The Paradox of Knowledge Consciousness As a Subject
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Michael Brant Shermer
Curriculum Vitae Michael Brant Shermer 2761 N. Marengo Ave., Altadena, CA 91001 626/794-3119 (P), 626/794-1301 (F), [email protected] Education Ph.D. Claremont Graduate School: 1991 History of Science (Dissertation: Alfred Russel Wallace: Heretic Scientist. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Dissertation Information Service) M.A. California State University, Fullerton: 1978 Experimental Psychology B.A. Pepperdine University: 1976 Psychology/Biology Professional Positions 2010 – Present: Presidential Fellow, Chapman University 2007 - 2011: Adjunct Professor, Claremont Graduate University 1992 - Present: Founding Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Skeptic magazine 1992 - Present: Executive Director, Skeptics Society 2015 - Present: Host, Science Salon Podcast 2001 - 2019: Contributing Editor and Monthly Columnist, Scientific American 1992 - 2015: Host, Skeptics Lecture Series at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) 1998 - 2010: Science Correspondent, KPCC, 89.3 FM, NPR affiliate for L.A. 1999 - 2000 Consulting Producer/Host, Exploring the Unknown 13-hour TV series, Fox Family 1989 - 1998 Adjunct Professor, Cultural Studies Program, Occidental College 1991 - 1993 Adjunct Professor, History of Science, California State University, Los Angeles 1986 - 1991 Assistant Professor of Psychology, Glendale College 1980 - 1986 Instructor of Psychology, Glendale College Courses Taught Chapman University (2010-Present): Skepticism 101: How to Think Like a Scientist Honors Seminar: The Moral Arc of Science Honors Seminar: Evolution, Ethics, and Morality Claremont Graduate University (2007-2011): Evolution, Economics, and the Brain Science and Morality Occidental College (1989-1998): 1. Science: Its History and Impact from Copernicus to Einstein 2. Evolution: The History and Science of the Theory 3. European Intellectual and Cultural History 4. Science, Technology, and Culture (Core program team-taught course) 5. -
2017 Presenter Workshop Descriptions & Bios
2017 PRESENTER WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS & BIOS (alphabetically listed) LARA ALEXIOU WORKSHOP: The Tao of Meditation with 5 Element Qigong Music. Did you know that your internal organs literally vibrate and react to certain sounds? This means that mindfully selected music can help to clear out your emotional mind and cleanse the body of negative emotions. Sound vibrations are also seasonal. Throughout the year, the energy of the body—the Qi flow—can get sticky and congested within the organs, leaving you feeling moody in the spring, stressed in summer, depressed in the fall, and depleted all winter. In this workshop, experience the power of meditation with specially composed 5 Element Music for Qigong. The music and meditation techniques will help you maintain a seated mindfulness practice all year, tailored to address the emotional challenges of the seasons. No prior meditation experience is needed. Come experience the tangible flow of Qi through group meditation and 5 Element Qigong music! All music is original and composed by Master Teacher Jason Campbell, used with permission for our workshop. Additional faculty: Yanni Alexiou, 200-hour Zen Wellness Qigong Certification. BIO: Lara Alexiou has been teaching Yoga, Qigong, and the Eastern Healing Arts for 15 years. She has apprenticed under Master Teachers Michael Leone, Jason Campbell, and Ping Zhen Cheng, and completed over 500 hours of Qigong training in movement, theory, and meditation. She has trained dozens of instructors in 200- and 500-hour Zen Wellness Yoga and Qigong Instructor Certification. She currently runs her own award-winning studio, Steamtown Yoga, along with her husband in Scranton, PA. -
The Myth of Alpha Consciousness
The Myth of Alpha Consciousness Alpha brain-waves are marketed as a way to produce relaxation, healing, and meditative or occult states. In fact, they are related to activity in the visual system and have no proven curative or paranormal powers. Barry Beyerstein SYCHOPHYSIOLOGY SEEKS to understand how mechanisms in the nervous system mediate consciousness and behavior. Over Pthe years this hybrid field has seen many newly discovered brain processes reportedly linked with unique psychological states only to have further research reveal that the relationship is far more complex than suspected. Correcting these misinterpretations takes time, even in the pro fessional literature. Beyond the lab, it is even more difficult to retire obsolete notions about brain-behavior relationships when the popular press, profit motives, and a host of quasitheological beliefs conspire to perpetuate them. Alpha brain-waves and biofeedback are two areas in which such misapprehensions are legion: In the late 1960s a reawakened interest in altered states of conscious ness was buoyed by claims that patterns in the electroencephalogram (EEG) called "alpha waves" were indicators of meditative or psychic states. This, plus the understandable attraction of anything offering quick relief from anxiety and stress, spawned a multimillion-dollar industry aimed at teach ing people to maximize EEG alpha through a technique called biofeedback. This occurred despite a growing realization among psychophysiologists that the alleged benefits were based upon unsupported assumptions about alpha and despite growing reservations about the efficacy of biofeedback in general. Barry Beyerstein is in the Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia. 42 THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. -
