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Home , American Head, Luke Helder, Skeptical Inquirer, Stephen Barrett

Sept. 11 Conspiracy Book • Moscow Mysteries • The Return of Spring-Heeled Jack

Alternative Medicine an the White House Commission

. • THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE AT THE -INTERNATIONAL |ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO) • AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION . Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy. State University of New York at Buffalo , Executive Director , Senior Research Fellow , Research Fellow Richard Wiseman, Research Fellow Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director FELLOWS James E. Alcock,* psychologist. York Univ., Susan Haack, Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts Irmgard Oepen, professor of medicine Toronto and , prof, of philosophy. University (retired), Marburg, Germany , magician and inventor, Albany, of Miami Loren Pankratz. psychologist, Oregon Health Oregon C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales Sciences Univ. Marcia Angell, M.D., former editor-in-chief, Al Hibbs, scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ. New England Journal of Medicine Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist, MIT Robert A. Baker, psychologist. Univ. of understanding and cognitive , Massimo Polidoro, science writer, author, Kentucky Indiana Univ. executive director CICAP, Italy M.D., psychiatrist, author, Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. Physics and professor of history of science. Chicago ,* biopsychologist, Simon Harvard Univ. Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical professor of Fraser Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Canada ,* psychologist, Univ. of Oregon medicine, Stanford Univ., editor. Scientific Irving Biederman, psychologist Univ. of Leon Jaroff, sciences editor emeritus, 77me Review of Southern California Sergei Kapitza, former editor, Russian edition, Amardeo Sarma, engineer, head of dept. Susan Blackmore, psychologist, Univ. of the at T-Nova Deutsche Telekom, executive West of England, Bristol Philip J. Klass,* aerospace writer, engineer director, GWUP, Germany. Henri Broch, physicist. Univ. of Nice, France Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director, Griffith Evry Schatzman, former president, French Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, professor Observatory Physics Association emeritus of English, Univ. of Utah Paul Kurtz,* chairman, Center for Inquiry Eugenie Scott physical anthropologist, execu­ Vern Bullough, professor of history, California Lawrence Kusche, science writer tive director, National Center for Science State Univ. at Northridge Leon Lederman, emeritus director, Fermilab; Education Mario Bunge, philosopher, McGill University Nobel laureate in physics John R. Cole, anthropologist, editor. National , psychologist, Emory Univ. , science writer Center for Lin Zixin, former editor. Science and Elie A. Shneour, biochemist, author, Frederick Crews, literary and cultural critic. Technology Daily (China) director, Biosystems Research Institute, professor emeritus of English, Univ. of Jere Lipps, Museum of Paleontology. Univ. of La Jolla, Calif. California, Berkeley California, Berkeley Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Terrey F. H. C. Crick, biophysicist Salk Inst, for . professor of psychology, Hills, N.S.W.. Australia Biological Studies, La Jolla, Calif; Nobel Prize Univ. of Washington Robert Steiner, magician, author, laureate Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, El Cerrito, Calif. Richard Dawkins, zoologist, Oxford Univ. AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia, Calif. Jill Cornell Tarter, astronomer, SETI Institute, Cornelis de Jager, professor of astrophysics, John Maddox, editor emeritus of Nature Mountain View, Calif. Univ. of Utrecht the Netherlands David Marks, psychologist Oty University, London. Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Paul Edwards, philosopher, editor. Walter C. McCrone, microscopist, McCrone Angeles, Calif. Encyclopedia of Philosophy Research Institute David Thomas, physicist and mathematician, , professor of anthropology. Mario Mendez-Acosta, journalist and Peralta, New Mexico Central Connecticut State Univ. science writer. Mexico City, Mexico Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy, Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., U.K. Marvin Minsky, professor of media arts and Univ. of Southern California Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer, Foothill College, sciences, M.I.T. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and direc­ Los Altos Hills, Calif. David Morrison, space scientist, NASA Ames tor, Hayden Planetarium, .* science writer, editor. Research Center Marilyn vos Savant Parade magazine con­ Richard A. Muller, professor of physics, Univ. tributing editor and CBS News correspondent Yves Galifret. vice-president. Affiliated of Calif., Berkeley Steven Weinberg, professor of physics and Organizations: France H. Narasimhaiah, physicist president, astronomy, Univ. of at Austin; Nobel ,* author, critic Bangalore Science Forum, India Prize laureate Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, Santa Dorothy Nelkin, sociologist. New York Univ. Richard Wiseman, psychologist, University of Joe Nickell,* senior research fellow, CSICOP Fe Institute; Nobel Prize laureate Hertfordshire Lee Nisbet* philosopher, Medaille College Thomas Gilovich, psychologist, Cornell Univ. Marvin Zelen, statistician, Harvard Univ. Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, Toronto Bill Nye, science educator and television host, Saul Green, PhD. biochemist president of ZOL Nye Labs * Member, CSICOP Executive Council Consultants, New York, NY James E. Oberg, science writer (Affiliations given for identification only.)

• • • Visit the CSICOP Web site at http://www.csicop.org • • •

The SKEPTICAL INQUIRE* (ISSN 0194-6""30) is published bimonthly by die Committee for the Articles, reports, reviews, and letters published in the SKEPIICAl INQUIRER represent the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. 1310 Sweet Home Rd.. Amherst, NY views and work of individual authors. Their publication does not necessarily constitute an 14228. Printed in U.SA Periodicals postage paid at Buffalo. NY. Subscription prices: one year endorsement by CSICOP or its members unless so stated. (six issues). S35: two yean. S58; three years. SS1; single issue, $4.95. Canadian and foreign orders: Copyright ©2002 by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Payment in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank must accompany orders; please add USS10 per year Paranormal. All rights reserved. The SKEPTICAL INQUIRIR is available on 16mm microfilm, for shipping. Canadian and foreign customers arc encouraged to use Visa or MasterCard. 35mm microfilm, and lOSmm microfiche from University Microfilms International and is Inquiries from the media and the public about the work of the Committee should be made indexed in the Readers Guide to Periodical Literature. to Paul Kurtz. Chairman. CSICOP. Box 703. Amherst. NY 14226-0703. Tel: 716-636-1425. Subscriptions and changes of address should be addressed to: SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. BOX FAX: 716-636-1733. 703. Amherst, NY 14226-0703. Or call toll-free I -800-634-1610 (outside U.S. call 716-636- Manuscripts. Inters, books for review, and editorial inquiries should be addressed to Kendrick 1425). Old address as well as new arc necessary for change of subscribers address, with six hazier. Editor. SKFJ'IKA! INQCIRFR. 944 Deer Drive NE, Albuquerque. NM 87122. Fax 505- weeks advance notice. SKEPTICAl INQUIKFR subscribers may not speak on behalf of CSICOP 828-2080. Before submitting any manuscript, please consult our Guide for Aurhors for format and or the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. references requirements. It is on our Web site at http://www.cskop.org/si/guide-for-auihors.himI Postmaster Send changes of address to SKEJTTCAI INQUIRER, Box 703. Amherst. NY and on page 69 of the March/April issue. Or you may send a fax request to the editor. 14226-0703. SPECIAL REPORT

Skeptical Inquirer 12 White House 'CAM' Commission July/August 2002 • VOL 26, NO. 4 Reaches 'Preordained' Conclusion

TIM GORSKI, M.D. SCIENCE AND PS E U D O S C I E N C E IN RUSSIA 25 The First Skeptics' Congress 15 Prescriptions from the Land of Convenes in Russia Make-Believe Healthcare PAUL KURTZ WILLIAM M. LONDON

28 Resolution Against , Charlatanism, and Irrationalism COLUMNS in Russia EDITOR'S NOTE 29 The Reliability of Scientific Knowledge and the Enemies NEWS AND COMMENT New Age, Paranormal Topics Influenced Alleged Domestic Pipe of Science Bomb Terrorist Luke Helder / Rise of the Raelians: Flying Saucers, Science, Sex, and Religion / Controlled Study Finds No Efficacy for YURI N. EFREMOV St. John's Wort in Major Depression / Eloquence on Western Medicine, Alternative Medicine / Stephen Jay Gould 1941-2002 33 Why Is Dangerous? / Kansas Scientist Who Fought Creationists Honored by American Physical Society / Conspiracy Book About Sept. 11 Attacks a Best EDWARD KRUGLYAKOV Seller in France 5

INVESTIGATIVE FILES RTI C LE S Moscow Mysteries JOE NICKELL 17 37 Who Abused Jane Doe? The Hazards of the Single Case History NOTES ON A STRANGE WORLD Return of Spring-Heeled Jack Part 2 Cose histories have played a long-standing role in the his MASSIMO POLIDORO 22 lory of science, medicine, and mental health. But they can mislead—especially when only half the story is told. Here's NEW BOOKS 59 a case history about a case history that proves just that. SCIENCE BEST SELLERS 61 ELIZABETH F. LOFTUS and MELVIN J. GUYER FOLLOW-UP 41 The High Cost of More on Vardaman's Microletters RICHARD CARRIER 60 Here's what happened to two scientists who believed that LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 63 tenure and the First Amendment would protect their rights to

CAROL TAVRIS BOOK REVIEWS

Real-Life "X-Files: Investigating the Paranormal 45 Tracing Graham Hancock's By Jot- Nickell Shifting Cataclysm ROBERT A. BAKER 55 An examination of a specific portion of Graham Hancock's book Fingerprints of the Gods, relating to Earth Crustal Bad Astronomy: Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Displacement, tlie climates and fauna of Siberia and Alaska, to the Landing "Hoax" and the deaths of the mammoths, finds it to be critically flawed By Philip Plait KENNETH SILBER 56 MICHAEL BRASS 50 The Mad Gasser of Mattoon The Litde Ice Age: How Climate Made History, 1300-1850 By Brian M. Fagan How the Press Created an Imaginary Chemical Weapons Attack The Eternal Frontier: An Ecological History of North America and Its Peoples The moss media are often influential in spreading episodes of By Tim Flannery mass Hysteria to the public at large. This is no more evident ERIK STROMMEN 57 than in the famous case of the Mad Gasser of Mattoon.

BOB LADENDORF and ROBERT E. BARTHOLOMEW On the cover: Photo of Stephen Jay Gould. Deborah Feingold/Getty Images. EDITOR'S NOTE Skeptical Inquirer THI MAGAIINI 'OR SCIINCI AND tf ASOM

EDITOR Russia, an Orwellian Nightmare, and Gould Kendrick Frazier EDITORIAL BOARD James E. Alcock omenkism? Torsion fields and torsion generators? Retrovision? Sofa- Barry Beyerstein extrasens? Extreme medicine? Geopathogenic zones? Vita Cardiomags? Thomas Casten F Martin Gardner Some of the rampant in Russia have an exotic sound and Ray Hyman flavor. But looked at a little deeper, they are the same kind of nonsense that Lawrence Jones afflict the West. In Russia many of these claims and gadgets have made inroads Philip J. Klass Paul Kurtz into die ministries of government. Now high-level scientists are fighting back. Joe Nickell In October CSICOP and the Russian Academy of Sciences sponsored a spe­ Lee Nisbet cial conference in Moscow on "Science, Anti-Science, and the Paranormal." Amardeo Sarma Bela Scheiber We have three reports in this issue. CSICOP chairman and conference co- Eugenie Scott chairman Paul Kurtz gives an overview. Astronomer Yuri Efremov expounds on CONSULTING EDITORS how the achievements in astronomy in recent years quickly outstrip all pseu- Robert A. Baker Susan J. Blackmore doscience and give the lie to postmodernist claims of a "crisis in science," and John R. Cole a need to "overthrow die scientific paradigm." Prominent physicist Edward Kenneth L. Feder Kruglyakov chronicles the rise of pseudoscience and antiscience in Russia— C. E. M. Hansel E. C. Krupp including some of the wacky claims that have made their way into the halls of Scott O. Lilienfeld government—and reports on the special Russian Academy of Sciences com­ David F. Marks mission against pseudoscience that he heads. James E. Oberg Robert Sheaffer David E. Thomas Richard Wiseman MANAGING EDITOR In this issue we publish the conclusion of "Who Abused Jane Doe?"—Elizabeth Loftus and Melvin Guyer's narrative report on their efforts to evaluate a claim ART DIRECTOR of the recovery of a repressed memory and find the real truth behind it. A short Lisa A. Hutter postscript hints at the legal obstacles put in their way, denying what we used to PRODUCTION Paul Loynes [hink of as free speech, open debate, and academic freedom. CSICOP Fellow Jason Mussachio Carol Tavris follows with her own behind-the-scenes look at the travails they CARTOONIST were put through. Her article "The High Cost of Skepticism" chronicles "an Rob Pudim WEB PAGE DESIGNER Orwellian nightmare," in which their universities, rather than supporting their Patrick Fitzgerald rights to open free scientific inquiry, obstructed and harassed them. It is a trou­ bling indictment of new, burdensome, instittitional barriers to free inquiry. PUBUSHER'S REPRESENTATIVE Barry Karr CORPORATE COUNSEL Brenton N. VerPloeg Stephen Jay Gould is gone. His death May 20 at the age of 60 (see page 8) is a BUSINESS MANAGER Sandra Lesniak loss to science, skepticism, and the public. The best-known scientist and writer FISCAL OFFICER in recent times on paleontology and evolution, Gould was a first-rate evolution­ Paul Paulin ary scientist, a steadfast defender of scientific ideals (and critic of creationism), CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER and a prolific author of both scholarly works and elegant essays for the educated Arthur Urrows layman on evolutionary science (in all its wondrous aspects). Much has and will DEVELOPMENT OFFICER James Kimberly be written about him, including his brilliance, his occasional arrogance, the var­ CHIEF DATA OFFICER ious views of evolutionary colleagues about his scientific work, but what I most Michael Cione appreciated was his writing about science for the layman. He chose to write STAFF Patricia Beauchamp about science for the public in a substantive way diat never talked down to his Darlene Banks audiences. He portrayed the marvelous complexity of both life and of the very Jodi Chapman human scientific enterprise, while finding wonderful humanistic connections Jennifer Miller Matthew Nisbet between science and nature and everything from opera to baseball. His monthly Heidi Shively essays in every issue of Natural History for twenty-seven years from January 1974 Ranjit Sandhu through December 2000, collected into a series of memorable books, educated Anthony Santa Lucia John Sullivan several generations of us about evolution and a dazzling array of topics in the his­ Vance Vigrass tory of science. First Asimov, then Sagan, now Gould. All brilliant popularizers PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR and interpreters of science for the layman. All taken from us prematurely. Kevin Christopher INQUIRY MEDIA PRODUCTIONS Thomas Flynn DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES Timothy S. Binga

The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is the official ^X^A2 journal of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, an international organization.

4 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

New Age, Paranormal Topics Influenced Alleged Domestic Pipe Bomb Terrorist Luke Helder

BENJAMIN RADFORD you will begin to harness the abilities orbs, the week was even more exciting!" you have to produce realities. . . . Here Helder is referring to the idea At a time when international terrorism Because you are producing the reality that ghosts can be photographed, and was on Americas collective , it was entirely, you are not confined to the laws appear as small unexplained blurs, an American terrorist who panicked lights, or "orbs" in photographs that many in the heartland in May of 2002. were unnoticed when the photo was Six people were injured when pipe taken. As CSICOP Senior Research bombs left in their rural mailboxes Fellow Joe Nickell notes in this book exploded. Over the course of a week, Camera Clues, there are many perfectly eighteen pipe bombs were found in , ordinary, photographic explanations for , , , and Texas. such phenomena. Finally the bombs were traced to "Orbs" are often simply the result of Luke J. Helder, a twenty-one-year-old a flash reflecting dust particles or mois­ college student from Pine Island, ture droplets near the lens, or an unno­ Minnesota. Following a high-speed car ticed shiny surface. chase, he was armed with a shotgun Nonetheless, many self-styled "ghost when he was arrested in Reno, , experts" write books and give seminars on on May 7. According to messages and such "orbs" as a way for people to confirm material Helder left near the attacks, the bombs were "attention getters." Though the existence of spirits. Had Helder many news reports characterized looked for science-based, skeptical infor­ Luke Helder, a 21-year-old college student, is taken mation on ghosts instead of to the rafts of into the Washoe County Jail in Reno. Nevada. Hredler's messages ic onn-irowrnmcnf uncritical, pro-paranormal books, he in fact many of diem deal with his might have come to different conclusions. philosophical views and the paranormal. of physics. ..." Helder discusses the The paranormal cannot be said to In a six-page typed letter to The New Age idea of lucid dreaming, in have caused Helders bombing attacks, Badger Herald, a student newspaper at which, he says, "you enter a reality just as in UFOs did not directly the University of Wisconsin-Madison, within your body." Helder mentions cause the mass suicide of the Heaven's Helder discussed his belief in various as a parJi to knowledge, Gate cult in March of 1997. But clearly paranormal topics and that death is an writing "Whether it's logic, meditation, belief in and fascination with the para­ illusion. A friend of his was quoted by channeling, astral projection, or ghosts, normal played a large role in these ABC News as saying that Helder all are ways of knowing." An ex- crimes and tragedies. "seemed really obsessed about New girlfriend of Helders said that he was in one part of a person's life can easily Age religion and death and the fact fascinated with astral projection, or out- lead to a lack of in oth­ that death really doesn't mean an end of-body experiences, and tried unsuc­ ers as well. to existence." cessfully to achieve one several times. As usual, diose who knew Helder His motivation to plant bombs to Helder also had a strong interest in appeared in the media to express shock kill and injure people came from his ghosts: "Many consciousnesses linger and puzzlement over his actions. desire to enlighten the world to his around on earth, clutching to material Helders parents said that the only odd beliefs and revealed truths: "I'm doing things; this is what ghosts are. . . . You thing they'd seen him do recently was this because I care. ... In the end you may hear ghost stories, but have you ever ask for his mother's Bible, then sit and will know I was telling you the truth seen one? If you haven't, get out the cam­ read it for an hour, something diey had anyway. . . . I'm taking very drastic era and start seeing. ... I was curious never seen him do before. Within a measures in attempt to provide this about the existence of ghosts, and my week he was off making pipe bombs to information to you." curiosity led me to further investigation, maim or kill innocent people. Helder writes rJiat each person can which in turn allowed me to know ghosts create his or her own reality, and that truly do exist. Needless to say, it was an Benjamin Radford is a writer and "once you begin to realize the potential exciting occasion to finally see one! Managing Editor of the SKEPTICAL you have as a consciousness/soul/spirit, When I got my film developed to find INQUIRER.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 5 NEWS AND COMMENT

Rise of the Raelians: Vorilhon began teaching the "true" are sufficiently vague to meet almost any account of the creation of humans and as chance occurrence. Flying Saucers, Science, of this writing claims to have about But it is die science part of the Raelian Sex, and Religion 50,000 followers in eighty-four coun­ agenda where the group seeks and gets tries. Most of the believers are in French- publicity. After the cloning of the sheep In 1973 Claude Vorilhon, then twenty- speaking areas of Europe and Canada. Dolly in 1996, Vorilhon created a com­ seven and editor of a minor auto racing Vorilhon, however, modesdy says diat pany, Clonaid, to do human cloning and magazine, was (he says) taken onto a fly­ only about 10 percent of his followers are help any gay or infertile couple have chil­ ing saucer while hiking in the dish of a active members. In the small farming dren for a $200,000 fee. He then opened French volcano in a wooded area in community of Valcort (northeast of a post office box in the Bahamas and sev­ France. There he met a four-foot Montreal) the group has established eral of the women in the Order of Angels humanoid extraterrestial with olive- UFOland as their headquarters and volunteered to serve as the proxy morft- colored skin, almond-shaped eyes, and embassy to the world. The building itself ers. Most daringly and most troubling, he long dark hair. The first words he heard is part office complex and part museum. also moved into cloning when one of his from the humanoid was a question For two weeks every summer Raelians followers, Brigette Boisseler, who held whether he regretted not having gather there for meetings and meditation. two doctorates in chemistry, became the brought his camera. For the next six In 1998 Vorilhon announced to his scientific director of Clonaid. Another days, Vorilhon had conversations with followers that the alien creators of Earth follower, Mark Hunt, who had lost his the extraterrestrial, who explained that would soon return to Earth and it was ten-month-old son earlier, agreed to humanity had been created by means of necessary to expedite preparations for stock a lab to do DNA research and pos­ DNA manipulation by beings known as this second coming. One of the essential sible human cloning under the direction the Elohim—a Biblical term, usually first steps was the recruitment of a num­ of Boisseler in Nitro, West Virginia, in translated as God, but which actually ber of young women members into the the office building where his law firm was meant "those who came from the sky." Order of the Angels to serve as hostesses located. A more-or-less secret lab was Past prophets including Moses, Buddha, and sexual mates for the arriving prog­ being set up with equipment for research Jesus, and Muhammed had been given enitors of humans. Within this order into DNA and with an ultimate goal of their revelations and training by the was a select group who agreed only to cloning a human. When this secret effort Elohims who had selected them. The sleep with the aliens and their prophets, found its way into the press through a reason for the present mission was to including of course Vorilhon. Vorilhon, television appearance by Boisseler, the lab remove previous distortions in the inter­ however, emphasizes that the angels are was closed by Hunt who complained that pretation of their message and to get to under no pressure to sleep with him, Boisseler was more a "press hog" than a know their creations on equal terms and since the Raelians teach sexual freedom researcher. She still maintains she has an to demystify "die old concept of God." and not coercion. interest in human cloning, and so appar- Vorilhon, who then took the name of The movement thrives on media endy does Vorilhon. Rael, had been selected to pave the way attention and Vorilhon deliberately Just how serious the effort might be for a second coming of the creators from seeks it out, especially on sex issues. For is uncertain, and it is complicated by the outer space. This required teaching all example, to protest a 1992 decision in fact that Vorilhon bragged he got mil­ humans the Raelian beliefs, which Quebec barring condom machines at lions in media publicity from his stunt. emphasized peace, tolerance, a love of certain Quebec high schools, the More importantly he attracted congres­ science, and sexual freedom. The ques­ Raelians passed out condoms to stu­ sional attention. Rep. James C. Green­ tion is what kind of science? dents from a van adorned with large wood (R-Pennsylvania), as chairman of spaceships. The group also bought a House and Commerce sub­ billboard space in Toronto to committee, invited Raelians to testify welcome extraterrestrial vis­ before his committee last year as he pre­ itors. Vorilhon also makes pared legislation to ban any cloning that pronouncements about some would produce children. Vorilhon, who world-shaking events which appeared as an expert witness in a white will take place but which jumpsuit with his hair tied atop his head only true Raelians will in a knot, testified that people one [CONDONS^? know of. Like others day would clone themselves and then who make such state­ download their personalities into the I 'Jbj'k . .zx-;x kN^i ments, those which clones, achieving a kind of eternal life. have become known Greenwood later said that Vorilhon's

6 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT testimony convinced lawmakers that The double-blind, randomized, clinical care of proven efficacy, including "even kooks may have the capacity to placebo-controlled trial was conducted in antidepressant medications and specific make human beings" and that it was twelve academic and community psychi­ psychotherapies, for the treatment of necessary to act against cloning. atric research clinics in die . major depression of modern severity." Clearly, Vorilhon was used by die It involved 340 adult outpatients with The research was funded by the anti-cloning forces to emphasize the major depression. Pauents were randomly National Center for Complementary potential dangers of cloning without and Alternative Medicine and the really giving it a fair hearing. Vorilhon National Institute for Mental Health. agreed he was used, but held that die publicity was worth it and that his orga­ —Kendrick Frazier nization was growing. What bodiers his Kendrick Frazier is Editor of the critics die most is that in spite of his SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. publicity stunts, his belief in flying saucers, his free love, is that he claims to be a scientist and that his religion is based upon it. Worst of all, the anti- Eloquence on Western cloning forces use him as an example of Medicine, Alternative science at work. Medicine —Vern Bullough A colleague of mine at Old Dominion Vern Bullough is an adjunct professor of University (Martha Walker, associate pro­ nursing at the University of Southern fessor of physical therapy) has written one of California and SUNY Distinguished the most eloquent Utters about alternative Professor Emeritus. medicine that I have seen. This was written to the ODU Courier as a rebuttal to a Ut­ ter in favor of 's recent Controlled Study Finds assigned to receive St. John's Won, a appearance at Old Dominion University, No Efficacy for placebo, or sertraline (as an active com­ sponsored by the Continuing Healthcare parator) for eight weeks. After eight weeks Education Center of the College of Health St. John's Wort pauents could continue with blinded Sciences. Professor Walker has given me her in Major Depression treatment for anodier eighteen weeks. permission to submit her letter to CSICOP Of the two primary outcome mea­ for possible publication. The lead News & Comment article in sures, neither sertraline nor St. John's our May/June 2002 issue reported that a Wort was significantly different from —Larry Weinstein, Associate Professor major, multicenter, controlled study of the placebo. of Physics, Old Dominion the effectiveness of St. John's Wort in At the American Association for the University, Norfolk, VA 23529 treating major depression was under­ Advancement of Science meeting in going final peer review and about to be February in Boston, the study's principal published. investigator, Jonathan R.T. Davidson, That study has now been published, M.D., of the Duke University Medical in the Journal of the American Medical Center, described the study protocol as Association (287 [14]: 1807-1814, April "a kind of model for studies of depres­ 10, 2002). The results are not good sion." He said it overcame limitations news for advocates of the herb's value in and uncertainties of earlier studies. treating depression. The study results were reported in "This study fails to support the effi­ JAMA by Davidson and twenty-five col­ cacy of Hypericum perforatum [St. John's leagues at the twelve research clinics, Wort] in moderately severe major comprising the Hypericum Depression depression," the authors conclude. "The Trial Study Group. result may be due to low assay sensitiv­ "We have found no evidence for a ity of the trial, but the complete absence superior effect of hypericum relative to of trends suggestive of efficacy for H. placebo," say the authors. "Hypericum perforatum is noteworthy." should not be substituted for standard

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 7 NEWS AND COMMENT

A shortened text of Walker's letter follows: hope or compassion or improve­ method, found a good solution for ment in quality of life? Does she an illness, the alternative therapies Letter contained 'mistaken idea about think we are cold, mean people addressing that illness disappear. both science and Western medicine' because we practice Western-based For example, if you were exposed to medicine? Where does that stereo­ anthrax would you scoff at mere In her letter to the editor on March type come from? "pills" for treatment? I think you 22, Amanda Damron states that the Western medicine has been trying would welcome the Cipro. For "scientific attitude relies on the for years to get the average American arthritis, however, we don't have such a great solution. Physicians Western medical model of always to eat right, exercise regularly, floss, usually recommend a combination 'prescribing' a scientific cure (either get enough sleep, stop smoking, and of pills, exercise, weight loss, and, pills or surgery) for the symptoms." deal with stress. Can anyone have finally, surgery. In this area, there This is a mistaken idea about both missed the massive public health cam­ science and Western medicine. are loads of alternative therapies. paigns in this regard? As for science, it These alternative therapies will con­ I and many other faculty mem­ is not the opposite of caring. It is sim­ tinue to thrive until scientific bers in the College of Health ply a methodical way of looking at the method finds a really good solution Sciences have worked with patients world without regard to the subject to arthritis. And what if one of the as an integral part of Western medi­ that is being looked at. Western med­ alternative therapies is a good solu­ cine for more than twenty years. icine has aspirations of being scientif­ tion to arthritis? What we do cannot be summarized ically based, but no one would say can be used to investigate it and as "pills or surgery." I wonder how that we have arrived yet. Health care show its effectiveness! Ms. Damron can work alongside us is a work in progress. and then dismiss us so readily. Does she really think that we do not offer You will find that when Western —Martha Walker, Associate medicine has, using the scientific Professor of Physical Therapy

Stephen Jay Gould 1941-2002

Skeptical inquirers deeply regret the passing of Stephen Jay Gould. He played a unique role in the public square, for he was an eloquent exponent of the scientific outlook. His prolific writings and brilliant lec­ tures at Harvard and universities far and wide on evo­ lutionary paleontology and biology and his forthright criticisms of creationism cast him as a powerful defender of science. At a time when pseudoscientific and fringe claims continue to grow, there are all too few scientists willing to enter into the fray. Gould's death leaves a void and it dramatizes anew how important it is to have popularizers of science. This role was played by and Isaac Asimov, CSICOP Fellows of the past. We need to encourage new and daring defenders of science, gadflies in the name of critical inquiry; interpreters able to extend the public's understanding of science and its methods. he demonstrated that science grows by constant ques­ All too few scientists and scholars today are willing to tioning and peer review. venture beyond their specialties in order to communi­ Stephen Jay Gould was a Fellow of the Committee cate with a wider audience. for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Gould offered his own often controversial theories Paranormal and a recipient of its highest "In Praise of on how evolution occurred—such as his punctuated Reason" award. He was a frequent speaker at our con­ equilibrium hypothesis—and he suffered criticisms as a ferences. He will be sorely missed. result. A veteran polemicist, he stood his ground in Paul Kurtz many debates with scientific colleagues. Throughout, Chairman, CSICOP

8 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

Kansas Scientist Who September 11, 2001, was not caused by Boeing 757, weighing 100 tons and laden the impact of hijacked American with fuel, would have caused far more Fought Creationists Airlines Flight 77, but rather a truck damage to the Pentagon. The "hole" from Honored by American bomb. He alleges that the U.S. govern­ die impact seems too small to him, and Physical Society ment covered up this fact from the the most dramatic devastation didn't pen­ world as part of a larger scheme by the etrate far enough into the "rings" of the Adrian Melon, die University of Kansas U.S military-industrial complex to building for his satisfaction. Where professor of physics and astronomy who covertly orchestrate the September Meyssan has acquired the expertise to led the successful fight against creationist- eleventh massacres in order to justify the determine how much damage an aircraft can do to large buildings is an open ques­ led anti-evolution education standards in campaign in Afghanistan and elsewhere tion. Given the enormous deadi toll, die Kansas, has been honored by the in the Middle East. collapse of die roof and structure on the American Physical Society. Although sales have been brisk, it outermost ring and the incineration and Melon, a founding board member of is uncertain how many French readers damage to die outer three rings, a critic Kansas Citizens for Science, received the actually buy into Meyssan's claims. He can only wonder what degree of damage American Physical Society's Joseph A. jump-started the book's popularity would seem plausible to Meyssan. Burton Forum Award during the spring in an appearance on the French TV info­ APS meeting April 20-23, 2002, in Albu­ tainment talk show Tout le Monde en Parle Meyssan also muses about a lack of querque, New Mexico. The award hon­ (Everybody's Talking About wreckage from the air­ liner, ignoring the ored his effons leading to reinstating qual­ /f). However, the more experts' explanation that ity science education standards in Kansas. respectable French media such a high-speed impact His Burrn Forum Award citation reads: have been unforgiving in and the subsequent "For his outstanding efforts in helping their criticism. According explosion and inferno to restore evolution and cosmology to to the weekly journal Le amply explain how the their proper place in the K-12 scientific Nouvel Observateur, "The Boeing jet was pulverized curriculum. As both a distinguished cos- theory suits everyone— and incinerated. mologist and a respected member of the there are no Islamic Meyssan shows no clergy, he played a key role in helping the extremists and everyone is inclination ro offer an people of Kansas reverse their State Board happy. It eliminates real­ alternative that explains of Education's anti-science action." ity." Liberation renamed key questions, such as Melott, a Fellow of the American the book "A Frightening what happened to Flight Physical Society and a prominent cos- Confidence Trick" and 77 and high-profile pas­ mologist, gave two talks at the APS meet­ called it "a tissue of wild sengers like Barbara ing. He also gave a special public talk and irresponsible allega­ Olson, TV commentator titled " is Creationism tions, entirely without foundation." and wife of Solicitor General Ted Olson, if in a Cheap Tuxedo" April 22 in An English-language synopsis of they didn't crash into the Pentagon. Albuquerque. That talk was sponsored by Meyssan's arguments is available on a Thus die Pentagon attack is added to three New Mexico science organizations: Web page titled "Pentagon: Hunt the the rumors and conspiracy theories fol­ the Coalition for Excellence in Science Boeing and Test Your Perceptions!" at lowing the Sept. 11 attacks. In a war in and Math Education, New Mexicans for www.asile.org/citoyens/numero 1 3/ which truth and reality mix easily with Science and Reason, and the New pentagone/erreurs_en.htm. rumor and deception, Meyssan's book Mexico Academy of Science. The Web page suggests that an early, can only fuel mistrust. misinformed report by the Associated Conspiracy Book About Press was the true explanation and that Further Reading: subsequent corrections are actually part Sept. 11 Attacks a of a coverup: "As everyone knows, on 11 The Urban Legends Reference Pages: www. snopcs2.com/rumors/pentagon.him. Best Seller in France September, less than an hour after the Timt Europe Magazine: www.timc.com/timc/ attack on the World Trade Centre [sic], europc/magazine/articlc/0.13005,9010 The president of the French leftist orga­ an airplane collided with the Pentagon. 20520-237165.00.html. nization Reseau Voltaire, Thierry Meys- The Associated Press first reported that a The National Review: www.nationalrcview.com/ robbins/robbins040902.asp. san, is rising to worldwide recognition booby-trapped truck had caused the as the auteur one of France's best-selling explosion. The Pentagon quickly denied —Kevin Christopher books: L'Effroyable Imposture (The this. The official U.S. government ver­ Frightening Deception). Meyssan claims sion of events still holds." Kevin Christopher is Public Relations that the destruction at the Pentagon on Meyssan assumes that the impact of a Director for CSICOP. •

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER luly/August 2002 9 The Bunk

47/3 hiijK, i ml

m It's the Ultimate i3«

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White House 'CAM' Commission Reaches 'Preordained' Conclusion

TIM GORSKI, M.D.

wo years after its establishment complementary and alternative medi­ believe this commission has an opportu­ by then-President Clinton, the cine" [CAM], the group was over­ nity to look at medicine and health care T White House Commission on whelmingly dominated by the most from a different perspective that can Complementary and Alternative Medi­ extreme CAM ideologues, including its lead to a new model of medicine and 2 cine Policy (WHCCAMP) issued its chair, psychiatrist James S. Gordon even a new model of human biology." final report in early March 2002. M.D., a follower of the late Bhagwan This agenda was borne out as a series Charged with formulating recommen­ Shree Rajneesh whose cult carried out of speakers at the WHCCAMP's "town dations for "assuring that public policy bioterrorism attacks on U.S. citizens in hall meetings" assailed the "Western," 1 maximizes the benefits to Americans of Oregon in the 1980s. "allopathic," "reductionistic," scientific Soon after the commission's creation, "paradigm" generally and, on several Dr. Gorski is an ob/gyn physician in prac­ Gordon made it clear just what his occasions, the Flexner Report specifi­ tice in Arlington, Texas, president of the intentions were. The report of his com­ cally. The Flexner Report was published DFW Council Against Health Fraud, and mission, he boasted, would be "for med­ in 1910 as Medical Education in the an associate editor of the Scientific icine in the twenty-first century, as United States and Canada: A Report to Review of Alternative Medicine. E-mail: important as the Flexner report was to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advance­ gorski@ohgdoc. com. medicine in the twentieth-century. ... I ment of Teaching. It revolutionized med­ icine in the twentieth century by

