THOMAS EDISON, PARANORMALIST • RANDI REVIEWS SAGAN'S DEMON-HAUNTED WORLD • GHOSTLY PHOTOS Skeptical Inquirer

r MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE A' N D . REASON Volume 20, No. 4 • July/August 1996

I' « Investigating Traditior Chinese Medicine A Report of the Second CSICOP Delegation

CSICOP at Twenty A Retrospective from Paul Kurtz •

Maria's Near-Death Experience

Alternative Health Education and Pseudocredentialing SPECIAL REPORT Government-Funded Grant for Therapeutic Touch

Pubished by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL

AI THf CENTER FC* INQUKY |ADJACENT TO THE STAJE UNIVERSITY Of NEW YC«tC AT BUFFAIO) • 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 Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director

FELLOWS

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

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

The Somcu IKQUDUB (ISSN 0194-6730) n published bimonthly by the Committee for the Scientific work of individual authors Their publication does not necessarily constitute an endorsement by CSI­ Investigation of Claim, of the Paranormal. 3965 Rensch Rd. Amherst. NY 14228-2743. Primed in COP or «( memben unless so stated USA. Second-cLui pottage pud at Amhent. New York, and additional mailing office* Subscription Copyright ©1996 by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of die Paranormal price* one year (ux issues). 532 50. two yean. $54.00. thnrc yean. $7500. tingle issue, $4 95 All rrghti reserved The Samoa IKCMBCB " available on 16mm mtcmfiim. 35mm microfilm, and Inquiries from die media and the public about rhe work of rite Committee should be made to 105mm microfiche from I nivenity Microfilm* International and ii indexed in the Reader* Guide to Paul Kura, Chairman. CSICOP. Boa 703. Amhent. NY H226-0703- Tel: (716) 636-1425. FAX Periodical Literature 716-636-1733. Subscription!, change of address, and advertising should be addressed to: Sumou IKQUTU*. Box Manuscripts, letters, books tor review, and editorial inquiries should be addressed to Kendrick 703. Amhent. NY 14226-0703. Old address as well as new are necessary for change of subscribers Fniier, Editor. Skirncu INCH-DUB. 944 Dorr Drive NE. Albuquerque NM 87122-1306. FAX 505- address, with tbt weeks advance notice SorrtCM IKQUBJB subscriben may not speak on behalf of CSI­ 828-2080. For Guide for Authors, see page 65 of the May/Jure 1996 issue or fax request to the Editor. COP or the SunscAi INQUIUJL Articles, reports, reviews, and Icnen published in the S-KETTKAI IKQUUI represent the views aad Postmaster Send changes of address to Somcu INQCOUB. BOX 703. Amhent. NY 14226-0703. CAKL Skeptical Inquirer Randi reviews mnui reviews .-> » ^—> A x T July/August 1996 • VOL 20, NO. 4 Sagan.p.46 SAGAN

REPORT mi 15 Science or Pseudoscience? Pentagon ni\io\iiui\im Grant Funds Alternative Health Study WORLD $355,225 was awarded for a 'laying over of hands.' Therapeutic Touch study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Prize-winning CARLA SELBY and BELA SCHEIBER ghost photos? p. 13

