DOCSLIB.ORG

The Trouble with Pseudoskepticism

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Trouble with Pseudoskepticism May June pages BOX_SI new design masters 3/29/12 9:03 AM Page 37 The Trouble with Pseudoskepticism The continuing rejection of anthropogenic global warming by nonexperts despite overwhelming scientific consensus is rationally untenable and best described as “pseudoskeptical.” It is akin to AIDS denialism, advocacy of intelligent design, and anti-vaccination movements. LAWRENCE TORCELLO own biases. The integrally skeptical hatever else might be argued about the nature of nature of science is most evident in the science, genuine scientific research inherently in- fact that science advances through ef- volves skeptical rigor. Discrete scientific disci- forts to disprove hypotheses, even when W hope is held for their confirmation. This plines approach topics of study in ways unique to the dis- is described well by philosopher Karl cipline’s methodological needs. A paleoclimatologist Popper: cannot conduct her investigations in the same manner The point is that, whenever we pro- pose a solution to a problem, we that a pharmacological chemist working in a laboratory ought to try as hard as we can to will conduct hers. Nevertheless, science does have at least overthrow our solution, rather than defend it. Few of us, unfortunately, one reliable component: the skeptical analysis of data. To practice this precept; but other peo- ple, fortunately, will supply the criti- be studied scientifically, a hypothesis must be testable. In cism for us if we fail to supply it our- other words, science, regardless of its particular field, is a selves. Yet criticism will be fruitful only if we state our problem as clearly fundamentally skeptical endeavor involving the testing as we can and put our solution in a of hypotheses coupled with efforts to protect test results sufficiently definite form—a form in which it can be critically discussed. from confounding variables, including the researchers’ (Popper [1959] 2002, xix) May June pages BOX_SI new design masters 3/29/12 9:03 AM Page 38 When a pseudoscientist lacking expertise in a particular scientific domain makes a show of openly contradicting well-established claims of scientific consensus, as is often the case with so-called “alternative medicine,” the pseudoskeptical component of pseudoscience is made manifest. The efforts Popper describes are re- deed, all of this is a necessary prerequi- lief in biological life, but we very well can flected in standard scientific practices, site for any findings to take on a mean- fault the paranormal investigator for so such as repeated and controlled experi- ingful level of scientific acceptance, let eagerly believing in the paranormal. Yet mentation, the publication of findings alone consensus. A scientific theory be- pseudoscientists strive to appear skeptical, only after peer-reviewed critique, and comes accepted as such only once the perhaps in part to win for themselves the requirement that such findings be laws observed, findings predicted, and some of the mandate or regard many presented openly so that other re- facts organized under that proposed people reserve for genuine skepticism. In searchers may attempt to replicate and theory have been so rigorously tested their at tempts at wearing the garb of independently confirm or reject them and confirmed over time that it be- skepticism, pseudoscientists often assert under the same rigorous constraints. In- comes highly implausible (if neverthe- the shortcomings, failures, or dangers of less logically possible) that the stated some given well-established scientific theory should ever be refuted. Any sci- consensus. When a pseudoscientist lack- entific theory as a whole will represent ing expertise in a particular scientific do- the accumulated and organized ex- main makes a show of openly contradict- planatory force of numerous repeatedly ing well-established claims of scientific tested data points. Thus skeptical cri- consensus, as is often the case with so- tique is necessarily and inextricably part called “alternative medicine,” the pseu- and parcel of the scientific process. doskeptical component of pseudoscience However, as contrasted with science, is made manifest. the most evident characteristic of pseu- The word pseudoskepticism was coin - doscience is its utter credulity—indeed its ed by the late sociologist and founding dependence on credulity as a method- member of CSICOP (now CSI) Mar- ological aspect of investigation. Simply cello Truzzi. The term, as originally used put, while scientists are busy attempting by Truzzi, is meant to identify a failure to disprove a favored hypothesis and among self-identified skeptics to remain guarding themselves against the ever-pre- in the face of extraordinary or supernat- sent danger of confirmation bias, pseudo- ural claims. Truzzi’s concern was that scientists actively seek confirming evi- skeptics not abandon reasonable agnos- dence for what they have already deemed ticism in favor of a dismissive cynicism. to be the