NOVA EXAMINES ALIEN ABDUCTIONS • THE WEIRD WORLD WEB • DEBUNKING THE MYSTICAL IN INDIA

yjyjjgl^ji^JiHildlitr-1 What's That I Smell? The Claims of Aroma .••

Fun and Fallacies with Numbers I by Marilyn vos Savant

le Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL

AT IHf CENIK FOR INQUKY (ADJACENT IO IME MATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO • AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION , Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, State University of New York at Buffalo , Executive Director and Public Relations Director Lee Nisbet. Special Projects Director

FELLOWS

James E. Alcock.* psychologist, York Murray Gell-Mann. professor of physics, H. Narasimhaiah, physicist, president, Univ., Toronto Santa Fe Institute; Nobel Prize laureate Bangalore Science Forum, India , magician and inventor, Thomas Gilovich, psychologist, Cornell Dorothy Nelkin. sociologist. New York Univ. Albany, Oregon Univ. .* senior research fellow, CSICOP Robert A. Baker, psychologist, Univ. of Henry Gordon, magician, columnist. Lee Nisbet.* philosopher, Medaille College Toronto Kentucky James E. Oberg, science writer Stephen Barrett. M.D., psychiatrist, Stephen Jay Gould, Museum of Loren Pankratz, psychologist, Oregon Comparative Zoology, Harvard Univ. author, consumer advocate, Allentown, Health Sciences Univ. Pa. C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ. ,* biopsychologist, Mark Plummer, lawyer, Australia Simon Fraser Univ., Vancouver, B.C., AI Hibbs, scientist, Jet Propulsion Canada Laboratory W. V. Quine, philosopher. Harvard Univ. Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ. of Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of Chicago Southern California understanding and cognitive science, Carl Sagan, astronomer. Cornell Univ. Susan Blackmore,* psychologist. Univ of Indiana Univ. the West of England, Bristol Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical profes­ Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of sor of medicine, Stanford Univ. Henri Broch. physicist, Univ. of Nice, Physics and Professor of History of France Evry Schatzman, President. French Science, Harvard Univ. Physics Association Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, profes­ ,* psychologist, Univ. of sor of English, Univ. of Utah Eugenie Scott, physical anthropologist, Oregon executive director, National Center for Vern Bullough. professor of history, Leon Jaroff, sciences editor emeritus, Science Education California State Univ. at Northridge 77me Glenn T. Seaborg. University Professor of Mario Bunge. philosopher, McGill Sergei Kapitza, editor, Russian edition, Chemistry, Univ. of California, Berkeley; University Scientific American Nobel Prize laureate John R. Cole, professor of anthropology, Philip J. Klass," aerospace writer, engi­ Thomas A. Sebeok. anthropologist, lin­ Univ. of Mass. at Amherst neer guist, Indiana Univ. F. H. C. Crick, biophysicist, Salk Inst, for Marvin Kohl, professor of philosophy, Robert Sheaffer, science writer Biological Studies, La Jolla, Calif; Nobel SUNY at Fredonia Elie A. Shneour, biochemist; author, Prize laureate director, Biosystems Research Institute, Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director, La Jolla, California Richard Dawkins, zoologist, Oxford Univ. Griffith Observatory Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, L. Sprague de Camp, author, engineer Paul Kurtz.* chairman, CSICOP Terrey Hills, N.S.W., Australia Cornelis de Jager, professor of astro­ Lawrence Kusche, science writer physics, Univ. of Utrecht, the Robert Steiner, magician, author. El Cerrito, Netherlands Elizabeth Loftus, professor of psycholo­ Calif. gy, Univ. of Washington Bernard Dixon, science writer, London, Jill Cornell Tarter. SETI Institute U.K. Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia, Calif. Paul Edwards, philosopher. Editor, Angeles, Calif. Encyclopedia of Philosophy David Marks, psychologist, Middlesex Stephen Toulmin, professor of philoso­ Polytech, England Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., phy, University of Southern California U.K. Walter C. McCrone, microscopist, Steven Weinberg, professor of physics McCrone Research Institute and astronomy, University of Texas at Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer, Foothill Austin; Nobel Prize laureate College. Los Altos Hills. Calif. Marvin Minsky. professor of Media Arts Marvin Zelen, statistician. Harvard Univ. Kendrick Frazier.* science writer. Editor, and Sciences, M.I.T. David Morrison, space scientist. NASA Lin Zixin. former editor, Science and Technology Daily (China) Yves Galifret Exec. Secretary, I'Union Ames Research Center Rationaliste Richard A. Muller, professor of physics, •Member, CSICOP Executive Council Martin Gardner,* author, critic Univ. of Calif., Berkeley (Affiliations given for identification only.)

Visit the new CSICOP web site at http://www.csicop.org

The SorriCAi IKQLUU (ISSN 0194-6730) H published bimonthly by ihe Committee for ihc Scientific work of individual authon Their publication does not necessarily constitute an endorsement by CSI­ Investigation of daunt of the Paranormal, 3965 Renschi Rd., Amherst. N'V 14228-2743, Printed in COP or HI memben unless to stated U.S.A. Second-class pottage paid at Amherst. New York, and additional mailing offices. Subscription Copyright 0996 by the Committee for die Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. prices: one year (six issues). $32.50; rwo yean. $54.00: dure yean. $75.00. angle issue, $4.95. All right* reserved. The StarTKAi INC-HMJI it available on 16mm microfilm. 35mm microfilm, and Inquiries from die med" and the public about the work of the Committee should be made to 105mm microfiche from Unrvenity Microfilms International and it indexed in the Reader* Guide to Paul Kutz, Owurman. CSICOP. Be« 703. Amherst. NY I4226-0-'03. Tel.: (716) 636-1425- FAX PenodicaJ Literature 716-636-1753. Subscriptions, change of address, and advertmng should be addressed to: Surncu IKQUMU. Box Manuscripts, letters. books for review, and editorial inquiries ihould be addressed to Kendrick "03. Amherst. NY U226-0"03 C4d address as well as new are necessary for change of tubvnbcri Frailer. Editor. Samcu IWJHMH 944 Deer Dnve NE. Albuquerque KM 87122-1306 FAX 505- address, with six weeks advance notice. SurtlCAl IMJI UUI tubiciiberi may not speak on behalf of CSI­ 828-2080. For Guide for Authors, we thii issue. page 65. or fu request to the Editor. COP or the SKETTICU JNQIWX Articles, report*, reviews, and letters published in the SKOTKAI IKQUUB represent the views and Postmaster Send changes of addrest to Samoa INQWIB. Box 703. Amherst. NY 14226-0703. Skeptical Inquirer Deceiving the May/June 1996 • VOL 20, NO. 3 senses, p. 23

ARTICLES

23 Believing What We See, Hear, and NOVA's 'Kidnapped by Touch: The Delights and Dangers of Aliensr p. 15 Sensory Illusions Try these experiments yourself. Do your senses deceive you! RAINER WOLF COLUMNS 31 The Enigmatic 'Battery of Baghdad' EDITOR'S NOTE 4 This 2,000-year-old find is considered by some scientists to be an NEWS AND COMMENT electrical power source. Did it really work? 'Gardnerfest' / Debunking the Mystical In India GERHARD EGGERT Good Question / Peter the First and Weeping Icons 5

NOTES OF A FRINGE-WATCHER 35 What's That I Smell? The Claims The Great -Balancing Mystery of Aromatherapy MARTIN GARDNER 8 A small dose of aromatic oil may make for a pleasant experience, MEDIA WATCH but the claims of aromatherapy go way beyond that. NOVA's Alien Abduction Program Shows LYNN McCUTCHEON Questionable Techniques C EUGENE EMERY, JR 1 5

38 Fun and Fallacies with Numbers VIBRATIONS // is so easy to misuse or misunderstand statistics. They can The Weird World Web enlighten, and they can mislead. ROBERT SHEAFFER 17 MARILYN VOS SAVANT INVESTIGATIVE FILES A Study of Fantasy Proneness in the Thirteen Cases of Alleged Encounters in John Mack's Abduction Hundredth Monkey JOE NICKELL 18 research in Japan, p. 51 WORKSHOP REPORT To Err is Human NANCY SHELTON 21

NEW BOOKS 46 ARTICLES OF NOTE 46

FORUM Exhausting the Mundanely Possible: The Inexplicable Pursuit of the Miraculous RALPH ESTLING 48 A 2,000-year-old electrical Ten 'Sightings' of Poor Journalism power source? p. 31 BRYAN FARHA 49

FOUOW-UP Senior Researcher Comments on the Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon in Japan BOOK REVIEWS MARKUS POSSEL and RON AMUNDSON 51

Cull Archaeology and Creationism WTTSEND by Francis B. Harrold and Raymond A. Eve I Should Have Called Dionne First, I Guess JOSEPH A. EZZO .40 CHARLES MEMMINGER 53 Philosophical Interactions with LETTERS TO THE EDfTOR 56 Edited by Frank B Dilley .42 Satan's Silence by Debbie Nathan and Michael Snedeker ROBERT A BAKER .42 ON THE COVER: The X-Files Book of the Unexplained A photo of a San Francisco city by Jane Goldman street taken with the camera tilted to the angle of the incline. GORDON STEIN 45 (photoOver Langan) 1 EDITOR'S NOTE Skeptical Inquirer THI UACA2INI >0« SCIINCI AND REASON Inevitable Illusions, and CSICOP at Twenty IDfTO« Kendrick Frazier he marvelous human brain, even while working quite properly, can deceive EDITORIAL BOARD James E. Alcock us and lead us astray. Biophysicist Rainer Wolf, in "Believing What We Sec, T Barry Beyerstein Hear, and Touch: The Delights and Dangers of Sensor)' Illusions" (p. 23), pre­ Susan J. Blackmore sents a variety of fascinating sensory illusions. Such illusions intrigue and per­ Martin Gardner Ray Hyman plex; they also instruct. The)' are a powerful demonstration of how, as Wolf Philip J, Klass reminds us, our of the external world is a process of active construc­ Paul Kurtz tion, not passive recording, and illusions are sometimes the natural and Joe Nickell Lee Nisbet inevitable result. Bela Scheiber

We can never eliminate mispcrceptions, but as Wolf says, by understanding CONSULTING EDITORS the workings of our brain, we can avoid some of the misinterpretations con­ Robert A. Baker strued from them. The CSICOP Human Error Workshop, the subject of a John R. Cole Kenneth L. Feder report by Nancy Shelton (p. 21), expanded on that theme, showing how errors C. E. M. Hansel of all sorts are a part of the human condition. We are all subject to them, and E. C. Krupp only humility and awareness in the face of that knowledge can save us from com­ David F. Marks Andrew Neher pounding them. James E. Oberg Robert Sheaffer Steven N. Shore

ASSISTANT EDITORS Marsha Carlin Twenty years ago, April 30-May 1, 1976, an extraordinary conference took place Thomas C. Genoni, Jr.

at the then brand-new Amherst campus of the State University of New York at CONTRIBUTING IDITO« Buffalo. It was called "The New Irrationalisms: Antiscience and ." Lys Ann Shore This was the conference at which the Committee for die Scientific Investigation PRODUCTION of Claims of the Paranormal was established. (Later that year, the first issue of Paul Loynes the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER—at first called The Zetelic—was published.) CARTOONIST Rob Pudim Philosopher Paul Kurtz, the founding force behind CSICOP, spoke passion­

ately on die increase in ii rationalism, the need for an appreciation of a scientific PUMlSHirS REMESENTATrVE attitude as a part of culture, and the goal of education to develop "reflective per­ Barry Karr sons—skeptical, yet receptive to new ideas; always willing to examine new BUSINESS MANAGER departures in thought, yet insisting that they be tested before they are accepted." Mary Rose Hays Thus began two decades of CSICOP, and now its twentieth anniversary will be ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAOU Sandra Lesniak marked by another, even more ambitious conference, the First World Skeptics Otttf DATA OFFICE! Congress, "Science in the Age of (Mis)information," June 20-23, also in Richard Seymour Amherst. There will undoubtedly be some looking back over CSICOP's many FULFILLMENT MANAGE* contributions, but the emphasis will be on important issues of today (see pages Michael Clone 12-14) and the many challenges ahead. STACT Elizabeth Begley If we are in die information age, we are likewise in the w/rinformation age. Diana Picciano The means and die media for spreading misinformation—and the cultural and Alfreda Pidgeon Etienne C. Rios economic dynamics that encourage that spread—have expanded dramatically Ranjit Sandhu over die twenty years since CSICOP's founding. The issues are fascinating; the Sharon Sikora challenges are formidable. It should prove an interesting time. Vance Vigrass Dana Walpole CORPORATE COUNSil Brenton N. VerPloeg MQMB MHXA mOMOMM Thomas Flynn

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

4 May/Iune 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

Gardnerfest: Admirers 'Gather for Gardner' when he took a sheet of paper embla­ zoned with a picture of a yellow sphere, to Fete the Modest Genius rolled it into a cone, and poured out a yellow ball! Omni magazine's Scot Over a four-day weekend in January, Arthur Benjamin, who is a math profes­ Morris gave an entertaining slide pre­ Martin Gardner, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER sor by day, gave an impressive banquet sentation titled "What Is It?" diat drew "Notes of a Fringe-Watcher" columnist, performance as a "lightning calculator" guess after guess until he revealed in former Scientific American columnist, (or, as Jay Marshall quipped in intro­ turn a corncob butterer, or better and book author, was wined, dined, and ducing him, "a savant who is not an mousetrap, or bottle opener that counts entertained by his fans at a conference idiot"). the number of times it is used. held in his honor in Atlanta. Other presentations focused on At breaks and other unstructured The second such event (the first was origami and other paper art, knots, and times, attendees saw additional surpris­ in 1993), it was tided the "Gathering for the trompe-l'oeil artworks of M. C. ing marvels: close-up magic tricks and Gardner II." If the tide was unimagina­ Escher. Adrian Fisher came all the way novelties of all sorts. Not the least of tive, nothing else was, as an impressive from England to provide a slide-photo these were Harry Eng's challenging cre­ assortment of the honoree's admirers tour of that country's "Mazes and ations: narrow-necked botdes contain­ came to pay homage to die multu.il- Tessellations." These included brick- ing not the expected ship, but other ented author from Hendersonville, pavement mazes in school courtyards impossible assemblages like one that North Carolina. From scheduled daily and shopping center lots, various giant included large dice and a full deck of presentations and formal banquet per­ hedge mazes, and even indoor mirror playing cards pierced by a pencil. Then formances to myriad impromptu ses­ mazes. (Fisher designed the unique there was Scott Kim who penned his sions, attendees encountered a parade of Evolution Maze for the Darwin Centre ingenious "Inversions"—he did one for varied entertainers, puzzle aficionados, at the Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland and Martin Gardner which turned upside and other clever folk. also the world's largest maze: Created in down still reads "Martin Gardner" (see a Pennsylvania cornfield consisting of a Figure 1). Not surprisingly, since Gardner is great stegosaurus covering 126,000 author of several magic books, magi­ Unfortunately, despite Gardner's con­ square feet, it is dubbed "Amazing cians were there in profusion, including tributions to them, many other fields went the inventive Max Maven, the clever Meir Yedid, and the irrepressible James "The Amazing" Randi, who was master of ceremonies for one banquet. Another evening's entertainment was emceed by the legendary Jay Marshall, who closed with his famous ventriloquistic act fea­ turing his smart-aleck hand puppet "Lefty." Puzzle and game buffs—inventors, collectors, and intrepid solvers—domi­ nated the lectures. Here, the influence of Gardner's "Mathematical Games" column, which appeared in Scientific American for 25 years, was obvious. Several of the puzzle and game presen­ ters began with testimonials to Gardner and his incomparable contribution to Martin Gardner talks with one of his fans, Ray Hyman, a CSICOP Executive Council member. this field. Mathematicians also gave several pre­ Maize Maze.") all but neglected. CSICOP Executive sentations. These included Frank Committee for the Scientific Investi­ Council member Ray Hyman did repre­ Harary, who spoke on "The Math of gation of Claims of the Paranormal sent me subject of paranormal investiga­ Human Decisions," Persi Diaconis, who Fellow Jerry Andrus gave a well-received tion with his enlightening talk on discussed "Mathematics and Magic performance diat combined magic with "Stargate"—die U.S. government's secret Tricks," and Stan Isaacs, who lectured some of the optical illusions he is project that attempted to use extrasensory on "Exploring Math through Puzzles." famous for. There were audible gasps perception ("remote viewing") to gadier

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 5 NEWS AND COMMENT

claimed he was in a deep trance, not dead. But after 55 days, when the body r had badly decomposed, police carried the body away for cremation, setting off jxhzr street battles in which scores were hurt. Similarly, Ghosh's rationalists have Figure 1. exposed Christian evangelists. One intelligence information. Hyman coau- the head of a pin, complete with the evangelist claimed to have made a 10- thored a study for the Central Intelligence inscription, "To Martin Gardner, from year-old child, presumed to be unable to Agency that evaluated the ineffective pro­ Allan Boardman, January 1996." hear or talk since birth, speak during a ject (as reported in the March-April 1996 One accomplishment of the confer­ rally in Calcutta. Ghosh, confronting SKEPTICAL INQUIRER). Other fields that ence was persuading Gardner to attend, the boy in front of the audience, per­ were neglected, although Gardner has his modesty being well known. The suaded him to confess to the crowd that written books on die topics, were cryptog­ main accomplishment was bringing he had grown up speaking Bengali. "We raphy, science experiments, and pseudo- deserved accolades to Gardner, an created a counter-mass-hysteria that admired genius of our time. night," Ghosh said. "Now, the trick is to repeat that everywhere in India, wher­ —Joe Nickel! ever these youngsters appear." Burns provided more examples of how unscientific claims made by India's Debunking the mystics were exposed. Prime Minister Mystical in India P. V. Narasimha Rao's contacts with swamis have brought him embarrass­ "Indian Guru Busters Debunk All That's ment more than once. The governmen­ Mystical," reported John F. Burns in a tal leader is said to consult a New New York Times article (October 18, Delhi-based guru, Chandraswamy. And 1995). Pictured was Prahbir Ghosh in 1993 the prime minister reportedly holding a fake human skull, saying it was impressed when Sai Baba produced was typical of tricksters' props. The arti­ a gold watch out of thin air. However, cle described Hindu believers who were when the televised event was played flocking to temples in order to witness back in slow motion, it was obvious the "miracle" of religious idols that that Baba had employed sleight-of- appeared to be drinking milk. hand techniques commonly used by science (his Fads and Fallacies in the Name Ghosh, president of the Indian magicians. The Indian rationalists, of Science being a great classic on the sub­ Science and Rationalists' Association, Burns concluded, have successfully ject). was described by Burns as a 50-year-old exposed "fraudulent 'godmen' who However, had his who has spent his lifetime battling die whisk gold watches out of thin air, lev­ novel (The Flight of Peter Fromm) for belief in the supernatural. By his own itate, give off electric charges, and even sale along with many of his other titles; account, Ghosh has exposed 150 gurus claim to have conducted erudite dis­ and Binary Arts Corporation recalled and swamis as frauds, effectively putting courses with tigers in the wild." As for his authoritative work on Annotated them out of business. Mother Teresa, said one Indian ratio­ Alice: Alices Adventures in Wonderland He showed that because of capillary nalist, "We believe that Mother Teresa and Through the Looking-Glass by pro­ attraction any liquid, including milk, is not at all any better than all the other ducing a special puzzle: It features five can be made to rise from a spoon godmen and godwomen because she of Alice's Cheshire Cats, one of which, through the porous ceramics the idols helps to place a more kindly mask on when die pieces are rearranged, disap­ are made from. The Science and the overall exploitation in our society." pears—leaving behind only its grin. Rationalists' Association is said to have The Burns article was shown to B. This and dozens of other puzzles and started in 1949 and to have 86,000 Premanand, convener of the Indian diversions were included in a confer­ members in 300 branches across India. Committee for the Scientific Investi­ ence kit that each attendee contributed In 1993, Calcutta rationalists held a gation of Claims of the Paranormal (10 to and received. Another item: a 5000x weeks-long vigil outside the home where Chettipalayam Road, Podanur-641 023, enlargement of the "world's smallest the body of a prominent guru, Balak Tamilnadu, India) and editor of the puzzle," a crossword puzzle etched on Brahmachari, was laid out. His disciples Indian Skeptic, who had some different

S May/June 199E SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT observations. He said that incorrect ial] which would appear on another membership figures were given in die paper when it is immersed in milk. Good Question New York Times article and several fac­ Answers did not appear on the paper, tual errors were made. Premanand also only questions. It was not Dhirendra UPN-TV's new series "Paranormal pointed out that the largest group Brahmachari," he continued, "but BorderLine," introduced in March, involved in skeptical work was the Sadachari Sai Baba who, in the guise provoked this comment by the Dravidian Self-Respect movement, of raising or activating your sexual Albuquerque Tribune's "TV which has about 2 million adherants in power (Kundalini power), gave elec­ Queen," M. J. Wilde: "'Paranormal the state of Tamil Nadu. tric shocks. He was exposed at BorderLine' goes over the edge of Bombay as I had demonstrated the Premanand then observed that the believability with 'Star Trek: The idols were not only of porous ceramics equipment to our members there, wherein 6 volts are transformed into Next Generation's' Jonathan 'Riker* but also of stones and metals. "The trick Frakes at the helm. It will explore of the gods drinking milk," he said, "is 10,000 volts. He is now in jail for unexplained phenomena, like how explained in the Indian Skeptic of murdering his first wife and for run­ shows like this GET ON THE AIR!" November 1995. The milk simply flows ning a prostitute den in the guise of down under the idol and is collected at training people in Tantra yoga (Kun­ the back side." dalini Yoga)." Premanand added that it was Premanand has a book, Science August 29, 1992, not in 1993, that Versus Miracles, in which he explains Tsar Peter the First and Baba "produced a gold chain for pre­ 150 or so tricks of the godmen. In his Weeping Icons senting to the architect who built the letter, he expressed interest in writing hall where the prime minister, the nine more volumes "so that I can The book by A. Vadimov and M. Trivas speaker, two state chief ministers, two explain about 1,500 tricks of the god- From the Ancient Magicians to the governors, and two union ministers men which I have been able to explain Modern Conjurers (Moscow, publishing were present. This episode," he con­ since I started investigating them." house Iskusstvo, 1979) describes the fol­ tinued, "was to be incorporated with The Indian Skeptic he edits is a lowing fragment of the history of the propaganda fdm on Sai Baba made monthly, in English. In a New Russia: by a Dutch film company at an Humanist (June 1992) interview with expense of $400,000 to show to peo­ British editor Jim Herrick, Premanand In relation to various historical ple that even our prime minister was a smiled upon hearing that, in the West, events many icons of the Virgin were witness to the creation of a gold neck­ European and spiritualists are easily moved to tears. For instance, when the clergy of St. Petersburg lace. But somehow the trick got thought of as fraudulent whereas wasn't satisfied with the reforms of exposed in the film, and the govern­ Indian gurus are believed to be basi­ Peter the First, a "wonder" happened ment suppressed the video film pro­ cally honest. "They want something in the Ttoitski Cathedral. The large duced by the central government cor­ new and they think that new powers icon of the Virgin began to shed poration, Doordarshan. But before it come from these gurus," he explained. tears. Peter came to the cathedral, was suppressed, I got a copy of the "In India, you can take action against turned the icon, tore the framework same and hundreds of copies of this people who make false advertise­ away and discovered in the Virgin's are now around India, being shown to ments." eyes the smallest holes, and behind the people. A copy of the same was them a depression filled with thick given by me to the BBC for their doc­ Although Ghosh and Premanand lamp oil. The warmth coming from a umentary, 'Guru Busters,' shown on appear to be tackling "religious trick­ lamp and candles softened the lamp oil and it dripped out of the Virgin's October 9, 1995." ery" in different Randilike [, magician] ways and with dif­ eyes. Peter punished the culprits of this hoax and wrote a letter to the fering claims, both appear to be enjoy­ Premanand also said, "I have cathedral's dean: "My order is that given thousands of lectures all over ing the challenge of debunking mysti­ the Virgin icons should not weep India and demonstrated miracles. It cism in India, reputedly the most anymore. If they weep with lamp oil, was I who started my investigations resistant nation to the appeal of ratio­ the priests' backs will weep with on miracles since 1949. Dhirendra nalism and skepticism. blood." Brahmachari did not show any mira­ And the icons did not weep any­ cles. He only taught yoga. It was one —Warren Alien Smith Balti Baba who showed the trick of more—until Peter's death. any question one wrote on a piece of Warren Allen Smith is associate editor of Submitted by S. Efimov (Kazakstan, for­ paper and kept in a pocket, [mater­ FREE INQUIRY. mer USSR).

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Miy/June 1996 7 NOTES OF A FRINGE-WATCHER MARTIN GARDNER

The Great Egg-Balancing Mystery

here is not the slightest doubt the trade is called "muscle reading." A The legend reached the United States that one's mind can exert strong, person who knows where the object is in 1945 when an article by Annalee Ttotally subconscious influences concealed grasps the magician's wrist. Jacoby, describing the Chinese ritual, on tasks dial involve die hands. It is the Subconscious pressures by the persons appeared in Life's March 19 issue. Like secret of the board. It is the secret hand guide the magician to the correct our Thanksgiving, Li Chun is a variable behind the sudden turning of spot. (Some magicians, I should add, date. It usually falls on February 4 or 5. rods whenever the dowser crosses a cer­ unwilling to take chances with an unco­ In 1945 it was February 4, the twenty- tain spot on the ground. Novelty stores operative spectator, will have a "stooge" second day of die twelfth Chinese lunar used to sell what they called a "sex indi­ in the audience send electronic signals month. Some years have no Li Chun. cator." It consisted of nothing more by a reed switch in a shoe. A tiny receiv­ These are called "blind" lunar years than a small weight attached to the end ing device on the magician's body pro­ because they fail to "see" the first day of of a string. You can make one in a jiffy. duces pulses that tell him or her which . Other lunar years can have two Hold the string's free end, allowing the way to go.) adjacent Li Chuns. weight to hang. When the weight is held One of the funniest examples of According to the Life article, in 1945 above a man's hand, it will swing back mind control over the body is the annual most of the population in Chungking and forth in a straight line. Held over a ritual in China of balancing fresh turned out on Li Chun to balance . woman's hand, it will swing in an ellip­ tical orbit. This works, of course, only if chicken eggs on their broad end on die All over the city one could see fresh the person holding the string knows first day of spring. The notion that die eggs, shells unbroken, balancing on what to expect. Subconscious hand position of the sun or planets on a cer­ pavement, tables, and other surfaces. movements cause the device to fulfill tain day can influence gravitational Correspondents for the United Press expectations. forces acting on the egg is so preposter­ wired back stories about the mania. ous that physicists laugh at the theory. Albert Einstein was reported to have A recent scandal based on the Ouija- Yet intelligent people, unknowledgeable said he doubted that the date had any board effect is the claim that some autis­ about science and inclined toward para­ influence on egg balancing. Chungking tic children while aided by a "facilitator- normal beliefs, actually think that at cer­ was divided between believers and skep­ will type long documents far beyond the tain times of the year a fresh egg is more tics. Someone proposed balancing a children's capacities to communicate by easily balanced tli.it at any other time! large number of eggs to spell "Einstein is speaking. It has been shown by inge­ This egg-balancing ritual seems to nuts," but nodiing came of it. nious tests that a facilitator subcon­ trace back to ancient China. Tradition For reasons that reflect popular igno­ sciously guides the autistic child's hands has it that on Li Chun, China's first day rance of science, combined with a love as the child hits die keys. There have of spring (the name means "spring of miracles, die notion that fresh eggs even been cases when autistic children begins") eggs will balance on a smooth balance more easily on the first day of in the hands of neurotic facilitators have surface with greater case than on odier spring caught fire in the United States. typed fake condemnations of horrible days. Old Chinese books of uncertain However, the first day of spring here is sexual abuse by their loving parents! date, such as Secret Kaleidoscope and the day of the vernal equinox when die For more than a century magicians Know What Heaven Knows, are sources sun crosses the equator and day and have located hidden objects by what in of diis legend. night are of equal length. This occurs

I May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER about March 21, more than a month equinox, Henes chanted a peace slogan, egg at just that moment," she had said, after Chinas first spring day. But this then carefully balanced an egg on the "I feel as if the whole universe were in discrepancy did not trouble American concrete base of an abstract sculpture the palm of my hand. And when it balances, when it stands there, it's very believers. called "Peace Form One." All over the calming. I feel so protected. It's as if Life's article touched off a small epi­ small park eggs were balanced on the the whole universe were working fine." demic of egg balancing in the United pavement, even on the iron railings. One States, not on Li Chun, but on the ver­ man balanced an egg on the First Avenue Whethet an egg will balance or not nal equinox. The mania crested nearly median strip where it stayed until it was depends on many conditions other than forty years later, in Manhattan in 1983. bashed by a Checker cab. Henes moved steady hands. The main factors are According to a three-page report in The through the crowd, rubber-stamping roughness of the egg's end and the New Yorker (April 4, 1983), a believer eggs with "This Egg Stood Up, 3/20/83." roughness of the surface upon which the named Donna Henes organized her The New Yorker reporter was egg is placed. A concrete surface, for sixth annual egg-balancing ceremony in impressed. None of the physicists con­ example, is so exttemely uneven that it the Ralph J. Bunche Park at First tacted by the magazine had heard about is not difficult to find a spot where any Avenue and Forty-second Street, across equinox egg balancing, nor could they egg will balance. Moreover, because of from the United Nations building. On think of any reason why they would bal­ slight surface irregularities on the March 20 the sun crossed the equator at ance. Magician James Randi told the itself, it sometimes will balance precisely 21 minutes before midnight. magazine that eggs balanced just as eas­ even on a smooth tabletop. If, however, At that instant, Henes believed, eggs ily on any other day, but The New you sandpaper the egg's end until it is would balance easily on their wide end. Yorker reporter didn't buy it. Two days perfectly smooth, balancing it on glass or formica is impossible. Henes was then a 37-year-old artist later the reporter took a dozen eggs to strongly committed to working for Ralph J. Bunche Park and for 20 min­ Henes's annual egg-balancing cere­ world peace. Her egg-balancing ritual utes was unable to balance a single egg. mony continued for many more years. was intended to promote international Such self-deception is not hatd to In 1984 five thousand people partici­ harmony. The event was heralded by set­ understand. If you are convinced that an pated in the event when it was held at ting off 52 highway emergency flares, egg will balance mote easily on a certain the plaza of the World Trade Center. one for each week of the year. While the flares burned, Henes distributed from a laundry basket 360 fresh eggs donated by the Jersey Coast Egg Producers. Why 360? Because, Henes explained, there are 360 degrees in the Earth's circumference. "When I first did this," Henes told The New Yorker, "I thought you had to use organic eggs. But it turned out you don't." She said she had no idea why eggs balanced on the equinox. "They just do, is all. I've had friends tell me you can even use eggs right out of the fridge. They don't even have to be at room temperature." An 1892 Columbus Egg from Jerry Slocum's collection. The tiny lead ball must be guided through the open tube to the base where it stabilizes the egg. Several hundred peaceniks turned out for the 1983 ritual. Music was pro­ day you will try a little harder, be more Scot Morris, in his monthly column in vided, said The New Yorker, by "two patient, and use steadier hands. If you Omni (Match 1987), covered Henes's octarinas, two saxophones, one sleigh believe that eggs won't balance on other tenth annual ritual. "I don't know why it bell, one harmonica, four tin whistles, days, this belief is transmitted subcon­ works," Henes told Morris, "but it does. and one tambourine." Peace messages sciously to your hands. It's the old Maybe it's because for a time surround­ written on several hundred orange Ouija-board phenomenon. ing the exact moment of the equinox the streamers were tied to the iron railings Even The New Yorker admitted this sun is directly over the equator and the surrounding the park. They bore such possibility: Earth is balanced within the universe." slogans as "World Friendship! Let's No one asked Henes why it works so Have It Now!," "The Universe Spreads The trouble may have been that we well in China on February 4 and 5. Out Before Us, Ineffably Profound," didn't want the egg to balance—that buffs have a similar difficulty and "If Peace Comes to the Earth, wc wished to see Donna Henes proved explaining why astrology works so well Donna Will Be Largely Responsible." right. Something she had said to us shortly after the equinox kept running in China and India where it bears no For several minutes befote the through our mind. "When I hold an resemblance to Western astrology. All

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 9 to build the dome. After they all failed, he demonstrated how it could be done by tapping the egg on a marble table to flat­ ten one end. "The craftsmen protested that they could have done the same, but Filippo answered laughing that they could also have raised the cupola if they had seen his model. And so it was resolved that he should be commissioned to carry out this work." When the church was finally built, years before Columbus made his voyage, it had the shape of half an egg slightly flattened at the top. A popular type of mechanical puzzle is an egg that can be balanced only if you discover its secret. Jerry Slocum, of Beverly Hills, California, who owns the world's largest collection of mechanical puzzles, provided me with a history of balancing eggs. He sent seventeen pages from old catalogs advertising such eggs, beginning with Montgomery Ward's "Columbus Egg" of 1894. He also sent three astrologies can't be right! salt. A few undetectable grains remain the first pages of eighteen U.S. patents, Some believers claim that eggs also to keep the egg upright. starring in 1891, for balancing eggs. balance easily on the autumnal equinox, The story of how Christopher Their internal mechanisms vary widely. about September 23, but the vernal Columbus balanced an egg was first told They include weights to be manipu­ equinox continues to be the most popular by Girolamo Benzoni in his 1565 History lated, mercury to be maneuvered date. I do not know if this is still an of the New World. Columbus was said to through tubes, steel balls to be rolled up annual event in Manhattan. The most have attended a parry where someone spiral paths to the egg's center or guided recent report about it 1 could find in the told him that even if he had not found through a maze. New York Times was in 1988. An editorial the Indies someone else from Spain sub­ "Professor Hoffmann," in Puzzles Old of March 19 was headed, "It's Spring, Go sequently would have. Columbus asked and New (London, 1893) describes a Balance an Egg." Next day's Times said for an egg. He challenged those present scores of people planned to gather on Columbus Egg containing a hollow cone to balance it. After they failed, he bal­ with a hole at the top. The puzzle is solved by rolling a ball up a groove until 'The notion that the position of the sun or planets ... it drops into the cone and falls to its base. can influence gravitational forces acting on the egg is You'll find a colot photo of this egg in L. E. Hordern's privately published edition so preposterous that physicists laugh at the theory." of Hoffmann's book (London, 1993), richly illustrated with photographs of March 21 at the World Trade Center to anced the egg by crushing an end. His puzzles in Hordern's collection. Puzzle stan standing eggs on end at precisely the point was that once a deed is done, it is collector Robert Darling, of Johnson start of the equinox. A photograph of the easy to see how to do it. City, Tennessee, gave me an ingenious event ran in the Times's March 21 issue. Fifteen yean earlier a similar story had egg currently sold in Germany by a firm Robert Novick, a Columbia University been told by Giorgio Vasari in his 1550 named Pussycat. It balances only if you physicist, is quoted as saying that gravita­ Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, hold it with its pointed end upright for tional forces are far too weak to have any Sculptors, and Architects. The Italian 25 seconds, then quickly invert it. It will influence on the eggs. I am told by Morris architect Filippo Brunelleschi had then balance on its pointed end for 15 that Henes has moved to San Francisco. designed a dome for a cathedral in seconds before it topples over. My letter to her was not answered. Florence named die Santa Maria del Finally, I must mention Piet Hein's Magicians have a way of balancing Fiore. The city fathers demanded to see celebrated superegg, discussed in eggs on hard, white surfaces by cheat­ his model, but he refused. Instead, he Chapter 18 of my book Mathematical ing. Make a riny pile of salt. Balance an challenged a group of architects to make Carnival (1977, Random House). It egg on the pile—you can even use its an egg stand on end. Whoever suc­ legitimately balances on either end sharp end—then gently blow away the ceeded, he told them, would be allowed without any trickery. •

10 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER CSICOP AT THE

With the completion of its headquarters campus. The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal is poised for an explosion of growth. We appeal for your help in assuring adequate funding—now and in the future—for the bold initiatives that will shape the outreach of science and reason in the years to come. To carry out its objectives in the second half of this decade, CSICOP has formulated specific program and project goals.