18 Traditional Medicine and Pseudo- COLUMNS science in China: A Report of the EDITOR'S NOTE .4 Second CSICOP Delegation ROM THE CHAIRMAN In this, the first of a two-part report on a 1995 CSICOP delegation CSICOP at Twenty to China, the authors discuss the historical rationale for Traditional PAUL KURTZ 5 Chinese Medicine (TCM), its involvement with the questionable NOTES OF A FRINGE-WATCHER Qigong movement, and the growing importation to the West of these practices by Western practitioners of "alternative medicine." Thomas Edison, Paranormalist MARTIN GARDNER 9 BARRY L. BEYERSTEIN and WALLACE SAMPSON INVESTIGATIVE FILES Ghostly Photos 27 Maria's Near Death Experience: JOE NICKELL 13 Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop NEW BOOKS 51 The extraordinary story of a Seattle heart patient is widely cited as powerful evidence for a near-death experience as more than a com­ ARTICLES OF NOTE 52 plex hallucination. Here is our investigation of the claim. FORUM HAYDEN EBBERN, SEAN MULLIGAN, A View from Russia: Popularization of Science and BARRY L. BEYERSTEIN as a Tool against Antiscience BORIS SHMAKIN 54 34 Wait! I've Changed My Mind ... Faith in Science Environmental doomsday models and eminent scientific and RALPH ESTLING 56 political authorities provide opportunities for teaching critical A Geologist's Enlightened Notes thinking to college students. on 'Crystal Power' PAUL NICKEL with NANCY SHELTON HANS G. MACHEL 59 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR .61 39 Alternative Health Education and Pseudocredentialing The healthcare marketplace is fraught with "credentials," some legitimate, some overrated, some dubious, and some far afield The Demon-Haunted World of science. by Carl Sagan JACK RASO JAMES RANDI 46 Surfing the Himalayas by Frederick Lenz Investigating a Near-Death JOSEPH P. SZIMHART .48 Experience, p. 27 Witch-Children by Hans Sebald PETER HUSTON „ 50

Pseudocredentialing: How hard ON THE COVER: is it to get a degree? p. 39 The Great Wall of China (photo: Jock FWkk) EDITOR'S NOTE Skeptical Inquirer

THE MACAZINI FOR SCIfNCC AND MASON Inquiry and Exuberance EDITOR Kendrick Frazier aul Kurtz, in the article beginning on the next page, describes the found­ EDITORIAL BOARD James E. Alcock ing of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Barry Beyerstein Paranormal twenty years ago, some of the highs and lows of our first two Susan J. Blackmore P Martin Gardner decades, concerns that motivated us, and principles that have guided us. Ray Hyman During much of that time CSICOP has been under various kinds of Philip J. Klass attack, often from those whose appreciation for scientific, skeptical examination Paul Kurtz of claims and the value of informing the public about scientific inquiry is some­ Joe Nickell Lee Nisbet what less enthusiastic than ours. But, as Paul says, CSICOP has engendered Bela Scheiber

broad, worldwide support, the preponderance of scientific opinion generally CONSULTING EDITORS supports our positions, and all efforts to undermine the committee have failed. Robert A. Baker As he puts it, "CSICOP is alive and well and stronger than ever; and it is now a John R. Cole Kenneth L. Feder well-established part of the contemporary intellectual and scientific landscape." C. E. M. Hansel A large part of that success is due to Paul himself. "Heading CSICOP as E. C. Krupp chairman these twenty years has been exhilarating for me," he says. It's an David F. Marks Andrew Neher appropriate word, for in addition to his obvious intellectual and readership James E. Oberg attributes, Paul has always brought to the task a perhaps more surprising qual­ Robert Sheaffer ity about which he once devoted an entire book: Exuberance. That zest for life, Steven N. Shore that positive attitude, that optimism is, happily, contagious, and it has helped ASSISTANT IDrtOnS Thomas C. Genoni, Jr. carry us all through many difficult times. It has been a fun twenty years. Alice Loweecey

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Lys Ann Shore

PRODUCTION Traditional Chinese medicine has provoked widespread interest in America and. Paul Loynes CAITOONIST Europe. It's part of the newfound, often uncritical "acceptability" in many cir­ Rob Pudim cles of alternative medicine. Following up on our first CSICOP visit to China

in 1988, CSICOP last year was invited to send another delegation to China—a PUBUSHERS REPRESENTATIVE physician, a neuropsychologist, and a medical journalist. They saw firsthand Barry Karr some of the practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, visited leading labo­ BUSINESS MANAGER ratories, and assessed their studies. The first part of their two-part report, which Mary Rose Hays draws upon not only their own observations and their understanding of the cul­ ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAOU Sandra Lesniak ture, but their examination of the published literature, appears in this issue. cwf F DATA orncu Richard Seymour FULFILLMENT MANAGES Michael Cione