case. This is so even for pseudo- Instead, Truzzi would have us remain scientists who eagerly attempt to appear true to the spirit of scientific inquiry skeptical. Paranormal investigators of the by proportioning our beliefs to the pseudoscientific stripe provide excellent strength of evidence available. And Global warming pseudoskepticism is on examples of this pretense. To call oneself when there is no supporting evidence the rise in the industrialized nations most a “paranormal investigator” (as opposed available for a claim, Truzzi would have responsible for climate change. to an investigator of paranormal claims à us call that claim unwarranted, rather la Joe Nickell) is to already confess a belief than disproven (Truzzi 1987). that there is something paranormal to in- Since it was introduced by Truzzi, vestigate; the pursuit itself begs the essen- the term pseudoskepticism has commonly tial question. been misused by promoters of the para- We do not fault the biologist for her normal (and offended magical thinkers) well-warranted and uncontroversial be - as an ad hominem repudiation of their 38 Volume 36 Issue 3 | Skeptical Inquirer May June pages BOX_SI new design masters 3/29/12 1:03 PM Page 39 scientifically minded critics. Perhaps be- cause of this misappropriation, the term has failed to play a prominent role in the skeptic’s lexicon. This is unfortunate, because it is a useful term; there is no compelling justification for associating it exclusively with the obstinate denial of paranormal claims.1 Dogmatic rejec- tion of reliable evidence, regardless of what that evidence supports, is always misguided. Of course, given the nature of most paranormal claims, and certainly those of the supernatural variety, it is improb- able if not impossible that sufficient sci- entific evidence could ever be gathered to justify warranted assertion. To admit this is not a sign of pseudoskepticism as Truzzi promoted the term but rather recognition that some types of claims, When mainstream science—such as the efficacy and importance of vaccination—comes under even if true, are beyond the scope of pseudoscientists’ criticism, pseudoskeptical cynicism is on display. what can be scientifically supported. In contrast, pseudoskeptical cynicism is on supporting evidence in favor of a given perts not many years ago, yet it display whenever nonexperts dogmati- claim. This form of cynicism tends to proved to be right. Never theless the generate hostility toward scientific con- opinion of experts, when it is unani- cally deny the scientific explanations mous, must be accepted by non-ex- held in consensus by legitimate ex- sensus or a misunderstanding of what is perts as more likely to be right than perts—for pseudoskepticism is precisely entailed in such consensus. the opposite opinion. The scepticism the skeptical artifice used by pseudosci- Of course, this is not to argue that one that I advocate amounts only to this: (1) that when the ex perts are agreed, entists when marching in parade against cannot legitimately question scientific consensus; indeed, without constant test- the opposite opinion cannot be held the alleged oppression or conspiracy of to be certain; (2) that when they are mainstream science. ing and questioning, science would be in not agreed, no opinion can be re- Since scientific consensus is reached danger of stagnation. Scientific inquiry garded as certain by a non-expert; and through the organized skepticism in- flourishes in the context of open intellec- (3) that when they all hold that no suf- ficient grounds for a positive opinion herent to the scientific process, the term tual contest, as evidenced by its skeptical nature.2 In scientific endeavors, a consen- exist, the ordinary man would do well pseudoskepticism is most appropriately to suspend his judgment. identified as the negligent and unwar- sus only exists because all attempts to ranted denial of established scientific discount a given claim have instead The identification of pseudoskepti- consensus. served to strengthen the evidence for it. cism is consistent with Russell’s in sights Thus, for the sake of clarity and ap - Pseudoskepticism, alternatively, can be regarding the value of expertise. When- plication, I want to reconvene Truzzi’s understood in relation to three proposi- ever those outside the realm of active re- useful designation and expand upon the tions put forth by Ber trand Russell in search into a particular topic willfully and concept of pseudoskepticism to include “On the Value of Skepticism” ([1928] without justification contradict estab- that well-known
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Beginner's Guide to 'Holistic' Wellness