1) Critical Thinking / Science Education The Committee proposes to develop new materials—ranging from publications to audio and video cassettes and instructional courseware—to disseminate broader and more accurate knowledge about scientific methods and to teach improved critical thinking skills.

2) Media Watch / Rapid Response The Committee proposes to equip itself to be able to monitor major media on a continuing basis, and to be able to respond to claims quickly. This will entail additional staffing for continuous media monitoring, establishment of an e-mail network to permit rapid formulation of responses by qualified experts, and development of e-mail, FAX broadcast, and other capabilities to assure instantaneous dissemination of our statements to local, national, and world media. In addition, the Committee plans to step up its production of audio and video materials through Inquiry Media Productions. Targets include sequels to the successful public education video Beyond Belief, talking books, a radio op-ed series, and a new public affairs series for public radio. Full implementation will require additional staffing and significant investments in production and distribution equipment.

3) The Institute for Inquiry The Committee proposes to complete the development of its Institute for Inquiry adult education program. The Institute for Inquiry is already the nation's foremost provider of education on the subjects of skepticism, the sci­ entific method, and the critical evaluation of paranormal and fringe science claims. Hundreds of persons have attended Institute for Inquiry courses at scores of locations.

4) The Library of Skepticism With the establishment of the John and Mary Frantz Skeptics' Library in memory of Margaret Frantz at the Center for Inquiry, CSICOP has created a permanent repository to house and main­ tain the world's literature about the scientific analysis of para­ normal claims—and to make it accessible to scholars and other qualified users. Science in the Age of (Misinformation The First WORLD SKEPTICS CONGRESS • 20th Anniversary of CSICOP • An International Organization JUNE 20-23. 1996 • STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO AMHERST CAMPUS AND THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY

THURSDAY, June 20, 1996

11:00 a.m.-l2:30 p.m. Press Conference—Center for the Arts, Screening Room, SUNY Buffalo-Amherst 1:45 p.m.-3 p.m. Opening Ceremony and Welcoming Remarks—Slee Hall, Amherst Campus Paul Kurtz Paul Kurtz, Prof. Emeritus of Philosophy. SUNY at Buffalo; Chairman CSICOP Chairman. CSICOP Buffalo Philharmonic Ensemble Kendrick Frazier, Editor. Skepticol Inquirer; Science writer William R. Greiner, President, University at Buffalo Buffalo Philharmonic Ensemble

3 p.m.-5:45 p.m. "The Role of the Mass Media in (Mis)lnforming the Public" —Sice Hall. Amherst Campus Moderator. Milton Rosenberg, Prof, of Psychology. University of Chicago; radio moderator. WGN Chicago; PBS. "American Reader" George Gerbner, Prof, of Communications. University of Pennsylvania Leon Jaroff, Senior Editor. Time Magazine; founder. Discover magazine Leon Lederman Piero Angela, Journalist. TV moderator, author. Italy Emeritus Director Phillip Adams, Columnist. TV moderator. Australia Fermilab and Nol John Paulos, Prof, of Mathematics. Temple University Laureate in Phys. Dean Edell, National Radio Medical Commentator (Radio Feed)

6 p.m.-8 p.m. Dinner (on your own) 8 p.m.-10 p.m. Conference Address: LEON LEDERMAN, Emeritus Director of

Fermilab. and Nobel Laureate in Physics—Slee Hallf Amherst Campus

FRIDAY, June 21, 1996

9 a.m.-1 1:45 a.m. "The Growth of Anti-Science"—Slee Hall, Amherst Campus Moderator: John Maddox, Former Editor. Nature. Great Britain Chris Carter Paul R. Gross, Director of the Center for Advanced Studies. Prof, of Sociology. Creator of University of Virginia "The X-Files" Norman Levitt, Prof, of Mathematics. Rutgers University Television Program Susan Haack, Prof, of Philosophy. Univ. of Miami Victor Stenger, Prof of Physics. Univ. of Hawaii

12 noon-1:50 p.m. Luncheon—Atrium, Center for the Arts, Amherst Campus Moderator: Gene Emery, Science Writer, Providence Journal-bulletin CHRIS CARTER, Creator of "The X-Files" Television Program

2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions—Knox Lecture Hall, Amherst Campus

UFOLOGY— 109 Knot HA Amtara Cwnpia Philip J. Klass, Senior Editor. Aviation Week and Space Technology. Wash.. DC. James McGaha. Ma|or. USAF, Tucson. Arizona

ASTROLOGY— 110 Knot HA Anton! Cmw Moderator Cornells de Jager, Prof, of Astrophysics. Univ. of Utrecht. Netherlands J. W. Nienhuys, Asso. Prof, of Mathematics. Technical University. Eindhoven. Nertherlands Ivan Kelly, Prof of Psychology. Univ. of Saskatchewan

HOMEOPATHY—20 Knov HA Amlwnt Campu, Wim Betz, Prof. Academish Centrum voor Huisartsgeneeskunde VUB. Belgium James Randi. Conjurer. Author. Plantation. Florida

3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Concurrent Sessions—Knox Lecture Hall, Amherst Campus THERAPEUTIC TOUCH—109 Kno. Halt. Mane Cwnpui Moderator Vein Bullough. Prof, of History. California State Univ. at Nonhndge Beta Scheiber. System Analyst Boulder. Colorado; Exec Dr.. Center for Inquiry Rockies Bonnie Bullough, Prof, of Nursing. Univ. of Southern California Dale Beyerstein, Prof of Philosophy. Langara College. Vancouver. Canada

Stephen Jay Goul CHIROPRACTIC— 110 KAOK HA Amtenc C*nput Museum of Comparati Stephen Barrett, Psychiatrist. Allentown. Pa. Zoology. Harvard Ui CREATIOMTVOlunON—10 Kno. HA Amtenc Canpu Eugenie C. Scott, Anthropologist, Exec. Dir.. NCSE H. James Bint, Prof, ol Anthropology. Canisius College 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Dinner (on your own) 8 p.m.-10 p.m. Keynote Address: STEPHEN JAY GOULD, PhD Museum of Comparative Zoology. Harvard University Jumni Area, Amherst Campus SATURDAY, June 22, 1996

9 a-m.-l 2 noon "Parapsychology: Recent Developments"—Slee Hal, Amherst Campus Eugenie C. Scott, Moderator , Prof, of Psychology. York University. Toronto, Canada Anthropologist. Ray Hyman, Prof, of Psychology. Exec Dir., NCSE Richard Wiseman, Prof, of Psychology. Univ. of Hertfordshire. U.K. Susan Blackmore, Prof of Psychology. Univ of the West of England. Bristol. UK Jessica Utts. Prof, of Statistics, Univ. of California at Davis Stanley Jeffers, Prof, of Physics and Astronomy. York University. Toronto 5 k 12 noon-1:45 p.m. Lunch at Center for Inquiry-—JOHN MADDOX. Editor Emeritus. Nature magazine

2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Concurrent Sessions—Knox Lecture Hall, Amherst Campus Steve Allen MECHANISMS Of SELF-DECEPTION: HOW WE MISINFORM OURSELVES—109 Knov Hall. Author and entertamef Amhcnt Cjmpui Barry Beyerstein, Assoc Prof, of Psychology, . Canada Thomas Gilovich. Prof, of Psychology. Cornell University John Schumaker, Senior Lecturer in Psychology. University of Newcastle. Australia

ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CURES—110 Kim H««. AxWa Cjmpu. Jack Raso, Board Member. National Counal Against Health Fraud: Editor. Nutrition Forum Wallace Sampson, Clinical Prof, of Medicine. Stanford Univ. Kendrick Frazier PHILOSOPHY AND PSEUDOSCIENCE-JO Kra Hil. Mm Campu Editor. Skeptical Inquirer Moderator Paul Kurtz, Prof. Emeritus of Philosophy. SUNY at Buffalo Daisie M. Radner, Associate Prof, of Philosophy. SUNY at Buffalo Lewis Vaughn, author Theodore Schick, Prof, of Philosophy. Muhlenberg College Tim Trachet, Exec. Dir.. SKEPP |ournalist, Belgium

3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Concurrent Sessions—Knox Lecture Hall, Amherst Campus

PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY AND THERAPY AFTER 100 YEARS— IOT Kra Hal.Amhara GwnfMM Adolf Grunbaum, Andrew Mellon Prof, of Philosophy. University of Pittsburgh Ray Hyman CRITICAL THINKING IN EDUCATION—110 Una* Hal. Amham Cjmpu, Prof of Psychology, Moderator: John Kearns, Prof, of Philosophy, SUNY at Buffalo University of Oregon Clyde Herreid. Prof, of Biology. SUNY at Buffalo Lee Nisbet, Prof, of Philosophy. Medaille College. Buffalo Carol Tavris, Psychologist. Author. Los Angeles John Corcoran, Prof, of Philosophy. SUNY at Buffalo

SPIRITUALISM AND THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO EXPOSE—20 Kna Hjh, Amhenf Campu, Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow. CSICOR formerly University of Kentucky Gordon Stein, Director. Center for Inquiry Library 7 p.m.-IO p.m. Awards Banquet, Cash Bar, Reception, THE PARANORMAL IN CHINA—A Knew H-l. Amnvu Cvnput Hyatt Regency, downtown Buffalo Shen Zhenyu, China Association for Science and Technology —Featuring a special performance by Steve Allen Lin Zixin, former editor. Science and Technology Daily

Sima Nan, known as the Chinese James Randi ISAAC ASIMOV AWARD: Stephen Jay Gould Zu Shuding, Prof.. Au Hui Medical University IN PRAISE OF REASON AWARD: Leon Lederman Zhang Tongling, Prof., Beijing Medical University PUBLIC EDUCATION IN SCIENCE AWARD: Dean Edell Guo Zhenyi DISTINGUISHED SKEPTIC AWARD: James Randi DISTINGUISHED SKEPTIC. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Steve Allen RESPONSIBILITY IN JOURNALISM AWARD: Phillip Adam. Piero Angela, and Pierre Berton

John Maddox Editor Emeritus, Nature magazine SUNDAY, June 23, 1996

9 a.m.-12 noon World Skeptics Update—Slee Hall, Amherst Campus

Moderator Barry Karr, Executive Director. CSICOP Tim Trachet, SKEPP. Belgium Mario Mendez Acosta, Mexican Association for Skeptical Research. Mexico Amardeo Sarma, Society for the Scientific Investigation of Para-Science. Germany Un Zixin Michael Hutchinson, Skeptical Inquirer representative. United Kingdom former editor. Science and Miguel Angel Sabadel, Astronomer. AJtematrva Rocionof. Spain Technology Daly. China Henry Gordon, Ontario Skeptics, Canada Stephen Basser, Australian Skeptics. Australia Lm Zixin, former editor, Science and Technology Doily, China Massimo Polidoro, editor SoenzM & ftsronormale. CICAP Italy Cornells de Jager, Prof, of Astrophysics. Univ. of Utrecht, Netherlands Valery Kuvakin. Prof, of Philosophy. Moscow State University. Russia

Susan Blackmore Prof, of Psychology. Univ. of the West of England Post-Congress Tour Bus excursion to see Niagara Falls (U.S. and Canadian sides). _t Sunday. June 23. 1996 • 2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Science in the Age of (Mis)Information

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NOVA'S Alien Abduction Program Shows Questionable Techniques

here's a maxim in journalism But ours is not an age of subtlety. space alien and asks if he recognizes the that showing is better than The tabloid talk and news shows, where picture, the boy shakes his head. Ttelling. Instead of stating that this phenomenon has largely played Nonetheless, Hopkins asks him to make someone is a crook or a saint, showing itself out, want issues cast in the harsh up a story about the creature in the them doing crooked or saintly things contrast of black and white, right and drawing, in which Hopkins finds ele­ will leave a far more lasting impression. wrong. They want tales of legendary ments that suggest a kidnapping. PBffs February 27, 1996, NOVA pro­ journeys, shocking victimization, When he turns to Ryan's younger sis­ gram on alien abductions ("Kidnapped by coverup or ineptitude by authority fig­ ter, toddler Paula, with the same picture, UFOs?" written, produced, and directed ures. The UFO abduction tales have all Hopkins asks, "Is he a nice guy or a bad by Denise Dilanni) tried to follow that the right ingredients. guy" rule, and me result was one of me best, On rhese television programs, if a skeptic "Bad guy," Paula answers. most authoritative television programs on gets me opportunity to raise die possibility "Do you like him?" Hopkins asks. alien abductions produced to date. that die hypnotist was shaping die recollec­ "Yea," Paula answers. The idea that regular folks have been tions, die hypnotist and die subject roundly "You do?" Hopkins responds, appar­ held captive by space aliens, used as deny such influence. If die skeptic (and ently surprised by the response. "You guinea pigs, and served as involuntary there's seldom more than one on diese shows) said he was a bad guy." donors of eggs and sperm to produce a questions whether die experiences are real, "Yea," Paula says again. hybrid of human and extraterrestrial is a die UFO proponents brandish research sug­ "Do you like bad guys?" compelling piece of folklore. gesting diat abductees suffer from no mental "Yea," says the toddler. illness and argue, in effect, diat because rhese And because die human brain seems For viewers who railed to pick up the people are not crazy, dieir experiences are reaL programmed to give more weight to one nuances, NOVA asks Elizabeth Loftus, well-told story than to piles of data sug­ NOVA tried to explore those delicate professor of psychology at the gesting diat the story is false, die simi­ issues by taking viewers to hypnosis ses­ University of Washington, to comment lar-sounding tales told by UFO sions held by Hopkins, showing on Hopkins's interviewing techniques. abductees have compelled a lot of peo­ Hopkins interviewing two children for Loftus suggests that viewers could be ple to believe that investigators like psy­ die first time; and letting die public hear watching a UFO-abduction memory in chiatrist John Mack or artist Bud what happens when an abductee claims the making. Hopkins really are dealing with die vic­ to have been aboard a UFO with John Much of the ground covered by tims of alien kidnappings. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev at die NOVA is familiar to SKEPTICAL Unfortunately for skeptics trying to height of die Cuban missile crisis. INQUIRER readers. The program lend a credible counterpoint to this sce­ Hopkins's visit widi the two children explained how kidnappings by strange nario, the science behind die examination was particularly revealing, showing how creatures has been a common theme in of UFO claims can be subde and sensitive, the man who popularized current UFO history, with the creatures depending on as delicate as pointing out that a dierapist abduction folklore won't take no for an the culture at the time. It used may be die suggesting to hypnotized per­ answer. Committee for the Scientific sons diat diey might want to interpret When he shows 4-year-old Ryan a Investigation of Claims of the their dream as an abduction experience. stereotypical drawing of a big-eyed Paranormal Fellow Robert Baker to

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Mi./june 1996 15 critical mind for a moment. Did he look like Khrushchev? BASSETT: Yes. MACK: Okay. Was anyone else? BASSETT: There are other people there. MACK: Anyone else widi responsibil­ ity like Khrushchev? BASSETT: Yes . . . They're happy. They're kissing. MACK: Who's die odier one? What's the other one's name? BASSETT: The other one. Kennedy. Kennedy. Kennedy. MACK: YOU see him? BASSETT: Yes. Bassett now says, "The only time he got critical was when I tried to find alternative explanations for some of these experiences myself." Mack, still puzzled by why Bassett would pose as an abductee, says, "People I know in die experiencer community think she did not hoax. She's an experiencer who never came to terms widi her experiences." Left unspoken is die curious ques­ tion of why Mack would quote other abductees as die authorities on whedier Bassett's story is real. Mack is supposed to be die professional here. Particularly sobering was die scene where Hopkins was helping a man with a "Comedy Central" T-shirt relive an abduction experience. It helped viewers 'John,' one of the thousands of Americans who report being victims of alien abductions, sketches the alien kidnappers who he claims took him aboard a spaceship for sexual appreciate how powerful and how dis­ experiments. He and other 'abductees' discussed their experiences on the recent NOVA turbingly wrenching these "recollec­ program, 'Kidnapped by UFOs?' (Photo: copyright Stephanie Berger.) tions" can be. If alien beings aren't kidnapping these show how false memories can be when the two worid leaders needed to folks and diese patients would be best implanted through hypnosis. It high­ resolve the unfolding Cuban missile cri­ treated with reassurances diat diey are die lighted Loftus's research (she's also a sis. victims of unusually vivid dreams or hal­ CSICOP Fellow) in which she has In Mack's technique, "there was no lucinations, the work of people like Mack found diat about one-quarter of the skepticism," Bassett now says. "He and Hopkins, who allegedly encourage population can be led to embrace mem­ would believe the most far-fetched people to interpret dieir experiences in ories of events diat never happened. tilings, or at least he seemed to." die framework of UFO mythology, takes Some of it offered new details. At the very least, die tape of that on extraordinarily ominous overtones. NOVA played portions of die infa­ hypnosis session suggests that Mack was People who claim diey are UFO mous "Khrushchev-Kennedy" tape in anxious to pursue the Khrushchev angle abductees are probably not crazy. By which Donna Bassett, who infiltrated when as the sometimes-sobbing Bassett showing far-more-plausible alternatives Mack's group by posing as an abductee, insisted that die Soviet leader couldn't and revealing how UFO investigators tearfully recalled being aboard a UFO possibly be on board the UFO with her. may be a little too anxious to guide peo­ BASSETT: He looks like Khrushchev. ple toward believing they've had an Gene Emery is the science writer for the That can't be. encounter widi space creatures, NOVA Providence Journal-Bulletin, 75 MACK: Was it Khrushchev? has set the standard against which odier Fountain St., Providence, Rl 02902. His BASSETT: It's stupid. programs on alien abductions should be e-mail address is [email protected]. MACK: Drop down (die) 35-year-old measured.

16 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS ROBERT SHEAFFER

The Weird World Web

ow that computer scientists have If you are intrigued by gossip about charges may be). worked their miracle encircling flying saucers, and especially the Practicing astrologers/psychotherapists Nour globe in a World Wide Web, "saucerers," check the on-line issues of are eligible to join the Psychological pseudoscience is, as usual, following right James Moseley's Saucer Smear magazine Astrology Mailing List, a "moderated dis­ at dieir heels. One of die more curious at http://www.mcs.com/-kvg/smear.htm. cussion list for those who are practicing Web sites is at http://www.CyberGate. Read accounts of "Puerto Rican blood­ astrologcrs/psychodierapists. It is a low- com/-ufonline, called "Abductees sucking alien predators" diat are "shock­ volume, high-quality list. Those who are Anonymous," "dedicated to helping ingly close to die trurh!" In one recent familiar with die works of Liz Greene, otiier experiencers like ourselves better issue of Saucer Smear, we find an ad from Howard Sasportas or Stephen Arroyo will understand what has happened to them." Malibu UFOlogist and Bigfootologist Jon know the territory. The moderator Filled with beautiful New Age cosmic art, Erik Beckjord (Psychic Vibrations, SI, attends the Centre for Psychological the site contains peoples accounts of Astrology in London, England." Winter 1980-81, p. 15) offering for sale their UFO abduction experiences (widi a Interested parties should contact the "Nicole Simpson ghost photos on video­ provision for readers to add their own). moderator, Dermod Moore, who can be tape." Beckjord claims that his VHS One such account is headlined, "Hypno­ reached as [email protected]. video shows "ghost images of Nicole therapist reports cases of Spontaneous If, however, you are a social worker, Involuntary Invisibility." It begins: Simpson, Ron Goldman, plus psychic you might want to check out the Home "Santa Barbara, Calif.—A woman images of living persons, O.J. and A.C., Page for "Demon Possession Hand­ recendy disappeared while standing in all taken at the Nicole Simpson condo book" for Human Service Workers at line at the post office, and it happened to Jan. 28 [1995], and enlarged from master http://www.opcndoor.com/Higher.Gro anodier woman while waiting to check prints." It costs $19, the money allegedly und/hs.html. It explains, for the benefit out at a grocery store. What's going on going to assist the opening of the UFO of those professionals, how to distin­ here?" Another intriguing Web site story Museum in Los Angeles. Apparendy not guish which clients are in need of coun­ is a news account supposedly from the enough tapes were sold because in seling and which need exorcism. Among Cleveland Plain Dealer (November 8, February 1996 Beckjord published a let­ die telltale signs indicating demon pos­ 1995) telling how an unnamed surgeon ter in the newsletter of the San Francisco session are "violence, lust, greed" and in Ventura, California, allegedly removed region's Mensa, announcing his migration "an unnatural power of persuasion," an alien implant from a woman's big toe, from Soudiern to Northern California, which in this election year sound and another from the back of a man's describing his exploits and interests, but uncomfortably like qualities of a few of hand. Curiously, there has thus far been somehow neglecting to mention UFOs, the candidates. Further complicating no follow-up story to these remarkable Bigfoot, and ghosts. Saucer Smear is the die situation is the matter of "time-shar­ claims, so whatever may have happened indispensible guide to who is feuding ing," a problem that arises from "a fixed to this indisputable "proof" of alien with whom in the field of : who number of demons and an exploding intervention is unfortunately not known. has recendy called whom a liar, who is population." This new computer-age We may surmise that die alien "Men in accusing whom of getting drunk and conceptual breakthrough in demon- Black" have likely paid the surgeon a visit assaulting, or worse (Moseley publishes and confiscated his evidence. both sides of disputes submitted to him, no matter how scurrilous or puerile the Web continued on page 54

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER M*y/Jun* 1996 17 INVESTIGATIVE FILES JOE NICKELL

A Study of Fantasy Proneness in the Thirteen Cases of Alleged Encounters in John Mack's Abduction

Introduction quent, but apparently independent, hypothesis. Among UFO believers, study by Bartholomew and Basterfield those with stronger propensities toward ince Robert A. Bakers pioneering (1988) drew similar conclusions. fantasy production wete particularly article appeared in the SKEPTICAL Wilson and Barber's study did not likely to generate such experiences" SINQUIRER (Baker 1987-1988), a deal with the abduction phenomenon (Spanos et al. 1993, p. 631). controversy has raged over his sugges­ (which at the time consisted of only a A totally dismissive view of these tion that self-proclaimed "alien handful of reported cases), and some of attempts to find conventional psycho­ abductees" exhibited an array of unusual their criteria seem less applicable to logical explanations for the abduction traits that indicated they had fantasy- abduction cases than to other types of experience is found in the introduction prone personalities. Baker cited the reported phenomena, such as psychic to psychiatrist John Mack's Abduction: "important but much neglected" work experiences. Nevertheless, although the Human Encounters with Aliens (1994). of Wilson and Barber (1983), who listed criteria for fantasy proneness have not Mack states unequivocally: "The effort certain identifying chatacteristics of been exactly codified, they generally to discover a personality type associated people who fantasize profoundly. Baker include such features as having a rich with abductions has also not been suc­ applied Wilson and Barber's findings to fantasy life, showing high hypnotic sus­ cessful." Accotding to Mack, since some the alien-abduction phenomenon and ceptibility, claiming psychic abilities and alleged abductions have teportedly taken found a strong correlation. Baker healing powers, reporting out-of-body place in infancy or early childhood, explained how a cursory examination by experiences and vivid or "waking" "Cause and effect in the relationship of a psychologist or psychiatrist might find dreams, having apparitional experiences abduction experiences to building of an "abductee" to be perfectly normal, and religious visions, and exhibiting personality are thus virtually impossible while more detailed knowledge about . In one study, to son out" (Mack 1994, p. 5). But the person's background and habits Bartholomew, Basterfield, and Howard surely it is Mack's burden to prove his would reveal to such a ttained observer (1991) found that, of 152 otherwise nor­ own thesis that the alien hypothesis does a pattern of fantasy proneness. mal, functional individuals who have a basis in fact beyond mere allega­ For example. Baker found Whitley reported they had been abducted or had tion. Otherwise rhe evidence may well Strieber—author of Communion, which persistent contacts with extraterrestrials, be explained by a simpler hypothesis, tells die "true story" of Strieber's own 132 had one or more major characteris­ such as the possibility that most alleged abduction—to be "a classic exam­ tics of fantasy-prone personality. "abductees" are fantasy-prone personal­ ple of the [fantasy-prone personality] Somewhat equivocal results were ity types. (Such people have traits that genre." Baker noted diat Strieber exhib­ obtained by Spanos et al. (1993), cut across many different personality ited such symptoms as being easily hyp­ although their "findings suggest that dimensions; thus conventional personal­ notized, having vivid memories, and intense UFO experiences are more likely ity tests are useless for identifying easily experiencing hypnopompic hallucina­ to occur in individuals who are predis­ hypnotizable people. Some "abductees" tions (i.e. "waking dreams"), as well as posed toward esoteric beliefs in general who are not fantasy prone may be hoax­ being "a writet of occult and highly imag­ and alien beliefs in particular and who ers, for example, or exhibit other distinc­ inative novels" and exhibiting other char­ interpret unusual sensory and imagined tive personality traits or psychological acteristics of fantasy proneness. A subse­ experiences in terms of the alien problems.) Mack's approach to the diag-

18 May/lun* 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER nosis and treatment of his "abductee" they can do anything—experience a pre­ psychic experience. patients has been criticized by many of vious lifetime, experience their own One hundred percent of Mack's thir­ his colleagues (e.g., Cone 1994). birth, go off into the future, go into teen subjects claimed to have experi­ space, and so on." As well, "While they enced one or more types of alleged psy­ Methodology are pretending, they become totally chical phenomena, most reporting tele­ absorbed in the character and tend to lose pathic contact with extraterrestrials. To test the fantasy-proneness hypothe­ awareness of their true identity" (Wilson "Catherine" (No. 5) also claimed she sis, I carefully reviewed the thirteen and Barber 1983, pp. 353, 354). can "feel people's auras"; "Eva" (No. 9) chapter-length cases in Mack's Thus, as a child, "Ed" (No. 1) stated: said she is able to perceive beyond the Abduction (Chapters 3-15), selected "Things talked to me. The animals, the range of the five senses; and "Carlos" from the forty-nine patients he most spirits .... I can sense the earth" (Mack (No. 12) said he has had "a history of carefully studied out of seventy-six 1994, p. 47); "Jerry" (No. 4) said he has what he calls 'visionary' experiences" "abductees." Since his presentation was had a relationship with a tall extraterres­ (Mack 1994, pp. 157, 245, 332). not intended to include fantasy prone- trial being since age five (Mack 1994, 4. "Floating" or out-of-body experi­ ness, certain potential indicators of that p. 113). At least four of Mack's subjects ences. Wilson and Barber (1983, p. 360) personality type—like a subject's having (Nos. 5, 7, 9, and 10) said they have had stated: "The overwhelming majority of an imaginary playmate—would not be past-life experiences (pp. 160—162, 200, subjects (88 percent) in the fantasy- expected to be present. Nevertheless, 248, 259), and seven (Nos. 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, prone group, as contrasted to few (8 per­ Mack's rendering of each personality in 11, and 12) said they have some sort of cent) in the comparison group, report light of the person's alleged abduction realistic out-of-the-body experiences" experiences was sufficiently detailed to (which one subject described as "a allow the extraction of data pertaining weightless, floating sensation" and to several indicators of fantasy prone- another called "astral travel"). Only one ness. They are the following: of Mack's thirteen subjects (No. 2) failed to report this; of the other rwclvc, most 1. Susceptibility to hypnosis. Wilson described, under hypnosis, being and Barber rated "hypnotizability" as "floated" from their beds to an awaiting one of the main indicators of fantasy spaceship. Some said they were even able proneness. In all cases, Mack repeatedly to drift through a solid door or wall, that hypnotized the subjects without report­ being a further indication of the fantasy ing the least difficulty in doing so. Also, nature of the experience (more on this under hypnosis die subjects did not later). Also, "Eva" (No. 9) stated that she merely "recall" their alleged abduction had once put her head down to nap at experiences but all of them reexperienctd her desk and then "saw myself floating and relived them in a manner typical of from the ceiling .... My consciousness fantasy proneness (Wilson and Barber was up there. My physical body was 1983, pp. 373-379). For example. down there" (Mack 1994, p. 237). Also, Mack's patient "Scott" (No. 3) was so in the case of "Carlos" (No. 12), "Flying alarmed at "remembering" his first is a recurring motif in some of his more abduction (in a pre-Mack hypnosis ses­ vivid dreams" (Mack 1994, p. 338). sion with another psychiatrist) that, he said, "I jumped clear off the couch" (Mack 1994, p. 81); "Jerry" (No. 4) 5. Vivid or 'waiting" dreams, visions, "expressed shock over how vividly she or hallucinations. A majoriry of Wilson had relived the abduction," said Mack dual identity (pp. 92-93,173, 200, 209, and Barber's subjects (64 percent) (1994, p. 112); similarly, "Catherine" 243, 297, and 355-356). For example reported they frequently experienced a (No. 5) "began to relive" a feeling of "Dave" (No. 10) said he considers him­ type of dream that is particularly vivid numbness and began "to sob and pant" self "a modern-day Indian"; while and realistic (Wilson and Barber 1983, (Mack 1994, p. 140). "Peter" (No. 11) under hypnosis said he p. 364). Technically termed Irypnogogic becomes an alien and speaks in robotic or hypnopompic hallucinations (depend­ 2. Paraidentity. I have used this term tones (Mack 1994. pp. 275, 277, 297). ing on whether they occur, respectively, while the person is going to sleep or to refer to a subject's having had imagi­ In all, eleven of Mack's thirteen featured waking), they are more popularly known nary companions as a child (Wilson and subjects exhibited paraidentity. as "waking dreams" or, in earlier times as Barber 1983, pp. 346-347) and/or by 3- Psychic experiences. Another strong "night terrors" (Nickel! 1995, p. 41). extension to claiming to have lived past characteristic of fantasy proneness Wilson and Barber (1983. p. 364) lives or to have a dual identity of some according to Wilson and Barber (1983, type. Of their fantasy-prone subjects, reported that several of their subjects pp. 359-360) is that of having tele­ "were especially grateful to learn that the Wilson and Barber stated: "In fantasy pathic, prccognitive, or other types of

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 19 Case Number from Mack's Abduction Fantasy Proneness Markers SB 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

1. Susceptibility to Hypnosis

2. Paraidentity (Imaginary Companions, • Past Lives, Dual Identities)

3. Psychic Experiences

4. 'Floating' or Out-of-Body • Experiences 5. Vivid or "Waking' Dreams/Visions/ Hallucinations

6. Hypnotically Generated Apparitions

7. Receipt of Special Messages •

Figure 1. Alien encounter cases from John Mack's Abduction studied for fantasy proneness.