STAFF Elizabeth Begley Diana Picciano Alfreda Pidgeon Etienne C Rios Ranjit Sandhu Sharon Sikora Vance Vigrass Dana Walpole COHPORATE COUNSEL Brenton N. VerPloeg

INQUIRY MEOIA PRODUCTIONS Thomas Flynn

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

4 July/Augus! 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER FROM THE CHAIRMAN

CSICOP at Twenty PAUL KURTZ

Founded twenty yean ago amid controversy azines are presenting the case for psy­ In the statement we speculated about chic healing, psychokinesis, immortal­ and uncertainty, CSICOP is now a well- the future course of the Committee by ity, reincarnation, Kirlian photography, established part of the contemporary intellec­ orgone energy, psychic surgery, faith saying that we did not know how large the tual and scientific landscape. The construc­ healing, astrology, the Chariots of the Committee would become or how ambi­ tive skepticism it promotes is all the more Gods, UFOs, Dianctics, astral projec­ tious its efforts would be. And we invited tion, exorcism, poltergeists, and (he crucial now with the emergence of global leading scientists and experts in many "talents" of Uri Geller. Edgar Cayce, mass media and a seemingly reduced appre­ and Jeane Dixon. Often, the least shred fields to join us in this important venture. ciation of the scientific attitude. of evidence for these claims is blown The call was signed by many distin­ out of proportion and presented as "sci­ guished scientists, scholars, and skeptics, entific" proof. A Brief History including George Abell, Isaac Asimov, Antony Flew, Martin Gardner, Sidney he Committee for the Scientific The statement went on to say that Hook, Philip Klass, Ernest Nagel, W. V. Investigation of Claims of the Quine, B. F. Skinner, James Randi, Many individuals now believe that there TParanormal (CSICOP) was estab­ is considerable need to organize some Marcello Truzzi, and others. The organiz­ lished at a specially convened interna­ strategy of refutation. Perhaps we ought ing meeting was held under the auspices of tional conference on "The New not to assume thai the scientific enlight­ The Humanist magazine, which I then •nationalisms: Antiscience and Pseudo- enment will continue indefinitely; for all edited. I had invited as many skeptical we know, like the Hellenic civilization, it science," April 30 and May 1, 1976, on may be overwhelmed by irrationalism, researchers as I could locate to the confer­ the newly opened Amherst campus of the subjectivism, and obscurantism. Perhaps ence^—in all, some 300 people attended. State University of New York at Buffalo antiscientific and pseudoscientific irra­ News of the Committees formation where I was a philosophy professor at the tionalism is only a passing fashion; yet became immediately known worldwide one of the best ways to deal with it is for time. One of the reasons that prompted die scientific and educational commu­ and was featured in newspapers as diverse me to form such a committee was the fact nity to respond—in a responsible man­ as the New York Times, the Washington that I helped initiate in late 1975 a state­ ner—to its alarming growth. Post, and Pravda, and science magazines ment, "Objections to Astrology," which With these thoughts in mind we are such as Science, die New Scientist, and was endorsed by 186 leading scientists forming an organization tentatively Science News. Indeed, a story in Science from the National Academy of Sciences, called the Committee to Scientifically News, written by its then editor, Kendrick Investigate Paranormal and Other including eighteen Nobel Prize-winners. Phenomena. Frazier, who attended the conference This statement aroused such an affirma­ elicited more mail than any othet feature tive response that I decided that we The name of the Committee was then published in that magazine. needed to go beyond astrology and deal changed shortly thereafter to its present The Committee apparently crystallized with the wide range of other paranormal form. a widely felt need that there should be claims. The initial call—which I drafted— The statement continued some responsible scientific and scholarly announcing the formation of a committee body that would ferret out and examine read as follows: We wish to make it clear that the pur­ rhe popular claims that were proliferating pose of the Committee is not to reject in the broader culture. This would have to There has been an enormous increase in on a priori grounds, antecedent to public interest in psychic phenomena, inquiry, any and all such claims, but be an interdisciplinary body that would the occult, and pseudoscience. Radio, rather to examine them openly, com­ draw upon specialists in many fields, who television, newspapers, books, and mag­ pletely, objectively, and carefully. would cooperatively investigate claims of