    BOOK REVIEWS in the progression of the disease when The Beginner’s Guide to prayer was used” (p. 98). For such a bold statement, the evidence is pretty weak, ‘Holistic’ Wellness however. There are very few studies on DIMITRY ROTSTEIN personal prayer (none are double-blind, of course), and their results are mixed Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine. By The Mayo even for treating purely psychological Clinic. Time Inc. Home Entertainment Books, New York, symptoms. More disturbing is the fact 2007. ISBN: 1-933405-92-9. 192 pp. Hardcover, $24.95. that the book doesn’t make a distinc- tion between personal and intercessory prayer, even though the latter is known to have no effect according to well-de- he Mayo Clinic Book of mean that perhaps we skeptics have signed studies (including one by the Alterna tive Medicine is the been unfair to “alternative medicine” Mayo Clinic itself). None of these facts most significant publication of and that there is more to it than just T is ever mentioned. In summary, the evi- the Mayo Clinic Complementary and placebo, self-delusion, quackery, or, at dence of the effectiveness of these “ther- Integrative Medicine Program’s team, best, some outdated healing techniques? apies” against any real disease is either which has been studying various forms Perhaps not. dubious or non-existent. Of course, of complementary and alternative medi- True, of the twenty-five CAM ther- controlling such factors as stress and cine (CAM, for short) since 2001. Here apies, fourteen are recommended as depression is important for your health, you will find nothing but reliable and safe and effective for “treating” various but there is no indication that any of the easy-to-understand information from diseases.
    [Show full text]
  • Media Coverage of International Climate Change Policy • Chandra Lal Pandey and Priya A
    The Media and the Major Emitters: Media Coverage of International Climate Change Policy • Chandra Lal Pandey and Priya A. Kurian* Abstract News media outlets are crucial for the dissemination of information on climate change issues, but the nature of the coverage varies across the world, depending on local geo- political and economic contexts. Despite extensive scholarship on media and climate change, less attention has been paid to comparing how climate change is reported by news media in developed and developing countries. This article undertakes a cross- national study of how elite newspapers in four major greenhouse gas emitting countries— the United States, the United Kingdom, China and India—frame coverage of climate change negotiations. We show that framing is similar by these newspapers in developing countries, but there are clear differences in framing in the developed world, and between the developed and developing countries. While an overwhelming majority of these news stories and the frames they deploy are pegged to the stance of domestic institutions in the developing countries, news frames from developed countries are more varied. Despite the overwhelming scientific consensus on the reality of anthropogenic cli- mate change and the threat it poses to the planet, international policy responses— most notably in the form of a global climate treaty—remain fragmented and inadequate. The on-going negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are marked by a fundamental dis- juncture between
    [Show full text]
  • Searching for Security in the Mystical the Function of Paranormal Beliefs
    Searching for Security in the Mystical The Function of Paranormal Beliefs MARTIN R. GRIMMER ver the past two decades, the paranor- mal has enjoyed something of a revival Owithin popular culture. There have been countless books, magazine and newspaper articles, movies, and television programs devoted to topics ranging from UFOs, the Bermuda Triangle, lost continents, Yetis, and Belief in the the Loch Ness monster, to pyramid power, astrology, levitation, telepathy, precognition, paranormal and poltergeists. Sociologist Marcello Truzzi appears to satisfy (1972) suggested that this boom in paranormal interest began around the late sixties, noting some very basic, if that Ouija boards outsold such popular board inconsistent games as Monopoly. human needs. It Lately, the paranormal seems to have mani- fested in the form of the New Age movement— will probably a loose combination of ideas encompassing spir- remain with us itualism, mysticism, alternative healing, and a healthy dose of commercialism. Some may think forever. this is mainly an American phenomenon, but it is estimated that Australians alone now spend $100 million a year on personal-transformation courses that delve deeply into such fringe areas as rebirthing, shamanism, channeling, and crystal healing. To some observers, the New Age movement is seen as a sort of quasi-religious justification for "yuppiedom"—how to make money and feel "really great" about it at the same time. Winter 1992 Research studies worldwide have written on this topic, several themes revealed an extensive belief in and in the human motive to believe can acceptance of the paranormal. In a be identified. survey of the readers of Britain's New First, paranormal beliefs may oper- Scientist magazine, a high proportion ate to reassure the believer that there of whom are reported to hold post- is order and control in what may graduate degrees, Evans (1973) found otherwise appear to be a chaotic that 67 percent believed that ESP was universe (Frank 1977).