'monsters' rJiey saw nightly when they type beings, goblins, gargoyles, monsters ings with a pen in each hand [of aliens]" were children could be discussed in that seemed to be from outer space" aldiough she had never used her left terms of 'what die mind does when it is (Wilson and Barber 1983, p. 364). hand before; and "Peter" (No. 11) stated nearly, but not quite, asleep.'" Some of Mack's subjects had a variety of such he has "always known diat I could com­ Wilson and Barber's subjects (six in die encounters, both in their apparent mune with God" and diat the aliens fantasy-prone group of twenty-seven, "waking dreams" and under hypnosis. "want to see if I'm a wordiy leader" contrasted with none in die comparison Only die latter were considered here; all (Mack 1994, pp. 99, 192, 288, 297). group of twenty-five) also had religious thirteen subjects reported seeing one or visions, and some had outright halluci­ more types of outer-space creatures dur­ Results nations (Wilson and Barber 1983, ing hypnosis. pp. 362-363, 364-365, 367-371). 7. Receipt of special messages. Fifty One of Mack's subjects ("Sheila," No. 2) Of Mack's thirteen selected cases, all percent of Wilson and Barber's fantasiz­ exhibited four of the seven fantasy- but one (No. 13) reported either some ers (contrasted with only eight percent prone indicators, and another ("Arthur," type of especially vivid dream, or vision, of dieir comparison subjects) reported No. 13) exhibited five; die rest showed or hallucination. For example, "Scott" having felt diat some spirit or higher all seven characteristics. These results are (No. 3) said he had "visual hallucinations" intelligence was using them "to write a displayed in Figure 1. from age twelve; "Jerry" (No. 4) recorded poem, song, or message" (Wilson and Although not included here, in her journal "vivid dreams of UFOs" as Barber 1983, p. 361). healing—that is, the subjects' feeling well as "visions"; and "Carlos" (No. 12) Of Mack's diirteen abductees, all but that they have the ability to heal—is had the previously mentioned "visionary" one cleady exhibited diis characteristic, another characteristic of the fantasy- experiences and dreams of flying (Mack usually in the form of receiving telepathic prone personality noted by Wilson and 1994, pp. 82, 112). Almost all of Mack's messages from die extraterrestrials and usu­ Barber (1983, p. 363). At least six of subjects (Nos. 1-11), like "Sheila" ally with a message similar to the one given Mack's thirteen subjects exhibited this. (No. 2), had vivid dreams with strong "Ardiur" (No. 13) "about die danger facing Other traits, not discussed by Wilson indications of hypnogogic/hypnopompic the earth's ecology" (Mack 1994, p. 381). and Barber but nevertheless of possible hallucination (Mack 1994, pp. 38, 56, Interestingly, many of diese messages just interest, are the following (together with 80, 106, 132, 168-169, 196, 213, 235, happen to echo Mack's own apocalyptic 265-267, and 289). the number of Mack's thirteen subjects notions (e.g., pp. 3,412), indicating Mack that exhibit it): having seen UFOs (9); may be leading his witnesses. 6. Hypnotically generated apparitions. New Age or mystical involvement (11); Encountering apparitions (which In the case of "Eva" (No. 9), the Roman Catholic upbringing (6 of 9 Wilson and Barber define radier nar­ aliens, who represented a "higher com­ whose religion was known or could be rowly as "ghosts" or "spirits") is another munication" (Mack 1994, pp. 243, inferred); previously being in a religio- Wilson-Barber characteristic (contrasted 247), purportedly spoke through her philosophical limbo/quest for meaning widi only sixteen percent of their com­ and described her "global mission." in life (10); and involvement in the arts parison group). A large number of die "Jerry" (No. 4) produced a "flood of as a vocation or avocation (5). For fantasizers also reported seeing classic poetry," yet stated, "I don't know where example, while apparently neither an hypnogogic imagery, which included it's coming from" (p. 99); "Sara" (No. 7) such apparitionlikc entities as "demon- has been "spontaneously making draw­ Fantasy continued on page 54

20 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER WORKSHOP REPORT

To Err Is Human

NANCY SHELTON

ore than one hundred skeptics examined with the probability of fraud in not to teach us how to be cold readers; from twenty-one states and mind. Canals on Mars, which spawned rather he wanted us to know how power­ Mtwo Canadian provinces books about Martian residents, the Face ful this suggestive activity can be. "Many attended the Committee for the on Mars, and N-rays are other examples errors result from the human tendency to Scientific Investigation of Claims of the of mistaken beliefs, as was the discovery discover hidden meaning in seemingly Paranormai's superb Human Error of the nonexistent planet Vulcan. random events," Hyman said. lie also Workshop August 17-21, 1995, at the The Central Intelligence Agency cautioned us to be very gende in disabus­ University of Oregon. hired Hyman and a parapsychologist to ing those who believe such exercises are Our guides throughout the five-day evaluate psychics working for the govern­ paranormal. "Cold readings work in the program, all CSICOP Fellows, were: ment. Hyman told the workshop atten­ sense that the client is typically satisfied James Alcock, professor of psychology, dees that not only were previous studies with the results . . . the error involved is York University, Toronto; Jerry Andrus, in falsely assuming that the meaning and inventor, magician, illusionist, and accuracy of the reading stems from some philosopher; Barry Beyerstein, professor special occult powers of the reader. A of psychology, Simon Fraser University, related error is the assumption that the Vancouver; Ray Hyman, professor of psy­ meaning of the reading is contained in chology, University of Oregon; and Loren the words of the reader." Instead, subjects Pankratz, clinical psychologist, Oregon create their own inferences from pro­ Health Sciences University. Alcock, posed generalities. The more personal Beyerstein, and Hyman are also members information the client supplies, such as of CSICOP's Executive Council. day, month, year of birth, the more cre­ Hyman, a cognitive psychologist, dence he or she gives to the reader's accu­ coordinated and moderated the talks, all racy and the greater the belief that the of which were characterized by lively reader is psychic. interaction with the attendees, and Andrus demonstrated how mystified humor. Though others' gullibility fre- we can be by visual cues. Among his many quendy elicited mirth, Hyman quickly amazing creations rhat he encouraged us warned us that nxryone is subject to to play with were the Nutty Nuts and Ray Hyman shows a model of the errors both in belief and action. He Piltdown skull (photo: Gerald Shelton). Bewildering Blocks. He challenged our explained that Piltdown man, supposedly auditory perception by playing his Never- an early man but reconstructed by hoax­ flawed, but their psychic accuracy was Ending Chords on the piano. While ers from human and animal bones, about 15 percent. The problem was that watching his hands drop to lower octaves, fooled borh laypeople and scientists for no one could determine which 15 per­ we all "heard" the chords ascending. about 40 years. Was it a clever hoax? cent was right. (Sec Hyman's "Special Pankratz, an expert in medical Hyman said no; filing the ape jawbone to Report," SI, March-April 1996.) anomalies and insurance fraud, dis­ make it fit the reconstructed human skull In his syllabus "How To Do Cold cussed self-deception, a vulnerability was crude and quite obvious after it was Readings," Hyman said his purpose was within all of us. He told of patients who

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Mjy/June 1996 21 fused with pop-psychology's bio- rhythms) is the scientific study of rhyth- micity and biological clocks. Among the cycles we are attuned to are: circadian (about a day)—sleep/waking cycle; ultradian (much less than 24 hours— breathing, heart rate, EEG rhythms; the basic rest-activity cycle (BRAC)—90- minute period; infradian (a month or longer)—menstrual cycle, other hor­ monal rhythms, and seasonal changes. Abrupt time shifts result in "desyn- chronosis," the uncoordinated free-run­ ning of subsystem rhythms. Some effects are sleep disorders, gastrointestinal prob­ lems, and decreased vigilance. Optimum well-being depends upon the various cycles operating synchronically. Yet about a quarter of our population, often emer­ "Nutty Nuts," an illusion created by Jerry Andrus (photo: Gerald Shelton). gency workers whom we trust to make each had numerous hospital admissions ignoring negative evidence. Occurrences the right decisions (police, firemen, doc­ for diverse symptoms within a short close in time are frequently inferred to be tors and nurses, air traffic controllers), time period. The subjects had made up, causally connected. A dream followed by must operate under these adverse condi­ distorted, or hidden medical informa­ an experience that can be perceived as tions, sometimes leading to fatal errors. tion. Even though doctors were correlative may seem precognitive. "Re-entraining," or resetting the bio­ informed beforehand that these patients Alcock also said that beliefs that logical clocks, he explained, usually takes appeared to have factitious symptoms reduce concern are more readily accepted. about ten days to two weeks. Since out- (as in Munchausen syndrome, a feign­ Prejudice permits one to feel "I'm not of-sync biological clocks favor a longer ing of illness), some doctors persisted in responsible for others' dire straits; it's their day, east-to-west flights have less effect treating for the nonexistent illnesses. He genes." Religion offers the comforting than do west-to-east. Further, change is said that because patient malingering is belief that departed loved ones will be met easier when everyone in the new time intentional and voluntary, it is not con­ again in heaven. We often hold beliefs zone is on the same waking/eating/sleep­ sidered a psychiatric disorder. that have no rationale. '"To be a good ing schedule. Shift workers, who have Alcock explained that we have both teacher you must be a good researcher' is their days turned upside down, and experiential and rational psychological nonsense, but offends some notion of whose duty hours are advanced from systems, which collide with each other. what universities are all about," he said. evening to afternoon to morning, have "Feelings and rationality often produce Hunches are not necessarily pro­ the most difficult adaptation. (Reversing contradictory results." We have two sets cessed rationally, he noted. Coca-Cola the shift order, e.g., morning/after­ of rules: one for religion, based on faith; took down its billboards because, the noon/evening would be more effective another for die lab. We feel we have company stated, "Nobody looks at for the workers and result in fewer mis­ experience of psi even though it remains them." Sales dropped, and the bill­ takes—life threatening or otherwise.) unproven. Frequency distribution is boards reappeared. Smokers rationalize The workshop demonstrated why such that, in tests, some individuals will evidence for cancer: "They'll have a cure errors are part of the human condition. "get it right," thus convincing them­ for it when I'm 40." Behavioral change Some contributors to error are not selves—and others—that they have psy­ precedes attitude change. If you get peo­ enough information, overabundance of chic powers. Such convictions may be ple to act contrary to their beliefs, they w/nnformation, excessive repetition, extremely difficult to extinguish. Often will shift beliefs over time. and innumeracy. We automate as much the belief comes first: We believe, and Beyerstein discussed how the human as possible to save precious resources. then find corroborative evidence while brain evolved, and how technology, just Our brains arc not video recorders; in the last 100 years, has confounded our many stimuli never get to long-term Nancy Shelton is a freelance writer/editor programming, thus leading to human memory. Much of what we think we who retired recently from the Defense errors. Electric lights have lengthened remember is reconstructed from codi­ Nuclear Agency and is a member of New our awake cycle. Jets that cross time fied bits and imagination. The purpose Mexicans for Science and Reason. Address: zones in a day play havoc with the nat­ of scientific methodology is to find the 11617 Snowheights Blvd. NE, ural rhythms acquired through evolu­ truth. It can also help us to minimize Albuquerque, NM 87112-3157. tion. Biochronometry (not to be con­ our errors. D

22 Ma»/Iune 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Believing What We See, Hear, and Touch: The Delights and Dangers of Sensory Illusions

Try these experiments yourself. Do your senses deceive you?

RAINER WOLF

ensory illusions arise when the brains expectations do not match the information coming from the eyes, ears, Sor other sense organs. To survive natural selection dur­ ing evolution, it has been favorable to fool others, but what might be the advantage of fooling ourselves? Sensory illusions are perceptual artifacts that mostly originate from an inade­ quate use of the brains ingenious data-processing algo­ rithms. For instance, we tend to perceive illusory regularities in random events; and our innate credomania makes us rigidly cling to any belief acquired by unreflected interpreta­ tion of any obscure observations. Behavioral sciences revealed that this tendency stems from our animal heritage and had contributed to the survival of our ancestors. If pass­ ing through some dangerous region, the outcome should be more favorable if one stays on the well-tried trail. But sen­ sory illusions now can serve as sources of superstition. Thus, the reliability of our and our mode of thinking

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/lune 1996 23 must be critically judged by objective tests. To perceive features of the external world is basically a process of active construction. Seeing, for instance, does not simply work by imaging visual objects on some inner screen in our brain. The features of these images are, rather, disassembled into abstract pieces of information which, by some kind of symbolic represen­ tation, eventually generate a highly abstract internal model of the external world (Gordon 1989; Wolf 1985). For this purpose, our alert brain continuously computes tremendous amounts of data: "bottom-up" (specific to general) computations, "top-down" (general to specific) calibrations, and logic "ratio-morphic" con­ clusions (Lorenz 1973). Almost all of these performances occur subconsciously and, thus, are not open to introspection. They become obvious, however, when the percept hypotheses uncon­ sciously made by our brain accidentally do not fit with our expec­ tations. This is the very moment illusions arise, and we no longer believe our own eyes (Gregory 1980; Wolf 1987).

Our Brain Hypothesizes: Size-Weight Illusion

Figure 1. Spiral pattern for experiencing the 'motion-aftereffect.' Incorrect top-down assumptions, of which we are quite unaware, may create a dramatic size-weight illusion. For this amazing exper­ iment you need a 5X 10x2 cm block made of brass, iron, or lead, V and a 5 X10 X 4 cm block made of balsa wood, both painted iden­ tically. Put the smaller (but heavier) block on top of the larger (but / >—C lighter) block. Estimate the feel of the weight of the two together T-T3uschung PONZO POGGENDORFF MOLLER-LYER while holding them in one hand, grasping them between the thumb and the other fingers. Next, "weigh" the small block by itself in the hand the same way. You will have the odd impression that the small block is much heavier than both the blocks lifted together. There are two factors contributing to this illusion. While holding both blocks, the fingers are touching large areas of them. Thus, not much force is needed to lift them up. When lifting only the small, albeit heavy, one, our brain automatically expects much less weight since, by their outer appearance, the blocks seem to consist of the same material. Furthermore, the fingers now are touching small areas only and therefore have to grasp the small block more strongly in order to lift it up. Thus, our brain assumes that the small block must be very heavy.

Illusions Due to Constancy Performance

Figure 2. Four geometrical illusions to be detected in a Constancy performance means the brain judges approaching or perspective drawing, the receding objects as constant in size although the retinal image does 'Room of Illusions.' not remain constant at all (Wolf 1985; Wolf and Wolf 1990a).

Figure 3. Nothing but six lines? Rainer Wolf is a university lecturer at the Wurzburg Biocenter, Wurzburg University, 97074 Wurzburg, Germany He studied biol­ ogy and physics at Wurzburg University and did postdoctoral work at the Heiligenberg Institute of Experimental Biology He has frequently visited the universities of Oregon and Moscow for cooperative scien­ tific research. His fields of research: experimental analysis of insect Figure 4. Simple depth-reversing specta­ cles consisting of two right-angle prisms, embryogenesis with time-lapse and electron microscopic techniques, which are glued to a flat support. The development of novel experimental and microscopic methods, and prisms additionally cause a left-right reversal of the viewed scenery. psychophysical investigations of visual perception. Since 1993 he has been head of die local GWUP group of "Wurzburg Skeptics."

24 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Figure 5. Random dot stereo pairs to test one's stereo vision. For binocular fusion, use the well-known 'Magic Eye' technique, or a stereoscope (a+b for normal 3-D, b+c for pseudoscopy, which results in a depth-reversed image); or alternatively cross your eyes (b+c for normal 3-D, a+b for pseudoscopy). While holding your head straight move a pencil from the vertical space between the half images of a stereo pair toward your nose and concentrate your gaze on the tip of the pencil. Stop the pencil as soon as four images appear. While disregarding both the lateral 'ghost images,' cautiously shift your attention (i.e.. the focus) to the central images, which soon will attain spatial depth.

Failing constancy performance is a main source of visual illusions. the back wall of the room (both are the same)—the Muller-Lyer Cut out a copy of the spiral (Figure 1) and make it spin clock­ illusion, working here with half die arrowheads only. Those parts wise while steadily looking at its center. Our visual system tries of the sketch which, by perspective, are indicated as distant—for to compensate for its continuous shrinking process, because instance, the girl in the rear—appear enlarged in our perception, most objects only appear to shrink while actually receding. in order to compensate for me smaller retinal image of distant Therefore, algorithms are switched on for size correction. You will objects. What appeared as an illusion in a simple line drawing become aware of dicse unconscious corrections when looking at actually provides correct perception in our three-dimensional a different object afterward: It will seem to grow tremendously wodd (Gillam 1980). If the spatial context is removed, however, without actually changing size because size compensation is erro­ the same interpretations of the same line patterns appear unjusti­ neously transferred to the different object (motion aftereffect). fied, and hence, we call them "illusions."

Geometric Illusions Become Visual Truths Perceptions are Controlled by Conscious Imagination

Let us have a close look at four classic geometrical illusions (Figure Visual perception is strongly influenced by our conscious imag­ 2). The Muller-Lyer illusion appears even more paradoxical when ination. Figure 3 shows six horizontal lines on a white back­ viewed in a mechanical model (Wolf 1987). The effect is well ground. The bottom line appears to be somewhat longer than known, but it remains a curious experience to see die horizontal the next higher line, due to the Ponzo illusion. However, if you line change its length by about 30 percent while reversing die try to change your percept hypothesis by interpreting the same direction of die arrowheads. The Ponzo illusion makes the hori­ line pattern as the shape of a vodka glass, you will immediately zontal bars look different in length, but they are the same. In the see a different pattern: Both the lower lines now appear equal T illusion we would not suppose that both lines are the same in length, the contour of the "glass" is marked by a thin, bright length. Finally, there is the Poggendorff illusion with the oblique line, and the areas between the lines appear darker than the line (if completed) appearing staggered rather than aligned. All background. All these artificial, deceptive effects make us per­ diese patterns are accurately imaged in our eyes. In our vision, ceive this object more easily. however, they appear distorted in size, shape, or orientation. But are these effects mere illusions? The perspective sketch shown in Challenging Our Brain by Binocular Depth-Reversal Figure 2 depicts a pattern that might appear in our eyes when we enter a room. This image is immediately interpreted to contain To get a feeling for the work performed subconsciously by our spatial information, and from that very moment the illusions brain, it is a promising approach to make the results of various become visual truths: If the line drawing is interpreted as a real sce­ algorithms of image computation collide with each other. It is nario, then the giri in the rear must be bigger than the one in front well known that binocular depth perception is calculated from (though in the image they are the same size)—here the Ponzo illu­ the litde parallactic differences between the images of our left sion contains visual truth. Similarly, the rear width of die carpet and right eyes. If you were able to pull out your right eye and only looks shorter than the carpet's length—the T illusion. The put it in the left eye socket, and vice versa, you should see all side wall ledges near the ceiling look like dicy would not meet the objects as reversed in depth, which means: Close objects appear side wall ledges near die floor if the lines were joined, but both are to be distant, and distant objects appear to be close. Of course, cxacdy aligned—the Poggendorff illusion contains visual truth. we must leave our eyes in place and use depth-reversing spec­ Finally, the front width of the carpet actually is much shorter than tacles instead (Figure 4,Wolf 1985, 1995).

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 25 Figure 6. The secret of Beuchet's magic chair as revealed by stereopsis.

After binocular fusion of the random dot stereogram shown in of a glass ball if the other half happens to be hidden behind a Figure 5, most readers will easily perceive the dotted square hovering branch. On the other hand, the branch appears behind the in font of the dotted background. In the case of depth-reversal, the ball, and hence the ball cannot be covered by the branch. Our same square is seen behind its dotted surroundings. People who can­ brain's conclusion: The ball must be broken. not see the square are stereoblind and will be unable to follow the Alternatively, our brain may assume that a partially next experiments. Note that this square does not appear in the eyes: occluded object is not broken. Then, depth-reversal cannot be If you close one eye, the square will disappear. Thus, the square perceived, although it is unambiguously supported by the pre­ actually rums out to be a reconstruction made up by our brain. sent visual data. Depth-reversal is similarly suppressed when looking at familiar objects such as cars, houses, furniture, and Beuchet's "Magic Chair" especially human faces (Yellot 1981). Probably no readers will be able to perceive the entire pseudoscopic stereo portrait We are fooled by Beuchets "magic chair" (Figure 6) that (Figure 8) as hollow. There is a chance, however, to experience makes everyone who sits on it "shrink." The illusion is due to the eerie percept of the hollow shape when the face is either an incorrect assumption made by our brain. The puzzle can be covered by high-contrast dots, or when it is turned upside down. To facilitate depth-reversal, do not shift your gaze, but rather easily solved after binocular fusion of the stereo pair: Beuchet's stare at the root of the nose. Most readers will succeed within chair actually consists of two separate parts of different size, a few minutes in perceiving the face, or at least parts of it, as which are placed at different distances. When viewed with one depth-reversed. Be prepared to be confronted with strange eye from a distinct site, the super-sized top seems to fuse with landscape: the hollow nose deeply pointing backward and the the normal-sized base, and both make up the illusion of a nor­ eyes protruding on top of two hills. mal chair (Wolf and Wolf 1990a). Thus, our incorrect assumptions about distances lead to faulty size calibration. Bypassing the "Censorship": The Eerie Landscape When the Brain Does Not Accept the Eyes' of a Depth-Reversed Face Message: Perception Controlled by an Unconscious "Censorship Process" What prevented us from perceiving the hollow shape in upright orientation, and why do some people fail to see it, even when the Challenging our brains with paradoxical information provides face is turned upside down? The message "hollow face," which is a chance to introspectively watch our own image-processing in unambiguously reported by our eyes, obviously can be suppressed action. When observing a depth-reversed Christmas tree by some kind of unconscious censorship. Based on coundess expe­ (Figure 7), you will be confronted with strange phenomena. riences, highly unfamiliar percepts, which our brain considers The branches look rather curious, and the two glass balls at the impossible, are strongly suppressed. lower margin of the image actually seem to be broken. Note Van den Enden and Spekreijse (1989) argued that only con­ the subconscious logic involved here. You can see only one half flicting disparities of texture perspective, but not cognition, pre-

26 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Figure 7. A Christmas tree decorated with broken glass balls? For normal and depth-reversed vision, see instructions in Figure 5. dude binocular depdi-reversal. To test dieir texture perspective partially covered (Wolf, Oberkampf, and Wolf 1995). theory, my coworkers and I analyzed rhc subde interplay between Having once become familiar with the eerie hollow shape of disparity cues, shading, and the "intrinsic knowledge" of die a face turned upside down, depdi-reversal may be achieved in visual system by making these depth cues eirher cooperate or right-side-up faces, too. Depth-reversal of familiar objects is also counteract against one another (Wolf and Wolf 1990b). Depth- facilitated when a pseudoscopic stereo portrait has been pre­ reversed faces can be perceived easily as hollow when rhey are sented before, which could not be perceived as depth-reversed. alienated by providing rhem with an artitlcial, high-contrast sur­ Hence, diere must be a familiarization process involving some face texture (as in the dotted half of the face in Figure 8), in spite kind of unconscious learning (Wolf, Oberkampf, and Wolf 1995). of counter indications arising from texture perspective: On die tip We condude that visual perception is controlled by high-level of die hollow nose, for example, die dots appear somewhat larger, cognitive factors, which essentially are based on familiarity cues. as diey had actually been closer to die camera when die photo­ Irvin Rock has convindngly demonstrated diat we cannot judge graph was taken. According to Van den Enden and Spekreijse, die expression in upside-down faces (Wolf 1987): They are alien­ depdi-reversal should have provided a false disparity of texture ated in such a way diat our brain has no preconception concern­ perspective. If rhis conflicting information, radicr rhan familiar­ ing dieir shape, and dius, we can perceive diem as hollow. ity, really was the main reason for the suppression of depth-rever­ sal, then depth-reversal should have generally failed in our exper­ A Serendipitous Discovery for Diagnosis and iments. Depth-reversal obviously can be suppressed, regardless of Medication in Schizophrenia die reversed shapes being unambiguously supported by die incoming disparity cues. This suggests die interference of some Our experiments unexpectedly have gained some medical rel­ higher-levd control mechanism, similar to an unconscious "cen­ evance, which is a beautiful example of a research strategy sorship process," which actually rejects any visual information called "serendipity." This term stems from an ancient fairy that radically collides with our everyday experience. tale, a story of three princes of Serendip (Sri Lanka). The Challenging one's mind to experience depth-reversal pro­ princes seemed to have developed an incredible degree of dair- vides a unique chance to introspectively watch one's own cen­ voyance, which actually was based on open-eyed observation. sorship process in action. If you succeed in perceiving the hol­ In science serendipity means making discoveries not only by low face, you might be indined to blink or to change your line carefully designed research programs, but also, by chance. of sight. But whenever the visual input changes, the uncon­ About 15 years ago, a famous optical instrument company, scious censorship process seems to be reactivated and die per­ Carl Zeiss in Germany, designed a new stereo microscope attach­ ception of die hollow shape is blocked again for a few seconds. ment. Unfortunatdy, the technicians had acddentally inter­ Furthermore, 3-D computation times can be determined by changed die right and left light paths, unaware of dieir error. I the time course of depdi-reversal of a moving object diat is need not further explain die consequences. When I, just by

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 27 Figure 8. Stereo portrait of the author for challenging the reader's mind to perceive depth-reversal. The hollow shape is usually suppressed by an intrin­ sic 'censorship process' unless the face is turned into the unfamiliar upside-down orientation. The isotropic high-contrast dot pattern on the skin serves to intensify the 'natural' surface texture. It facilitates the perception of the upright, depth-reversed face by alienation, and by transmission of highly evi­ dent disparity data. Subjects with little experience in depth-reversal will perceive the depth-reversed shape within the dotted half of the face only, but the hollow shape is seen to slightly extend from there into the non-dotted regions. chance, became aware of depdi-reversal while working with a pro­ the medication could be drastically reduced to 1/10 of the dose totype of this microscope, I decided to play with depth-reversing normally prescribed. spectacles, which is how I stumbled on the phenomenon of data When pondering the treatment of schizophrenia, no one suppression in human perception and its dependence on famil­ would have thought of depth-reversal as a means of diagnosis, iarity. Recendy, at Berlin University I gave a lecture on data sup­ and it probably would not have been discovered by a well- pression experiments, the results of which were published in a designed research program. Thus, I emphatically advocate newspaper article. Hinderk Emrich, from the Max Planck allowing serendipitous playing as a successful and creative Institute for Psychiatry in Munich, who came across this article strategy in scientific research. about data suppression in the brain, remembered an idea he had stored in the back of his mind: that the psychotic disorder schizo­ We Feel Free—but Are We? Voluntary Motions phrenia might be based on some deficiency in perceptual censorship. Are Not Initiated by Our Conscious Mind He asked me for stereo slides to use to test depth-reversal by his schizophrenic patients, and he found two groups of exceptional There are crucial illusions that are indicative of our brain's inter­ subjects who could easily perceive depth-reversal of a human face: pretation of causality. Consider Roger Penfield's pioneer experi­ all his patients suffering from schizophrenia; and subjects under ments (see Wolf 1987): He anificially stimulated the brains of the influence of the psychoactive substances cannabis or LSD conscious subjects by means of electrodes. Surprisingly, these (Emrich 1992). [LSD may induce psychotic symptoms similar to subjects often experienced these stimulations as spontaneously those of schizophrenia.] Obviously, some still unknown defi­ arising sensations rather than as events imposed from outside. ciency prevents their "censorship department" from controlling Although being completely controlled by the experimenter's the incoming visual data, and/or the output. The same deficiency stimuli, they felt entirely free. So we have to keep in mind that leaves these subjects unprotected against the perception of various science fiction writers were wrong when describing a "world on horrible hallucinations. Fortunately, "normal" subjects do not wire," in which remote-controlled subordinates tried to conquer have the horrible hallucinations and anxiety schizophrenics have, the outside power controlling their own actions and thoughts. thanks to the aaivity of unconscious "censorship" performance. A Fortunately, such remote control is not yet possible. But even if test based on binocular depth-reversal currently is being devel­ it were, we might not be aware of it. oped by Emrich in order to differentiate schizophrenia from other Another bewildering illusion about causality: Most people mental diseases. Furthermore, by using perception or depth- believe that an intentionally performed movement of their limbs reversed faces as a marker of an impending schizophrenic attack, is initiated by their willpower. When I am asked to spontaneously

28 May/lune 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER move my hand by freewill decision at one time or .mother, it is ity, however, the same algorithms will be active "in idle my unambiguous experience that my psychological decision motion." Such inadequate interpretations of causality turn out process is me prima causa, die trigger, of that movement. to be the source of our innate credomania, our tendency to However, we have to consider the readiness potential, a character­ rigidly cling to any belief whatsoever ("true believer syn­ istic electrical signal that starts 0.8 second before 1 consciously drome," Hines 1988). Behavioral research has revealed that a decide to move my hand (Dennett and Kinsbourne 1992). In the similar tendency shows up in animals, too, and thus, credo- very moment of my conscious decision, the action had been already mania appears to be part of our animal heritage transmitted to determined almost one second ago and could have been foreseen by us during evolution, and it still serves as an inexhaustible die experimenter. Thus we must be aware that the chain between source of human superstition. cause and effect, as we experience it, does not necessarily reflect In a session of the Physical-Medical Society in Wurzburg, the actual sequence of causal interdependence. There is no psy- Konrad Lorenz (1973) told an outstanding story about super­ choneural interaction, at least in the case of a voluntary motion. stition in animals. When investigating social behavior in wild geese, Lorenz took care of a gosling named Martina, who took Antedating Perception: The Brain's Time Machine him for her mother. Lorenz decided to have Martina moved to his newly installed goose lab, which was upstairs in his house. We should also note the fascinating investigations of Benjamin So he slowly went into the house and called her to follow him. Libet (Dennett and Kinsbourne 1992). When a weak mechanical At that time, Martina was not used to entering the house, and stimulus is unexpectedly applied to the skin, for some unknown she was afraid to do so. She hesitandy followed Lorenz, but she reason the subjects brain needs half a second for computation of did not see that he had turned to the stairs at the left, and so, the proper sensory signals. Nevertheless, the subject immediately she traveled straight ahead into the entrance hall. Having then experiences having been touched- Thus, the perception of the seen Lorenz on the stairs, however, she turned around to follow him upstairs. This hairpin turn henceforth remained part of stimulus must have been antedated by the very stretch of rime her path each time she entered the house. One day, Lorenz for­ necessary for computation. Obviously, our brain "knows" pretty got to let Martina in on time. Martina anxiously ran into the well when the sensory signal arrived, and it compensates for its house and immediately went upstairs, skipping her habitual computation time, as determined by some internal clock. The hairpin turn. When she arrived upstairs, however, she suddenly biological sense of this rime illusion is quite obvious: In order to stopped. She pressed her wings closely against her body and perceive stimuli coming from outside in the right order, it is favor­ shouted anxiously, then ran down the stairs to make her hair­ able to shift the perception backward in perceived time to the very pin turn. Finally, after having climbed upstairs again, she shook moment the stimulation actually had taken place. her feathers and shouted her characteristic birdcall indicating As a proof of this incredible performance, consider the fol­ satisfaction. Obviously, we all would characterize this behavior lowing experiment, which pretends to measure reaction times: as superstitious if it had been performed by a human being. A subject is asked to press a button when he perceives a gentle touch. Due to normal reaction time, the subject will push the button about 0.2 second after having been touched; 0.3 sec­ Science and Pseudoscience ond later, however, the skin stimulus is retroactively masked by an electric stimulation of the sensory cortex, and thus its per­ Nowadays there is a growing tendency toward belief in funda­ ception is cancelled in retrospect. The subject, who had properly mentalism and mysticism. The New Age movement seems to reacted to a stimulus he actually had not perceived, will apolo­ be growing, although all efforts to establish that field in sci­ gize for his imaginary error. There is an intense controversy as ence have failed. Using dowsing rods to find subterranean to whether or not events can be antedated by our brain, and water, for instance, never resulted in a higher rate of success some neurobiologists prefer to say that events are simply than pure chance, provided that the experiments were per­ attributed to a certain point of the time scale (Dennett and formed under the conditions required for a double-blind test Kinsbourne 1992). However, there is no way of avoiding (Wolf 1993). A failure to prove claims seems to be the prob­ admission that a percept experienced in this very moment may lem with parapsychology and other such as be retroactively cancelled half a second later. And experiencing Hahnemann's , Fliess' biorhythms, dowsing, palm the percept before having finished its computation does mean reading, aura photography, Kirlian photography, iris diagnos­ antedating the result. The ingenious trick of referring the tics, classical , , kinesiology, Reich's entire sensory input to a unitary time scale is a prerequisite to orgone energy therapy, pyramid power, levitation, astrology, determining simultaneousness, and thus, to conclude whether clairvoyance, precognition, , , an event might be considered either a cause or an effect. UFOlogy, Freud's psychoanalysis, and many others (Couttie 1988; Gardner 1988, 1992; Hines 1988; Marks 1988; Wolf Credomania, the Phylogenetic Source of 1993, 1995). Their undeniable, yet limited, medical effects Human Superstition seem to be basically due to the placebo effect. The half-true slo­ gan "whosoever heals, is right" unfortunately ignores the neg­ Our brain tends to assume causal relationships between events ative counterpart of placebo, the nocebo effect: Being in fear of that take place in succession. When there is actually no causal­ an imaginary danger is detrimental to health. For example,

