In reading Freudian Fraud, by E. the chapter describes at length the Fuller Torrey, I frequently got the "research" both these women carried same puzzled feeling I'd had that time out, their views on the nature-nurture in graduate school. The title led me issue, and their sexual orientations. to expect a rather scathing treatment These are certainly interesting, and I of Freudian theory. Although there is was surprised to learn just how some such discussion late in the book, shoddy Mead's so-called research it is certainly not the main focus. really had been, but they are largely Rather, Torrey's book provides a sort out of place in a book titled as Torrey's of intellectual history of Freudian is. thought in American culture. But Chapter 4, "Hitler's Resolution of several chapters don't even concern the Nature-Nurture Debate," goes themselves with this topic. Chapter 2, over the well-known development of "Race, Immigration, and the Nature- the Nazi horror and makes the point Nurture Debate," covers the develop­ that many psychoanalytically oriented ment of American views on these professionals fled Germany because of subjects in the late nineteenth and Hitler and that this greatly increased early twentieth centuries. These the knowledge and influence of psy­ topics are really very little related to choanalysis in the United States. It Freudian theory! Only on the last page seems excessive to spend 20 pages to of the chapter does Torrey tie them make this simple point. to Freud, by stating that Franz Boas, The next four chapters come clos­ an active participant in the debates on est to providing an intellectual history these topics, was "linked to Freud's of Freudian thought in the United theory" (p. 59). The link is weak and States. They cover Freudian influen­ it's difficult to see why so much space ces in such areas as child rearing, (20 pages) was spent on issues so little criminology, literature, politics, men-

Spring 1993 317 tal health, films, publishing, and so on. simply awful. It is almost impossible These chapters are well done and to find the source of a quote or a informative, although they are much factual statement made in the main more descriptive than one would be text of the book. In fact, I cannot led to expect by the phrase "malignant imagine a more useless method of effect" in the book's subtitle. providing bibliographic information It is not until Chapter 9, "Scientific than the one Torrey (or perhaps his Basis of Freudian Theory," that publisher) adopted. Torrey provides a critical evaluation In conclusion, Freudian Fraud was, of the validity, or lack thereof, of overall, quite interesting, well written Freud's ideas and the therapy that is and informative, although it was based on these ideas. He covers the frequently informative about topics I'd standard criticisms against Freudian not expected to be informed about. theory that have been made for years Torrey should have picked a more and provides a good summary. It was accurate title, something like " A this sort of material that I expected History of Freudian Thought in Post­ would make up the bulk of the book, war America, with a Digression on not just 26 pages—7 percent of the the Views of Anthropologist Franz book! The reader interested in a true Boas and Two of His Famous Grad­ book-length treatment of this topic uate Students." should see Hans Eysenck's 1985 Decline and Fall of the Freudian Empire, Terence Hines is a professor of psychology published in Britain in 1985 and at Pace University, Pleasantville, New released in the United States in 1990 York, currently completing a sabbatical by Scott-Townsend Publishers. at the University of Warsaw and Nenci One comment must be made about Institute of Experimental Biology, War­ Torrey's bibliographic notes. They are saw, Poland. Skeptical Briefs

Skeptical Briefs, the quarterly newsletter Skeptical Briefs is published quarterly, of the Committee for the Scientific Inves­ in March, June, September, and December.) tigation of Claims of the Paranormal, publishes news and information about Fill out this coupon and send it with your CSICOP activities and the pursuits of inde­ payment to: Skeptical Briefs, P.O. Box 703, pendent local and other national skeptics Buffalo, NY 14226-0703 organizations. Dlyr. SI5 D2yrs.$28 DJ yrs. $35 You'll find many regular features in D Check enclosed Skeptical Briefs, including Barrett's D Charge my D VISA D MasterCard Corner, by Stephen Barrett, M.D., editor of Nutrition Forum; A Skeptic's Notebook, Exp. date. by Robert A. Baker, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Kentucky; Name Reality Check, by physicist Milton Roth- Address. man; Beyond Belief, by Tom Flynn, elec­ tronic media expert; and Inklings, by U.K. City science-writer Lewis Jones. State .Zip.