    [Show full text]
  • Science Denial As a Form of Pseudoscience
    Studies in History and Philosophy of Science 63 (2017) 39e47 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Studies in History and Philosophy of Science journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/shpsa Science denial as a form of pseudoscience Sven Ove Hansson Department of Philosophy and History, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Brinellvägen 32, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden article info abstract Article history: Science denialism poses a serious threat to human health and the long-term sustainability of human Received 14 September 2016 civilization. Although it has recently been rather extensively discussed, this discussion has rarely been Received in revised form connected to the extensive literature on pseudoscience and the science-pseudoscience demarcation. This 3 March 2017 contribution argues that science denialism should be seen as one of the two major forms of pseudo- Available online 31 May 2017 science, alongside of pseudotheory promotion. A detailed comparison is made between three prominent forms of science denialism, namely relativity theory denialism, evolution denialism, and climate science Keywords: denialism. Several characteristics are identified that distinguish science denialism from other forms of Science denialism Pseudoscience pseudoscience, in particular its persistent fabrication of fake controversies, the extraordinary male Climate science denialism dominance among its activists, and its strong connection with various forms of right-wing politics. It is Creationism argued that the scientific response to science denialism has to be conceived with these characteristics in Relativity theory denial mind. In particular, it is important to expose the fabricated fake controversies for what they are and to reveal how science denialists consistently use deviant criteria of assent to distort the scientific process.
    [Show full text]
  • Denialism: Organized Opposition to Climate Change Action in the United States
    See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341162159 Denialism: organized opposition to climate change action in the United States Preprint · May 2020 DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14299.18723 CITATIONS READS 0 208 1 author: Robert J Brulle Drexel University 57 PUBLICATIONS 2,770 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Green Money and the Environment View project Aggregate Public Concern over Climate Change View project All content following this page was uploaded by Robert J Brulle on 05 May 2020. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. Brulle, Robert J. 2020. Denialism: organized opposition to climate change action in the United States, pp. 328 - 341 in David Konisky (Ed.) Handbook of Environmental Policy. Edward Elgar Publishing, Northampton MA. 24. Denialism: organized opposition to climate change action in the United States Robert J. Brulle Despite extreme weather events and urgent warnings from the scientific community, action to mitigate carbon emissions is stalled. Following the dramatic Congressional testimony in 1988 of Dr. James E. Hansen (Hansen 1988: 40), climate change emerged as a global issue. Since that time a broad range of actors with divergent interests have entered into the public arena and engaged in a struggle to control public discussion and understanding of climate change, and thus define appropriate policy responses. In this political struggle, efforts to take action on climate change have encountered substantial social inertia in the form of cultural, institutional, and individual resistance (Brulle and Norgaard 2019).