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 5 the paranormal. that it would be difficult to enumerate CSICOP, die SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, and Later in 1976, CSICOP established a them all here. the entire skeptical network have emerged new journal, originally called The Zetetic, Many leading scientists have flocked to as the "official opposition" to paranormal edited by Marcello Truzzi (who also served the banners of CSICOP and the claims. Leading print and broadcast jour­ as cochairman of the Committee). In the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and have supported nalists and media producers constandy first year, a disagreement about editorial our aims. Among our distinguished come to us for die scientific viewpoint, and policy ensued between Truzzi and other Fellows and Scientific Consultants arc we have provided a reliable source of infor­ members of the Executive Council of CSI­ Carl Sagan, Stephen Jay Gould, Francis mation to scholars and researchers, profes­ COP. Truzzi wanted a scholarly sociologi­ Crick, Glenn Seaborg, Murray Gell- sionals and lay people. We book guests on cal magazine, and he wished that propara- Mann, Elizabeth Loftus, and Milton hundreds of television and radio programs normalists be equally represented in its Rosenberg. worldwide annually and we participate in pages. The Executive Council said that There have been massive efforts to dis­ hundreds of news interviews. We are a con­ there was no avowedly skeptical magazine credit die Committee, and even to destroy stant resource for tliose who need up-to- in existence and it wished to deal not only it: such as me intemperate attacks on the date information. Wc need to be fair- with scholarly questions but those of pop­ study of Michel Gauquelin's Mars effect and minded and ever-ready to examine any ular interest as well. After a vote of no- Klass's spoofing of space alien proponents; responsible claim to any truth, however confidence, Marcello Truzzi resigned. The bizarre. Yet we also need to evaluate die journal was renamed the SKEPTICAL Hyman's tangle with parapsychologists; and, claims as we see them. They are more often INQUIRER, and Kendrick Frazier was in recent years, efforts by Uri Geller, Eldon unanimously elected its new editor, a posi­ Byrd, and odiers to embroil CSICOP and dian not unproved, uncorroborated, and tion he has held with distinction ever Randi in protracted and costly legal suits. based on insufficient evidence. since. (Frazier has outlined the history of All of these have failed. Today, I am happy Our unkindly critics call us "the gate­ CSICOP and the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER in to report, CSICOP is alive and well and keepers of science," and if we reject a claim an article in the Encyclopedia of the stronger than ever, and it is now a well- they accuse us of being "close-minded." Paranormal, 1996, Prometheus Books, established pan of the contemporary intel­ Alas, die role of the skeptic is overshad­ Amherst N.Y.). lectual and scientific landscape. owed in the media by comparison with the From its inception, CSICOP has been pro-paranormal viewpoint, but at least we The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER'S circulation an international organization: its Fellows, have a presence. More important is die fact grew in 20 years from 1,000 to more than Scientific and Technical Consultants, and that die preponderance of scientific opin­ 50,000—with little capital and no adver­ Executive Council members come from ion generally supports our positions. tising revenue, supported enthusiastically dozens of countries worldwide. CSICOP Since our inception, we have broad­ by its readers. has helped to organize cognate commit­ ened our subject matter beyond the para­ Heading CSICOP as chairman these tees in many parts of die world—the normal to other borderline areas of sci­ twenty years has been exhilarating for me. United Kingdom, France, Canada, ence: repressed memory, facilitated com­ CSICOP has been embroiled in contro­ Mexico, and Australia at first, and later, in munication, alternative health cures, mul- versy from the start, attacked on all sides an additional twenty or more countries. ticuJturalism, postmodernism, and odier by the disciples of the paranormal—from From its start CSICOP has been a grass­ interdisciplinary issues that in our view parapsychologists and astrologers to roots movement, especially with the for­ undermine the integrity of science. UFOIogists and alternative health-care mation of forty local and regional groups Our overall goal is to encourage a therapists. Members of the Executive worldwide. Although these groups are responsible approach to the objective Council of CSICOP have played a bril­ autonomous and independent, we share examination of paranormal and other liant role on the national and international common goals and methods, and we have unusal claims, and to develop a public scene: Phil Klass in keeping alive a skepti­ formed a unique international network. appreciation tor science, die methods of cal attitude about UFO visitations; Ray CSICOP has also helped to initiate and scientific inquiry, and the need for critical Hyman. James Alcock, and Susan convene meetings in Europe, Canada, thinking. Blackmore in carefully examining, in Latin America, and elsewhere. The twen­ CSICOP has expanded its programs cooperation with parapsychologists, tieth anniversary will mark the first World enormously. In addition to publishing the claims of psychic phenomena; Martin SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (now bimonthly) Gardner and James Randi in fearlessly Skeptics Congress (to be held June 20-23, debunking die various forms of nonsense 1996). Assuming our international char­ and convening major conferences, we now offered as gospel truth on die popular acter was inevitable: first because science is sponsor a wide range of other activities. scene. There are so many other CSICOP international; and second because belief in We publish (quarterly) the Skeptical Briefr, associates who have worked for the cause the paranormal has become a worldwide and we have established the Center for phenomenon. Inquiry (shared widi die Council for