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WINTER 1993 (vol. 17, no. 2): Special report: 3.7 million SPRING 1991 (vol. 15, no. 3): Special report: Hi-fi Americans kidnapped by aliens? Stires and Klass. Psychics: pseudoscience, Davis. Searching for extraterrestrial Do police departments really use them? Sweat and Durm. intelligence: An interview with Thomas R. McDonough. Psychic detectives: A critical examination, Walter Rowe. Getting smart about getting smarts, Faulkes. Carrying the Therapeutic Touch, Bullough and Bullough. Improving war into the never-never land of psi: Part 1, Gill. Satanic science teaching in the U.S., Marek and Wayne Rowe. The cult 'survivor' stories, Victor. 'Old-solved mysteries': The Big Sur 'UFO/ George. The strange case of the New Haven Kecksburg incident. Young. Penn & Teller, the magical oysters, Quincey. iconoclasts, Gordon. Magic, medicine, and metaphysics in FALL 1992 (vol. 17, no. 1): A celebration of Isaac Asimov: Nigeria, Roder. What's wrong with science education? A man for the universe, Kendrick Frazier, Arthur C. Clarke, Look at the family. Eve. Frederik Pohl, Harlan Ellison, L Sprague de Camp, Carl Sagan, WINTER 1991 (vol. 15, no. 2): Special report / Gallup Stephen Jay Gould, Martin Gardner, Paul Kurtz, Donald Goldsmith,poll : Belief in paranormal phenomena, Gallup and Newport, James Randi, and E. C. Krupp. Gaia without mysticism. Science and self-government, Piel. West Bank collective Shannon. Gaia's scientific coming of age, Frazier. The curse hysteria episode, Stewart. Acceptance of personality test of the runestone: Deathless hoaxes, Whittaker. Night results, Thiriart. Belief in astrology: A test of the Barnum terrors, sleep paralysis, and devil-stricken telephone cords effect, French, Fowler, McCarthy, and Peers. A test of from hell, Huston. Scientific creationism: The social agenda clairvoyance using signal-detection, McKelvie and Gagne. of a pseudoscience. Shore. Observing stars in the daytime: Intercessory prayer as medical treatment? Wittmer and The chimney myth, Sanderson. Does an ancient Jewish Zimmerman. amulet commemorate the conjunction of 2 B.C.? Rubincam. FALL 1990 (vol. 15, no. 1): Neural Organization SUMMER 1992 (vol. 16, no. 4): Freedom of scientific Technique: Treatment or torture, Worrall. The spooks inquiry under siege, Kurtz. Psychic experiences: Psychic of quantum mechanics, Stenger. Science and Sir William illusions, Blackmore. The scientist's skepticism, Bunge. The Crookes, Hoffmaster. The 'N' machine. Gumming. Biological persistent popularity of the paranormal, Lett. Self-help cycles and rhythms vs. biorhythms, Wheeler. 1990 CSICOP books: Pseudoscience in the guise of science? Gambrill. Conference. Ghost lights in Texas, Lindee. SUMMER 1990 (vol. 14, no. 4): Ghosts make news: How SPRING 1992 (vol. 16, no. 3): Special Report: The four newspapers report psychic phenomena, Klare. Maharishi caper: JAMA hoodwinked, Skolnick. Myths of Thinking critically and creatively. Wade and Tavris. Police subliminal persuasion: The cargo-cult science of sublim­ pursuit of satanic crime. Part 2, Hicks. Order out of chaos inal persuasion, Pratkanis; Subliminal perception: Facts and in survival research, Berger. Piltdown, paradigms, and the fallacies, Moore; Subliminal tapes, Phelps and Exum. The Avro paranormal, Feder. Auras: Searching for the light, Loftin. VZ-9 'flying saucer,' Blake. Two 19th-century skeptics: Biorhythms and the timing of death, Lester. Augustus de Morgan and John Fiske, Rothman. SPRING 1990 (vol. 14, no. 3): Why we need to understand WINTER 1992 (vol. 16, no. 2): On being sued: The chilliing science, Sagan. The crisis in pre-college science and math of freedom of expression, Kurtz. The crop-circle pheno­ education, Seaborg. Police pursuit of satanic crime, Part menon, Nickell and Fischer. Update on the 'Mars effect,' 1, Hicks. The spread of satanic-cult rumors, Victor. Lying Ertel. A dissenting note on Ertel's 'Update/ Kurtz. Magic about polygraph tests, Shneour. Worldwide disasters and Melanin: Spreading scientific illiteracy among minorities, moon phase, Kelly, Saklofske, and Culver. Part 2, de Montellano. Adventures in science and cyclosophy, WINTER 1990 (vol. 14, no. 2): The new catastroph- de Jager. Searching for security in the mystical. Grimmer. ism, Morrison and Chapman. A field guide to critical think­ FALL 1991 (vol. 16, no. 1): Near-death experiences, ing, Lett. Cold fusion: A case history in 'wishful Blackmore. Multicultural pseudoscience: Spreading scien­ science'? Rothman. The airship hysteria of 1896-97, tific illiteracy. Part 1, de Montellano. Science and common- Bartholomew. Newspaper editors and the creation-evolu­ sense skepticism, Aach. Spook Hill, Wilder. Lucian and tion controversy, Zimmerman. Special report: New Alexander, Rowe. 1991 CSICOP conference. Shore and evidence of MJ-12 hoax, Klass. Frazier. FALL 1989 (vol. 14, no. 1): Myths about science, Rothman. SUMMER 1991 (vol. 15, no. 4): Lucid dreams, Blackmore. The relativity of wrong, Asimov. Richard Feynman on Nature faking in the humanities, Gallo. Carrying the war fringe science. Luis Alvarez and the explorer's quest, into the never-never land of psi: Part 2, Gill. Coincidences, Muller. The two cultures, Jones. The 'top-secret UFO Paulos. Locating invisible buildings, Plummer. True papers' NSA won't release, Klass. The metaphysics of believers. Bower. Murphy's Law, Price. (continued on next page) SUMMER 1989 (vol. 13, no. 4): The New Age—An superstrings, Gardner. Special Reports: JAL pilot's UFO Examination: The New Age in perspective, Kurtz. A New report, Klass; Unmasking psychic Jason Michaels, Busch. Age reflection in the magic mirror of science, O'Hara. SPRING 1987 (vol. 11, no. 3): The elusive open mind The New Age: The need for myth in an age of science, Ten years of negative research in parapsychology, Schultz. Channeling, Alcock. The psychology of channeling. Blackmore. Does astrology need to be true? Part 2: The Reed, 'Entities' in the linguistic minefield, Thomason. answer is no, Dean. Magic, science, and metascience: Some Crystals, Lawrence. Consumer culture and the New Age, notes on perception, D. Sagan. Velikovsky's interpretation Rosen. The Shirley MacLaine phenomenon, Gordon. Special of the evidence offered by China, ho. report: California court jails psychic surgeon, Brenneman. WINTER 1986-87 (vol. 11, no. 2): Case study of West SPRING 1989 (vol. 13, no. 3): High school biology Pittston 'haunted' house, Kurtz. Science, creationism and teachers and pseudoscientific belief, Eve and Dunn. Evidence the Supreme Court, Seckel, with statements by Ayala, for Bigfoot? Dennett. Alleged pore structure in Sasquatch Gould, and Gell-Mann. The great East Coast UFO of August footprints, Freeland and Rowe. The lore of levitation. Stein. 1986, Oberg. Does astrology need to be true? Part 1, Dean. Levitation 'miracles' in India, Premanand. Science, Homing abilities of bees, cats, and people, Randi. pseudoscience, and the cloth of Turin, Nickell. Rather than FALL 1986 (vol. 11, no. 1): The path ahead: Opportunities, just debunking, encourage people to think, Seckel. MJ-12 challenges, and an expanded view, Frazier. Exposing the papers 'authenticated'? Klass. A patently false patent myth, faith-healers, Steiner. Was Antarctica mapped by the Sass. ancients? Jolly. Folk remedies and human belief-systems, WINTER 1989 (vol. 13, no. 2): Special report: The Reuter. Dentistry and pseudoscience, Dodes. Atmospheric 'remembering water' controversy, Gardner and Randi; electricity, ions, and pseudoscience, Dolezalek. Noah's ark Bibliographic guide to the 'dilution controversy.' and ancient astronauts, Harrold and Eve. The Woodbridge Pathologies of science, precognition, and modern UFO incident, Ridpath. How to bust a ghost, Baker. psychophysics, Jensen. A reaction-time test of ESP and SUMMER 1986 (vol. 10, no. 4): Occam's razor, Shneour. precognition, Hines and Dennison. Chinese psychic's pill- Clever Hans redivivus, Sebeok. Parapsychology miracles, bottle demonstration, Wu Xiaoping. The Kirlian technique, and repeatability, Flew. The Condon UFO study, Klass. Watkins and Bickel. Certainty and proof in creationist Four decades of fringe literature, Dutch. Some remote- thought, Leferriere. viewing recollections, Weinberg. FALL 1988 (vol. 13, no. 1): Special report: Astrology and SPRING 1986 (vol. 10, no. 3): The perennial fringe, the presidency, Kurtz and Bob. Improving Human Asimov. The uses of credulity, de Camp. Night walkers and Performance: What about parapsychology? Frazier. The mystery mongers, Sagan. CSICOP after ten years, Kurtz. China syndrome: Further reflections on the paranormal Crash of the crashed-saucers claim, Klass. A study of the in China, Kurtz. Backward masking, Mclver. The validity Kirlian effect, Watkins and Bickel. Ancient tales and space- of graphological analysis, Furnham. The intellectual revolt age myths of creationist evangelism, Mclver. against science, Grove. WINTER 1985-86 (vol. 10, no. 2): The moon was full SUMMER 1988 (vol. 12, no. 4): Testing psi claims and nothing happened, Kelly, Rotton, and Culver. Psychic in China, Kurtz, Alcock, Frazier, Karr, Klass, and Randi. The studies: The Soviet dilemma. Ebon. The psychopathology appeal of the occult: Some thoughts on history, religion, of fringe medicine, Sabbagh. Computers and rational and science, Stevens. Hypnosis and reincarnation, Venn. thought, Spangenburg and Moser. Pitfalls of perception, Wheeler. Wegener and pseudos­ FALL 1985 (vol. 10, no. 1): Investigations of firewalking, cience: Some misconceptions, Edelman. An investigation Leikind and McCarthy. Firewalking: reality or illusion, of psychic crime-busting, Emery. High-flying health quackery, Dennett. Myth of alpha consciousness, Beyerstein. Spirit- Hines. The bar-code beast, Keith. rapping unmasked, V. Bullough. The Saguaro incident, SPRING 1988 (vol. 12, no. 3): Neuropathology and the Taylor and Dennett. legacy of spiritual possession, Beyerstein. Varieties of alien SUMMER 1985 (vol. 9, no. 4): Guardian astrology study. experience, Ellis. Alien-abduction claims and standards of Dean, Kelly, Rotton, and Saklofske. Astrology and the commod­ inquiry (excerpts from Milton Rosenberg's radio talk- ity market, Rotton. The hundredth monkey phenomenon, show with guests Charles Gruder, Martin Orne, and Amundson. Responsibilities of the media, Kurtz. 'Lucy' out Budd Hopkins). The MJ-12 Papers: Part 2, Klass. Dooms­ of context, Albert. day: The May 2000 prediction, Meeus. My visit to the SPRING 1985 (vol. 9, no. 3): Columbus poltergeist: I, Nevada Clinic, Barrett. Morphic resonance in silicon chips, Randi. Moon and murder in Cleveland, Sanduleak. Image Varela and Letelier. Abigail's anomalous apparition, Durm. of Guadalupe, Nickell and Fischer. Radar UFOs, Klass. Phren­ The riddle of the Colorado ghost lights, Bunch and White. ology, McCoy. Deception by patients, Pankratz. Commun­ WINTER 1987-88 (vol. 12, no. 2): The MJ-12 papers: Part ication in nature, Orstan. I, Philip J. Klass. The aliens among us: Hypnotic regression WINTER 1984-85 (vol. 9, no. 2): The muddled' Mind Race/ revisited, Baker. The brain and consciousness: Implications Hyman. Searches for the Loch Ness monster, Razdan and for psi, Beyerstein. Past-life hypnotic regression, Spanos. Kielar. Final interview with Milbourne Christopher, Fantasizing under hypnosis, Reveen. The verdict on Dennett. Retest of astrologer John McCall, lanna and Tol- creationism, Gould. bert. FALL 1987 (vol. 12, no. 1): The burden of skepticism, FALL 1984 (vol. 9, no. 1): Quantum theory and the Sagan. Is there intelligent life on Earth? Kurtz. Medical paranormal, Shore. What is pseudoscience? Bunge. The new Controversies: Chiropractic, Jarvis; Homeopathy, Barrett, philosophy of science and the 'paranormal,' Toulmin. An M.D.; Alternative therapies, Jones; Quackery, Pepper. eye-opening double encounter, Martin. Similarities Catching Geller in the act, Emery. Special Report: between identical twins and between unrelated people, CSICOP's 1987 conference. Wyatt et al. Effectiveness of a reading program on SUMMER 1987 (vol. 11, no. 4): Incredible cremations: paranormal belief. Woods, Pseudoscientific beliefs of 6th- Investigating combustion deaths, Nickell and Fischer. graders, A. S. and S. J. Adelman. Subliminal deception, Creed. Past tongues remembered? SUMMER 1984 (vol. 8, no. 4): Para psychology's past eight Thomason. Is the universe improbable? Shotwell. Psychics, years, Alcock. The evidence for ESP, C £. M. Hansel. computers, and psychic computers, Easton. Pseudoscience $110,000 dowsing challenge, Randi. Sir Oliver Lodge and and children's fantasies, Evans. Thoughts on science and the spiritualists, Hoffmaster. Misperception, folk belief, and the occult, Connor. Psychology and UFOs, Simon. ridiculous, Lord. SPRING 1984 (vol 8, no. 3): Belief in the paranormal WINTER 1980-81 (vol. 5, no. 2): Fooling some people worldwide: Mexico, Mendez-Acosla; Netherlands, Hoebens; all the time, Singer and Benassi. Recent perpetual motion U.K., Hutchinson; Australia, Smith; Canada, Gordon; France, developments, Schadewald. National Enquirer astrology Rouze. Debunking, neutrality, and skepticism in sci­ study, Mechler, McDaniel, and Mulloy. Science and the ence, Kuril. University course reduces paranormal belief, mountain peak, Asimov. Gray. The Gribbin effect, Roder. Proving negatives, Pas- FALL 1980 (vol. 5, no. 1): The Velikovsky affair — articles quarelh. by Oberg, Bauer, Frazier. Academia and the occult. Green- WINTER 1983-84 (vol. 8, no. 2): Sense and nonsense well. Belief in ESP among psychologists, Padgett, Benassi, in parapsychology, Hoebens. Magicians, scientists, and psy­ and Singer. Bigfoot on the loose, Kurtz. Parental expec­ chics, Ganoe and Kirwan. New dowsing experiment, Martin. tations of miracles, Steiner. Downfall of a would-be psychic, The effect of TM on weather, Trumpy. The haunting of McBurney and Greenberg. Parapsychology research, Mishlove. the Ivan Vassilli, Sheaffer. Venus and Velikovsky, Forrest. SUMMER 1980 (vol. 4, no. 4): Superstitions, Bainbridge FALL 1983 (vol. 8, no. 1): Creationist pseudoscience, and Stark. Psychic archaeology, Feder. Voice stress analysis, Schadewald. Project Alpha: Part 2, Randi. Forecasting radio Klass. Follow-up on the 'Mars effect,' Evolution vs. quality by the planets. Dean. Reduction in paranormal creationism, and the Cottrell tests. belief in college course, Tobacyk. Humanistic astrology, SPRING 1980 (vol. 4, no. 3): Belief in ESP, Morris. UFO Kelly and Krutzen. hoax, Simpson. Don Juan vs. Piltdown man, de Mille. SUMMER 1983 (vol. 7, no. 4): Project Alpha: Part 1, Randi. Tiptoeing beyond Darwin, Greenwell. Conjurors and the Goodman's 'American Genesis/ Feder. Battling on the air­ psi scene, Randi. Follow-up on the Cottrell tests. waves, Slavsky. Rhode Island UFO film, Emery. WINTER 1979-80 (vol. 4, no. 2): The 'Mars effect' — SPRING 1983 (vol. 7, no. 3): Iridology, Worrall. The Nazca articles by Kurtz, Zelen, and Abell; Rawlins; Michel and Francoise drawings revisited, Nickell. People's Almanac predictions, Gauquelin. How I was debunked, Hoebens. The metal Donnelly. Test of numerology, Dlhopolsky. Pseudoscience bending of Professor Taylor, Gardner. Science, intuition, in the name of the university, Lederer and Singer. and ESP, Bauslaugh. WINTER 1982-83 (vol. 7, no. 2): Palmistry, Park. The FALL 1979 (vol. 4, no. 1): A test of dowsing, Randi. Science great SRI die mystery, Gardner. The 'monster' tree-trunk and evolution, Godfrey. Television pseudodocumentaries, of Loch Ness, Campbell. UFOs and the not-so-friendly Bainbridge. New disciples of the paranormal, Kurtz. UFO skies, Klass. In defense of skepticism, Reber. or UAA, Standen. The lost panda, van Kampen. Edgar Cayce, FALL 1982 (vol. 7, no. 1): The prophecies of Nostradamus, Randi. Cazeau. Prophet of all seasons, James Randi. Revival of SUMMER 1979 (vol. 3, no. 4): The moon and the Nostradamitis, Hoebens. Unsolved mysteries and extra­ birthrate, Abell and Greenspan. Biorhythms, Hints. 'Cold ordinary phenomena. Gill. Clearing the air about psi, reading/ Randi. Teacher, student, and the paranormal, Randi. A skotography scam, Randi. Krai. Encounter with a sorcerer. Sack. SUMMER 1982 (vol. 6, no. 4): Remote-viewing, Marks. SPRING 1979 (vol. 3, no. 3): Near-death experiences, Radio disturbances and planetary positions, Meeus. Divin­ Alcock. Television tests of Musuaki Kiyota, Scott and Hutchin­ ing in Australia, Smith. "Great Lakes Triangle," Cena. son. The conversion of J. Allen Hynek, Klass. Asimov's Skepticism, closed-mindedness, and science fiction, Beyer- corollary, Asimov. stein. Followup on ESP logic, Hardin and Morris and Gendin. WINTER 1978-79 (vol. 3, no. 2): Is parapsychology a SPRING 1982 (vol. 6, no. 3): The Shroud of Turin, Mueller. science? Kurtz. Chariots of the gullible, Bainbridge. The Shroud image, McCrone. Science, the public, and the Tunguska event, Oberg. Space travel in Bronze Age China, Shroud, Schafersman. Zodiac and personality, Gauquelin. Keightley. Followup on quantum PK, Hansel. FALL 1978 (vol. 3, no. 1): An empirical test of astrol­ WINTER 1981-82 (vol. 6, no. 2): On coincidences, Ruma ogy, Basledo. Astronauts and UFOs, Oberg. Sleight of Falk. Croiset: Part 2, Hoebens. Scientific creationism, Schade­ tongue, Schwartz. The Sirius "mystery," Ridpath. wald. Follow-up on 'Mars effect,' Rawlins, responses by SPRING/SUMMER 1978 (vol. 2, no. 2): Tests of three CSICOP Council and Abell and Kurtz. psychics, Randi. Biorhythms, Bainbridge. Plant perception, FALL 1981 (vol. 6, no. 1): Gerard Croiset: Part 1, Hoebens. Kmetz. Anthropology beyond the fringe. Cole. NASA and Test of perceived horoscope accuracy. Lackey. Planetary UFOs, Klass. A second Einstein ESP letter, Gardner. positions and radio propagation, lanna and Margolin. FALL/WINTER 1977 (vol. 2, no. 1): Von Daniken, Story, Bermuda Triangle, 1981, Dennett. Observation of a psychic, The Bermuda Triangle, Kusche. Pseudoscience at Science Mclntyre. Digest, Oberg and Sheaffer. Einstein and ESP, Gardner. N- SUMMER 1981 (vol. 5, no. 4): Investigation of 'psychics,' rays and UFOs, Klass. Secrets of the psychics, Rawlins. Randi. ESP: A conceptual analysis, Gendin. The extrover­ SPRING/SUMMER 1977 (vol. 1, no. 2): Uri Geller, Marks sion-introversion astrological effect, Kelly and Saklofske. Art, and Kammann. Cold reading, Hyman. Transcendental Medi­ science, and paranormalism, Habercom. Profitable night­ tation, Woodrum. A statistical test of astrology, McGervey. mare, Wells. A Maltese cross in the Aegean? Loftin. Cattle mutilations, Stewart. SPRING 1981 (vol. 5, no. 3): Hypnosis and UFO FALL/WINTER 1976 (vol. 1, no. 1): Dianetics, Wallis. abductions, Klass. Hypnosis not a truth serum, Hilgard. Psychics and clairvoyance. Fine. "Objections to Astrology," H. Schmidt's PK experiments. Hansel. Further comments Westrum. Astronomers and astrophysicists as astrology on Schmidt's experiments, Hyman. Atlantean road, Randi. critics, Kurtz and Nisbet. Biorhythms and sports. Fix. Von Deciphering ancient America, McKusick. A sense of the Daniken's chariots, Omohundro. Articles of Note