12 luly/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER exposing the deficiencies and unscien­ weeks. When it was finally released, it Asking for more research money to tific elements of medical education and was dear that the letters of transmittal investigate an approach, practice or product simply because it is 'CAM' is spurring reforms in medical school edu­ by Secretary Tommy Thompson had an ideological, not evidence-based cational standards. A preliminary draft been rewritten to remove the effusive approach to science." of the WHCCAMP's anticipated rec­ misrepresentations suggested by Gordon ".. . the provision of 'CAM' ... to ommendations consisted of a laundry as to the nature of the commission and underserved populations . . . [that] uti­ list of demands for more money, more its work. To the President and leaders of lize folkloric or 'CAM' interventions privilege, and more power and prestige 1 for CAM practitioners. The Gordon Commission report makes the usual The final report of the Gordon Commission was therefore, as one former demand for increased funding for research, ignoring National Institutes of Health (NIH) offi­ the fact that all such work has been, to date, cial put it, "preordained." It is a paean to die unproven wonders of CAM, which spectacularly unproductive. are never defined but claimed to "focus Congress Thompson tersely stated only on individualizing treatments, treating because they cannot afford access to the whole person, promoting sclf-carc that: "The Report contains administra conventional care . . . becomes neither and self-healing, and recognizing the spir­ tive and legislative recommendations. a complementary nor integrative inter­ itual nature of each individual."' It iden­ . . . We will review carefully the recom­ vention, but rather a less validated alternative to conventional care ... we mendations." The White House has tifies preventive medicine with CAM should not be a party to creating a sep­ even diough proven preventive measures refused to make any other comment. arate but unequal care system ... we such as vaccination and fluoridation are The real surprise was that two mem­ should provide basic health care to routinely disparaged by proponents of bers of the commission. Dr. Joseph Fins every American before expanding ben­ efits to include treatments or and Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, wrote a dis­ CAM. Likewise, nutrition is swept into approaches that have not been shown the mix despite die fact that a huge num­ sent to the group's final report, though it through rigorous research to treat or ber of mutually contradictory nutritional was buried at the very end in Appendix prevent disease." claims are made by CAM advocates. G. It is all the more surprising in that "... we do not believe that 'CAM' both were selected for their sympathies Most of all, the Gordon Commission providers are fungible with die pri­ report is an agenda for the wholesale with CAM. Neither had expertise, mary care providers enumerated in medicalization of Americans' spirituality experience, or even significant interest Title VII [of the Public Health along New Age (and die Bhagwan's) lines. in the protection of consumers from un­ Services Act]. ... they are not posi­ tioned for equivalency with conven­ proven, ineffective, and aberrant med­ The Gordon Commission report tional primary care providers. Efforts ical claims and practices. And both gave makes die usual demand for increased to equate their degree of training, or many indications at the public meetings the scientific basis of their practice, funding for research on the implicit of the WHCCAMP that they were com­ with that of the designated primary assumption that everything that CAM care specialties puts the public at risk mitted to working within die CAM ide­ proponents are certain of can be proven if of receiving unvalidated and non-evi­ ology of the group. Yet they were both only enough money is spent on it, ignor­ dence based primary care." unable to endorse its final report. ing the fact diat all such work has been, Appendix G, despite the fact that it "'Promoting wellness,' 'health pro­ to date, spectacularly unproductive. But motion' and 'prevention practices' are lends credence to some unproven meth­ the commission goes even further by sug­ phrases .. . cited as being the focus of ods and often pulls its punches, is essen­ gesting mat, while such validation is many 'CAM' approaches. It is unclear tially a repudiation of the Gordon pending, public and private insurance what these terms actually mean . . . Commission and its work. Fins and Low these approaches are found in both coverage of CAM should be encouraged 'CAM' and conventional medicine, Dog even consistently place CAM in or mandated and that licensure and other . . . [and] [t]he notion that only quotation marks to indicate that its laws ought to be revised to allow unsci­ 'CAM' supports healthy nutrition is meaning is in doubt. Some excerpts: entific practitioners to ply their trades neither accurate nor fair.. . . One has only to visit the local book store to unhindered and with official approval. "... a presumption exists that com­ find the numerous 'fad' diet books plementary and alternative medicine The embarrassed Bush Administra­ that fall under 'CAM' nutrition; high will be found to be beneficial. This fat—high protein diets, eat according tion, which appeared to have been com­ advocacy tone persists in die Report to your blood type diets and fruitar­ pletely blindsided even as to die exis­ ... givfing] voice to a perspective . . . ian diets, to name a few." tence of the commission, botded up die that 'CAM' will lead us into a new paradigm of health care." report in the Department of Health and "'CAM' 'health promotion' and 'pre­ Human Services for more than three "... research dollars are finite.. . . vention practices' also include

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 13 preventing disease by 'balancing ,' out by the cultists in Oregon to keep locals drug benefits." She tells readers: "If your 'eliminating parasites and toxins,' away from the polls. He neglected to say rates go up in the near future because 'cleansing the liver' and/or by 'cleans­ diat, while it was happening, he was help­ your employer picks up a new insurance ing the blood' via a multitude of sup­ plements and questionable practices. ing to bus homeless people to Oregon to rider to covet treatment for Our uncritical acceptance of 'CAM' vote for die cult's local political candidates. asthma or arthritis, you may have this wellness and health promotion can be But some media reports managed to White House commission to thank."6 interpreted as an endorsement of cut dirough the smokescreen. Adam In a companion article, Chris Mooney these claims.. . . Furthermore, the Rogers, writing for Newsweek, quoted considers die problem and concludes: suggestion that conventional medi­ Yank D. Coble, M.D., American Medi­ cine is primarily focused on disease, CAM's proponents must do more while 'CAM' is primarily focused on cal Association President-Elect as saying: than simply assert its medical value. health promotion and prevention . .. "We all have a desire for simple and They must finally cop to the rules of fails to adequately acknowledge pub­ inexpensive solutions. But anything that scientific rigor—no exceptions, no , no postmodern lic health initiatives that have been an sounds too good to be true often is." integral part of medicine for decades, philosophy, and no hiding in the efforts that have dramatically im­ Rogers himself noted the Gordon skirts of more legitimate treatments. proved the health of the Nation." Commission's demand for more money Simply calling for "more research" for CAM research may be disingenuous, won't do, since it's just another way "... most troubling ... is the inclu­ of dodging the facts. . . . That means writing "What the CAMsters want may sion of spirituality under the rubric of halting the CAM gravy train in 'CAM.' . . . The truth is that spiritu­ be impossible," concluding that: which academic institutions are effectively lulled into submission by ality transcends any arbitrary designa­ The awkward fact is that after ten millions of dollars in foundation tion of conventional and non-con­ years of research the National Center grants. The deans and presidents of ventional medicine and cannot be for Complementary and Alternative respected schools like Harvard claimed by any particular group. Medicine at NIH hasn't validated a should step in and call out professors Furthermore, the conflation of spiri­ single practice. Yet a few legislators, and directors who'd like to trade on tuality and/or religion with 'CAM' led by Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, con­ their academic affiliation without could lead to an abridgement of the tinue to push for more studies. All living up to what that entails. ... free exercise of religion by subjugating sides agree that ideally there'd be [and when something is not shown to its practice to a regulated modality." medicine that works, and medicine be safe and effective] it should be that doesn't, with no special distinc­ rejected. By everyone.7 "[The majority position of the com­ tion for "alternative." Separating the mission is that) 'The public has good stuff—like better ways of deal­ expressed interest in maintaining easy ing with patients—from the nonsense access to CAM practitioners.'... [but] is the contentious part. Maybe Notes the data does not support [this claim) candles would help.1 ... the literature indicates that the use 1. "A Large Community Outbreak Of Sal­ monellosis Caused By Intentional Contamination of dietary supplements has decreased Christina Larson, writing in the Of Restaurant Salad Bars," JAMA 1997 Aug. 6; and that the majority of Americans April 2002 Washington Monthly, was less 278(5):389-95 and E. Patrick Curry, Notes on support increased regulation of sup­ James S. Gordon M.D., Scientific Review of Alt plements, including requiring the oblique, pointing out that both the Med, 2002, 5(4):226-228 available online at Food and Drug Administration to WHCCAMP and the National Center www..com/1 1 lnd/gordon2.html, review the safety of new dietary sup­ accessed 4/10/2002. for Complementary and Alternative plements prior to their sale." 2. "Alternative Medicine Comes of Age," by Medicine in the NIH amounts simply Nicholas Gonzalez, M.D.. in totnb)calth magazine, to "alternative medicine endiusiasts are Volume 23, No. 1 available online at www. "Where medical care is concerned, using the federal government to gain dr-gonzalez.com/totalheal th^ I _01_txt.htm, the common good calls for ideology accessed on 3/19/2002. and advocacy to yield to scientifically respect and funding" and that the 3. An analysis of the WHCCAMP's draft rec­ sound evidence of safety and efficacy. WHCCAMP "was stacked with alt- ommendations of November 2001 is available We are confident that this can be medicine proponents." online at www.quackwatch.com/07Political accomplished with respect and com­ Activitics/whccamp3.html. Larson notes that "the most conse­ passion for all Americans." 4. The WHCCAMP report is available online quential recommendation is that federal at www.whccamp.hh5.gov/finalrep0rt.html. Since die release of die commission health plans, including Medicare and 5. "An Herbal Rumble," by Adam Rogers, Newsweek Web Exclusive April 8, 2002, available report, its chair has been aggressively woo­ Medicaid, begin to cover CAM treat­ online at www.msnbc.com/news/735762.asp, ing die media and pointedly ignoring or, ments," at the same time that "soaring accessed on 4/8/2002. when necessary, downplaying die rebuke costs have already forced Medicare to 6. "Sins of Commission," by Christina Larson, The Washington Monthly April 2002, available of Appendix G. After an article in die cut doctors' payments for routine treat­ online at www.washingtonmonthly.com/fcatures/ Washington Post called attention to his ments—and, subsequently, many physi­ 2001/0204.larson.html, accessed on 4/8/2002. associations widi the Bhagwan, Gordon cians have dumped their Medicare 7. "Science Fiction," by Chris Mooney, The Washington Monthly, April 2002, available online protested diat he had never personally par­ patients—and the powerful seniors' at www.washingtonmonthly.com/featurcs/2001/ ticipated in die Salmonella attacks carried lobby continues its push for prescription 0204.mooncy.html, accessed on 4/8/2002. D

14 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Prescriptions from the Land of Make-Believe Healthcare

WILLIAM M. LONDON

f President Bush were to appoint not just acceptance, but glorification— • manipulation of skull bones— Enron executives to a White House and lucrative speaking engagements and which are actually fused—to treat jaw- Icommission on executives selling other business opportunities. joint and other symptoms (cranial shares of their own company's stock, it Inhabitants of this never-never land ) would be a scandal. Americans would be include promoters of such dubious • audiotapes to help people use men­ appalled at such a blatant conflict of healdicare as: tal imagery to "replace eroded bone and interest. They would suspect that com­ • potions containing no molecules of joint tissue," "help calm overactive, mis­ missioners would offer self-serving rec­ a supposedly active ingredient (home­ guided immune cells," "encourage ommendations. opathy) insulin sensitivity at the cellular level," It's time for Americans to be appalled • healing by manipulating chimerical and, for cancer, "help mobilize a fight­ by die self-serving legislative and admin­ energies of clients, sometimes via tele­ ing response from immune cells" (which istrative recommendations offered in phone (e.g., qi gong) don't normally attack cancer cells) March by a commission established by • lifelong regimens of spinal "adjusi- • a treatment for various psychological President Clinton in the closing days of ments" (as promoted by many chiroprac­ disorders in which clients are guided his administration. The members of tors) to improve die flow of "innate intel­ in mental imagery and visual tracking of Clinton's White House Commission on ligence" throughout the body back-and-forth movements of a therapists' Complementary and Alternative Medi­ • muscle testing as the basis for cine Policy (WHCCAMP) included recommending dietary supplements magnates and ideological leaders from () f HE SAID the never-never land of healthcare, THATIFi euphemistically described as "comple­ 1 KISSED HIM.. mentary" and "alternative." It's a land where practitioners resist pressures from regulators and consumer advocates to refrain from making pro­ motional claims for their methods in the absence of truly supportive scientific evidence. It's a land where promoters of gimmicks, gadgets, and nostrums, no matter how preposterous, no matter how poorly tested (if tested at all), and no matter how hazardous, receive

William M. London is a CSICOP consultant and the program director of The National Council Against Health Fraud, Inc. (www.ncahf.org) a private nonprofit consumer advocacy agency.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 15 finger in sets of twelve to twenty-four of Health and Human Services. It recom­ appears on the Quackwatch Web site. strokes (eye-movement desensitization mended increased funding for research on Quackwatch notes that the report and reprocessing) "CAM practice and products" widiout "falsely assumes that many safe and Within the world of so-called com­ even considering the prospects for any par­ effective 'CAM' practices and products plementary and alternative medicine ticular practices or products to be shown to exist and need special federal promotion (CAM) these methods are mainstream. help consumers more than harm them. to gain recognition." Among their promoters are many of the Buried in an appendix of the report is Last year, in testimony at WHC­ WHCCAMP commissioners. a dissenting statement by two of the CAMP hearings, I emphasized the The commission never defined com­ commissioners—Joseph J. Fins, M.D., importance of identifying health fraud plementary and alternative medicine. It director of medical ethics at the Cornell masquerading as CAM and recommend­ failed to acknowledge diat CAM is mar­ campus of New York Presbyterian ing policies to oust bogus treatments keting doublespeak used to conceal Hospital, and Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., from healthcare. Instead, the commis­ from consumers the shortcomings of who develops continuing medical educa­ sion recommended inadequate safe­ irrational and scientifically invalidated tion programs on botanical medicine. guards for consumers and developed a methods. Instead the commission refers "While dogmatic disbelief of everything blueprint for a costly bureaucracy to sup­ to CAM as if it is a genuine field of that is not currently explainable is fool­ port the CAM industry's efforts to boost medicine needing special regulation, ish, and indeed unscientific," they wrote, business as they bamboozle consumers. oversight, and, most ominously, integra­ "it seems equally foolish to ask the tax­ President Clinton should never have tion into our healthcare and medical payer to bear the enormous expense of established WHCCAMP. President education system. sorting out those areas that are plausible Bush should reject its recommendations The commission called for die presi­ from those that are improbable." and, instead, seek rational alternatives to dent to establish an office at die "highest A painstakingly prepared, point-by- promote health, prevent disease, and possible level" within the U.S. Department point critique of WHCCAMPs report improve healthcare.

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16 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER INVESTIGATIVE FILES JOE NICKELL

Moscow Mysteries

till the largest country in the Pyramid Power other shapes; nor did placing razor world, Russia retains over 76 per­ Pyramids are springing up across the blades in pyramids restore their sharp­ S cent of the area of the former Russian landscape. These are a modern ness, despite die subjective judgments of USSR, which collapsed in 1991. The expression of a craze fostered by people fooled by their own expectations collapse, along with the suspension of Discoveries Behind the Iron Curtain, one (Hines 1988). activities of the Communist Party, in­ that involved "the secrets of die pyra­ Nevertheless, boosted by claims that creased glasnost ("openness") in the new mids." Citing the Great Pyramid of pyramid power was unleashed "behind federal republic. With personal free­ Cheops in Egypt—"one of the seven the iron curtain," the pyramid craze doms, however, has come a rise in wonders of the world and one of the flourished in the United States. One pseudoscientific and magical expression. strangest works of architecture in exis- company marketed a kit with eight 1 became increasingly aware of this through the visits of Russian nota­ bles to the Center for Inquiry- International: Valeril Kuvakin (profes­ Boosted by claims that pyramid power was sor of philosophy at Moscow State unleashed "behind the iron curtain," the pyramid University), Edward Kruglyakov (a distinguished physicist at Novosibirsk, craze flourished in the United States. Siberia), and Yurii Chornyi (Scientific Secretary, Institute for Scientific Infor­ mation, Russian Academy of Sciences). Subsequently I was one of several tence"—die authors touted claims that wooden sticks that, glued in place, CSICOP speakers at an international small cardboard models of the Cheops formed a pyramidal frame. Even with­ congress, "Science, Antiscience, and pyramid could preserve food (especially out being covered (with paper or foil, the Paranormal," held in Moscow "mummify meat"), relieve headaches, for example), this could allegedly retard (October 3-5, 2001) and co- sharpen razor blades, and possibly per­ food spoilage, remove the bitterness sponsored by the Russian Academy of form other wonders (Ostrander and from coffee, impart a mellower taste to Sciences. [Several articles from that Schroeder 1970, 366-376). wine, sharpen razor blades, perk up conference appear in this issue.— The specific claims came from a houseplants, and perform other won­ Editor.] There I learned more about Czechoslovakian radio engineer, Karel ders—according to the kit's guide book the newfound glasnost toward all Drbal, who obtained Czech patent which claims, "The Pyramid is a geo­ things mysterious. I stayed on for sev­ 91304 for the Cheops Pyramid Razor- metric focusing lens of cosmic energy" eral more days in order to investigate Blade Sharpener. It supposedly gener­ (Kerrell and Goggin 1974). some of these. ated some unknown and mysterious A similar wire-frame "magic pyra­ "energy." Unfortunately, subsequent mid" was made to be worn on the head Joe Nickell is CSICOP's Senior Research tests of the claims failed to substantiate (and so looked rather like a dunce cap) Fellow and author of numerous investiga­ them. Pyramids preserved organic mat­ in order to concentrate the wearer's tive books. ter no better than did containers of alleged psychic or healing powers

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 17 (Randi 1982). Larger frames were avail­ awesome power. I stood there for a time published without any supporting scien­ able for one to sit inside in the lotus (while Valerif photographed me, barely tific data. Physicist Edward Kruglyakov position as a means of improving medi­ containing his amusement, and while we (2001), who had previously visited the tation, or to place over the bed to gain continued our conversation with die cus­ site and in turn suggested it to me, found enhanced vitality (Kerrell and Goggin todian), but I felt no effect whatsoever. die claims utterly outlandish, unsubstan­ 1974, 6-7). There were even pyramid- Adjacent to the pyramid, in a small tiated, and scientifically without merit. shaped doghouses that supposedly rid outbuilding was a small gift shop. A sign their occupants of fleas (Hines 1988). advertised (in translation) "Consumer Weeping Icons The pyramid craze lasted dirough die Goods Energized by Pyramid." I decid­ Another paranormal phenomenon 1970s (Randi 1995, 194) then declined, ed to forego the "energized" gemstones: enjoying favor in the new glasnost is that aluSough it has never entirely gone away. a woman at a store where we stopped en of "miraculous" icons—notably one that New Age merchants still offer small gem- route for directions said she had bought was reported weeping in a Moscow stone pyramids diat focus the "energy" of some of the stones, which had been church in 1998. die particular stone (e.g., tigereye The Russian Orthodox for enhancement of "psychic abil­ Church has a tradition of vener­ ities") as well as a plastic "Wishing ating icons (from the Greek Pyramid" (into which is placed a eikon, "image") which were paper with one's wish written painted on varnished wood dicreon), and odier items. panels and over time acquired a In Russia, pyramid power is dark patina from candle smoke. on the rise—almost literally: I Perhaps because they naturally was able to visit a pyramid that depicted holy subjects and mi­ towered forty-four meters raculous events—such as Jesus's (about 144.4 feet or some imprint of his face on Veronica's twelve stories). Built in 1999 by veil (a fourteenth-century icon Alexander Golod, it is the of which I viewed in the tallest of about twenty such Tretyakov Gallery)—they seem­ Figure 1. Valerii Kuvakin and his wife. Uliya Senchihina. approach a pyramids intended for alleged pyramid northwest of Moscow. It is one of several that dot the Russian ingly began to work miracles countryside and supposedly utilize "pyramid power" for various beneficial scientific and medical purposes. purposes. Photo by Joe Nickell. themselves. I was taken to the site—about The claim that an effigy is in 38 kilometers northwest of Moscow— supposed to cure headaches, "and they some way animated (from anima, by Valerif Kuvakin (who also translated didn't work," she stated, disparaging die "breath crosses a theological line from various interviews), together widi his pyramid claims. I did buy a small "ener­ veneration (reverence toward an image) wife, Uliya Senchihina (see figure 1). gized" lead-crystal (glass) pyramid and a to idolatry (or image worship) in which (Valerii heads the Center for booklet tided (in transladon), Pyramids the image is regarded as the "tenement Inquiry-Moscow.) of the Third Millennium. It featured the or vehicle of the god and fraught with Although resembling a stone struc­ various new pyramids, including the one divine influence" ("Idolatry" 1960). ture from the outside, from the interior we were at. Nevertheless, reports of "weeping," die pyramid is seen to be constructed of According to this source, while the "bleeding," and otherwise animated fig­ translucent plexiglas panels over a wood claims for pyramid power might seem ures continue. In one modern case, in framework. It was closed when we like mysticism and shamanism to some, Sardinia, where a small statue wept arrived but a custodian consented to let those with "intuition" will see that there blood, samples were analyzed and the us in and show us around. The pyramid is the basis of a new physics, a new biol­ DNA proven to be that of the statue's was largely empty, although off to one ogy, etc. It boasts that the new pyramids owner. Yet her attorney reasoned, "Well, side were cases of bottled water that have reduced the incidence of cancer, the Virgin Mary had to get that blood were supposedly being energized for AIDS, and other diseases in the areas from somewhere" (Nickell 1997). curative purposes. surrounding them; have begun to "Salty tears" were said to flow from A rope-cordoned central area—where cleanse dieir local environments; and another image in Pavia, Italy, in 1980. the pyramid power is supposedly most promise to extend nearby residents' lon­ No one witnessed the initial weeping, concentrated—contained some crystal gevity to over 100 years. The booklet only the flows in progress, and die owner spheres diat were also being "energized." even promises that pyramids could help seemed to be alone with die figure (a Despite being warned that the energy reduce religious and other conflicts small plaster bas-relief) whenever it wept. mere was so intense that someone with a (although we might note that they have Soon, suspicious persons peeking large "biofield" (or "")—such as I not seemed effective in that regard, his­ through the windows, as well as from a supposedly have—could lose conscious­ torically, in Egypt). hidden hole in an adjacent apartment, ness, I ducked under die rope to dare die Valerif noted that the claims were saw die lady apply water to the bas-relief

18 luly/Augusl 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER with a water pistol! (Nickell 1997) (Laguado 1998). Although forensic olution in 1917. Nicholas—along with And in 1996 in Toronto pilgrims experts cautioned against a rush to judg­ the czarina, their children, servants, and a were charged $2.50 to view an icon at a ment, priests were satisfied that droplets personal physician—was assassinated on Greek Orthodox church that "wept" oil. of the substance between the mummi­ the night of June 16, 1918. (Eventually As it happened, the priest had once fied toes were myrrh and therefore evi­ their remains were discovered, identified presided over another "weeping" icon in dence of a miracle—seeming to ignore through DNA, and given a funeral in New York and had even been defrocked the possibility that myrrh could simply 1998.) ("Church" 1999) for working in a brothel in Athens! I was have been used in the embalming. When I learned I was going to involved in the case twice, the second time at the request of the parent church. With a fraud-squad detective standing by, I took samples of the oily "tears" for the Center of Forensic Sciences. The Icons in the Russian Orthodox tradition seem, substance proved to be a nondrying rather uniquely, to exude myrrh—or rather, oil, as expected; its use is an effective trick, since one application remains apparently, myrrh-scented oil. fresh-looking indefinitely. Because no one could prove who perpetrated the deception the case fizzled, but the church's North American head pro­ Moscow, I resolved to try to track down nounced it a hoax (Nickell 1997; the lachrymose icon of Czar Nicholas. Hendry 1997). Subsequently, Valerii Kuvakin and I One interesting feature of the exuding made our way by bus and Moscow's icons is the variety of substances involved excellent subway system to one of the (blood, salt water, oil, etc.) as well as the oldest districts in the city where we soon different effects (e.g., weeping tears, found the onion-domed church (called sweating blood, exuding oil). There are the Church of Nikola in Pyzhakh). some apparent trends involved. In Ca­ There, as we looked around the interior, tholicism the images tended to yield we observed the usual proliferation of blood or watery tears until relatively icons, displayed on the iconostasis (a recently when—seeming to tap the high screen that separates the sanctuary Greek Orthodox tradition (possibly due from the nave) and elsewhere. At least to a number of oil-weeping or -exuding one depicted a weeping female saint, icons at such churches that received and I wondered if such depictions might media attention)—there has been a shift have given rise to the idea of "actual" to oil (e.g., see Nickell 1999). Figure 2. Previously myrrh-exuding icon of the last weeping icons. Upon inquiring about czar, Nicholas II, shown on a devotional card. Interestingly, icons in the Russian taking photographs we learned that they Orthodox tradition seem, rather Given this cultural backdrop, it is were prohibited, although—a few rubles uniquely, to exude myrrh—or rather, not surprising to find that Russian later—we had permission to take a sin­ apparently, myrrh-scented oil. Myrrh is a Orthodox icons—when they are in a gle picture. We also obtained a devo­ fragrant gum resin used in making reputedly miraculous mode—tend to tional card featuring the icon of the czar incense, perfume, and , yield myrrh as the substance of choice. (figure 2). and in ancient times it was also In fact this is true even of icons at We were surprised to learn that, employed in embalming. (For instance, Russian Orthodox monasteries in the according to the text on the reverse of the it is one of the spices reportedly used in United States. In 1985 one in Blanco, card, the miraculous icon was only a color Jesus's burial, interspersed with his linen Texas, was discovered "weeping Myrrh." photocopy. The original was painted by wrappings [John 19:39—40].) Indeed, in ("Shrine" n.d.). Similarly in 1991 an an American artist commissioned to glo­ St. Petersburg, in 1998 when an uniden­ icon that now reposes in a Russian rify "the suffering czar." In 1987 a monk tified mummy began to exude a myrrh­ Orthodox monastery in Resaca, brought it to Russia where photocopies like substance, it was regarded as a mira­ Georgia, commenced to "exude myrrh" were made, one of which was received in cle that helped identify the remains as ("All-Holy" n.d.). Moscow in 1998. After prayers were the lost relics of a sixteenth-century In 1998 in Moscow, an icon portray­ made on the czar's behalf, the picture saint. "According to Orthodox tradi­ ing the last czar, Nicholas II, reportedly became fragrant on September 6 and tion," explains one source, "the appear­ produced myrrh almost daily after a pa­ began weeping on November 7. Actually ance of fragrant liquids on relics is a mir­ rishioner brought it to the church on the word used translates "myrrhing"— acle and means they belong to a saint" November 7, the date of the Russian rev­ that is, "yielding myrrh." The picture

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 19 went on tour in Russia, Belorussia, and summer retreat of Czar Ivan the Terrible hands skyward, in the ancient attitude Serbia, and more than a dozen "healing (1530-1584). A guidebook calls it "one of prayer, as the leader gave an invoca­ miracles" were attributed to "the of the most evocative sites in Moscow" tion. Finally, he strummed his zither and myrrhing image of our last czar." (Richardson 1998, 239), for its variety sang a song about "Old Russia." Unfortunately when we visited the of interests. It contains an eleventh- Poignant as such a ceremony may church it was no longer weeping, but century Slavic archaeological site and, seem, there is no evidence that the stone people were coming into the sanctuary among many other treasures, the rustic has any magical power or functions as every few minutes to view the icon, typi­ log cottage of Czar Peter the Great anything other than a focus for people's cally kissing the glass that covered it, (1672-1725). Muscovites flock to hopes. Petitions, including those for praying, and even prostrating themselves Kolomenskoye for festivals, summer cures of illness, will seemingly be before it. When I was able to get a look at sunbathing, and other activities. granted or not according to the whim of it myself I could see that, indeed, circumstance and possibly the it was merely a facsimile. I beseecher's own subsequent sought to learn more about the actions. The wishes that are ful­ circumstances of the previous filled are accepted as proof of "myrrhing," but Valeriis ques­ the stone's power, while those tions to the church staff were that are not are forgotten or met with apparent suspicion. We explained away. therefore learned little apart Suppressed during the com­ from press reports and the text of munist era, religion is again the devotional card. flourishing in Russia as part of The staffs reaction made me the new climate of change and suspicious in turn, since I have tolerance of individual expres­ more than once found a wary sion. Cults and offbeat groups attitude masking pious fraud. like the one worshipping at the Further suspicions come from Figure 3. New Age religious ceremony at a boulder once used for rituals ancient stone—with its admix­ by pagan tribes. the fact diat, as we have seen, ture of pagan, vaguely Ortho­ other "weeping" icons are proven dox, and New Age elements— or suspected fakes, that Russian Actually the stone is one of two huge are one manifestation of the trend. Orthodox icons exhibit a culturally dis­ sandstone boulders left by continental tinct form of the "miracle" ("myrrhing"), glaciation and found a short distance Ghostly Portents and that die phenomenon occurred at a apart in a spring-studded ravine of According to some sources Russia is a time when there was a campaign to be­ Kolomenskoye. Reponedly once serving haunted place, and ghostly phenomena stow sainthood on Czar Nicholas II and "for pagan tribes' ritual ceremonies," they seem similar to those reported elsewhere. his family. The patriarch of the church, are dubbed the "Goose" and "Girlish For example, a photograph of a Alexy II, opposed the canonization, Stone" ("Kolomenskoye" n.d.), the latter "Moscow ghost" illustrates the section stating that the imperial family were reposing on a hillside. As luck would have on Russia in The International Directory undeserving because of their poor leader­ it, when we arrived on a Sunday after­ of Haunted Places (Hauck 2000). ship of both church and state ("Church" noon following a sketchy map provided However the anomalous white shape at 1999). The "miracle" seems an attempt by one of Nadya's co-workers, Kirill the bottom of the nighttime tourist to counter that view by faking a sem­ Boliakiu, there was a ceremony in photo seems consistent with other pho­ blance of divine approval. progress at that stone (figure 3). tographs in which foreign objects in The ceremony was not pagan—there front of the lens have bounced back the The Pagan Stone were references to the "Christian fam­ flash to create various ghostly effects: Another carryover from the past that is ily"—but it seemed to me, well, strands of "ectoplasm" (caused by a wan­ finding new expression is devotion to a paganesque. The leader of the group, dering wrist strap), "orbs" (due to water certain ancient magical stone which was wearing a belted robe and sporting long droplets, dust particles, etc.), or, in the a focus of pagan ceremonies hair and a beard, had a decidedly New case of the "Moscow ghost," apparently ("Kolomenskoye" n.d.). I was able to Age appearance. He cleaned the stone a careless fingertip! visit the site with a young woman, and, to "warm" it, partially covered it Then there are the apparitions. Hauck Nadya Tereshina (a reception supervisor with an animal pelt that had been (2000) states that at the Kremlin the at my hotel), who translated for me. draped over his shoulder. Crusts of specter of Ivan the Terrible "is seen" The stone is in Kolomenskoye, a bread were scattered on the stone so (using the present tense) while another state museum-reserve in south Moscow. that, when birds carried the offering Located on the west bank of the Moskva away, one's wishes would supposedly be MOSCOW MYSTERIES River, Kolomenskoye was once a royal granted. The supplicants raised their Continued on page 24

20 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER CENTER FOR INQUIRY Institute

presents its longest, most intensive summer session ever! Summer Session 2002

loin us at the Center for Inquiry Institute's first two-week Summer Session in Amherst, New York! Join our world-class faculty for the whole intensive session, or choose either of two Weekend Seminars with historical presentations and cultural tours.