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 29 slightly raised leukemia rates have been reported in areas sur­ fit into the skeptic's worldview, and the believer should not rounding nuclear power plants, even plants that were not yet credomanically misinterpret his or her personal experience by operating (Windeler 1993, based on Michaelis 1992; Kinlen, unreflectingly taking it for real. It is a decisive step to skepti­ Dickson, and Stiller 1995). There are many studies indicating cally question coherences of which we are firmly convinced, that all the alleged effects witnessed in the above-mentioned and not to credomanically believe what we have seen with our pseudoscientific fields are due to self-deception. Parapsycholo- own eyes. gists still have not presented a single, undisputed, repro­ When critically judging human behavior today, however, ducible, positive experiment, although they have tried hard to one might ask whether Homo sapiens, the Latin name proudly do so for some 120 years (Randi 1993). I know of no other given our own species, wasn't a little bit rash. Our ambiguous field of research for which this is true. relationship to magic thinking clearly shows up in a story the great physicist Niels Bohr loved to tell: His neighbor, who had Hallucination and 'True" Perception mounted a horseshoe on top of his door, was asked whether he was so superstitious as to believe that this horseshoe would Today there is an urgent need for enlightenment about philo­ make fortune favor him. The neighbor smiled superciliously sophically and scientifically based standards to help people dis­ and answered: "No, I am not superstitious at all, but. . . peo­ tinguish fact from fancy. We cannot eliminate mispetceptions ple say that a horseshoe continues to work, even in case you do and hallucinations, but we are able to avoid misinterpretations not believe in its power!" construed from them. Hallucinations, for instance, often seem very real and thus may be erroneously considered normal per­ References cepts. I, myself, fell victim to two hallucinations, one auditive, the other visual. Our neighbors used to play loud rock music Couttie, B. 1988. Forbidden Knowledge. Cambridge: Lutterworth Press. in the early morning with their windows wide open. Although Dennett, D. C, and M. Kinsbourne. 1992. Time and the observer. Behavioral and Brain Science 15:183-247. protected by ear plugs, 1 once was awakened by the music. Emrich, H. M. 1992, "Systems Theory of Psychosis: Filtering, Comparison, While angrily listening to the melody, I recognized that it was Error Correction, and Its Defects." In Integrative Biological Psychiatry, cd. strangely repeated several times. When I removed my ear plugs by H. M. Emrich and M. Wiegand. Berlin: Springer. as a test, I was awestruck by the silence. Hearing music had Gardner, M. 1988. The New Age. Buffalo. N.Y.: Prometheus Books. . 1992. On the Wild Side. Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. been a hallucination. Gillam. B. 1980. Geometrical illusions. Scientific American 242:86-95. Gordon, I. E. 1989. Theories of Visual Perception. New York: Wiley and Sons. Visual hallucinations may be even more perplexing. Once Gregory, R. l_ 1980. Perceptions as hypotheses. Phil Trans. Royal Soc. I lay on my side before falling asleep, and I quietly enjoyed 290:181-197. observing my sleeping wife's face, which was diffusely illumi­ Hines, T. 1988. Pseudoscience and the Paranormal Buffalo. N.Y.: Prometheus Books. nated by moonlight. Kinlen, L J., M. Dickson, and C. A. Stiller. 1995. Childhood leukemia and Suddenly 1 became aware that my eyes had been closed all non-Hodgkin's lymphoma near large rural construction sites, with a com­ the time. How, then, could I see her and even my own hand parison with Sellafield nuclear site. BMJ 310: 763-767. Lorenz, K. 1973. Die Ruckseite des Spiegels. Munchen: Piper. lying on the pillow close to my face? "If I actually see my hand Marks. D. F. 1988. Investigating the paranormal. Experienlia 44:281-337. with my eyes closed," I pondered, "will I be able to see it mov­ Michaelis, J. 1992. Kreberkrankungen im Kindesalter in dcr Umgebung west- ing, too?" I voluntarily bent my forefinger. Believe it or not, I deutschcr kerntechnicischer Anlagen. Deutsches Arfaeblatt 89: C-1386- saw it move. Only then did I open my eyes and see my wife's 1390. Randi, J. 1993. "Science and the Chimera." Festival lecture of the prize win­ profile as I had done before. But I also recognized that my ner of the Betty and David Koetser Foundation for Brain Research at the hand was entirely covered by the blanket, and thus, could not Neurological Hospital, University of Zurich, Switzerland, video film. be seen at all. Note that in both cases, the experiments served Van den Enden. A., and H. Spekreijse. 1989. Binocular depth-reversals despite familiarity cues. Science 244:959-961. to discriminate between a true percept and a hallucination. Windeler. J. 1993. Antwort. Skeptiker 3/93:80-81. Wolf, R 1985. Seeing with two eyes, spatial computation, and perception. Video film, available from the author, BIUZ 15:161-178. Homo Esotericus? . 1987. Der biologische Sinn der Sinncsrauschung. Video film, avail­ able from author, BIUZ 17:33-49. What can be concluded from these insights into human . 1993. Sinnestauschung und "new-age" esoterik. Skeptiker 4/93:88- 100. nature? Our knowledge is generally hampered by various . 1995. "Erkenne dich selbst! Von Wonnen und Wehen der unconscious self-deceptions. A central problem is that the self Wahrnchmungstauschung." In Die esoterische Verfuhrung. cd. by G. Kern contains a censor to arbitrarily select from the incoming infor­ and L Traynor. Aschaffenburg, IBDK-Verlag. Wolf, R and D. Wolf. 1990a. "Vom Sehen turn Wahmehmen." In Vom Reiz mation and to suppress it. Thus, we will never get rid of those der Sinne, ed. by A. Maelicke. Television series by ZDF, Mainz/Germany. innate tendencies toward perceptual artifacts and superstition. Weinheim: VCH. We may only achieve becoming aware of the influence of per­ . 1990b. Binocular depth-reversal is controlled by a censorship process based on familiarity cues. In Fechner Day 90: Proc. Sixth Ann. Meet. Int. ceptual artifacts and prepossessions on our perceptions and Soc. for PyschophysicsWuirzhurg , ed. by F. Muller. 267-272. our conscious reflections. Although perception is our primary . 1995. Sehen anschaulich gemacht. BIUZ 25: 59-63. source of knowledge, its failures generally demand cautious­ Wolf, R, S. Oberkampf, and D. Wolf. 1995. "Evidence of Unconscious Learning During Suppression of Binocular Depth-Reversal in Human ness from both the skeptic and the believer. The skeptic must Stereopsis." Thesis, University Wurzburg. not ignore reports of personal experience that do not seem to Yellot .J. I. 1981. binocular depth uiveraon.Sranu^.-AwT^n 245:148-159. •

30 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER The Enigmatic 'Battery of Baghdad'

This 2,000-year-old find is considered by some scientists to be an electrical power source. Did it really work?

GERHARD EGGERT

v v "TW ~T"othing is impossible," it is said. This at least ^L I holds true for pseudoscientific claims. Looking JL ^| at Egyptian wall carvings or interpreting ancient texts, some sensationalists see evidence for ancient electricity, including light bulbs (Krassa and Habeck 1994; Von Daniken 1989; Editors of Time-Life 1990). These extraordinary claims that lack substantiated proof can be dis­ missed. But there is an ancient archaeological find consid­ ered by some scientists to be an electrical power source, the so-called "Battery of Baghdad." Did it really work?

A Claim Is Born

The whole story goes back to the painter Wilhelm Konig (Konig 1938; Dubpernell 1978), who in the thirties served as director of the Iraq Museum in Baghdad. During excavations at Khuyut Rabbou'a1 near Baghdad in 1936 an object of un­ known purpose (Figure 1) was unearthed in 2,000-year-old Parthian layers [Parthia was an ancient Asian culture]. "In a

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 31 Checking the Claim

One is tempted to assume diat it is easy to check the "power source" hypothesis. In reality, the situation is more complicated. Take pieces from two kinds of metals and immerse them in an electrolyte (e.g., a sour or salty aqueous solution), and diere will be a potential difference between the metals (simply because diey are chemically different). More is needed for a good power source: To be useful, a reasonable electrical current (i.e., a flow of electrons) must flow for a reasonable length of time. The elec­ trons (e) are set free at the anode, here, the iron (Fe) rod (Fe—* Fe2* + 2e). To draw current from the apparatus, an outer elec­ trical circuit must be closed; men the electrons can flow through it to die copper cylinder. There the electrons must take part in a cathodic reaction. But what kind? Because it is unknown which type of electrolyte (if any) was inside die copper cylinder, diere are only speculative answers to this question (Table 1). W. F. M. Gray, who was the first to build a reconstruction model of the "Battery of Baghdad," used a solution of copper sulfate for this purpose (Schwalb 1957). He found that this "worked quite well for a short time" (Ley 1954). Problems may arise from the direct deposition of copper on iron (Fe + Cu2* —> Fe2* + Cu). [Reconstruction models made by Gray are no longer on display but can be seen by appointment in the Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, Massachusetts.] Pittsfield, Massachusetts). Jansen et al. (1993) had the idea to use benzoquinone, vase-like container of bright yellow clay, the neck of which had which is known to be easily reduced to hydroquinone at the been removed, a copper cylinder was stuck, held in place by cathode. (Quinones occur naturally in the secretions of some asphalt. The vase was about 15 cm high; the cylindrical tube beetles; as much as 300 mg can be found in large centipedes.) with a closed bottom made from sheet copper had a diameter Good experimental results were obtained with 100 mg 1,4- of 26 mm and a height of 9 cm. In the latter a completely oxi­ benzoquinone in 200 ml dilute acetic acid (vinegar) as elec­ dized rod of iron was found, held in place by a sort of stopper trolyte. Other organic compounds would work also. of asphalt. . . ." (Konig 1940; Dubpernell 1978). Konig Konig (1938) himself vaguely spoke of an acid or alkaline liq­ (1938) noted parallel finds from Seleucia: bronze cylinders uid, and Schwalb (1957) thought that, compared widi copper sul­ with papyrus relics inside; and from Ctesiphon: rolled bronze fate, "acetic or citric acid, which the ancient chemists had in plenty, sheets. These later Sassanian finds have been discussed and should be even better." As Paszthory (1989) and Jansen et al. depicted in detail by Paszthory (1989). (1987b, 1993) have shown, naturally occurring organic acids or Perhaps the similarity of the object's form (but not the sour fruit juices (pH 2-3) are too weak: It would take strong min­ materials) to a modern dry battery with a zinc cup and a car­ eral acids (unknown at mat time) to generate hydrogen gas at die bon rod led Konig to conjecture: "From its pans and their copper cathode in such an element. The small current flowing ini­ arrangement one might think that it must be a kind of 'gal­ tially is due to the reaction of oxygen dissolved in the electrolyte. vanic' element or battery" (Konig 1938; Dubpernell 1978). Thanks to the leakproof construction of the copper cylinder of

But one cannot say (De Camp 1991) that "the only use that Konig's find (soldered, sealed with asphalt), no oxygen (02) from anybody has been able to conceive for them is as battery cells for the outside air can enter into the electrolyte (Figure 2, left). When electroplating small objects with gold." By discussing die magi­ die small amount of oxygen inside is consumed by the cathodic cal meaning of metals in antiquity, Paszthory (1989) has argued reaction to hydroxide, die current decreases to negligible levels. (like most of die excavators half a century earlier) tiiat such In an erroneous model experiment (copper cylinder with­ objects might have been containers for blessings or incantations out bottom), Jansen et al. (1987a, b) have shown that only ele­ written on organic material. This answers convincingly die ques­ ments into which oxygen can diffuse from the outside can tion of the claim's proponents: What else could it have been? operate continuously. But wait a minute: Most of the parallels to die Khuyut Gerhard Eggert is a chemist and heads the Conservation Department Rabbou'a find are not tighdy closed copper cylinders. They are of doe Rheinisches Landesmuseum, Colmantstr. 14-16, D-53115 rolled bronze sheets only sealed at the top and the bottom Bonn, Germany. He does research on archaeological conservation and(Paszthor y 1989). Because die seam is not soldered, diese cylin­ ancient techniques. This article is based on a paper presented at the ders cannot hold any liquid, so the whole vase would be filled Seventh European Skeptics Conference, 1995, Rossdorf, Germany. widi electrolyte (Figure 2, right). The walls of the earthenware

32 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER vases are porous, and oxygen from outside could diffuse steadily Tabic 1. Suggested Reactions at the Copper Cathode into die electrolyte, which would be tantamount to a steady electrical current. In this new speculative interpretation, the Cathodic reaction Reduction of Source of the reactant Reference original "Battery of Baghdad" becomes a faulty deviation of die cupric ions to copper sulfate from Cu*.2e—>Cu Schwalb 1957 working Ctesiphon type. Nevertheless, a flat, open tray widi a copper metal mineral deposits copper-wire mesh near die level of die electrolyte would be a OCjH.O + 2h" + 2e p-quinone to secretion of centipedes Jansen et at. much better design for the reduction of oxygen from die air. —> HOC,H4OH p hydroqumone etc 1993

But I am not persuaded, even by my own speculation, protons to mineral acids (unknown Jansen et al. 2h"*2e —>H, hydogengas at that time) above. With die help of additional assumptions, one can get 1993 some current some of the time from the object. And if die cur­ 0,*2H,0 + 4e—> oxygen gas to oxygen dissolved in the Paszthory 1989, electrolyte in the dosed Jansen et al. rent or die voltage is too low for practical applications, why 40H hydroxide ions copper cylinder 1987b not connect 10 or 100 or 1000 of them? As is always the case O, • 2H,0 + 4e — > oxygen gas to oxygen from the air Eggert 1996 in experimental archaeology, successful experiments alone can 40H hydroxide ions (this article) show only a supposed ancient technique to be possible, but never its application. For instance, Thor Heyerdahl only showed with his Ra voyage that in principle it is possible to Figure 1. Vertical cross section of the Khuyut cross the Atlantic in an Egyptian boat. To accept the claim diat Rabbou'a find (Konig 1938) die Egyptians really did so, one would need archaeological evi­ dence from America (such evidence exists for the Vikings). L_ copper Concerning die claim of an ancient power source, where B3 iron are the ancient electrical apparatuses or processes? Despite ze burnt clay claims, there is neither an ancient object diat supports the 9 asphalt /* cap layer (relic) existence of ancient electrotherapy (most recent speculation: electroanalgesia [Keyser 1993]), nor electroplating; nor is there any written evidence. Archaeometry so far could not prove any ancient Near Eastern object to be electrogilded. Based only on second-hand knowledge of Konig's mention of finds from Tel Asmar (2500 B.C.) some scientists took for granted the existence of such an ancient technique (Bockris and 0, Reddy 1977). Konig also used his own observation of a strange Figure 2. left Horizontal cross section galvanic gilding method of contemporary silversmiths in Baghdad of the Khuyut Rabbou'a as an argument for his interpretation of die find: "A primitive find (Figure 1.) Lef, Righ, process of gold plating is still in use in Baghdad today on a secret Right Hypothetical reconstruction of an element with a bronze roll cathode [sic] electrical basis. Probably it is older than one might diink?" (Konig 1940; Dubpernell 1978). The process (Figure 3) com­ bines a current device and a cyanidic gold-plating badi in one simple unit widi only two electrodes. As was shown recendy Figure 3. Koing's (1938) (Eggert 1995), die process is very similar to John Wrights inven­ sketch of the gilding tion (1839) in Birmingham, England (Figure 4). This process was method of the Baghdad silversmiths with his included by the Elkingtons in their British Patent 8,447 (Hunt explanations: 1973), where also the differences (e.g., die use of a common salt A porous day jar with gold solution instead of dilute sulfuric acid) are described. The only cyanide solution reasonable explanation for this is diat die process is not a relic of B cooking vessel with solu­ tion of common salt ancient knowledge ("older dian one might mink") but at die time C rod for hanging of Konig's publication, only 99 years old. O object to be gilded E copper wire F zinc pole In my opinion, the "magical container" hypothesis is much more probable dian the "power source" claim. The lat­ ter is a "mystification by science" (Thurnshirn 1986) of the Figure 4. Modified draw­ ing of Wright's invention object, which violates Occam's razor. of 1839 (Eggert 1995): A ordinary flowerpot containing a cyanide The Claim and the Scientists solution B outer vessel containing dilute sulphuric acid It is no wonder that the claim of Parthian power sources found C (obviously metallic) rod its way into (multicultural) pseudoscience (Ortiz de D object to be gilded E (metallic) wire Montellano 1991). Von Daniken (1993) repeats it again and F sheet of zinc surrounding again without informing his readers about die disputes. And the porous eel

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 33 what about the scientists who also often cited the claim uncrit­ course of history despite their potential (Sriebing 1984). The claim ically from third-hand information? They apparently liked the of an ancient power source is not an "impossibility" (Von Daniken idea that electrical current had been used by the ancients and 1968). But even if it existed there is no need to postulate external was only rediscovered by L. Galvani and A. Volta. The ques­ influences leading to or surrounding such an invention. tion regarding the "Parthian power source" was sometimes Just the opposite: Had there been extraterrestrial visitors lost, and so, the conjecture became stated truth. This helped with space travel technology, they could have shown the in a public relations campaign for the exhibition of objects Parthians ways to produce much less primitive power sources from die Iraq Museum in the "Roemer- und Pelizaeus- than the ones the Parthians possibly had. Museum" in Hildesheim (Germany) in 1978, where the find was presented. While other museums showing the same exhi­ Notes bition correctly called the object "controversial," the 1. Other transcriptions of the Arabic name in the literature are Khujur Hildesheim museum said, "Unbelievable as it sounds, some Rabu'a and Chujut Rabuah. 1,800 years before Galvani . . . the Parthians knew an electri­ 2. Background is the view of some alchemists that ancient mythology is an allegoric form of description and proliferation of the secrets of the cal cell" (Catalogue 1978). The museum presented a gilding alchemists (Gebelein 1991). experiment to journalists with an open reconstruction model of the "battery" (no asphalt stopper on top). References In 1978 German television (ZDF) journalist G. Kirchner let a Hildesheim restorer wearing a white coat pose as a chemist Bockris, J. O. M., and A. K. N. Reddy. 1977. Modern Electrochemistry II, 3d. print., note on p. 1265. New York: Plenum Press. with a reconstruction model to lend more credibility to the Catalogue. 1978. Exhibit: Sumcr Assur Babylon, Roemer- and Palizacus- claim. In the book accompanying the television series, Kirchner Muscum. No. 182. Mainz: P. V. Zabern. (1979) states after uncritical presentation of the find of a battery Coll, R 1970. Geschafte mil der Phantasie. p. 114. Wiirzburg: Arena. DeCamp, L S. 1991. The Ancient Engineers. 8rh print, p. 252. New York: Ballantine. that the battery development department of a certain company Dubpcrncll, G. 1978. Evidence of the use of primitive batteries in antiquity. was to perform experiments to solve the enigma of the Parthian In Selected Topics in the History of Electrochemistry, ed. by G. Dubpcrncll "battery." First publish the results, then do the research? and J. H. Westbrook, 1-22. Princeton, N.J.: The Electrochemical Society. (Contains full English translation of Konig's papers.) Such investigations must be done carefully. Coll (1970), Editors of Timc-Lifc. 1990. Feats and Wisdom of the Ancients. Library of Curious for example, fell into the pseudoscientist's trap of not citing his and Unusual Facts, pp. 20-21. 26-27. Alexandria, Va.: Time-Life Books. source of information. He denied the existence of the object Eggert, G. 1995. On the origin of a gilding method of the Baghdad silver­ smiths. Gold Bulletin 28(1): 12-16. based on wrong information from an archaeologist; Von Gebelein, H. 1991. Alchemic, pp. 106-109. Munchen: Diedcrichs. Daniken (1978) thus was able to counter triumphantly. Gray, W. F. M. 1963. A shocking discovery. Journal of the Electrochemical MacKechnie Jarvis (1960) also could not resist specula­ Society 110(9): 210C-211C. Hunt, L. B. 1973. The early history of gold plating. Gold Bulletin 6(7): 16-27. tion: "The following suggestion is made without the opportu­ Jansen, W., H. Fickenfrceichs, R. Peper, and B. Flintjer. 1987a. Die Batterie nity for visual examination of the find. It is that the object der Parther und das Vergolden der Bagdader Goldschmiede. Part 1. found is a cell of modern origin and that its presence in the Chemie fur Labor und Betrieb 38(10): 528-533. . 1987b. Ibid. Part 2. Chemie fur Labor und Betrieb 38(11): 586-592. desert in the neighbourhood of Baghdad can be explained by . 1993. Ibid. Part 3. Chemie in Labor und Biotechnik 44(3): 128-133. the activity of telegraph enterprise during the second half of Keyser, R T 1993. The purpose of the Parthian galvanic cells: A first century A.D. the nineteenth century." electric battery used for analgesia. Journal of Near Eastern Studies 52(2): 81-98. Kirchner, G., Editor. 1979. Reportagen aus der alien Welt. 2d. print., pp. 99- The fact that the construction of the "Battery of Baghdad" 103. Franfurt (Main): Fischer. is technically not optimal can allow one to indulge in flights of Konig, W. 1938. Ein galvanischcs Element aus der Partheraeit? Forschungen fancy. H. Gebelein, a German professor and both chemist and und Fortschritte 14(1): 8-9. . 1940. Neun JahreIrak. 3d. print., pp. 166-168. Brunn: R. M. Rohrer. alchemist interprets this as a hint that the construction plan for Krassa, P., and R. Habeck. 1994. Das Licht der Pharaonen. Frankfurt: Ullstein. the "battery" might be hidden in ancient mythology: the affair Ley, W. 1954. The Elements of Khujut Rabu'a and Ctesiphon. Galaxy Science of Venus (in alchemy related to copper) with Mars (related to Fiction 90): 44-51. 2 MacKechnie Jarvis, C. 1960. An early electric cell? Journal of the Institute of iron). In Gebelein's view, the copper cylinder corresponds to Electrical Engineers 6: 356-357. the vagina, the iron rod to the penis. And what about the pre­ Ortiz dc Monte-llano. Bernard. 1991. Multicultural pscudoscience: Spreading sumed lemon juice or vinegar as electrolyte? These were used illiteracy among minorities. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 16(1) (Fall): 46-50. Paszthory, E. 1989. Electricity generation or magic? The analysis of an unusual for contraception in ancient times, explains Gebelein. group of finds from Mesopotamia. MASCA Research Papers in Science and While Gebelein's interpretation is really alchemy, the idea Archaeology 6: 31-38. that the object might be a sexual symbol and not a battery is Schwalb,H. 1957. Ektnic bartcries of 2,000 years ago. Science Digest 41(4): 17-19. Sriebing, W. 1984. Ancient Astronauts, Cosmic Collisions, p. 104. Amherst, certainly worth considering (Priesner, see Jansen et al. 1993). N.Y.: Promerheus Books. Thumshirn, W. 1986. Die "Urbattcrie" sollte bloss Damonen abwehren. The Claim: A Shocking Discovery? Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. July 23. Von Daniken. E 1968. Erinnerungen an die Zukunft, pp. 51-52. Dusseldorfi Econ. (English translation quoted from Stiebing: Chariots of the Gods. p. 27. Although not likely, what if the Parthians really used electricity? New York: Bantam Books). Would it be "a shocking discovery" (Gray 1963)? Certainly not. It . 1978. hn Kiruzverhor, pp. 105-106. Diisseldorfc Econ. . 1989. Die Augen der Sphinx. 2d. print., pp. 214-223. Munchen: C. would add only one item more to these inventions lost in rime, Bertelsmann. which for one reason or another had no significant impact on the . 1993. Raumfdhn im Akertum, pp. 100-113. Munchen: C Bertelsmann. D

34 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER What's That I Smell? The Claims of Aromatherapy

A small dose of aromatic oil may make for a pleasant experience, but the claims of aromatherapy go way beyond that.

LYNN McCUTCHEON

romatherapy typically involves putting a few drops of some pleasant-smelling, plant-derived oil in your bath Awater, sniffing it from an inhaler, or massaging it direcdy into your skin. I sampled a number of these "essential oils," as they are called, and I was impressed with their unique aromas. So what's the problem with smelling something fra­ grant while you are bathing or while you are getting mas­ saged? According to John Meisenheimer, who practices der­ matology in Orlando, Florida, a tiny percentage of the popu­ lation is allergic to some essential oils. But for the rest of us, the answer is, "nothing." A small dose of aromatic oil proba­ bly won't hurt you a bit, and if you enjoy the smell, that's fine! The problem lies with the claims made by aromatherapy's most widely known practitioners—claims that are causally confused, ambiguous, dubious, and unsupported by scien­ tific evidence. After reading several books and articles written by the enthusiastic supporters of aromatherapy, I believe that there are some recurrent themes that are worth a closer look.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/lune 1996 35 One such theme is what I call "confused causation." Virtually ylang ylang is "supposedly an aphrodisiac." Is it or or isn't it? all aromatherapists claim that if you relax for several minutes in Lavabre declares (p. 114) that benzoin resinoid will "drive out evil warm bath water to which has been added a few drops of essen­ spirits." I'd love to see that. Presumably spruce oil is an even bet­ tial oil, you will get out of the tub feeling pleasant. I agree, but ter essence because it is recommended (p. 64) "for any type of psy­ what causes the pleasantness? Is it the warmth, the water, the chic work." Why limit yourself to evil spirits? Edwards (p. 134) minutes spent resting, the few drops of oil, or some combination quotes Visant Lad as saying that "life energy enters the body thereof? It would be easy to conduct an experiment in order to dirough breath taken dirough the nose." Is life energy the same find out, but for some strange reason aromatherapists haven't thing as oxygen, and if so, why can't it enter dirough the mouth? seen fit to do this. Instead, they imply that the essential oil is the About tea tree oil, Edwards opines (p. 135), "There is hope [it] main cause. Says Meisenheimer: "The amount of essential oil may play a role in die successful treatment of AIDS." Is it hope or from a few drops placed in your bath that might actually pene­ is it evidence? On die same page she tells readers that aromather­ trate the stratum corneum [skin] is probably too small to have apy is good for "restoring harmony and balance between die mind any meaningful, systemic, physiologic effect." and body." Such a phrase can mean almost anything you wish. Other examples of confused causation permeate aro­ Not all of the claims are hopelessly ambiguous or unlikely to be matherapists' writings. Hoffmann (1987, p. 94) claims that true. I did a computer search of the psychological literature back chamomile is good for insomnia /'/'taken in a late hath. Is it the to 1967, using the terms essential oik aromatherapy, and the names lateness or the chamomile that makes you sleepy? For stress, of 23 common essences. I found diat chamomile (Roberts and Lavabre (1990, p. 108) recommends relaxation, a better diet, Williams 1992) can put people in a better mood, and lavender nutritional supplements, sometimes causes mistakes more exercise, and a few in arithmetic (Ludvigson drops of an oil blend. and Rottman 1989). Heinerman informs us Furthermore, several of the (1988, p. 197) that jas­ odors used by aromathera­ mine oil massaged into pists are capable of produc­ the abdomen and groin ing physiological arousal as promotes sexual stimula­ measured by electroen­ tion. I'll bet it does, with cephalogram (EEG) or without the jasmine. recordings (Klemm et al. 1992); and emotional On page 301 he suggests changes, as measured by that to make unsafe _ self-report (Kikuchi et al. water safe, boil it and add I 1992;Nakanoetal. 1992). rosemary, sage, or thyme f Peppermint odor appears before drinking. The heat | to be capable of causing probably kills most of the very small EEG, elec- germs. Edwards (1994, p. tromyogram (EMG), and heart rate changes during sleep (Badia et 135) mentions that many patients in hospitals in England al. 1990); and some odors can modify artificially induced sleep receive massages with essential oils. According to her, "the time in mice (Tsuchiya et al. 1991). There is evidence diat specific relaxing and uplifting effect of the oils helps boost die morale odors can better enable one to recall information that was learned of the patients." Isn't it possible that the massage did as much in the presence of diat odor (Smith et al. 1992). to boost morale as die oils did? One of die favorite tactics employed by aromatherapists is As a whole, diese findings stretched to die limit would sup­ die use of ambiguous claims. Any good psychic can tell you port only small craft, sailing cautiously near the shores of die diat you never make a specific prediction. You always leave aromatic sea. Unfortunately, some aromatherapists have been yourself enough room so that whatever die outcome, you can more than willing to sail boldly into uncharted waters. Consider claim success. Judging from what I read, the aromatherapists these claims about specific essential oils, with my comments. have mastered this strategy. Here are some of my favorites, fol­ "A few drops of jasmine (Tisserand 1988, p. 87) cures post­ lowed by my brief commentary. natal depression." I didn't find any olfactory research that men­ According to Frawley (1992, p. 155), incense "cleanses the air tions postnatal depression. "Marjoram oil (Tisserand, p. 37) of negative energies." What are negative energies? The reader is turns off sexual desire." The few studies 1 found diat mentioned encouraged to get massaged with oil regulariy (p. 155) because marjoram had nodiing to do with sex. Price (1991, p. 93) tells us this "keeps the nerves in balance." How would we know an that juniper berry is "relaxing" and "stimulating" (both?), and she unbalanced nerve if we saw one? HofFmann tells us (p. 95) that (p. 48) and Valnet (1982, p. 87) recommend lavender for insom­ nia. The Klemm study showed that lavender was both arousing Lynn McCutcheon taught psychology full-time for 23 years and and unpleasant. Hoffmann (p. 94) claims that patchouli is good currently teaches as an adjunct at Florida Southern College. for anxiety. My computer search of the word patchouli turned up nothing. Valnet (p. 70) claims that ylang ylang is good for one's Home address: 240 Harbor Drive, Winter Garden, FL 34787.

36 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER sex drive. Ylang ylang didn't turn up anything either. place. In other words, if die essence wasn't present when you Other claims of dubious validity are common to the writ­ learned X, dien it won't help you recall it later. ings of aromatherapists—broad claims that are related to the • Scientists are doing a lot of research on essential oils. (Avery practice of aromatherapy in general. The following claims are 1992; Price 1991; Rose 1988; Valnet 1982). Statements like my words, but they represent a synthesis of views expressed by this are usually followed by specific claims. The implication is the authors listed. that diese claims are supported by scientific research. As we • Smell is the most direct route to the brain. (Avery 1992; Edwards saw earlier, that isn't necessarily true. Whether or not scientists 1994; Green 1992; Raphael 1994). The implication is that smell is really are doing a lot of research on essential oils is debatable. superior to the odier senses because olfactory information gets to By comparison with 50 years ago, there is probably more me brain quickest, and since aromatherapy is concerned with research on essential oils today. By comparison with hearing smell, it is a superior method of treatment. Olfactory information and vision, research on the consequences of smelling essential gets to die brain very quickly, but so does auditory, tactile, and oils lags way behind. If there really is a lot of research on die visual information. The differences would certainly be measured in effects of essential oils, why is it diat these authors are so reluc­ milliseconds, and it would have no practical consequence. The tant to cite it? Their books and articles rarely list or mention olfactory sense is direcdy linked to die limbic system—a portion any scientific journal articles. Instead, if there are any refer­ of me brain concerned widi emotionality and memories. The aro­ ences at all they are to books written by other aromatherapists. matherapists make much of diis—die smell of ginger evokes All of this sounds as though I am strongly opposed to die memories of grandmas cookies, etc. What diey don't tell you is use of essential oils. I'm not! If it pleases you to put some in that the sight of grandma's photo or hearing her voice can do die your bath water or have a little rubbed on your back once in a same. All the senses are part of a massive network mat links all while, by all means, go ahead. It is not the odor that arises parrs of the brain. Smell enjoys no particular advantage when it from these fragrances that is troubling, it is the stench arising comes to access to or speed of access to various parts of die brain. from the unwarranted claims made about them. • Natural oils are better than synthetic ones. (Avery 1992; Edwards 1994; Hillyer 1994; Lavabre 1990; Price 1991; References Raphael 1994; Rose 1988). Most of these authors felt it unnec­ Avery, A. 1992. Aromatherapy and You. Kailua, HI: Blue Heron Hill Press. essary to explain such a statement, but Lavabre told readers Badia, P.. et al. 1990. Responsiveness to olfactory stimuli presented in sleep. that "natural" molecules work better because they have mem­ Physiology and Behavior 48: 87-90. ory (p. 49). It is possible to make a synthetic preparation iden­ Edwards, L. 1994. Aromatherapy and essential oils. Healthy and Natural Journal, October, pp. 134-137. tical on a molecular level to the most important compound in Frawley, D. 1992. Herbs and the mind. In American Herbalism: Essays on an essential oil. John Renner, who has heard many of the Herbs and Herbalism, ed. by M. Tierra. Freedom, Calif.: Crossing Press. bizarre claims made by aromatherapists, told me that if the Green, M. 1992. Simpler scents: The combined use of herbs and essential oils. molecules are die same, "I doubt seriously that your body In American Herbalism: Essays on Herbs and Herbalism, cd. by M. Tierra. Freedom, Calif.: Crossing Press. could tell the difference." Given that essential oils contain sev­ Heinerman, J. 1988. Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs. eral compounds, it seems possible that a natural oil might have West Nyack, N.Y.: Parker Publishing. more dian one active agent. If that is so, dien aromatherapists Hillyer, P 1994. "Making Scents with Aromatherapy." Whole Foods, February, pp. 26-35. should be spearheading die research effort to determine which Hoffmann, D. 1987. Aromatherapy. In The Herbal Handbook. Rochester, Vt.: chemical compounds are inducing the changes they claim are Healing Arts Press. taking place. Instead, most of them seem all too willing to Kikuchi, A., et al. 1992. Effects of odors on cardiac response patterns and sub­ jective sates in a reaction lime task. Psychologica Folia 51: 74-82. assume that natural oils are better, and that there is no need to Klemm, W. R. et al. 1992. Topographical EEC maps of human response to defend diis assertion with any rationale or research evidence. odors. Chemical Senses 17: 347-361. Lavabre, M. 1990. Aromatherapy Workbook. Rochester, Vt.: Healing Arts Press. • Essential oils can help your memory (Hoffmann 1987; Ludvigson, H., and T Rottman. 1989. Effects of ambient odors of lavender Lavabre 1990; Price 1991; Valnet 1982). I found no evidence to and cloves on cognition, memory, affect and mood. Chemical Sense 14: support this, and none of these authors provided a hint about 525-536. Nakano, Y., et al. 1992. A study of fragrance impressions, evaluation and cat­ how they arrived at that conclusion. Psychologist Elizabeth egorization. Psychologica Folia 51: 83-90. Loftus, a world-renowned human memory expert, told me in a Price. S. 1991. Aromatherapy for Common Ailments. New York: Simon and personal communication that she knows "of no cogent scientific Schuster. Raphael, A. 1994. "Ahh! Aromatherapy." Delicious, December pp. 47-48. evidence that smells cure amnesia, or that they strengthen mem­ Roberts, A, and J. Williams. 1992. The effect of olfactory stimulation on flu­ ory." There is such a phenomenon as context-dependent learn­ ency, vividness of imagery and associated mood: A preliminary study. ing. It has been shown that it is easier to remember X when you British Journal of Medical Psychology 65: 197-199. can return to die environment or context in which you learned Rose, J. 1988. Healing scents from herbs: Aromatherapy. In Herbal Handbook. Escondido. Calif.: Bernard Jensen Enterprises. X. Presumably, die context provides cues that make it easier to Smith, D. G., et al. 1992. Verbal memory elicited by ambient odor. Perceptual recall X. It has further been shown that at least one essential oil and Motor Skills 74: 339-343. can serve as a contextual cue (Smith et al. 1992). If diis is the Tisserand. M. 1988. Aromatherapy Jar Women. Rochester, Vt.: Healing Arts Press. basis for the above-mentioned claim, it is highly misleading. Tsuchiya. T, et al. 1991. Effects of olfactory stimulation on the sleep time The essence itself is not important, only the fact diat it was a sig­ induced by pentobarbital administration in mice. Brain Research Bulletin nificant part of die context in which die original learning took 26:397-401. Valnet. J. 1982. The Practice of Aromatherapy. London: C W. Daniel. •

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 37 Fun and Fallacies with Numbers

It is so easy to misuse or misunderstand statistics. They can enlighten, and they can mislead.