Angier, Natalie. "U.S. Opens the Bower, Bruce. "Consciousness Rais­ Door Just a Crack to Alternative ing." Science News, October 10, 1992, Forms of Medicine, New York Times, pp. 232-266. The first of two articles January 10, 1993, p. 1. The National on theories about the nature of Institutes of Health's new Office of conscious experience. Focuses on the Alternative Medicine will begin seek­ work of Daniel Dennett, Benjamin ing proposals from researchers who Libet, Andy Young, Bruce Bridgeman, want to explore the merits of ther­ Andrei S. Monin, John Eccles, Stephen apies outside mainstream medicine. M. Kosslyn, Olivier Koenig, and The office was established under others. The second article, "Rethink­ Congressional pressure, and director ing the Mind," October 17, deals with Joe Jacobs, M.D., is completing guide­ a philosophical challenge facing cog­ lines for grant applications to fund nitive science posed by John A. Searle. studies that "seek to confirm or debunk unorthodox therapies." This Bryson, Chris. "Heavenly Deception." thoughtful, in-depth article explores Lingua Franca, September/October the pros and cons, with good com­ 1992, pp. 37-42. The Professors World ments from professionals who var­ Peace Academy, a Reverend Moon iously recognize both opportunities. affiliate, is acquiring a major interest in the University of Bridgeport in Brinkley, Sue. "Wrist Activity in a Connecticut. Angry debate continues Woman: Daily, Weekly, Menstrual, as to whether the financially troubled Lunar, Annual Cycles?" Physiology & private school is saving itself at too Behavior, 52: 411-421, 1992. Study of high a cost. circadian-rhythm effects on a woman volunteer who wore a wrist monitor Bynum, Joyce. "Bigfoot: A Contem­ on her arm for one year. The result porary Belief Legend." El cetera, Fall of interest here: "Lunar phase had no 1992, pp. 352-357. A summary of the effect." Bigfoot legend, going back to 1884, comparing it to the Yeti and other Boorstin, Daniel J. "Afterlives of the "wild man" stories. The article sum­ Great Pyramid." Wilson Quarterly, marizes the evidence against Bigfoot Summer 1992, pp. 130-139. Long and possible explanations. before the "pyramid power" fad, Egyptian pyramids had fascinated Castle, Terry. "Marie Antoinette everyone from Napoleon to Isaac Obsession." Representations. Spring Newton. While scientists studied the 1992, pp. 1-38. Castle describes four monuments' structure, pseudoscience turn-of-the-century women with also flourished, as with John Taylor's delusions about Marie Antoinette. nineteenth-century attempt to use the These include Helene Smith, a pyramid to prove that the British inch medium who believed herself to have measurement was divinely inspired. been the tragic queen in one former

324 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 life (and a Martian in another), and Hoeveler, J. David, Jr. "Inside Crea- two schoolteachers who claimed to tionism." Science (Book Reviews), have traveled through time on a trip October 16, 1992, pp. 487-488. An to Versailles. Castle thinks Antoi­ essay/review of Ronald L. Numbers's nette's alleged lesbianism made her an book The Creationists. object of fascination for some women. Horgan, John. "Profile: Karl R. Popper Drapkin, C. M. "The Return of Mary the Intellectual Warrior." Scientific Ashford." The Criminologist, Summer American, November 1992, pp. 38-44. 1992, pp. 45-50. Two women were Profile of the man called "the most found, apparently murdered, in the influential philosopher of modern same part of the English village of science." Popper's philosophy of crit­ Erdington, 167 years apart to the day. ical rationalism deals with fundamen­ In each case a man named Thornton tal definitions of science and, among was tried for the crime and acquitted. other matters, with what distin­ Richard Deacon argued in Incredible guishes pseudoscientific theories from Phenomena that this was a case of scientific ones. "astrological twinning." Drapkin dis­ mantles mysticism in favor of coin­ Long, Thomas G. "Myers-Briggs and cidence and suggests that police Other Modern Astrologies." Theology familiarity with the old case led to the Today, October 1992, pp. 291-295. A second Thornton being arrested. skeptical critique of the well-known Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) "Eppur Si Non Muove: The Vatican's of basic personality types. Half-Hearted Rehabilitation of Gali­ leo Will Not Prevent the Recurrence Maxwell, Joe. "Article Claims of Errors of the Same Kind." Nature Warnke's Satanic Past a Fraud." (Editorial), November 5, 1992, p. 2. Christianity Today, August 17, 1992, Nature is not moved by the Vatican's p. 50. Mike Warnke's 1973 book The belated acknowledgment that it Satan Seller tells of his involvement in wronged Galileo. "The Vatican owed a satanic conspiracy, and is often him a less grudging recantation." quoted as evidence of such plots. An article in the Christian magazine Figgis, Jane. "The Scientific Inno­ Cornerstone argues that the book is cence of Children." Search, August fabricated. 1992, pp. 208-209. Why don't college science students absorb what they are Petit, Charles. "Big Bang Story Has taught? Howard Gardner argues that Dark Side for Reporters." Science- teachers need to help students "un­ Writers (National Association of learn" the world-view they learned in Science Writers), Fall 1992, pp. 1-3. childhood. Critique of mainstream newspaper reporters' coverage of the now- Grelen, Jay C. "By The Book." Colum­ famous COBE satellite results. Finds bia Journalism Review, November/ that many reporters wrongly stated December 1992, pp. 16-17. A profile or implied that the discovery of ripples of two reporters at the Jesus People- in the cosmic microwave background owned magazine Cornerstone, whose had at last vindicated an embattled big- investigative articles have debunked bang theory, when in fact the big bang claims of Satanist groups. (See Max­ itself has been accepted by almost all well article below.) cosmologists since 1965. (It is details

Spring 1993 325 of the immediate aftermath of the big Weldon, Fay. "Down Among the bang that are still somewhat in Scientists." New Scientist, December contention.) 19/26, 1992, pp. 40-41. A good- humored but still pointed criticism, Scanlon, Matthew, and James Mauro. from a writer and representative of "The Lowdown on Handwriting the presumptive wooly-thinking Analysis: Is It for Real?" Psychology liberal arts, of "scientism." This is the Today, November-December 1992, pp. implied belief in the omnipresent 46-58, 80. A puff piece for graphology competence of science, combined with consisting solely of the transcription the notion that the "ethics" of science of a totally uncritical interview with are identical with personal and social a graphologist, Andre McNichol. morality—or, as Weldon puts it, "if Psychology Today owes its readers it's science it must be right." She's much more than this on this shady actually responding, "waving a white subject. flag," to criticisms, by scientists of an earlier article on the subject she'd Siemens, David F. "Some Relatively been asked to write for the Daily Non-Technical Problems With Flood Telegraph. The core of concern here Geology." Perspectives on Science and is scientific hubris and the unbecom­ Christian Faith, September 1992, pp. ing lack of humility exhibited in 169-174. A Christian philosopher some scientists' thinking. It best be dismantles the Creationist view of the avoided, and reading such con­ Flood with simple arguments. For structive criticisms is one way to see example, on leaving Noah's Ark, why why. did all monotremes and most mar­ supials go to Australia? Wilson, Philip K. " 'Out of Sight Out of Mind?': The Daniel Turner-James Tavris, Carol. "Beware the Incest- Blondel Dispute Over the Power of Survivor Machine." New York Times the Maternal Imagination." Annals of Book Review, January 3, 1993, pp. 1, Science, 49 (1992): 63-85. Historical 16-17. Critical essay on recent spate examination of a dispute in London of books supposedly identifying the in the late 1720s. Turner accepted the symptoms of incest. "The trouble is long-standing belief that a pregnant that the same list could be used to woman's imagination could be trans­ identify oneself as someone who loves ferred to her unborn child, imprinting too much, someone who suffers from the fetus with various marks and a self-defeating personality disorder, deformities. Blondel sought to refute or a mere human being in the late 20th this view on rational and anatomical century." grounds. The dispute raised the phenomenon of the maternal imagi­ Vladimirov, Sergei. "Divining nation from an issue of folk belief to Crime." Sputnik, April 1992, pp. 126- a concern of eighteenth-century 128. A brief credulous article about medicine. "Nikolai," a Moscow policeman who supposedly solves crimes with telep­ —Kendrick Frazier athy. and Robert Lopresti

326 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Follow-up

Colorado Board of Nursing Supports Therapeutic Touch, Skeptics Continue Challenge BELA SCHEIBER

ie offering of credit for dubious continuing education units to nurses and pseudoscientific nursing for the study of therapeutic touch and Tcourses was recently challenged other non-traditional complementary by the Rocky Mountain Skeptics healing modalities. After review of the (RMS) (SI, Winter 1993, pp. 172-173). research literature and discussion, the On January 30, 1992, representa­ subcommittee had made the recom­ tives of RMS asked the Colorado mendation that the Board should Board of Nursing: "How can Board- continue to award continuing educa­ recognized, credentializing organiza­ tion credit to such programs. After tions be made responsible and discussion, the Board voted to reaf­ accountable for the content of firm its previous determination that continuing-education classes?" While therapeutic touch was an acceptable Therapeutic Touch (TT) was only one study area for continuing credit." of many questionable courses stated This piqued our curiosity. Who was as a concern, it soon became the on the subcommittee? What led to central focus of the battle to follow. their conclusions? Why were we, the RMS received a letter from the presenters of the concern, only told Board dated March 10, 1992, pro­ the outcome in general terms? We claiming the formation of a "subcom­ wanted to know. After requesting, mittee to address the question and and receiving, minutes and a full copy present a recommendation back to the of the subcommittee's recommenda­ Board." In a March 28 courtesy tion, we became even more concerned response to the letter, the Vice Presi­ about the serious lack of critical skills dent of RMS, Linda Rojas, wrote that within the nursing profession. "the Rocky Mountain Skeptics stand Although we were not invited to ready to assist in any way we can." testify at the subcommittee's hear­ In anticipation of being asked to ings, others were allowed to present testify in front of the subcommittee a favorable case for TT in front of the we were busy preparing our case full Board. Among the four witnesses when a letter dated June 8 firmly was Janet Quinn, who is an associate brought us back to reality. In this professor and senior scholar at the letter we were told that the subcom­ University of Colorado Health Scien­ mittee had met and had presented its ces Center School of Nursing. Quinn conclusions to the full Board May 28 provided the Board a reading list and 29 "regarding the awarding of (Quinn 1992) of 200 entries, among

Spring 1993 327 which were more than two dozen request of patients. Second, these papers that she had written, including modalities can be used as meaning­ her master's thesis and doctoral dis­ ful adjuncts to, and not replace­ sertation (both done at NYU under ments for, standard medical and Dorothy Krieger, the leading TT nursing care. advocate). What constitutes "increasing After hearing from the four advo­ volume of research and clinical liter­ cates, reviewing the 15-page reading ature supporting the effectiveness of list, and reading the subcommittee's Therapeutic Touch"? Of the 200 recommendations, the Board voted entries found in Quinn's list, the 8-0, with one abstention, to accept the works can be characterized and enu­ recommendations. merated as follows: The subcommittee's report to the State Board of Nursing read in Appearance in the popular press part: (Woman's Day, McCall's, People, American Baby, New Realities, Based on an increasing volume of etc.) 13 research and clinical literature Unrelated publications, incidental supporting the effectiveness of mentions, and popular works. Therapeutic Touch in the easing of (How to Meditate, The Tao of human suffering and stimulation of Physics, Freedom in Meditation, healing, the State Board of Nursing The Aquarian Conspiracy, of Colorado, like other State Boards of Nursing all over the country, etc.) 30 should continue to be an advocate Articles in journals with little or for the public safety and for no scientific reputation (Amer­ patient's rights to access the full ican Theosophist, International range of caring and healing inter­ Journal of Parapsychology, Re- ventions by continuing to acknowl­ Vision, etc.) 35 edge continuing education units Non-peer-reviewed book appear­ earned for the study of Therapeutic ances (Spiritual Aspects of the Touch. Therapeutic Touch, as a nursing intervention, is being Healing Arts, The Many Facets taught to nurses through many of Touch, etc.) 39 colleges and universities, and by the Unrefereed articles in news­ National League for Nursing letters and trade through its continuing education publications 31 videotape series on Therapeutic Dissertations, master's theses, Touch. It is completely within the and research reports 19 mainstream of modern nursing Authentic-sounding research practice. Moreover, we encourage papers 33 the Board to continue to acknowl­ edge continuing education efforts undertaken by nurses in related The last two categories constitute complementary healing modalities, only 26 percent of the total and were even when scientific investigation placed in the "possible" category of of such modalities is incomplete, for valid research. A further breakdown two reasons. First, the lay public is of these 52 works yields: becoming increasingly sophisticated in these complementary modalities Correspondence responding to and nurses should be familiar attacks 2 enough with them to be able to Dissertations and theses that are provide adequate information at the oblique to the topic 6