^@T UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE W& Entire Session (July 14-28) CREDIT AVAILABLE 2 courses: Faculty: Introduction to Critical Inquiry PAUL KURTZ History and Philosophy of Naturalism JOE NICKELL (Center for Inquiry) $750 for both • Includes 14 days room and NICHOLAS CAPALDI (University of Tulsa) board at SUNY Buffalo residence halls, course RICHARD HULL (SUNY Buffalo) materials, evening cultural/arts events, and MARVIN KOHL (City University of New York) both Weekend Seminars. SALLY ROESCH WAGNER All participants will receive credit toward (Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation) MARGARET DOWNEY (Anti-Discrimination Center for Inquiry Institute's Certificate Support Network) of Proficiency. Full-session participants can GLENN C. ALTSCHULER (Cornell University) receive undergraduate credit through the State University of New York for an additional fee. Weekend Seminars (July 19-20, 26-2 7) Scholarships available. Religious Dissent and Progressive Politics in For info, registration forms, or scholarship 19th Century Upstate New York applications, contact Seminars include guest lectures and guided CENTER FOR INQUIRY INSTITUTE cultural tours to area PO Box 741 landmarks including Amherst NY 14226 Lily Dale spiritualist (716) 636-4869 ext. 223 FAX (716) 636-1 733 Ingersoll Birthplace Museum assembly, Women's email: [email protected] Rights National Historic Park, and Robert G. Ingersoll Birthplace Museum. Or apply online at: $75 each • Includes all admissions, http://www.centerforinquiry.net Saturday luncheon

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Return of Spring-Heeled Jack

an you imagine a mysterious fered bruises in the abdomen and arms. a skin-tight costume, while others stated masked creature that looks like Then the assailant went into the neigh­ it was a bandaged figure with a helmet. C a black shadow, with a monkey­ bor's house and injured a child, finally At least one witness claimed that it like face, flaming red eyes, and sharp disappearing in the dark lane before vil­ looked "like a remote-controlled robot metal claws, attacking people at night, lagers could be aroused. like object, which jumped high in the air jumping four stories high and disappear­ After that first blitz, dozens of indi­ in a jiffy and vanished within seconds."' ing into tfrin air? Bunk, you say? Well, viduals in a number of areas in East Delhi What's certain, however, is the fact that's not what the people in East Delhi, claimed to have been hurt in subsequent that two people (some sources say three) India, thought last year. In May, just such attacks and pictures of scratched victims died because of this creature—or at least, because of the panic created. Early a creature was repeatedly spotted, instill­ Tfl i/i™» ing terror and claiming two lives. The May 15, at 2:30 A.M., a pregnant craze got to a point where vigilante woman in East Delhi fell down some groups armed with sticks patrolled the stairs after being awakened by the shouts streets at night on the lookout for the ! of neighbors saying rJiat the Monkey creature and police announced a 50.000 1 Man had arrived. She died in a hospital, rupee ($1,067) reward for information as did another unfortunate soul, who leading to its capture.1 died in similar circumstances. What is happening here? Is there Hey, Hey, We're The Monkees 1 really some freak monster out in the woods of New Delhi? Or is this some Reports of the "Monkey Man," as the i press promptly baptized it, first reached •L- ..i. kind of evil superhero, waiting for the the local police office on May 13. 2001. local Spider-man to capture him and i^^ return him to justice? According to one report"' the masked •T^^M^J man had appeared in the village of During the past century there have Ghaziabad around 8:30 P.M. and had been tales of strange creatures or men with remained there till 4:00 A.M., terrorizing 'H? properties similar to this Monkey Man, the residents. Vineet Sharma, grandson such as the glowing eyes and the ability to *r» of the first victim, said that that night, • • suddenly disappear in front of witnesses. when he and his brother were sleeping The Spring-Heeled Jack as depicted by one of In the 1960s, in America, there was a spate Victorian London's so called 'penny dreadful' news­ with their grandmorJier, a masked man papers. of such sightings: die creature was dubbed had entered the veranda and attacked or Owlman in different areas.* the old lady and pushed her. She suf- started to appear in daily newspapers. The past few years have seen a num­ Descriptions of the Monkey Man ber of sightings of a creature dubbed Massimo Polidoro is an investigator of the soon appeared to be contradictory: some El . paranormal, author, lecturer, and co- described the entity as a masked man, However, to find another episode that founder and head of CICAP, the Italian others as a monkey, and a few others as a has had a similar impact on the public skeptics group. cat with glowing eyes. Some said it wore we need to go back at least 150 years,

22 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER when Victorian London fell for some around and then leaving by jumping out from the Indian police said: "It was due time in the clutches of terror of what was of the window again. to unsubstantiated media reports that then known as "Spring-Heeled Jack." The few times when he was cornered people were encouraged to come out he was able to escape thanks to one of his with bizarre accounts of the creature Jumping Jack Flash fabulous leaps. He soon became a sort of though no one had actually seen it."'' According to legend, the first reports of folklore Figure, the subject of so called Furthermore, in both cases a host of a strange leaping figure sighted in "penny dreadfuls," melodramas and at imitators jumped on the bandwagon: London date back to 1837; some descriptions tell of a strange monster, half-man half-bat, complete with wings and horns. Others refer to a powerfully The conclusion of Indian police is similar to one built man in a shiny suit with a helmet reached by those who have carefully studied the and cloak, spitting fire. Whatever its features, it seems that it case of Spring-Heeled Jack: "The mysterious was a series of sudden and unexpected 'Monkey Man' that instilled terror and claimed aggressions that led an anonymous citi­ three lives in the Indian capital was simply the zen to write a letter giving details of an attack by a mysterious "Spring-Heeled product of the city's collective imagination." Jack," to Sir John Cowan, the Lord Mayor. Cowan drew public attention to the letter and his acceptance of the rumors led to a flood of letters from least one later film. The Curse of the pranksters, persons of malicious intent individuals reporting their own previous Wraydons (1946). Even mothers teaching (like in Japan, which is currently experi­ encounters with the terrible Jack. their children to behave cried the name encing a series of "Pandaman" murders Young Jane Aslop, for one, told the of that fearful bogeyman: "Be good or with the perpetrator wearing a Panda press that one evening she answered a Spring-Heeled Jack will get you!"'' mask),' and possibly some who simply violent knocking at her front door. There saw an opportunity to get some attention. was a man in the shadows by the front Just an Illusion The conclusion of Indian police is gate who identified himself as a police The careful reader will certainly have similar to one reached by those who officer, and asked her to bring a light. .. noticed by now die many similarities have carefully studied the case of Spring- he claimed to have captured the infa­ between the case of Spring-Heeled Jack Heeled Jack: "The mysterious 'Monkey mous Spring-Heeled Jack! Excited, Jane and its modern equivalent, Monkey Man' that instilled terror and claimed fetched a candle and hurried it out to the Man. In both cases a mysterious charac­ three lives in the Indian capital was sim­ gate but nobody could be seen. ter, half-man and half-something else, ply the product of the city's collective Suddenly, two arms grabbed her neck on whom descriptions rarely agree, imagination."" and began to rip up her dress and body. attacks defenseless people unprovoked In other words, this was another sen­ It was only thanks to the arrival of Jane's and then disappears in an impossible sational example of what sociologists call sisters, alarmed by the struggle, that she way. No traces of his passage can ever be collective delusions. "Collective delu­ was able to break free wearing only a few found but there are many who claim to sions," say sociologists Robert E. scars on her neck and arms. Into the dis­ have seen it, or at least to have felt its Bartholomew and Erich Goode, "are typ­ tance, Jack leapt away. presence. It is in fact only on the basis of ified as the spontaneous, rapid spread of Two months later, another girl, Lucy a feeling that the attacker was pursuing false or exaggerated beliefs within a pop­ Scales, was returning home with her sis­ them that two people jumped off a roof. ulation at large, temporarily affecting a ter. As they entered a dark, empty alley, a Investigation by the police, finally, particular region, culture, or country.... tall, cloaked figure leaped from the shad­ brings forth similar results in both cases: Many factors contribute to the formation ows, belched blue flames into Lucy's face, some scratches and bruises on the victims and spread of collective delusions and blinding her, and then disappeared again. of the elusive creatures turn out to be hysterical illness: the mass media; In the ensuing years sightings of caused by animal bites or accidents, while rumors; extraordinary anxiety or excite­ Spring-Heeled Jack multiplied and most of the wounds could have been self- ment; cultural beliefs and stereotypes; die through the 1850s and 1860s he was inflicted by impressionable people. social and political context; and reinforc­ spotted all over England. Sometimes he Statements from the victims change ing actions by authorities such as politi­ enjoyed slapping sentries with his icy overnight and arc vague and often con­ cians, or institutions of social control hands and jumping atop their guard tradictory. Like in die old days, when such as die police or military."'1 boxes, while other times he was reported sensationalistic newspapers' accounts Usually, it all starts when, in an un­ as leaping into some apartment from an fueled sightings of Jack, the same thing comfortable environment—dark and fog­ open window, trashing the furniture happened again recently. The final report gy alleys in Victorian London yesterday,

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 23 degraded neighborhoods with unre­ MOSCOW MYSTERIES shade of a murdered mistress in Charles paired street lights and scarce drinkable From page 20 lis era, and the silent grey ladies of water in New Delhi today—something Victoria's reign represent not beings of unusual happens. In London, it is quite that other world, but of this." possible that some street assaults actu­ source ("Ghosts" 1997) states diat images As purposeful as Shakespeare's ghosts ally took place, since there have always of the fearsome czar "appeared many (recall how the specters of Hamlet and been similar assaults anywhere in the times" (employing the past tense). Both Banquo were driven by revenge), those world, but it was only following an sources agree mat the most appearances of Russian historical figures tend to anonymous letter that the culprit was occurred in 1894 before Nicholas lis function as portents in anxious times. identified as die improbable Spring- wedding to Alexandra, when he was to While I toured the Kremlin and stood Heeled Jack. In New Delhi, likewise, it accede to die throne following the death outside Lenin's tomb in Red Square yet may be that some aggressive, roaming of his father. Supposedly Ivan's phantom saw no ghosts, I nevertheless could not monkey got too close to some people "brandished his heavy baton as sinister escape feeling the impress of the often- sleeping and scared some child. This flames danced about his face." troubled past of a great country. Such spark is usually enough to start the The Kremlin is also allegedly personages as Ivan the Terrible and mania: from that moment on, anything haunted by the ghost of Lenin Lenin, magnified by history and legend, that seems a little bit out of the ordinary (1870-1924), the Russian revolution­ loomed large—at least in my own immediately becomes a Monkey Man, a ary. In 1961 his spirit supposedly con­ haunted thoughts. leaping Jack or anything else: a black cat tacted a medium to tell her he despised walks on the roof? It's Monkey Man! References sharing his mausoleum with dictator Two drunks get into a fight? It's Monkey Joseph Stalin (1879-1953) "who caused "The All-Holy Theorokos." N.d. Brochure of the Man attacking an innocent victim! [Russian] Orthodox Monastery of the Glori­ the Party so much harm." The medium, ous Ascension, Resaca, Georgia. In Victorian London the imaginary a communist heroine devoted to Lenin Church to test Moscow icon. 1999. AOL News exploits of Spring-Heeled Jack were and imprisoned by Stalin, revealed (AP), January 30. soon forgotten and replaced in popular Finucane, R. C. 1984. Appearances of the Dead: A Lenin's alleged wishes in an address to Cultural History of Ghosts. Buffalo, N.Y.: culture by the real and horrible ones of the party congress, and the next night . another Jack, the Ripper. In New Delhi, Stalin's body was removed and reinterred "Ghosts." 1997. At www.sptimcsrussia.com. on the contrary, the wave of panic Hauck, Dennis William. 2000. The International elsewhere. Also, during the power strug­ Directory of Haunted Places. New York: Pen­ resulted in street lights being turned on, gle of 1993, Lenin's ghost was reported­ guin, 129-131. plentiful buckets of water being distrib­ ly seen pacing anxiously in his former Hendry. Luke. 1997. "Weeping" icon called a uted, and better police-guarded streets. fake. The Toronto Star, August 28. office and other government sites Hines, Terence. 1988. Pseudoscience and the As Douglas Chapman remarked in his (Hauck 2000; "Ghosts" 1997). Paranormal Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, commentary on the episode for What are we to make of such tales? 306-307. Strangemag.com, "This may be the first "Idolatry." 1960. Encyclopedia Britannica. First of all, the apparitions seem typical Kerrell, Bill, and Kathy Goggin. 1974. Basic time in history diat fortean phenom­ of those reported elsewhere and may Pyramid Experimental Guide Book. Santa ena—genuine, error, or hoax—has have the same explanations as them; Monica, California: Pyramid Power-V, Inc. resulted in improved social services."10 "Kolomenskoye: The State Museum Reserve." i.e., they may be due to a welling up of N.d. Icurrcnt 2001]. Brochure. Can you imagine? the subconscious during daydreams or Kruglyakov, Edward. 2001. Personal communica­ other altered states of consciousness tion, April 6 and October 3—5. Notes Laguado, Alice. 1998. Orthodox Church sanctifies 1. "India's 'monkey man' branded imaginary," and may be triggered in part by the mummy. The Arizona Republic, August 22. ccn.com. June 22, 2001. See also: Hindustan power of suggestion, especially among Nickell, Joe. 1997. Those tearful icons. Free Times, 16 May 2001; Mainichi Slum bun. 2 May certain highly imaginative people Inquiry 17(2) (Spring): 5. 7, 61. 2001; Daily Pioneer, 16 and 20 May 2001; Times . 1999. Miracles or deception? The of India, 17 May 2001. 19 May 2001. (Nickell 2000). pathetic case of Audrey Santo. SKEPTICAL 2. "Monkey man goes amok," Hindustan Moreover, the reported encounters INQUIRER 23(5) (September/October): 16-18. times.com, May 12, 2001 (www.hindustantimcs. show an obvious tendency for Russian . 2000. Haunted inns. SKEPTICAL com/nonfram/130501 /dct 1 ST03.asp). INQUIRER 24(5) (September/October): 17-21. 3. Ibid. ghosts to serve as omens. In different Ostrander, Sheila, and Lynn Schroedcr. 1970. 4. Nickell, Joe. 2002. 'Morhman' Solved! places and times people perceive ghosts Psychic Discoveries Behind the Iron Curtain. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER March/April 26(2): 20. in terms of their own cultural attitude. New York: Bantam Books. 5. Begg, Paul, "Spring-Heeled Jack: The Terror Randi. James. 1982. Flim-Flam! . ESP, of London," in Brookesmith, Peter (cd.). Open According to R. C. Finucane, in his Ap­ Unicorns and Other Delusions. Buffalo. N.Y.: Files, London, Orbis Publishing Ltd, 1984. pearances of the Dead: A Cultural History Prometheus Books. 206-207. 6. .com, op. cit. of Ghosts (1984): "Each epoch has per­ . 1995. An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, 7. Chapman, Douglas. "Chaos in Delhi: and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural Monkey Man Madness," Strangemag.com. ceived its specters according to specific New York: St. Martin's Griffin. 8. cnn.com op. cit. sets of expectations; as these change so Richardson, Dan. 1998. Moscow: The Rough 9. Bartholomew. Robert E.. and Erich Goode. too do the specters. From this point of Guide. London: Rough Guides, Ltd. 2000. "Mass Delusions and Hysterias." SKEPTICAL "Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary." N.d. INQUIRER, May/June 24(3): 20-28. view it is clear that the suffering souls of Brochure of the Christ of the Hills Monastery, 10. Chapman, Douglas, op. cit. purgatory in the days of Aquinas, the Blanco. Texas.

24 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER SCIENCE AMD PSEUDOSCIENCE IN RUSSIA

The First Skeptics' Congress Convenes in Russia

The Russian Academy of Sciences cosponsored a special conference with CSICOP on "Science, Anti-Science, and the Paranormal" last October in Moscow. Russian scientists complained about the growth of uncritical public acceptance of pseudoscience in Russia and participants passed a resolution warning of the increasing anti-science, charlatanism, and irrationalism.

PAUL KURTZ • mm. elief in pseudoscience and antiscience has been rising in Russia, as it has in other countries of the world. This is Bespecially true in the mass media and popular press, but pseudoscience has also entered into Russian science, largely because skeptical points of view have not been heard. This has been of special concern to many Russian scientists, who believe that the scientific community needs to provide critical examinations of paranormal claims—which main­ stream scientists heretofore have largely deplored but ignored. With this vexing problem in mind, the Russian Academy of Sciences, cosponsored a special conference with the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) on "Science, Anti-Science, and the

1' '11 • 'Drf^ftEfTW r~m»r Three co-chairmen, October 2001, CSICOP / Academy of Sciences Conferences, Moscow, Russia. Paul Kurtz. Valerii Kuvakin, and Edward Kruglyakov.

Paranormal." This was held on October 3-5, 2001, at the Moscow State University; and myself as chairman of CSICOP headquarters of the Academy of Sciences in Moscow. Founded Well over 200 scientists and researchers came from all over in the eighteenth century, the Academy survived Stalinist Russia and neighboring republics—from Ukraine to repression during the Soviet period. The Russian Academy is Kazakhstan—to participate. Valerii Kuvakin heads die Center considered Russia's elite scientific body. It includes in its highly for Inquiry at Moscow State University, which opened four years select roster the most prestigious scientists in the country. ago. He is also editor of their journal Zdravyi Smysl (Common Sense or Critical Thinking) and editor of a series of books published in Russian. The The Russian intelligentsia is largely unfamiliar Center, a joint project of CSICOP and the Council for Secular Humanism, is commit­ with our emphasis on skeptical inquiry, but a ted to reason, science, and free inquiry in all number of them are now sympathetic to the areas of human interest. This conference marked my fifth trip to agenda defended by CSICOP. Russia in the last twelve years. I have par­ ticipated in several conferences in Russia over the years, but this is the first one The conference was co-chaired by Edward Kruglyakov, a devoted exclusively to science and the paranormal. The member of the Academy, who is a research physicist and Russian intelligentsia is largely unfamiliar with our emphasis deputy director at the Russian scientific city of Novosibirsk; on skeptical inquiry, but a number of them are now sympa­ Valerii Kuvakin, president of the Russian Humanist Society thetic to the agenda defended by CSICOP. During the long and former chairman of the department of philosophy at period of the Soviet Union, the official dogma of the Communist Party ruled the country, and alternative view­ Paul Kurtz is the chairman of CSICOP and was a co-chairman points were suppressed, though the rulers defended what tiiey of the Moscow conference. called "scientific Marxism." With the collapse of the Soviet

26 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Union, all sorts of paranormal and religious claims prolifer­ est, somewhat intense several years ago, has already begun to ated, but there were few defenders of critical thinking. abate. Most people do not attend church, but they do not call Both Kruglyakov and Kuvakin have visited the Center themselves atheists or skeptics. Many Russians were concerned for Inquiry in Amherst, New York, Kuvakin several times as about the possible growth of cults in Russia, but popular inter­ a Research Fellow. The Center for Inquiry in Moscow State est here has likewise begun to decline. University is also a strong proponent of human rights and A number of members of CSICOP participated in this con­ democracy, which it considers essential for the flourishing ference. They included Willem Betz from Brussels, who dis­ of science. Kruglyakov was appointed chairman of the Russian Academy's new "Commission Russian scientists at the conference complained Against Pseudoscience and the Falsifications of Scientific Studies." His task is to work about the growth of astrology, psychic with CSICOP and odicr skeptical groups in phenomena, , and alternative providing information about uncorrobo­ rated claims. In his paper, "Why Is medicine, but until now they said they did Pseudoscience Dangerous?" [see page 33], he not have the proper tools or the information was particularly concerned with unsubstanti­ ated pseudoscientific theories that are being with which to criticize these topics. introduced into mainline physics and accepted without dissent. Kruglyakov was recently asked by President Putin for recommendations in treat­ cussed and alternative medicine. Amardeo ing this problem. Kruglyakov urged increased funding for sci­ Sarma, head of the European Council of Skeptical entific research and education. Incidentally, news of die confer­ Organizations and of CSICOP's Center for Inquiry in ence prior to our arrival was apparently discussed in the Duma Rossdorf, Germany, dealt with the Shroud of Turin and the and engendered heated controversy. problems of creating a skeptics movement in a country. James Russian scientists at the conference complained about the Alcock, psychologist at York University, analyzed the question growth of astrology, psychic phenomena, UFOlogy, and alter­ "why people believe." Richard Wiseman from England criti­ native medicine, but until now they said they did not have the cized . In attendance from the United States proper tools or the information with which to criticize these were Lee Nisbet, who talked about media ; Joe topics. The need for scientific education in Russia was empha­ Nickell, who discussed miracles; and Jan Eisler, who dealt with sized by astronomer D.G. Sordin, who said that the funding the limitations of "." for scientific research and education is in crisis, for it has In the last session of the conference the participants passed declined precipitously. He cited the fact that Russia's most a resolution against antiscience, charlatanism, and irrational- influential science magazines have lost readership. For exam­ ism in Russia and supported the work of the new Russian ple, Science and Life has dropped from 3.4 million during the committee [see page 28]. The Russian Humanist Society also Soviet period to 40,000 circulation today. Russia's leading passed a resolution protesting the violation of the separation of physics magazine. Quantum, has fallen from 315.000 to 5,000 church and state, and, in particular, the efforts by the Russian readers. Garry Abelev, also a member of the Academy, said that Orthodox Church to reintroduce religion into the public pseudoscience is growing in biology and medicine. Well- schools, which they thought would undermine science. known TV personality Sergei Kapitsa, vice president of the Having suffered decades of religious repression at the hands of Academy of Sciences, attributed the growth of pseudoscience Stalinism during the Soviet period, participants, however, were to sociological causes and said that it is a symptom of the cautious in their criticism of religion. "worldwide disintegration of society." Yurif Efremov, another The conference received extensive coverage in the media, noted astronomer, in his paper [see page 29] criticized the front page in hvestia and other newspapers, as well as consid­ increasing influence of pseudoscientific philosophies, such as erable comment in scientific journals, TV, and radio. postmodernism and religious fundamentalism, which have Last but not least, the proceedings were held in a friendly subdy undermined the naturalistic outlook and the ideals of atmosphere and concluded with many toasts of vodka at the the Enlightenment. Academy and at the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and some University, chaired by the dean. The most important conclu­ exponents of spirituality and the paranormal attended the sion to emerge from the conference is that Russian scientists public sessions of the meetings. Much has been written about wish to participate in the world skeptics movement. They wish an alleged religious revival in Russia. Lev Mitrokhin, a mem­ to take part in future conferences and to dialogue with their ber of the Academy and social philosopher, said popular inter­ colleagues throughout the world. •

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 27 Against Antiscience, Charlatanism, and Irrationalism in Russia RESOLUTION of the International Symposium Science, Antiscience and Paranormal Beliefs Moscow, October 5, 2001

The international symposium orga­ have widely penetrated into the • considers the derealization of nized by the Russian Academy of market of services, especially in the education in schools and universi­ Sciences, Moscow State University fields of medicine, psychology, and ties as an action that violates Clause named after M.V. Lomonosov, and education. 14 of the Constitution of the the Russian Humanist Society, has 3. We cannot keep silent about the Russian Federation proclaiming the been provoked by the necessity to danger of the current state-church separation of church from state and resist the unprecedented expansion policy in this country. Politicization school; of false science, paranormal beliefs, and ideological revival of religions are • appeals to the mass media to be and newer forms of irrationalism a delayed-action bomb that threaten more responsible in reporting about into Russian culture at the end of to split Russia into hostile parts: sensational claims or paranormal the twentieth and beginning of the believers versus nonbelievers, "the phenomena, and to provide more twenty-first centuries. right faith versus the wrong faith." opportunity for the experts to 1. The condition of devastation, The situation has reached the point accompany such claims with their collapse of former ideals, and where the church has begun to scientific comments; absence of new ones have led Russia occupy important positions in gov­ • asks the Committee for Edu­ to the point where many people have ernmental bodies, the army, and the cation and Science of the State begun to believe only in miracles. system of state education. Duma of the Russian Federation to One such "miracle" has appeared in 4. Taking into account the dan­ organize hearings on the expansion the form of false science, which is gerous level of expansion of false sci­ of false science, charlatanism, and now the well-organized net of pro­ ence, charlatanism, and irrationalism paranormal beliefs into Russian fessional fakers. Today this organized into society, this conference: culture; false science has become a powerful, • considers the organized false • approves the activity of the immoral, and criminal force. Pseu- science and charlatanism in Russia as Russian Humanist Society and its doscience and charlatanism affect immoral and a socially dangerous magazine Zdravyj Smysl promoting even the highest echelons of state activity, scientific ideals, all human moral, institutions, becoming a parasite on • approves the goals and program legal, and civil norms, and resisting the budget of science, which is of action of the Commission Against false science, charlatanism, and irra­ already poor. Pseudoscience and the Falsifications tionalism. 2. Another serious problem, of Scientific Studies of the Presidium which threatens reason and science of the Russian Academy of Sciences, (Adopted October 5, 2001, at the clos­ both in Russia and many other civi­ which is designed to promote objec­ ing plenary session of the conference lized countries, is the renewal of tive and independent expertise and [two against]. According to the regis­ paranormal belief;.—archaic super­ review the results of scientific stud­ tration sheets 210 people participated stitions and preconceptions of the ies, without which any scientific in this event, besides the foreign guests, magical conscience of ancient ages. research is impossible; radio and TV correspondents.) Astrologers and psychics, occultists • appeals to the leadership of the and shamans, magicians and sorcer­ Russian Academy of Sciences to pro­ Translated from Russian by Pyotr ers who propagandize mysticism, vide more support to this Com­ Trevogin, edited by Valerii Kuvakin of magic, divinations, and prophecies, mittee; the Center for Inquiry-Moscow.

28 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER The Reliability of Scientific Knowledge and the Enemies of Science

The extraordinary achievements of astronomy in recent years show that critics who question the alleged bias of scientific knowledge don't understand science. Researchers fight attempts to misportray or abuse scientific results for good reason. There are dangerous enemies of science, and the situation is more serious than it may seem.

YURI N. EFREMOV

utside the world of natural scientists there are many who talk about "the crisis of science," and question Othe entire direction of science. Many knowledge­ able sociologists assert that objective scientific truth does not exist at all. This is also repeated by the apologists of the fash­ ionable philosophy of postmodernism and bellicose clerics. A real war with the scientific outlook thus has been declared. Indeed, there is some danger that we are approaching the sunset of the second great experiment with rationalism (after the classical world). The return of the Middle Ages could become a reality. We should constantly remind people that from the begin­ ning of the twentieth century, human beings have lived in an

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 29 environment created by the achievements of science. We usu­ fifty galaxies. Movements of stars at the center of our galaxy ally do not notice the air that we breathe. The time between recently were measured that prove the presence of invisible scientific discoveries and technological development usually objects with masses of 2 million suns. Black holes, opening a takes decades. Electricity, air travel, television, victory over window in other spaces and times, have become a reality! many mortal illnesses, the common comforts of life that we Modern cosmology removes a problem of the origin of our today enjoy are based in the end on the results of the disinter­ universe, asserting that it, as well as other universes, sponta­ ested curiosity of scientific researchers. neously arose from a primary vacuum, and this process of gen­ eration of new universes basically can some­ day be reproduced in our laboratories by the collision of elementary panicles of super­ high energy. Was our universe created in the Was our universe created in the laboratory of an laboratory of an ancient super-mighty civi­ ancient super-mighty civilization? Deep problems lization? Deep problems of human existence of human existence are posed by modern science. are posed by modern science. The view that science is poor in spirit is simply due to igno­ The view that science is poor in spirit is simply due rance of its frontiers. to ignorance of its frontiers. For the past half-century, due to space research and the development of radio- astronomy, the energetic range of quantums of electromagnetic radiation of heavenly Without the perfect flowers of a fundamental science tliere bodies accessible to study has extended fifteen orders of mag­ will be no fruits suitable for use. This is also true for technology. nitude. Humans have visited the Moon, and have sent rocket Modern engineering is based on the laws of mechanics, which probes to other planets. The knowledge gained via optical tele­ have grown out of die observations of the heavenly bodies, and scopes in a tiny window of wavelengths through a terrestrial astrophysics is inseparable from the physics of elementary parti­ atmosphere has been completely confirmed by these achieve­ cles. The abstract achievements of a modern-day science will help ments. The development of methods of neutrino registration our grandchildren solve future problems. Technology and civi­ recently has brought confirmation (contrary to first results) of lization itself will eventually die if science is allowed to perish. the validity of the theory of the sources of energy of the Sun Outside Russia, despite severe criticisms of science, rapid (and the stars in general). Incoming observations of gravita­ developments go on not only in theoretical but also experi­ tional waves will allow testing many theories and certainly will mental research, demanding huge funding. The Russian six- bring challenging new problems. In view of this, what is the meter telescope, which in 1980 was the largest in the world, is "crisis of science" that its critics speak of? now outstripped by two dozen telescopes, including two ten- The injustice of the statements of the critics of science is meter instruments, and there are development projects to con­ especially clear in astronomy. Observational programs enable struct thirty-meter and even one-hundred-meter telescopes. us to verify conclusions of concrete theories, but frequently The achievements of astronomy in recent years seem to come new phenomena are discovered or objects explained by other from the pages of science fiction novels. They prove that the cri­ theories are also tested. sis of science exists only in the of its enemies. Some exam­ We come nearer to a more complete understanding of our ples are in order. The dream of discovering planets around the universe, because we are its children. Max Planck, the founder stars inspired astronomers for decades. Since 1995 they are of quantum theory, on which all modern electronics is based, being discovered almost monthly—today we know about eighty said that he understood that the laws of human thinking coin­ planets. It is possible now to compare our solar system with oth­ cide with the laws managing sequences of impressions, which ers, to specify die theories about the formation of planets and we receive from the encircling world. Consequently, thinking our Earth, similarly for the geology of useful minerals, etc. allows humans to penetrate inside the external world. The Black holes, an area of space with a strong gravitational field paramount role thus played by the external world is not some­ from which light cannot escape, until recently was only a theo­ thing dependent on man, but something absolute, he added. retical concept. Today we know of about a dozen candidates for Similarly, said that the truth of the existence of black holes inside our galaxy alone; and we are able to attribute the external world is independent of the perceiving subject and the existence of supermassive black holes in the nuclei of some this underlies all natural sciences. This conviction of researchers is shared by philosophers, the Yuri N. Efremov is an astronomer at the Sternberg Astronomical representatives of the evolutionary theory of knowledge. Institute, Moscow State University, Universitesky pr. 13, Russia. G. Follmer has noted diat the subjective structures of knowledge E-mail: [email protected]. provide us widi die realistic approach to the world, as they were

30 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER formed during evolution by human adaptation to die real world. We may add that the criterion of universal practice proves the validity of scientific knowledge. The collective practice of humankind confirms that scientific theories work. The hydro­ gen bomb exploded in accordance with the theory of the nuclear sources of energy in the stars, and relativity corrections arc needed both for the rapid movement of interplanetary space probes and elementary particles in a synchrotron. The objectivity and reliability of die results of science never­ theless are furiously challenged by its enemies, who unhappily are believed to be the philosophers of science. After Thomas Kuhn and Paul Feyerabend, modern "sociologists of knowledge" assert diat it is impossible to trust physical theories since they replace one another, it is possible to consider them to be a result of constructs by scientists. However, V. Ginzburg, the leading Russian physicist, a quarter of a century ago noted that die conclusions by Kuhn are based on misunderstanding of die major facts confirmed by the history of science: new knowledge, if it is true, always includes the old, which appears as a special case of die new dieory. According to Einstein, the best destiny of a physical theory is to specify a way of creating new, more general theories, within the framework of which the previous one remains as a limiting case. I would suggest that we consider this Niels Bohr's principle of correspondence as a condition and attribute of the genuine scientific character of a new dieory. This implies, by the way, that so called "scientific revolutions" do not exist. The emer­ gence of relativity theory and quantum mechanics was nothing but a "revolution" in the psychology of scientists and philoso­ phers, not in science itself. I would argue that the Copernican revolution was not a revolution either—it marked the emer­ the essence of a scientist, and it is only because this funda­ gence of genuine science. One could on the contrary assert that mental research is still alive in Russia. It can contribute to the there is a permanent revolution in science. But this is simply a advances of world science, despite the fact that salaries of way to deny the very existence of revolutions in science. By all Russian scientists are barely adequate. means, science never cedes territory once conquered. Also, it is because of this that researchers are so hostile to The conclusions of postmodern philosophers about the any attempts to misportray or abuse scientific results. alleged bias of scientific knowledge have not been demon­ The aspiration for truth also explains why scientists strug­ strated, not only because it is against science, but because phi­ gle against pseudoscience. The philosophy of postmodernism losophy does not provide the objective criteria for judging the serves to justify every possible para-scientific doctrine. The validity of a scientific hypothesis or theory. Understanding the most ancient of them, astrology, does not require such huge achievement of science requires special knowledge. It is why financial support as the Russian "torsion generator" people do, the deepest contributions to the theory of knowledge have but can well harm the people trusting in its predictions. There been made by great physicists of the twentieth century, not by is no need to repeat that there is no material agent of influence "expert philosophers." The sociologists of knowledge have of stars and planets on the destinies of the people—and there concentrated their study on the statements of scientists about are no statistics confirming the forecasts of astrologers. They their results. From these subjective statements the sociologists make claims that come true with the same frequency that of science have concluded that the product of science grows would be expected from chance. The astrologers advising the out of the accord of scientists—overlooking the fact that these Ministry of Defense make Russia potentially dangerous to all statements by necessity are subjective. the world—and for its own population. . . . At any rate, the end result of science is the objective prod­ The question of parapsychology is more complicated, for uct of multiple verifications and the findings of generations of the issue of the physical mechanism of consciousness is far scientists. The final goal of science is the understanding of the from being resolved. Hypnosis, suggestion under hypnosis, world. Movement in this direction is the aim of scientists. It is (especially postponed suggestion) amaze the imagination and

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 31 are subject to research. However, without exception all the read a book by a creationist filled with errors, will attribute experiments on transfer of thoughts at a distance either are such ignorance to all of Christianity. unsuccessful, or are doubtful, or are certainly proved frauds. The situation is more serious than it may seem. Almost liter­ The last is a fair statement in particular for those experiments, ally repeating die words of die Roman Pope in 1951, some repre­ on which were based Karl Jung's concepts of synchronism and sentatives of Russian science nowadays declare diat science has transpersonal consciousness. come to a recognition of the religious view of the creation of the A previously solely-Russian phenomenon, the so-called world. However, both cosmologists and theologians long ago showed that die expansion of die universe does not tell us about its creation, that the Pseudoscientists, ignorant officials, Creator should not be relegated to the role of unwise philosophers, an ignorant mass media, a scientific hypothesis. Moreover, modern cosmologic dieory has come to the conclusion and clerics all are pulling Russia backwards. diat our universe, as well as sets of other ones, Yes, the decline of interest in science is dangerous began existence spontaneously, as fluctuations of a primary vacuum. There is no basis to to the future of mankind. This is seen all over the identify this vacuum with the Creator. world, but Russia seems to be ahead of the entire At some schools lessons of religion have planet, this time in its retrograde movement begun, and at universities theology is taught—contrary to the Russian Constitu­ toward the New Middle Ages. tion. Some of the books, preaching creation­ ism, carry a signature stamp saying die book "new chronology," is getting to be a new international para- is recommended by the Moscow patriarchy. While these Russian science. These people, led by the academician A. Fomenko, books still explain to children that Earth revolves around the affirm that authentic history begins ostensibly only with the Sun, some Western creationists even see that as a contradiction thirteenth century. Astronomers showed twenty years ago that to sacred writing and attempt to expose Copernicus. However, ancient observations of stars and planets, including what can­ half of the adults in the United States do not know how long it not be forged with knowledge available up to the eighteenth takes Earth to revolve around the Sun. It is quite possible diat the century, confidendy confirm normal chronology. However, fruits of the present reforms of education in Russia will be not until 1999 most historians were passive, not wishing to less impressive.... besmirch their hands, and most of the mass media propagan­ The events of September 11, 2001, show that the situation dized "Fomenkism." The grandiose experiment to check the in the world quickly changes and to master it without science education level and the common sense of our population has is impossible. The competition for raw material, especially begun. The results will be interesting. cheap sources of energy, can reach the most severe forms, The historical and astronomical arguments of A. Fomenko down to the military struggle of the states, if science will not are the fruits of specific selection of the initial data, or their teach us to manage our resources and add new ones. In Russia direct juggling. Moreover, in a number of cases he has been now, science is the least prestigious employment (the salary of caught in a blatant lie. Nevertheless Fomenko continues the a janitor is equal to the salary of a full professor), and science propaganda of his fantasies, and even some even educated peo­ soon can disappear. However, pseudoscience finds powerful ple believe him now, outside of Russia as well. patrons in Russia. Poorly educated statesmen want to increase On the horizon there is a potentially an even more danger­ edible crops faster, regardless of whether or not the suggested ous enemy of science—"scientific" creationism. Creationists project has scientific merit. For the same reason Stalin sup­ go about abolishing not thousands of years of human history, ported pseudobiologist Lysenko, who promised to quickly but billions years of the evolution of the universe. They affirm produce plentiful crops. that it is necessary to take literally the words of the Bible about Pseudoscientists, ignorant officials, unwise philosophers, an seven days of creation, the age of the universe being 6,000 ignorant mass media, and clerics all are pulling Russia back­ years, and so on. Like Fomenko, creationists selectively snatch wards. Yes, the decline of interest in science is dangerous to the out the most doubtful, from a million facts, and ignore the future of mankind. This is seen all over the world, but Russia rest. Like Fomenko, they do not stop before making obviously seems to be ahead of the entire planet, this time in its retro­ false assertions. To challenge the existence of objects with ages grade movement toward the New Middle Ages. Whether we far exceeding 6,000 years, it is necessary to assert that there are can stop this fall into the abyss depends on our success in scientists believing that there are no stars farther away than struggling with antiscience—and also whether popular scien­ 6,000 light-years. . . . They do not notice that such inventions tific literature will be accessible to the population. Unfor­ discredit religion. A clever writer notes that a biologist, having tunately, this is not the case in Russia today.