Yjyjjgl^Ji^Jihildlitr-1 What's That I Smell? the Claims of Aroma .••
NOVA EXAMINES ALIEN ABDUCTIONS • THE WEIRD WORLD WEB • DEBUNKING THE MYSTICAL IN INDIA yjyjjgl^ji^JiHildlitr-1 What's That I Smell? The Claims of Aroma .•• Fun and Fallacies with Numbers I by Marilyn vos Savant le Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL AT IHf CENIK FOR INQUKY (ADJACENT IO IME MATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO • AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, State University of New York at Buffalo Barry Karr, Executive Director and Public Relations Director Lee Nisbet. Special Projects Director FELLOWS James E. Alcock.* psychologist, York Murray Gell-Mann. professor of physics, H. Narasimhaiah, physicist, president, Univ., Toronto Santa Fe Institute; Nobel Prize laureate Bangalore Science Forum, India Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Thomas Gilovich, psychologist, Cornell Dorothy Nelkin. sociologist. New York Univ. Albany, Oregon Univ. Joe Nickell.* senior research fellow, CSICOP Robert A. Baker, psychologist, Univ. of Henry Gordon, magician, columnist. Lee Nisbet.* philosopher, Medaille College Toronto Kentucky James E. Oberg, science writer Stephen Barrett. M.D., psychiatrist, Stephen Jay Gould, Museum of Loren Pankratz, psychologist, Oregon Comparative Zoology, Harvard Univ. author, consumer advocate, Allentown, Health Sciences Univ. Pa. C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ. Barry Beyerstein,* biopsychologist, Mark Plummer, lawyer, Australia Simon Fraser Univ., Vancouver, B.C., AI Hibbs, scientist, Jet Propulsion Canada Laboratory W. V. Quine, philosopher. Harvard Univ. Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ. of Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of Chicago Southern California understanding and cognitive science, Carl Sagan, astronomer. -
HMSA Hawaii Complementary Care Rider
Plan Certifi cate Complementary Care Rider An Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association January 2017 B20 C Important Information About Your Health Plan HMSA doesn’t discriminate We comply with applicable federal civil rights laws. We don’t discriminate, exclude people, or treat people diff erently because of: • Race. • Color. • Nati onal origin. • Age. • Disability. • Sex. Services that HMSA provides To bett er communicate with people who have disabiliti es or whose primary language isn’t English, HMSA provides free services such as: • Language services and translati ons. • Text Relay Services. • Informati on writt en in other languages. • Informati on in other formats, such as large print, audio, and accessible digital formats. If you need these services, please call 1 (800) 776-4672 toll-free. TTY 711. How to fi le a grievance or complaint If you believe that we’ve failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way, you can fi le a grievance in any of the following ways: • Phone: 1 (800) 776-4672 toll-free • TTY: 711 • Email: [email protected] • Fax: (808) 948-6414 on Oahu • Mail: 818 Keeaumoku St., Honolulu, HI 96814 You can also fi le a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Offi ce for Civil Rights, in any of the following ways: • Online: ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf • Phone: 1 (800) 368-1019 toll-free; TDD users, call 1 (800) 537-7697 toll-free • Mail: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Ave. S.W., Room 509F, HHH Building, Washington, DC 20201 For complaint forms, please go to hhs.gov/ocr/offi ce/fi le/index.html. -
Kayla Marie Swanson
What the Puck? The Gentle Wind Project, a Quasi-Religious New Age Alternative Healing Organization by Kayla Marie Swanson A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Religious Studies University of Alberta © Kayla Marie Swanson, 2015 ii Abstract The quasi-religious space is important for examining groups and organizations that exhibit qualities of both the sacred and the secular, particularly when groups have a vested interest in being perceived as either secular or sacred. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the Gentle Wind Project, a quasi-religious, New Age alternative healing movement, and to demonstrate how the group fit the category of quasi-religious. First I examined the category of quasi-religion, using Scientology and Transcendental Meditation as two examples of it, followed by examining the religious and secular aspects of Gentle Wind. As part of the examination of Gentle Wind as a quasi-religion, this thesis also briefly explores the role of the internet for Gentle Wind and critics, as well as examines one of the main lawsuits in which the group was involved. Gentle Wind ultimately sued former members and critics over statements made about the group online, and the results of this lawsuit have implications for a long-standing debate within the sociology of religion. This debate revolves around the reliability of former member testimony regarding groups with which they were previously affiliated. In order to conduct my analysis, I followed two research methods. First, I relied heavily on primary source material regarding the Gentle Wind Project, which required me to use an archival methodology. -