328 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Surveys with no original work 5 Probable surveys with no original work 6 Colorado Board Reaffirms Repackagings of earlier works 3 Support of TT Possibly authentic research papers 16 On January 28, 1993, the Rocky Genuine research reports 14 Mountain Skeptics (RMS) again appeared before the Colorado We took a closer look at the 30 in Board of Nursing. This time the the last two categories and found: group charged the Board with violating Colorado statutes in the Contrarian research or official discharge of its duties and responses 15 quoted from the state statutes: "In Possibly authentic research order to safeguard the life, health, papers 5 property, and public welfare of the Supportive dissertations and people of this state and in order to theses (Heidt 1979; Quinn protect. . . from the unauthorized, 1982; Guerrero 1986; Pomerhn unqualified, and improper applica­ 1987) 4 tion of serices by individuals in the Supportive papers (Heidt 1981; practice of nursing, it is necessary Keller 1983; Krieger 1975; that a proper regulatory authority Quinn 1984; Heidt 1990; Kra­ be established" (CRS 12-38-103). mer 1990) 6 Furthermore, in defining the "prac­ tice of professional nursing," the We were unable to locate the 5 in legislature declared it to be ". . . the "possibly authentic" subcategory. the performance of both independ­ We were therefore generous here. ent nursing functions and dele­ Note that of the 30 in the list above, gated medical . . . functions . . . 15 dispute the TT hypothesis. Of the which [require] such specialized 10 identified as supportive- research, knowledge, judgment, and skill half have already received some involving the application of princi­ scrutiny (Clark and Clark 1984; Clark ples of biological, physical, social, and 1984). These 10 break down as follows: behavioral sciences [italics added] as are required for licensing as a Experimental designs in dispute 5 professional nurse. . . ." (CRS 12- Could not be replicated 1 38-103[10]). Unevaluated research 4 After a two-hour discussion the Validated or replicated research 0 Board moved to reaffirm its May 1992 vote to continue to accept TT Following is an annotated list of for credit. As in its previous deci­ these 10 papers: sion it once again avoided respon­ ding to RMS's concerns and refused Heidt 1979 (sample size = 90; to consider the issue of scientific attempted replication by Hale validation for nursing practice. failed to confirm) —B.S. Quinn 1982 (sample size = 60; claims to investigate only difference Guerrero 1986 (sample size = 30) between contact and noncontact Pomerhn 1987 (sample size = 40) techniques; assumes that TT is Heidt 1981 (critiqued in Clark and already proved) Clark 1984, and Clark 1984: no

Spring 1993 329 objective data and no control for peutic touch on state-trait anxiety level placebo effect) of oncology patients. Masters Abstracts International, 24(03):252 (University Keller 1983 (critiqued in Bullough Microfilms No. 1326756). and Bullough 1993: poor design) Hale, E. H. 1986. A study of the relationship Krieger 1975 (critiqued in Walike between therapeutic touch and the et al. 1975, Clark and Clark anxiety levels of hospitalized adults. 1984, and Clark 1984: poor de­ Dissertation Abstracts International, 47, 1928B (University Microfilms No. sign and subject selection) 8618897). Quinn 1984 (critiqued in Clark and Heidt, P. 1979. An investigation of the effects Clark 1984, and Clark 1984: no of therapeutic touch on anxiety of objective measures used) hospitalized patients. Dissertation Abstracts International, 40, 5206B-5207B Heidt 1990; Kramer 1990 (small (University Microfilms No. 8010289). sample, "observer participant"). . 1981. Effect of therapeutic touch on the anxiety level of hospitalized patients. Most disturbing on Quinn's list are Nursing Research, 30(l):32-37. the 15 dissertations that attempt, but . 1990. Openness: A qualitative analy­ sis of nurses' and patients' experiences fail, to confirm the TT hypothesis and of therapeutic touch. Image: Journal of apparently are used to "bulk" up the Nursing Scholarship, 22(3):180-186. list. Also, a review of the references Keller, E. 1983. The effects of therapeutic cited by some of the contrarian papers touch on tension headache pain. Masters in her list reveals material that Quinn Abstracts International, 22(4):372-373 (University Microfilms No. 1322168). inadvertently omitted. Kramer, N. A. 1990. Comparison of thera­ In an age when any dramatic peutic touch and casual touch in stress public-health issue generates thou­ reduction of hospitalized children. Pedi­ sands of scientific papers, it is difficult atric Nursing, 16(5):483-485. Krieger, D. 1975. Therapeutic touch: The to imagine why TT has produced only imprimatur of nursing. American Journal a handful in nearly 20 years. Certainly of Nursing, 75(5):784-787. it is premature to view this as an Pomerhn, A. 1987. The effect of therapeutic "increasing volume of research and touch on nursing students' perceptions clinical literature supporting the of stress during clinical experiences. Masters Abstracts International, effectiveness of Therapeutic Touch." 25(04):362 (University Microfilms No. Many thanks to members of the 1330821). Rocky Mountain Skeptics who helped Quinn, J. F. 1982. An investigation of the with this report: Linda Rojas, Bill effects of therapeutic touch done without physical contact on state anxiety of Aldorfer, Carla Selby, and Martin hospitalized cardiovascular patients. Tobias, and with special thanks to Dissertation Abstracts International, Larry Sarner. 43:1797-B (University Microfilms No. DA 82-26-788). . 1984. Therapeutic touch as energy References exchange: Testing the theory. Advances in Nursing Science, 6(2): 42-49. Bullough, V. L., and B. Bullough. 1993. ———. 1992. Therapeutic Touch and Related Therapeutic Touch: Why do nurses Readings. Document submitted to Colo­ believe? SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, 17:169- rado Nursing Board. 174. Walike, Bruno, Donaldson, Erickson, Giblin, Clark, M. J. 1984. Therapeutic touch: Is there Hanson, Mitchell, Sharp, Mahomet, a scientific basis for practice? Reply, Bolin, Craven, and Enloe. 1975. Letter, Nursing Research, 33(5):296-297. American Journal of Nursing, 75(8): 1275, Clark, P. E., and M. J. Clark 1984. Thera­ 1278, 1292. peutic touch: Is there a scientific basis for the practice? Nursing Research, 33(l):37- 41. Bela Scheiber is president of the Rocky Guerrero, M. A. 1986. The effects of thera­ Mountain Skeptics.

330 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Letters to A the Editor^

Isaac Asimov I have given up the practice of reading through long manuscripts. I wish I I am writing to thank you and the were 35 again, but, alas, my doctors contributors to the tribute to Isaac tell me it is not possible. Asimov. His passing has not received nearly the recognition in the media that The world feels a deep loss. At least I would have thought appropriate; hence I hope it does. I wonder, in our nation the salute from those whose opinions where interest in science and rational meant much to him is all the more fitting thinking seems to be on the wane, how and valued. many teenagers have heard of Isaac Asimov. If the answer is less than 10 Ed Shields percent, I propose that schools across Meridian, Mass. the nation set aside April 6 as "Isaac Asimov Day," when students and teachers would discuss his works and Isaac Asimov was one of the world's life, and select passages for reading and great intellectuals. I think that at heart study. My own book is finally pub­ he was first and foremost a teacher. To lished and dedicated to several longtime me, the greatest accomplishment of his inspirers: Isaac Asimov, Martin great career was the bringing of the Gardner, James Randi, and Arthur C. wonderful world of science to his Clarke. readers in terms and concepts that were understandable. He would not oppress Clifford A. Pickover his readers with a stuffy approach to IBM Research Staff Member science, but would put it in sparkling IBM Thomas J. Watson and practical terms that the interested Research Center lay people could comprehend and appre­ Yorktown Heights, N.Y. ciate. Even in most of his science fiction he was a teacher. Most of this fiction would in some varying degree educate Wonderful is the idea of a commemor­ the reader on some scientific principle ative stamp to honor Asimov. He is not or another. only an authentic national treasure of The world is the poorer for his the United States but also a genuine passing but the richer for his having treasure of the world. Don't forget the lived. fact that there are many Asimov fans in Japan and in the world! He was the Thomas G. Rusk greatest educator for me. He taught me Villisca, Iowa the joy of thinking scientifically and explaining science and other human endeavors. In his enormous volume of I was greatly saddened by the loss of books, he interrelated science, history, a lifelong hero, Isaac Asimov. Over the and literature; past, present, and future; years we exchanged a few notes. A little ideas and society. Thank you Dr. more than a year ago I asked him if he Asimov! could provide a back-cover quote for my book Mazes for the Mind: Computers and Motofumi Kuze the Unexpected. He wrote back to me: Utsunomiya, Japan

Spring 1993 331 I was intrigued by Paul Kurtz's comment I'd like to document how it all started. that Isaac Asimov "never imagined Asimov was a contributor, both as people would believe all that crap" about author and letter hack, to an early ESP and other paranormal phenomena science-fiction pulp, Planet Stories. In the that appeared in his novels. Unfortu­ Fall 1940 issue of that magazine, a letter nately, many of us who grew up reading was published from one "Isaac Asenion." science fiction believed in much too A couple of subsequent letter writers much crap that passed and still passes correctly guessed the identity of "Asen­ as science. I think the problem was that ion," but went on to misspell his first we (and, to be honest, most science- name as "Izaac." Isaac responded in a fiction writers) did not make a distinc­ letter in the Spring 1941 issue, wherein tion between speculative science fiction he proclaimed in mock dudgeon, "My and fantastical science fiction. The first name is Asimov, not Asenion, curse you demands that any powers, devices, or all!" Nevertheless, I believe it was quite technologies resident in the tale obey the a while before his many friends ceased known laws of physics (albeit a bit of to gleefully call him "Asenion." poetic stretching is allowed). The second, the fantastical, creates an Norman F. Stanley alternative law and proceeds from there Rockland, Maine (although this law should be internally valid) or simply ignores existing laws without explanation. In Memory Yet Green, Asimov men­ In my own case I confused the tions me because we were in the possibility of life existing elsewhere (a same class at Boys High School in sine qua non for science fiction) with Brooklyn, New York (Class of 1935). I the certainty that humanlike creatures happened to get a few grades even have visited the earth, affected human higher than his, so he remembered history, constructed wonders, and me. In college my grades went down and occasionally kidnapped our women. his up, and he has surpassed me ever Perhaps I was especially gullible, but I since. have heard this lament oft repeated by What Kendrick Frazier wrote (SI, others. Even today, writers and publish­ Summer 1992) is a true and excellent ers do not help; they create a separation summary of Asimov's talents, work, and between science fiction and fantasy achievement. fiction; but for them that boils down to spaceships vs. elves. I wonder how many Isaac Asimov [wasl perhaps the young SF fans think that "Hobbits" and greatest explainer and popularizer of "Dragons" are fantastical but that science of all time. . . . Few writers teleportation and hyperspace travel are have ever produced a body of work just around the corner. of such substance, magnitude, breadth, and diversity. All this is to emphasize the point that He was a relentless defender of several of the tributes to Asimov made: reason, rationality, and the values of his greatest contribution to humanity science. . . . was his science prose rather than his fiction. Nevertheless, anyone interested It was a unique pleasure and privilege in luring young minds to reason should for me to have been his classmate, to provide both. have received several letters from so busy a man answering my questions, to David Perlmutter have spoken to him on the phone those Minneapolis, Minn. few times. His legacy to me is his books on my shelves in three rooms! As a footnote to James Randi's anecdote about Isaac Asimov's supposed sensitiv­ Karl O. Hill ity toward having his name misspelled, Larchmont, N. Y.