32 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Why Is Pseudoscience Dangerous?

The growth and influence of pseudoscience in Russia has become serious. Many pseudoscientific devices and schemes have gained influence within governmental organizations. A special Commission of the Russian Academy of Sciences against pseudoscience has had some effect in addressing the problem.

EDWARD KRUGLYAKOV

he end of the twentieth century was marked by a boom of astrology, mysticism, and occultism in many Tcountries. In the USSR (during the last years of its existence) and then in Russia the situation was even worse in a sense. The system's collapse and the wreck of old ideals— along with the absence of new ones—caused many people to hope for some kind of miracle. The mass media contributed to this tendency. Through their irresponsibility, pseudo- science has filled newspapers, magazines, radio, and TV. In recent years a new phenomenon has arisen. Pseudo- science has become a powerful, well-organized force. Over the last decade in Russia, about 120 academies have appeared, many of which don't deserve the name "academy."

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER luly/August 2002 33 Some of them give their stamp of approval to professionally technique, which provides reproducible experimental results irre­ inadequate doctors of science in various fields. Others do the spective of whenever and wherever they could be obtained." same in pseudoscientific disciplines, giving diplomas to What a fertile ground for antiscience if this "dogma" is astrologers, UFOIogists, and others of the sort. canceled. There will be no need for explanations or repeatable In Russia, even research institutes with pseudoscientific evidence. tendencies have appeared. I'll give only two examples: the Here is what one of the main theorists of the so-called sci­ International Institute of Space Anthropecology and the ence of torsion fields, "academician" G. Shipov said: "Now International Institute of Theoretical and Applied Physics. there is no doubt in the existence of , , clair­ The first has even managed to attain state accreditation with voyance, retrovision, or that energy of consciousness plays the help of the Russian Ministry of Science. The second has some certain role in physical processes." And since science received financial support both from the Ministry of Science does not recognize this, therefore, "official science lags behind and die Ministry of Defense for the well-known swindle of the new developments." torsion fields. Science has long been too indulgent to pseudoscience. This Peaceful coexistence between science and pseudoscience is cannot continue. Pseudoscience becomes dangerous for both impossible. From time to time, science attempts to unmask science and society. The bacchanalia of parascientific delirium pseudoscience. The latter fights back with fierce hatred. has even begun to affect the highest echelons of power. Pseudoscientists are anxious to settle accounts with the Pseudoscience has begun to gain the favor of officials repre­ Academy of Science, because the Academy is a great obstacle senting the supreme authorities of the country. to these newly half-baked "scientists." Here are a few quoted In the 1980s, for example, Chumak and Kashpirovsky statements of such people: forced their way onto television in spite of the fact that during • "By the end of the twentieth century, on the periphery of those years TV was controlled by the state! This means that official academic science, such a substantial arsenal of facts, paranormalists have appeared on TV with the consent of the conceptual guesses, and extravagant technologies was com­ supreme officials. These officials might wish to know at least piled, demanding an integral and unpreconceived comprehen­ that Mr. Chumak is not original. His trick with "charging" sion, that it encourages many scientists to expect a new scien­ water was unmasked in the beginning of the twentieth century tific paradigm in the beginning of the third millennium." by American physicist Robert Wood. • "The scientific paradigm is hopelessly obsolete. The epoch It is worth mentioning the sad fact that Mr. Kashpirovsky of materialistic science, which does not recognize this, is fin­ pushed his ideas on members of the state Duma, and Mr. ished." Meanwhile, according to die statements of such "scien­ Chumak also has tried to do this. tists," "die influence of thought on the composition of liquid Here is another case, involving M.D. Maley, chairman of chemicals was proved." Furthermore, "The worlds leading the Interdepartmental Commission on Scientific and physicists and philosophers warned of an inconsistency between Technical Problems of the Industry of Defense of Security the modern paradigm and the fundamentals of physics." Council of the Russian Federation. The purpose he pursued Thus pseudoscience predicts the full breakdown of science looked rather reasonable: "From the viewpoint of the Security unless the scientific paradigm is changed. Meanwhile, according Council, our task is to filter correctly the basic directions to a statement of academician Z.I. Alferov, recendy awarded die and orient the present and future management of the country Nobel Prize, ".. . the crisis in quantum physics is not observed. with respect to a launching position of Russia in this scientific- For the most part in the physics kingdom, it is calm now." technical revolution." To prepare for scientific breakthroughs, Mr. Maley created a The Emergence of Antiscience "Large State Research Center." This is praiseworthy in itself; a Where does this passionate desire to replace a scientific paradigm high-ranking government official facilitates the development of stem from? Here is what one of the pseudoscientists said: "Up to a science. Alas, when one hears the purposes, you can't help now die broadly spread dogma of experimental studies of the being horrified at the ignorance of the official: "Replacement of nineteendi century is to recognize as 'scientific' only one such the concepts of quantum physics by neutron physics, vacuum as emptiness by the concept of neutrino fields is in prospect for Edward Kruglyakov is a head of laboratory and deputy director of us We have some works at the R&D [research and develop­ the largest institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Budker ment) stages that contradict common sense and cannot be Institute of Nuclear Physics). He is the State Prize (1986) and described by any equation." Artsimovich award (2001) winner. He is chairman of the Russian One can add to this many other "pearls" characterizing the Academy of Science Commission on the struggle against pseudo- activities of the Center, but it hardly seems worth mentioning. science. He is also author of a book whose title might best be trans­ But I would mention that the Secretary of the Security lated into English as Pseudoscientists of the Modern Era. E- Council of Russia, heading the Council in the first years mail: [email protected]. of existence of the new Russia, O. Lobov, has managed to

34 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER distinguish himself. He patronized the introduction to Russia defended any dieses. In lists of the Italian Academy of Science, of the scandalous doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo. "academician" Gravovoy was never mentioned. It is sad that the governmental Rossiyskaya Gazeta misled its readers; alas, Bad Science in High Places not for the first time. Astrologers, claimants of extrasensory powers, and newly In the ptevious State Duma, a rather strange exhibition appeared "scientists" of other "professions" more and more was arranged, in which the main subject was the so-called actively push themselves through into the State Duma, min­ sofa-extrasens, which was said to cure nearly a hundred dis­ istries, and even into the President's circle. Here are recent eases including impotence and frigidity. The same Duma examples: has arranged debates on the problems of the UFOlogical • In die Ministry of Emergency Measures, a laboratory of safety of Russian people. To understand how this could hap­ "extrasenses" was arranged, and though no results have been pen, I cite the statement of the deputy chair of the State reported yet, the laboratory nevertheless exists and is finan­ Duma Ecological Committee, doctor of technical science (!) cially supported. V. Tetelmin: • At the Ministry of Defense, a military astrologer is Science revealed a sufficient number of examples of natural employed. In addition, the Ministry has created a specialized bioresonance processes affecting the human organism. For military unit manned with psychics and others who claim example, at the Earth, there are many well-known gcopamo- genic zones. Their basic property is that there, the procession special powers. The research is conducted secretly. Such of time is changing. So scientists detected that precise watches senseless secrecy is advantageous only to dishonest officials. failed in the region where the Tunguska meteorite fell, in It raises the possibility of corruption and the absence of out­ regions of nuclear weapons tests, near Chernobyl, and in other side review and control. "fatal" places. ... It was noticed that places with anomalous proceeding of time are located there, where there are flows of • At the Ministry of Defense, the Extreme Medicine Center large amounts of water along the circle. was created. At first glance, this seems quite reasonable. However, listen to what they do there, as described by the head of the I hope that it is now clear who could organize such an exhi­ Center, Professor P. Shalimov: "We test charged water, study bition and who could try to push through a law on the protec­ man's aura." Quite frequendy in the mass media we hear com­ tion of the "enetgy-informatic" safety of the population. To the plaints about the lack of funds for the army. At the same time, credit of the present Duma, it does not do anything like that. inside the Ministry of Defense large amounts of money are spent Alternative medicine has dramatically developed. It is supporting various programs with a pseudoscienrific orientation. atttacting numerous unscrupulous swindlers, robbing sick • The deputy chief of the President's Security, General G. people who cannot find help from . New Rogozin, in addition to his main duties, was involved in astro­ medical devices claiming to cure patients of any illness are logical forecasts and occultism. At the end of 1998, Mr. appearing on the market. Rogozin, on the basis of his analysis of Nostradamus prophecies, A device called "New Cardiomag" recently became available predicted the beginning of nuclear war in July and August 1999. at a price of only 500 rubles (about $16). It supposedly helps Fortunately, today this person is out of the President's circle. with hypertonia, ischemia, arterial hypertension, stenocardia, • One academician of the Academy of Natural Science, G. and headaches. One might question the honesty of developers Grabovoy, carried out a psychic check of the readiness of of the device since one of them, doctor of medical science A.P. President Boris Yeltsin's airplane. And recently, the Rossiyskaya Naumov, has written in an advertisement for the "Cardiomag" Gazeta (a Russian newspaper) revealed to readers how Mr. the following: "This is an ecologically pure autonomous source Grabovoy took part in underground tests of nuclear weapons of gravitation field, pulse bipolar current, and direct magnetic in Semipalatinsk where he supposedly investigated the influ­ field with special energy characteristics" (Isvestiya, March 14, ence of some device, "a crystalline module," on a nuclear 2001). In Isvestiya of July 24, 2001 a device called "Vita" was explosion. It was asserted that switching on the device makes described. Do not think that the device is so different from the force of a nuclear explosion two times lower. But if one can many other useless devices. The one thing that was different use several such devices simultaneously, the force of explosion about "Vita" is that it had direct lobbying on its behalf by could be "nullified." Under present conditions, it was said the high-ranking officials. The Deputy Minister of Labor and device could be used on atomic power stations to serve as a Social Development, V.A. Yanvarev, requested Federal Organs guarantee against accidents. of Executive Power of Federal Subjects "to facilitate head san­ This entire swindle is apparent to any physicist at once. itary physicians in introducing the device 'Vita.'" Nevertheless, I had to carry out the official investigation. It And a deputy head of sanitary physicians, professor E. revealed that Mr. Grabovoy never took pan in tests of nuclear Belyaev, impudently recommends "the use of the bioenergetic weapons in Semipalatinsk. Therefore, he did not test "a crys­ safety device 'Vita' as an individual protection against electro­ talline module" there. At the same time, it was revealed that magnetic radiation at plants and establishments, on the this "doctor of technical and phys-math. science" has never ground, and air transport. . . ." Even if this device could really

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER luly/August 2002 35 protect against electromagnetic radiation, it is improper for was published in many Russian mass media outlets. high-ranking government officials to be engaged in lobby­ Members of the commission appeared many times in news­ ing. And as Mr. Belyaev ends the letter with the words, "With papers and magazines and on radio and TV, addressing the questions on purchasing the device 'Vita' please address government with suggestions. I think I can say that this com­ to . ..," (and then the address and phone of a commercial mission and its work with the mass media resulted in some firm follows), there is a suspicion that the official does not do corrections of the situation. Some allies appeared among jour­ all this with much objectivity. nalists, astrological forecasts vanished from some newspapers, Two conclusions can be made about the device: The prod­ and some science sections appeared. In addition, scientists uct "Vita" is not a means of protection against biological more frequently were asked to be guests on TV programs. action of electromagnetic fields; and the offered technical However, these are only small steps. A victory over pseudo- information and advertising mislead potential customers. science is still far away. It is incomprehensible why the Academy of Medical To conclude, I would like to recall one more story. About Sciences keeps silent about such fraud. It is time to express its twenty-five yean ago, fringe-science swindlers pushed through to opinion about that. The ever-growing activities of pseudo- the level of the government of France an idea of ever-penetrating science attempt to get money from the government, con­ rays for finding oil deposits. (How similar it is with our torsion sumers, and industry while avoiding the standard procedures fields!) This speculation was blocked by the president, Valery of review by experts. There are many examples of pseudo- Giscard d'Estaing, by his words: "Assume it is necessary to find scientists managing to get money from state sources. expertise aimed at revealing the possibilities of falsification." The most well known is the swindle based on so-called Recently, several members of the 1998 commission (acade­ torsion fields. In addition, there are some "studies" on anti- micians E. Alexandrov, V. Ginzburg, and E. Kruglyakov) sent a gravity, and on transmutation of elements with an attempt to letter to the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin. They drew the obtain gold (not involving the known method of nuclear reac­ president's attention to the dangerous growth and influence of tions but instead a modern version of ). pseudoscience in Russia. The first of many suggestions and mea­ In such an atmosphere, at the end of 1998 the President sures was to seek the expertise of members of die Russian of the Russian Academy of Science, academician Yu. W. Academy of Sciences in applying the fundamental laws of nature Osipov, arranged a special Commission Against to evaluate projects. We hope that the president of Russia will Pseudoscience and the Falsifications of Scientific Studies. follow the example of the president of France and apply thor­ One of the commission's very first actions was to prepare a ough scientific expertise in examining proposed ideas. If that special appeal that was considered and accepted by the happens, we will have a chance to witness a cleansing of science Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences. This appeal from the shameful prevalence of pseudoscience.

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36 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Second of two parts. Part one appeared in the May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, with sections on "The Memory Wars" and "Our Search for the Full Story." Who Abused Jane Doe? The Hazards of the Single Case History Part 2

Case histories have played a long-standing role in the history of science, medicine, and mental health. But they can mislead—especially when only half the story is told. Here's a case history about a case history that proves just that. ELIZABETH F. LOFTUS and MELVIN J. GUYER

any questions remain unanswered. Did Jane repress and recover an authentic memory of sex­ Mual abuse, or did she always remember the charges that cost her mother custody of her? Were those allegations accurate, or is there an alternative tiiat might explain why Jane reported sexual abuse as a child and later came to believe it really happened? What is the truth about Jane's allegedly "burned" feet? Why were John Doe's abuse accusa­ tions against Dad never pursued? A memory is, of course, not proof of the event it purports to recall. We all "remember" things that never actually hap­ pened, as ample scientific evidence has demonstrated (Loftus 1997). To take Jane's memory as evidence of an

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 37 a diagnosis. Instead such cases typically involve an effort to postdict—to say, on the basis of record review, contemporane­ About this article: ous observations, and credibility judgments whether some Case histories make contributions to science and prac­ event did or did not occur in the past—an enterprise typically tice, but they can also be highly misleading. We illus­ outside the scope of mental health expertise. trated with our re-examination of the case of Jane Doe; Can clinicians postdict with accuracy whether child sexual she was videotaped twice, once when she was six years abuse occurred? Based upon a substantial body of scientific old and then eleven years later when she was seventeen. research, much of it done after Jane's 1984 evaluation, we have During the first interview she reported sexual abuse by learned many sobering things about the limitations of clinical her mother. During the second interview she apparently expertise in the postdiction of child sexual abuse. forgot and then remembered the sexual abuse. Jane's case has been hailed by some as the new proof of recovery of 1. We know that clinical judgments of alleged sexual abuse repressed or dissociated traumatic memories, and even as may be unreliable (Horner, Guyer, and Kalter 1993a, b). Even experienced evaluators of child claims disagree markedly. proof of the reliability of recovered memories of 2. We know that clinical judgments concerning the credi­ repeated abuse. Numerous pieces of "supporting evi­ bility of children's statements are not reliable (Ceci and dence" were given in the original article for believing Huffman 1997, Ceci, Loftus, Leichtman, and Bruck 1994), that the abuse occurred. Upon closer scrutiny, however, nor are clinical judgments concerning the credibility of adults there are reasons to doubt not only the "supporting evi­ particularly reliable (Ekman and O'Sullivan 1991). dence," but also that die sexual abuse ever happened in 3. We know that there are few, if any, specific behavioral indicators of child sexual abuse (Kendall-Tackett et al. 1993), the first place. Our analysis raises several general ques­ and to rely upon any one or two behavioral indicators will tions abut the use of case histories in science, medicine, result in many false positives. and mental health. There is a cautionary tale not only 4. We know that false allegations of child sexual abuse find for those professionals who advance the case history, but fertile ground in highly contested child custody/visitation also for those who base their theories on it or would cases and that these are the most suspect cases in which allega­ tions of abuse arise (Benedict and Schetky 1985). We know readily accept it as proof. that children in such circumstances are often subject to so —The Authors much parental influence that they sometimes lose the capacity to accurately report their own experiences. Also see "The High Cost of Skepticism," Carol Tavris's 5. We know that children, especially young ones, can be made to recall events that have not occurred, especially if they essay about die Loftus/Guyer investigation into the case of are questioned about them in suggestive and leading ways. Jane Doe, immediately following their article on page 41. 6. We know that interviewers and evaluators who have an expectation bias can influence the recollections and reports of —The Editors their subjects to be congruent with their bias. 7. Finally, we know that multiple interviews and repeated and prolonged evaluations erode the capacity of people to alleged prior event is to beg the question of whedier it is a recov­ obtain trustworthy data from child witnesses. Indeed, the ered memory. Instead, we must begin with an inquiry into what study of the malleability of children's memory constitutes an was regarded as corroboration of the claim of recollection. Thus important area of memory research, and much of it has devel­ oped only in the last ten years (Ceci and Bruck 1995). we are led back to Corwin's original clinical evaluation. There was no smoking gun in this case—no first-hand eye­ What does all this mean for Jane Doe's case? The claim of witness accounts from impartial parties, no unambiguous recovered memory here is founded upon a type of corrobora­ physical evidence of sexual abuse or even of old burns. Corwin tion that in general terms is highly unreliable and invalid, rests his corroboration of Jane's memory upon his clinical though it was standard throughout the 1980s and 1990s. It is opinion that the alleged abuse occurred. The claim of corrobo­ doubtful, for example, whether the clinical evaluation method ration naturally takes us to questions about the nature of clin­ of assessing abuse allegations would pass the "" ical child abuse evaluations and their validity and reliability in test set out by the United States Supreme Court in Daubert v. general, and in this case in particular. Child sexual abuse is not Merrill Dow, given the demonstrated lack of agreement among clinicians in these sorts of cases. (At the time of Corwin's 1984 evaluation of Jane, however, the American Academy of Child Elizabeth Loftus is professor of psychology and adjunct professor of and Adolescent Psychiatry had not yet promulgated its guide­ law at the University of Washington. She is past president of the lines for assessing allegations of child sexual abuse and would American Psychological Society and author of twenty books and not do so for several more years.) more than 350 scientific articles. Address: Psychology Depart­ ment, Guthrie Hall, University of Washington, Seattle, WA To die extent that Jane's memory can be regarded as an 98195-1525. E-mail: eloftus@u. washington.edu. Melvin J. instance of a recovered, accurate memory, there must be some Guyer is professor of psychology. Department of Psychiatry objective and independent corroboration of the events she University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 East Medical purports to remember. If Corwin's evaluation is to serve as the Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0390. E-mail: corroboration of Jane's alleged abuse, it must lay some strong guyer@umich. edu. claim to the measure of reliability, validity, and objectivity

38 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER upon which scientific claims are founded. We have argued that all? "The sexual angle" is the phrase StemMom used in her clinical evaluations of abuse allegations, in general, do not interview with us when asked about the initial reports of have the desired indicia of reliability necessary for corroborat­ abuse. Did StepMom question Jane in a suggestive manner? ing scientific theories. There is nothing that we can see in Mom obviously bathed her daughter Jane, and perhaps she Corwin's evaluation that distinguishes it from ordinary, sub­ might accidentally have poked her. Perhaps it was ordinary jective clinical assessments, or that allow him to make some bathing with vaginal and anal cleansing of the type done by special claim to objectivity and reliability. many parents. Did StepMom misconstrue Jane's honest Nonetheless, other important questions remain: accounts of how her mother bathed her? Did she reinforce sus­ Even if there was no corroboration of sexual abuse, was there picions and reports of sexual abuse? Documentation from that not corroboration of Janes burned feet? period reveals that StepMom was the first person to whom Jane "reported" sexual abuse; only later did she tell this story We learned from StepMom that Jane was taken to two hos­ to others. This is only one of the ways that Jane may have pitals on the same day to get as much documentation about the come to report sexual abuse if in fact none occurred, but there burned feet as possible. We learned from other sources that Jane is contemporaneous documentation that is consistent with had a fungal condition that could have been responsible for this hypothesis. injuring her feet. We learned from FosterMom that Mom apparently did not have the type of stove that was supposed to If abuse did not occur, why were so many people—including have been used to burn Jane's feet. We could not access Jane's Jane herself—persuaded that it did on the basis of the videotaped medical records, of course, because of confidentiality, but we interviews of Jane at six? did have descriptions about the burned feet provided in one of When someone recounts an event, especially if it is detailed the CPS worker's reports. We then contacted Edwin Carlson, and accompanied by emotion, it can be very persuasive (Bell M.D., who was director of the emergency room at one of the and Loftus 1989). Jane herself was persuaded when she saw hospitals where Jane was taken for examination of her feet. In herself on tape, as were many knowledgeable scientists. Where response to the diagnosis of almost completely healed second- would all that emotion and detail come from, many people degree burns. Dr. Carlson told us: "A physician cannot tell the assume, if the recounted events didn't happen? But of course cause of sloughed skin when the area is healing. The sloughed the fact that a person has come to believe that something hap­ area is caused by vesiculation and it in turn has many etiologies pened does not mean it actually did. The belief can be including thermal and chemical burns, exfoliative dermatitis absolutely real and heartfelt without being correct. People who secondary to a drug reaction, bacterial and fungal infections. believe they were abducted by aliens, people who believe they were kings and princesses in past lives, people who believe they Therefore the etiology in the diagnosis is related as past history can recall being born (or being cramped in the womb) will also by the patient or the patient's guardian." give detailed, emotional, and persuasive reports of their "mem­ He added that if there had been any suspicious circum­ ories," but it seems unlikely that they are right. Thus, Ekman stances, the chance of a report not being filed with Child could have been absolutely right in his assessment that Jane's Protective Services was near zero, especially with the above "emotions" at age six were authentic—and absolutely wrong diagnosis. We also contacted an Emergency Room nurse who that she was having an authentic memory. knew a great deal about the standard of care at one of the hos­ pitals where Jane had been taken to have her feet examined. Where did the pornography accusations come from? She told us that during 1982 (the year Jane was taken to have Numerous commentators have puzzled over the accusations her feet examined), any suspected child abuse was reported of pornography. Corwin and Olafson's original article repeated immediately to CPS unless there was an investigation in Jane's accusations: "I accused her of taking pictures of me and progress in another county, that the CPS offices were in a my brother and selling them," Jane recalled at age seventeen building immediately adjacent to the hospital where Jane was (Corwin and Olafson 1997, 105-106). Neisser suggested that taken, and that the staff were on call twenty-four hours a day. the pornography accusations were false: "Jane has clearly "We erred on the side of the child concerning the report," she 'remembered'—and been very upset by—something that never told us. She implied that there must have been significant took place" (Neisser 1997, 123). Based on our interviews, we doubt that the "burns" were a result of child abuse. think that these accusations may have originated in the mind of If Mom did not sexually abuse Jane, why did Jane report abuse StepMom and were communicated to Jane. They were denied when she was six years old? by Jane's older brother John, who was supposed to have partic­ One possible answer: StepMom and Dad—"The Sexual ipated. They were denied by Mom. No reports or documenta­ Angle." A thorough examination of the data lead us to propose tion exist to substantiate them. They almost certainly would another equally plausible hypothesis about what happened, have been noted in police reports, therapists' notes, or other one that does not involve sexual abuse. Mom and Dad were documents had they been mentioned. involved in a prolonged and nasty divorce and child custody battle. Even allegations of deliberately burned feet had not suc­ The Ethics of Exploring Jane Doe's Case ceeded in getting Mom out of the picture. StepMom seems to Are our efforts to examine this case study ethical? Was it appro­ despise Mom to this day. Did she, with or without Dad's priate for us to track down information, reassess the evidence involvement, see a way to finally get rid of Mom once and for and claims, and come to a different conclusion than Corwin's?

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 39 We consulted Thomas McCormick, a physician whose spe­ result of suggestion. Moreover, according to many sources, cialty is medical ethics at the University of Washington. prior to Corwin's intervention, Jane was frequently question­ McCormick offered a hypothetical situation in which a profes­ ing her "memories," talking about them, wondering what sional has published a case history claiming that he cured can­ "really" happened. Did her 1995 contact with Corwin push cer with marijuana leaves and Crisco. Oncologists would natu­ her over from uncertain to certain? rally have many questions to ask of this case study: Did it really work? If the patient seems to be in better health after the "treat­ Postscript ment," did he or she really have cancer in the first place? Would Our efforts to critically evaluate this claim of the recovery of a it be ethical for a physician to talk to the "case history" and to repressed memory were met with unexpected and unsettling examine the original doctor's data? obstructions. Critics of our inquiry, some of whom shielded McCormick thinks so, and so do we. The essence of science themselves in "confidential" memos and anonymous allega­ is its openness to examination by one's peers. Claims ought to tions of our supposed wrongdoing (memos to which we were be subject to peer review; facts must be available for verification denied access and hence opportunity to respond), were able to or criticism; and findings ought to be reproducible. When an impede the publication of our work for more than two years. author puts forward a hypothesis based upon a case study that Indeed, our respective universities issued chilling warnings to he maintains is true, one that he uses to defend his theory, oth­ us that we were to avoid the publication, in any forum, of any ers are entitled—indeed obligated—to scrutinize the methods of this material, even that which is in the public domain and and findings as long as this can be accomplished without undue readily found by anyone with access to a modem and Google harm. In the case of Jane Doe, we followed the trail left by search engine. Our vindication, and concomitant recognition Corwin, and we tracked down many documents pertinent to of our constitutionally protected speech, was wrested from the her case, and met a few individuals who knew her. We found a academy not by the shield of "tenure" and its intended protec­ great deal of material that was damaging to his claims. What wc tions of the spirited exchange of intellectual ideas, but through did was reminiscent of the work of scholars who reexamined the costly (emotionally, professionally, and financially) reten­ Freud's case of Dora, discovering crucial information about her tion of private counsel. We are alarmed on behalf of all mem­ that Freud neglected to tell his readers. Reanalyzing a case study bers of the academic community that our universities, institu­ does require detection skills. tions that above all others should be championing the right to Readers may wonder why we did not speak to Jane Doe free speech and academic debate, so implacably opposed it in herself. We thought long and hard about doing this. Although this instance. we obtained recorded permission from Jane's mother to con­ Jane Doe's case continues to be offered as proof of the tact her daughter, we worried that such contact might be authenticity of repressed or dissociated memories in many upsetting to Jane—and she had surely been upset enough in venues, including court cases involving other, potentially her troubled young life. Given that Jane's own account at this innocent, accused individuals. point might well not shed additional light on the "case study," Jane terminated her newly emerging relationship with her as her beliefs had potentially been so contaminated, we mother after Corwin came back into her life and replayed her decided not to risk upsetting her. childhood tape. Her mother lost her once, long ago in 1984, Corwin and Olafson and some of the commentators pro­ and lost her again in 1995. At this writing they are not in con­ posed a new "research paradigm": future studies could take tact with one another. advantage of the existence of vast numbers of decades-old tapes of children making sexual abuse allegations. Adults like Acknowledgments Jane who had been videotaped in childhood, reporting that We are enormously grateful to Carol Tavris, so generous of her time they had been abused, could be recontacted to explore their and her talent, a veritable muse. Many other individuals, friends and colleagues, provided valuable insights and editing assistance. memory of the childhood trauma. Adults like Jane could be shown their childhood tapes, as Jane was. Lindsay (1997) References urged careful consideration of this idea, and after seeing what Bell, Brad, and Elizabeth Loftus. 1989. Trivial persuasion in ihc courtroom: followed in Jane's life, we agree. We think this method is The power of (a few) minor details. Journal of Personality and Social risky—indeed, potentially catastrophic. Psychology 56s 669-679. Benedek, Elissa R. and Diane H. Schetky. 1985. Allegations of sexual abuse in If the abuse never happened in the first place, the adult- child custody and visitation disputes. In E. Benedek and D. Schetky child may be mistakenly led to believe that it did because she (Eds).. Emerging Issues in Child Psychiatry and the Law. (pp. 145-156). does not understand that there are reasons why a child might New York: Brunner/Mazel. Borch-Jacobsen. Mikkel. 1997. Sybil: The making of a disease: An interview make an abuse report even when no abuse had occurred. She with Dr. Herbert Spiegel. The New York Review of Book X1.IV: 60-64. may be led to act on the basis of this "new information" in Bradley. Susan J., Gillian D. Oliver, Avinoam B. Chernick, and Kenneth J. ways that she would not have otherwise acted, with results Zucker. 1998. Experiment of nurture: Ablatio penis at 2 months, sex reas­ signment at 7 months, and a psychosexual follow-up in young adulthood. devastating for her and others. In this case, for example, Jane Pediatrics 102: c9. July. terminated her newly reforming relationship with her mother after seeing her childhood tapes. No one counseled her that WHO ABUSED JANE DOE? her age six statements, however dramatic, might have been the Continued on page 44

40 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER This article chronicles the tribulations noted psychologists Elizabeth Loftus and Melvin Guyer were put through for conduct­ ing the investigation that is the subject of their ttvo-part article "Who Abused Jane Doe?" concluding in this issue of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (Pages 37-40).—The Editor The High Cost of Skepticism

Here's what happened to two scientists who believed that tenure and the First Amendment would protect their rights to free inquiry. CAROL TAVRIS

n the olden days, perhaps twenty or thirty years ago, aca­ demic debates were marked by sweet discourse and the Iharmonious if impassioned hum of debate. (Also by sar­ casm.) The rule used to be that if you disagreed with some­ one's opinion or interpretations of data, you did the civilized thing—you called the person a knucklehead or an incompe­ tent fool. Or you wrote a devastating reply explaining why the knucklehead was terminally wrong, misguided, or drunk. That was then. Just as noise trumps silence and rage trumps courtesy, the cudgel of lawsuits to silence or cower the opposition trumps free debate. In universities across the country, lawsuits, even spurious and unsuccessful ones, have weakened the once-sacrosanct guarantees to scholars of free

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER luly/August 2002 41 speech and association. Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) The Atlantic had conducted such an investigation, you would and Human Subjects Committees have proliferated, to protect know the city and state of all of the individuals interviewed, human subjects from harm caused by unethical scientists— their names (unless they requested anonymity), the data bases and to protect universities from any lawsuits that might ensue. the investigators used to gather information—in short, you Of course some scientists have conducted dangerous would know the details. But Loftus feels she is still not at lib­ and/or unethical research. I do not disapprove of efforts to erty to provide these details in print, and that her university is assure the safety of subjects any more than I do of lawsuits to still looking over her shoulder. punish those who plagiarize, commit libel or fraud, or mali­ ciously destroy reputations. But all institutionalized efforts to Who Abused Loftus and Guyer? correct one problem will inevitably create other problems. After reading David Corwin's account of Jane Doe in the jour­ Today, many of the IRBs originally established to protect nal Child Maltreatment in 1997, Loftus and Guyer decided to subjects have instituted so many byzantine restrictions and examine his alleged evidence of a recovered memory of sexual rules that even good scientists cannot do their work. Some abuse. The stakes were high for their work as scholars, teach­ have become fiefdoms of power—free to make decisions ers, and expert witnesses, because the case was already being based on caprice, personal vendettas, or self-interest, and free used in court as evidence that recovered memories of sexual to strangle research that might prove too provocative, con­ abuse in childhood are reliable. troversial, or politically sensitive. They began by looking into documents in the public The growing power of IRBs in academia, along with the record. They found a public court case of "Jane Doe" who fit increasing number of restrictions on free speech in the politi­ the description in Corwin's article, but the court records dif­ cally correct name of "speech codes" and "conduct codes" fered from Corwin's account in significant ways. They eventu­ (described so well by Alan Kors and Harvey Silverglate in The ally met Jane Doe's mother, and became convinced that she Shadow University), is perilous for independent scientific had been falsely accused many years before, leading to the loss inquiry. For years, the , which had its birth of custody of her daughter. They decided that this was a story in the domain of philosophy and the study of logic, has tended worth pursuing and publishing, ideally in a popular magazine. to regard failures of skeptical and scientific thinking as failures In the spring of 1998, Guyer contacted the administrator of reasoning—something amiss in human cognition. The of the University of Michigan's IRB to make sure the commit­ underlying assumption has been that if we can only get people tee shared his view that he did not need their approval because to think straight, junk their cognitive biases, and understand he was not doing "research" but rather "intellectual criticism, the basic principles and methods of science, pseudoscientific commentary on a forensic issue, and an historical/journalistic reasoning will become as vestigial to the mind as the appendix endeavor." The administrator and the then-chair of the IRB, is to the body. Sumer Pek, agreed; Guyer's investigation would be exempt Perhaps, but the skeptical movement needs also to focus its from IRB oversight. energies on the growing institutional barriers to free inquiry, A month later Guyer received a letter, with no intervening and the efforts to silence those whose inquiries make waves. warning that anything was amiss, telling him that his project The story of what happened to Elizabeth Loftus and Mel was not exempt; in fact, that it was assigned a "disapproval" sta­ Guyer when they set out to investigate the case of Jane Doe is tus; and that the IRB was recommending to the Office of the itself a case study of the high cost of skepticism.1 The two Vice President of Research that he, personally, be reprimanded. demonstrated exactly the kind of openminded spirit of discov­ The Catholic Church has given up limbo, but not, appar­ ery that is at the heart of the skeptical movement. For their ently, university IRBs. Appeals, protests, and exchanges ensued pains, they found themselves in an Orwellian nightmare. for nearly a year. In March 1999, Guyer received a letter from The irony is that if Loftus and Guyer were journalists, they the new chair of the IRB, Stephen Gebarski, telling him that his would have done precisely the same investigation unhampered work was indeed exempt from IRB consideration because it was and fully supported by their employer. But because they are not "human subjects research." The OVP Research office con­ university professors, they were subjected to a secret, shadowy cluded that there was no basis for a recommendation of "repri­ investigation of their legal right to GO what good reporters do mand." Guyer was given no explanation of the year-long delay, every day. And their respective universities, far from support­ although Gebarski did apologize for any "misunderstandings" ing their intellectual inquiries and their tenured (indeed that might have occurred that year. He added that he was per­ American) right to free speech, obstucted and harassed them. sonally "[looking] forward to seeing your interesting historical Some of these obstructionist efforts linger in the articles they journalistic work published in the appropriate forum." wrote in this magazine ["Who Abused Jane Doe?" May/June Encouraged by the green light given to Guyer at Michigan, and July/August 2002]. If a writer for, say, The New Yorker or the two pursued their investigation. Then the University of Washington received an e-mail from Jane Doe, complaining Carol Tavris, Ph.D., is a social psychologist, writer, and lecturer. that her privacy was being violated. Considering that David She is author of a recent collection of book reviews and essays. Corwin had published his account of her life and was traveling Psychobabble and Biobunk, and coauthor of three introductory around the country showing videotapes of Jane at six and sev­ psychology textbooks. enteen, and considering that no one was making her story