    [Show full text]
  • The Pseudoscience of Anti-Anti-Ufology
    SI Sept/Oct 2009 pgs 7/29/09 11:24 AM Page 28 PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS ROBERT SHEAFFER The Pseudoscience of Anti-Anti-UFOlogy Many readers are surely familiar with is more their style. Deception is the practiced prestidigitation can never be author and pro-UFO lecturer Stanton T. name of the game.” trusted in anything. He criticizes Friedman, who calls himself the “Flying Friedman goes on to name names: Nickell for raising “the baseless Project Saucer physicist” because he actually did He critiques Joe Nickell’s article “Return Mogul explanation” for Roswell, which work in physics about fifty years ago (al- cannot be correct, says Friedman, though not since). Well, Stanton is upset because it does not match the claims by the skeptical writings contained in made in later years by alleged Roswell SI’s special issue on UFOs (January- witnesses (although it does match quite /February 2009) and elsewhere. He has well the account of Mac Brazel, the orig- written two papers thus far denouncing inal witness, given in 1947). us, and it is the subject of his Keynote He moves on to my critique of the Address at the MUFON Conference in Betty and Barney Hill case, where I note August. the resemblance of their “hypnosis UFO In February, Friedman wrote an arti- testimony” to Betty Hill’s post-incident cle, “Debunkers at it Again,” reviewing dreams. I wrote, “Barney had heard her our UFO special issue (www.theufo repeat [them] many times,” which he chronicles.com/2009/02/debunkers-at- claims is “nonsense.” According to it-again.html).
    [Show full text]
  • AIDS Denialism Beliefs Among People Living with HIV/AIDS
    J Behav Med (2010) 33:432–440 DOI 10.1007/s10865-010-9275-7 ‘‘There is no proof that HIV causes AIDS’’: AIDS denialism beliefs among people living with HIV/AIDS Seth C. Kalichman • Lisa Eaton • Chauncey Cherry Received: February 1, 2010 / Accepted: June 11, 2010 / Published online: June 23, 2010 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010 Abstract AIDS denialists offer false hope to people liv- example, claim that Nazi Germany did not systematically ing with HIV/AIDS by claiming that HIV is harmless and kill 6 million Jews (Shermer and Grobman 2000) and that AIDS can be cured with natural remedies. The current Global Warming Deniers believe that climatology is a study examined the prevalence of AIDS denialism beliefs flawed science with no proof of greenhouse gases changing and their association to health-related outcomes among the atmosphere (Lawler 2002). Among the most vocal people living with HIV/AIDS. Confidential surveys and anti-science denial movements is AIDS Denialism, an out- unannounced pill counts were collected from a conve- growth of the radical views of University of California nience sample of 266 men and 77 women living with HIV/ biologist Duesberg and his associates (1992, 1994; Duesberg AIDS that was predominantly middle-aged and African and Bialy 1995; Duesberg and Rasnick 1998). Duesberg American. One in five participants stated that there is no claims that HIV and all other retroviruses are harmless and proof that HIV causes AIDS and that HIV treatments do that AIDS is actually caused by illicit drug abuse, poverty, more harm than good. AIDS denialism beliefs were more and antiretroviral medications (Duesberg et al.