MARILYN VOS SAVANT

Numb Numbers*

• Average level of testosterone in the saliva of male trial lawyers, in nanograms per deciliter: 6.7 • Average number of shopping carts stolen from American supermarkets each hour 38 • Percentage of Americans who think "espresso" is an "overnight delivery system": 7 • Change, since the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, in the percentage of western Germans who say they suffer indigestion: +5 • Percentage of Super Bowl viewers who do not live in the United States: 88

hose are "fun" statistics, meant to provoke a smile—and they do. But before we move on to more serious num­ Tbers, let's learn a lesson from these more playful figures. For instance, how in the world does anyone come up with the average number of shopping carts stolen each hour? Simple. You start with the lackluster facts, according to the Food Marketing Institute in Washington, D.C., that there are about 30,400 supermarkets nationwide and that the average one loses 11 carts per year. Multiply those numbers, and you find that 334,400 shopping carts were stolen last year. Then you divide that by 8,760 (hours in a year) to get

"The preceding statistics were taken from "Harper's Index," a registered trademark of Harper's Magazine.

May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER the "average number of shopping carts stolen from American American or foreign organizations that do. Next, we tele­ supermarkets each hour: 38." It's a much snappier presenta­ phoned ESPN International, which carried much of the for­ tion of otherwise dull figures. And it's honest, too. eign coverage, and asked if there was any way at all to guess Similarly innocent is the "percentage of Super Bowl view­ how many non-Americans watched the Super Bowl. Not to ers who do not live in the United States: 88." It's both sur­ their knowledge, they said. But there were surely plenty of pos­ prising and amusing to envision the whole world glued to sible foreign viewers. So we telephoned the NFL and asked American television, but when we stop to consider that the where they got their 750 million worldwide viewership. From Super Bowl is broadcast to much of the rest of the planet, and nowhere at all, it turns out. They just said it! But I wanted to that the U.S. population comprises only a small portion of the give them the benefit of any doubt, so we telephoned ESPN Earth's population, the number grows far less surprising. Even again and asked how many possible foreign viewers there were. if the popularity of the Super Bowl is huge in the United States Here are the numbers: (and it is), if our country is dwarfed by all the other countries put together (and it is), the rest of the world can be largely Possible households in Europe? 48.40 million uninterested in the Super Bowl (and it is), and our numbers Possible households in Latin America? 3.50 million will be swamped by their numbers. Possible households in Asia? 2.00 million According to A. C. Nielsen Media Research, about 91 Possible households in the Middle East million Americans watched the Super Bowl in 1993, and and Africa? .05 million according to the National Football League's "guesstimate," maybe 750 million Earthlings watched it, all told. That Total possible households? 53.95 million means about 12 percent of the total estimated viewers were Americans—ergo about 88 percent weren't, which dovetails While not quite complete enough for a totally definitive with the original statistic. But a different way to describe answer, it is clear where this information leads us. (There are those same numbers is that with 91 million American view­ additional telecasters, but their numbers are relatively small.) ers out of a total U.S. population of 250 million, about 36.4 If we round up the total possible households to 60 million, percent of the American population tuned into the 1993 then for the 659 million non-American viewership number to Super Bowl. And with 659 million non-American viewers be accurate, this means not only that every single foreign (750 million viewers in the world minus the 91 million household (with a television) on the planet was tuned in to the viewers in the United States = 659 million) out of a total Super Bowl, but that 11 people were clustered around each non-U.S. population of 5,134 million (5,384 million peo­ one of those sets! (Of course, the figures can't actually say that ple in the world minus the 250 million people in the United every single household was tuned in, but for every one house­ States = 5,134 million), about 12.8 percent of the non- hold not watching the game, 22 people in another household American population tuned in to the Super Bowl. must have been!)

In short, according to the above sources, 36.4 percent of How about the percentage of Americans who rhink "espresso" the Americans watched the Super Bowl, but only 12.8 percent is an "overnight delivery system"? Seven turned out to be a teensy of the non-Americans did. To make the opposite point of the bit less honest than the previous example, but it's funny enough original statistic, then, we can simply divide 36.4 by 12.8 and to forgive the statisticians who managed to evoke that response. arrive at the conclusion that the Super Bowl is about three I guessed that the data probably arose from a scenario equivalent times as popular in the United States than in the rest of the to the researchers giving people a quiz with a multiple choice of world. So they're not glued to American television, after all answers—one of which was the purposely humorous "overnight (yet). But the foreign viewership still seems like a high num­ delivery system," thus taking innocent advantage of the fact that ber, doesn't it? After all, 12.8 percent equals about one out of for a growing percentage of Americans, English is not their pri­ every eight people. How was the worldwide viewership statis­ mary language. In some Spanish dialects, "expreso" means "spe­ tic "guesstimated"? cial delivery." (And plenty of Americans spell "espresso" as First, we telephoned Nielsen, but they have no means of "expresso," complicating the issue.) gathering information outside of this country, either directly So we called Patrice Tanaka and Company, the public rela­ or indirectly, and they didn't have firsthand knowledge of any tions firm for Krups North America (the coffee company), who commissioned the telephone survey, and she provided us Marilyn vos Savant writes the "Ask Marilyn" question-and- with the details. There had indeed been a multiple-choice ansiver column for Parade, the Sunday magazine for 340 news­ quiz, and "an overnight delivery system" was the first choice. papers, with circulation of 37 mi/lion and readership of 81 mil­ This is how the entire question appeared: lion. She was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for five years under "Highest I.Q. "for both childhood and adult What is "espresso" (ess-PRESSO)? Is it... schools. This article is excerpted by permission from her latest ... an overnight delivery system? book. The Power of Logical Thinking: Easy Lessons in the An ... a speedy laxative? of Reasoning - . . and Hard Facts about Its Absence in our Lives, published in March 1996 by St. Martin's Press, New York. Numbers continued on page 55

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 39 BOOK REVIEWS

Ever a Thumb to Suck, a Skirt to Hold

JOSEPH A. EZZO

Cult Archaeology and Creationism: Understanding Pseudoscientific Beliefs about the Past. An Expanded Edition. Edited by Francis B. Harrold and Raymond A. Eve. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City, Iowa. 1995. ISBN 0-87745-513-9. 204 pp. Paperback, $13.95.

n February 26, 1996, NBC pre­ on Afrocentric theories about past human Fantastic Archaeology (University of sented a documentary tided "The development and achievement. Chapter Pennsylvania, 1992). The authors of these OMysterious Origins of Man," 11 is an update of die final chapter in the works, save for White, are contributors to hosted by Charlton Heston, that offered a earlier edition. Well researched and well the expanded edition of Cult Archaeology strong pro-creationist view of human ori­ written. Cult Archaeology and Creationism and Creationism. gins. Three elements dominated die pro­ The theme of diis book is concisely gram: (1) an unscientific approach to evi­ summed up in Chapter 1, "The Nature dence and method; (2) a tendency to offer and Danger of Cult Archaeology," by simple explanations of complex human Stiebing, who quotes the late Isaac Asimov phenomena; and (3) a distrust of the CULT (p. 4): "Inspect every piece of pseudo- established scientific community. Over science and you will find a security blan­ the course of the next week or so, my •ARCHAEOLOGY ket, a thumb to suck, a skin to hold. What Internet bulletin board (ARCH-L) was have we to offer in exchange? Uncertainty! clogged with angry rejoinders by archaeol­ B&CREATIONISM Insecurity!" Four of the chapters in die ogists, many of whom seemed to be at book (Chapters 3-6) deal widi studies dieir wits' ends over such foolishness. 1 Understanding Pseudoscientific designed to determine die pervasiveness of Beliefs about the Past The updated version of Cult creationist and pseudoscientific beliefs Archaeology and Creationism: Under­ 1 Edited by Francis B. Harrold among college students. The alarmingly standing Pseudoscientific Beliefs about the and Raymond A. Eve high percentages of students who believe Past, An Expanded Edition, edited by in paranormal phenomena, particulariy Francis B. Harrold and Raymond A. Eve, ESP and UFOs, deariy reflect Asimov's seems to have appeared at an opportune statement: These are young people, many time. Indeed, diroughout this book die of whom are living away from their par­ three elements so critical to "The ents for the first time, facing an intimidat­ Mysterious Origins of Man" are repeat­ ing wodd and an uncertain future. Beliefs edly shown to be cornerstones of pseudo- in phenomena that defy rational explana­ scientific and creationist thought. As die tion and potentially can furnish one widi tide suggests, diis book is an expanded stands alongside four other commendable power to control future events indeed pro­ version of die first edition, published by books on die subject of the pseudoscien­ vide die security blanket that wards off die University of Iowa Press in 1987. tific misuses and misperceptions of uncertainty. Unfortunately, changes The contributors to die book include archaeological data: J. Peter White's The toward a more rational view of die uni­ archaeologists, physical andiropologists, Past is Human (Taplinger Books, 1974); verse during college are not in evidence, as historians, and psychologists. The book William H. Stiebing's Ancient Astronauts, Thomas Gray (Chapter 3) reports in his consists of eleven chapters, the first nine Cosmic Collisions (Prometheus Books, findings at Concordia University in of which are identical to Chapters 1-9 of 1984); Kenneth Feder's Frauds, Myths, Montreal. One of the unsettling aspects of die first edition. Chapter 10 was solicited and Mysteries (Mayfield, 1990; second reading diis book today is diat die trends by die editors for this edition, and focuses edition, 1996); and Stephen Williams's present in these studies have not changed

40 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS

in the last decade; if anything, pscudosci- 8), is far more sobering with its informa­ Afrocentrism's future is highly uncertain, entific beliefs, even among better-edu­ tive discussions of gains and losses made but New Age perspectives are flourish­ cated people, are likely gaining in popular­ by creationist organizations with regard ing, and claims about contacts with ity (witness the popularity of prime-time to issues such as publishing and public aliens and channeled media, and the television shows such as "The X-Files," education, including the 1986 vote of the influence of these entities on humans for "Unsolved Mysteries," and "Ancient Louisiana Supreme Court to disallow thousands of years, have grown more Mysteries," as well as the "documentary" creationism to be taught in the public oudandish yet popular every year. A mentioned above). schools. [The U.S. Supreme Court in search of various periodical indices indi­ Chapters 4 through 6, by Feder, 1987 upheld this decision.] cated mat articles advocating creationist Luanne Hudson, and Harrold and Eve, Bernard Ortiz de Montellano, an and related studies have declined signifi­ respectively, report on me development of authority on multiculturalism in science cantly since the mid-1980s. However, a three-state (California, Connecticut, education, provides the chapter on the chapter authors cite the backlash and Texas) data base of college students Afrocentrism. He discusses how Afro- against science by postmodernist who were tested for theit knowledge and centrists, determined to replace our thinkers currently in vogue on many beliefs regarding pseudosciencc and cre- Eurocentric educational bias with a dif­ university campuses. This rejection of .11 i( in ism. Hudson, who focused on pseu­ ferent "centrism," are obsessed with the objectivity and scientific principles has dosciencc, notes that although a minority idea of race; and how black skin was the become a new and powerful adversary of students were found to have strong key not only to George Washington for the scientific community. beliefs in most of die pseudoscientific Carvers remarkable discoveries of plant The book, while very useful and (as phenomena about which they were ques­ products, but also to the entire Egyptian noted) timely in its updated edition, tioned, another minority also did not civilization (despite the fact that certainly could have been expanded believe in them (witJi file remainder being Egyptians are not closely related geneti­ more. New Age thinking and its effects undecided or ignorant of the topic). cally to sub-Saharan Africans). Afro- on public perceptions about the past Harrold and Eve's finding on creationist centrists' claims of a Nubian (Nubia was could very well have warranted a chap­ beliefs is similar, and quite alarming in the an ancient African kingdom) presence in ter (or, for that matter, an entirely sepa­ percentages of students who believed that North America 3,000 years ago are based rate book!). Similarly, the effects of post­ creationism should be taught in die pub­ on fragmentary data. For example, modernism, which in recent years have lic schools (nearly 50 percent in Afrocentrists interpret the fleshy lips and reduced much of archaeological theory California and Connecticut, and nearly flat noses of prehispanic Olmec statues to a politically based relativism that con­ 60 percent in Texas). Not surprisingly, me on what is now the Gulf Coast of Mexico demns scientific principles, need to be authors found strong correlations as being African in origin. Sadly, but not examined in this light as well. Updated between religious conservatism and cre­ surprisingly, because Afrocentrists couch ot recent studies on student beliefs ationist beliefs, as well as between poor their claims in a multicultural approach would also have contributed nicely, scientific training and creationist beliefs. to the past, they have been received posi­ although it is acknowledged that con­ tively in a number of postmodern circles. straints such as time, budget, and length Chapters 7 ("ETs, Rafts, and Rune- Consequently, the scientific establish­ of book may have prevented the editors stones: Confronting Pseudoarchacology ment has been reluctant to criticize their from a more ambitious edition. in the Classroom" by Suzanne Knudson claims, fearing being branded as racist. Engler) and 9 ("Fantastic Archaeology: The issuing of this book in paper- What Should We Do about It?" by The updated chapter by Harrold, back makes it accessible for those on Stephen Williams) present entertaining Eve, and Geertruida C. de Goede ("Cult limited budgets; it is well worth the and provocative stories of the develop­ Archaeology and Creationism in the cover price. The contributors do not ment of pseudoscience awareness courses 1990s and Beyond") indeed brings us to provide any hard and fast solutions to at the university level. (Now that the present with the state of various the dilemma of the popularity of cre­ Williams has retired from Harvard belief systems. Erich Von Daniken may ationist and pseudoscientific beliefs in University, it is uncertain whether or not be all but dead in Norm America, but our society because they acknowledge, his pseudoscience courses will continue the idea of ancient astronauts is still alive of course, that there are none. If this to be taught.) "A Century after Darwin: and well. Scientific creationists, beaten book leaves us with anything of cer­ Scientific Creationism and Academe," by repeatedly in the courts, have sought out tainty, it is that in the realm of educat­ Laurie Godfrey and John Cole (Chapter school boards as more recent targets, and ing the public to the dangers of cre­ some groups offer a "softer" version of ationist and pseudoscientific thinking, creationism that does not overtly reject skeptics and scientists still have their Joseph A Ezzo is principal investigator with scientific principles (but remember "The work cut out for them, and will con­ Statistical Research, Inc.. cultural resource Mysterious Origins of Man"). tinue to for decades to come. management consultants, Tucson, Arizona.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Mjy/lune 1996 41 BOOK REVIEWS

I would call "nonproductive" directions, in that he tries to explain one mystery PHILOSOPHICAL An Excursion into with another mystery. This simply will INTERACTIONS not do, as it does not really "explain" WITH anything. Prices new mystery is called 'ARAPSYCHOLOGY the Unnecessary by him the "psychic ether" hypothesis. GORDON STEIN Hie Mjjoi VC'iiiuigi Although many scientists (at least those of H.H. riicc II n [Wipiychologr with a knowledge of science history) Phibsophical Interactions with Parapsychology: The Major Writings of and Suivivil would wince at this revival of a discred­ H. H. Price on Parapsychology and Survival. Edited by Frank B. rorrvDivnuNKB own Dillcy. St. Martins Press, New York, 1995. ISBN 0-333-59838-5. ited word (ether). Price tries to define it 294 pp. Hardcover, $59-95. as follows: It is a state intermediate between "mind" and "matter." Price hilosophical Interactions with the real threat to the religious outlook. points out that in Eastern philosophy, Parapsychology is a collection of The phenomena of parapsychology, if there is indeed such an intermediate P journal articles, lectures, and they are real, require a modification (or state, and the dichotomy felt in the West book reviews by the British philosopher even a discarding) of the materialist out­ between the two is really more of a con­ H. H. Price (1894-1984). Price, at look, thus freeing religion to have its tinuum. He gives as an example the Oxford, was quite interested in deriving "phenomena" without fear that they will memory we have (the image) of a a philosophical explanation or system be disparaged by the holders of a scientific friend's face after the friend is no longer that would be consistent with the exis­ oudook as not fitting into the real world. in our presence. There is a sort of an tence of parapsychological phenomena. 1 think that Price is correct about rhis. image present and Price claims that this He accepted as real and demonstrated Here we have rhe heart of the matter "Ether of Images" has both mental and telepathy, hauntings, telekinesis, survival in another way, as well. Perhaps a num­ material properties. of death, precognition, clairvoyance, ber of people (scientists included) are My response would be that all and . He tried to explain anxious to "jump the gun" in their theo­ "thoughts" fit into this category, but how these could occur in a world gov­ rizing about the paranormal because they they may be only the brain's response to erned by logic and scientific explana­ are troubled by the limitations of the chemical or electrical stimuli. Price has tions that did not seem to allow these materialist outlook when it comes to reli­ added an additional layer of explanation phenomena, as described. gion. Motivations other than a search for to something that may be satisfactorily Price, it seems, has gotten off on the the truth of how the universe functions explained without it. This then becomes (no matter how idealistic this sounds) wrong foot. He has felt the necessity to an Occam's razor problem, in which we should be suspect. We would all like the explain phenomena that may not yet are guided to accept the simpler, ade­ universe to function in a way that makes need an explanation. If the phenomena quate explanation of two offered. In us feel comfortable, but that may very are not real, then no explanation is short, this book is an interesting excur­ well not be the way it really works. needed. Price was, it now seems reason­ sion by a brilliant mind into the realm of able to say, a bit premature in his accep­ Prices theorizing leads him into what the unnecessary. tance of the definitiveness of these phe­ nomena. Anecdotal evidence and some of the not-quite-convincing experimen­ tal evidence are not adequate to confirm The Silence of the that any of the phenomena actually exist. They may, but there is still no need Co develop a philosophical system until Persecuting Prosecutors this has been established. Otherwise, we ROBERT A. BAKER are simply exercising our imaginations. Price hits upon rhe aspect of parapsy­ Satan's Silence: Ritual Abuse and The Making of a Modern American chology that lies at its heart. He says the Witch Hunt. By Debbie Nathan and Michael Snedeker. Basic Books, materialist outlook, which underlies New York. 1995, ISBN 0-465-07180-5. 317 pp. Hardcover, $25. much (if not all) of scientific thought, is nyone fortunate enough to dis­ American tragedy of childhood sexual cover and read Debbie Nathan molestation. Not specifically the sexual Gordon Stein is a physiologist, editor of The Aand Michael Snedeker's Satan's molestation of children—which is Enclydopedia of the Paranormal, and Silence will quickly realize this is the best indeed a serious problem—but the per­ director of the Center for Inquiry Libraries. book yet written about the current secution, prosecution, and conviction of

42 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS

innocent adults wrongly accused of rit­ of sodomizing her son. This accusation Michigan; Spencer Township, Ohio; ual sexual crimes against children they launched a veritable fear-storm of social Sacramento, California; Maiden, did not commit. panic and paranoia that not only Massachusetts; West Point, New York; To believe for a moment that the infected much of Los Angeles County and Miami, Florida. In the latter case, Salem witch-trial hotror of 1692 could but quickly spread across the country. two immigrants were accused of molest­ ever be repeated even once in an In regard to the McMartin case, ing eight children in a home-based, enlightened and civilized society seems Nathan and Snedeker note, "The social baby-sitting service. A few months later, unthinkable, but to realize that it has hysteria that McMartin incited upped a 19-year-old day care teacher's aide in happened here in the United States more than a dozen times within the past 'The medical and psychotherapeutic communities aided decade borders on the bizatte and unbe­ lievable. How can a supposedly edu­ and abetted this stupidity by encouraging the use of cated and informed populace allow such hypnosis, guided imagery, and other New Age non­ flagrant miscarriages of justice to occut and, then, once the truth is known, fail sense to implant suggestions of early childhood sexual to take swift and firm action to free and abuse into the minds of believing and trusting people." exonerate the innocent?

Nathan and Snedeker's work covers ritual abuse cases to another level. While Pittsfield, Massachusetts, was accused of each sordid instance of satanic panic: at first they were products of delusional molesting preschoolers and threatening from the Bakersfield (Kern County), individuals by 1984 whole social sys­ to kill their parents. He was quickly California, fiasco in 1980, in which four tems had been set up to justify and tried, convicted, and sentenced to sev­ innocent adults were sentenced to a develop accusations and prosecutions" eral life terms in prison on the flimsiest total of more than 240 yean of impris­ (p. 93). imaginable evidence. onment for crimes they did not commit By 1984 die media were promoting In early 1985, the ritual sacrifice of based on the testimony of Mary Ann the idea that ritual sex-abuse was com­ children was alleged in Fort Bragg, Barbour, who was known to be suffering mon and pervasive. In January 1984, 60 California; and in Clarkesville, Mary­ from a schizoaffective disorder; to the million people watched die ABC-TV land, where a kindergarten teacher was 1992 Litde Rascals Day Care Center drama "Something About Amelia," accused of assaulting her preschoolers horror in Edentown, Norm Carolina; dealing with a handsome, affluent lather with a screwdriver. Then in New and the 1995 outrages in East who sexually abused his teenaged Braintree, Massachusetts, day care Wenatchee, Washington. daughter. The movie implied such cases workers were charged with defecating The Kern County tragedy was but a were common. on their charges and photographing precursor to the much better-known In die spring of 1984, 24 people in them nude. Late in 1985, Kelly witch-hunt involving Judy Johnson and Jordan, Minnesota, were charged with Michaels at the Wee Care Day Nursery the McMartin Preschool case in operating a child-pornography and sex in Maplewood, New Jersey, was Manhattan Beach, California. This stain ring that included their own sons and arrested, charged with incredibly on American jurisprudence lasted from daughters as victims. In April, janitors obscene and impossible acts, con­ 1983 to 1990. and teachers at a day care center in victed, and sentenced to prison where In the McMartin case, die accused, Chicago were accused of abusing chil­ she served for five years before an Peggy and Ray Buckey, spent five years dren in satanic rituals and making them investigative reporter for the Wall in jail before being released on $ 1.5 mil­ eat boiled babies. In May, workers at a Street Journal, Dorothy Rabinowitz, lion bail, then underwent a trial lasting Montessori school in Reno, Nevada, managed to convince the authorities to 28 months—the longest criminal pro­ were charged with ritually abusing 26 free her. ceeding in American history—before all children; and in June, a middle-aged In summary, between late 1983 and charges were finally dismissed. Judy teacher's aide in Memphis was accused 1987, wild and baseless allegations trig­ Johnson, who said she believed she had of sexually assaulting 19 children in her gered intensive investigations in more divine powers, and who the courts charge and engaging in satanic rituals. than 100 American communities. Even described as a psychotic alcoholic, trig­ By die end of the summer, cases sur­ today, in 1996, these witch-hunts con­ gered die case by accusing Ray Buckey faced of ritualistic sex-abuse, pornogra­ tinue. phy production, and sacrifice of animals How and why did this mass panic Robert A. Baker is professor emeritus of and humans in 14 day care centers in occur? What is most valuable about psychology at the University of Kentucky, New York; dozens more in Southern Satan's Silence is its careful and detailed and author o/"Hidden Memories. California; and individual cases in Niles, account of die historical and social

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 43 BOOK REVIEWS background of a nation awash in a nationwide crusade conducted by Cases of multiple personality disor­ social workers, therapists, physicians, number of political and cultural der (due of course to satanic-ritual victimology researchers, police, crim­ changes—including changes in gender inal prosecutors, fundamentalist abuse), alien abduction, parental alien­ relations and sexual experimentation— Christians, ambitious politicians, ation syndrome, and other dissociative- that unsetded thousands of law-and- antipornography activists, feminists, identity disorders grew like weeds and and the media. It was a powerful order conservatives and Christian fun­ furnished daily grist for die television effort that did not come together damentalists. Among the latter group in overnight. But as it slowly took shape talk-show mills. particular, hostility toward women in a veritable industry developed around When the tide finally turned against the workplace, abortion, and public the effort to demonstrate the exis­ these abuses of intelligence and reason tence of ritual abuse. child-care; fear of sexuality in general; with the birth of organized resistance and deep belief in an active, ever-pre­ In the absence of conventional groups such as VOCAL (Victims of sent and living Satan converged in a evidence, the proof became words Child Abuse Laws) and the False obtained via suggestion and coercion number of conspiracies widely publi­ and the most ambiguous of behav­ Memory Syndrome Foundation cized in the Christian media. Livestock iors from both youngsters and the (FMSF) one would assume a diminu­ slaughter by Satanists, devil-worship­ accused. Verbal "disclosures" about tion in unfounded charges would ping corporate executives, rock musi­ evenis that never happened were result. Sadly, instead of owning up to obtained from children using inter­ cians whose songs were filled with view Techniques that cognitive psy­ "its history of sordid involvement in demonic subliminal messages, ritual chologists have, subsequently, dis­ fomenting ritual-abuse panic, the sex-abuse orgies, and Satanic cabals credited as dangerously coercive and child-protection profession remains officially silent on the issue." The rea­ To believe for a moment that the Salem witch-trial sons for this are many, but the primary reason is that most of the leading fig­ horror of 1692 could ever be repeated ... seems ures had their public image and reputa­ unthinkable, but to realize that it has happened here in tions on the line and if they dared cor­ rect themselves they feared public the United States more than a dozen times within the humiliation. past decade borders on the bizarre and unbelievable." As Nathan and Snedeker note, peo­ ple continue to push discredited dissoci­ behind every tree and under every rock suggestive. Additionally, prosecutors ation and repression dieories of trau­ were the topics for hundreds of Sunday introduced new fotms of therapeuti­ matic amnesia and, while admitting that sermons. Feminists specifically bore the cally induced "evidence"—such as their professions past mistakes are at preschool-age children's play with brunt of wild, sex-abuse conspiracy the­ least pardy to blame for current criti­ toys and dolls that have genitals, ories and were seen as die primary their vague scribbles and drawings cism, they have source of widespread mistreatment and and parents' retrospective accounts abuse of children. of their children's nightmares and never yet made any effort to publicly masturbation—to show that the review those mistakes in particular Nathan and Snedeker make crystal youngsters had been traumatized by cases—to reexamine the transcripts clear exacdy how these fear-motivated abuse (p. 5). of Kee McFarlane's child interviews urban legends coalesced around the in the McMartin cases, for belief in ritual abuse and aroused com­ instance—or to take concrete steps to overturn convictions based on such munities to the point that hundreds of Nathan and Snedeker also show tJiat errors. Instead, they dismiss public innocent people were persecuted, tried, in the name of "saving the children," concerns about false charges as a convicted, and sent to prison where diey jurists and prosecutors have exploited political backlash against feminism remain to this day. Even more remark­ popular anxieties about sex to carry out and efforts to ensure children's wel­ fare. able is the fact that so few people character assassinations on defendants, protested and that so little was done to accusing them of promiscuity, homosex­ defend the innocent. In Nathan and uality, and drug use. The medical and Satan's Silence is well written, care­ Snedeker's words: psychodierapeutic communities aided fully researched and annotated, and and abetted this stupidity by encourag­ effective in showing die individual and In a culture as heterogeneous as ours, ing die use of hypnosis, guided imagery, social mechanisms of panic and hysteria; so extensive a moral panic can be and odier New Age nonsense to implant the precise manner in which paranoid achieved only by concerted efforts at institutionalizing it. Indeed, this is suggestions of early childhood sexual thinking is aroused and developed; and exacdy the way in which belief in rit­ abuse into die minds of believing and die way in which ignorance, fear, and ual abuse spread: via an impassioned trusting people. religious convictions combine to create

44 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS

cognitive dissonance. It also reveals the posedly credible because they commu­ ments from the other side. Yet Ian subde workings of otJier psychological nicate commonly held fears and anxi­ Stevenson, perhaps the strongest principles such as mass sociogenic illness eties. Satan's Silence is a work of specific "respectable" pro-reincarnarionist, gets by proxy, social desirability, and sec­ value to students in sociology, and in most of his viewpoints presented with­ ondary gain. clinical, forensic, and social psychology out rebuttal. Where there is rebuttal, it is It should be required reading for programs. in the form of a couple of snide com­ anyone concerned with the negative The book is also a splendid example ments that can hardly be taken as serious effects of social movements. For exam­ of what die best efforts of investigative rebuttal. ple, Nathan and Snedeker's discussion reporters can do; it is certainly worthy of On the subject of spontaneous of memorates, the process by which an Pulitzer Prize consideration. It will also human combustion, perhaps the major individual uses popular legends to be of great value to any and all activists work on the subject (actually, a semi- explain an ambiguous or puzzling expe­ like Dorothy Rabinowitz and Elizabeth credulous book) is omitted, and all the rience (such as a perceived contact with Loftus whose current efforts to free the critical literature and authorities are not the supernatural), shows how the unjustly imprisoned need all the sup­ cited or discussed. Several different phe­ believers could share their emotional port they can get. This book also sup­ nomena involving fire are all lumped terrors in socially acceptable ways with­ plies a telling and forceful response to all together, even though they may have out stigmatizing themselves as being the apologists for die supernatural who unrelated causes. disturbed or deviant. For example, continually ask the skeptics, "What pos­ We come now to the layout and memorates of satanic cults, UFO sible harm can belief in the paranormal design of the book. It is a superb piece abductions, and Elvis sightings are sup­ do?" D of popular printing. Nearly every page contains a color photo, or other color printing. This is especially amazing when it comes to the two "Cottingley Fairy" photographs depicted. They are in color! Color photography, of course, Flaws and Fiction was not invented when the photos were made, yet someone has hand colored GORDON STEIN them. Why, it is difficult to say. There are many quotes and still photographs The X-Files Book of the Unexplained. By Jane Goldman. Simon and from "The X-Files" television show. Schuster, London, 1995. ISBN 0-684-81633-4. 331 pp. There is a list of all of the programs Hardcover, £16. themes and topics. It is almost as if this book were designed specifically for fans e can learn much from The amazing because she acknowledges the of the show, as a promotion or "col­ X-Files Book of the Unex­ help of the Committee for the Scientific lectible," and not as a serious examina­ Wplained. We can learn that Investigation of Claims of the tion of the topics included. That, if it is journalists can rarely be jacks of all Paranormal, James Randi, and assorted indeed the case, could well explain the trades. The author of this book is a other skeptics, several of whom have really sloppy job of "research" that has journalist, but she has no real experi­ told me that they had little or no con­ been done. ence with the paranormal. She also tact with her, which may explain why, seems to have had no real experience even though citing a number of skepti­ It should be noted that this is a with science. The result is a piece of cal sources in her bibliography, she does British publication, although from an journalism that reads well, but seems not seem to have learned anything from American publisher, Simon and incapable of properly evaluating the them. Schuster. A call to the New York office often conflicting evidence for or against These are serious charges, and I fully revealed that the book was not yet the paranormal. Just as a layperson intend to document rhem with a couple scheduled for American publication. often cannot evaluate the reported of examples. Take reincarnation. Gold­ This was in spite of the fact that a results of medical or scientific research, man thanks Paul Edwards, who has handwritten note that accompanied the Goldman seems to be unable to sort the written extensively on reincarnation review copy stated that U.S. publica­ wheat from the chaff in almost every from a critical point of view. Yet tion would be simultaneous. Perhaps someone at the U.S. office (probably area she covers. While admitting that Goldman's article on this subject has too good to be true) realized the flaws "The X-Files" television program \s fic­ only three short quotes that sound like in this book and cancelled American tion, she fails to realize that much of her they might be from Edwards, and they publication. book is also fiction. This is all the mote are immediately countered by argu­