42 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER public (and hence violating her "privacy") except Jane herself cipals" [sic] of psychologists—that is, the methods of a jour­ and Corwin, this complaint should have been recognized as a nalistic investigation. cry from a troubled and vulnerable young woman, and set On July 3, 2001, one year and nine months after the aside. Instead, it was enough to set in motion a series of end­ University of Washington seized her files, and one month after lessly shifting charges against Elizabeth Loftus, a scientist of Loftus won the prestigious William James award from the international stature who had brought luster and prestige to American Psychological Society for her decades of scientific her university for more than twenty-five years. The "investiga­ research [see SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, November/December tion" against her lasted more than twenty-one months, in spite 2001], Dean Hodge wrote Loftus a letter of exoneration. Her of the University's own statute of limitations—thirty days for work, he said, "does not constitute research involving human the selection of a committee and ninety days for its delibera­ subjects." She did not commit ethical violations or deviate tions—for bringing all such investigations to a conclusion. from accepted research practices. She was not guilty of any On September 30, 1999, having given Loftus fifteen min­ misconduct. She would not have to undergo remedial educa­ utes' advance notice by telephone, John Slattery of the tion on how to conduct research. University of Washington's "Office of Scientific Integrity" But, oh, one more thing: She was not to contact Jane Doe's arrived in Loftus's office, along with the chair of the psychol­ mother again or interview anyone else involved in the case ogy department, and seized her files. She asked Slattery what without advance approval. Such meetings, he said, would con­ the charges against her were. It took him five weeks to stitute "human subjects research requiring Human Subjects respond, and when he did he had transformed Jane Doe's "pri­ Committee approval." vacy" complaint into an investigation of "possible violations of human subjects research." Loftus later learned that lawyers in The Enemy Within another state, who had retained Corwin as their defense And there it stands: Loftus and Guyer won; their investigation expert, were trying to subpoena her personnel file in hopes of was published in these pages; but at tremendous cost. Loftus finding something there to discredit her as an expert witness still feels bitter at the dean's restrictions, which she and Guyer for the plaintiffs. Because the University, in the face of her regard as blatant violations of her First Amendment rights. objection, was going forward in complying with this improper Guyer is still outraged by Stanley Berent's peculiar and devious subpoena, she was forced to retain her own lawyer to stop memo, not knowing to whom else it was improperly sent or them. (Because it was from out of state, it had no force of law who might next use its innuendos and lies against him. or validity in Washington.) Of course, their investigation of Corwin's claims was bound In February 2000, Loftus and her lawyer dislodged some to enflame passions: those of Jane Doe herself, an unhappy documents from the University's investigation, and found young woman whose life has been filled with conflict and loss; among them a "Confidential Memo" written by Stanley those of David Corwin, who has publicly promoted his case Berent, a neuropsychologist who was on the IRB at the study as a personal vindication and a prototype of how recov­ University of Michigan —Guyer's IRB. This memo had ered memories should be studied; and those of the many clin­ played a crucial role in the decision to reprimand Guyer and icians who still cling to the discredited concept of repressed deny him the right to continue his work, yet Guyer was never memories. Loftus and Guyer knew they had enemies. They even told it existed. Berent's memo, Guyer says, "was the hadn't known that some of them were at their own universi­ harshest document, filled with false innuendo, malicious ties, and that the shields of tenure and the First Amendment insinuations, and outright falsities. Keeping it secret from me would not be sufficient protection. denied me the opportunity to correct its mischaracteriza- "I don't see how you can write anydiing of value," the great tions." To this day Guyer has been unable to get his own uni­ anthropologist Marvin Harris told me years ago, "if you don't versity to provide him with a copy of this memo, even after offend someone." Skeptical inquiry is endangered when those repeated requests under the Freedom of Information Act. Yet who are offended or threatened by knowledge are able to a University of Michigan lawyer was happy to send it directly silence those who have something valuable to say. The lawsuit to the investigating committee at the University of path is crowded because those who take it face no negative Washington, to be used against Loftus. This was the modus consequences: The worst that can happen to them is nothing operandi at both universities: keep the charges secret, keep at all-—their target doesn't budge. But often the targets of these changing the charges, keep the meetings secret, keep the threats, weary of being harassed, unable to pay the costs of self- accused in the dark. defense, frightened at the prospect of losing their reputations, In the spring of 2001, the three-member investigating com­ and unsupported by their publisher or university, do back mittee, consisting of two clinicians and one sociologist, con­ down. The offending passage is deleted, funny but sarcastic cluded that Loftus was not guilty of the charge of "scholarly remarks toned down, safer topics chosen, documented evi­ misconduct." But the two clinicians recommended to the dence of the target's malfeasance removed. dean, David Hodge, that she nonetheless be reprimanded and That is why we must be all the more grateful for the subjected to a program of remedial education on professional courage, persistence, and integrity of those skeptical inquirers ethics. They instructed Loftus not to publish data obtained by who are still willing to "offend" in the pursuit of truth and jus­ methods they regarded as inconsistent with the "ethical prin­ tice, heroes like Elizabeth Loftus and Mel Guyer.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/Augusl 2002 43 Postscript and Dow Chemical, claiming that exposure had caused brain damage and other medical problems. Berent and Albers, hired Institutional Review Boards misuse their power not only when by CSX and Dow, examined the medical records—without the they impose excessive and unnecessary restrictions on free workers' knowledge or consent—and concluded that there was speech in the name of protecting subjects; but also when no connection between the workers' medical problems and financial interests influence their approval of research that is their exposure to solvents. potentially harmful to subjects. Consider this irony: Stanley An investigation conducted by the University of Berent's confidential memo excoriated Mel Guyer for his Michigan found no conflict of interest in Berent and Albers' alleged scientific and ethical lapses—among them, failing to behavior and no need to obtain the workers' informed con­ get Jane Does consent to call her mother, who was eager to tell sent, because Berent and Albers' conclusions about the work­ them her side of the story; failing to enlist the "ongoing coop­ ers were based on "existing non-research data." (Just the kind eration" of Corwin(!), as if Corwin would have granted it; and of data Loftus and Guyer used.) However, the Office of failing to consider whether this "research" might have "a nega­ Human Research Protections at the U.S. Department of tive effect upon the dignity and welfare of the participant." Yet Health and Human Services is continuing its investigation of at the very same time, Berent got permission from his own Berent and Albers' potential conflict of interest. Berent has IRB (of which he was a member) to conduct research with, in taken early retirement. my view, far graver implications for the dignity and welfare of his subjects. Note The Michigan IRB had granted approval for Berent and his associate James Albers to retrieve medical records of railroad 1. In the interests of full disclosure, I am a friend of both Loftus and Guyer, and I write this essay as a concerned observer, not as a disinterested workers who had been exposed to dangerous solvents. The reporter. Their experiences described here arc accurate, but I did not interview workers were suing their employer, CSX Transportation Inc., administrators or investigators to get "their side."

WHO ABUSED JANE DOE? expertise and the assessment of child sexual abuse: An empirical study of mental health experts. Journal of the American Academy of Child and From page 40 Adolescent Psychiatry, 32(5): 925-933. . 1993b. The biases of child sexual abuse experts: Believing is seeing. Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 21 (3): 281-292. Briere, John. 1992. Child abuse trauma: Theory and treatment of the lasting Kayzer, Wim. 1997. A Glorious Accident. N.Y.: W. H. Freeman and Co. effects. Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications. (Originally published in The Netherlands by Uitgeverji Contact. 1995.) Brown, Daniel, Alan W. Scheflin. and Charles L Whitfield. 1999. Recovered Kendall-Tackett, KA.. Linda M. Williams, and David Finkelhor. 1993. memories. The Journal of Psychiatry and Law 27: 5-156. Impact of sexual abuse on children: A review and synthesis of recent Brown. Peggy. 1999. Presentation at the West Virginia Psychology empirical studies. Psychological Bulletin 113: 164-180. Conference. Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia. Lindsay, D. Stephen. 1997. Jane Doc in context: Sex abuse, lives and video­ Ceci, Stephen J., and Maggie Bruck. 1993. The suggestibility of children's tape. Child Maltreatment 2: 187-192. recollections: An historical review and synthesis. Psychological Bulletin 113: Loftus, Elizabeth F. 1997. Creating false memories. Scientific American 403-439. 277(3): 70-75 . 1995. jeopardy in the Courtroom. Washington D.C.: American McNally, Richard J„ and John E. Calamari. 1989. Obsessive-Compulsive disor­ Psychological Association Press. der in a mentally retarded woman. British Journal of Psychiatry 155:116-117. Ceci, Stephen J., and Mary L.C. Huffman. 1997. How suggestible are McNally, Richard, J., Karen L. Cassiday, and John E. Calamari. 1990. Tiajin- preschool children? Cognitive and social factors. /. American Academy of kyofu-sho in a Black American woman: Behavioral treatment of a "cul­ Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 36: 948-958. ture-bound" anxiety disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders 4: 83—87. Ceci, Stephen J., Elizabeth F. Loftus. Michelle D. Leichtman. and Maggie Merkin, Daphne. 1997. The mystery of Dr. B. New Yorker March 24: 76-80. Bruck. 1994. The possible role of source misattributions in the creation of Moscovitch, Morris, Gordon Winocur, and M. Behrmann. 1997. What is spe­ false beliefs among preschoolers. International Journal of Clinical and cial about face recognition? Nineteen experiments on a person with visual Experimental Hypnosis 42: 304-320. object agnosia and dyslexia but normal face recognition. Journal of Cioffi, Frank. 1998. Freud and the Question of pseudoscience. Chicago: Open Court. Cognititv Neuroscience 9: 555-604. Colapinto, John. 2000. As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised As a Neisser, Ulric. 1997. Jane Doe's memories: Changing the past to serve the pre­ Girl New York: HarperCollins. sent. Child Maltreatment 2: 123-125. Corwin, David L. and Erna Olafson. 1997. Videotaped discovery of a reportedly Ogdcn, J.A., and Suzanne Corkin. 1991. Memories of H.M. In W.C. unrccallable memory of child sexual abuse: Comparison with a childhood Abraham, M.C. Corballis, and K.G. White (cds.). Memory Mechanisms: A interview videotaped 11 years before. Child Maltreatment 2: 91—112. Tribute to G.V. Goddard Hillsdale, New Jersey: Erlbaum. Courtois, Christine A. 1992. The memory retrieval process in incest survivor Pollak, Richard. 1997. The Creation of Dr. B: A Biography of Bruno Bettelheim. therapy. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse 1: 15-30. New York: Simon and Schuster. Crews, Frederick C. 1998. (Ed.) Unauthorized Freud: Doubters Confront a Putnam, Frank W. 1997. Commentary. Child Maltreatment 2: 117-120. Legend New York: Viking. State of Rhode Island*. Quattrocchi. 1998, March 24. Case: NO. P92-3759 Curtiss, Susan. 1977. Genie: A Psycholinguistic Study of a Modern-day "Wild Hearing testimony of Dr. Daniel Brown. Providence Superior Court. Child " New York: Academic Press. Rymer. Russ. 1993. Genie: An Abused Child's Flight From Silence. New York: Ekman, Paul. 1997. Expressive behavior and the recovery of a traumatic memory: HarperCollins. Comments on the videotapes of Jane Doe. Child Maltreatment 2: 113-116. Sacks. Oliver. 1990. Awakenings. New York: HarperPercnnial. Herman, Judith L, and Emily Schatzow. 1987. Recovery and verification of Schooler, Jonathan W 1997. Reflections on a memory discovery. Child memories of childhood sexual trauma. Psychoanalytic Psychology 4: 1-14. Maltreatment 2: 126-133. Horner, Thomas M., Melvin J. Guyer. and Neil M. Kalter. 1993a. Clinical Schreiber. Hora Rheta. 1974. Sybil (2nd edition). New York: Warner Books. O

44 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Tracing Graham Hancock's Shifting Cataclysm

An examination of a specific portion of Graham Hancocks book Fingerprints of the Gods, relating to Earth Crustal Displacement, the climates and fauna of Siberia and Alaska, and the deaths of the mammoths, finds it to be critically flawed. MICHAEL BRASS

y the late 1960s the modern theories of continental drift and plate tectonics had become firmly established Bin geological thought. They had survived close scrutiny and challenges from competing hypotheses and propositions, both within and outside the scientific community. One of the most prominent unorthodox interpretations put forward was Charles Hapgood's "Earth Crustal Displacement," which was never accepted as a truly valid competing scientific hypothesis (and Hapgood was nor part of the geological community). Popularized in his 1958 book Earths Shifting Crust: A Key to Some Basic Problems of Earth Science, the Earth Crustal Displacement idea has re-emerged in alternative circles in the last decade. Its most vocal supporters are the librarians Rand

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 and Rose Flem-Ath and the journalist Graham Hancock. unleashed on all living creatures during the last Ice Age" and Hancock based a large portion of his book Fingerprints of the that "the nordiern regions of Alaska and Siberia appear to have Gods (1995, revised 2001) on Hapgood's evidence for cata­ been the worst hit by the murderous upheavals between 13,000 strophe at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum, 12,000 B.P. and 11,000 years ago. In a great swathe of death around the (before present). edge of the Arctic Circle the remains of uncountable numbers of large animals have been found—includ­ ing many carcasses with the flesh still intact, In Fingerprints of the Gods, Hancock and astonishing quantities of perfectly pre­ served mammoth tusks" (Hancock 1995, hypothesizes that the demise of the mammoths 212, 213). Hancock makes a case for Siberia and other megafauna was caused by a having experienced a warm climate be­ fore 11,000 B.P. and contrasts it with catastrophic cataclysm brought on through the conditions seen there today. As evi­ an Earth Crustal Displacement. dence, Hancock focuses on stomach contents: "The mammoth died suddenly, in intense cold, and in great numbers. Death Earth Crustal Displacement is based on the premise that comes so quickly that the swallowed vegetation is yet undi­ Earth's lithosphere (the outer part of the rocky Earth, about gested. . . . Grasses, bluebells, buttercups, tender sedges, and the uppermost 80 kilometers or 50 miles) has shifted as a wild beans have been found, yet identifiable and undeterio- whole at different times in the past over Earth's interior. rated, in their mouths and stomachs" (Hancock 1995, Hancock (1995, 11) went so far as to claim no geologist "has 215—16). The source for the quote by Hancock is a 1960 news­ succeeded in proving it incorrect." Results from pollen analyses paper article by Ivan Sanderson. Hancock (1995, 216) also have revealed patterns of climate change that are at odds with claims: "Needless to say, such flora does not grow anywhere in the inherent predictions of the Earth Crustal Displacement Siberia today. Its presence diere in the eleventh millennium B.C. model. Studies have shown that the Polar regions have either compels us to accept that the region had a pleasant and pro­ contracted or expanded toward the equator, but have never ductive climate—one diat was temperate or even warm. . . . shifted their positions as required by Earth Crustal What is certain, however, is that at some point between Displacement. The CLIMAP Project (1981) reconstructed cli­ 12-13,000 years ago a destroying frost descended with horrify­ matic zones during the Last Glacial Maximum and the results ing speed upon Siberia and has never relaxed its grip. In an eerie obtained shows the North and South Poles (and the equator) echo of the Avestic traditions, a land which had previously in the same position as today. Paleontological data, summa­ enjoyed seven months of summer was converted almost rized by Thiede et al. (1990), reveals that the Arctic Ocean has overnight into a land of ice and snow with ten months of harsh continuously experienced polar climates, almost permanent and frozen winter." ice cover and glacio-marine sedimentation for all of the Late The positions and actions of ice sheets are more compli­ Cenozoic since the mid-Pleistocene. Phillips and Ganze cated than the blanket portrayal in Fingerprints of the Gods. (1997) reconfirm that, regardless of how the climate has var­ The Barents Ice Sheet covered most of northern Russia and ied in the Arctic Polar regions, they have been colder than the goes unmentioned in Fingerprints of the Gods, as do the reasons oceanic areas south of it for at least die past 7 million years. behind why Siberia was not all covered in ice. Siberia lay west Earth's lithosphere is attached to the mantle in such a way as and southwest of where the Barents Ice Sheet had formed. to make Earth Crustal Displacement impracticable. The There was insufficient snowfall to create enough ice to expand mechanism for Earth Crustal Displacement was postulated to the Barents Ice Sheet into Siberia. Chinooks blowing down off be the sheer weight of the ice built up over time; this caused the ice sheet, moderating the climate of the area in front of the crust to shift through unequal weight distribution. them, was the cause of the insufficient snowfall. North However, diis weight is compensated for by isostatic depres­ America was also subjected to its own chinook winds. As has sion of the crust. Finally, there is no paleomagnetic evidence been documented with the Sierra Nevadas and other moun­ for Earth Crustal Displacement having occurred. tain ranges, the air descending 2-3 km from the top of an ice- In Fingerprints of the Gods, Hancock hypothesizes that the sheet would be heated up to an average of 4—7 degrees centi­ demise of the mammoths and other megafauna was caused by grade. The areas of Siberia and North America in front of the a catastrophic cataclysm brought on through an Earth Crustal ice-sheets would have experienced a milder winter than pre­ Displacement. The result was that "terrible forces were sent, although their summers were colder, which resulted in more conducive conditions for plant growth and for animals Michael Brass has degrees in archaeology and history and is owner than those currently experienced. Moreover, a rain shadow was and designer of The Antiquity of Man Web site at www. cast over Siberia by the ice sheet, and the Arctic Ocean, cov­ antiquityofman.com. He is also a contributor to the anti- ered in ice, could provide little moisture for precipitation over pseudoscience Web site In the Hall of Ma'at: Weighing the Evi­ Siberia. This scenario was tested by COHMAP (Cooperative dence for Alternative History at www.maat.paradoxdesigns.com. Holocene Mapping Project) members (1988) who found a dry

46 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Siberia, a glaciated Barents Sea, and a glaciated North America to be compatible.

The Frozen Mammoths Claims that the mammoths were quick-frozen have been propounded for decades and were disputed by Zimmerman and Tedford as long ago as the mid-1970s (1976, 183): "Histologic examination of rehydrated tissue samples from late Pleistocene Alaskan mammal mummies demon­ strates that the preservative effect of freezing and drying extends to remains 15,000 to 25,000 years old. Some mus­ cle and liver retained identifiable histo­ logic structures. Most tissues were com­ pletely disintegrated and partly replaced by masses of bacteria, an indication of considerable post-mortem decay before the remains were entombed beneath the permafrost zone." These points were taken up and elaborated upon further by Kurten (1986, 51-2): "Various legends exist about frozen mammoths. It has been said, for instance, that the scientists who excavated the Beresovka mammoth, discovered in the year 1900, enjoyed a banquet on mammoth steak. What really appears to have happened (as I was told by Professor Anatol Heinz) is that one of them made a heroic attempt to take a bite out of the 40,000 year old meat but was unable to keep it down, in spite of a generous use of spices... The facts are not Claims that the mammoths were hard to find. In 1902, Otto Herz, a zoolo­ gist at the Imperial Academy of Sciences in quick-frozen have been propounded for decades St. Pietersburg published in German an and were disputed as long ago account of the expedition to the Beresovka River which he had led the year before, as the mid-1970s. with the purpose of salvaging the mam­ moth carcass diat had been discovered in 1900. . . . The point here is this: Herz definitely states that it in other ways. They had a 10cm thick undercoat, 50cm long was only the superficial part of the cadaver that had been pre­ body hairs and a 10cm layer of white insulative fat under the served. The internal organs had rotted away before the animal skin. The woolly rhinoceros, Coelodonta arttiquitatis, also had had become frozen." a shaggy coat and a layer of extra fat underneath its skin. "Blue-babe," a mammoth that perished 36,000 B.P., was Mummified remains of these rhinos have also been found in discovered with its chest cavity torn open by predators, which the permafrost. allowed its body to be quick-frozen. If it had been catastroph- ically frozen, it would have been too hard to tear open and be Permafrost Plants feasted upon. Second, its predators should have been quick- The plants and pollen found within the mammoths, together frozen by the same catastrophe that overcame their feast. with the remains in the surrounding sediments, consist The size of the mammoths was an adaptive advantage to entirely of plant varieties adapted to cold climates. The plant the cold environment in which they lived, and not to the remains found in the guts of the mammoth and other mum­ warm environment postulated by Hancock. Low surface-to- mified animals from Siberia have been analyzed and summa­ body ratios help to reduce passive heat loss through the skin. rized in detail by Ukraintseva (1993). Further work on the cli­ They had small ears and trunks by comparison with their mate of Siberia by Russian paleontologists, paleobotanists, and African elephant cousins, who use their large ears and trunks geologists has also been summarized in Ukraintseva (1993). to dissipate the heat. The mammoth's body was cold-adapted Siberia was not dominated by tundra when the mammoths

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/AugusI 2002 47 lived. As Ukraintseva (240) points out, "Integrated investiga­ Katherine Imbrie (1979), as well as Wally Broecker and tions threw light on environments of the concrete specimens George Denton (1990). of fossil animals discussed here and the 'mammoth' fauna as a The climate changes that affected the habitats of the mam­ whole. Most of the mammals died in warm periods during the moths, and other mammals, at the end of the Last Glacial last 53,000-10,000 years when the vast territory of Siberia was Maximum have been eloquently and concisely expressed by Vereshchagin and Baryshnikow (1984, 506-7): "Winters with little snowfall and The problem is that the winters had to have the development of a luxuriant grass cover been cold enough to freeze and mummify on hard, dry ground with abundant sum­ mer insolation allowed horses, bison, and the remains, and the summers warm enough saiga to occupy huge expanses of northern to melt the permafrost and produce Eurasia. The boundary between the Pleistocene and Holocene was characterized mudflows to bury the carcasses. by sharp, short climatic oscillations: The Boiling interstadial (12,400-12,000 yr covered by various forests, paludal communities and bogs, B.P.), the Middle Dryas stadial (12,000-11,8000 yr B.P.), and whereas communities of azonal character (meadows, steppe the Allerod interstadial (11,800-11,000 yr B.P.), the Upper meadows, and others) which served as pastures to the mam Dryas stadial (11,000-10,300 yr B.P.), and so forth, which mals sharply reduced in area." Ukraintseva also says: "Cold affected the Pleistocene species decisively. It was precisely in (glacial) epochs were dominated by open, treeless landscapes this time range that the massive extinction of the mammoths such as arctic meadows, various tundras, periglacial steppes. and their 'fellow travellors' occurred in the arctic zone. Remains of fossil trees, dated by C" analysis, suggest rhat Testimony to this extinction are the hundreds of thousands of woody plants did not disappear completely during short cold bones from disarticulated skeletons and the occasional frozen phases of the last Pleistocene and Holocene. They remained as carcasses buried in Sartan deposits (late Wisconsin) in north­ small forests and separate trees in the river valleys and serves as ern Yakutia and on the Tajmyr Peninsula. Judging from mod­ peculiar advanced posts for forest advance northwards at warm ern examples of mass death among wild and domestic ungu­ periods." The arctic meadows, tundras, and steppes contained lates in the Kazakhstan steppes, the best explanation for such the herbaceous plants, leaves, and sprigs of shrubs and low death at the end of the Pleistocene is the frequent occurrence shrubs needed for the mammoth to feed on and survive in of snowstorms (blizzards) in winter and the transformation of glacial Siberia. The mammoths also had complex molars that the nutritious Pleistocene tundra-steppe into a boggy, lake- were ideally suited for its macrograzing habitats. These data dotted tundra. In subarctic latitudes at this time, taiga and were available to Hancock when both editions of Fingerprints mixed-forests advanced rapidly onto open expanses, and a for­ of the Gods were published. est fauna developed. From the paleozoologist's point of view, the most convincing proof that the landscape changed radi­ The problem is that the winters had to have been cold cally on the boundary between the Pleistocene and Holocene enough to freeze and mummify the remains, and the summers is the change from a steppe, mammoth fauna into a forest warm enough to melt the permafrost and produce mudflows fauna on the Russian Plain, in the northern Urals, in Siberia, to bury the carcasses. If the summers were too cold then mud- and even in the Far East." flows wouldn't have occurred and the carcasses be buried and These two authors place great emphasis upon the role of preserved; if the winters were too warm, the carcasses would climate in the demise of the megafauna (512): have been decayed or been devoured fully by predators be­ fore being preserved. The remains of Pleistocene mammals The examples wc have presented of extremely rapid decline in in Alaska and Siberia have been discovered in permafrost, some nonexploited mammal species during the Quaternary and at present in northern Eurasia point to the supreme importance which resulted in the body tissue being preserved through of external, abiotic environmental factors in their extinction. desiccation-induced mummification. The near-total extinction of large species of the mammoth fauna The end of the Last Glacial Maximum was a continuation in the tundra and taiga zones and their partial survival in the for­ est steppe and steppe confirms the decisive effects of climatic of cyclical events occurring over hundreds of millions of years, and landscape changes for the life and death of this species which has its origins in slow cyclical changes in the tilt of group. The best proof of what has been said is die ubiquitous Earth and Earth's eccentric orbit around the Sun. Although transformation of the Upper Pleistocene "steppe" fauna into a the latter is mentioned in Chapter 28 of Fingerprints of the forest and taiga fauna over huge areas in upper and middle lati­ tudes in Eurasia. In this case, the primitive species were not Gods, entitled "Machinery of Heaven," its implications are not crowded out by more progressive ones, nor were their popula­ discussed. These two Milankovitch factors combine to vary the tion structures disrupted, nor were diey destroyed by human amount of solar radiation different areas of Earth receive at activity. Environmental change was so radical and dramatic that different times in accordance with orbital forcing. Current morphological evolution simply did not have time to catch up. The destructive activity of people is often thought to have been cycles last 100,000 years and are affected also by ocean cur­ decisive in the extinction of Quaternary giants (mammoths, rents and the rise and fall of mountain ranges. In-depth analy­ rhinoceros, cave bear, and others). However, while human ses have been undertaken and presented by John and

48 luly/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER influence on animal populations steadily increased in prehistory, Hancock before the publication of the first edition of it became definitive only in the last few millennia and centuries. Fingerprints of the Gods. He has since brought out a second edi­ In addition, the role of man has not been the same in all geo­ graphic zones. It has been greatest in die ancient heartlands of tion, with the only change being an introduction and addi­ civilization in the Mediterranean Basin, western and central tional photos. It is fitting to end of this article in Hancock's Asia, and China, and least in the polar desert. The remaining own words (2001, xvii-xviii): "I don't believe in revising or causes of extinction have apparently been sec­ ondary, merely promoting further reduction in ranges and numbers of species after they Earth Crustal Displacement is a had suffered from climatic and landscape changes or from human pressures. discredited hypothesis which no longer has any factual basis on which to stand: Other theories place greater or lesser emphasis upon human involvement on the it was tested, as all scientific hypotheses are, extinction of the megafauna, but the point and found wanting. is that that alternative theories to a cata­ clysmic demise are rooted in sound factual evidence that 'updating' books. For this reason, I haven't changed a word of strongly contradicts Fingerprints of the Gods. the original text of Fingerprints of the Gods. All of it is repro­ The book Quaternary Extinctions is cited four times in duced here exactly as it was in the first, 1995, edition. . . . The Fingerprints of the Gods (Chapter 26), which puts forward proper place for all this new material to come out, in my view, Hancock's view of a cataclysm having struck Siberia and is in new books, not in updates to old ones. So even as I write Alaska causing the demise of the mammoths and other fauna. this introduction to the 2001 edition of Fingerprints of the In each case, no mention is made of the evidence and views Gods I am happy to report that I have also completed the first proposed by the scientists on the basis of valid scientific three chapters of Underworld—which is scheduled for publi­ research into the cause of fauna extinctions at the Plcistocene- cation in 2002 (please note that Underworld Wi\\ not be cover­ Holocene boundary. ing the same subject material as Fingerprints of the Gods). Conclusion Writing new books, rather than going back to tamper with books already written, is also the way I prefer to respond to In the scenario painted by Hancock in Fingerprints of the Gods, criticisms of my work. ... I am proud of this book and con­ Siberia and Alaska are ice-free with temperate climates prior to tinue to stand by it despite the unremitting hostility and crit­ a cataclysm occurring at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum. icisms of academics." This dramatic shift to an ice-bound climate explains the exis­ tence of frozen mammoths and the demise of a number of References megafauna. Accordingly, to test Hancocks ideas the following Broecker, W.. and G. Demon. 1990. What drives glacial cycles? Scientific factors would have to be proven correct: American. January: 43-50. CLIMAP Project Members. 1981. Seasonal reconstructions of the Earth's sur­ 1. The fauna! remains found inside the mammoths and in die face at the last glacial maximum. Geological Society of America Map and surrounding environment could not be from plants which can Chan Series, MC-36. Geological Society of America, Boulder, Colorado. adapt to the cold; COHMAP Members. 1988. Climatic changes of the last 18,000 years: Observations and model simulations. Science 241: 1043—52. 2. The dates of frozen mammoths carcasses would be clus­ Hancock, G. 1995. Fingerprints of the Gods: A Quest for the Beginning and the tered in the couple of thousand years following the Last End. London: William Heinemann. Glacial Maximum; . 2001. Fingerprints of the Gods: The Quest Continues. London: William 3. No mammoths would have survived the Earth Crustal Heinemann. Displacement-induced cataclysm; Hapgood, C. 1958. Earth's Shifting Crust: A Key to Some Basic Problems of 4. Earth Crustal Displacement would need to be a valid Earth Science. New York: Pantheon Books. scientific theory; and Imbrie, J., and K. Imbrie. 1979. Ice Ages: Solving the Mystery. Cambridge, 5. No other geological and archaeological theory could Mass.: Harvard University Press. better explain the currently available evidence. Kurten, B. 1986. How to Deep Freeze a Mammoth. New York: Columbia University Press. Until 3,700 BP, a small woolly mammoth species existed Phillips, R., and A. Ganze. 1997. Quaternary history of sea ice and palcocli matic in the Amerasia Basin. Arctic Ocean, as recorded in the cyclical about 200 km off the coast of Siberia, on Wrangel Island. The strata of Nonhwind Ridge. Geological Society of America Bulletin 109(9): body of the mammoth was adapted for the cold, and the 1101-1115 environment of Pleistocene Siberia and Alaska was far from the Thiede. J.. D.L. Clark, and Y Herman. 1990. late Mesozoic and Cenozoic paleoeceangraphy of the northern polar ocean. In The Arctic Ocean Region. warm picture portrayed in Fingerprints of the Gods. Earth A. Gantz, L. Johnson, and J. Sweeney eds. The Geology of North Crustal Displacement is a discredited hypothesis which no America, Geological Society of America, Boulder, Colorado. longer has any factual basis on which to stand: it was tested, as Ukraintseva, V. 1993. Vegetation Cover and Environment in the "Mammoth Epoch" in Siberia. San Diego: The Mammoth Site. all scientific hypotheses are, and found wanting. The demise of Vereshchagin, N., and G Baryshnikow. 1984. Quaternary mammalian the mammoth and other megafauna at the Pleistocene- extinctions in Northern Eurasia. In Quaternary Extinctions: A Holocene transition is readily explained through climatic influ­ Prehistoric Revolution. P. Martin, and R. Klein, eds. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. ences and human activities. Zimmerman. M„ and R Tedford. 1976. Histologic structures preserved for The information cited in this article was available to 21,300 years. Science 194(4261): 183-4. U

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 49 CALLING GAS M ad Maris'Gardenia Gas'l PHANTOM H (ARE A «H0AX^r^..T^ron^LoOSe Ml t

wiAre 'ities Victims Ino K8 BAIXE •baa* fro* J« . Sept. 10. ABLE The Mad Gasser of Mattoon Ivlty. MaO MWTrif 'ler itruck «. ML. on the di iy ovf piit M. How the Press Created an Imaginary >llce> o entln esamei npetcn Chemical Weapons Attack •id* lief C the

The mass media are often influential in spreading episodes of mass hysteria to the public at large.

^-***' This is no more evident than in the famous case of the Mad Gasser of Mattoon. 1 BOB LADENDORF and ROBERT E. BARTHOLOMEW CAC< esr=E3 o * IFYH ITT,UUI1 U U ithout question the two most famous episodes of "mass hysteria" and social delusion of the twen­ I FOR PARAL END ATTA( W,tiet h century were the 1938 Martian invasion panic and the 1944 case of the "mad gasser" of Mattoon. Yet GAS PRO! I111, INN! few realize that both incidents were products of a chemical and biological weapons scare that parallels present-day Mattoon Orders American terrorism anxieties. While the Martian scare has ssmeetingTom been exaggerated in terms of the extent of those who were on 24 Hour Wa frightened or panicked (Bartholomew 1998), Princeton Mattoon, m, Sept. 6 [£ vilians Join Sea Police Chief E. c Cole or University psychologist Hadley Cantril found that 20 per­ police force on 24 hour id' CHARLES BALL cent of those he interviewed assumed that the radio to provide nigh; putrolj ICUtwo Trikoo* mil Bf residential districts In an rttoon, I1L, Sept 9 [Sat announcer in the bogus broadcast had misinterpreted what Rapture the anesthetic pro mysterious night pri Aas been terrorizing the di lerrorized thi» town (or he was seeing and the "Martians" were actually members of '4(jat week. ; by spraying a slckenln* c oth oake,J wUh gms" thru open bedroon 11 A&. ' • •" I was reported to have ed last night la the nortl Ql IMQUY*' on. even year old Ramona Dr from her home when ah* «"%f LE Aga?* mother. Mrs. Violet DrU ** . -pr-r^'pubUe «afe i aroused by a prowler, i (l\i^c i*Ta,\W commlsjloner . said, attempted *» ^~ * jX^'V&P. Sullivan, dir latest in »• J^V^ VfcV(j "sen d°< invesU -*-j he APe M.an- ©tt. a German poison gas raid. One typical respondent stated: "The announcer said a meteor had fallen from Mars and I was sure that he thought that, but in back of my head I had the idea that the meteor was just a camouflage . . . and the Germans were attacking us with gas bombs" (Cantril 1940, 160). During the early 1930s Americans were preoccupied with the threat of chemical and biological terrorism as many books and articles addressed the topic, especially gas warfare (Kenworthy 1930; Lefebure 1931; Han 1933). In The Air Menace and the Answer, Elvira Fradkin (1934, 1) described America during this period as experiencing the "poison gas scare." Many magazines also addressed the subject (Moore 1933; Phillips 1933; St. John 1934). The League of Nations published many documents addressing the issue, and proceed­ ings of the many conferences held on the topic appeared (Fradkin 1934). German aggression in Europe and increased publicity of the dangers of chemical and biological weapons were essential backdrops that rendered the Martian radio play more plausible as a German gas attack. A similar context helped to create the case of the "mad gasser" of Mattoon— once again with the sensationalizing of the American mass media. In fact, the media have often been implicated in fomenting mass hysterias and social delusions.

