Theatre of Science FORUM RICHARD WISEMAN Debating Creationists CHARLES L
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SI M-J 07 Cover V1 3/28/07 9:05 AM Page 1 PSYCHIC RESEARCH LAB CLOSES • DA VINCI’S REAL CODES • SYLVIA BROWNE’S BLUNDERS THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE AND REASON Volume 31, No. 3 • May/June 2007 • INTRODUCTORY PRICE U.S. $4.95 • Canada $5.95 Einstein and the Myth of SCIENTIFIC Consistent INQUIRY Skepticism HAZARD Debunking Theatre The Secret of Science 05> Published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry 0556698 80575 SI M-J 2007 pgs 3/28/07 10:15 AM Page 2 THE COMMITTEE FOR SKEPTICAL INQUIRY FORMERLY THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL (CSICOP) AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY/TRANSNATIONAL (ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO) AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, University at Buffalo Barry Karr, Executive Director Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow Massimo Polidoro, Research Fellow Richard Wiseman, Research Fellow Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director FELLOWS James E. Alcock,* psychologist, York Univ., Toronto and Sciences, Professor of Philosophy and Robert L. Park, professor of physics, Univ. of Maryland Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Albany, Oregon Professor of Law, University of Miami John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ. Marcia Angell, M.D., former editor-in-chief, New C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist, Harvard England Journal of Medicine David J. Helfand, professor of astronomy, Massimo Polidoro, science writer, author, Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, author, Columbia Univ. executive director CICAP, Italy consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. Douglas R. Hofstadter, professor of human under- Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of Chicago Willem Betz, professor of medicine, Univ. of standing and cognitive science, Indiana Univ. Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical professor of Brussels Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics medicine, Stanford Univ., editor, Scientific Barry Beyerstein,* biopsychologist, Simon Fraser and professor of history of science, Harvard Univ. Review of Alternative Medicine Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Canada Ray Hyman,* psychologist, Univ. of Oregon Amardeo Sarma, manager NEC Europe Ltd., Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ. of Southern Leon Jaroff, sciences editor emeritus, Time executive director, GWUP, Germany. California Sergei Kapitza, former editor, Russian edition, Evry Schatzman, former president, French Physics Susan Blackmore, Visiting Lecturer, Univ. of the Scientific American Association West of England, Bristol Lawrence M. 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Robert Steiner, magician, author, El Cerrito, Calif. California, Berkeley Lin Zixin, former editor, Science and Technology Victor J. Stenger, emeritus professor of physics Richard Dawkins, zoologist, Oxford Univ. Daily (China) and astronomy, Univ. of Hawaii; adjunct Geoffrey Dean, technical editor, Perth, Australia Jere Lipps, Museum of Paleontology, Univ. of professor of philosophy, Univ. of Colorado Cornelis de Jager, professor of astrophysics, Univ. California, Berkeley Jill Cornell Tarter, astronomer, SETI Institute, of Utrecht, the Netherlands Elizabeth Loftus, professor of psychology, Univ. of Mountain View, Calif. Daniel C. Dennett, University Professor and Austin California, Irvine Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Angeles, Calif. B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy, Director of Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, David Thomas, physicist and mathematician, the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts Univ. AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia, Calif. Peralta, New Mexico Ann Druyan, writer and producer, and CEO, John Maddox, editor emeritus of Nature Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy, Univ. of Cosmos Studios, Ithaca, New York David Marks, psychologist, City University, London. Southern California Kenneth Feder, professor of anthropology, Mario Mendez-Acosta, journalist and Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and director, Central Connecticut State Univ. science writer, Mexico City, Mexico Hayden Planetarium, New York City Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., U.K. Marvin Minsky, professor of media arts and Marilyn vos Savant, Parade magazine Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer, Foothill College, Los sciences, M.I.T. contributing editor Altos Hills, Calif. David Morrison, space scientist, NASA Ames Steven Weinberg, professor of physics and astronomy, Univ. of Texas at Austin; Kendrick Frazier, science writer, editor, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Research Center Nobel Laureate Yves Galifret, executive secretary, l’Union Richard A. Muller, professor of physics, Univ. of Rationaliste Calif., Berkeley E.O. Wilson, University Professor Emeritus, Harvard University Martin Gardner, author, critic Joe Nickell, senior research fellow, CSI Richard Wiseman, psychologist, University of Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, Santa Fe Lee Nisbet,* philosopher, Medaille College Hertfordshire Institute; Nobel laureate Bill Nye, science educator and television host, Nye Labs Benjamin Wolozin*, professor, department of phar- Thomas Gilovich, psychologist, Cornell Univ. James E. Oberg, science writer macology, Boston University School of Medicine Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, Toronto Irmgard Oepen, professor of medicine (retired), Marvin Zelen, statistician, Harvard Univ. Saul Green, Ph.D., biochemist, president of ZOL Marburg, Germany Consultants, New York, NY Loren Pankratz, psychologist, Oregon Health * Member, CSI Executive Council Susan Haack, Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts Sciences Univ. 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SI M-J 2007 pgs 3/28/07 10:16 AM Page 3 Skeptical Inquirer May / June 2007 • Vol. 31, No. 3 COLUMNS ARTICLES EDITOR’S NOTE A Warming Climate for Climate Warming. 4 NEWS AND COMMENT IPCC Climate Report Shows ‘Unequivocal’ Warming, Reduces Uncertainties / Baby, It’s Warm Outside: 2006 Warmest Year on Record in U.S. / Randi’s Amazing Meeting Returns / Celebrating Darwin Day with a New Play in L.A. / Car Carma Car-tastrophe / Sylvia Browne’s Biggest Blunder / Sylvia Browne’s Year to Forget / ‘Psychic’ Evans Acquitted on Appeal in Swindling Case / More Signers of Declaration in Defense of Science & Secularism / Philip Kitcher Awarded Inaugural $10,000 Prometheus