William B. Davis-Where There's Smoke
3/695 WHERE THERE’S SMOKE . Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man A Memoir by WILLIAM B. DAVIS ECW Press Copyright © William B. Davis, 2011 Published by ECW Press 2120 Queen Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4E 1E2 416-694-3348 / [email protected] All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmit- ted in any form by any process — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise — without the prior written permission of the copyright owners and ECW Press. The scanning, uploading, and distribu- tion of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or en- courage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Davis, William B., 1938– Where there’s smoke : musings of a cigarette smoking man : a memoir / William B. Davis. ISBN 978-1-77041-052-7 Also issued as: 978-1-77090-047-9 (pdf); 978-1-77090-046-2 (epub) 1. Davis, William B., 1938-. 2. Actors—United States—Biography. 3. Actors—Canada—Biography. i. Title. PN2287.D323A3 2011 791.4302’8092 C2011-902825-5 Editor: Jennifer Hale 6/695 Cover, text design, and photo section: Tania Craan Cover photo: © Fox Broadcasting/Photofest Photo insert: page 6: photo by Kevin Clark; page 7 (bottom): © Fox Broadcasting/Photofest; page 8: © Fox Broadcasting (Photographer: Carin Baer)/Photofest. All other images courtesy William B. -
Phototherapy: from Ancient Egypt to the New Millennium
Original Article &&&&&&&&&&&&&& Phototherapy: From Ancient Egypt to the New Millennium Antony F. McDonagh, PhD induce significant phototherapeutic responses, heliotherapy was the only possible form of phototherapy up until the end of the 19th century. From the time of the Pharaohs, most ancient civilizations and cultures have worshipped the sun or sun gods and appear to have Phototherapy with ultraviolet light was widely and successfully used in the made some connection between sunlight and health.1,2 The use of past for treatment of a variety of diseases. Phototherapy with visible light sunbaths by the ancient Romans and Greeks for maintaining general alone has no benefit except in the therapy and prophylaxis of unconjugated health and for therapeutic purposes is particularly well documented. hyperbilirubinemia. For this purpose, radiation in the region of 480 to Whether connections between specific disorders and sunlight 500 nm is most effective and radiation above 550 nm is useless. The exposure were ever made by these ancient cultures is difficult to principle effect of the treatment is not photodegradation of bilirubin, but know, but certainly sunlight can be used successfully to treat many conversion of the pigment to structural isomers that are more polar and skin disorders.3 If nothing else, heliotherapy would have had an more readily excreted than the normal, more toxic ‘‘dark’’ form of the antirachitic and bactericidal action. pigment. This, coupled with some photooxidation of bilirubin, diminishes In ancient China, what has been termed heliotherapy was one of the overall pool of bilirubin in the body and lowers plasma levels. In the the immortalizing techniques of early Daoism, introduced by future, phototherapy may be supplanted by pharmacologic treatment, but in Lingyan Tzu-Ming in the first century AD during the Han dynasty.4 the near future, the most likely advance will be the introduction of novel One technique, described about four centuries later during the Tang forms of light production and delivery. -
City, University of London Institutional Repository
City Research Online City, University of London Institutional Repository Citation: Rowlands, Barbara Ann (2015). The Emperor's New Clothes: Media Representations Of Complementary and Alternative Medicine: 1990-2005. (Unpublished Doctoral thesis, City University London) This is the accepted version of the paper. This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent repository link: https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/13706/ Link to published version: Copyright: City Research Online aims to make research outputs of City, University of London available to a wider audience. Copyright and Moral Rights remain with the author(s) and/or copyright holders. URLs from City Research Online may be freely distributed and linked to. Reuse: Copies of full items can be used for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge. Provided that the authors, title and full bibliographic details are credited, a hyperlink and/or URL is given for the original metadata page and the content is not changed in any way. City Research Online: http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/ [email protected] The Emperor’s New Clothes: Media Representations of Complementary and Alternative Medicine: 1990-2005 BARBARA ANN ROWLANDS A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by prior publication Department of Journalism City University London May 2015 VOLUME I: DISSERTATION CONTENTS Acknowledgements 4 Declaration 5 Abstract 6 Chapter -