The Media and Mass Hysteria The mass media are often influential in creating, spreading, and ironically even eventually ending mass hysteria. In most cases the media neither create the initial incident nor help to Aline Kearney consoles her daughter Dorothy. Both reportedly became ill spread it, but exacerbate the outbreak once it is underway. after smelling a sickly sweet odor. Her other daughter, Carol, looks on. Most mass hysteria reports in the scientific literature occur in She was unaffected and sleeping in another part of the house (Source: The Chicago Herald-American. September 17. 1944. p. 3). schools and factories and involve the rapid spread of transient, benign illness symptoms among members of closely knit results, it has several distinct features, the confluence of which groups in enclosed settings (Sirois 1982; Bartholomew and almost certainly indicates the presence of psychogenic symp­ Sirois 1996). Such cases are typically triggered by a few well- toms. These include: no plausible organic basis; symptoms known factors: rumors, anxiety, and an exaggerated threat that that are transient and benign; occurrence in a segregated is either real or imagined. group; presence of extraordinary stress; rapid onset and recov­ The media typically exacerbate these episodes by reporting ery; symptom spread by sight or sound; and dispersion down public reaction to the hysteria diagnosis, which is often met by the age-scale beginning in older or higher status persons. fierce opposition from victims, their friends, relatives, com­ In relatively rare instances involving the spread of mass hys­ munity members, and leaders (Cartter 1989). Physician Joel teria (or social delusions involving the spread of a false belief Nitzkin received physical threats after diagnosing a mass hys­ but no illness symptoms) to the public at large, the media usu­ teria outbreak in a Florida school (Nitzkin 1976; Roueche ally play an instrumental role, amplifying small, isolated events 1978), while historian Elaine Showaltcr more recently retained involving few people into full-scale episodes affecting hun­ the services of a bodyguard after stating her view that Gulf dreds or thousands. Eventually, the same media typically help War Syndrome has a hysterical basis (Wessely 1999, personal to extinguish the very episodes they initially fostered by report­ communication). The initial diagnosis of hysteria is always ing accounts that discuss their psychological nature, often ridi­ going to be ambiguous since it takes time for all probable culing those who persist in holding such beliefs. The media causes to be eliminated and negative test results to come back. In the interim, the participants typically express dieir views in Bob Ladendorf is a freelance writer and co-founder of The Rational the form of emotionally charged public meetings mat are Examination Association of Lincoln Land (REALL), and public reported by the media and letters to the local press which often affairs staff writer/editor for the Illinois Department of report misinformation (Hocking 1990). Transportation. He resides at 720 S. Columbia Avenue, Occasionally social protest movements are formed that Springfield, IL 62704 (e-mail: RobertCL49@aoLcom). Robert thrive on media publicity surrounding a hysteria episode Bartholomew is a former sociologist at James Cook University in (Philen et al. 1989). While epidemic hysteria can never be Queensland, Australia. He now resides in Whitehall, New York. confirmed with negative medical and environmental test E-mail' rcbartholomew@yalwo. com.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 51 played a key role in the "miraculous" appearance of the Virgin page 1 the next evening with a six-column headline, Mary in Puerto Rico in 1953 before more than 150,000 peo­ "Anesthetic Prowler' on Loose." Two subheads under the ple. The radio and press were not only responsible for the headline added, "Mrs. Kearney and Daughter First Victims" throngs of participants but also conditioning them to expect a and "Both Recover; Robber Fails to Get Into Home." Typical spiritual event (Tumin and Feldman 1955). Medalia and symptoms in this and other reports that were to follow Larsen (1958) concluded that the Washington state press were included lightheadedness, paralysis, upset stomach, and vom­ instrumental in spreading claims that atomic fallout from iting, and followed the perception of a sickly sweet odor. All highly publicized Pacific bomb testing in 1954 was pitting either recovered that night or the next day. On the night of September 5, Mrs. Carl Cordes picked up a small folded cloth on her porch, saw a wet As the police sped off to each new call about spot, smelled it and was overcome by an odor. "It was a feeling of paralysis," she told a mad gasser incident, armed citizens and the Gazette (September 6, 1944, p. 1). "My farmers quickly followed. husband had to help me into the house and soon my lips were swollen and the roof of my mouth and my throat burned. I began windshields near Seattle. Jacobs (1965) also noted the key to spit blood and my husband called a physician. It was more press role in his examination of erroneous claims that a mani­ than two hours before I began to feel normal again." acal slasher was roaming Taiwan in 1956. Bartholomew and For the next week, more and more reports of gassings were Howard (1998) found that press speculation about claims of reported. Other newspapers began picking up on the story by the worlds first piloted heavier-than-air flying machine trig­ September 6, and almost daily reports in the Gazette, Chicago gered a massive wave of imaginary airship sightings around the Tribune, Chicago Herald-American, Champaign News-Gazette, world between 1896 to 1913 in the United States, England, and (Springfield) Illinois State Journal heightened awareness of and New Zealand (see "The Airship Hysteria of 1896-97," by the mad gasser nationwide. Joining the hunt for the mad gasser Robert Bartholomew, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, 14[2], Winter were the Illinois State Police, which sent five squad cars and ten 1990). During another sighting wave in the Pacific Northwest officers, two FBI agents, and groups of armed citizens roaming in 1947, newspaper reporters coined the term "flying saucer," the city. A group of fifty armed farmers, members of the Anti- sparking a global spate of similar reports (Strentz 1970). More Theft Association, also roamed the city. Meanwhile, the harried recently, the press has been blamed in spreading psychogenic Mattoon police, headed by skeptical police chief C. Eugene illness symptoms by publishing false accounts of poison gas Cole, received veiled criticism from a September 8 Gazette edi­ attacks in tense ethnic conflicts in both Palestine and Kosovo torial about their initial doubts that a prowler existed. (Radovanovic 1995). As the police sped off to each new call about a mad gasser incident, armed citizens and farmers quickly followed. Police The "Phantom Anesthetist" of Mattoon Commissioner Thomas Wright began ordering officers to The case of the mad gasser began about 11 P.M. Friday, arrest the chasers. One woman intending to protect herself September 1, 1944, as Aline Kearney lay in bed reading the loaded her soldier-husband's shotgun and blew a hole in her newspaper. She was a young housewife whose husband was kitchen wall. Another sighting of demon-like eyes at a driving a cab that night in Mattoon, a small city of about woman's bedroom window turned out to be a cat. A woman in 17,000 residents in eastern Illinois. They had a son and two the midst of a movie theater audience screamed that she was daughters, including three-year-old Dorothy Ellen, who was hit by gas although no one around her was affected! A few sus­ sleeping in their bed. Also staying with the Kearneys was pects were questioned, including a high school student playing Alines sister, Martha Reedy, whose husband was in the war. a prank on a woman, but no arrests were made. Suddenly, Aline smelled a sweet odor that made her sick. She By September 14, gassing reports had stopped for good. In was not able to move, her legs paralyzed. At some point, all there were at least three dozen reported victims, more than Dorothy Ellen also became sick from the odor. Mrs. Kearney 100 if seventy in a roaming group claiming to be hit by the yelled for her sister, who said she smelled the odor coming smell of gas are included. No prowler was ever identified or from an open bedroom window and contacted a neighbor, arrested, no physical evidence presented (the Cordes's cloth Mrs. Earl Robertson, who called police. The police searched tested negative at a state crime lab for poison gas residue), and and found nothing. Mrs. Kearney recovered in about thirty there was no medical substantiation of a gas being used. In minutes. Her husband heard of the incident and rushed home, fact, none of the victims ever reported having eye problems arriving about 12:30 A.M., upon which he said he saw a from the alleged gas, despite the fact that if it was a poisonous prowler at the bedroom window. Police were again called but gas, the eyes would certainly be affected. found nothing. The whole family then left to stay with a rela­ tive elsewhere that night. Memory Reconstruction and Embellishment Mattoon's only major paper, the Daily Journal-Gazette The Mattoon Gazette practically created the entire mad gasser (hereafter referred to as the Gazette) reported the incident on scare. We know that the first few gassing reports were not

52 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER taken seriously by police. This was noted in a September 8 They remain in the house and soon go back to sleep without Gazette editorial criticizing police who had not taken Aline telling a soul! This behavior only makes sense if, after learning Kearney seriously. Nor did they place much credence in the of the mad gasser, these "victims" began redefining recent three reports that quickly followed by residents who reported ambiguous incidents during which they had noticed a strange "gassings" only after learning of the Kearney case. According to smell and embellished upon it. the Gazette, police concluded that these early reports were This brings to mind a story discussed by UFO investigator "just imagination." They did not begin to become concerned Philip Klass (1974, 283-284). Early on the evening of June until about September 5, after Mrs. Cordes found the strange 27, 1959, the Reverend William Gill and a small group cloth on her porch. But this police skepticism is not reflected watched an illuminated object in the sky near Boianai, Papua in the early press reports in the early stages. On Saturday, New Guinea. They became excited after thinking they could September 2, the Gazette carried the first report on the inci­ see human-like figures waving back at them. The exchange of dent: "Anesthetic Prowler on Loose." Not only was the gasser's waves continued and a flashlight was turned on and off toward existence treated as absolute fact, but there was an implication the "craft," which seemed to respond by moving in a pendu­ that there may be more gassings to follow. The sub-headline lum fashion. With the object still in view, and having wit­ read: "Mrs. Kearney and Daughter First Victims . . . Robber nessed what he was certain was an alien spaceship for only Fails to get into Home." about thirty minutes, what did Father Gill and the group do Sensationalism by the Gazette prompted a series of retro­ at this potentially historic juncture in history? He and the spective gassing reports that supposedly had occurred before or entire group went to dinner! They resumed watching at 7 during Mrs. Kearneys "attack." In reporting these cases, there is o'clock. This makes for an exciting story, but human memory no hint of police skepticism or of the possibility of the gasser does not recall events as they happened, but as we think they being imaginary. Only after reading or hearing of the Gazette happened. Often the details get changed after the fact. It story did several local families report similar home attacks. Mrs. brings to mind the saying, "The older I get, the better I was." George Rider said that the gasser had struck her Prairie Avenue If we had been convinced an alien craft were hovering nearby, home about the same time Mrs. Kearney and her daughter were we would likely have called the police and every friend and rel­ made ill. At about the same time, a few blocks from Mrs. Rider, ative, and told them to get there—fast. Such stories sound a woman and her children awoke and began vomiting. It was exciting after the event, but logic and common sense suggest later assumed that the gasser had been there. Mr. and Mrs. otherwise. We certainly would not have gone to dinner. Orban Raef of Grant Avenue said that the night before Mrs. Kearney was gassed, they were asleep at 3 A.M. when fumes came Press Reconstruction through the bedroom window. Both awoke and experienced Let us re-examine the report by Mrs. Kearney in the Gazette "the same feeling of paralysis' and felt unweii for about ninety on September 2. Despite being quoted at length, neither she minutes. Curiously, friends staying at the house and sleeping in nor her sister mentioned any prowler. Her sister mentioned another room reported no ill effects. Finally, Mrs. Olive Brown only an open window. Mrs. Kearney is quoted saying that her on 22nd Street told police that several months earlier, she and sister contacted the neighbor, Mrs. Earl Robertson, who called her daughter had been gassed, but did not report the incident police. The newspaper then indicated that Mr. Robertson thinking no one would believe them. These incidents were men­ searched the yard and neighborhood "but could find no trace tioned in the next Gazette article about the gasser on September of the prowler. Police also searched without success." After 5 ("Anesthetic Prowler' Covers City"). The newspaper was not being notified of the incident, Mr. Kearney arrived home printed on Sundays and holidays. about 12:30 A.M. and saw a prowler who was "tall, dressed in Smith (1994, 35) states because there were gassing reports dark clothing and wore a tight fitting cap." He gave chase but prior to Mrs. Kearney's on September 1, and they occurred late the "prowler" escaped. at night, it is "very unlikely that word of the incidents could Not until Mr. Kearney arrives is any person identified as have spread so quickly. As they were not reported in the news­ being at the bedroom window. In the article's lead and a fol­ paper until two days later, they simply had to be real events." lowing reference to Mrs. Kearney's parched and burned lips Smith (1994, 39) himself admits that, "1 am a physicist, not a from "whatever was used by the prowler," the unidentified psychologist." He makes no mention of studies on the fallibil­ newspaper reporter conjectures that there is a prowler spraying ity of human memory and perception (see Loftus and gas through the bedroom window. After quoting Mrs. Kearney, Ketcham 1991). These earlier reports are dubious. At the time the reporter then refers to Mr. Robertson, the police, and Mr. of the supposed gassings, no one reported these incidents to Kearney, who is reported as seeing a man at the window. That police, bothered to contact friends or relatives to share their sighting, though, was for the second incident. Apparently, all concern or even fled their house. Imagine that you suspect involved assumed or reinterpreted the first incident as one someone has sprayed poison gas into your home, making you caused by a prowler spraying an anesthetic substance. and your family ill. You experience dizziness, burning lips, The "anesthetic prowler" was thus a creation of the Gazette vomiting, and partial limb paralysis. It was well-known that by combining the first incident involving Mrs. Kearney's poison gas could cause permanent disabilities or even prove paralysis and an odor with Mr. Kearney's alleged sighting of a lethal. And what do these pre-September 1 "gas victims" do? prowler in the second incident. A close reading of this initial

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 53 public report shows that no one involved is quoted as saying appeared on the day of Mrs. Kearney's alleged gassing. The that an "anesthetic prowler" was seen. That phrase is an inven­ article stated: "If Nazi extremists bent on ruling or ruining tion of the headline writer. In addition, the "anesthetic should employ gas against civilian populations in a bitter end prowler" now conveys the impression of retrospective rational­ resistance, the Allies would be in a position through air ization, which was also evident in the next three reports of a strength to drench German cities. . . . Recurrent rumors diat "prowler" by the previously mentioned Rider, Raef, and the Germans are preparing to initiate gas warfare bring no offi­ Brown families. The Gazette then immediately added fuel to cial reaction here." the fire by suggesting that there would be more victims; the While Mattoon's Gazette did not carry news of the potential subhead under that first headline was, "Mrs. Kearney and German use of gas, knowledge of the threat, whether perceived Daughter First Victims." The headline was "'Anesthetic as domestic or foreign, would have been widespread. Many Prowler' on Loose.'" The other newspapers soon followed with state newspapers were read by Mattoon citizens, as Johnson coverage, and the whole country was being made aware of the (1945) pointed out, and the gas fears were almost certainly dis­ "mad gasser of Mattoon." cussed on radio and by word-of-mouth. In addition, during that same time, a Nazi prisoner had escaped from Camp Ellis Context: The Poison Gas Scare in the Mattoon area and was reportedly seen in the city ("Hunt By the fall of 1944, with an Allied victory seeming inevitable, Escaped Nazi Here," Gazette, August 31, 1944). He was cap­ the fear of gas attacks was evident. Even though poison gas tured the following night in another city. If this were not was not known to have been used in World War II for fear of enough, at the same time there was a wave of robberies in retribution that could devastate civilians, during the year of Mattoon ("Two Homes Entered," Gazette, August 31, 1944; the "gassings" in 1944, there were no less that 112 articles in "Robbery Wave Continues," Gazette, September 1, 1944). The New York Times Index under the heading "chemical war­ fare." Dozens of popular and scientific periodicals around this The Shift Toward Terrorism time also discussed the poison gas peril in publications such The "mad gasser" was triggered by a confluence of factors: sen­ as Newsweek, Popular Science, and The American Journal of sational press coverage, ignorance of human perceptual falli­ Public Health (Lindley 1943; Scott 1944; Sanders 1945). As bility and memory reconstruction, fear of Nazi poison gas the tide of World War II turned increasingly in favor of the attacks, an escaped Nazi in the city, and a robbcry/break-in Allies, so did concern that desperate German commanders wave. It is essential to understand the overall context of what might resort to gas warfare (Marshall 1943). In fact, the Allies happened in Mattoon within the social and historical context were so concerned that the Germans might use poison gas as it was experienced by Mattoonites and reported by the during their June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion of Normandy that media at the time. People of the period lived under the specter they had a plan to retaliate within forty-eight hours with two of massive poison gas attacks on civilian targets. While cer­ bombing raids of 400 planes each, all loaded with chemical tainly unusual, given the war-scare context, the case of the weapons designed to hit selected targets (Brown 1968). Gas mad gasser of Mattoon is not so bizarre after all. Indeed, dur­ warfare expert Frederic Brown (1968, 244) states that D-Day ing the twentieth century a strange odor was the most com­ was the "most dangerous period for German [gas] initia­ mon trigger of epidemic hysteria in both job and school set­ tion"—a credible threat that was widely discussed in the press tings (Olkinuora 1984; Bartholomew and Sirois 1996). It was during latter 1944. The mad gasser appeared just two and a a sign of the times, which were dominated by occupational half months after D-Day. safety legislation and environmental fears. There was even discussion as to whether the United States Episodes such as the "mad gasser" may be set to recur. In should be the first to use gas. This view received a firestorm ot Japan during 1995, the use of Sarin nerve gas on the Tokyo criticism by many readers and commentators, fearful that the subway by the Aum Shinrikyo cult killed twelve people. It also Axis powers would think that the use of gas was imminent, triggered a wave of mass collapses from pseudo-attacks after and initiate a first strike. Following editorials favoring the idea commuters detected strange smells (Wessely 1995). Since the of using gas first in The Chicago Tribune, The New York Daily September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, News, and the Washington Times-Herald, Norman Cousins America has experienced an upsurge in reports of mass hyste­ (1944) branded their editors as "incredibly irresponsible." ria and social delusion. In one case, a man was subdued by About the time of the first gassing report in Mattoon by police after squirting a mysterious spray at a Maryland subway Aline Kearney, newspapers in Champaign, Chicago, and station. Thirty-five persons in the vicinity were treated for Springfield carried wire service articles about gas use. The symptoms ranging from nausea to sore throats. The substance August 30 Champaign News-Gazette included a page 1 article: turned out to be a common window cleaner (Lellman 2001). "Believe Nazis Prepared To Use Gas." On August 31 the Similar episodes of mass psychogenic illness prompted by the Chicago Herald-American had one on page 2 ("Report Nazis chemical and bioterrorism scare were reported from California Plan Poison Gas Attack") and another report in the September 1 issue on page 2 ("Allies Ready If Nazis Use Gas"); and an Associated Press article in the (Springfield) Illinois State THE MAD GASSER OF MATTOON Journal on September 1 ("Unlikely Gas To Be Used In War") Continued on page 58

54 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS

Truth Really Is Stranger Than Fiction—and More Entertaining ROBERT A. BAKER

Real-Life X-Files: Investigating the Paranormal By Joe Nickell. University Press of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky. 2001. 326 pp. ISBN 0-8131-2210-4. Cloth, $27.50.

nyone who has ever watched on the detection of forged documents, Others have never been reported so fully, and enjoyed an episode of the brings this training and experience to and regular readers of Nickell's columns A long-running TV series The X- bear in his investigations. For cases in SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and Skeptical Files will find Nickell's book even more in which Nickell's broad and deep Briefs will be delighted with some of the entertaining and delightful. There is a experience does not suffice he invents new material and the results of his major difference between the TV tales ingenious new approaches to solve the appearances on various TV talk shows. and the stories in Nickell's work, how­ In this regard one of the most amus­ ever. While the X-Files are fiction, ing incidents of all was Nickell's con­ Nickell's accounts are true. Whoever frontation with an alleged clairvoyant said that the truth is both stranger and on the infamous Jerry Springer Show. more entertaining than fiction describes The so-called psychic claims to be able this book exactly. The cases that Nickell to "read" the contents ol a locked refrig­ investigates are not only as exciting as erator he had never seen before. Though the show but they are also much more the "psychic" appeared to be quite suc­ satisfying if one is also a lover of myster­ cessful in demonstrating psychic abili­ ies and enjoys watching a first-rate mind ties, he was totally incapable of passing systematically track down and expose Nickell's simple test of reading a three- the fakirs and mountebanks who letter word on a card in a sealed enve­ attempt to mystify and deceive us. lope. The verbal exchange between Consisting of forty-seven short chap­ Nickell, the alleged psychic, and ters or investigations, the work is not Springer is hilarious. only an antidote to anyone infected with Also delightful is Nickell's exposure of belief in the paranormal or supernatural the scam artists in The Gypsies' "Great but it is also a mini-education in how to Trick." Nickell's version of this impres­ go about successfully investigating and sive "fooler" has been shown on the clarifying claims of haunted houses, Discovery channel several times. Nickell's UFO appearances, mysterious lights, investigation of the notorious Flatwoods encounters with the dead, spontaneous UFO monster is anodier classic example human combustion, alien abductions, mysteries he faces. Opposed to the arm­ of human credulity and demonstrates crop circles, alleged psychics and vision­ chair and "debunking" approaches in all how effective a little suggestion can be aries, weeping statues and stigmata, and his investigations, Nickell uses a "hands- when naive and untrained observers con­ miracle workers of various kinds. on" approach, supplementing most of front the unknown. Nickell, a former private detective, his investigations with explanatory These unusual and mysterious detec­ professional magician, and an authority drawings and photographs. tive stories are suffused with the Covering a period of well over thirty author's wit and engaging sense of Robert A. Baker is professor emeritus in years, none of the invesdgations in this humor. As he notes in his introduction, psychology at the University of Kentucky. book have been andiologized before. "I joke that I have been in more

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 55 BOOK REVIEWS haunted houses than Casper and have fall on whomever advances the claim. cacy of astrology, the non-dependence of even caught a few 'ghosts.'" In addition, the maxim that 'extraordi­ egg balancing on the spring equinox, and Nickell has never shied away from get­ nary proof,' must apply, meaning that the dubious claims of companies that ting himself personally involved in some evidence must be commensurate with offer to have a star named after you or a of the more daring and adventurous the extent of a claim. The principle of loved one. aspects of die cases he's studying. He has, 'Occam's razor' also applies; it holds Did NASA fake the Moon landings? for example, inflicted "stigmata" on him­ that the simplest tenable explana­ Plait exposes the hollowness of the argu­ self with a knife, put sharp crystals under tion—the one requiring the fewest ments put forward for such an elaborate his eyelids, walked across a twenty-five- assumptions—is to be preferred as conspiratorial hoax. As hoax theorists foot bed of fiery coals, and he has even most likely correct." point out, no stars are visible in the appeared—not once—but twice on The Nickell has followed these principles black lunar sky in photographs taken by Jerry Springer Show! If this isn't a display and has applied them in all of the inves­ the astronauts. As Plait explains, the of the limits of human courage this tigations recounted in this book. stars were too faint to show up in the reviewer doesn't know what is! Readers familiar with Nickell's other short-exposure photos, which were Above all, these investigations are books will not want to miss this one, taken in daylight when the lunar surface predicated on a rational, scientific and those readers who have never been is brightly lit by the Sun. By the way, he approach and, in his words, "since so fortunate as to have encountered this asks, if NASA had taken the photos on proving a negative is difficult (often master of "explaining the bizarre" are in an expensive fake set, wouldn't the impossible), the burden of proof must for a treat! agency's Soviet rivals have called atten­ tion to something as basic as a failure to put in stars? [For a fuller account, see Astronomy and the "Fox Special Questions Moon Landing But Not Its Own Credulities," SI, Kitchen Sink May/June 2001.] KENNETH SILBER Did Venus emerge from Jupiter, pass by the Earth, and cause the "miracles" Bad Astronomy: Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed from written about in the Bible, as theorized Astrology to the Moon Landing "Hoax. " By Philip Plait. John by psychoanalyst Wiley & Sons, New York, 2002. ISBN 0-471-40976-6. 277 in the 1950s? Plait highlights the many pp. Softcover, $15.95. problems with this theory. If Venus was ejected from Jupiter, why are the two n the town of Nanyuki, Kenya, tions in the northern and southern planets' compositions so different? Why located on the equator, a local man hemispheres, a phenomenon known as are Jupiter's still circling the Inamed Peter McLeary performs an the Coriolis effect. However, the effect is giant planet in unperturbed orbits? If intriguing demonstration for tourists. significant only over large distances (as Venus passed within hundreds of miles He takes them to a line drawn on the with the movement of hurricanes, say) of Earth, as Velikovsky asserted, then it ground (the putative location of the and not, as commonly supposed, in toi­ would have literally filled the sky (a equator) and drains a pan of water on lets and kitchen sinks. As for McLeary, spectacle the ancients did not note). either side of it. The water flows clock­ he achieves an effect by spinning the pan Moreover, it's hard to reconcile such an wise when the pan is north of the line, as he turns to face the audience (but he event with such facts as that our Moon and counterclockwise when the pan is gets it backwards, since the Coriolis is still in orbit and that humans survived south of the line. McLeary explains that effect would make water in the northern all this. this is due to Earth's rotation, and then hemisphere spin counterclockwise). Plait is adept not only at untangling collects tips from the tourists. Bad Astronomy is the first in a planned the convolutions of bogus theories but Those tips may start drying up if series of Bad Science books to be pub­ also at explaining everyday phenomena some of the tourists read Bad Astronomy, lished by John Wiley & Sons; the next of the physical world. He clears up com­ a lively, informative guide to astronomy- installment will be Bad Medicine. Plait, an mon confusion as to why Earth has sea­ related errors and deceptions. As Philip astronomer at California's Sonoma State sons and why the Moon has phases, and Plait explains, Earth's rotation does University, is the creator of a useful Web may spare parents some embarrassment divert moving objects in opposite direc- site called Badastronomy.com, which also in fielding questions from their kids delves into wrong ideas involving space about why the sky is blue. Bad Astronomy Kenneth Silber is a writer based in New and celestial objects. Bad Astronomy deals is a powerful antidote to public befuddle- York City. with diverse topics including the ineffi- ment about the universe around us.

56 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS

Europe, the cold spell led to the com­ Sobering Science-Based plete collapse of viniculture in the British Isles. Only recently have grapes Reminders been re-established there again, as the ERIK STROMMEN world has gotten warmer. The weakness of this book is that the The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History, 1300-1850 many details, while intriguing, end up by Brian M. Fagan. Basic Books, New York, 2001. ISBN as a sort of a hodgepodge. Fagan relies 0465022723. on die sheer bulk of evidence to make his case. While many of his examples are insightful, others are not and this weak­ ETERNAL ens his argument. The unevenness of the FRONTIER data aside, Fagan has pointed the way to The Eternal Frontier: An Ecological History of North re-examining many historical records for America and Its Peoples by Tim Flannery. Atlantic climate research purposes and has gath­ Monthly Press, New York, 2001. ISBN 0871137895. ered much of them in this book for the first time. TIM FLAK Flannery's book takes a much broader time frame and geographical reference. He examines climate not over a few cen­ hroughout human history, two very different books. Fagan's is a turies but over millions of years—the last weather and weather changes detailed examination of "recent" history, 20,000 or so in particular—and he is have been a source of supernat­ a dramatic cooling then warming trend concerned exclusively with the North T American continent. This is a very infor­ ural speculation. Extreme weather, that took place during a five-to-six-hun- beneficent or malign, has long been seen dred-year period lasting from 1300 to mative book, well written and thought­ as a manifestation of the will of the Gods 1850 or so. Culling data from medieval fully presented. It starts with a review of rn reward or punish humankind More and Enlightenment-era records in the unique geological history that has recently, weather and climate have Western and Northern Europe, his goal made North America an "eternal fron­ become sources of equally fantastic is to show that the effects of climate tier," constantly invaded throughout his­ futurist doomsday scenarios as well. change on human society can be con­ tory by newcomers of all kinds from Look more closely, however, and all this cretely measured. He correlates the cool­ other continents. Flannery describes should not be unexpected. It ing documented from natural sources how North America's geography makes it is surprising how little we know, empiri­ like tree rings and ice cores with human unique in its extremes of weather: Deep cally, about climate and human history. records of events like droughts, crop fail­ winters and baking summers are a norm It might be said that angels lurk where ures, and changes in seafaring routes. He nowhere else on the planet. This same scientists have yet to tread. The two then attempts to relate these climate- geography serves to amplify the impact books reviewed here both aim to remedy driven events to larger political and cul­ of global heating and cooling trends, our ignorance. Both argue that climate is tural changes. which have contributed to periodic a product of lawful global processes that Fagan argues, for example, that prim­ extinctions on the continent. can be analyzed and understood and that itive French agricultural practices pro­ When it comes to the climate's man, while having distinct advantages duced mass starvation when crops failed effects on man in the Americas, over animals in being able to adapt to cli­ in the cold years and that this starvation Flannery makes a strong case that the mate changes through technological was a contributing factor in the French "mysteriously rapid" rise and fall of means, is still ultimately prey to these Revolution. Thus, he reasons, climate ancient pan-American societies, so forces. And both provide examinations change was a causal factor in one of his­ breathlessly attributed to alien migra­ of climates relationship to civilization in tory's most dramatic events. You don't tions or other silliness by New Agers, die past that are compelling and, ulti­ have to accept this oddly indirect logic, actually reflects the impact of climate mately, unsettling. however, to enjoy the book because changes combined with environmen­ tally unsustainable farming and cul­ Despite their similarities, diese are there are so many other interesting con­ crete examples of climate impact. tural practices. As this analysis suggests, Dr. Erik Strommen is a developmental I found the strange story of his discussion of human interaction psychologist and longtime SKEPTICAL England's wineries to be the most strik­ with the environment is unsentimen­ INQUIRER subscriber. ing. Once a major supplier of wine to tal. He makes a strong case that the

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2O02 57 BOOK REVIEWS first human immigrants to North and exhausting its soil. Global warming documents the concrete impacts of spe­ America, who did not farm and whose could well bring dramatic changes in cific climatic events on specific areas of major artifacts are stone spearheads, lit­ heat and cold distribution in North human activity in historical times. erally hunted most of the continent's America, with tropical and subtropical Taken together, these books offer a large animals of all kinds into extinc­ invaders from South America and else­ sobering science-based reminder that tion, inflicting serious damage on the where finding new homes in the North, while humans may be unique animals ecology of the continent that remains and large areas of the interior continent on this planet, we are still ultimately to this day. being given over to desert scrub. subject to the same climatic forces that Flannery tries to be upbeat, but his Flannery's book achieves the impres­ have affected animal life here for mil­ assessment of North America's future is sive goal of placing human society lions of years. The weather is not the disturbing. European colonization has within a larger geological and ecological province of gods, but of lawful natural only exacerbated the damage done to the framework by studying human archaeo­ processes. As our climate changes, our continent's ecosystems. He that logical evidence in the same way that ability—or inability—to recognize, large animals must be reintroduced to other species are studied, and showing adapt to, and perhaps even influence restore "balance" to ecosystems. He also that historically climate change seems to those processes may well turn out to be warns that North Americans are rapidly affect humans the same way it affected the key issue that shapes the future of consuming the continent's fresh water plants and other animals. Fagan's book humans on Earth. LJ

THE MAD GASSER OF Fradkin, E.K. 1934. The Air Menace and the 1989. Mass sociogenic illness by proxy: Answer. New York: The Macmillan Company. Parentally reported in an elementary school. MATTOON From page 54 Hart, L. 1933. The British Way of War. New York: Lancet iv. 1372-1376. The Macmillan Company. Phillips, T.R. 1933. Debunking Mars' newest Hocking, B. 1990. An epidemic of illness in an toys. Saturday Review of Literature 205: 23 (Becerra and Malnic 2001) to the Indian telephone exchange. Journal of the (March 4). Philippines. In die latter case, a flu out­ Indian Medical Association 88(10): 281-285. Radovanovic, Z. 1995. On the origin of mass Jacobs, N. 1965. The Phantom Slasher of Taipei: casualty incidents in Kosovo, Yugoslavia, in break coupled with rumors of a mysteri­ Mass hysteria in a non-Western society. Social 1990. European Journal of Epidemiology 11: ous "airborne virus" prompted thou­ Problems 12: 318-328. 1-13. sands of college students to deluge local Johnson, D.M. 1945. The 'Phantom Anesthetist' Reuters News Service, October 2, 2001. of Mattoon: A field study of mass hysteria. Roueche, B. 1978. Annals of Medicine. The New physicians (Villanueva et al. 2001; Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 40: Yorker 21: 63-70. (August 21) (Interview with Reuters 2001). Like a chameleon, epi­ 175-186. Dr. Joel Nitzkin). demic hysteria outbreaks mirror the Kenworthy, J.M. 1930. New Wars, New Weapons. Sanders, V. 1945. Our army's defense against poi­ London: E. Matthews & Marrot. son gas. Popular Science 146: 106-111 times, thriving on fear and uncertainty. Klass. P.J. 1974. UFOs Explained New York: (February). Vintage. Scon, E.W 1944. Role of the public health labo­ References I.efebure, V. 1931. Scientific Disarmament. ratory in gas defense. American Journal of Bartholomew. Robert E. 1998. The Martian Panic London: Mundamus. Public Health 34: 275-278 (March). sixty years on: What have we learned? Lellman, L. 2001. Suspicious incident forces sub­ Sirois, F. 1982. Perspectives on epidemic hysteria. way's closing. Rutland Daily Herald October SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 22(6): 40-43. In M. Colligan, J. Pennebaker, and L. Murphy Bartholomew, R.E.. and G.S. Howard. 1998. UFOs 10, p. A3. (eds.), Mass Psychogenic Illness: A Social and Alien Contact: Two Centuries of Mystery. Lindley, E.K. 1943. Thoughts on the use of gas in Psychological Analysis. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Buffalo. New York: Prometheus Books. warfare. Newsweek 22:24 (December 20). Lawrence Erlbaum. Bartholomew, R.E., and F. Sirois. 1996. Epidemic Loftus, E.. and K. Ketcham. 1991. Witness for the Smith, W. 1994. The Mattoon phantom gasser. hysteria in schools: An international and his­ Defense: The Accused, the Eyewitness, and the The Skeptic 3(1): 33-39. torical overview. Educational Studies 22(3): Expert who Puts Memory on Trial New York: St. John, A. 1934. Will gas destroy populations 285-311. St. Martin's. in the next war? Literary Digest 117: 17 Becerra, H., and E. Malnic. 2001. Complaints of Marshall, J. 1943. We are ready with gas if the (March 3). Dizziness Shut Down Subway. The Los Angeles Axis turns on the gas. Collier's 112: 21 Strentz, H.J. 1970. A Survey of Press Coverage of Times, September 27. (August 7). Unidentified Flying Objects, 1947-1966. Doctoral dissertation, Northwestern Brown. EJ. 1968. Chemical Warfare: A Study in Medalia, N.Z.. and O. Larsen. 1958. Diffusion University. Department of Journalism. Restraints. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton and belief in a collective delusion. Sociological University Press. Review: 180-186. Tumin. M.M., and A.S. Feldman. 1955. The mir­ Cantril, H. [ 1940] 1947. The Invasion From Mars: Moore, J.M. 1933. War we intend to avoid. acle at Sabana Grande. Public Opinion A Study in the Psychology of Panic. New Jersey: Forum 89: 218-223 (April). Quarterly 19: 124-139. Princeton University Press. Nitzkin, J.L. 1976. Epidemic transient situational Villanueva, R.L.. M.C. Payumo, and K. Lema. Carrier, M.L., P. MsHar, and H. Burdo. 1989. disturbance in an elementary school. Journal 2001. Flu scare sweeps schools. Business World The epidemic hysteria dilemma. American of the Florida Medical Association 63: 357-359. (Philippines), October 3, p. 12. Journal of Diseases in Childhood 143: 89. Olkinuora, M. 1984. Psychogenic epidemics and Wessely, S. 1987. Mass hysteria: Two syndromes? Cousins, N. 1944. The Poison Gas Boys, [editor­ work. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Psychological Medicine 17: 109-120. ial], Saturday Review of Literature, (January Environment and Health 10(6): 501-515. .1995. Hysteria after gas attacks. The 22), p. 12. Philen. R.M.. E.M. Kilbourn, and T.W McKinley. Times (London). July 4, p. 14a.