332 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 New /^ Books .=^_ 4

Ask Marilyn. Marilyn vos Savant. St. and people who have in common Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Ave., New something to do with mathematics York, NY 10010.1992. 316 pp. $19.95, and something odd, peculiar, or hardcover. A compilation of Marilyn bizarre. A good-humored collection of vos Savant's columns from Parade, the examples designed to give readers an Sunday newspaper magazine supple­ idea of what cranks do, how they do ment. Of special interest here are her it, and what keeps them going. columns on the now-famous Three- Door Problem, questions about Missing Pieces. Robert A. Baker and science and nature, riddles and brain- Joe Nickell. Prometheus Books, 700 teasers, and her no-nonsense answers East Amherst St., Buffalo, NY 14215. in a brief chapter on "Mysticism" (Q: 1992. 339 pp. $23.95, hardcover. A "Are there any people who foretell the handbook on how to investigate future, such as numerologists and ghosts, UFOs, psychics, and other psychics, who have been documented mysteries. The authors, a psychologist as being legitimate? A: Nope.") and a noted investigator, provide prac­ tical information on checking out Culture, Religion, and the Sacred every type of mysterious anomaly, Self. Jacob Pandian. Prentice Hall, 15 including UFO sightings, ghost haunt- Columbus Circle, New York, NY ings, psychic feats, and other weird 10023. 221 pp. $29.00, paper. A critical events. Provides useful suggestions on introduction to the anthropological how to conduct investigations, inter­ study of religion. Of particular inter­ rogate witnesses, recognize deception, est here might be the author's discus­ and use the mental and electronics sion of the role of science and religion, tools of the trade. in Chapters 19 and 20 (New Age phenomena), and Chapter 10 (a theory Ponzi Schemes, Invaders from Mars of religion). and More Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Mathematical Cranks. Underwood Crowds. Joseph Bulgatz. Harmony Dudley. The Mathematical Associa­ Books, 201 East 50th St. New York, tion of America, 1529 Eighteenth St., NY 10022. 1992. 384 pp. $12.00, N.W., Washington, DC 20036. 1992. paper. Inspired by Charles Mackay's 361 pp. $25.00, paper. The first book 150-year-old classic, Extraordinary on mathematical cranks: people who Popular Delusions and the Madness of think that they have done something Crowds, the author shares stories of impossible, like trisecting the angle or frauds, scams, and deluded behavior. squaring the circle; people who think Subjects include Orson Welles's "War they have done something that they of the Worlds" broadcast, Bat-men on have not, like proving Fermat's Last the Moon, dowsing, perpetual motion, Theorem; obsessive people who have soccer-crowd madness, lottery fevers, eccentric views, from mild to crazy; and Jonestown and other cults.

Spring 1993 319 Science or Pseudo? The Mars Effect science students, their teachers, and and Other Claims. Proceedings of the those with a liberal arts education. Third EuroSkeptics Congress, Part One emphasizes the workings of October 4-5, 1991, Amsterdam. science and deals with what science Edited by J. W. Niehuys. Stichting is and is not. Part Two attempts to Skepsis, Postbus 2657, 3500 GR, deal seriously with criteria of demar­ Utrecht, The Netherlands. 1992. 226 cation of the major separate knowl­ pp. DGL 25 (US $12.50), paper. Con­ edge fields. Strahler's goal is to help tributions are divided into three broad bridge the gap between science phi­ categories: general expositions about losophers, often occupied with the "the paranormal," reports with a more way things "ought to be" and caught or less clear specific empirical content up in abstract and nearly unintelligible (e.g., dowsing claims, crop circles), and discourse, and practicing scientists, six papers discussing the "Mars who have a practical view of things effect." and need to concentrate on getting the job done. Shamans, Priests and Witches: A Cross-Cultural Study of Magico- The Write Stuff. Edited by Barry L. Religious Practitioners. Michael Beyerstein and Dale F. Beyerstein. James Winkelman. Arizona State Prometheus Books, 700 East Amherst University Anthropological Research Street, Buffalo, NY 14215. 1992. 515 Papers No. 44, Arizona State Univer­ pp. $49.95, hardcover; $21.95, paper. sity, Tempe, AZ 85287-2402. 1992. Evaluations of graphology—the study 191 pp. $27.50, paper. Based upon a of handwriting analysis. Contribu­ Ph.D. dissertation, this book inte­ tors, including both practicing gra­ grates the findings of a cross-cultural phologists and critics from many study on types of magico-religious fields, supply a balanced evaluation of practitioners within the context of the claims that personality, aptitude, anthropological and sociological stud­ and psychological and physical health ies of such phenomena. can be determined through hand­ writing analysis. Includes discussion Understanding Science. Arthur N. of why graphology seems so accurate Strahler. Prometheus Books, 700 E. to many personnel managers when it Amherst St., Buffalo, NY 14215.1992. has been unable to pass objective tests 409 pp. $25.95, hardcover. A scien­ of validity. See review in this issue. tist's effort to make the philosophy of science accessible and intelligible to —Kendrick Frazier

320 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Asimov, first name of Isaac, chapter assignment, I proposed to my Could really lay it on thick. adolescent compeers that the entire He had what it took. system so created could be considered To write a good book, a single organism, simply because of its But nearly five hundred? Neat trick! apparently self-regulatory characteris­ tics. The arguments raged for days. Very Nelda Sander quickly, they moved away from the Stillwater, Okla. direct object of the discussion and toward the whole problem of when one could and could not define a system as I especially enjoyed your tribute issue a single entity. No answer was forth­ to Isaac Asimov. The world seems coming. None can be. Words are, after somehow darker with his death. all, merely labels by which we organize our sense impressions. A different Dennis Hoey organization of those impressions calls Citrus Heights, Calif. for a different set of labels. . . .

John H. Fowler Gaia without mysticism Houston, Texas

Phil Shannon's article, "Gaia Without Mysticism" (SI, Fall 1992), comes pre­ Phil Shannon's article on Gaia twice cariously close to embracing the very states that Earth's temperature should errors of personification and teleological be 300° C, given its planetary location. mysticism that he decries in New Age Shannon presumably gets this temper­ devotees of Gaia Mater. The concept of ature as a linear interpolation between "Gaia" is, on every front, an artifact of the temperatures of Mars and Venus, sloppy and unscientific thinking. Excus­ but there is no scientific reason why this ing it as a useful metaphor or as a calculation should have anything at all convenient verbal signifier of some to do with Earth's temperature. profound insight into science does not The temperature of a planetary body convert such terminology into science. near the sun is basically determined by Nor is every theory put forward by the balance of heat-flow absorbed by the someone with a degree in science body from the sun and heat-flow from innately valuable or intrinsically worth the body by thermal emission. The heat more than a cursory evaluation. absorbed from the sun is proportional Lovelock and Margulis's insight into to the inverse of the distance from the the apparent self-sustaining nature of sun squared. For an idealized "gray" certain systems is in itself not terribly body the heat emitted is proportional to profound. Scientists have assumed for the temperature to the fourth power. years that geological and biological For a body in thermal equilibrium the interactions must be understood in temperature is therefore proportional to order to explain the composition of the the square-root of the inverse distance atmosphere. Indeed, some three decades from the sun. For Venus, Earth, and ago, when I was still in high school, we Mars, the distances, temperatures, and constructed what was even then a rather proportionality constants are: standard educational apparatus: Snails, goldfish, and water plants were placed Planet Distance (kms) Temperature Constant in a sealed bottle of water that was then Venus 108,000,000 477°C (750°K) 7,790,000 set where the sun could strike it. Sure Earth 150,000,000 13°C (286°K) 3,500,000 enough, an apparently homeostatic Mars 228,000,000 - 53°C (220°K) 3,320,000 balance was maintained, and all three species in the bottle appeared to prosper. The fact that Venus and Mars, which To amuse my friends, impress my are both lifeless planets, have completely teacher, and avoid going on to the next different constants shows that you

Spring 1993 333 cannot simply predict Earth's tempera­ plants. Nor are there "higher" animals ture from the temperatures of its or plants. When Shannon refers to the neighbors. The ability to do calculations "single-celled microbes" he probably like averages, interpolations, and so on, means bacteria, yet probably most of does not guarantee that they are appro­ them in nature are multicellular, as J. priate or mean anything. A test of the Shapiro at the University of Chicago has Gaia hypothesis with regard to temper­ been trying to say for years. As for the ature requires a far more sophisticated 250,000 or so species of protoctists, they analysis than that given here, or in have no spokespersons. To most people, Shannon's article. amoebae, apicomplexans, ciliates, hyper- mastigotes, foraminifera, diatoms, chy- Robert Clear trids, and the rest, either don't exist or Berkeley, Calif. are germs, red-tide shellfish poisons, or parasites. Until we really learn to respect our planetmates for what they do to The Gaia hypothesis seems to have sustain and recycle our environment, we left itself wide open to incursions by cannot really know to respect ourselves. mystics by taking the easy, evasive Shannon has done a fine job bring­ way out of two fundamental ques­ ing to our attention the necessity for tions—those of the origin and extinction global science. He has aided our think­ of life. The teleological tenets of Gaia ing within Gaian paradigm. Let's hope cannot conceivably extend to the prime­ that next time he recognizes the val time when life had not yet appeared relevance of the microbial world as on Earth. Who or what then was well. responsible for making the conditions on earth conducive to the generation of Lynn Margulis life? Amherst, Mass.

Anutosh Moitra Lynn Margulis and James E. Lovelock, Yorktown, Va. whose letter follows, are the originators of the Gaia hypothesis.—ED.

Phil Shannon is certainly correct when he writes: "Gaia, both as scientific Thank you so much for the splendid theory and as environmental philos­ article on Gaia. ophy, is . . . too valuable to be un­ It was a rare pleasure to read a justly tainted by association with the sensible, balanced comment on Gaia. I New Age." His accessible and descrip­ am an old-fashioned scientist who has tive article would deserve infinitely tried to practice science by the rules and wide distribution if it weren't for his always be objective about nature. It has thoughtless, and unnecessary, malign- not been easy, during the past twenty ment of the microcosmos. Our subvis- years since Gaia was first introduced as ible world, replete with relevant a hypothesis, to be subject on one side splendors, modulated surface condi­ to dogmatic criticism from the scientific tions on this planet long before the establishment and on the other to "higher" Homo sapiens upstart left Africa fulsome support from the New Age. I for the cooler realms in both directions. longed for a fair comment and at last What does "higher" mean? Taller? it has appeared in your journal. My Larger? Grander? More recently thanks go to you and Phil Shannon, the evolved? Faster growing? More popu­ author. lous or numerous? Morphologically more complex? Or, as I suspect, it means James E. Lovelock just a little closer to Shannon's own Coombe Mill, St. Giles relatives. on the Heath There are no single-celled animals or Launceston, U.K.

334 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Phil Shannon responds: prefer the glamour of gods and mysticism to the hard thinking of science and John Fowler is in good company (with understanding. Stephen fay Gould, among others) in claiming that the concept of Gaia is "not terribly profound" or new. Why then does The curse of the runestone the old and uncontentious science of self- regulating homeostasis in the new planetary The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and its contrib­ bottle of Lovelock and Margulis's theory utors usually adhere to the highest offend so many palates? A cursory reading standards of objectivity. SI and John of Lovelock and Margulis (which is what Whittaker have seriously fallen from the New Age enthusiasts give them) may grace with the publication of Whittaker's leave a taste of "teleological mysticism," but article "The Curse of the Runestone: this is not borne out by any closer reading. Deathless Hoaxes" (Fall 1992). Certainly as the degree of complexity Whittaker makes the mistake of grows from "snail, goldfish, and water- accepting without question the propo­ plant" systems to the Earth, the scope for sition that the runestone carving is a scientific error grows. Robert Clear rightly hoax. It is apparent that he failed to points to one gray area—Lovelock's predic­ examine the substantial body of scholar­ tion that, without the life-controlled C0Z ship on the other side of the question, thermostat, the Earth's surface temperature in particular, the 1982 book of R. A. Hall, should be around 300° C (based on its to which he alluded. Whittaker simply position relative to Venus and Mars) instead parrots what some others have claimed, of its hospitable 13° C. This "linear that "the runes are wrong for the date interpolation" of 300° C is less appropriate given, and the language reflects the than Clear's method, although his calcu­ ninetenth-century heritage of a lations are for an "idealised 'gray' body" Swedish-American farmer." and the greenhouse effect is one factor that Far from simply following the runes plays merry hell with any calculations in the Well-informed Schoolmaster, the (Venus's high temperature is caused by its nineteenth-century forger "would . . . atmosphere of 96% C02). have had to know certain inscriptions Nevertheless, if Gaia's performance on which didn't come to light or were not explaining the temperature anomaly is identified or discussed until the nineteen rendered less impressive, this may be no more hundreds" (Hall, p. 46). harmful than removing the fifth wheel from With respect to the language of the a car, or Zeppo and Gummo from the Marx inscription, "there is nothing in the Brothers, because what is left may still be language of the Kensington Stone that solid support for the theory viz the constancy indicates the influence of nineteenth of the Earth's 13° C while the sun has century English or Scandinavian lan­ grown 30-percent hotter, the chemical dis­ guages. Certain of the features, both equilibrium of the Earth's atmosphere, etc., linguistic and graphemic, are specifically and the maintenance of these anomalous ancient, and unlikely to have been properties by living organisms. Clear's is known to any except a most learned the type of scientific interrogation that the nineteenth century forger" (Hall, p. 49). Gaia hypothesis needs. Whittaker says the farmer claimed to 1 defer to Lynn Margulis, "the Wizard have found the stone in the roots of a of Ooze," who, from the muddy haunts of tree. I myself, a native of the area, knew microbes, reminds us of the crucial role of personally at least one individual who the microbial world in global ecology and saw the stone still clasped in the roots science. And 1 will bet a subvisible of the tree with clumps of earth still microcosmos or two that the New Age won't adhering. This was the late Henry Moen allow their Gaia to get mud on her boots. of Alexandria, Minnesota, who at the Oblations to hypermastigotes? Orisons to time of the discovery was about ten apicomplexans? Worshipping at the fool of years of age. the compost heap? Not likely for those who Indeed, the question of whether the