    [Show full text]
  • SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Vol
    SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Vol. 18. No. 4 THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is the official journal of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, an international organization. Editor Kendrick Frazier. Editorial Board James E. Alcock, Barry Beyerstein, Susan J. Blackmore, Martin Gardner, Ray Hyman, Philip J. Klass, Paul Kurtz, Joe Nickell, Lee Nisbet, Bela Scheiber. Consulting Editors Robert A. Baker, William Sims Bainbridge, John R. Cole, Kenneth L. Feder, C. E. M. Hansel, E. C. Krupp, David F. Marks, Andrew Neher, James E. Oberg, Robert Sheaffer, Steven N. Shore. Managing Editor Doris Hawley Doyle. Contributing Editor Lys Ann Shore. Writer Intern Thomas C. Genoni, Jr. Cartoonist Rob Pudim. Business Manager Mary Rose Hays. Assistant Business Manager Sandra Lesniak. Chief Data Officer Richard Seymour. Fulfillment Manager Michael Cione. Production Paul E. Loynes. Art Linda Hays. Audio Technician Vance Vigrass. Librarian Jonathan Jiras. Staff Alfreda Pidgeon, Etienne C. Rios, Ranjit Sandhu, Sharon Sikora, Elizabeth Begley (Albuquerque). The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, State University of New York at Buffalo. Barry Karr, Executive Director and Public Relations Director. Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director. Fellows of the Committee James E. Alcock,* psychologist, York Univ., Toronto; Robert A. Baker, psychologist, Univ. of Kentucky; Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, author, consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. Barry Beyerstein,* biopsychologist, Simon Fraser Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ. of Southern California; Susan Blackmore,* psychologist, Univ. of the West of England, Bristol; Henri Broch, physicist, Univ. of Nice, France; Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, professor of English, Univ.
    [Show full text]
  • Lessons from an HIV Denialist in the Hills of Thailand
    Lessons from an HIV denialist in the hills of Thailand Brian Chang Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA I spent a month volunteering with Dr. Mark,* a physician in community. Further, denialist movements often go beyond science, the hill tribe villages of northern Thailand, in the summer of 2010. becoming “a social movement in which large numbers of people He was born in Myanmar, graduated from medical school in India come together and propound their views with missionary zeal.”3 and founded a small grassroots organization dedicated to the health HIV/AIDS denialism itself exists in a spectrum, ranging from of hill tribe villagers. He spent the last five years moving from village the rejection of the fact that HIV is a virus, to the denial of the caus- to village along the mountainous Thai-Burmese border, working on ative relationship between HIV and AIDS. I read arguments from sanitation projects and seeing patients in makeshift clinics. He is hard Dr. Peter Duesberg, a prominent cancer researcher, member of the working, humble and is known for his fluency in eight languages, in- National Academy of Sciences and a key voice in denying that HIV cluding all six of the local hill tribe dialects. During my month with causes AIDS. I also read claims from groups like RethinkingAIDS, Dr. Mark and his organization, I helped build toilets, collect water an international group of over 2,500 scientists, doctors and journal- supplies and run medical clinics. ists “reevaluating the HIV/AIDS hypothesis.”4-6 In fact, AIDS de- Through this experience and my discussions about HIV/AIDS nialists (including Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Interview with Glenn Branch
    Interview with Glenn Branch Interview with Glenn Branch 1 Heslley Machado Silva 1Centro Universitário de Formiga (UNIFOR-MG) Glenn Branch is the deputy director of the National Center for Science Education, where his work involves organizing resistance to attempts to undermine the teaching of socially but not scientifically controversial topics, such as evolution and climate change. He received the Evolution Education Award for 2020 from the National Association of Biology Teachers. He has written extensively about evolution and climate education, and threats to them, for scholarly journals, reference works, and popular magazines: his “The latest face of creationism,” written with Eugenie C. Scott, was translated as “Manobras mais recentes do criacionismo,” Scientific American Brasil 2009; 81: 82– 89. With Scott, he edited Not In Our Classrooms: Why Intelligent Design is Wrong For Our Schools (2006). Branch is currently also coordinating NCSE’s survey research program, which recently produced a major publication: Eric Plutzer, Glenn Branch, and Ann Reid, “Teaching evolution in U.S. public schools: A continuing Photograph: Bob Melton challenge,” Evolution: Education and Outreach 2020; 13(14). 6| P á g i n a Conexão Ci. | Formiga/MG | Vol. 15 | Nº 4 |p. 6-5 | 2020 Interview with Glenn Branch 1. Tell us a little about the role of the [intelligent design] cannot uncouple itself from its National Center for Science Education, the non- creationist, and thus religious, antecedents.” The governmental organization (NGO) in the USA intelligent design movement never really recovered where you work. What is its scope? from the blow. In the wake of Kitzmiller v. Dover, attacks on evolution in public education have NCSE was founded in the early 1980s, to serve increasingly eschewed calling for creationism to be as a national resource for grassroots organizations taught, instead favoring the strategy of belittling resisting the attempts to impose creation science— evolution.