58 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEW BOOKS

Listing does not preclude future review. to the popularization and commercialization and Karl T. Pflock. Prometheus Books, 59 of this modern folkloric genre." It is cross- John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197. Chiropractic The Greatest referenced, with urban legends organized by 2002. ISBN 1-57392-991-3. 371 pp. $25, Hoax of the Century? The individual legends as well as topics (such as hardcover. If you read John C. Sherwood's Whole Truth. Ludmil A. "Nudity," "Babies," and "Accidents"). The article "Gray Barker's Book of Bunk" in our Chotkowski, M.D., FACP. biggest drawback is diat many legends get only May/June 2002 issue, you got a little flavor of New England Books, 1143 a brief treatment; however, given die breadth what to expect from James Moseley. Moseley, Chamberlain Highway, Ken­ and complexity of legends, fuller citations longtime editor of the underground newsletter sington, CT 06037. 2002. would have doubled the size of the book. Saucer Smear, has always been pan participant in, and part acerbic observer of, the sometimes ISBN 0-9657855-2-1.202 pp. Though the hefty price tag may put off some wacky, weird, off-the-wall claims and behavior $14.95, softcover. Edited by '"Quack-buster" readers, the exhaustive information on so of saucer devotees and proponents. He wants Stephen M. Barrett, M.D., diis is die second many urban legends makes this a delightful to believe, but he's seen a lot of strange people revised edition of a book, claimed to be die first book both as reference for die folklore student by a medical doctor rfiat, in die author's words, come and go. This is billed as die "first-ever and as perusing pleasure for the interested lay­ "exposes faidy and honesdy chiropractic's failure insider social history of urology." Its approach man. Handy to keep near your computer for to prove drat 'adjusting' die spine can cure disease is exemplified by die tide of Moseley's prologue the next time someone forwards you a chain e- or maintain 'wellness' or hcaldi in any way." The "The Truth Is Out There, Maybe." The tone is mail about Neiman-Marcus cookie recipes or opening chapter, "Why 1 Consider Chiropractic pure Moseley: candid, anecdotal, revelatory, a Hoax," provides three case studies and presents warnings about gang initiation killings. tongue-and-cheek, willing to expose die pas­ the National Council Against Health Frauds sions, foibles, and foolhardiness of, in his "Fact Sheet on Chiropractic." It's all downhill Legend and Belief. Linda words, "fifty years of UFOs, ufologists, ufology, (for chiropractic) from there. Degh. Indiana University and 'ufoology.'" "This isn't a scholarly work." Press, 601 N. Morton Street, he warns at the outset. It's a very personal rec­ Bloomington, IN 47404- ollection. ... So we haven't larded it up widi Cracking Cases: The Science 3797. 2001. ISBN 0-253- footnotes and odicr stigmata of die scholar at of Solving Crimes. Dr. Henry 33929-4. 510 pp. $49.95. work." The organization, in five parts, is C. Lee with Thomas W. hardcover. A distinguished chronological: "The 1950s: SAU.C.E.R.S. O'Neil Promctheus Books, professor cmerita of folklore and Space Brothers," "The 1960s: Swamp Gas 59 John Glenn Drive, at Indiana University provides a scholarly and High Hopes," "The 1970s: Crashed Amherst, NY 14228-2197. descriptive and analytical study of the legend, Saucers and Kidnappers from Space," "The 2002. ISBN 1-57392-985-9. the most prolific and characteristic form of 1980s: Cosmic Babblegate," and "The 1990s 300 pp. $26, hardcover. folklore in contemporary Western civilization. and Beyond: Virtual Reality" with its opening World-renowned forensic expert Dr. Henry Lee 1 he legends concerns are universal and eter­ chapter, "Trust No One (Especially Your takes the reader through die entire investigative nal, touching upon the most sensitive areas of Abductologist)." process of five murders (including die O.J. our existence. This is why, she says, stories Simpson case), all involving defendants who about supernatural encounters, possession, were respected members of the community and miracles, evil spirits, monsters, and prophetic Skeptical Philosophy for extremely clever. Considered by many to be die dreams continue to proliferate in the Everyone. Richard H. urban/industrial world. Legends are today SKCPTK M greatest criminologist in die world, Lee has ded­ rni: • Popkin and Avrum Stroll. icated his life to establishing die trudi at crime communicated not only orally, face to face, Prometheus Books, 59 John but also in die press, on radio and television, scenes, no matter where the trail of evidence Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY on Web sites, and by e-mail. True to the tradi­ leads and no matter which side diese scientific 14228-2197.2002. ISBN 1- tion of die folklorist. Degh does not explore findings eventually assist. "I feel deeply diat sci­ 57392-936-0. 342 pp. $35, occult phenomena themselves but examines ence when given a fair chance, can define the hardcover. Are knowledge the world of die legend diat surrounds them. trudi in any case," Lee writes. "That is my life's claims—and the criteria for making such As she says, "As far as legends are concerned, it claims—ever really valid? Throughout die credo: Find die trudi and bring it before die is irrelevant whether they are true. Most likely court, no matter where die facts lie." history of Western thought, great thinkers some of them are true, odiers are erroneous, have produced theories designed to forestall and odiers are deliberate distortions...." She Encyclopedia of Urban Le­ or refute philosophical skepticism, thereby adds: "We will have to walk die slippery paths seeking to demonstrate that knowledge gends. Jan Harold Brun- of other disciplines such as sociology, psychol­ vand. ABC-CLIO, 130 claims are meaningful. Two philosophy pro­ ogy, semiotics, theology, criminology, cultural fessors review each major theory of philoso­ Cremona Drive, Santa Bar­ history, literature, and what are known sum­ phy chronologically and by subject areas: bara, CA 93116. 2001. marily as die occult sciences." Degh says there metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political ISBN: 1-576-07076-X. 324 were times when people could distinguish fan­ philosophy, and philosophy of religion. pp. $75. hardcover. One of tasy from reality. "Our time is increasingly Within each subject they discuss how die H the world's foremost audiori- becoming a legend-time in which reality inter­ skeptical challenges gave rise to new philo­ ries on urban legends, folklorist, professor, and mingles with unreality, without the capability sophical positions. They conclude with a CSICOP Fellow Jan Harold Brunvand, has of distinguishing one from the other." debate about whether the doubts expressed finally put together die worid's first fairly com­ by skeptics can ultimately be refuted. plete encyclopedia of unSan legends. It is, writes Brunvand, an "introduction to die Shockingly Close to the Truth! Confessions of scholarly side <>! urban legend studies as well as a Grave-Robbing Ufologist. James W. Moseley —Kendrick Frazier and Benjamin Radford

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More on Vardaman's Microletters

RICHARD CARRIER

everal observations must be com­ leagues of Vardaman at the Institute had municated to SKEPTICAL INQUIRER fully disassociated themselves from his Sreaders regarding my previous article micro-letter theories long before his " in Jerry Vardaman's Magic retirement in 1993." Though I made no Coins" (5/26:2, March/April 2002). claims or inferences about their views or First, Vardaman passed away in involvement in this affair, it should be November of 2000. I directed my work noted mat Seger's statement is not backed at his claims, still appearing in print up by any public document to my (both John McRay and Lee Strobel cite knowledge, and when asked for articles him), not at the man, whom I believed where Institute scholars criticized or dis­ was never challenged while alive. But it avowed Vardaman's theory, none were appears he was once, in a less-known provided. I also received a private com­ antiquities journal (David Hendlin, munication from Professor Stephen "Theory of Secret Inscriptions on Coins Williams, author of Fantastic Archaeology is Disputed," The Celator 5:3, March (1991) and a Harvard emeritus, who 1991, 28-32). Sent to me by a kind apparently was one of a few outside reader, this included a response by Figure 1. Damascene Coin experts called in by MSU in the 1970s to Vardaman in which he added still fur­ evaluate Vardaman's claims. The consul­ ther references to evidence of ordinary tants gave a resounding condemnation, graffiti or inscription as "support" for but the only action taken appears to have his thesis, an argument I refuted. The been the removal of Vardaman as director rest of his response was mere challenge of the Cobb Institute in 1981. He and assertion. Hendlin, for his part, cor­ remained a professor tJiere, and nothing roborates some of my observations and was published on the matter. All this was adds some of his own, drawing on his in essence confirmed by Seger. It would vast experience in numismatic science. appear that MSU was embarrassed by And he had the benefit of interrogating Blow-up A Vardaman but was happy to sweep the Vardaman. His article is an excellent whole affair under the rug. addition to mine. Fourth, die curators of die British Second, several letters from readers Museum informed me that many of die r> . unfairly questioned Vardaman's creden­ W . \ •' H plates in Burnett were made from plaster- casts, not genuine photographs. So on a tials. According to the Gale Database of -4 5 Contemporary Authors he received a recent trip to England I studied die coin in » Ph.D. from Baylor University in 1974, question and arranged for new pho­ after aTh.D. from Southwestern Baptist • tographs. As we would not want to mis­ Theological Seminary in 1958 (he was lead our readers, it is fitting to pre­ an ordained Baptist minister). He was a sent what I can personally vouch for as Blow-up B genuine field archaeologist and held a a genuine photo, remarking on what professorship in religion at Tarleton followed by instructorships at two I observed under a magnifying glass State College in Stephenville, Texas, Baptist seminaries, before receiving his and digital microscope. I can confirm position at Cobb in 1972. there are no "microletters" on the coin Richard Carrier is a doctoral candidate in Third, Joe D. Seger, current director (figure 1). The photo used in my original ancient history at Columbia University, of the Cobb Institute of Archaeology at SKEPTICAL INQUIRER article faithfully indi­ specializing in the history of Greco-Roman Mississippi State University, wishes to cates die nature and extent of the coin's science and religion. clarify that the "professional staff" and col­ wear, but it is clear from die new photo-

60 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER FOLLOW-UP

graph how a delusional mind could be led represent in his drawings as a vague reasons, not the least being that Luke to see microletters in grit, oxidation, and squiggle. So Vardamans drawings were alone writes like a historian and actually numerous cracks and abrasions. Indeed, I indeed based on a photograph or per­ attempts to date events by reference to observed the coin to be heavily patinated. sonal viewing of the coin, and not just office-holders, while Matthew does not, Most of the scratchy lines and squiggles wholly fictional. But this "letter" is an but instead litters his account with fan­ visible here are the green patina of oxidized irregular zigzag, a random crack carved tastic stories begging credulity. So an bronze, not a part of the original coin as out by rust, a common outcome of objective assessment of the two conflict­ cast. I took great care under high magnifi­ impurities in the coining process per­ ing sources leads us to Luke, not cation to try and see how Vardamans let­ mitting accelerated oxidation (rampant Matthew. The reason Matthew is ever ters might be interpreted, but to no avail. rust-based cracking is pronounced on preferred is largely ideological, not his­ There is nothing even resembling what he the coin's other face). It is certainly not torical: e.g., it is impossible to fit claims, despite ample fuel for the imagina­ part of any word, and there is nothing Matthew's story to Luke's chronology, tion. All the observations made in my like this anywhere else that accords but possible (if you invent some external original article remain correct, including with Vardamans drawings. facts) to force Luke to fit Matthew. the fact that the key area of the coin is Finally, many wrote me to ask Thus, to preserve Biblical consistency completely smooth from wear, and thus whether my claim that 6 A.D. for Jesus s one must side with Matthew. But the could not have microletters even if they birth "is the most credible year to date" premises here are that the Gospels can­ were once there (blow-up A). was a mistake for 6 B.C., as most refer­ not contradict each other and do not To be fair, elsewhere on the coin ences claim a date of 4 B.C. But experts contain false data, premises no skeptic there is the clear appearance of the let­ have long known the Gospel of can accept. Abandon those premises, ter "M" ("W" was not invented until Matthew sets the date around 6 B.C. (or and the most credible date for the nativ­ relatively recent times), a crack filled no later than 4 B.D.), while Luke sets the ity is A.D. 6. For more than you ever wirh bright green patina (blow-up B). date at 6 A.D. However, if either Gospel wanted to know about this, see www. This is the only thing that looks like a contains any history, it is far more likely infldels.org/library/modern/richard_ letter and that Vardaman did indeed Luke than Matthew, for a number of carrier/quirinius.html.

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Spinella I For a complete listing of our back issues, call 800-634- Anthropic design. Stenger / Scientific skepticism. CSI­ 1610. or see http://www.cskop.org/si/back-issues.html. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Benjamin Radford responds to Robert Naeye: Bigfoot has a cultural, not biological, answer.

Robert Boston I'm glad you liked my article, and you make an Silver Spring, Maryland important point. Due to space constraints, I had to limit my discussion strictly to the main Yes, in fact see the following letter we received 1 Evaluating 50 Years evidence offered in support of Bigfoot's existence. of Bigfoot Evidence Different theories on Bigfoot (such as whether it from perhaps the main proponent of Bigfoot Cripplefoot paranormalism.—EDITORS Bigfoot Hobbled is a paranormal entity) and non-evidence, such as the lack of evolutionary antecedents, are just as important but unfortunately could not fit. I've seen snippets of the new articles on Bigfoot, and after having done field work ^i^.-^-pl over thitty-six years, I agree that a physical 1 am pleased to announce that I solved the Bigfoot animal simply is not there. But . . . problem of Bigfoot over thirty years ago. "l Pseuddhistory in due to personal contacts with them I do find Roman Coins During a summer doing field geology in the SPECIAL REPORTS that they are some form of manifested Klamath Mountains, I soon noticed that Are Science and "OOBE" [out-of-body experience] event, 7 The Mothman Mystery Religion Compatible every hamlet had a sign saying "Welcome to and are temporary beings. Now this can be a Bioierrohsm and Bigfoot Country." My partner and I con­ The Emptinesr - ltt!rnalivi? Medicine new target for skeptics to shoot at. cluded that Bigfoot was probably collecting royalties and living in a penthouse suite at the John-Erik Beckjord Mark Hopkins in San Francisco. Given the Director street people who were then (and now, for Sasquatch Research Project Bigfoot Evidence Evaluated that matter) walking around in San Francisco, Bigfoot could probably wander around with­ It is time to call a truce and look at how ama­ out drawing die slightest attention. I thoroughly enjoyed Benjamin Radford's teurs, scientists, hobbyists, academics, article about Bigfoot (March/April 2002). hunters, and skeptics can move forward He summarized the evidence for and Steven I. Dutch together in search of valid evidence for or against Bigfoot in a succinct and objective Professor, Natural and against Bigfoot/Sasquatch. manner, and I agreed wholeheartedly with Applied Sciences Radford's article in SKEPTIC INQUIRER on his conclusions. However, there was one University of Wisconsin- hominology reinforces my thoughts that we major piece of evidence—or lack thereof— Green Bay are at a historical crossroad in which the seri­ that he did not discuss: the lack of evolu­ Green Bay, Wisconsin ous study of unknown primates can now tionary antecedents. begin. Recreationally and scientifically, After all, a giant mammal like Bigfoot 1 really enjoyed Benjamin Radford's article Bigfoot-hunting is having a significant didn't just suddenly materialize out of the on Bigfoot. Radford's reasons for being skep impact on our culture, as I will explore in a vacuum like a quantum fluctuation. The fos­ tical of Bigfoot's existence are solid, but he new book due out next year. . . . sil record clearly demonstrates diat monkeys overlooked one: Bigfoot believers can't seem It took over fifty years ... for the first have been in the Americas since die Eocene, to agree if the creature is merely some type of dead mountain gorilla to be brought back to roughly 20 million years ago. But these mon­ undiscovered animal or a paranormal entity science after it was rumored to be in east keys have remained relatively small, and with weird, almost superhuman, powers. Africa, and for the first live panda to be largely confined to South America. V/c see no A number of books were published in the extracted from Tibet after the first few were fossil record of transitional species leading up 1970s exploring the latter view. These killed. It takes time to find animals. We must to an eight-foot tall, 500-pound hairy ape. include Earth's Secret Inhabitants by D. Scott be patient. Dr. Bernard Heuvelmans, the Nada. Such a creature roaming the forests of father of who died last year, North America must have evolved from other Rogo and Jerome Clark, Creatures of the Outer Edge by Clark and Loren Coleman, once wrote of the eyewitness accounts of species. Surely, some of these transitional giant lemurs in Africa. Today, they have been and Bigfoot by B. Ann Slate and Alan Berry. species would have left their mark in the fos­ officially and scientifically described. There The Bigfoot stories recounted in these books sil record. But no transitional species have are other success stories in the field of primate differ significantly from the usual "hairy, been round, despite the enormous numbers biology. . . . The age of adventure is not over manlike being seen running through the of professional and amateur fossil hunters in primate cryptozoology, and Si's look at the who have combed North America. woods" reports that sometimes pop up in subject merely reinforces this notion. newspapers. In these books, Bigfoot appears The fact that we see no fossil record of in or near UFOs, becomes invisible, wears There are always going to be fakes and creatures leading up to Bigfoot, and zero trousers, fails to leave tracks in fresh mud, is hoaxes. Of course, it is just as silly to think physical evidence for Bigfoot creatures impervious to bullets, and so on. This "para­ these claims are valid as for us to assume that today, leads to the inescapable conclusion normal Bigfoot" is definitely more than just a every footprint presented of a Sasquatch that Bigfoot simply docs not exist. flesh-and-blood animal unknown to science. stomping through a farmer's back forty arc The paranormal Bigfoot is out of fashion real. Bigfoot researchers are skeptics too. The Robert Naeye, Editor with most of today's Sasquatch hunters, but vast majority of cases we investigate never get Mercury magazine in the 1970s, when this view was considered space in our articles, books, or conversations. In this realm, we are in agreement. Astronomical Society of cutting edge, Bigfoot sightings with paranor­ die Pacific mal features were common. This seems to me The article uses two non-Bigfoot stories to San Francisco, California to be strong evidence that the mystery behind criticize die time we spend on searching for

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 63 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

these unknown primates. But isn't this line of I agree with Ruscio that clinical method­ when the oil light comes on may or may not thinking like saying that anthropologists ologies must be evidence based. Evidence, be the right solution. Are the seals defective? should get out of the study of humans because however, is accumulated over years of prac­ Is the car still under warranty? Does the the Piltdown Man and Tasaday hoaxes have tice. Ruscio's point of view is so prejudicial owner ever add oil? Does the owner know to occurred? These hoaxes should not stop us, that it seems to preclude further inquiry. For shut the car off immediately after the light but only clarify our desire to be more true to him the jury is in. He wishes it to be so for appears? The broader problem indeed the scientific method, as most serious us as well. . . . requires a type of clinician with a feel for a Sasquatch researchers are—in spite of the My greatest concern arises from years of spectrum of probabilities and unknowns, the pranksters and troublesome fringe element. experience with psychological practitioners assessment of which requires at least a mod­ 1 see this is a time of maturing in the who, like Ruscio, insist that the patient or icum of induction. 1 don't mind calling field, a time for resolve and insight. I wel­ client is nothing more than a constellation of "holistic" an approach that tries to surround come the challenge of the SI article. The features that can be understood with statisti­ a problem in these ways, with as much rigor moment is upon us to stand shoulder to cal methodologies and profiles. Treatment and wit as is available. There seem to be shoulder with skeptics and forge ahead, then consists of interventions applied because many types of holism. Some arc indefensible, exploring what is out there, continuing the "science" says they should work. When these as the astrological materials he cites, but interventions are unsuccessful, the blame is open-minded but critical search for tomor­ Ruscio wrongly lumps all types of holism often assigned to the patient or client row's surprises. together. I want the right kind of holistic through the label "non-compliant." While it doctor, and auto mechanic. I realize this is a Loren Coleman is convenient and messy for the "scientific" difficult and quack-prone search, but all this Adj. Assoc. Prof., practitioner to view each human being as article offers arc statisticians. University of Southern Maine unique, those with whom I have interacted Portland, Maine over the years have expressed great apprecia­ Charles J. Palus www.lorcncoleman.com tion for my willingness to view them thus. Research Scientist Center for Creative Leadership Far from representing modern shaman­ [email protected] ism, holistic approaches simply attempt to The Problem of Holism compensate for the fact that, despite their scientific basis, current "scientific" method­ John Ruscio says "undoubtedly" the John Ruscio's disdain for holistic approaches ologies are not always successful, and, even "smartest course of action" in the case of a ("The Emptiness of Holism," March/April when clinically effective, sometimes leave the car with a low oil warning light is to add oil. 2002) is so clear that I doubt his capacity for patient with pain, suffering, or lifelong dis­ "By contrast, holism is empty rhetoric." the very objectivity he claims that the con­ ability. Do holistic methodologies need rig­ However, I would prefer a more holistic demned approaches lack. Who but someone orous testing and study? Yes. Should those approach; examine the whole engine and who wishes only to deride would allow his that are wholly ineffective be exposed? Yes. Is find where the oil is leaking out. treatise to expand from a quote by a fictional Ruscio in danger of pitching out the baby Neil Speirs character. Are we to assume that John Updike with the bathwater? Yes. Melbourne, Australia is a scientific authority disguised as a novelist? If you will allow me the license afforded II not, were there not other more learned Ruscio, Shakespeare's Hamlet said it best commentators to support his premise? "There are more things in heaven and earth Kurtz on Science and In that same paragraph Ruscio illustrates ... than dreamt of in our philosophy." Or his lack of objectivity by using a captious our science. Religion argument that allows only for the polar choices in a false dichotomy: if one would Norman M. Council As a longtime reader of SI, I have to rank choose to treat a broken leg with a cast, one Associate Director Paul Kurtz's article on religion and science must (if one follows Ruscio's logic) reject Behavioral Counseling Sciences (March/April 2002) as one of the best. The "holistic" treatment options such as mag­ MCP/Hahnemann University one area he might have added to his discus­ nets, , or nutritional supple­ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania sion concerns the evil done in the name of ments. Treating a fracture with a cast docs religion. Many critics cite this as one of the not in itself induce optimal healing, whereas John Ruscio loses me with several of the main reasons for rejecting religion. However, nutritional supplements that help the body examples in his critique of holism. When a in the spirit of Kurtz's separation of issues, it recover from the trauma of the injury may patient presents with a broken leg, the right would appear that religious zealotry is not facilitate healing. The rational practitioner solution may or may not be "a cast and some essentially different from all its other fla­ would potentially choose bodi of Ruscio's crutches." Yes, the "broader problem" should vors—political, racial, ethnic, and so on. For options: treating the leg to restore function be considered: Is the patient an infant? Then those willing to become violent about their and the person to promote health. cue models of possible abuse. Is the patient beliefs, any they have will do. elderly? Or a professional athlete perhaps, His clear articulation of what is essential Ruscio is so intent on the absolute con­ with a career riding on nuances of treatment? about religion has changed my attitude. In demnation of holistic approaches that he The variables and statistics for each context writing a book that explores the implications deteriorates into sophistry. Rather than arc quite different, and for many areas defin­ of taking control of our own evolution, attack the approaches for which some evi­ itive research doesn't exist. dence base exists, he chooses astrology—an including the possibility of de facto immor­ approach that all but the most lightheaded of Regarding his next example, I do prefer tality, one of my dilemmas has been how to practitioners would disdain. ... treatment of "the whole car." Adding oil convince readers that religious fairy tales

64 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

about the hereafter can and should be span of diis universe, dramatized via inspired be favored, along with other authors, but replaced with far more defensible and opti­ musical accompaniment, should satiate the being a Christian precludes being a Muslim. mistic scenarios based on a scientific under­ need for an impossible, eternal immortality. That is how religion differs from literature. standing of our universe. But within all these spiritual embraces of Finally, Kurtz does leave out anodier area Kurtz's article shows how to replace con­ an overwhelming universe, how can this for­ in which religion claims a priority: philoso­ descension with empathy for those who mat address the need for inclusive morality? phy. How is it that we know what we know? cherish their faith. My challenge is the same: The Old Testament evokes sacred laws which Religion claims divine revelation. Skeptics to connect "scientific naturalism" with hope, are nothing more than secular laws given rightly need empirical evidence. Why is it that promise, and expectation "in the light of the supernatural sanction. The law of the land we should in fact have such a thing as ethics? tragic character of the human condition." today is secular law, which supercedes reli­ Is ethics merely the way people evolved, and gious law. However, our most basic secular just «? Or in fact, is one of Kurtz's list of "reli­ Paul Bassett laws address everyday behavior, and should gious" truth claims true: that a consciousness Barrie, Ontario, Canada be massaged in church services, perhaps in a exists "as a separate and distinct entity" rather pantomime mode, monitored by experienced than a "function of the brain," thereby mak­ Paul Kurtz's excellent overview of science judges. Empathy, as a formal discipline, tai­ ing an avoidance of real suffering, rather than and religion considered whether "scientific lored with psychology should also be mere tropisms, a beneficent goal? This is a naturalism could provide an alternative dra­ included. The philosophical basics of moral­ philosophical question, not a question of rev­ matic, poetic rendering of the human condi­ ity and ethics could be addressed via a Steve elation. So there it is: Science, Ethics, tion." That might suggest an eventual natu­ Allen approach. In addition to costumed Literature (the Arts), and Philosophy. ralistic religion even with formal church greats from the past, selected members of the structure. congregation would join the debate. The limit of religion, in its capacities as listed by Kurtz, is to be just a particular genre A format for that drama and poetry may Religions have included symbolic heroes of literature and the arts. have been foretold in the opening scene of like Buddha, Moses, and Christ. The true Stanley Kubrick's 2001; A Space Odyssey. Charles Kluepfel creators of civilization should be celebrated Those accompanying chords of Strauss's Bloomfield, New Jersey in this church; the pioneering Greek philoso­ "Also Sprach Zarathustra" generated mystery pher-scientists, DaVinci, Voltaire, Franklin, with a suggestion of spirituality. That sense Newton, Darwin, Einstein. Their incredible I read Paul Kurtz's article on science and reli­ was amplified via the paranorama of primi­ and documented achievements were actually gion with great anticipation. When I reached tive humans grazing with the animals. Here more miraculous than die contrived myths the point where he concluded that "religion was revelation in a real-world setting. It of classical religions. and science are compatible, depending of could be prelude to a factual "Greatest Story course on what is meant by religion," I Ever Told," never reaiiy addressed in that B.D. Gildenberg found myself depressed and distressed. context. It should represent die story line, in Tularosa, New Mexico Redefining one source of conflict to make it a naturalistic Biblical epic. . . . compatible with another is a technique used The story of course needs an initial Paul Kurtz's article posits that while "the frequently by politicians in order to maintain Genesis, and ours would be cosmological descriptive and explanatory functions of lan­ harmony and avoid dealing with obvious contradictions. If religion is defined in a way and geological, in contrast to 3000 B.C. guage are within the domain of science; the that eliminates conflict between it and sci­ mythology. Once again, the most inspired prescriptive and normative are the function ence, how many of mose who have a reli­ cinema of the twentieth century previewed of ethics, . . . the domain of the religious . .. gious faith would accept the definition? this concept. The first stirring of is evocative, expressive, emotive." It seems to this vision occurred for me when viewing the me, however, that this is die area mat is well Redefinition of religion to make it com­ evolutionary sequence in Disney's Fantasia. served by literature and the performing and patible with science would require at the A volcanic punctuated landscape, booming fine arts. minimum: 1) elimination of any claim that in concert with Stravinski's powerful "Rite of The Bible, the Koran, and similar works reliable knowledge can be obtained through Spring," actually generated religious oaths should be considered on an equal footing revelation or divine authority; 2) removal of from audience in my vicinity. with the works of Shakespeare, Asimov, any claim of being able to achieve absolute In some near-future holographic plane­ Roddenberry, . . . ad infinitum. Equal in the truth; 3) deletion of any reference to belief in tarium setting, one might commence this sense of a right to be heard, not necessarily supernatural beings or phenomena; 4) omis­ Genesis with die fiery birth of the Sun, rotat­ equal in truth value. sion or modification of beliefs and claims that are at variance with modern knowledge ing jets with light-year dimensions. What is wrong with religion as opposed established by methods acceptable to science. Almost every religion offers immortality as to literature? Religion, as its etymology prime enticement. But how long can a virtual shows, binds together. But in binding Who would accept a definition of reli­ immortality persist? Beyond the last syllable together particular groups, they necessarily gion with these restrictions? I suggest that of recorded time, as the expanding universe separate the members of one group from it would be only a portion of unitarian- blips into eternal darkness, mere is not much another. The question is not whether science universalists, ethical culturists, and other point in being there. The trillions of years and religion are compatible, but whether small, modern, progressive religious groups. probably remaining arc eternity enough. One religions are compatible with one another. A major objective of the several Unitarian can visually experience it and even the begin­ Appreciating Shakespeare does not prevent ministers who were instrumental in formu­ ning, via state-of-the-art visual representa­ one from finding value in Asimov. A science lating the First Humanist Manifesto was to tions, along with lectures by professional cos- fiction fan is not an Asimovian or a provide the basis for a religion that was com­ mologists. Living vicariously die entire life patible with modern advances in knowledge. Roddenberrian even if one or the other may

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 65 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

including science, while retaining the values have not abandoned rationality in defense of McClintick Wildlife Management Area—a for humanity that Kurtz says are provided by religion, but have simply tried to understand bird sanctuary to be sure! On a recent trip to the religion but not by science. It is achievement why Jesus and Mohammed have endured region (which I hope to report on in Skeptical of this compatibility that made it possible for while Socrates and Spinoza are forgotten by Briefs,), / also photographed a large stuffed William Schulz, former President of the all but a small group of intellectuals. Is it owl—identified as a snowy owl (unusual for Unitarian-Univcrsalist Association, to be because we have not found dramatic symbols the area)—that had been shot off a local barn Humanist of die Year in 2000. I suggest that to arouse human imagination and inspire during the Mothman flap in 1966. we spend less time discussing whether sci­ alternative moral commitment? ence and religion arc compatible and more 1 do not believe that theistic religions are discussing how religion must change in order compatible with science, morality or poli­ 'No Effect' Prayer Study to be compatible, not only with science, but tics—insofar as they claim to possess divine with modern knowledge generally. truth, a deeper morality, or a higher sense of Kevin Christopher made some good points in justice. The religions of the books of Abraham Alfred E. Harper his News & Comment piece on die Mayo and the promises of salvation that they offer Mercer Island, Washington Clinic's 'no effect' prayer study (March/April are based upon revelations and to my mind 2002). The main point was that there is an are false; for their claims are without eviden­ I found the article by Paul Kurtz to be quite inadequate correlation between prayers and tial corroboration. disappointing. He seems to have abandoned die medical outcomes of diose being prayed If this is the case, what is left for religions? rationality in defense of religion. He says for. But die real problem here, as Hector that religion's domain is "evocative, expres­ They will not easily wither away as secularists Avalos has indicated in "Can Science Prove sive, emotive. It presents moral poetry, aes­ expected for they are forms of existential poetry, That Prayer Works" (Free Inquiry, Summer thetic inspiration, performative ceremonial dramatizing the tragic dimensions of the 1997), is that "diere can be no such diing as a rituals. . . ." human condition. We should recognize that if controlled experiment concerning prayer." secular and humanistic outlooks are to have For example, pious Catholics light candles These are nice words, but how do they any enduring appeal then they must offer nat­ and pray for everyone who is sick, and reli­ indicate that religion is any more compatible uralized moral poetry that can inspire hope gious relatives of die sick pray but diey are not with science than the Harry Potter series, part of die selected group of prayers. Since which he also mentions? and nourish courage. there is no way of identifying all of the He further states that religion's "primary prayers, "control groups are not possible" and function is to express hope," but is unjusti­ dierefore "such purported scientific experi­ fied hope compatible with science, or is it The 'Mothman' Owls ments are not possible." There is a sense, dien, even a good thing? Islamic boys have high in which die Mayo study is irrelevant. hopes of a free path to heaven (including sev­ Regarding "'Mothman' Solved" (March/April enty-two virgins) when they willingly 2002): Art DiQuattro become suicide bombers. Many of the hopes No it ain't a common barn owl—it's a Seattle, Washington engendered by other religions are equally great horned owl, which can grow to massive incompatible with science.. . . proportions depending upon the local sup­ ply of rats, field mice and rabbits. I've read the recent articles and letters about Arthur L. Kohl the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of prayer Any country boy who's been around a Woodland Hills, California with interest. Nobody seems to have pointed while has been startled by die "automobile- out that, if prayer was shown to be effective reflcctor-eyes" and huge wings, tucked in aiding the recovery from illness, we could Paul Kurtz responds: against a tail, fluffy body. . .. perform an experiment to test the existence These owls get positively huge down in of God. I agree with Paul Bassett that many evils are these parts (Georgia) and the spectacle of a committed in the name of religion and that startled great horned owl flapping his If prayer is communication with God the challenge is to connect scientific interests wings and swooping from a perch is and God rewards the good and punishes the with hope, promise, and expectation. I also enough to startle and traumatize any imag­ bad, then there should be a measurable dif­ agree with B. D. Gildenberg that there is a inative person. ference in the effectiveness of prayer for a need for scientific narratives of evolutionary saint and a sinner. genesis and secular heroes. Charles Kluepfel Chris Long Unless, of course, God is perverse and points out that the real question is not [email protected] deliberately refuses to allow an experiment to whether religions are compatible with science, work that could prove his existence. But then but with each other, given the bloody con­ Joe Nickell responds: how would that differ from a universe with­ frontations of religious fanatics. I of course out a God? agree with the need to separate philosophy Mr. Long's sweeping categorical statement from theology. Religion is closer to literature Geoff Lane ignores the specific evidence. The creature's and the fine arts than science or ethics. Alfred Tottington, Bury, England squeaky cry, "funny little face, " and presence Harper is indeed correct that I have redefined religion, but questions whether mainline reli­ near barns and abandoned buildings suggests gionists would accept this definition. I concur. the barn owl. But the great horned owl may My redefinition is a meta-account of the Junc­ well have played "Mothman" on occasion as no Transmitting Beliefs tional role of religion in order to explain its doubt did the barred owl an intermediate- power. In answer to Arthur Kohl I surely sized owl that is especially common in the vicin­ After reading Kendrick Frazier's News & ity of the original sightings. That ana is the Comment (March/April 2002), about the