Spring 1993 335 inscription was a hoax is far from closed The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER has been, since and in fact the weight of reasoned its inception, a model of the objective evidence goes in favor of the authen­ examination of claims of the paranormal ticity of the carving. and fringe-science. However, my respect for its objectivity has been somewhat Andrew P. Engebretson shaken by "The Curse of the Runestone: St. Paul, Minn. Deathless Hoaxes." Whittaker asserts: "To modern scholars, the Kensington runestone is insignificant, because it is John Whittaker's article ill serves the quite clear that it is a hoax." SKEPTICAL INQUIRER'S goal of "the appli­ A few years ago I was in Alexandria, cation of reason." Where Whittaker Minnesota, with time on my hands could have used reason, he chose instead and visited the museum that is prom­ to use ridicule. inently located there. I saw the Kensing­ His use of ridicule was particularly ton runestone in its floodlighted case obnoxious when he claimed that the and was moved to check at the local stone's supporters believe that the library on its authenticity. I was not a Vikings traveled 140 miles a day over native Minnesotan (nor of Scandinavian rough terrain. Actually, Hjalmar Holand descent) and had not previously read maintained that "day's journey" mea­ about the stone. The encyclopedias sured distance, not time. Holand said described the stone and said that most that" 'day's journey' means seventy-five scientists had concluded that it was' miles," no matter how long someone fraudulent. actually took to traverse the distance. Back in St. Paul, browsing in my (Quotation from p. 192 of Norse Dis­ favorite bookstore, I found and bought coveries & Explorations in America, the The Kensington Rune Stone: New Light on reprint of Westward from Vinland. See an Old Riddle, by Theodore C. Blegen, also Holand's discussion on pp. 188-192 dean emeritus of the University of of that book.) Minnesota graduate school. Although Holand's opponents are well aware he reasoned entirely from an examina­ of his actual position. For example, see tion of the circumstances and the Erik Wahlgren on page 76 of The personae involved, Blegen concluded: Kensington Stone: A Mystery Solved: "The inscription is a fake." After my "[Holand assumed] that the phrase '14 admittedly cursory reading, I kidded my days' journey' meant, not a journey of acquaintances in Minnesota, many of fourteen days' duration, but an arbitrary whom were of Scandinavian ancestry, measure of distance, a day's journey with the jibe that Alexandria is "the only being taken to mean a fixed unit of 80 town in the country with a museum miles, whether on land or on sea." dedicated to a hoax." Holand may have been wrong, but Then I read, in a column by a I can't find that out from Whittaker's professor whose special interest was article. Whittaker also failed to discuss scientific anomalies (in, of all places, the the alternate belief that the "sea" Ellsworth [Maine] American) a reference mentioned on the stone was Lake to a new book, The Kensington Rune-Stone Superior, not the much further Hudson Is Genuine, by Robert A. Hall, Jr., Bay. (See Westward from Vinland.) Those professor emeritus, Cornell University. who believe in that don't have the same (Hornbeam Press, 1982, now available type of distance problem. from the Runestone Museum, Alexan­ Whittaker should have discussed dria, MN 56308). I got and read that people's actual beliefs rather than book, and found Hall's account of his attributing easily ridiculed positions to studies and conclusions more persuasive those with whom he disagrees. than Blegen's. . . .

George H. Johnston IV Glenn Critton Bowie, Md. St. Paul, Minn.

336 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 John Whittaker missed the real reason that these men, if living, would disavow the Kensington affair so far is deathless: it. the evidence on both sides of the contro­ versy is equivocal. This situation is likely Everett F. Bleiler to remain until someone determines the Interlaken, N.Y. age of the grooves by a method that can distinguish changes that take 600 years from those that take only 100. John Whittaker's article took me back The linguistic evidence now seems to some 40 years, to when I lived in favor authenticity as a result of Richard Minneapolis and knew Clifford Simak, Nielsen's detailed analysis (1986-1989) who in his spare time was one of the showing that the language of the stone great science-fiction writers. Once, is closer to that of fourteenth-century when a colleague visited town, several Bohuslan, Sweden, than to that of of us had a luncheon for him. The nineteenth-century Minnesota (Epi- colleague, a socialist, began talking about graphic Society Occasional Publications, 15: the kept American press, in which the 47-61; 16: 51-81; 17: 124-178; 18: 110- truth was never permitted to be told. 132). Simak replied in his quiet fashion that As for Whittaker's belief that Ohman he had been a newspaperman all his carved the stone, I thought that Alf working life, had written about practi­ Sommerfelt cleared that up 30 years ago cally every subject under the sun, and when he asserted that "Everyone knows had never once been made to slant a Fogelblad did it." story or seen it suppressed because of its content. Then he paused to think and James L.Guthrie admitted that that wasn't quite so. Ashton, Md. Several years before, he had been sent downstate to do a piece on the Kensing­ ton stone. He arrived open-minded, Regarding John Whittaker's interesting upon investigation saw it was clearly a article on the Kensington runestone; the fake, and wrote accordingly. His editor identity of the hoaxer is far from being told him that this was something no as settled as Whittaker seems to think. Minnesota paper could print and killed While Wahlgren, who covered the local the story. background thoroughly, leans heavily toward Olof Ohman, the farmer who Poul Anderson found the stone, others, like Blegen, Orinda, Calif. prefer the defrocked Lutheran minister and itinerant schoolmaster, Sven Fogelblad. John Whittaker responds: When everything is considered, including Ohman's background and Holand's equivocation about the distance behavior, to my mind it is much more recorded on the stone is typical of the special probable that he was the victim of a pleading used by runestone supporters. As hoax, rather than a hoaxer. Of the locals Wahlgren points out, "14 days journey" who might have cut the stone, Fogelblad either means 14 days time, which is seems the most likely choice, although impossible, or as Holand argued, an this is by no means a certainty. It would arbitrary measure of distance (about 80 be best to leave the question open. miles), in which case you have to believe Back in the 1940s, the stone was that the Norse could keep accurate track of accepted by many American anthropol­ distances while following winding rivers and ogists as probably genuine, although of beating through brush. Or it is only a rough no great interest for their studies, since estimate of distance, in which case you can it would have been an intrusive acci­ make it fit anything you like. dental. Since then much more negative Linguistic arguments for or against the evidence has turned up, and I am sure runestone are difficult for most of us to

Spring 1993 337 evaluate. Most scholars of Scandinavian purported Viking finds. They mostly ignore languages agree the stone is a hoax. Whether it because comparison to L'Anse aux Ohman or Fogelblad, or both, concocted it Meadows illuminates the weaknesses of most is an interesting question; both appear to other "Viking" material and shows it up have had the ability. As an archaeologist, for the collection of hoaxes and mistakes it 1 fall back on examining the context of a is. Nevertheless, for many people, exciting find. The circumstances of the Kensington nonsense is more convincing and interesting find are questionable, the supporting than unspectacular evidence, and, as I was "evidence" of other "finds" nothing but trying to point out, this is especially true misinterpreted post-Columbian artifacts and if, for various cultural or personal reasons, imported antiques like the Beardmore relics. you want to believe it. The cultural context is also important. A journey by Vikings on a wild-goose chase References to the interior of a wilderness continent makes little sense; a hoax by prideful immigrants Ingstad, A. S. 1971. "Norse sites at L'Anse socking it to the nineteenth-century estab­ aux Meadows." In The Quest for America, ed. by G. Ashe, 175-196. New York: lishment does make sense, and there is good Praeger Press. supporting circumstantial evidence. The . The Discovery of Norse Settlement in simplest explanation is not always right, but America: Excavations at L'Anse aux it is usually the best bet. Meadows, Newfoundland, 1961-68. Oslo: Most of the comments avoided the main Universitetsforlaget. point of my article. The Kensington . "The Norse Settlement of L'Anse aux runestone attracts so many warm followers Meadows, Newfoundland." In Vikings in the West, ed. by E. Guralnick, 31-37. New because it is fun to think about, romantic, York: Archaeological Institute of Amer­ exciting, good theater, and supports other ica. strongly held beliefs, not because the evidence supporting it is good. Compare Kensington to a good piece of Daytime stars evidence for Norse in North America. L'Anse aux Meadows is a site in Newfound­ Readers interested in the legend that land, excavated in the 1960s(lngstad 1971, stars can be seen in the daytime through 1977, 1982). It is a sparse site and not chimneys ("Observing Stars During the very romantic, but there are foundations for Daytime: The Chimney Myth," by small grubby turf houses that compare very Richard Sanderson, SI, Fall 1992) may well with Norse farmsteads in Greenland, want to look up an earlier discussion, evidence of non-native practices like smelting, by David W. Hughes: "On Seeing Stars good carbon-14 dates clustering around A.D. (especially up chimneys)," Quarterly 1000 as they should, and a few unspec­ Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, tacular but definitely European artifacts 24: 246-257 (1953). (bronze pin, spindle whorl, iron rivets). The Hughes surveys the science (what site was competently excavated and analyzed, there is of it) and lore surrounding the and the results were published, and it is legend, and provides a 32-item biblio­ now a Canadian National Park. It is quite graphy. Among other things, he points conclusive evidence of Norse presence; the out that the sunlit ash particles might location and finds make sense according to be mistaken for stars. Bradley E. the sagas and fit what we know of the way Schaefer also touches on the legend in Norse lived, traveled, and colonized, and "Glare and Celestial Visibility/' Publica­ multiple lines of evidence give a coherent tions of the Astronomical Society of the picture. Pacific, 103: 645-660 (July 1991). So why is L'Anse aux Meadows rarely mentioned by runestone supporters? Because Stephen S. Fentress it is not as exciting? 1 think so, but it is Strasenburgh Planetarium even worse than that. L'Anse aux Meadows Rochester Museum & sets a standard of evidence that Kensington Science Center supporters cannot match in any of the other Rochester, N.Y.