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 45 NEW BOOKS

Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries: Science and The "Mars Effect." Claude Benski, 0-8018-5090-8. 220 pp. $25.95, hardcover. Pseudoscience in Archaeology. Second Dominique Caudron, Yves Galifret, Jean- A biology professor and college dean, Edition. Kenneth L. Feder. Mayfield Paul Krivine, Jean-Claude Pecker, Michel Zimmerman laments the inability of Publishing Co., 1280 Villa St., Palo Alto, Rouze, Evry Schatzman. Prometheus increasingly large portions of the American CA 94041. 1996. ISBN 1-55934-523-3. Books, 59 John Glenn Dr., Amherst, NY public to differentiate science from pseudo- 290 pp. $19.95, paper. Second edition of 14228. 1996. ISBN 0-87975-988-7. 157 science. This book is his attempt to address highly readable work (first published in pp. $20, paper. This is the long-awaited that problem, by introducing the nontech­ 1990) providing a professional archaeolo­ report of an independent study by seven nical reader to the nature of science and French scientists representing the French gist's perspective on unsubstantiated and encouraging students and others to success­ Committee for the Study of Paranormal fully blend science and environmentalism. extreme claims made about the prehistoric Phenomena (CFEPP) to test and assess "I hope to educate readers about the ways past. Each chapter has been updated and Michel Gauquelin's neo-astrological theory we use and abuse science and the ways we new topics added throughout. Illustrations that great athletes are born preferentially reach public scientific decisions." He begins have been increased by 25 percent, and side- when Mars is in two of twelve sectors in the by drawing on the premises of a number of by-sidc comparisons of "pseudo" mysteries sky. CFEPP and Gauquelin agreed on the popular pseudoscientific beliefs to docu­ and real ones have been included. experiment's protocol, published in 1981. A ment the basic philosophical underpinnings sample of 1,066 French athletes was com­ of the scientific method, then addresses how Leaps of Faith: Science, Miracles, and the piled, and their birth times and dates we know what we know, how political forces Search for Supernatural Consolation. assessed against the predictions of the the­ shape the nation's scientific agenda, and Nicholas Humphrey. Basic Books, New ory. The sample was also compared against how to use critical thinking to assess issues York, 1996. ISBN 0-465-08044-8. 244 pp. a control group of 85,280. The study results of environmental chemicals, food safety, $23, hardcover. The distinguished theoreti­ do not support Gauquelin's theory and and land use. cal psychologist (formerly of Cambridge show no evidence of any influence whatso­ University, now at the New School for Social ever of Mars on the births of athletes. Part Research) addresses the long battle between One of the book describes and reports on Watch the Skies! A Chronicle of the Flying science's physical/materialistic explanations the study. Part Two considers whether the Saucer Myth. Curtis Peebles. The Berkley for phenomena and people's spiritual expla­ "Mars Effect" evidence previously reported Publishing Group, 200 Madison Ave., New nations for them. Traces the history of how by Gauquelin was due to selective bias. Five York, NY 10016. 1995. ISBN 0-325-15117- people coped with anxieties and fears and appendices provide details. The book con­ 4. 420 pp. $6.99, paperback. A welcome their search for miraculous phenomena. The cludes with a commentary by mathemati­ mass-market paperback printing of a book, second half of the book uses what cian J. W. Nienhuys, who reviewed the by an aerospace historian and originally pub­ Humphrey calls "The Argument from entire study. The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER plans lished by the Smithsonian Institution, mat Unwarranted Design" to critique modern a review article on this study in a future our reviewer (Fall 1994) called a "meticu­ parapsychology and its claims to have proved issue. lous" and "admirable" book that chronicles the reality of paranormal psychic powers. He decades of claims, investigations, and public analyzes die circumstances that can combine belief, and puts the subject of UFOs and to produce what he calls "paranormal funda­ alien spaceships "into its proper mythic and Science, Nonscience, and Nonsense. Michael mentalism," an unshakable conviction that folkloric context." no matter what the evidence, "there must be Zimmerman. The Johns Hopkins something there." University Press, 2715 North Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218-4319. 1995. IBSN —Kendrick Frazier

ARTICLES OF NOTE

Bickis, Mikelis, I. W. Kelly, and G. F. also found. These lunar relationships were human behavior, then wrote and published a Byrnes. "Crisis Calls and Temporal and not consistent with beliefs in folklore or scries of illuminating articles over six days Lunar Variables: A Comprehensive tradition. Data in the third year were pre­ that takes 14 newspaper pages. The articles Examination." Journal of Psychology dicted with models with and without lunar deal intelligently and sensitively with new 129(6): 701-711, November 1995. Total variables. The addition of lunar variables scientific evidence finding that our genes— daily crisis calls were recorded over a three- was found to add nothing to the predictive in combination with culture and environ­ year period in Vancouver. Using spectral value and, in fact, slightly worsened the ment —are major players in shaping behav­ analysis and regression analysis, the authors predictions. ior, , and thoughts. The controver­ examined data from the first two years to sial issues such findings raise are likewise determine if periodicities existed. Strong Blum, Deborah. "The New Biology of Our carefully considered, in areas involving intel­ weekly, annual, and semiweekly cycles and Behavior." Sacramento Bee (Special Report), ligence, hormones, monogamy, gender dif­ weak monthly, semiannual, bimonthly, and ferences, race (many biologists argue for dis­ Oct. 15-19. 1995. Over an eight-month 4-montJily cycles were uncovered. Very carding the whole concept), violence, and period, Pulitzer Prize-winning science weak lunar relationships with the anomal­ the possible misuses and abuses of scientific reporter Deborah Blum interviewed experts istic cycle, half-synodic, and sidereal were insights. and reviewed studies in die biology of

46 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Brigden, Malcolm L., M.D., "Unproven in various ways and persuading many that Research Center in Egypt. No. 169, December (Questionable) Cancer Therapies." Western their parents are evil. 1995- Also available on the WWW at: Journal of Medicine 163(5): 463-471, ftp://oi.uchicago.edu/pub/papers/AMRoth_Af November 1995. Discussion of the increas­ Loevinger, Lee. "Science as Legal Evidence." rocentrism.ascii.text. A professor of ing tendency of cancer patients to seek some Interdisciplinary Science Reviews 20(4): 335- Egyptology provides a balanced and diought- form of alternative treatment. Recommends 346, 1995- From 1923 to 1993 the prevailing ful discussion and critique of Afrocentric that physicians with cancer patients always standard of admissibility for scientific evi­ Egyptology, which in America "is less a schol­ make sure that they discuss unproven reme­ dence in U.S. courts was general acceptance arly field than a political and educational dies early in their treatment and also be in the scientific community. In 1993 the U.S. movement aimed at increasing the self- aware of alternative therapies in vogue in Supreme Court held that the Federal Rules of esteem of African Americans," but often cit­ their locality. Evidence had superseded the former standard ing claims of "dubious credibility" and com­ and enunciated new criteria that were more bining legitimate Afrocentrism with age-old mystical-crackpotism toward Egyptology. Coughlin, Ellen K. "Not Out of Africa." substantive and detailed. These imposed Addresses the four major contentions of Chronicle of Hitter Education, February 16, greater responsibility on trial courts, required Afrocentric Egyptology: (1) that the Ancient 1996, pp. A6-7. Report on Wellesley College a more realistic understanding of science, Egyptians were black; (2) that the ancient classicist Mary Lefkowitz and her new book, established more rigorous standards for the Egyptians were the greatest civilization in his­ Not Out of Africa, which forthrightly refutes reception of scientific evidence, and made the tory, (3) that the Egyptian civilization had Afrocentric views about Egyptian influence law more responsive to the needs of a scien­ extensive influence on Europe and Africa; on ancient Greece. tific and technological society. and (4) that there has been a scholarly con­ spiracy among Eurocentric Egyptologists to Frazier, Kendrick. "So Human a Quest." The Lohr, J. M., R. A. Kleinknecht, D. F. Tolin, suppress evidence about the blackness of the Humanist, November/December 1995, pp. and R H. Barrett. "The Empirical Status of ancient Egyptians, their greatness, and their 33-34. Essay discusses three related concerns the Clinical Application of Eye Movement influence on European and African civiliza­ for science and the : Desensiuzation and Reprocessing." Journal of tions. Urges teachers of Afrocentrism, instead avoiding an "us vs. them" mentality; not giv­ Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry of learning such doctrines on faith, to capi­ ing up on the "awe factor"; and including the 26: 285-302, 1995. Study reviews the pub­ talize on their students' enthusiasm for this humanities. Adapted from a talk given at the lished reports of clinical application of Eye subject and encourage them to investigate the American Humanist Association 1995 confer­ Movement Densensitization and Reprocessing primary evidence for themselves. ence in Scottsdale, Arizona. (EMDR, see SI, January/February 1996). Finds that the research protocol frequendy reduces the verbal report and independent Krauthammer, Charles. "The Return of the Truzzi, Marcello. "Reflections on the Blue observer ratings of distress—strikingly in some Primitive." Time, January 29, 1996, p. 82. Sense and Its Critics." Journal of instances. Psychophysiologic measures showed Recent state and local efforts to make it ille­ Parapsychology 59(2): 99-130, June 1995. litde effect of EMDR treatment. There was lit- gal to deny medical insurance coverage for An examination of critics' teactions to de empirical evidence to indicate an effect of naturopathic and herbal treatments are a Truzzi's book The Blue Sense: Psychic treatment on motor or behavioral indices. Eye symptom of something new, says the colum­ Detectives and Crime, with special attention movements do not appear to be an essential nist: "irrationalism" gaining "official sanc­ to what he calls the "extreme" but opposite component of treatment, and there have been tion." "Though relatively harmless, there is reactions (ail 1991) of Robert Baker no substantial comparisons with other treat­ something disturbing about these little (SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Fall) and Colin ments. Studies have not adequately controlled adventures in New Age . They are Wilson (J. of the Society of Psychical Research), for nonspecific (placebo) effects. symptomatic of a more general and poten­ as well as the more "moderate" criticisms of tially ominous recent phenomenon: a flight Ray Hyman (Journal of Parapsychology). toward irrationality, a retreat to prescientific Randi, James. "Investigating Miracles, primitivism in an age that otherwise preens Italian-Style." Scientific American, February Will, George. "Intellectual Segregation." with scientific pride." The recent sensation­ 1996, pp. 136. "Italian media and public Newsweek, February 19, 1996, p. 78. alist "abuse" trials "in which teachers and swoon over weeping plaster casts of religious Afrocentrism's many myths constitute con­ parents are jailed on the most improbable figures, charismatic faith healings, and any­ descension toward African-Americans, says charges of ritualistic, orgiastic Satanism since the Salem witch trials" are an outbreak of thing that bleeds, sweats, or moves in an Will in this column. On the one side of this "officially sanctioned primitivism that is not unexpected way." He worries that "rampant dispute, says Will "are scholars, with a tradi­ benign and cannot be winked at." disregard for rational thought is sweeping a tional understanding of how truth is nation that has made so many contributions acquired and respected. On the other side to modern science." Fortunately, he reports, are political activists wearing academic Leland, John, and T. Trent Gegax. "Instant scientists like Luigi Garlaschelli and Franco gowns. They believe that the truth of a Bad Karma." Newsweek. January 22, 1996, Ramaccini work with the Italian Committee proposition about history is less important pp. 63. Brief investigative report on contro­ for the Investigation of the Paranormal to that the proposition's therapeutic effect on versial guru Frederick Lenz, author of the provide rational explanations for the sup­ the self-esteem of people whose ethnic pride New Age novel Surfing the Himalayas. Lenz posed miracles. Examples are cited. might be enhanced by it. . . . Afrocentrists formerly operated under the name Rama, or begin with, because Afrocentrism depends Zen Master Rama, and built a following and Roth, Ann Macy. "Building Bridges to on, disdain for historical methodology." fortune offering a "fast path to enlighten­ Afrocentrism: A Letter to My Egyptological ment," along the way using his cult members Colleagues." Newsletter of the American —Kendrick Frazier

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 47 FORUM

Exhausting the Mundanely Possible: The Inexplicable in Pursuit of the Miraculous

RALPH ESTLING

while back I received a typed let­ oped, it's all still there, set out for you: inclined a bit too sharply, like that pyra­ ter from America that the starting with mastabas, tombs that are mid I mentioned, to opt too readily for Awriter had dated the nineteenth large, low, rectangular slabs of rock with the inexplicable, with much the same of the month. Nothing remarkable in sloping sides and flat roofs; and going result when all the facts arc in. Of this, except that I received it on the fif­ on from there to step pyramids, which course, things might be inexplicable. teenth of the month. Now, this could be are like several mastabas piled on top of But there's an obligation we have— a case of superluminal velocity of mail each other, each one smaller as the struc­ because we possess br.iins—to seek hard delivery. It could also be a case where ture goes up. From here it is easy to go and long the explicable, and not stop the writer hit the nine key when he or on to real pyramids. Well, fairly easy. doing so until this possibility is totally she meant to hit the zero; and as the You can see a smallish, very early pyra­ ruled out. And of course there's the envelope was postmarked the tenrh of mid with an angle that was too sharp opposite sin: of things "explained" in an the month, I was, and still am, more and the whole thing collapsed in a heap offhanded way in which nothing is inclined to opt for the latter explana­ and was just left there, no doubt with a really accounted for, of words spun on a tion. You see how otherwise miraculous great deal of undecipherable ancient gossamer web of grand and grandiose, or inexplicable facts are explained by Egyptian expletives; and another with of speculations that are rooted in blar­ careful, logical deduction of which any an incline that was lessened in mid-con­ ney. You can take these explanations, rational person might be proud. What it struction to avoid a similar tumble, so spread them over forty acres, and raise all really boils down to is: What is the that the pyramid seems to bulge out at yourself a fine crop of barley. We need least unlikely assumption that can possi­ the sides as if it were just beginning to to maintain the middle ground: where bly be made in accordance with tlie inflate into a pointy hot-air balloon and we don't surrender to the inexplicable known facts, or in other words, wielding then changed its mind and decided to too soon, nor decide that things are all Occam's razor with a barbershop flour­ stay a pyramid. By this step-by-step nicely wrapped up when they're not. ish. Brutal, but it makes its point, or approach to the matter of pyramid Middle grounds, golden means, tend to slash. building (an example, in case you're be good places to start from in all There are quite a few people who dis­ interested, of what is known as the quests, if only because that's where we're agree with this view: the view that states heuristic method of learning), the likely to end up. that before we proclaim the miraculous, Egyptians gradually got the hang of it As for the Erich von Danikens of this with its surfeit of wonders, we first must and went on to put up the three pyra­ world—the men and women who see exhaust the mundanely possible. Some mids of Gizeh. The heuristic method— (or say they see) the hand of (if not) people insist, for example, that the learning by doing, or trial by error—has God, supertechnological extraterrestrial ancient Egyptians could not possibly much to recommend it, though it does beings in Pyramids in Egypt, Nazca fig­ have built the pyramids on their own have one or two drawbacks: sudden ures in Peru, and crop circles in without extraterrestrial help. This death being one of them. Still, some­ Wdtshire—they are to science and to notion makes its latest appearance in die times it's the best we can do if the rational inquiry what Atrila the Hun film Stargate. I've been to Egypt and it's extraterrestrials don't come down to was to civilization. perfectly evident how the idea of pyra­ lend a tentacle to jump-start civilization. No doubt it's possible to be too skep­ mid construction originated and devel­ The thing is, too many of us are tical, too demanding of facts and evi-

48 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER dence. But this is rarely the problem quite think it, not when there is so the inexplicable. Enlightenment and with most of us who inhabit a world the much evidence lying around in full view reason still appeal to the few. If it's a case rest don't recognize and can only like a collapsed pyramid that the human of majority rule, those few have a lot to vaguely imagine: a world most of us race for the most part still believes in ponder. And to fear. would like to think the human race left demons and in the wondrous, in mys­ Exhausted the mundanely possible, behind 500 or more years ago but can't teries and mysticisms, in things rJiat have we? We haven't even begun to medieval men and women believed in quarry die first stone, smooth the sand, Ralph Estling writes from Ilminster, and took for granted in the terrifying and throw away all the unwanted rocks Somerset, U.K. universe they dwelt in, in the universe of to build that pyramid. Q

Ten 'Sightings' of Poor Journalism

BRYAN FARHA

he December 21, 1995, airing of by White in this "Sightings" program: their rustic mountain home." This one, die Fox television network show 1. "There's further proof of a dramatic which begins the program's first story, is T"Sightings" revealed a minimum UFO encounter over Iran." This state­ simple. "Sightings" is making an of ten journalistic errors and/or over- ment appeared in the introductory seg­ assumption diat, in fact, die home is dramatizations within this one-hour ment before die first story actually haunted. When the writer refers to the program, likely designed to "persuade" began, as sort of an advertisement alleged phenomenon as a "terrifying the viewer into believing that the encouraging viewers to tune in later for haunting," she is claiming that die house reported phenomena are real. Eight of diis "encounter." Far more overdramati- is haunted. We don't know diis yet. these errors were made before the end of zation dian an inaccuracy, this one is 3- "Strangely, as soon as they made the the show's first segment for the apparent designed to tug on emotions and imagi­ commitment to stay, a paranormal force purpose of "hooking" the viewer into nation more than anything. The use of wanted them out. "This statement is in ref­ watching the remainder of the program die words proof and encounter are the erence to a family's deliberations about by saturating the beginning story with lures. Good science dictates that the whether to move or continue living in the large amounts of baseline intrigue. word proof should be reserved for phe­ same rustic mountain home. Here, The show is hosted by Tim White; nomena with overwhelming evidence. "Sightings" is making two assumptions— the executive producers are Henry The problem for the often unsuspecting one, diat what die family is allegedly Winkler and Ann Daniel. The writer, public lies in the definition of the experiencing is, in fact, a "paranormal Susan Michaels, bears responsibility as acronym UFO, which merely means force," and two, that the force wants the well. Some of the errors are less signifi­ "unidentified flying object." It's not dif­ family out of the house. Neither was sub­ cant man others, but responsibility in ficult to justifiably claim to spot a UFO. stantiated with sound science. journalism requires a massive effort for The difficulty lies in providing sound 4. "The investigation focuses on three accuracy. Certainly we all make "good evidence that die UFO represents an areas where activity is most pronounced." faith" errors at times in the print media. alien spacecraft. Therefore, "encounter­ Referring to locations in the home, I know I do. However, the errors in diis ing" a UFO is not difficult. If a person "Sightings" is claiming that "activity" episode, which resemble the journalistic sees an unidentified flying object, is not exists. Acceptable scientific procedures style of other "Sightings" shows, have a die very sight of it an "encounter"? But were not used to help draw this conclu­ leading and persuasive intention. The we are led to believe that there is sub­ sion. This language "encourages" the stories seem even more compelling due stantial evidence of contact with aliens viewer to believe that there is paranor­ to die eerie background music. Let's look when we hear the statement. Beware. mal activity in the house. What criteria at diese ten journalistic errors/dramatiza­ 2. "They spent everything they had try­ did diey use to determine where those tions chronologically as diey were stated ing to cope with the terrifying haunting in three areas were?

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 49 5. "A few minutes later an unseen force drawn. If the doctor has no problem say­ Concluding Remarks pushes a heavy video camera off its sturdy ing the phenomenon is from unknown tripod." An unseen force may have origins, why is it so hard for others to Some counterskeptics might ask, "Isn't pushed the camera off its tripod, but so espouse this posture? Regarding the it possible though that the paranormal might some "not-so-unseen" forces, fourth sentence, very few would ques­ phenomena claimed are true?" The such as human error and negligence. tion that there is a welt on his head and answer to the possibility is yes. Ironically, "Sightings" leads the viewer to believe that it is likely painful. About the third while proofreading diis manuscript after that paranormal forces are responsible, sentence, it is possible that there is no it was completed, a lightweight room when, in fact, this was not substanti­ scratch on the negative, although it thermometer fell off my file cabinet ated. More appropriately phrased: "A might be better worded: '"Sightings' onto the floor. It startled me. few minutes later a heavy video camera cannot detect a scratch on the negative." Admittedly, it felt kind of "eerie" since I strangely fell off its sturdy tripod with­ This would prevent "Sightings" from was reading the part about the Lee out apparent provocation." drawing conclusions for everyone. The home and its reported "haunting" when 6. "This is compelling evidence that second sentence simply indicates that it happened. Is it possible that a "spirit" some kind of physical disturbance is affect­ Lee sent "Sightings" a photograph indi­ lives in my office and was threatened or ing the Lee home. "Obviously referring to cating a scratch on his forehead. No perturbed by the skeptical nature of this No. 5, this statement would much more problem. The most difficulty lies in the article? There was no window open or accurately be phrased: "This may con­ first sentence that indicates that the air pressure that could have blown it off tribute to the evidence that some kind "unseen forces" had become violent—as the cabinet. The cabinet and thermome­ of physical disturbance might be affect­ if there was even proof of unseen forces ter lie perfectly horizontal, so they ing die Lee home." This modified state­ and that the welt on the forehead was weren't "leaning" in any direction. How ment would be an example of responsi­ the direct result of violence. The alleged can this experience be explained? ble journalism regarding conclusion- violence was after the investigation, so You see, I realize that this experience drawing of alleged paranormal phenom­ there was no way to ascertain the "cause" was a bit strange, but the conclusions ena. Because a camera fell off a tripod of the welt. Yet "Sightings" does not hes­ that can be drawn are like those of the does not make the evidence compelling. itate to attribute the welt to "spirits" or doctor who could not explain Lee's fore­ 7. "This preliminary investigation "unseen forces." head welt: The experience of the room confirms what the Lee family has felt for 9. "Several photographs show a face thermometer falling off the file cabinet more than a year—that more work will staring out into the cosmos." Regarding a at this point has no logical explanation. have to be done to determine why their different and well-publicized story about If I reported this, consistent with No. 5, home is being targeted, and what it will NASA photographs of Mars transmitted however, it would read: "An unseen take to appease the spirits here." If the sen­ by the Viking orbiter in 1976, this state­ force pushed a room thermometer off a tence ended after the word done there ment implies that the morphology on sturdy file cabinet." Potentially a huge would be no problem. By continuing, this specific location on the planet was embellishment. Sound scientific proce­ "Sightings" is stating, in essence, that intentionally designed by "Martians" to dures are used not for supporting an the home is being invaded by "spirits." be that of a "face." More accurately, the antiparanormal position but to assist in The assumption that more work may be statement could have read: "Several pho­ drawing the most accurate conclusions warranted is fine, but the conclusion tographs show an image resembling a face based on the available evidence. that spirits exist in the home is staring out into the cosmos." The sub­ The problem here is twofold: First, unfounded. tlety in wording between "show a face" we have some factions of the media who 8. "Since our investigation, the unseen versus "resembling a face" have signifi- are apparendy willing to sensationalize forces inside the Lee home have turned vio­ candy different inferences. in order to increase viewers/readers. lent. Steve Lee recently sent us this photo­ 10. '"Sightings' investigates the fright­ Second, we have, to a degree, an unsus­ graph of a large scratch across his forehead ening story of a restless spirit that haunts pecting public. Some members of the There was no scratch on the negative. The her family." Similar to previously men­ general public have difficulty distin­ following day, as this home video shows, tioned errors, this commercial message guishing between news and entertain­ Steve developed a large, painful welt on his regarding a future story implies that a ment. The types of journalistic taboos forehead. His doctor can't explain the cause "resdess spirit" is proven to be real and reported here would not be condoned of the injury" An analysis, in reverse that it is "haunting" this woman's fam­ on network newscasts such as ABC, chronology: His doctor not being able to ily—neither of which exemplifies good NBC, CBS, or CNN. If people, there­ explain the cause of the injury is actually journalism, although since it involves a fore, choose to watch sensationalistic the only logical conclusion that can be future story, the verdict is still out. Don't television programming such as hold your breath—not because the pos­ "Sightings," they need to do so with the Bryan Farha is associate professor and sibility doesn't exist, but rather because dear understanding that what they are chair. Department of Counseling Psy­ of the pattern of poor journalism emerg­ viewing is not "news" but rather, "enter­ chology. Oklahoma City University ing from "Sightings." tainment." LJ

50 May/lune 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER FOLLOW-UP

Senior Researcher Comments on the Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon in Japan

MARKUS POSSEL and RON AMUNDSON

he pseudoscientific myth of die Hundredth Monkey Phenom­ Tenon (HMP) was devised by Lyall Watson in 1979 and has been writ­ ten about in die SKEPTICAL INQUIRER.* Like many pseudoscientific myths, the HMP was an elaboration of genuine scientific research. Recent contact with a researcher close to the monkey research provides more insight into the possible origin of this myth. The story went like this: Prima- tologists in Japan had discovered and carefully documented the spread, from monkey to monkey, of a particular feed­ ing behavior within a group of macaques (rhesus monkeys) on Koshima Islet. The primatoiogists sup­ plied a group of free-range macaques with sweet potatoes. One young macaque discovered that washing the potatoes in the sea or in a stream removed the dirt and sand. Gradually the other macaques in her group learned to wash their potatoes.

The documentation of this "pre-cul- tural" transmission of behavior was unusual in primatology; but not unusual enough for Watson, who sus­ pected that supernatural mechanisms were at work on Koshima Islet. In his story, after a threshold was reached and

"Sec "The Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon' and "Watson and the Hundredth Monkey Phenom­ enon," by Ron Amundson. SI. Summer 1985. pp. 348-356; and 5/. Spring 1987. pp. 303-304.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 51 the hundredth monkey had learned of about to leave on a research trip to lowed by Kawai's responses: washing potatoes, the behavior spread Cameroon. Through an intermediary he 1. Is Kawai aware of any sweet potato by a sort of mass consciousness to the was able to forward permission for use of washing or other skills that propagated more entire group, and even spontaneously the photo "only for your own article in rapidly than would be expected by normal, leaped across the sea to groups of mon­ which you criticize Mr. Watson for falsely individual, "pre-cultural "propagation? keys on other islands and the mainland. describing the Japanese monkey studies." Answer: No. Masao Kawai was one of the senior The intermediary reported: "He (Kawai) 2. Is Kawai aware of the spontaneous researchers working on the original told me that you are quite right." That and rapid spread of sweet potato washing macaque project. In 1984, while article, "The Hundredth Monkey Phe­ from Koshima to groups of macaques on researching the HMP, Ron Amundson nomenon," was published in the other islands and on the mainland? Answer: Individual monkeys in other 'Kawai, the best possible source of information on groups or in zoos may have accidentally learned washing behavior, but it hasn't the Koshima macaques, considers the mass con­ been observed anywhere on Koshima sciousness reported by Watson to have been a that washing behavior has spread to other group members. Western import." 3. Has Kawai heard any "anecdotes or bits of folklore" among his primatologist contacted Kawai, who was then director Summer 1985 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. colleagues regarding rapid behavior prop­ of the Primate Research Institute and More details garnered recently from agation, and does he know of any contacts chief editor of the journal Primates. A Kawai are of interest because of Watsons between Lyall Watson and his (Kawai's) brief account of Watson's claims and a list explanation of his sources. In 1979 colleagues? of Amundson's doubts were sent to Watson claimed his information came Answer: No. Kawai believes that the Kawai, along with a request to reproduce from "personal anecdotes and bits of idea of telepathy may have been intro­ one of the macaque photos from the folklore amongst primate researchers"; duced by Western countries. journal. Unfortunately, Kawai was just and in 1986, in a response to So much for the New Age image of Amundson's SI critique, Watson men­ the "mystical" East. Kawai, the best pos­ Markus Possel is a physics student in tioned "off-the-record conversations sible source of information on the Hamburg, Germany. His inquiries about with those familiar with the potato- Koshima macaques, considers the mass the Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon are washing work." Are these reliable consciousness reported by Watson to sources of information? part of his research for a book on the have been a Western import. German-language authors Erich von Markus Possel successfully contacted The only mysterious, abrupt spread Daniken and Johannes von Buttlar. Ron Kawai recently and asked him about that remains to be accounted for is the Amundson is a professor of philosophy at Watson's claims and sources of knowl­ continued ubiquity of the HMP story in the University of Hawaii at Hilo. edge. The three questions asked are fol­ New Age literature. •

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52 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER WIT'S END

Should Have Called Dionne First, I Guess

CHARLES MEMMINGER

'm really depressed. I had such high "How old are you?" I asked. Paula Abdul?" hopes when I launched the Psychic "About 53." "No." IEnemies Network. It was my ticket "Do you eat fatty foods, sit on the "Do you have any experience in act­ to fame and fortune. couch all day calling nutty phone ser­ ing, dancing, international finance, I figured if Dionne Warwick could vices, and drink a lot?" national politics, or do you currently get rich selling to a bunch of gullible "That's none of your business, have any products being advertised on callers to the Psychic Friends Network, I buster," she said. the Home Shopping Network?" could do the same thing working the "Well, you sound like you're stressed "No." other side of the metaphysical tracks. out. With your heavy drinking, your "OK, I'm in a psychic trance right So instead of blowing psychic sun­ McDonald's problem, and your relative now. Ammm. Ammmm. Here's your shine into people's ears, I'd tell them all lack of physical movement, I'd say you're forecast: You are going to be poor, un­ the horrible things that were going to gonna die." loved, and unhappy. Then you're gonna happen to their friends and family. "How'd you know I go to die. Hello, ma'am? Are you still there?" I admit it: I'm not a psychic, but nei­ McDonald's?" she said. And diat's pretty much how the few ther are die jokers who work the phone "I'm a psychic, remember?" calls that came in went. It convinced me banks for the Psychic Friends Network. "Well, you're rude, too. The other that people really don't want to know But I can spew parapsychological psychics say nice things, like, I'm gonna the future, at least not their future. mumbo jumbo as well as die next guy. win the lottery." So, as of today, the Psychic Enemies And as a Psychic Enemy, I had a leg up "Did you win the lottery?" Network is out of business. I can't on die competition, because 1 could actu­ "No." believe people will spend perfectly good ally predict things diat would happen. "There you go, ma'am. They're lying. money to have a stranger with no more For instance, here's how the first call I'll tell you what's really in your future." psychic ability than a clam lie to them went: "Like what?" about their income potential. "Good morning!" I said. "Welcome "Like, you're a pathetic loser who will Hasn't it occurred to these callers to the Psychic Enemies Network! You're always be poor." that if just one of these phone psychics gonna die." "Ahhhh! How dare you! I can't believe had any real ability to see into the "What?" she said. you would say that to me. How do you future, he or she would be playing the "You're gonna die." stay in business talking to people like rhis?" commodities market like a Stradivarius "What kind of a psychic are you?" "I thought you wanted to know the and be rich enough to hire Bill Gates as she bellowed. "Whataya mean I'm future." a yard boy? Does Dionne Warwick ever gonna die?" "Yes, but I want to know about love, wonder why no psychic ever warned and fame, and fortune. Not death." her that her singing career might end Charles Memminger writes the award- "OK," I said. "Do you have a job?" up in the toilet and thai she'd wind up winning "Honolulu Liu" column for the "No." shilling for some dubious infomercial? Honolulu Star-Bulletin, where this piece "Rich relatives?" And the most depressing thing about originally appeared. E-mail to "No." the Psychic Friends Network is that I 71224.1 [email protected]. "Do you look like Paula Barbieri or didn't think of it first.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 53 its image on the Internet will be invited forcibly zapped. The Mind Control Web from page 17 to participate in paranormal tests by tele­ Forum is my personal contribution to ology "explains how a person can be a phone with ... if successful, the resistance to the plutocracy's mind murderer or child molester at one contenders stand to win $1 million, control conspiracies." It links you to moment and the next moment may which may be shared if there is more places like Brian's Government appear calm, rational, and even brilliant. than one successful attempt." A British Psychiatric Torture Web Site, which Demons may zap in out [sic] of victims on-line magazine, Delphi Internet at "includes reference material such as Alan at the speed of light, sometimes staying http://www.delphico.uk, interviewed Frey's paper on how to beam voices into for just a few seconds at a time." Geller in a recent issue, and asked him, the human mind using radio waves." See a self-described Israeli spoonben- "Why do so many people insist you're Also on the Mind Control Forum are der at http://www.urigeller.com, Uri fake?" He modesdy replied, "You can ask pages of "victims," including photos of Geller's Psychic City. There you will find the same question to people who don't brain surgery being performed on Geller's "Internet Challenge": "We invite believe in Jesus Christ or God." Robert Naeslund, "the Swedish mind- you to use your psychic powers to bend If none of the above sites are far-out control victim who has struggled with a spoon across the Internet. Locked in a enough for you, visit the Mind Control brain transmitter implants." 'see-through safe' is a spoon. Its image is Forum at http://members.gnn.com/five But when the above proves to be sim­ being relayed 'live' worldwide on die string. Its owner writes, "Hi, I'm Ed ply too much for you, you might pause Internet. Any registered person able to Light, one of many captives of the mind- at the Home Page http://www.csicop bring their own psychic powers to bear control 'cabal's' microwave anti-person­ .org, and find a refreshing breath of on the spoon and bend it while watching nel projects. As I type this in I'm being fresh air. f_J