Combined Acupuncture and Chiropracticprogram
Groups of 51-100 Combined Acupuncture and Chiropractic Program Quality, affordable coverage through Health Net and ASH Plans Pam White Health Net Acupuncture care for the following injuries, illnesses, diseases, Health Net has teamed up with American functional disorders or conditions, when Specialty Health Plans of California, Inc. determined to be medically necessary. (ASH Plans) to offer quality, affordable What’s covered acupuncture coverage. Although you’re Covered conditions always welcome to consult your primary • Neuromusculoskeletal conditions, care physician, you won’t need a referral to including conditions such as fibromyalgia see a participating acupuncturist. With this and myofascial pain program, you’re free to obtain care by self- • Pain, including low back pain, postoperative referring to a participating acupuncturist pain and postoperative dental pain from our acupuncture directory. • Nausea, including adult postoperative Covered services may require verification of nausea and vomiting, chemotherapy nausea With this program, medical necessity by ASH Plans except for: and vomiting, and nausea of pregnancy (a) an initial examination by a participating you’re free to obtain • Carpal tunnel syndrome acupuncturist; and (b) emergency and care by self-referring urgent care acupuncture services. When • Headaches to a participating ASH Plans approves a treatment plan, the • Menstrual cramps approved services for each subsequent acupuncturist from our • Osteoarthritis office visit covered by the treatment plan • Stroke rehabilitation -
An Inside Look at a 'Psychic's' World
BOOK REVIEWS] An Inside Look at a ‘Psychic’s’ World RAY HYMAN very skeptic will want to read this book. It provides a rare and Einsightful view of a self-pro- claimed psychic’s world. Mark Edward, Psychic Blues: Confessions of a Conflicted Medium. By Mark Edward. Feral House, Port Townsend, WA, like many youngsters, began perform- 2012. ISBN 978-1-936239-27-6. 220 pp. Softcover, ing magic tricks in his early youth. $18.95 He graduated to conducting séances at Hollywood’s famous Magic Castle. Perhaps, as a result of performing these séances, Edward decided that stan- dard magic lacked the mystery and appeal of mentalism and mediumship. He dropped doing magic tricks and marketed himself as a psychic and a medium. This book provides fascinat- sional help. Unlike other “psychics,” ing, and often depressing, descriptions Edward takes pride in the fact that he refuses to provide advice on certain of his experiences during twenty-five Edward currently occupies years as a professional psychic. legal or medical matters. When his Edward’s career includes a decade an ambiguous role in the client begins talking about suicide or working as a 900-number psychic for skeptical community. other delicate matters, he refers them to the Psychic Friends Network. He also He is quite active in help- suicide hotlines or agencies that provide worked other venues, including stints as ing skeptical groups test help or advice on such matters. Edward seems to take pride in the fact that he a radio psychic, a spiritualist medium, psychic claims and debunk doing private readings, and providing avoids telling his clients what they want readings at parties for Hollywood ce- obviously phony psychics to hear. -
Regression to Fundamentalist Religion As an Inadequate Defense Against Growing Environmental Complexity
Paper prepared for the sessions of the Research Committee on Sociocybernetics at the 16th World Congress of Sociology, July 23-29, 2006 in Durban, South Africa THE "WAR ON TERROR" AND "THE FUTURE OF AN ILLUSION": REGRESSION TO FUNDAMENTALIST RELIGION AS AN INADEQUATE DEFENSE AGAINST GROWING ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLEXITY FELIX GEYER, [email protected] DRAFT VERSION, NOT YET TO BE QUOTED! 1. INTRODUCTION: In this paper we will argue that the present period of rapidly increasing environmental complexity and interdependence tends to increase feelings of insecurity caused by a lack of environment mastery, in both the developed Western world and the largely underdeveloped Muslim world. This will be the case especially in the less educated parts of the population, where it will stimulate an upsurge of religion, especially its fundamentalist versions. In my last few papers I have dealt, directly or indirectly, with the overwhelming political and economic1 reasons for the war on terror 2 and the leading role of the US in that war 3, in this paper attention will therefore be directed to these religious aspects, both on the Muslim side and on the US-Christian side, and to the functions of religion as such in the 21st-century world. For a thorough understanding of the following, nearly all you might ever want to know about terrorism from the Muslim side can be found by thoroughly looking at the PowerPoint presentations – and if you are interested in the subject also the papers - of the participants in a 2004 Suicide Terrorism Conference in Washington. 4 A recent MIT study complements these findings.5 The main points of these presentations will be discussed later.