338 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Another atomic arithmetician Englanders believed that a person who recently died of consumption (tubercu­ Walter R. Hearn traced "the origins of losis) could cause the "wasting away" of atomic arithmetic" (SI, Follow-Up, Fall other family members by "draining their 1992) back to the French scientist Louis life force" (not necessarily their blood). C. Kervran some 40 years ago. Some Such a belief is not inconsistent with 100 years ago the great Swedish author the pathogenesis and epidemiology of a August Strindberg added atomic masses tuberculosis infection. To counteract in his alchemical attempts to find this suspected slow death, the supposed reactions to produce gold. The whole vampire was killed by exhuming the story, including modern analysis of body and inflicting damage upon it. I "gold" samples made by Strindberg, is have also uncovered an account from given by George B. Kauffman in an 1854 in Jewett City, Connecticut (adja­ enjoyable article (Gold Bulletin, 1988, cent to Griswold), relating that the 21[2], 69-75). He concludes (p. 74) about remains of two brothers, who died of Strindberg's studies: "His undue emo­ consumption were exhumed and burned tional involvement and his mystical as vampires. belief in analogies, correspondences, and numbers resulted in an almost complete Paul S. Sledzik lack of objectivity in his experiments and Curator, Anatomical Collections theories." Natl. Museum of Health Seems pseudoscience hasn't changed & Medicine much. Armed Forces Inst, of Pathology Washington, D.C. Gerhard Eggert Rheinisches Landesmuseum Bonn, Germany A Course in Miracles

As a student of A Course in Miracles New England vampire beliefs who has published a number of articles on its history and significance, I have I have an interesting aside to Peter some corrections and comments to offer Huston's review of two books on on Martin Gardner's recent column on vampires in the Fall 1992 SI. the Course (SI, Fall 1992). As a biological anthropologist special­ Gardner passes on erroneous infor­ izing in the analysis of historic-period mation from Esalen cofounder Michael North American skeletal remains, I have Murphy. Asserting that Course scribe been researching the beliefs in vampires Helen Schucman was "brought up among nineteenth-century New Eng­ mystically inclined," Murphy reported enders to interpret evidence from a that "at four she used to stand out on skeleton from the period. One of 28 the balcony and say that God would burials from a cemetery in Griswold, give her a sign of miracles to let her Connecticut (c. 1740-1840), that of a 50- know that he was there." Schucman's to 55-year-old male, had been rear­ unpublished autobiography refers only ranged postmortem. The ribs and ver­ once to such an incident in her child­ tebrae were jumbled, the femora crossed hood—at age 12, when she was visiting on the lower thorax, and the skull was Lourdes with her family. One evening on the upper chest. Several bones she prayed to God for the miracle sign show lesions probably resulting from of a shooting star, and when she opened a pulmonary infection from tubercu­ her eyes she saw a shower of them. losis. Schucman's adult recollection reveals Historic accounts from southern that her interpretation of the incident, New England reveal that beliefs in even as a child, was closer to that of vampires were not uncommon in the a skeptic than to that of one mystically nineteenth century. Some rural New inclined:

Spring 1993 339 I stood quite still until the stars had I was offended by Martin Gardner's faded away and the sky was dark article on Marianne Williamson and A again. And then I remembered. Course in Miracles. In it, Gardner Our guide had told us that this repeatedly mentions the "Jewish back­ was the time for meteor showers ground" of a number of the movement's in this part of the world, and they leaders. How is this relevant to his would be coming pretty often soon. expose? In the same issue, Gardner It was not really a miracle at all. manages to write a perfectly good piece . . . Perhaps, I said to myself, the on Isaac Asimov without ever once water and the healings and the mentioning his Jewish background. crutches were all like the meteor In addition, Gardner's innuendo shower. People just thought they about the relationship of Thetford and were miracles. It all could happen Schucman, and comments regarding that way. You can get fooled so Williamson's and Schucman's looks, easily. seem more appropriate to the pages of the National Enquirer than to those of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. Obviously this casts an entirely I thought SI was dedicated to cri­ different light on Schucman's complex tiquing people's ideas (or, in this case, character. In fact, Schucman prided the lack thereof) not to attacking their herself on her scientific rationalism personal relationships, physical appear­ throughout her life, and that's partly ance, or religious upbringing. why she kept the recording of the Course a secret from all but a few intimates. Rabbi Jane Litman Jewish Studies Gardner gives short shrift to the fact California State University that Marianne Williamson, Gerald at Northridge Jampolsky, Willis Harman, and other distinguished students of the Course have done a great deal of good work for Martin Gardner replies to Rabbi Litman: the benefit of others, and also that many people claim to have experienced signif­ The reason I mentioned the Jewish back­ icant healings of serious psychological ground of several true believers in the and even physical problems through the Course in Miracles is that the Course Course discipline. (I am one of them.) pretends to have been dictated by Jesus. That This is a far more significant issue than anyone Jewish would relish a book written Williamson's character flaws or even by Jesus is surely relevant. When I spoke Christ's alleged authorship of the on the phone with Helen Schucman's Course. . .. husband, I asked him if he believed the Course was dictated by Jesus. His immedi­ Finally, Gardner finds it "hard to ate response was, "How could I?I'm Jewish." believe that intelligent people could I also went out of my way to mention take seriously a work that is little more Helen's atheism and the Catholic back­ than a crude rehash of ideas from the ground of one prominent promoter of the old New Thought movement. . . ." It Course. I did this because the Course so should be clearly stated that this is only obviously contradicts both atheism and Gardner's opinion of the Course's com­ Catholic doctrines. position, not a competent or objective assay of the myriad philosophical If the Course had not purportedly been strains (including Gnosticism, kabbal- written by Jesus it would never have occurred ism, and early or "root" Christianity) to me to mention the religious backgrounds that are in fact detectible in the of any of its followers. My wife, who is material. Jewish, was not in the least offended when she proofed the column. If I were to write about Christian converts to, say, Islam, D. Patrick Miller would anyone fault me for mentioning that Encinitas, Calif. they were former Christians?

340 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Bruton Parish dig Press coverage by the Richmond Times-Dispatch alone amounted to at It is fascinating how the same basic least 11 long articles, more publicity than information may be presented in two so any Virginia archaeological excavation distinctly different ways. I refer to has received. The church's purpose was Robert Sheaffer's report on the contro­ "to settle the issue once and for all" and versy over an archaeological dig at it was "pressured into the decision by Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, groups intrigued by the story of the Virginia (SI, Psychic Vibrations, Fall vault" (Times-Dispatch, August 16, 1992) and Ivor Noel Hume's "Digging 1992). Later, the three weeks' diggings at Bruton: Much Ado About Nothing?" "proved beyond reasonable doubt that (Colonial Williamsburg, Autumn 1992, there is no vault," said the rector (Times pp. 16-19). Dispatch September 12, 1992). Ah! but For example, Sheaffer plays up the the New Age Christian mystics said, "New Age" angle, whereas Hume "the findings didn't shake their belief addresses his readers' interest in history that Sir Francis Bacon's vault lies and colonial America. Whereas Sheaffer beheath the church's old foundations" names the people who apparently did the (ibid.). illegal digging in 1991, Hume does not. The New Age mystics got their On the other hand, Sheaffer gives the publicity; so also did Bruton Parish impression that an earlier illegal dig, Church, probably the unspoken aim of carried out in 1938, netted nothing. both, because "old age" Christians Hume, however, notes that the 1938 dig (Episcopalians) don't respect reality did turn up "the remains of one of testing any more than "new age" Virginia's most historic 17th-century Christians. The Richmond Times- buildings," a discovery Hume ascribes to Dispatch's frequent coverage was con­ chance. Also, Sheaffer reports that a sistent with talk shows and newscasts Bruton spokesperson "notes that there reporting psychic "happenings," a media was a complete excavation around the trend of feeding "psychic" diets to church" in 1938. But Hume's articles Americans because their research shows doesn't really bear that out. Rather, "strong" interest. writes Hume, "on August 17 [1992] and at the vestry's invitation. Colonial C. G. Holland Williamsburg archaeologists began [a Charlottesville, Va. complete] excavation." Whether or not documents will be (See News and Comment in this issue for turned up revealing, among other a follow-up.—ED) things, the "real" author of Shake­ speare's play, this late summer night's dream may accomplish some good. The Stunt kite'UFO' worry is, if another chance discovery is made, will the true believers rewrite Robert Sheaffer's Psychic Vibrations their predictions to fit the find, or will discussion of TV's UFO flap (SI, Fall they just take the credit and run? 1992) reminded us of an amusing experience. Monty Vierra We try to keep up with nonsense Fuji City, Japan presented as serious stories and were watching "The UFO Report: Sightings" on the Fox network. They were talking Robert Sheaffer outlined the New Age about home video cameras capturing mystics' reasons for attempting to find unexplained phenomena and showed a the vault in the Bruton Parish Church's video of three objects floating and diving yard, and gave an account of their in front of mountains near Las Vegas. "mystological" evidence. A voice commented on the spectacular maneuver one object was making—it

Spring 1993 341 was looping as it gradually descended. etc.), no matter date of issue or language. We looked at each other and said Please send to: Ladislao Enrique Mar- "stunt kites." There is no doubt in our quez (CAIRP), Jose Marti 35—Dto. C, minds that the objects were kites and (1406) Buenos Aires, Argentina. the spectacular maneuver was being done by a stunt kite. Such kites use two Ladislao Enrique Marquez to four lines for control and the loops Director, CAIRP they do are very distinctive. Buenos Aires, Argentina The person who took the video probably was honestly puzzled by what he or she was seeing. The show's A matter of degree producers were obviously more inter­ ested in sensationalism than in finding On page 436, right column, of SI, a rational explanation. Summer 1992, I presume that Tan 9 x V2 should read Tan 6 = 1U. Susan and Alan French In that case, the value of 6 is 26.5651 Scotia, N.Y. degrees, not 23.5651 as stated. Keep up the good work!

CAIRP's library solicits Jean Meeus collaborations Erps-Kwerps, Belgium CAIRP (Centro Argentino para la Inves­ tigation y Refutation de la Pseudociencia) is an organization with aims similar to The letters column is a forum for views on those of CSICOP. Established in 1990, matters raised in previous issues. Brief letters in Buenos Aires, Argentina, it plans, (less than 250 words) are welcome. We among other projects, to operate a public reserve the right to edit longer ones. They library. For this reason it needs the should he typed double-spaced. Due to the collaboration of all organizations, volume of letters, not all can be published. groups, or persons who can send bib­ Address them to Letters to the Editor, liographic material or photocopies SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, 3025 Palo Alto thereof (journals, newsletters, articles of Dr. N£, Albuquerque, NM 87111. note, newspaper articles, videos, books,