Fantasy from page 20 drift through solid doors or walls, includ­ Basterfield that alleged alien abductees ing "Ed" (No. 1), "Jerry" (No. 4), tend to be fantasy-prone personalities. artist, healer, nor UFO sighter, "Ed" "Catherine" (No. 5), "Paul" (No. 8), Certainly, that is the evidence for the very (No. 1) had "a traditional Roman "Dave" (No. 10), and "Arthur" (No. 13). best cases selected by a major advocate. Catholic upbringing" and—as rather a "Carlos" (No. 12) claimed his body was loner who said he felt "lost in the desert" transmuted into light. I have already men­ Note tioned that under hypnosis "Peter" —he not only feels he can "talk to I am grateful to psychologists Robert A. plants" but said he has "practiced medi­ (No. 11) said he becomes an alien and Baker and Barry Beyerstein for reading this tation and studied Eastern philosophy speaks in an imitative, robotic voice. In all, study and making helpful suggestions. in his struggle to find his authentic eleven of Mack's thirteen subjects (all but path" (Mack 1994, pp. 39, 41-42). Nos. 2 and 3) appear to fantasize under References "Carlos" (No. 12) is an artist/writer/ hypnosis. Of course it may be argued that Baker, Robert A. 1987-1988. The aliens among "fine arts professor" involved in theatri­ there really are "earth spirits" and "winged us: Hypnotic regression revisited. SKEPTICAL horses," or that the extraterrestrials may INQUIRER 12(2) (Winter): pp. 147-162. cal production who said he has seen Bartholomew, Robert E., and Keith Basterfield. UFOs and has a "capacity as a healer"; truly have the ability to time travel or 1988. Abduction states of consciousness. raised a Roman Catholic, and interested dematerialize bodies, or that any of the International UFO Reporter, March/April. other examples I have given as evidence of Bartholomew, Robert E., Keith Basterfield. and in numerology and mythology, he calls George S. Howard. 1991. UFO abductees and himself "a shaman/artist teacher" (Mack fantasizing are really true. However, once conduces: Psychopathology or fantasy prone­ 1994, pp. 330, 332, 340-341, 357). again the burden of proof is on the ness? Professional Psychology: Research and claimant and until that burden is met, the Practice 22(3): 215-222. Also of interest, I think, is the evidence Cone. William. 1994. Research therapy methods that many of Mack's subjects fantasized examples can be taken as further evidence questioned. UFO 9(5): 32-34. while under hypnosis. For example—in of the subjects' ability to fantasize. Mack, John. 1994. Abduction: Human Encounters with Aliens. New York: Simon and Schuster. addition to aliens—"Ed" (No. 1) also said Nickell, Joe. 1995. Entities: Angels, Spirits. Demons he saw earth spirits whom he described as Conclusions and Other Alien Beings. Amherst, N.Y.: "mirthful litde playful creatures" (p. 48); Prometheus Books. Spanos, Nicholas P., Patricia A Cross, Kirby Dickson, and "Joe" (No. 6) said he saw "mythic Despite John Mack's denial, the results of and Susan C DuBreuil. 1993. dose encounters: gods, and winged horses." "Joe" also my study of his best thirteen cases show An examination of UFO experiences. Journal of "remembered" being born (Mack 1994, high fantasy proneness among his selected Abnormal Psychology 102 (4): 624-632. Wilson. Sheryl C, and Theodore X. Barber. 1983. pp. 170,184). "Catherine" (No. 5), "Sara" subjects. Whether or not the same results The fantasy-prone personality: Implications (No. 7), "Paul" (No. 8), and "Eva," would be obtained with his additional for understanding imagery, hypnosis, and (No. 9) said rhey had past-life experiences subjects remains to be seen. Nevertheless, parapsychological phenomena. In Imagery, Current Theory, Research and Application, ed. or engaged in time-travel while under my study does support the earlier opin­ by Anees A. Sheikh, New York; Wile* hypnosis. Several said they were able to ions of Baker and Bartholomew and pp. 340-390. LJ

54 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Numbers from page 39 (And if not, they should call Letterman terone in the saliva of male lawyers— right now; maybe they can moonlight well, that sounds pretty straightforward!) ... an Italian opera? for him.) Inadvertendy funny in retro­ When we look askance at the statis­ ... a coffee drink? spect, they were probably just trying to tics about the Germans and their politi­ ... the latest car from Italy? pin down definitely what people know. cal indigestion, it seems almost intuitive And they found out, didn't they?! to observe that they are empty of mean­ And the pollsters didn't neglect cappuc­ Now let's move from the sublime to ing. But that's simply because the factors cino, either! die ridiculous. This next pair of statistics that the statistics try to correlate—in is an example of the worst kind of post this case, the Berlin wall and stom­ What is "cappuccino" (cappa- hoc fallacy. To be sure, they're only meant achaches—appear too far apart in cate­ CHINO)? Is it... to entertain (not to educate), but they do gory or classification. serve as a good illustration of a very com­ ... a monk who has taken the Here's how such statistics can mis­ mon logical error. In sum, we read that vow of silence? lead us: The closer the separate factors since the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the ... a French actress popular in the are in category or class, the more that percentage of western Germans who say 1960s? people will think they're causally related, they have indigestion has gone up by 5 regardless of the apparent evidence (or ... an espresso-based drink? percent. We also read that since that lack of it). In other words, if the factors ... a type of mushroom? same time, the percentage of eastern have, say, music or medicine or mathe­ ... a hillside town in the Italian Germans who say they have indigestion matics in common, it has been my region of Tuscany? has gone down by 12 percent. Well, that observation that our cognitive ability to tickles the American funny bone, all perceive them as separate entities breaks right, but what does it really mean? Surely the folks who developed that down. This results in the equivalent of Nothing. Without a causal relationship, thinking that when Placido Domingo survey were moonlighting there to sup­ this information is darned near useless. eats an extra piece of cake, Luciano plement their main income as writers for (Now, as for the average level of testos­ Pavarotti gains weight. • "The Late Show with David Letterman."

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SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/lune 1996 55 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

panic and related disorders (p. 860). The EMDR Treatment Editor's Note EMDR techniques described on p. 27 of The number of letters to the editor the SI article are sufficiently like the tech­ 's analysis of Eye received continues to expand; our niques of cognitive therapy described by Movement Desensitization and space available does not. As a result, Kaplan, et al. (pp. 860-861), and the indi­ many letters we would have liked to Reprocessing—EMDR (SI, January/ cations sufficiendy similar, that I would publish we could not. Thank you for expect EMDR's effectiveness (if any) to be February 1996) is appropriately skeptical, writing. All letters are read with great as one should be with pop psychology. interest, and many are shared with due to that approach alone, without any Many of these modern therapies have a the SI authors and other appropriate kind of eye movement. kernal of validity to accompany their pop­ parties. —Kendrick Frazier ular appeal, but whatever value they may Van L. Knowles have is usually pushed far beyond any Berea, Ky. rational usefulness. This would appear to in the same issue of 5/. Gardner describes be case with EMDR. I believe the kernal is the Evans-Newman theory thus: "Dreams Scott O. Lilienfeld replies: its valid and repeatable usefulness for are the process by which the sleeping brain immediate but temporary relief. Unfor­ moves information worth preserving into its I thank John S. Derr for his interesting obser­ tunately, Lilienfeld seems to have missed long-term memory, and erases from short- vations. Such anecdotal observations, if this application. term memory the trivia that otherwise replicable, can provide a fertile source for the Many months after having suffered would clog neural pathways." Lilienfeld testing of hypotheses concerning a treatment's near-fatal burns in an airplane crash, 1 still touches on a possible link between EMDR mode of action. Derr's hypothesis that experience litde events that trigger a post­ and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, but EMDR provides short-term relief by produc­ traumatic stress (PTSD) reaction. Many only to dismiss it in the context in which it ing rapid eye movements during the waking times these events appear randomly, is proposed by the originator of EMDR. state is inconsistent, however, with a number although any doctor working on my right Could it be that waking REM for those of studies indicating that EMDR is equiva­ arm (the only unburned area suitable for troubled by PTSD has the same function as lent in its effects on anxiety and related mood IVs), or technician taking a blood sample sleeping REM has for us all? If Evans and states to an identical procedure minus eye is very likely to cause me to regress, go Newman are right, EMDR could be erasing movements. Thus, whatever efficacy EMDR back to the hospital, and experience an from short-term memory whatever is caus­ may possess does not appear to be attributable overwhelming sense of depression. As life ing the immediate distress. Such a hypothe­ to its use of eye movements. An alternative continues to become more normal now, sis is consistent both with Lilienfeld's thesis explanation for Derr's findings is classic (i.e., these reactions are becoming less frequent. that EMDR is not proven as a substantive Pavlovian) conditioning: Eye movements, therapy, and with my observation, which I when paired repeatedly with anxiety-provok­ Early in my recovery process, I heard a can still verify, that it is highly effective in ing thoughts, may distract clients from their news report about this hot new therapy the immediate time frame but otherwise has anxiety and thereby produce an association called EMDR. I decided to try it, and dis­ no lasting effect. between these thoughts and decreased levels of covered that it is surprisingly effective in anxiety. According to this hypothesis, eye short-circuiting these depression episodes. movements may be akin to the relaxation My version, consisting of rapid eye move­ John S. Derr component of systematic desensitization, a ment from side to side for five to ten sec­ Tijeras, N.M. widely used behavioral technique for phobias onds, is tremendously helpful in regaining in which clients are asked to remain calm composure. (I get the same effect by mov­ while confronting (or imagining) feared ing my eyes rapidly up and down, but this After reading "EMDR Treatment: Less stimuli. Such a hypothesis would be worth tends to move my whole face at the same Than Meets the Eye?" I was struck by cer­ examining in controlled studies. time, and what I am doing is much more tain similarities between EMDR and cog­ obvious.) It was after a year of using nitive therapy. Although Lilienfeld does not Van L. Knowles's conjecture that EMDR for fast, temporary relief that 1 mention this as a possible explanation for EMDR's efficacy, if any, derives from its read Lilienfeld's SI article questioning the EMDR's purported efficacy, I think it incorporation of cognitive therapy mecha­ techniques validity as a long-term therapy. deserves consideration. Cognitive therapy nisms is intriguing and worth considering. I My own experience confirms this skepti­ has been well studied and demonstrated to agree that several of the techniques used in cism, but emphasizes its immediate effec­ be effective, particularly in the treatment of EMDR, such as the substitution of negative tiveness. I suspect that there is some elec­ depression; and as H. I. Kaplan, B. J. cognitions with positive cognitions, are sim­ trochemical process here associated with Sadock, and J. A. Grebb (Kaplan and ilar to those used in standard cognitive treat­ the eye muscles that has a highly specific Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry, 7th ed., ments for anxiety disorders. The evaluation and repeatable effect on depression, at Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1994, p. of Knowles's hypothesis is complicated how­ least for me, but I'll have to leave it to the 532) point out, depression is often associ­ ever, by two factors. First, many cognitive neuroscientists to tell us why. ated with anxiety. Furthermore, they also treatments incorporate procedures that are note that cognitive therapy is indicated for traditionally considered behavioral in An intriguing alternate hypothesis is post-traumatic stress disorder (p. 610), gen­ nature, such as the exposure of clients to suggested in Martin Gardners article eralized anxiety disorder (p. 614), and feared stimuli until their anxiety habituates. ("Post-Freudian Dream Theory"), ironically

56 May/lune 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Second, many of the "cognitive" procedures in with other less cerebral, more visceral trated by a villain for nefarious ends. used by cognitive therapists may actually (figuratively and literally) films and televi­ "Scooby Doo" is perhaps the most work by means of the same learning princi­ sion series. "The X-Files" demonstrates die popular cartoon shown over the past two ples that appear to underlie the effectiveness need for hard empirical evidence to sup­ decades. Most Americans under the age of of behavioral treatments. For example, the port claims, and the benefits of subjecting 30 watched it as a child, and many older common cognitive technique of encouraging evidence to scrutiny. It's not a pair of sci­ Americans watched it with their children. clients to make positive self statements (e.g., entists hunched over a Bunsen burner, but Skeptics wanting to discuss die paranor­ "I can handle this ") during anxiety-provok­ "Miami Vice" is not how law enforcement mal might effectively relate to their audi­ ing experiences might owe its effectiveness to works, either. At least, not in this reality. ence by noting that paranormal happen­ a classic conditioning process in which aver- ings are often not as diey first appear, as sive stimuli are repeatedly paired with anxi­ David Dumble Scooby Doo frequently discovered. ety-reducing thoughts. Thus, although Albany, N.Y. Knowles is correct to point out the common­ Daniel K. Poling alities between EMDR and cognitive ther­ Alexandria, Va. apy whatever efficacy EMDR possesses may Regarding William Evans's Science and in fact be attributable to its reliance on Reason in Film and Television, the use of behavioral techniques (e.g., exposure) that doubters who disbelieve the evidence of Several recent issues of the SKEPTICAL are adventitiously incorporated by many cog­ their own eyes and question the sanity of INQUIRER have taken up the subject of nitive therapies. befuddled protagonists is a literary device how science and the paranormal are of long standing. Much popular fiction treated in American television. Readers of (Francine Shapiros response to Scott O. would be impossible without it (I myself SI would probably be interested in know­ Lilienfeld and his reply are in review. used the ploy in my most recent pot­ ing that the science fiction series "Babylon —EDITOR) boiler). Ghost stories, an honorable genre, 5" has named a fictional organization after particularly rely on thwarted skepticism to CSICOP. In the B5 universe, there is a produce tension, suspense, or humor. group of highly powerful telepaths called Science and TV The point of television spook shows "psi cops" who enforce the rules of "Psi such as "The X-Files" is to entertain and Corps," which all human telepaths are forced by law to join if they don't want to go As both a self-professed skeptic and a fan of amuse. For Evans to argue that the series' on "psi-inhibiting" drugs or go to prison. A die television series "The X-Files," I feel portrayal of skeptics is "unscientific" is as check of the main B5 World Wide Web some response is needed to William Evans's silly, for example, as denouncing Mother site (http.//www.hyperion.com/lurk/lurker. article "Science and Reason in Film and Goose for the same sin because, as we all html) gave the following quote originally Television" (January/February 1996). My know, no wolf, no matter how big or bad, posted in Usenet by series creator J. main problem with his analysis is that he has the lung power to blow down a house Michael Straczynski after the first episode appears to define "skeptic" as a person who of straw. It is sillier still for Evans to com­ was aired featuring the "psi cop" Bester, does not believe in paranormal phenom­ plain that the program and others like it named after author Alfred Bester, who ena. 1 believe a better definition would be arc too believable; believability and die wrote about telepathic police: that a skeptic is someone who will not fostering of a willing suspension of disbe­ believe a proposition of fact unless it is sup­ lief arc fundamental imperatives of story­ ported by credible empirical evidence. In telling. That which is not credible is not I was wondering when anyone was going the reality I live in, I am aware of no reliable fun. to hii on the CSICOP reference. I was empirical evidence supporting the existence looking for a good name for the pit bulls of ghosts, for example, and therefore I am of the Psi Corps, and thought it made for Joseph R. Garber skeptical about claims as to their existence. a great play on words, and a very obscure San Francisco, Calif. almost-pun, to name uScm Psi-Cops. However, on a scries such as "The X- Files," there is abundant first-hand evi­ William Evans correctly noted that die Michael S. Hopkins dence paranormal events occur. Both Dana entertainment media often portray skep­ Norman, Okla. Scully and Fox Mulder are skeptics; tics as dogmatic individuals who are Mulder has subjected false paranormal almost always proven wrong when alleged claims to rigorous analysis on several occa­ paranormal events are confirmed. A Notable Murder sions and found them wanting. But given He fails to mention, however, one the "teality" the show works within, if shining exception to this pattern: the chil­ Richard Wiseman, Donald West, and Roy Mulder did not believe in paranormal phe­ dren's cartoon "Scooby Doo." Since its Stemman's article on psychic detectives nomena he would not be a skeptic; he'd be premiere in the early 1970s, Scooby and ("Psychic Crime Detectives: A New Test for an unreasoning boob. the gang have been investigating mysteries Measuring Their Successes and Failures," is this a subde distinction lost on many involving unexplained ghosts, monsters, SI, January/February 1996) contains an fans of "The X-Files" who do believe in lit­ and other assorted paranormal creatures. error concerning the murder of P. C. tle green men, telepathy, and astrology? Episode after episode, the mystery Gutteridge, which is a more significant case inevitably turns out to be a hoax perpe­ Probably. But I would not lump the show than it would seem from their description.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 57 eracy. Part 1 / Science and commonsense skepticism / Spook Hill / Lucian and Alexander /1991 CSICOP con­ FILL IN THE GAPS IN YOUR ference. 11991 (vol. 15. no. 4): Lucid dreams / Nature fak­ ing in the humanities / Carrying the war into the never-never land of psi: Part 2 / Coincidences / Locating Skeptical Inquirer COLLECTION invisible buildings / True believers.

• 15% discount on orders of $100 or more • SPRING 1991 (vol. 15, no. 3): Special report: Hi-fi • $6.25 a copy. Vols. 1-18 ($5.00 Vols. 19, 20). To order, use reply card insert • pseudoscience / Searching for extraterrestrial intelli­ gence: An interview with Thomas R. McDonough / MAROVAPfUL 1996 (vol. 20. no. 2) Science and super­ Skepticism, miracles, and knowledge. Getting smart about getting smarts / Carrying the war stition, Sagan I Special report Evaluation of military's into the never-never land of psi: Part 1 / Satanic cult program on psychic spying, Hyman I The role of repre­ WINTER 1994 (vol. 18, no. 2) The new skepticism / 'survivor' stories / 'Old-solved mysteries': The sentativeness in erroneous and pseudoscientific beliefs, Philosophy and the paranormal. Part 1: The problem of Kecksburg incident / Magic, medicine, and meta­ G/tovicn and Savrtsxy / Vampires of folklore and legend. 'psi.' / Electromagnetic field cancer scares / Attacks on physics in Nigeria / What's wrong with science educa­ Barber I Miracle photos Nickell / Claiborne Pell; Senator role-playing games / Global fortune-telling and Bible tion? Look at the family. from outer space, Gardner ($5.50) prophecy / Chermkov pattern puzzle. : 1991 (vol. 15. no. 2): Special report: Gallup FALL 1993 (vol. 18, no. 1): "Perspectives on education in JANUARY/raRUAHV 1996 (vol. 20, no. 1) How to make poll: Belief in paranormal phenomena / Science and America: Sandta study challenges misconceptions / Do an alien for autopsy, Stokes IEMDR treatment, Ulienfeld self-government / West Bank collective hysteria 'honest/ tests really measure honesty? / Astrology strikes I Psychic crime detectives, Wiseman, West and Stemman episode / Acceptance of personality test results / Belief back—but to what effect? / Diagnoses of alien kidnap­ I Health statistics bad for our health. Paulos I Science and in astrology: A test of the Barnum effect / A test of pings that result from conjunction effects in memory / reason in film and television, Evans /Post-Freudian dream clairvoyance using signal-detect ion / Intercessory Mathematical magic for skeptics /The blind girl who saw theory. Gardner ($5.00) prayer as medical treatment? the flash of the first nuclear weapon test / Science: The NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1995 (vol. 19, no. 6) The GAO feminists' scapegoat? FALL 1990 (vol. 15. no. 1); Neural Organization report on Roswell, Klass I Why creationists don't go to Technique: Treatment or torture / The spooks of quan­ psychic fairs, Taylor. Eve, and Harrold I Eyewitness testi­ SUMMER 1993 (vol 17, no. 4): The right hemisphere: An tum mechanics/ Science and Sir / The 'N' mony and the paranormal, Wiseman, Smith, and esoteric doset? / Improving science teaching: The text­ machine / Biological cycles and rhythms vs. biorhythms / Wiseman I Objectivity and repeatability in science, book problem / The eyewitness: Imperfect interface 1990 CSICOP Conference. Mussachia I Culture-bound syndromes as between stimuli and story / Pathological sci­ fakery, Bartholomew I Freud's theory of ence: An update / Jack Horkheimer, "Star SUMMER 1990 (vol. 14. no. 4): Ghosts make news: dreams, Gardner ($5.00) Hustler,' interview / The false memory syn­ How four newspapers report psychic phenomena / drome. Thinking critically and creatively / Police pursuit of SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1995 (vol. 19, no. 5) satanic crime. Part 2 / Order out of chaos in survival The paradox of knowledge, Loevinger I SPRING 1993 (vol 17, no. 3): Anguished research / Piltdown. paradigms, and the paranormal / Consciousness as a valid subject for science, silence and helping hands: Autism and Auras: Searching for the light. Ingalb I School daze: review of African- facilitated communication / Facilitated SPRING 1990 (vol.14, no.3): Why we need to under­ American baseline essays, Howe I Mystical Communication, autism, and Ouija / stand science / The crisis in pre college science and medical arternativtsm, Raso l China, chi, and Treading on the edge: Practicing safe sci­ math education / Police pursuit of satanic crime. Part 1 chicanery, Huston / Fuzzy logic, Gardner ence with SET! / Education for science / A / The spread of satanic-cult rumors / Lying about poly­ ($5.00) threat to science / Charles Honorton's legacy to parapsychology / 1993 CSICOP graph tests / Worldwide disasters and moon phase. Conference. JULY/AUGUST 1995 (vol. 19. no. 4) How WINTER 1990 (vol. 14, no. 2): The new catastrophism / A to sell a pseudoscience, Pratkanis I field guide to critical thinking / Cold fusion: A case his­ Rumors, self-fulfilling prophecies, and WINTER 1993 (vol 17, no. 2): Special report tory in 'wishful science"? The airship hysteria of 1896-97 national obsessions, Paulos I Rose Mackenberg, 3.7 million Americans kidnapped by aliens? / Psychics: Do /Newspaper editors and the creation-evolution contro­ Pankratz I Moon, planets, and disasters, Branham I police departments really use them? / Psychic detectives: Artificial languages, Gardner/ Project Mogul and the A critical examination / Therapeutic touch. / Improving versy/Special report: New evidence of MJ-12 hoax. science teaching in the U.S / The Big Sur 'UFO' / The Roswell incident. ($5.00) FALL 19B9 (vol. 14, no. 1): Myths about science / The strange case of the New Haven oysters. relativity of wrong / Richard Feynman on fringe sci­ MAY/JUNE 1995 (vol. 19. no. 3) The belief engine. ence; Luis Alvarez and the explorer's quest / The two AJcock I Is skepticism tenable? Setoff plus Blackmore, FALL 1992 (vol 17, no 1): A celebration of Isaac cultures / The 'top-secret UFO papers' NASA won't Hyman. Kurtz. Alcock. and Gardner I Mediumship, Asimov: A man for the universe. Kendrick Frazier, release / The metaphysics of Murphy's Law. Stem / Ancient aluminum. Eggert I mania Arthur C. Oarke. Frederik Pohl. Harlan Ellison, L Sprague de Camp, Carl Sagan, Stephen Jay Gould, wanes. Nickelt I Doug Henning and TM. Gardner I A SUMMER 19B9 (vol. 13, no. 4): The New Martin Gardner, Paul Kurtz, Donald young Grand Canyon? Heaton. ($5.00) Age—An examination: The New Age in per­ Goldsmith, James Randi, and E. C. Krupp I Skeptical spective / A New Age reflection in the magic MARCH/APRIL 1995 (vol. 19, no. 2) Remembering Gaia without mysticism / Gaia's scientific Inquirer i mirror of science / The New Age: The need dangerously, Loftus I Antiscience in academia. Gross coming of age / The curse of the rune- for myth in an age of science / Channeling / and Levitt I Feminism now alienating women from sci­ stone: Deathless hoaxes / Night terrors, The psychology of channeling / 'Entities' in ence. JCoertge / 'Lights out": A faxlore phenomenon, sleep paralysis, and devil-stricken tele­ the linguistic minefield / Crystals / Consumer Brunvand I Critique of evolution study, Larhammar. phone cords from hell / Scientific creation- ft-? culture and the New Age / The Shirley ($5.00) ism: The social agenda of a pseudoscience MacLaine phenomenon / Special report: / Observing stars in the daytime: The chim­ California court jails psych* surgeon. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1995 (vol. 19. no. 1) Wonder ney myth / Does an ancient Jewish amulet and skepticism, Sagan I Putting away childish things, commemorate the conjunction of 2 B.C.? SPRING 19S9 (vol. 13, no. 3): High school Dawkins I The astonishing hypothesis, Cric/t. / Nuclear biology teachers and pseudoscientific belief medicine, Seaborg I Literary science blunders, Gardner SUMMER 1992 (vol. 16, no. 4): Freedom / Evidence for Bigfoot? Alleged pore struc­ I Air Force report on the Roswell incident / 1994 CSI- of scientific inquiry under siege / Psychic ture in Sasquatch footprints / The tore of COP Conference. ($5.00) experiences: Psychic illusions / The scien­ levitation / Levrtation 'miracles' in India / tist's skepticism / The persistent popularity of the Science, pseudoscience, and the doth of Turin / Rather FALL 1994 (vol. 18, no. 5): Empirical evidence for rein­ paranormal / Self-help books: Pseudoscience in the than just debunking encourage people to think/ MJ-12 carnation? / Reader's guide to the ozone controversy / guise of science? Bigfoot evidence: Are these tracks real? / Why we are papers 'authenticated'? / A patently false patent myth. unmoved as oceans ebb and flow / Anomalous phe­ SPRING 1992 (vol. 16. no. 3): Special Report: The WINTER 19B9 (vol. 13, no. 2): Special report The nomena in Kazakhstan / False memories. Maharishi caper: JAMA hoodwinked / Myths of sub­ 'remembering water* controversy / Bibliographic guide liminal persuasion: The cargo-cult science of sublim­ to the 'dilution controversy' / Pathologies of science, SUMMER 1994 (vol 18, no 4.): 'Extraordinary science' inal persuasion / Subliminal perception: Facts and fal­ precognition, and modern psychophysics / A and the strange legacy of Nikola Tesla / Nikola Tesla; lacies / Subliminal tapes / The Avro VZ-9 "flying saucer* Genius, visionary, and eccentric / Pollens on the 'Shroud': reaction-time test of ESP and precognition / Chinese / Two 19th-century skeptics: Augustus de Morgan and A study in deception / Do televised depictions of para­ psychic's pillbottle demonstration / The Kirlian tech­ John Fiske. normal events influence viewers' beliefs? / Synchronicity nique / Certainty and proof in creationist thought. and the archetypes / The synthetic mind dashes with the l 1992 (vol.16. no_2): On being sued: The chilk FALL 19BB (vol. 13, no. 1): Special report Astrology reductionist text / Psi in pyschology. ing of freedom of expression / The crop-circle phenom­ and the presidency / Improving Human Performance: enon / Update on the 'Mars effect' / A dissenting note What about parapsychology? / The China syndrome: • 1994 (voL 18, no. 3): The Antiscience Threat The on Ertel's 'Update' / Magic Melanin: Spreading scien­ Further reflections on the paranormal in China / growth of antiscience / The antiscience problem / tific illiteracy among minorities. Part 2 / Adventures in Measuring the prevalence of fatse memories / Bleuier's Backward masking / The validity of graphological science and cyclosophy / Searching for security in the views on inheritance of acquired characteristics and on analysis / The intellectual revolt against science. mystical. psi phenomena / Examining the satanic panic ... A per­ sonal perspective ... A sociological and historical per­ FALL 1991 (vol. 16, no. 1): Near-death experiences / For a complete listing of our bade issues, spective / Philosophy and the paranormal. Part 2: Multicultural pseudoscience: Spreading scientific illit- call 800-634-1610. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Gutteridge was shot four times, not different implications for public health. claimed to be an alien abductee. As she two; twice in his left cheek, then through The population-attributable-risks propor­ spoke, she looked deep into my eyes with his eyes as he lay on die ground. To whip tion measures the fraction of all cases of a the direct intensity that warned me here was out a gun and shoot someone through disease in a population that can be attrib­ a person who did not have both feet each eye who was standing would suggest uted to a certain exposure; in the case of grounded in reality. The alien autopsy film an unlikely degree of accuracy, especially electromagnetic fields and leukemia, this wouldn't fool a careful observer, but was it at night. What makes this act of brutality proportion is indeed very small. However, designed to edify the faith of such true noteworthy is the theory that has circu­ a different figure, the attributable risk in believers? Or was it designed to sell to a lated since: that one of the murderers the exposed, is of relevance for calculating media that has joined the National Enquirer feared the dead man's retinas (or possibly the risk of disease in subsets of the popu­ in its glorification of cheap sensationalism? pupils) would retain a visual impression of lation with greater degrees of exposure to the last thing he saw, and so destroyed the factor of interest. Occupational expo­ Virginia Vineyard them—retinal retention being yet another sure to intense electromagnetic fields may Duncan, Ariz. long-standing extraordinary claim for be associated with an increased risk (on which there is no evidence. the order of 50 percent) of leukemia in the small fraction of the population that Also, Wiseman et al. state that the Science and Theory of Dreams makes its living repairing power lines and investigation lasted six months, whereas with other types of close exposure to these Gutteridge was killed on September 27. fields. It is inappropriate to dismiss as In his otherwise excellent article ("Post- 1927; the killers were arrested in late unfounded all concerns about the health Freudian Dream Theory," SI, January 1928; and both were executed on risks of certain exposures, as measures to January/February 1996), Martin Gardner May 31, 1928. control them may be of importance for incorrectly asserts that "Nightmares . . . those with greater than average exposure. occur only during NREM (non-rapid eye Tom Ruffles movement) sleep" (p. 7). In fact, all or vir­ Norfolk, U.K. tually all nightmares are simply extremely Edward B. Whitney vivid dreams and therefore occur during Richard Wiseman replies: Denver, Colo. REM sleep. Gardner may be confusing nightmares with "night terrors" (pavor My thanks to Tom Ruffles for noting two nocturnis), which are episodes character­ minor errors in our article on psychic detec­ Questions about 'Alien Abductions' ized by sudden arousals from deep sleep tives. These minor errors do not alter any of that begin with panicked screams or cries. Night terrors, which generally occur in the results reported in the article, as the indi­ Joseph Bauer's article on the "alien children, superficially resemble night­ viduals who judged the accuracy of the psy­ autopsy" ("A Surgeon's View: Alien mares because they are marked by intense chics' and students' comments were presented Autopsy's Overwhelming Lack of signs of anxiety and abrupt increases in with a large amount of reliable information Credibility," January/February 1996) autonomic activity (e.g., accelerated heart about the crimes (e.g., the exact number of asked some pertinent questions, but why rate). Unlike nightmares, night terrors are shots fired, the exact dates of arrest, trial, aren't harder ones being asked about the not associated with reports of vivid dream­ and hanging) and not the short, generalized, entire UFO matter? Such as: Why are the ing and almost always occur during summaries presented in the article. world's governments hiding the evidence NREM sleep. of alien visits? "People would panic," true believers chant, but would they? Orson Welles panicked the nation with a radio Health Statistics and Risk Scon O. Lilienfeld program describing invaders destroying Assistant Professor, Psychology everything and everyone in their path. The In "Health Statistics May Be Bad for Our Emory University only intelligent response for those who Mental Health" (SI, January/February Atlanta, Ga. believed they were hearing a genuine news 1996), John Allen Paulos deplores the exag­ broadcast was panic and flight. Would this gerated fears of disease that health statistics generation, raised on "Star Trek" and Star can create in public perceptions. He com­ Wars, be terrified or curious? May I draw your attention to a small error ments that "People worry that electromag­ in Martin Gardner's column? Gardner netic fields, which have increased by a fac­ Another question is: Why would the asserts that "Nightmares . . . occur only tor often in the last fifty years, have caused military hide the evidence of alien visita­ during NREM sleep." in fact, nightmares an increase in leukemia rates, which in fact tions? Why haven't our military leaders occur during REM sleep. A nightmare is have risen slighdy, if at all, in that time." gone to Congress, displayed alien artifacts, simply a vivid bad dream. Vivid dreams, He leaves the impression that concern over and demanded umpty-jillion dollars to of whatever tone, are associated with the electromagnetic fields is unfounded. build a high-tech defense system? What REM phase. Indeed, the paralysis of Although he does an admirable job of kind of military establishment would skeletal muscles, which along with rapid placing many kinds of health risks in per­ ignore threats of invasion and show disin­ eye movements is a distinguishing feature terest in building the forces to fight it? spective, Paulos fails to distinguish of that phase, seems to enter into the con­ between two measures of risks that have Last spring, I met a young woman who tent of many nightmares as a feeling of