    [Show full text]
  • Violent Video Games: Dogma, Fear, and Pseudoscience
    SI Sept/Oct 2009 pgs 7/22/09 2:33 PM Page 38 Violent Video Games: Dogma, Fear, and Pseudoscience Video games are at the center of a modern media-based moral panic. Too often, social scientists have fueled the flames and eschewed good scientific practices. CHRISTOPHER J. FERGUSON chool shootings at high schools and universities are rare but shocking events. Across the last decade or so Swe have come to understand a little about the psychol- ogy of the young men who carry out such horrific crimes. Most typically they are emotionally disturbed, often de- pressed, feel socially isolated and alienated from society, and are filled with rage and hatred. It is natural for society to want easy answers about how such a phenomenon can be controlled. Social scientists want to give those answers. Unfortunately, the human inclination to believe we can pre- dict the unpredictable and control the uncontrollable often leads us to mask the language of fear and irrationality in the language of science. 38 Volume 33, Issue 5 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER SI Sept/Oct 2009 pgs 7/22/09 2:33 PM Page 39 In the case of school shootings and youth violence in gen- son and David Grossman might be forgiven for inflaming fears eral, some scientists have answered the public demand for a with exaggerated claims. Grossman, for instance, has promul- culprit. The alleged corrupting influence of violent video gated the false notion that the military uses video games to games has been identified by some as one root cause. Ignoring desensitize soldiers to killing (they do use simulators for visual the youth-violence data, ignoring inconsistent data from mul- scanning and reaction time and vehicle training, but they seem tiple studies, even ignoring contradictory data from their own more effective in reducing accidental shootings than anything studies, some social scientists have presented the research on else).
    [Show full text]
  • SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Vol
    SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Vol. 1818,, No . 2No. 2 ^^ Winter 1994 Winter / 1994/$6.2$6.255 Paul Kurtz William Grey THE NEW THE PROBLEM SKEPTICISM OF 'PSI' Cancer Scares i*5"***-"" —-^ 44 "74 47CT8 3575" 5 THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is the official journal of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, an international organization. Editor Kendrick Frazier. Editorial Board James E. Alcock, Barry Beyerstein, Susan J. Blackmore, Martin Gardner, Ray Hyman, Philip J. Klass, Paul Kurtz, Joe Nickell, Lee Nisbet, Bela Scheiber. Consulting Editors Robert A. Baker, William Sims Bainbridge, John R. Cole, Kenneth L. Feder, C. E. M. Hansel, E. C. Krupp, David F. Marks, Andrew Neher, James E. Oberg, Robert Sheaffer, Steven N. Shore. Managing Editor Doris Hawley Doyle. Contributing Editor Lys Ann Shore. Business Manager Mary Rose Hays. Assistant Business Manager Sandra Lesniak. Chief Data Officer Richard Seymour. Computer Assistant Michael Cione. Production Paul E. Loynes. Asst. Managing Editor Cynthia Matheis. Art Linda Hays. Audio Technician Vance Vigrass. Librarian Jonathan Jiras. Staff Alfreda Pidgeon, Ranjit Sandhu, Sharon Sikora, Elizabeth Begley (Albuquerque). Cartoonist Rob Pudim. The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, State University of New York at Buffalo. Barry Karr, Executive Director and Public Relations Director. Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director. Fellows of the Committee James E. Alcock,* psychologist, York Univ., Toronto; Robert A. Baker, psychologist, Univ. of Kentucky; Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, "author, consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. Barry Beyerstein,* biopsychologist, Simon Fraser Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ.
    [Show full text]