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342 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 17 Local, Regional, and National Organizations The organizations listed below have aims New England. Contact Laurence Moss, similar to those of CSICOP but are indepen­ Ho & Moss, 72 Kneeland St., Boston dent and autonomous. They are not affiliated 02111. with CSICOP, and representatives of these MICHIGAN. Great Lakes Skeptics, Carol organizations cannot speak on behalf of Lynn, contact, 1264 Bedford Rd., Grosse CSICOP. Pointe Park, MI 84230-1116. MINNESOTA. Minnesota Skeptics, Robert W. UNITED STATES McCoy, 549 Turnpike Rd., Golden Valley, ALABAMA. Alabama Skeptics, Emory Kim- MN 55416. St. Kloud ESP Teaching brough, 3550 Watermelon Road, Apt. Investigation Committee (SKEPTIC), 28A, Northport, AL 35476 (205-759- Jerry Mertens, Coordinator, Psychology 2624). Dept., St. Cloud State Univ., St. Cloud, ARIZONA. Tucson Skeptical Society MN 56301. (TUSKS), James McGaha, Chairman, MISSOURI. Kansas City Committee for 5655 E. River Rd., Suite #101-127, Skeptical Inquiry, Verle Muhrer, Chair­ Tucson, AZ 85715. Phoenix Skeptics, man, 2658 East 7th, Kansas City, MO Michael Stackpole, Chairman, P.O. Box 64124. Gateway Skeptics, Chairperson, 60333, Phoenix, AZ 85028. Steve Best, 6943 Amherst Ave., Univer­ CALIFORNIA. Bay Area Skeptics, Wilma sity City, MO 63130. Russell, Secretary, 17723 Buti Park Court, Castro Valley, CA 94546. East Bay NEW MEXICO. New Mexicans for Science & Skeptics Society, Daniel Sabsay, Presi­ Reason, John Geohegan, Chairman, 450 dent, P.O. Box 20989, Oakland, CA 94620 Montclaire SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108; (415-420-0702). Sacramento Skeptics John Smallwood, 320 Artist Road, Santa Society, Terry Sandbek, 3838 Watt Ave., Fe, NM 87501 (505-988-2800). Suite C303, Sacramento, CA 95821-2664 NEW YORK, Finger Lakes Association for (916-488-3772). Skeptics Society (Los Critical Thought, Ken McCarthy, 107 Angeles). Contact Michael Shermer, 2761 Williams St., Groton, NY 13073. New N. Marengo Ave., Altadena 91001. York Area Skeptics (NYASk), William COLORADO and WYOMING. Rocky Mountain Wade, contact person, 97 Fort Hill Road, Skeptics, Bela Scheiber, President, P.O. Huntington, NY 11743-2205. Western Box 7277, Boulder, CO 80306. New York Skeptics, Tim Madigan, Chair­ DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DELAWARE, MARY­ man, 3965 Rensch Rd., Buffalo, NY 14228. LAND, and VIRGINIA. National Capital NORTH CAROLINA. N.C. Skeptics, Michael Area Skeptics, c/o D. W. "Chip" Denman, J. Marshall, Pres., 3318 Colony Dr., 8006 Valley Street, Silver Spring, MD Jamestown, NC 27282. 20910. OHIO. South Shore Skeptics, Page Stephens, FLORIDA. Tampa Bay Skeptics, Gary Posner, 6006 Fir Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44102 6219 Palma Blvd., #210, St. Petersburg, (216-631-5987). Association for Rational FL 33715 (813-867-3533). Thinking (Cincinnati area), Joseph F. GEORGIA. Georgia Skeptics, Becky Long, Gastright, Contact, 111 Wallace Ave., President, 2277 Winding Woods Dr., Covington, KY 41014, (513) 369-4872 or Tucker, GA 30084. (606) 581-7315. ILLINOIS. Midwest Committee for Rational PENNSYLVANIA. Paranormal Investigating Inquiry, Lawrence Kitsch, President, P.O. Committee of Pittsburgh (PICP), Richard Box 2792, Des Plaines, IL 60017-2792. Busch, Chairman, 5841 Morrowfield Rational Examination Assoc, of Lincoln Ave., #302, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 (412- Land (REALL), David Bloomburg, Chair­ 521-2334). man, 1813 Seren Pines Rd., #2, Springfield SOUTH CAROLINA. South Carolina Commit­ 62704 (217-787-9098). tee to Investigate Paranormal Claims, INDIANA. Indiana Skeptics, Robert Craig, John Safko, 3010 Amherst Ave., Colum­ Chairperson, 5401 Hedgerow Drive, bia, SC 29205. Indianapolis, IN 46226. TEXAS. Houston Association for Scientific KENTUCKY. Kentucky Assn. of Science Thinking (HAST), Darrell Kachilla, P.O. Educators and Skeptics (KASES), Chair­ Box 541314, Houston, TX 77254. North man, Prof. Robert A. Baker, 3495 Cas- Texas Skeptics, Joe Voelkering, President, tleton Way North, Lexington, KY 40502. P.O. Box 111794, Carrollton, TX 75011- LOUISIANA. Baton Rouge Proponents of 1794. West Texas Society to Advance Rational Inquiry and Scientific Methods Rational Thought, Co-Chairmen: George (BR-PRISM), c/o Wayne R. Coskrey, P.O. Robertson, 4700 Polo Pky., Apt. 183, Box 82060, Baton Rouge, LA 70884-2060. Midland, TX 79705-1542 (915-367-3519); MASSACHUSETTS. Skeptical Inquirers of Don Naylor, 404 N. Washington, Odessa, (continued on next page) TX 79761. INDIA. Indian Skeptics, B. Premanand, WASHINGTON. The Society for Sensible Chairman, 10, Chettipalayam Rd., Explanations, Philip Haldeman/Michael Podanur 641-023 Coimbatore Tamil nadu. Dennett, T.L.P.O. Box 8234, Kirkland, Indian Rationalist Association, Contact WA 98034. Sanal Edamaruku, 779, Pocket 5, Mayur WISCONSIN. Wisconsin Committee for Vihar 1, New Delhi 110 091. Rational Inquiry, Mary Beth Emmericks, IRELAND. Irish Skeptics, Peter O'Hara, Convenor, 8465 N. 51st St., Brown Deer, Contact, St. Joseph's Hospital, Limerick. Wl 53223. ITALY. Comitato Italiano per il Controllo delle Affermazioni sul Paranormale, ARGENTINA. CAIRP, Director, Ladislao Lorenzo Montali, Secretary, Via Ozanam Enrique Marquez, Jose Marti, 35 dep C, 3, 20129 Milano, Italy. 1406 Buenos Aires. JAPAN. Japan Skeptics, Jun Jugaku, Chair­ AUSTRALIA. National: Australian Skeptics, person, 1-31-8-527 Takadanobaba, P.O. Box E324 St. James, NSW 2000. Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 169. Regional: Australian Capital Territory, MALTA. Contact: Vanni Pule', "Kabbalah," P.O. Box 555, Civic Square, 2608. 48 Sirti St., The Village, St. Julian's. Newcastle Skeptics, Chairperson, Colin MEXICO. Mexican Association for Skeptical Keay, Physics Dept., Newcastle Univer­ Research (SOMIE), Mario Mendez- sity, NSW 2308. Queensland, P.O. Box Acosta, Chairman, Apartado Postal 19- 2180, Brisbane, 4001. South Australia, 546, Mexico 03900, D.F. P.O. Box 91, Magill, 5072. Victoria, P.O. NETHERLANDS. Stichting Skepsis, Rob Box 1555P, Melbourne, 3001. Western Nanninga, Secretary, Westerkade 20, Australia, 25 Headingly Road, Kalamunda 9718 AS Groningen. 6076. NEW ZEALAND. New Zealand Skeptics, BELGIUM. Committee Para, J. Dommanget, Warwick Don, Dept. of Zoology, Univ. of Chairman, Observatoire Royal de Bel- Otago, Dunedin, NZ. Fax 011-64-3-364- gique. Avenue Circulaire 3, B-1180 2858. Brussels. SKEPP, W. Betz, Secretary, NORWAY. NIVFO, K. Stenodegard, Boks 9, Laarbeeklaan 103, B1090 Brussels (FAX: N-7082, Kattem. Skepsis, Terje Ember- 32-2-4774301). land, Contact, P. B. 2943 Toyen 0608, CANADA. Alberta Skeptics, Elizabeth Oslo 6. Anderson, P.O. Box 5571, Station A, RUSSIA. Contact Edward Gevorkian, Ulya- Calgary, Alberta T2H 1X9. British novskaya 43, Kor 4, 109004, Moscow. Columbia Skeptics, Barry Beyerstein, SOUTH AFRICA. Assn. for the Rational Chairman, Box 48844, Bentall Centre, Investigation of the Paranormal (ARIP), Vancouver, BC, V7X 1A8. Manitoba Marian Laserson, Secretary, 4 Wales St., Skeptics. Contact John Toews, President, Sandringham 2192. Box 92, St. Vital, Winnipeg, Man. R2M SPAIN. Alternativa Racional a las Pseudo- 4A5. Ontario Skeptics, Henry Gordon, sciencias (ARP). Contact Mercedes Quin- Chairman, 343 Clark Ave West, Suite tana, Apartado de Correos 17.026, E-280 1009, Thornhill, Ontario L4j 7K5. Scep- 80 Madrid. tiques du Quebec: Jean Ouellette, C.P. SWEDEN. Vetenskap & Folkbildning 202, Succ. Beaubien, Montreal H2G 3C9. (Science and People's Education), Sven CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Contact Milos Ove Hansson, Secretary, Box 185,101 23 Chvojka, Inst, of Physics, Czech Academy Stockholm. of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, 1 80 40 TAIWAN. Tim Holmes, San Chuan Road, 98 Prague 8. Alley, #47, Fengyuan. ESTONIA. Contact Indrek Rohtmets, Hori- UKRAINE. Perspectiva, Oleg G. Bakhtiarov, sont, EE 0102 Tallinn, Narva mnt. 5. Director, 36 Lenin Blvd., Kiev 252001. FINLAND. Skepsis, Lauri Grohn, Secretary, UNITED KINGDOM. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Ojahaanpolku 8 B17, SF-01600 Vantaa. Representative, Michael J. Hutchinson, 10 FRANCE. Comite Francais pour l'Etude des Crescent View, Loughton, Essex 1G10 Phenomenes Paranormaux, Claude 4PZ. The Skeptic magazine, Editors, Toby Benski, Secretary-General, Merlin Gerin, Howard and Steve Donnelly, P.O. Box RGE/A2 38050 Grenoble Cedex. 475, Manchester M60 2TH. London GERMANY. Society for the Scientific Student Skeptics, John Lord, Univ. of Investigation of Para-Science (GWUP), London Library, Senate House, Malet St., Amardeo Sarma, Convenor, Postfach London WClE 7HU. Manchester Skep­ 1222, D-6101 Rossdorf. tics, David Love, P.O. Box 475, Manches­ HUNGARY. Hungarian Skeptics, Janos ter M60 2TH. Wessex Skeptics, Robin Szentagothai, c/o Termeszet Vilaga, P.O. Allen, Dept. of Physics, Southampton Box 25, Budapest 8, 1444. Fax 011-36-1- University, Highfield, Southampton 118-7506. S09 5NH. The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal Paul Kurtz, Chairman Scientific and Technical Consultants George Agogino, Dept. of Anthropology, Eastern New Mexico University. William Sims Bainbridge, professor of sociology, Illinois State University. Gary Bauslaugh, dean of technical and academic education and professor of chemistry, Malaspina College, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. Richard E. Berendzen, astronomer, Washington, D.C. Martin Bridgstock, lecturer. School of Science, Griffith Observatory, Brisbane, Australia. Richard Busch, magician, Pittsburgh, Pa. Shawn Carlson, physicist, Berkeley, Calif. Charles J. Cazeau, geologist, Deary, Idaho. Ronald J. Crowley, professor of physics, California State University, Fullerton. Roger B. Culver, professor of astronomy, Colorado State Univ. J. Dath, professor of engineering, Ecole Royale Militaire, Brussels, Belgium. Felix Ares De Bias, professor of computer science. University of Basque, San Sebastian, Spain. Sid Deutsch, Visiting Professor of electrical engineering. University of South Florida, Tampa. J. Dommanget, astronomer, Royale Observatory, Brussels, Belgium. Natham J. Duker, assistant professor of pathology, Temple University. Barbara Eisenstadt, educator, Clifton Park, N.Y. John F. Fischer, forensic analyst, Orlando Fla. Frederic A. Friedel, philosopher, Hamburg, West Germany. Robert E. Funk, anthropologist. New York State Museum & Science Service. Eileen Gambrill, professor of social welfare, University of California at Berkeley. Sylvio Garattini, director, Mario Negri Pharmacology Institute, Milan, Italy. Laurie Godfrey, anthropologist. University of Massa­ chusetts. Gerald Goldin, mathematician, Rutgers University, New Jersey. Donald Goldsmith, astronomer; president. Interstellar Media. Clyde F. Herreid, professor of biology, SUNY, Buffalo. Terence M. Hines, professor of psychology, Pace University, Pleasantville, N.Y. Philip A. Ianna, assoc. professor of astronomy, Univ. of Virginia. William Jarvis, chairman, Public Health Service, Loma Linda University, California. I. W. Kelly, professor of psychology. University of Saskatchewan. Richard H. Lange, M.D. Mohawk Valley Physician Health Plan, Schenectady, N.Y. Gerald A. Larue, professor of biblical history and archaeology, University of So. California. Bernard J. Leikind, staff scientist, GA Technologies Inc., San Diego. William M. London, assistant professor of health education, Kent State University. Thomas R. McDonough, lecturer in engineering, Caltech, and SETI Coordinator of the Planetary Society. lames E. McGaha, Major, USAF; pilot. Joel A. Moskowitz, director of medical psychiatry, Calabasas Mental Health Services, Los Angeles. Robert B. Painter, professor of microbiology, School of Medicine, University of California. John W. Patterson, professor of materials science and engineering, Iowa State University. Steven Pinker, assistant professor of psychology, MIT. James Pomerantz, professor of psychology, Rice University; Gary Posner, M.D., St. Petersburg, Fla. Daisie Radner, professor of philosophy, SUNY, Buffalo. Michael Radner, professor of philosophy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Robert H. Romer, professor of physics, Amherst College. Milton A. Rothman, physicist, Philadelphia, Pa. Karl Sabbagh, journalist, Richmond, Surrey, England. Robert J. Samp, assistant professor of education and medicine. University of Wisconsin- Madison. Steven D. Schafersman, geologist, Houston. Chris Scott, statistician, London, England. Stuart D. Scott, Jr., associate professor of anthropology, SUNY, Buffalo. Erwin M. Segal, professor of psychology, SUNY, Buffalo. Elie A. Shneour, biochemist; director, Biosystems Research Institute, La Jolla, California. Steven N. Shore, astronomer, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Md. Barry Singer, psychologist, Eugene, Oregon. Mark Slovak, astronomer. University of Wisconsin-Madison. Gordon Stein, physiologist, author; editor of the American Rationalist. Waclaw Szybalski, professor, McArdle Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ernest H. Taves, psychoanalyst, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sarah G. Thomason, professor of linguistics. University of Pittsburgh, editor of Language. Subcommittees Astrology Subcommittee: Chairman, I. W. Kelly, Dept. of Educational Psychology, University of Saskat­ chewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0W0, Canada. Education Subcommittee: Secretary, Wayne Rowe, Education Dept., Univ. of Oklahoma, 820 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019. Electronics Communications Subcommittee: Chairman, Page Stevens, 6006 Fir Ave., Cleveland, OH 44102. Paranormal Health Claims Subcommittee: Co-chairmen, William Jarvis, Professor of Health Education, Dept. of Preventive Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 93350, and Stephen Barrett, M.D., P.O. Box 1747, Allentown, PA 18105. Parapsychology Subcommittee: Chairman, Ray Hyman, Psychology Dept., Univ. of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97402. UFO Subcommittee: Chairman, Philip J. Klass, 404 "N" Street S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024. Tte ©giraasnffiSs© to ®^ ©^ ®5© ©fed ta^slilpifcM ®fi p»§M@fwa[i an$ ME®©=@@8©n©g gflste 9mm © nigpsngaoila,

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