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Mjy/June 1996 59 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR entrapment, or of being helplessly "rid­ states, "Natural selection, for instance, is mention Freud's awareness of war combat den" by a malign being seated on the purely opportunistic, responding to local nightmares and how he tried to interpret chest (hence the term nightmare). conditions. It doesn't follow a script" them as wish fulfillments. He considered Nightmares are most common in the sec­ (Uncommon Sense, Oxford University them so painful that the mind's "censor" is ond half of the sleep period. While occa­ Press, 1993, p. 173).... powerless to give them benign disguises. sional nightmares are normal, recurrent fearful dreams afflict about five percent of D. F. Hughes the population at any given time; a fur­ Toronto, Ontario Hoax or Joke? ther six percent report having had Canada repeated nightmares in the past. Mental Reading "Who Plays the Fool When health professionals classify repetitious Discover Magazine Hoaxes Its Readers?" distressing dreams as dream anxiety disor­ Martin Gardner does not mention that (SI, January/February 1996) reminded me der. Perhaps Gardner was thinking of Freud completely revised his wish-fulfill­ of a "science fact" anicle by Isaac Asimov night terrors, a condition distinct from ment theory of dreams when he observed in an April Astounding Science Fiction (later nightmares, which does happen in World War I combat casualties experienc­ renamed Analog) sometime in the 1950s. NREM sleep, typically during the first ing repetitive battle dreams—obviously The title (apart from possible minor spelling errors on my part) was "The half of the sleeping period. . . . not wish-fulfilling. Endochronic Properties of Resublimaied Having spent most of my career with Thiotimoline." It included numerous Leonard George the Veterans Administration, I treated vet­ numerical tables, graphs, and references, Clinical Psychologist erans from three wars who had vivid, and described thiotimoline, a sulfur com­ Vancouver Hospital and repetitive dreams of their combat experi­ pound that dissolved rapidly in water. As Health Sciences Centre ences. (I, myself, had them for several its purity was increased (by repeated subli­ Vancouver, British Columbia weeks following my tour of combat in mation) the speed of solution decreased, World War II.) eventually becoming negative (that is, the 1 suspect that most of our nightly substance dissolved before the water was In "Post-Freudian Dream Theory" Martin dreams are probably brain junk; but cer­ added). Apart from a brief paragraph stat­ Gardner writes, "REM dreaming surely tainly not post-traumatic revivifying ing there may be philosophical implica­ serves some useful function, otherwise dreams, which deserve further study. tions that are inappropriate to mention in why would evolution have invented it?" a paper on chemistry, and a remark about Gardner is here making a remarkable Albert Kostlan the need for automating the adding of the and utterly uncharacteristic mistake, for Lafayette, Calif. water because of the problems created natural selection is essentially negative, in when a human, noting that solution had that it selects against what is disadvanta­ occurred, tried to withhold the solvent, geous to a species. REM dreaming, pre­ Martin Gardner replies: there was no indication that there was any­ cisely as a form of dreaming, offers no thing extraordinary being discussed. The purchase for any kind of natural selection, The distinction between nightmares and editor, John Campbell, later had to apolo­ whether positive or negative. Such pur­ night terrors is a recent technical one. What gize to his readers, many of whom wrote chase could be offered only by some as yet experts now call terrors were, in the past and letters of outrage when they discovered undiscovered and more direcdy observable are by almost everyone today, called night­ that the references were bogus. He consequence of the possession of the dis­ mares. In his book Sleep (p. 187) J. Allan promised never to play April Fool again. position to REM dream. Hobson writes: "Nightmares occur at all ages. Some are precipitated from non-REM sleep, Antony Flew in which cases they are characterized by pure John G. Fletcher Reading, U.K. fear without visual imagery, and others from Livermore, Calif. REM sleep, when they take the form of vivid and frightening dreams." Hobson reproduces a picture illustrating the monstrous terror Martin Gardner states "REM dreaming... The editorial comments on the April that can accompany non-REM sleep, calling serves some useful function, otherwise Discover magazine ice-borer hoax brings to it a "classic 'nightmare" experience. Why why would evolution have invented it? ... mind an amusing story that resulted in quibble over using a word with its tradi­ One plausible argument is that during the quite a number of responses. tional common meaning? night, when it is difficult to hunt for food, The BBC had a program called mammals began to rest their bodies and Antony Flew and D. E Hughes are right "Panorama" many years ago, hosted by minds until the sun arose." in pointing out that evolution filters out newsreader Richard Dimbleby. Dimbleby Perhaps Gardner has chosen his words harmful mutations, often leaving harmless had every bit as much credibility as our unwisely. The fundamental nature of evo­ ones undisturbed even if they have no sur­ Walter Cronkite or Chet Huntley. lution is the random manner (chance vival value. Dimbleby had waited for several years for included) that natural selection acts on the Albert Kostlan must not have seen the "Panorama" to run on April 1st. When it development of species. As Prof. Cromer first of my two columns on dreams where I did, he sat at his news desk, a placard with

60 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

April u the top and a huge / underneath, In the January/February 1996 issue's "Media Perversity, etc.), and I have served on next to him. Watch" column, C. Eugene Emery, Jr., their editorial boards or contributed to He launched into a story about the makes die point that since die Small them. But, just as these journals would spaghetti harvests taking place in many Mammal Zoo and Discovery Center does be inappropriate places to announce, say, quaint villages in northern Italy. Films not exist, the lener to Discover magazine from an important medical breakthrough, were shown of people plucking what was Shigatsu Baka must itself be an April Fool journals such as Discover serve neither really cooked pasta from the branches of joke. A clearer and certainly more amusing their readers nor science by including mulberry trees, feasting on the fresh har­ indication of this is that "Shigatsu Baka" lit­ joke "scientific" reports. vest at huge tables. erally means "April Fool" in Japanese. The BBC switchboards lit up all over the George Englebretsen British Isles. Callers were wanting to make James Unterburger Department of Philosophy sure diey had seen and heard correcdy. One Portland, Ore. Bishop's University man said, "My wife doesn't believe it, but if Lennoxville, Quebec Dimbleby said it, it must be true! Isn't it?" Canada I, for one, would love to see a kinescope The joke's on me. I had to read C. of this, and any reader who might have an Eugene Emery Jr.'s Media Watch column NTSC-compatible copy can contact me by in the January/February issue three times 0. J. Simpson Trial and Reason e-mail at [email protected]. before I figured out it had to be a put- on. It seemed impossible to me that any­ I guess it was bound to happen. Even die David J. Mann one with half a brain could have failed to SKEPTICAL INQUIRER was unable to resist Portland, Ore. see through either the 1994 or 1995 getting a piece of the O.J. Simpson trial Discover magazine April Fool articles. Or on its pages ("Don't Bother Me with the that anyone who was in fact taken in Facts: The Simpson Case and Rational Eugene Emery made some good points in could be so humorless as to throw what Thought," by Elie A. Shneour, his criticism of Discover magazine. amounted to a three-page snit in a major January/February 1996). The article is a Discovers 1995 April Fool's Day joke publication. perfect example of the strengths and weak­ nesses of logic. The snength is shown in could well have been a bit more obvious. Some of us who do not believe that the logical conclusions drawn from the Nevertheless, there is a difference between skepticism means checking your sense of facts of the trial. However, because two a hoax and a joke. Further, Emery's sug­ humor at the door have a great deal of major axioms of the criminal justice sys­ gestion that Discover might start giving us trouble defending the movement against tem were ignored in framing the argu­ "breathless" accounts of ESP and alien the popular image of the Emerys of the kidnappings, and his speculation that ments, the conclusion reached is valid but world, a load of Cromwells out to squash not true. Discover was "probably" under pressure every last elf, suppress every last giggle, from Disney to cover UFOs were gratu­ and basically turn the world to shades of Specifically, die two missing axioms itous and completely unsupported by evi­ grey. Lighten up! are: (1) Because the power of the state is so dence. Indeed, Discover has thrived since much greater dian any individual, the Disney took it over, and it is one of the A. C. Willment state's actions must be beyond reproach in few periodicals dial I read nearly cover to Ridgewood, N.J. gathering and presenting evidence in a cover. Emery was irresponsible in taking trial. (2) The public is better protected if a such a swipe at one of die few sources of criminal is not convicted than if the state real science available to the lay public. is able to obtain convictions through false­ C. Eugene Emery, Jr., was quite right to hood. raise concerns over Discover magazine's Man Young attempts at April Fool "humor." Today's I grant the evidence presented at the Boulder, Colo. public is prone to accept any reason for trial was overwhelming against Simpson; either ignoring or even rejecting genuine in fact, I would stipulate all of the author's science. Even the hint of fake, phony, or conclusions are warranted. But taking into I subscribe to both Discover and funny science in a single article in a sin­ account that this evidence was dearly tam­ pered with by die police, even if there is a SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and enjoy bodi pub­ gle issue of a reputable science journal lications. I really got a kick out of the casts an odor on the whole journal and logical case to be made that the tampering April hoax done by Discover, as it was fun scientific writing in general—just the may not have affected the case, axiom No. to see a "serious" magazine tweak itself and excuse many readers need to justify their 1 clearly precludes using any evidence pre­ its readers widi humor. negative attitudes toward science. What I sented by two men who have been clearly (of all people) am not suggesting is that shown to have tampered with die evidence As for the article by C Eugene Emery, Jr., there is no room for humor or parody in in this and other cases. Thus the case all I can say is lighten up- Occasional humor science. There are humor magazines against Simpson failed to meet the legal done in good taste never hurt anyone. devoted to just that (e.g., Annab of requirements for conviction. So Simpson Improbable Research, Journal of Irrepro- is free, and axiom No. 2 comes into play; Steve J. Broden ducible Results, Journal of Polymorphous the logic is still sound and the justice sys- Clayton, Calif.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/lunr 1996 61 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR tem worked, albeit slowly and painfully. hypothesis is dependent upon the design Elie A. Shneour replies: Because two trained police profession­ of the study, the objectivity of the als chose to abuse their power and tamper researcher, and die quality of the evidence. In assessing the O. J. Simpson trial, it is with the evidence in a murder trial, the A good design says, "This is the most important to keep in mind that the possible law of the land made it impossible to likely explanation for the evidence we perjury by detective Mark Fuhrman, the obtain a conviction. If the specific exam­ have gathered." Sloppy lab work, poor bloody glove, the labeling of swatches, and ple had been of a UFO sighting or other analysis, or evidence of tampering would the "missing" blood were not the defining paranormal event, much the same rules of deny publication in any refereed journal. fundamentals of that case. Many critical logic could have been applied. If the chief Applying the generally accepted rules and facts concerning the evidence were ignored proponents of the unusual circumstance guidelines of the scientific community to by the jury as well as by the media. Example: the fact that detective Philip Vannatter was had a record of faking the evidence, would the prosecution's evidence in the Simpson required by police regulations to keep the any member of CSICOP fail to discount trial would have resulted in a rejection of Simpson blood sample in his immediate cus­ their testimony? The selective use of testi­ consideration and strong disapproval of tody at all times until he could deliver it to mony has long been a tool of the the prosecution team. Slipshod treatment the laboratory. unscrupulous and a clear indication of of the evidence created too many con­ fraud. How is it more appropriate to use founding variables and alternative 1 agree with George L. Miller's statement faulty testimony in a murder trial than in hypotheses to reject the presumption of that police departments should begin to a UFO sighting? Logic is useful, but it has innocence with a high level of certainty. respect the rules of science, but that admoni­ its limits. As a juror, I would have judged tion applies even more cogently to trial Simpson likely to be guilty. As a scientist, lawyers. On the other hand, I can only mar­ Ralph E. Hunt I would be compelled to acquit him. If the vel at Miller's assertion that as a juror he Brockport, N.Y. Los Angeles Police Department and simi­ would have judged Simpson guilty, but as a lar departments throughout the country scientist he would have acquitted him. I fail begin to respect the rules of science, our to follow the logic of that argument. What goes on in a court of law cannot be so glibly "Don't Bother Me with the Facts" vaults to society will be better off than it would equated with the activities of a scientific lab­ judgments that are inconsistent with both with the conviction of one person based oratory, but the laws of evidence share a rational thought and the judicial process. upon evidence that was treated with less common rationale with the scientific For example, what logic dictates that care than a fetal pig in a high school biol­ method. The Simpson trial was neither the "Rational thought in a functioning civil ogy class. evaluation of a scientific hypothesis nor a society requires that the circumstantial scientific experiment, and to make that com­ evidence should have been accorded George L. Miller parison is ludicrous. And all the pedantry in weight above all other evidence"? Is there Fitchburg State College the world cannot overcome the fact—a fetal scientific evidence that this approach leads Fitchburg, Mass. pig in a high school biology class notwith­ to more accurate judgments of guilt or standing—that there was overwhelming evi­ innocence? What evidence of human Elie Shneour believes not only that O. J. dence even without the DNA data to convict behavior or logic "compels a punishment Simpson committed the crimes he was Simpson. consistent with the deeds committed"? charged with, but also that no rational per­ Will society be better off if whoever killed son could believe otherwise. Never mind the Harry J. Kamack's letter states that I Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown is him­ perjuries, the sloppy police work, and lab­ believe "not only that Mr. Simpson com­ self slashed to death? oratory errors that would invalidate any mitted the crimes . . . but also that no In science, the research hypothesis is ordinary scientific experiment. Never rational person could believe otherwise." It supported when the null hypothesis (the mind questions about the time frame, and is not a matter of belief, Mr. Kamack, but hypothesis of no difference) is rejected. In whether Simpson had the opportunity to one of sober, exhaustive, and responsible a court of law, a defendant is presumed do all the things he must have done if he evaluation of the evidence. The defense, for innocent until "proven" guilty. This pre­ were the killer. example, was unable to offer one instance sumption of innocence is analogous to the No; the jurors' failure to reach the of exculpatory evidence in support of the null hypothesis. A scientific study first same conclusion as he does proves to defendant. Indeed, no rational person in a demands that the null hypothesis be Shneour that they lack his power of ratio­ position of responsibility for the fate of rejected with a high level of probability. nal thought; and from there he leaps to his another human being and the quality of One might set that level such that fewer ludicrous comparison of their action with justice in a free society could have decided than five times out of a hundred is the beliefs in pseudoscientific phenomena as the Simpson jury did. And as a civil experimental result likely to have occurred (astrology, the Loch Ness monster, etc.) in society, we are all diminished by that out­ by chance. Our society places equally high the face of "irrefutable scientific evidence come. standards on the rejection of the presump­ to the contrary"! Ralph E. Hunt's letter makes a valid tion of innocence. Society is not well Give us a break, Mr. Shneour. point about two criminal justice axioms, but served by sending innocent citizens to jail the conclusion reached about my application or killing them. Harry J. Kamack of it being valid but not true is misguided Finally, support of the research Newark, Del. The Hunt letter grants and stipulates the

62 May/June 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR fact that the evidence presented at the trial notes, Johnson cites an article by Kenneth Indignation and Nonsense? was overwhelming against Simpson. But R. Miller in die February/March 1994 then the letter goes on to state that "this evi­ Technology Review ("Life's Grand The article on the African-American dence was clearly [emphasis added] tam­ Design"). In that article, Miller recounted Baseline Essays ("School Daze: A Critical pered with by the police." This is totally an experiment where dental researchers Review of the African-American Baseline without any foundation whatsoever. Not a applied mouse epithelial cells to the beaks Essays' for Science and Mathematics," 5/, single iota of evidence was presented to sup­ of baby clicks. Later, these hens grew September/October 1995) led to some let­ port this widely held but erroneous belief. teeth, complete with impact-resistant ters (January/February 1996) from com­ enamel. Miller suggested that most birds petitors in the More-Sensitive-Than-Thou retain "pseudogenes" they inherited from contest being conducted among the politi­ Johnson's Attack on Naturalism their reptilian ancestors. The mouse cally correct ("cancel my subscription .. .*). epithelial cells stimulated the teeth-grow­ Self-righteous indignation is, clearly, a deli­ ing trait carried in their gene fragments. I appreciated Thomas Jukes's critical cious . But some 5/readers (one, at But note Phillip Johnson's response: review of Reason in the Balance, Phillip least) hope that it will continue to debunk Johnson's second book that attacks natu­ pseudoscientific nonsense, even when the ralism in science education ("Flight from If would require an additional chapter to nonsense comes from members or support­ address these examples here, and the effort ers of some racial or ethnic group. If that Reality," SI, January/February 1996). would distract readers From the main policy ever changes, caned my subscription. Phillip Johnson is a very popular creation­ philosophical themes, so I will merely say ist debater now on the college tour. I've that I look forward to discussing these read many of Johnsons essays and, like examples before scientific audiences with David A. Shotwell Jukes, noticed how frequently Johnson the support of my very capable associates Alpine, Tex. contradicts himself. Indeed, how can who have investigated them all. Johnson call himself a realist, and then condemn scientific realism? Since Johnson's book is only 245 Several letters in the January/February Johnson is quick to deny any associa­ pages long, I can't believe he chose not to 1996 issue of SKEPTICAI INQUIRER under tion between himself and the "young- debunk Miller's claims because doing so the heading "African-American Baseline earth" crusaders at the Institute for would have demanded one additional Essays," prompted a question that stuck: Creation Research, yet he borrows their chapter. Although I agree that Miller's Which is the greater evil—racism or same debating tactics. Like Duane Gish article isn't an open-and-shut case, I sus­ racial/ethnic identification? I suspect they and Henry Morris before him, Johnson pect that Johnson didn't challenge Miller are not very different. attacks all the flaws and inconsistencies he in print because he didn't yet have a good What is important about my friends finds in evolutionary theories without rebuttal. Still, I'm sure that Johnson and (who are from various parts of the world) submitting his own hypotheses to a chal­ his "associates" are busy drafting a per­ is that they are my friends. Although I lenge, analysis, or test. That's probably suasive challenge right now. And, natu­ appreciate history as a branch of knowl­ because Johnson is a lawyer, not a scien­ rally, it won't involve any new experi­ edge, I don't give a hoot about what an tist. When Harvard paleontologist ments. Scientists test while creationists individual's ancestors did. Stephen Jay Gould reviewed Johnson's talk. It sickens me to see ethnic tribalism first book, Darwin on Trial (Scientific increasing—and being called pride. Our American, July 1992), he noted that as a Tom Morrow lawyer, Johnson's strategy is to "poke any society makes it easier for some to shed hole to win acquittal" rather than Washburn, Tenn. their ethnicity than for others, but it is a acknowledge evolution's long-term gains. laudable goal for all. Debates over natural history will never reach a final "verdict," and this dilemma It Can't Be Jack Raso must frustrate lawyers like Johnson who Maspeth, N.Y. seek decisive judgments. The answer to your "Forum" column, "Looking Up to Logic" (SI, January/ In Jukes's review of Reason in the February), is simple: I hope you did not (but fear that you Balance, he claimed, "Publications contin­ If you see (or think you sec) a newspa­ probably did) attempt to placate William ued to present articles on evolution, at a per called The London Times anywhere, it's J. Knight, whose wildly intemperate lener level of sophistication several orders of either a hoax or an hallucination. appeared in the January/February SI. magnitude higher tJian Johnson's, and No paper exists with the name The "Horrified" at what he considered a there is no indication that he has read any London Times. The newspaper published "vicious caricature" accompanying the of these articles." Jukes must have over­ in London, England, to which Americans article on African-American Baseline looked the Research Notes at die end of sometimes give this name is simply called Essays in the September/October 1995 Johnson's book because Johnson revealed The Times. issue, he threatened to "cancel my sub­ i li .11 he had read such articles, but brushed scription, cease my donations to CSICOP, aside their implications. Mark Tier and denounce the organization as racist in For example, on page 228 of his end­ Sheung Wan, Hong Kong any situation where the name of CSICOP

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 S3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

is invoked" unless you printed an "unqual­ a province of The Netherlands. The Prize winner David Baltimore." I think that ified apology." It is from Knight that an Christian fundamentalist parties (yes, the statement is misleading, since it was a apology should be forthcoming. plural, one of them does not even admit junior colleague of Baltimore who was This kind of intimidation is typical of women as members! And our equivalent of accused of data fabrication (and the question the basically authoritarian mind-set of so the Supreme Court said that this was OK) is not entirely resolved); Baltimore's supposed many of those who profess to be brim­ do have two seats in our Provincial Council transgression was apparendy his impassioned ming with sensitivity and respect for their of 30 members. Of course the fundamen­ defense of her and the way he conducted thai fellowmcn. A person capable of such an talists do believe in all kinds of psychic phe­ defense. It seemed to me to reflect his basic outburst over an illustration (not carica­ nomena; except that they think it is of the belief in the goodness of scientists. ture) that was not only appropriate to the Devil. And that is why they go to the subject but innocuous to anyone not Psychic Fair in Zeeland. To picket. And to Jay M. Pasachoff politically corrected to the verge of lunacy warn any innocent visitors. Director, Hopkins Observatory is no asset to an organization devoted to Williams College rational inquiry and civil discourse. Marie P. Prins Williamstown, Mass. Oost-Souburg Donald G. Oakley The Netherlands Roswell, Ga. The Utters column is a forum for views on the matters raised in previous issues. Letters should be no more than 250 words. Psychic Fairs In Zeeland David Baltimore's Transgression? Due to the volume of letters, not all can be published. They should be typed double- Maybe creationists in the United States In Barry Markovsky's review of Michael spaced. Address: Letters to the Editor, don't go to psychic fairs (SI, November/ Friedlander's At the Fringes of Science SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, 944 Deer Dr. NE, December 1995), but their Zeeland coun­ (January/February 1996, p. 50), he writes: Albuquerque, NM 87122. terparts do. Zeeland (the old one, that is) is "allegations of data fabrication against Nobel Angels and Auras ... UFOs and Unicorns ... Miracles and Magic ... These things may entertain us. They may even speak to some of our deepest wishes. But they don't really help us understand how the world works.

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ARGENTINA. CAIRP. Director. Ladislao Enrique ITALY. CICAP (Comitate Italiano per II Controllo Des Plaines. II 60017-2792. Rational Marquez, Casilla de Correo 26. sue. 25, 1425, delle Affermazioni sul Paranormale), Largo Examination Assoc, of Lincoln Land (REALL), Buenos Aires. Europa, 2-35137 Padova. Scienza & Paranormale. David Bloomberg, Chairman, P.O. Box 20302, AUSTRALIA. National: Australian Skeptics. P.O. Box Massimo Polidoro, Editor, P.O. Box 60, 27058 Springfield IL 62708 (217-522-7554). A2324, Sydney South. NSW 2000. (Email: skep- Voghera (PV). INDIANA. Indiana skeptics, Robert Craig, ticsOspot.- tt.sw.au.oz). Regional: Australian JAPAN. Japan Skeptics, Jun Jugaku. Chairperson, Chairperson, 5401 Hedgerow Drive, Indanapolis, Capital Territory. P.O. Box 555. Civic Square, 2608. Business Center for Academic Societies Japan, 16-9 IN 46226. Newcastle Skeptics, Chairperson, Colin Keay. Honkomagome 5-chome, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113. KENTUCKY. 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Secretary-General, 35476 (205-759-2624). area), Joseph F. Gastright Contact 111 Wallace Ave, Merlin Gerin. RGE/A2 38050 Grenoble Cedex. ARIZONA. Tucson Skeptics Inc. James McGaha. Covington. KY 41014 (606-581-7315). Comite de llason Parasciences. Contact: Jean- Chairman. 7049 E. Tangue Verde Rd, Ste. 370, Tucson, OREGON. Oregonians for Rationality. Contact Paul Krivine. 14. Rue de PEcole Polytechnique. AZ 85715. Phoenix Skeptics. Michael Stackpole. Secretary: John Reese. 7555 Spring Valley Rd NW. 75005 Rue Paris. Chairman, P.O. Box 60333, Phoenix. AZ 85082. Salem, OR 97304 (503) 364-6676, email: GERMANY. Society for the Scientific CALIFORNIA. Bay Area Skeptics. Wilma Russell. joshrOncn.com. Investigation of Para-Science (GWUP). Secretary, 17722 Buti Park Court. Castro Valley, CA PENNSYLVANIA. Paranormal Investigating Amardeo Sarma, Convenor, Postfach 1222, 94S46. East Bay Skeptics Society. Daniel Committee of Pittsburgh (PICP). Richard Busch, D-64374 Rossdorf (Phone: +49 6154 695022. FAX: Sabsay, Pres.. P.O. Box 20989. Oakland. CA 94620 Chairman, 8209 Thompson Run Rd, Pittsburgh, PA •49 6154 695021). (510-420-0702). Sacramento Skeptics Society. 15237 (412-366-4663). Philadelphia Association HONG KONG. Hong Kong Skeptics. Contact Terry Sandbek. 3550 Watt Ave., Suite 13. for Critical Thinking (PhACT). Bob Glickman, Rebecca Bradley. P.O. Box 1010. Shatin Central Sacramento, CA 95821 (916-488-3772). E-mail: President PO Box 21970 Philadelphia. PA 19124 Post Office. Shatin. NT. tsandbek.mother.com. San Diego Association (215-533-4677). HUNGARY. Hungarian Skeptics. Gyula Bencze. for Rational inquiry. Contact: Bruce R. Wallace. TEXAS. Houston Association for Scientific Termeszet Vilaga, P.O. Box 25. Budapest 8.1444. 945 Fourth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101 (619- Thinking (HAST). Oarrell Kachilla, P.O. Box (Fax 011-36-1-118-7506). 233-1888 Fax:: 619-696-9476). 541314, Houston, TX 77254. North Texas INDIA. Indian Skeptics, B. Premanand. Chairman, 10 COLORADO. Rocky Mountain Skeptics. Bela Skeptics. Virginia Vaughn. President P.O. Box Chettipalayam Rd., Podanur 641-023 Coimbatore Scheiber. President P.O. Box 7277. Boulder. CO 111794. Carrolfton, TX 75011-1794. Tamil nadu. Indian Rationalist Association. 80306 (303-444-5368). WASHINGTON. The Society for Sensible Contact. Sanal Edamaruku. 779. Pocket 5, Mayur D.C. Capital Area. National Capital Area Skeptics. Explanations. P.O. Box 7121, Seattle. WA 98133- Vihar 1. New Delhi 110 091. Maharashtra c/o D.W. "Chip- Denman. 8006 Valley Street 2121. Tad Cook. Sec/Treas. (E-mail: tadBsjc.com). Superstition Eradication Committee. Dada Silver Spring. MD 20910. WISCONSIN. Contact person: Roxine McQuitty. Chandane. Secy.. D/8, First Floor. Super Market. FLORIDA. Tampa Bay Skeptics. Gary Posner. 1113 MATC-West 1200 S. 71st St, West Allis. Wl 53214 Solapur 413001. Normandy Trace Rd, Tampa. FL 33602 (414-456-5402. 414-873-4446. McQurttytJMusic. UU2LANO. Irian Skeptics. Peter O'Hara. Contact. St. (813-221 3S33). E mail: garypo*a>aol.com. lib.MATCedu) Joseph's Hospital, Limerick. GEORGIA. Georgia Skeptics. Becky Long. President ISRAEL. Israel Skeptics Society. Philip Marmaros. 2277 Winding Woods Dr., Tucker, 6A 30084. The organizations luted above htw a*™ similar to then of CSICOe Chairman. P.O. Box 8481. Jerusalem. (Fax: 972-2- but are independent and autonomous Representatives of these ILLINOIS. Midwest Committee for Rational organizations cannot speak on behalf of CSKOP Please send 611652, E-mail: charismaBnetvision.net.il). Inquiry, Danielle Kafka. President P.O. Box 2792. updates to larry Kan-. PO lax 703. Amherst. NY 14226-070J THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL

AT THE CENTM FOt HOIM* (AD1ACENI TO THE STATE UNIVMSITY Of NEW YOK AT BUFEAIOI • AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Paul Kurtz, Chairman Barry Karr. Executive Director

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS

George Agogino, Dept. of Anthropology, Philip A. lanna, assoc. professor of Chris Scott statistician, London. England Eastern New Mexico University astronomy, Univ. of Virginia Stuart D. Scott Jr., associate professor of Bill G. Aldridge. executive director, William Jarvis, professor of health pro­ anthropology, SUNY, Buffalo National Science Teachers Assoc. motion and public health, Loma Linda Erwin M. Segal, professor of psychology, University, School of Public Health Gary Bauslaugh. dean of technical and SUNY, Buffalo I. W. Kelly, professor of psychology. academic education and professor of Steven N. Shore, associate professor and chemistry, Malaspina College, University of Saskatchewan chair, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada Richard H. Lange. M.D., Mohawk Valley Indiana Univ. South Bend Physician Health Plan. Schenectady, Richard E. Berendzen, astronomer, Barry Singer, psychologist. Eugene, Washington, D.C. N.Y. Oregon Gerald A. Larue, professor of biblical his­ Martin Bridgstock. lecturer. School of Mark Slovak, astronomer, University of Science, Griffith Observatory, Brisbane, tory and archaeology, University of So. Wisconsin-Madison Australia California. Gordon Stein, physiologist, author; editor Richard Busch. magician, Pittsburgh, Pa. Bernard J. Leikind. staff scientist. GA Technologies Inc., San Diego of the American Rationalist Shawn Carlson, physicist San Diego, Calif. William M. London, Director of Public Waclaw Szybalski, professor, McArdle Charles J. Cazeau. geologist. Deary, Idaho Hearth at the American Council of Laboratory, University of Wisconsin- Ronald J. Crowley, professor of physics, Science and Hearth California State University, Fullerton Madison Thomas R. McDonough. lecturer in engi­ Ernest H. Taves. psychoanalyst, Roger B. Culver, professor of astronomy, neering, Caltech, and SETI Coordinator Cambridge, Massachusetts Colorado State Univ. of the Planetary Society Sarah G. Thomason. professor of linguis­ Felix Ares De Bias, professor of comput­ James E. McGaha. Major. USAF; pilot er science. University of Basque, San tics. University of Pittsburgh Joel A, Moskowitz director of medical Sebastian, Spain Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist psychiatry, Calabasas Mental Health Michael R. Dennett writer, investigator, Princeton University and the Hayden Services, Los Angeles. Federal Way, Washington Planetarium Robert B. Painter, professor of micro­ Sid Deutsch. Visiting Professor of electri­ Richard Wiseman, Senior Research biology. School of Medicine. University Fellow in psychology, University of cal engineering. University of South of California Hertfordshire Florida. Tampa John W. Patterson, professor of materials J. Dommanget astronomer, Royale science and engineering, Iowa State Observatory. Brussels, Belgium University CSICOP Nahum J. Duker, assistant professor of Steven Pinker, professor and director of pathology, Temple University the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Subcommittees Barbara Eisenstadt psychologist, educa­ MIT Astrology Subcommittee: Chairman, tor, clinician. East Greenbush, NY. James Pomerantz, Provost and professor I. W. Kelly. Dept. of Educational John F. Fischer, forensic analyst, Orlando, of cognitive and linguistic sciences, Psychology. 28 Campus Drive. Fla. Brown Univ. Saskatoon, Sask., Canada. 57N-OX1 Frederic A. Friedel, philosopher. Gary P. Posner. M.D., Tampa, Fla. Electronic Cornrriurikation Subcommittee: Hamburg. West Germany Daisie Radner. professor of philosophy, Chairman, Page Stephens, 6006 Fir Robert E. Funk, anthropologist, New SUNY, Buffalo Ave.. Cleveland, OH 44102. E-Mail: Jim York State Museum & Science Service Michael Radner, professor of philosophy, Kutz aa3870Cleveland.Freenet.edu Eileen Gambrill. professor of social wel­ McMaster University. Hamilton, fare. University of California at Ontario, Canada Health Claims Subcommittee: Co-chair­ men. William Jarvis, Professor of Berkeley Robert H. Romer. professor of physics, Health Promotion and Education, Sylvio Garattini. director, Mario Negri Amherst College Pharmacology Institute, Milan, Italy School of Public Hearth, Loma Linda Milton A. Rothman. physicist. University, Loma Linda, CA 93350, and Laurie Godfrey, anthropologist. Philadelphia. Pa Stephen Barrett M.D., P.O. Box 1747, University of Massachusetts Karl Sabbagh, journalist, Richmond, Allentown, PA 18105. Gerald Goldin. mathematician. Rutgers University. New Jersey Surrey. England Parapsychology Subcommittee: Robert J. Samp, assistant professor of Donald Goldsmith, astronomer; president. Chairman, Ray Hyman, Psychology education and medicine. University of Interstellar Media Dept.. Univ. of Oregon, Eugene. OR Wisconsin-Madison Clyde F. Herreid. professor of biology, 97402. Steven D. Schafersman, geologist Houston SUNY. Buffalo UFO Subcommittee: Chairman, Philip J. Bela Scheiber,* system analyst Boulder. Klass, 404 "N" Street S.W., Terence M. Hines. professor of psychology. Colo. Pace University, Pleasantville, N.Y. •Member of CSICOP Executive Council Washington, DC 20024. CENTER FOR INQUIRY The Committee for the Scientific Investigation

The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal encourages the critical investigation of paranormal and fringe-science claims from a responsible, scientific point of view and disseminates factual information about the results of such inquiries to the scientific community and the public. It also promotes science and scientific inquiry, critical thinking, science education, and the use of reason in examining important issues. To carry out these objectives the Committee:

• Maintains a network of people interested in critically examining paranormal, fringe-science, and other claims, and in contributing to consumer education • Prepares bibliographies of published materials that carefully examine such claims • Encourages research by objective and impartial inquiry in areas where it is needed • Convenes conferences and meetings • Publishes articles that examine claims of the paranormal • Does not reject claims on a priori grounds, antecedent to inquiry, but examines them objectively and carefully

The Committee is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization. The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is its official journal. Skeptical Inquirer

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