66 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR transmission of paranormal beliefs as pub­ The Berries on Multiverses And Martin Gardner himself replied to DeWitt lished in Sociological Perspective, I am, no in our May/June 2002 issue.—EDITORS doubt, one of many who thought "Yes, of In Follow Up, March/April 2002, Bryce course, I knew that." I'm glad that lab exper­ DeWitt criticizes the article "Multiverses and iments confirm what seems obvious con­ Blackberries" by Martin Gardner Logic, Emotion Don't Meet cerning the social impact theory which states (September/October 2001). But he seems to "The social impact of a message source chide Gardner for what are relatively minor The excellence of your March/April 2002 comes . . . from three factors: the number of points. The real thrust of Gardner's article issue was marred, in my opinion, by one people, their strength or status, and their can be summed up in his parting words: thing: the repeated references to the Science immediacy or closeness." "The stark truth is that there is not the and Religion conference last November. If 1 Another social impact, inclusive but not slightest shred of reliable evidence that there learned anything from Star Trek it's this: mentioned, is the very fact that a scientific is any universe other than the one we are in. logic is logic and emotion is emotion and experiment was being conducted and the No multiverse theory has so far provided a never the twain shall meet. McCoy never did subjects in the experiment were given oral prediction that can be tested." wrangle a giggle out of Spock, who likewise instructions "that included a brief review of One must be quite old to recall the dismay failed to cool rhe hot temper of Bones. So, in 'evidence' for a pyramid's special powers." felt by physicists when die famous Michelson- my humble view, will science and religion Would results of die study been different if Morley experiment to detect the motion of never adequately prove God or disprove him the subjects had been given balanced oral Earth through the "luminiferous ether" pro­ to the satisfaction of all concerned. I've sub­ instructions of claims and counter claims for duced a null result. Many clever modifications scribed to SKEPTICAL INQUIRER for about a the pyramid's special powers? Perhaps the and additional experiments also failed to year now, and already I find this discussion "prompting" of the testers unduly influenced detect this motion. So may one therefore tedious to the point of exasperation. the subjects. conclude that the luminiferous ether doesn't Couldn't you keep it all contained to your annual Science and Religion issue so that I It also struck me that the term paranor­ exist? The answer is not necessarily, however, can ignore it all at one whack? Must you mal beliefi could have easily been replaced if no experiment can detect its existence or spoil the juicy meal of each issue with the by the term religious beliefi and made just as measure its properties, it is a sterile concept day-old dinner roll of this tiresome, pointless much sense. It is impossible for a child to lying outside the pale of science. debate? resist the influence of family concerning I think this was Gardner's message. One religious beliefs but with age and education of the multiverse theories may yet turn out Sally LeCroix it becomes easier to resist social impact. to be valid but right now there is too much Nashville, Tennessee Even then, the views of esteemed religious speculative drivel being written about them. leaders, politicians, and especially some I would have heen enliphrrned much more if renowned scientists are difficult to resist. a physicist of DeWitt's outstanding caliber There are exceptions of course. "[My] deep had addressed the future prospects for find­ Calculating God religiosity . . . found an abtupi ending ai ing direct experimental verification that Controversy age twelve, through the reading of popular these universes really exist. scientific books" (Albert Einstein, as quoted Editor's note: Barry Seidman's review of the from Einstein, History, and Other Passions, William H. Lamb, Jr. novel Calculating God created a storm of con­ p. 172.) Other exceptions, no doubt, in­ Eatonton, Georgia clude the majority of SKEPTICAL INQUIRERS troversy beginning with this response from the readers. novel's author, Robert J. Sawyer: Perhaps you will allow me to tweak my old friend and colleague Bryce DeWitt who has As a skeptic and evolutionist, 1 was stunned seen fit to take Martin Gardner to task. Craig Gosling by Barry Seidman's review of my Hugo He first praises Gardner for his being "one Indianapolis, Indiana Award-nominated science-fiction novel of the best and most intelligent debunkers of Calculating God (March/April 2002). He pseudoscience" but then berates him for his incredibly characterizes a novel whose villains views on the "many worlds interpretation" of A minor comment related to Kendrick are a pair of young-Earth creationists, destroy­ quantum mechanics. Frazier's News & Comment on paranormal ing Burgess Shale fossils in order to erase evi­ This seems to be the history of Martin beliefs. In the 1980s, while working for a dence of evolution, as a pro-creationist work. Gardner. In the preface of the second edition division of Transamerica Bank, Insurance, Heck, one of my creationist antagonists has of his book Fads and Fallacies Gardner says: et al. (that of the pyramid building in San the last name "Falsey"—I couldn't have been "The first edition of this book prompted Francisco), we, in sales, would receive more obvious about my sentiments. (What's many curious letters from irate readers .. . directives from the corporate office to that? You don't remember those characters oddly enough most of these correspondents mention the "power of the pyramid" to from Seidman's review? Exactly.) objected to one chapter only, thinking all the prospective customers—it was supposed to Further, Seidman misleadingly presents a others excellent." facilitate sales. I could never bring myself line of dialog (omitting any indication that it Of course this does not prove anything to do that, and never did. It would have is dialog) as if it were a statement of my per­ except that people do not like to see their been humiliating to say that to an educated sonal beliefs. Yes, I have a character (an alien own ox gored. individual. character—another little fact Seidman fails Ezra T. Newman to cite) say: "That we live in a created uni­ William Comiskey Physics, Univ. of Pittsburgh verse is apparent to anyone with sufficient Edina, Minnesota Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania intelligence and information." But Seidman

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 67 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

makes no mention of the pages of later dia­ Barry Seidman responds to Robert Sawyer not scientific rigor. It would be a pretty log in which the novel's human protagonist (condensed by editor): parochial science fiction that never allowed disputes this statement. (For an articulation us to leave our solar system, except at sub- of my own beliefs, see the essay "Science and One of your complaints is that I offer as proof light speeds. God" that Borders commissioned to accom­ of your creationist stance dialogue from the The greatest of them all, Isaac Asimov, pany the release of Calculating God. aliens in Calculating God. In fact, you go out invented "psychohisiory" and made it die sfwriter.com/cgborder.htm.) of your way to point out that aliens made these heart of his Foundation stories. And horrors, 5/s editors should be chided for accept­ remarks as if that in itself ought to dismiss such he used unscientific themes such as hyper- ing a book review from someone who cites remarks . . . which in science fiction, as you drive, hand-blasters, and psychic powers to within that review a personal relationship should know, is hardly the case. Indeed, alien fuel his story line. I eagerly await Seidman's witJi the author. Yes, Seidman sought me out characters are traditionally used to mirror analysis of Asimov's psychohistory in terms repeatedly, and argued in what 1 felt was an human ideas and often the ideas of the author. of "pseudoscience" and "anti-science." illogical and rude fashion. Even after I Besides that point, it is clear that the lead Joseph Aspler stopped responding to his rants, he contin­ alien in this book is indeed your "voice" in the Kirkland, QC, Canada ued to send me unsolicited e-mails for years book. How can I tell? Probably the biggest clue afterwards. There are countless disinterested is that in the end, the aliens are correct and the skeptics who could have reviewed my book; human "protagonist" turns out the be wrong! I am a long-time subscriber to SI, a member using one of them would have been much Calculating God is in this regardsimilar toThe of the Ontario Skeptics, and also a veteran more appropriate journalistically. X-Files, where the off-the-wall lead guy who reader of science fiction. (Among my many presents the pseudoscience side of the story always books is the first Canadian anthology of SF.) Contrary to Seidman's statements, my I want to register an objection to Barry F. novel takes pains to point out arguments turns out to be correct in the end while Scully (the rational scientist) is always wrong! It is safe Seidman's review of Robert J. Sawyer's novel against intelligent design, irreducible com­ Calculating God plexity, and many mini issues. to say that both the writers of The X-Files and yourself in Calculating God manipulate the Seidman states, "Sawyer confuses science More: Seidman outrageously charges that rules of scientific method and philosophical with fantasy." Then he goes on to maintain I'm trying to discredit Sagan and Gould. As debate to foster the validity of pseudoscience. diat "Sawyer began to use his fiction more as H. Paul Shuch, director of The SETI League, a weapon of anti-science propaganda rather wrote to me (unsolicited; our first-ever con­ The claim that your novel points out "argu­ dian entertainment." Nowhere in the review tact): "I certainly identified with your protag­ ments against intelligent design and irreducible does Seidman substantiate these statements. onist. Of course, early on I recognized Steve complexity" is irrelevant since those arguments Indeed, it is impossible to do so! Gould. And I saw in (the characters] atheism are mostly won (in Calculating God,) by the a healthy dose of Cosmic Carl. All in all, he proponents of intelligent design and irreducible Calculating God is a work of science fiction was a most appealing composite." complexity. . . yes, those darn aliens again! (like Rendezvous with Rama), not fantasy fic­ tion (like The Lord of the Rings). The novel Seidman, who said in a February 1999 e- Finally 1 think your criticism of SI for letting assumes a cosmos diat is understandable, not mail that he'd only just started reading "sci- me discuss our previous e-mail conversation is magical. Far from being a work of "propa­ fi," now feels expert enough to declare that I misguided It was indeed included to offer the ganda," die novel is a work of fiction. Seidman should "stay far, far away from hard science reader a background on how you think with ascribes die attitudes of some of its charac­ fiction." This would astonish Stanley regard to science fiction and fantasy and helped ters—but not odiers—to its author. Give-away Schmidt, editor of Analog, universally consid­ build an awareness of your recent tendency sentences begin "Sawyer proposes ..." and ered die leading hard-SF magazine. Schmidt towards the latter while professing the former. . .. "Sawyer also includes...." It is not Sawyer, it is had planned to serialize Calculating God, and Greg Benford's comment notwithstanding.... some of his characters who are speaking. only scheduling difficulties with the hard­ Seidman fails to appreciate die difference cover publisher prevented its appearance.. .. In his review of Robert Sawyer's Calculating between a tract and a novel. (The former is a It would also astonish Gregory Benford, God Barry Seidman forgot that the second single-minded statement of a position; the professor of physics at the University of word in science fiction is "fiction." Perhaps latter is a nuanced, dramatic, and imaginative California, Irvine, who is often cited as the I'm old fashioned, but a book review is sup­ presentation of points of view.) Calculating greatest living hard-SF writer. Benford was posed to give insight beyond the reviewer's God is no tract but a novel, a well-written one of the three judges who awarded opinions. Seidman's charges of "anti-science prose narrative in which characters converse Calculating (W second place in the John W. propaganda," "pseudoscience," and "cre- and argue points of view. Sawyer is adept at Campbell Memorial Award for Best SF ationism" show that he has written a counterpointing points of view. Novel of 2000. Wrote Benford: "Your han­ polemic, not a review. His diatribe showed dling of the ending was just right—no mys­ only the vaguest relationship with the book A serious reading of Calculating God ticism creeping in." on my shelf. leaves no reader in doubt that (a) it is a seri­ ous work of SF; (b) it is a serious discussion Barry Seidman's review isn't just unfairly If Seidman feels that only fantasy writers of the nature of reality; and (c) it is a novel damaging to my book: it's also part of the can use religious themes, he has a lot to that will be enjoyed by serious readers—and shift toward knee-jerk reaction and rhetori­ learn. The greatest science fiction writers intelligent reviewers. cal sleight of hand within the skeptical com­ have used religious themes. The classic short munity that is damaging die skeptical move­ story "The Star" by Sir Arthur C. Clarke is John Robert Colombo ment itself. Seidman should be ashamed. not "anti-science." It is, however, an example Toronto, Canada of story telling at its best. Robert J. Sawyer Even die hardest science fiction writers Robert J. Sawyer is a science fiction writer. www.sfwriter.com violate scientific law. The key is consistency. Calculating God is a science fiction novel.

68 July/August 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The operative word in both cases is "fic­ Sometimes I think that we science support­ that was the whole thrust of my letter. The tion.". .. ers are our own worst enemies. reason I felt the need to write the letter in the End of discussion. Throughout the school year, I continu­ first place was in response to Darling's seri­ End of argument. ally take great pains to remind my students ous modification of this view in die special End of debate. of the differences between an hypothesis and case of Guillermo Gonzalez: "... in the case It's speculative fiction. a scientific theory, emphasizing that a theory, of Gonzalez it matters because his underly­ Get over it! such as the Cell Theory or Atomic Theory, is ing conviction has led him to play a very sig­ an explanation of a large body of scientific nificant role in raising the prominence of the Peter de Jager data, and not just an educated guess. This, so Rare Earth debate." (As quoted by Kendrick Brampton, Ontario, Canada far, has warded off any claim from students Frazier, "Was the 'Rare Earth' Hypothesis or parents that a theory is "something that Influenced by a Creationist?" News & has not been proved." Comment, November/December 2001.) On Being Stared At Then I read Grant Hutchison's letter. In So my question remains. If Darling doesn't it, he states that "(t)he Rare Earth believe any of the odd things I asked about, In a letter in the March/April 2002 SI, Hypothesis is a scientific theory" (emphasis why does he want to modify his fundamen­ Andrew Alan Smith thought he had mine) which will stand or fall "under peer tally fair-minded view in the case of creation- detected an artifact arising from the ran­ review." No, it isn't. Like the Life ism and the Rare Earth Hypothesis? domized sequences used in some of my star­ Everywhere Hypothesis, the Rare Earth ing experiments. He speculated that there Hypothesis is just that—a scientific Grant Hutchison might be a tendency for subjects to guess hypothesis. It cannot be tested against any Dundee, United Kingdom Not-looking (N) and Looking (L) in the scientific data, because, so far, no such data sequence N-L-N-L-N. exist—until, of course, SETI receives that Smith's argument is flawed. First, he cosmic SOS, or until the federal govern­ What Is True? considered only two out of the twenty-four ment releases those Roswell corpses. (Just What Is Science? randomized sequences, and looked at only kidding!) In any event, we must choose our the first three to five trials out of the words carefully—and keep in mind rhc As the gap (at the least) remains wide twenty-trial sequences. He claimed that he now-proverbial saying that "absence of evi­ between "science" and "humanities" per C.P. had found systematic deviations from dence is not evidence of absence." Snow's old division, I've been hit often by chance. The set of twenty-four sequences By the way, the punster-of-rhe-year thinkers with the idea that everyone's was counterbalanced to avoid any system­ award goes to Ralph Estling [Forum column idea/approach to a subject is equally valid— atic bias. When I applied Smith's hypothet­ "It's Life Captain .. . , March/April 2002) which I don't believe. It's true that in many ical guessing pattern to all twenty-four for reminding us that "(a)ll gall is divided fields problems remain. For instance, in the sequences, the results were exactly at die into three parts." Julius Caesar himself study of legends of the past, it may well be chance level of 50 percent. Second, Smith would have laughed as much as I did. that sometimes "plausibility" may be ail that made an elementary mistake in his calcula­ can be said of certain approaches. But wc still tions. In his small sample there were more are not quite in a "night in which all cats are correct "guesses" in the N than in the L tri­ Edward B. Mills gray," as a scholar wrote many decades als, the opposite of his claim. [email protected] ago Smith's arguments are not only erro­ Hugh H. Trotti neous, but irrelevant to the evidence for the In his response to my baffled letter Decatur, Georgia staring effect. In peer-reviewed journals, I (March/April 2002), David Darling takes have already published data from thousands me to task for "jumping to conclusions of trials using structureless randomizations, about other people's beliefs." based on tossing coins, with results that are I thought I had very clearly indicated highly significant statistically. The same pat­ The letters column is a forum my lack of knowledge about Darling's tern of results was also apparent using the set for views on matters raised in beliefs by presenting my remarks as a series of twenty-four counterbalanced sequences, previous issues. Letters should of questions, beginning with the phrase: without giving feedback to the subjects. The "Does he seriously believe. . . ?" It's a be no more than 225 words. details are available on my Web site clumsy rhetorical device, I admit, but it's Due to the volume of letters (www.sheldrakc.org). usually taken to indicate the sentiment: "I not all can be published. don't think he does, but I'm forced to enter­ Address letters to Letters to Rupert Sheldrake tain the notion." So I'm glad to see Darling the Editor, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. London, England confirm he doesn't believe any of the dubi­ Send by mail to 944 Deer Dr. ous things I mentioned. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122; But my bafflement persists. In his by fax to 505-828-2080; or by Hypothesis, Not Theory response to my comments Darling quotes a e-mail to [email protected] categorical statement from his own book: (include name and address). My curriculum, as a middle school science "In the end a scientist's personal beliefs are teacher, encompasses many scientific theo­ irrelevant because science is a communal, ries, including evolution. When I read the peer-reviewed venture in which belief is March/April letters to the editor I grimaced. always subordinate to data." Indeed—and

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 2002 69 THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY-INTERNATIONAL (ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO) AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Network of Affiliated Organizations International AUSTRALIA. Canberra Skeptics. Canberra Skeptics, Hong Kong. Brad Collins, P.O. Box Phenomena (KCIAP) Kazakhstan. Dr. Sergey Australia. Peter Barrett President. PO Box 555, 1010, Shatin Central Post Office, Shatin NT China. Efimov, Scientific Secretary. E-mail: efime Civic Square ACT 2608 Australia Australian COSTA RICA. Iniciativa para la Promotion del afi.south-capital.kz. Astrophysical Institute Skeptics Inc.. Australia. Barry Williams, Pensamiento Critico (IPPEC) San Jose. Victor Kamenskoye Plato Alma-Ata, 480020 Republic Executive Officer. Tel. 61-2-9417-2071; e-mail: Quiros V. Tel.: 506 275 43 52; e-mail: victorcr of Kazakhstan. Committee for the Scien­ skepticsekasm.com.au. PO Box 268, Roseville eracsa.co.cr. A.P. 1513-1002 Paseo de los tific Expertise of Claims of the Paranormal NSW 2069 Australia, www.skeptics.com.au. Estudiantes San Jose, Costa Rica. http7/webs. (CSECOP). —Hunter Region demasiado.com/vicr. KOREA. Korea PseudoScience Awareness Newcastle/Hunter Valley. Dr. Colin Keay. CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Sisyfos-Czech Skeptics (KOPSA) Korea. Dr. Gun-ll Kang, Director. Tel.: President. Tel.: 61-2-49689666; e-mail: Club. Czech Republic. Ms. Ing. Olga Kracikova, 82-2-393-2734; e-mail: KOPSAecholiian.net. bolideehunterlink.net au. PO Box 166, Waratah Secretary. Tel.: 420-2-24826691; e-mail: 187-11 Bukahyun-dong, Sudaemun-ku, Seoul NSW 2298. Australia Darwin Skeptics, olgakracikovaeemail.cz. Hastalska 27 Praha 1 120-190 Korea www.kopsa.or.kr. Northern Territory. Australia. Simon Potter, 110 00 Czech Republic, www.fi.muni.cz/sisyfos/ MALTA. Society for Investigating the Secretary. Tel.: 61-8-8932-7552; e-mail: dwnskep- (in Czech). 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GERMANY Gesellschaft zur wissenschaft Paz-y-Mino. Tel.: +51-1-9215741; e-mail: cip- com. PO Box 899, Morley. WA 6062 Australia. lichen Unterrsuchung von Parawissen- siperueyahoo.com. El Corregidor 318 Rimac. schaften (GWUP) Germany. Amardeo Sarma, Lima 25 Peru, www.geocities.com/cipsiperu. BELGIUM. Comitc Beige Pour ^Investigation Chairman. Tel.: 49-6154-695023. E-mail: POLAND. Polish Skeptics, Poland Adam Scientifique des Phenomenes Reputes infoegwup.org. Arheilger Weg 11 D-64380 Pietrasiewicz. E-mail: redaktoreiname.com. Pananormaux Comitc Para, Belgium. J. Rossdorf, Germany, www.gwup.org. European www.biuletynsceptyczny.z.pl. Dommanget, President of the Committee. E- Council of Skeptical Organizations (ECSO) PORTUGAL. Associacao Cepticos de Portugal mail: omer.nyseoma.be. Observatoire Royal Europe. Dr. Martin Mahner. Tel.: 49-6154- (CEPO) Portugal. Ludwig Krippahl. E-mail: Belgique 3. ave. Circulaire B-1180, Brussels, 695023; e-mail: infoeeao.org. Arheilger Weg cepoOinteracesso.pt. 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Sanal Edamaruku. E-mail: Leon Retief. Tel.: 27-21-9131434; e-mail: ehumaneffort.com. PO Box 5571, Station edamarukuevsnl.com or IRAerationalist leonreiafrica.com. 5N Agapanthus Avenue, 'A'. Calgary, Alberta T2H 1X9 Canada. international.net 779, Pocket 5. Mayur Vihar 1, Welgedacht Bellville 7530 South Africa. New Delhi 110 091 India. Dravidar Kazhagam. httpV/abskeptics.homestead.com. Alberta SPAIN. El Investigador Esceptico, Spain. Felix southern India. K. Veeramani, Secretary General. Skeptics, British Columbia Skeptics, BC and Ares de Bias Gamez/Ares/Martinez. P.O. Box 904, Tel.: 9144-5386555; e-mail: periyarevsnl.com. Alberta. Lee Moller. Tel. 604-929-6299; e-mail: Donostia-San Sebastian 20080 Spain. ARP- Periyar Thidal, 50. E.F.K. Sampath Road Vepery, leemollereshaw.ca. 1188 Beaufort Road. N. Sociedad para el Avance del Pensamiento Chennai Tamil Nadu 600 007 India. Vancouver. BC V7G 1R7 Canada. Ontario Critico ARP-SAPC Spain. Sergio L6pez, www.Periyar.org. Indian CSICOP, India. B. Skeptics. Ontario. Canada. Eric McMillan. Borgoftoz. Tel.: 34-933-010220; e-mail: arpearp- Premanand. Convenor. Tel.: 091-0422-872423; e- Chair. Tel.: 416-425-2451; e-mail: ericewe-com- sapc.org. Apartado de Correos, 310 mail: dayaminiemd4.vsnl.net.in. 11/7 Chettipa- pute.com. P.O. Box 53003. 10 Royal Orchard E 08860 Castelldefels. Spain, www.arp-sapc.org. Blvd.. Thornhill. ON L3T 7R9 Canada. layam Road Podanur Tamilnadu 641 023 India. www.astro.yorku.ca/-mmdr/oskeptics.html. SWEDEN. Swedish Skeptics. Sweden. Dan Toronto Skeptical Inquirers (TSI) Toronto. ITALY. Comitato Italiano per il Controllo delle Larhammar, professor chairperson. Tel.: 46-18- Henry Gordon, President. Tel.: 905-771-1615; e- Affermazioni sul Paranormale (CICAP) Italy. 4714173; e-mail: vetfolkephysto.se. Medical mail: henry_gordonehotmail.com. 343 Clark Massimo Polidoro, Executive Director. Tel.: 39- Pharmacology BMC Box 593. Uppsala 751 24 Ave., W.. 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Tel.. 336-758-4994; Kimbrough. Tel.: 205-759-2624. 3550 Watermelon Lincoln Land (REALL) Illinois. David Bloomberg, e-mail: ecarlsonOwfu.edu. Physics Department, Road. Apt. 28A. Northport. AL 35476 US. Skeptics- Chairman Tel.: 217-726-5354; e-mail: chairman Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109 Freethought Forum of Alabama Skeptics Oreall org. PO Box 20302, Springfield. IL 62708 US. US www.carolinaskeptics.org Freethought Forum. Richard Rich. 1801 Beech St. SE. www.reall.org. Decatur. AL 35601-3511 US. E-mail: rrbama666hot- OHIO. Central Ohioans for Rational Inquiry (CORI) KENTUCKY. Kentucky Assn. of Science Educators Central Ohio. Charlie Hazlett. President Tel.: 614- mail.e and Skeptics (KASES) Kentucky. Prof. Robert m Baker, 3495 Castleton Way, North Lexington, KY 878-2742; e-mail: charlieOhazlett.net. PO Box ARIZONA. Tucson Skeptics Inc. Tucson, AZ. James 282069. Columbus OH 43228 US South Shore McGaha. E-mail: JMCGAHAePimaCC.Pima.EDU. 5100 40502 US Contact Fred Bach at e-maiH fredw- N. Sabino Foothills Dr., Tucson, AZ 85715 US. bachOyahoo.com. Skeptics (SSS) Cleveland and counties. Jim Kutz. Phoenix Skeptics, Phoenix. AZ. Michael Stackpole, LOUISIANA. Baton Rouge Proponents of Rational Tel.. 440 942-5543; e-mail: jimkutzOearthlink net P.O. Box 60333, Phoenix. AZ 85082 US Inquiry and Scientific Methods (BR-PRISM) PO Box 5083. Cleveland, OH 44101 US www.south CALIFORNIA. Sacramento Organization for Rational Louisiana. Marge Schroth. Tel.: 225-766-4747. 425 shoreskeptics.org/. Thinking (SORT) Sacramento. CA Ray Spangen- Carriage Way. Baton Rouge, LA 70808 US. Association for Rational Thought (ART) burg, co-founder Tel.: 916-978-0321; e-mail MICHIGAN. Great Lakes Skeptics (GLS) SE Michigan. Cincinnati. Roy Auerbach, president Tel: 513-731- kitrayaquiknet.com. PO Box 2215. Carmichael. CA Lorna J. Simmons, Contact person. Tel.: 734-525-5731; 2774, e-mail: raaOcinci.rr.com. PO Box 12896, 95609-2215 US. www.quiknet.com/-kitray/index1 e-mail. Skeptic3ieaol.com. 31710 Cowan Road. Apt. Cincinnati, OH 45212 US. www.cincinnati skept html Bay Area Skeptics (BAS) San Francisco—Bay 103, Westland. Ml 48185-2366 US. Tri-Cities ics.org. Area. Tufly McCarroll Chair. Tel.: 415 927-1548, e- Skeptics, Michigan. Gary Barker. Tel. 517-799-4502: OREGON. Oregonians for Rationality (04R) Oregon ni.nl tullyannepacbell.net PO Box 2443 Castro e-mail, barkergesvol.org. 3596 Butternut St. Dave Chapman, President. Tel.: 503 292-2146; e-mail Valley. CA 94546-0443 US. www.8ASkeptics.org Saginaw, Ml 48604 US. dchapmanOiccom.com. 7555 Spring Valley Rd NW. Sacramento Skeptics Society, Sacramento. Terry MINNESOTA. St. Kloud Extraordinary Claim Sandbek, President. 4300 Auburn Blvd. Suite 206, Salem, OR 97304 US. www.o4r.org. Psychic Teaching Investigating Community PENNSYLVANIA. Paranormal Investigating Com­ Sacramento CA 95841 Tel.. 916 489-1774. E-mail (SKEPTIC) St. Cloud, Minnesota. 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Bela Scheiber, President. Tel.: 303- Missouri. Verle Muhrer, United Labor Bldg . 6301 Wales. PA 19454 US. www.phact.org/phaa 444-7537; e-mail: rmscentraiemindspring.com. PO Rockhill Road, Suite 412 Kansas City, MO 64131 US. TENNESEE. Rationalists of East Tennessee. East Box 7277. Boulder, CO 80306 US. http://bcn.boulder NEBRASKA. REASON (Rationalists, Empiracists Tennessee. Carl Ledenbecker. Tel: 865-982-8687; e- co.us/community/rms. and Skeptics of Nebraska). Chris Peters, PO Box mail: AletallOaol.com. 2123 Stonybrook Rd., CONNECTICUT. New England Skeptical Society 24358, Omaha, NE 68134. e-mail: reasonOIOhot- Louisville. TN 37777 US. (NESS) New England MD, President. mail.com; Web page: www.reason.ws. TEXAS. North Texas Skeptics NTS Dallas/Ft Worth Tel.: 203-281-6277; e-mail: boardetheness.com. PO NEVADA. Skeptics of Las Vegas, (SOLV) PO Box area, John Blanton, Secretary. Tel. 972-306-3187; Box 185526, Hamden, CT 06518-5526 US. www. 530392. Henderson, NV 89053-0392. 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New York Area Skeptics (NYASk) met­ 584-0603; e-mail: tbskepeaol.com. 5319 Archstone ropolitan NY area. Ted W. Debiak. President. Tel.: US. http://seattleskeptics.org. Dr. K102, Tampa. FL 33634 US. http://members. 516-735-8739; e-mail: infoOnyask.com. 57 South aol.com/tbskep. Windhorst Ave., Bethpage, NY 11714-4931 US. The organizations listed above have aims similar to GEORGIA. Georgia Skeptics (GS) Georgia. Rebecca www.nyask.com. Inquiring Skeptics of Upper those of CSICOP but are independent and Long, President. Tel.: 770-493-6857; e-mail: arlong New York (ISUNY) Upper New York. Michael autonomous. Representatives of these organizations ehcrc.org. 2277 Winding Woods Dr., Tucker, GA Sofka, 8 Providence St.. Albany, NY 12203 US. cannot speak on behalf of the CSICOP Please send 30084 US Central New York Skeptics (CNY Skeptics) updates to Bela Scheiber. PO Box 4482, Boulder. CO IOWA. Central Iowa Skeptics (CIS) Central Iowa. Rob Syracuse. Lisa Goodlin, President. Tel: 315 446-3068; 80306.

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS

George Agogino, Dept. of Anthropology, Eastern New Laurie Godfrey, anthropologist University of Massachusetts James Pomerarrtz. Provost and professor of cognitive and Mexico University Gerald GokSn, mathematician, Rutgers University, New Jersey linguistic sciences, Brown Univ. Gary Bauslaugh, educational consultant. Center for Donald Goldsmith, astronomer; president Interstellar Media Gary P. Posner, M.D., Tampa. Fla. Currkulum. Transfer and Technology. Victoria, B.C. Canada , astronomer, Southwest Institute for Space Daisie Radner, professor of philosophy, SUNY, Buffalo Richard E. Berendzen, astronomer. Washington. DC Research, Alamogordo, New Mexico Michael Radner, professor of philosophy, McMaster Martin Bridgstock. lecturer. School of Science. Griffith Clyde F. Herreid, professor of biology. SUNY, Buffalo University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada University, Brisbane, Australia Terence M. Hines, professor of psychology, Pace Robert H. Romer, professor of physics, Amherst College Richard Busch, magician/mentalist, Pittsburgh, Penn. University, Pleasantville. N.Y. Karl Sabbagh, journalist Richmond, Surrey. England Shawn Carlson. Society for Amateur Scientists, East Michael Hutchinson, author; SKEPTICAL INQUIRER represen­ Robert J. Samp, assistant professor of education and Greenwich, Rl tative. Europe medicine. University of Wisconsin-Madison Roger B. Culver, professor of astronomy. Colorado State Univ. Philip A lama, assoc. professor of astronomy. Univ. of Virginia Steven D. Schafersman, asst professor of geology, Felix Ares de Bias, professor of computer science, William Jarvis, professor of health promotion and public Miami Univ.. Ohio health, Loma Linda University, School of Public Health University of Basque, San Sebastian, Spain Bela Scheiber.* systems analyst Boulder, Colo Michael R. Dennett writer, investigator. Federal Way, I. W. Kelly, professor of psychology, University of Chris Scott statistician, London, England Washington Saskatchewan Stuart D. Scott Jr., associate professor of anthropology, Sid Deutsch, consultant. Sarasota, Fla. Richard H. Lange, M.D., Mohawk Valley Physician Health J. Dommanget, astronomer, Royale Observatory, Plan, Schenectady. N.Y. SUNY, Buffalo Erwin M. Segal, professor of psychology, SUNY, Buffalo Brussels, Belgium Gerald A. Larue, professor of biblical history and archae­ Nahum J. Duker, assistant professor of pathology, ology. University of So. California. Carla Selby. anthropologist/archaeologist Temple University William M. London, consumer advocate. Fort Lee, New Jersey Steven N. Shore, professor and chair, Dept of Physics and Barbara Fisenstadt. osvcholoqist. educator, clinician, East Rebecca Long, nuclear engineer, president of Georgia Astronomy, Indiana Univ. South Bend Greenbush, N.Y. Council Against Health Fraud, Atlanta, Ga. Waclaw Sxybalski, professor, McArdle Laboratory, William Evans, professor of communication, Georgia Thomas R. McDonough, lecturer in engineering. Caltech, University of Wisconsin-Madison State University and SET! Coordinator of the Planetary Society Ernest H. Taves. psychoanalyst Cambridge, Mass John F. Fischer, forensic analyst Orlando. Fla James E. McGaha. Major. USAF, pilot Sarah G. Thomason, professor of linguistics, University of Robert E. Funk, anthropologist New York State Museum Joel A. Moskowitz. director of medical psychiatry. Pittsburgh & Science Service Calabasas Mental Health Services, los Angeles Tim Trachet journalist and science writer, honorary chair­ Eileen Gambrill, professor of social welfare, University of Jan Willem Nienhuys, mathematician, Univ. of man of SKEPP, Belgium. California at Berkeley Eindhoven, the Netherlands Sylvio Garattini. director. Mario Negri Pharmacology John W. Patterson, professor of materials science and •Member, CSICOP Executive Council Institute, Milan, Italy engineering, Iowa Stale University "Associate Member, CSICOP Executive Council

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A Watercolor Fantasyland? No. It's actually an image of the center of the Omega Nebula, a hotbed of newly born stars wrapped in colorful blankets of glow­ ing gas and cradled in an enormous cold, dark hydrogen cloud. This stunning picture was taken by the newly installed Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) aboard NASA's Hubble Space Telescope The region of the nebula shown in this photograph is about 3,500 times wider than our solar system. The area represents about 60 percent of the total view captured by ACS. The nebula, also called M17 and the Swan Nebula, resides 5,500 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. Credit NASA. H. Ford (JHU), G. Illingworth (USCS/LO), M.CIampin. (STScI). G. Hartig (STScI), the ACS Science Team, and ESA

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The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the such inquiries to the scientific community, the media, and the Paranormal encourages the critical investigation of paranormal public. It also promotes science and scientific inquiry, critical and fringe-science claims from a responsible, scientific point of thinking, science education, and the use of reason in examining view and disseminates factual information about the results of important issues. skeptical Inquirer THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE AND REASON

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