6 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Secular Humanism). We assist in the pro­ tations, weeping icons, miraculous cures, widi paranormal topics, the skeptical view­ duction of radio and television programs prophetic visions, and other paranormal point is rarely heard; and when it is permit­ and thus have become a multimedia cen­ phenomena are exhibited and marketed ted to be expressed, it is usually sandbagged ter. We have created a major research along with cereal, chewing gum, cold by die host or other guests. library of skeptical literature (the John and remedies, and laxatives. The public is After two decades of toiling in the para­ Mary Frantz Skeptics' Library), and we often confronted with sensational normal marshes, I am persuaded that what provide a full range of seminars, work­ accounts of hidden realms, and pseudo- we are dealing with in the public is a quasi- shops, and course curricula. We arc also science is mistaken for genuine science. religious phenomenon. Belief in the para­ taking the lead in training new skeptical Even reputable publishers prefer to pub­ normal is the poetic equivalent of religion. inquirers. The Center for Inquiry encour­ lish books touting paranormal claims We live in a culture where any criticisms of ages research; it serves as a think-tank, rather than dispassionate scientific cri­ the uncorroborated claims of religions are attempting to probe the reasons why peo­ tiques. Why is it that of the thousands of generally considered to be ill-advised or in ple believe what they believe and to offer pro-astrology, pro-psychic, or pro-UFO bad taste. The New Age spirituality that alternative explanations for alleged phe­ books published, very few (other than has developed is drenched in occult and nomena. Significandy, we have created a those published by Prometheus Books) are paranormal symbols—from near-death skeptical movement. We have helped to skeptical? "They don't sell," is die response spawn more than 50 skeptical newsletters experiences to extraterrestrial abductions, and magazines, now published by skepti­ of the hallelujah choir withi n the publish­ from past-life regressions to miraculous cal organizations worldwide—though ing industry—a sad commentary on our healings. This is consistent with the vague cleady the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER continues times. religiosity now regnant in modern culture, to serve as the main reference source for The skeptics thus have a viral role to and especially American society. The pop­ the entire skeptical movement. play: to educate tiie public about die nature ularity of the paranormal worldview, I sub­ of science and to attempt to persuade media mit, is a manifestation of what I call the producers and directors th.it they have some transcendental temptation, die tendency of Retrospective Reflections responsibility to develop an appreciadon for human beings to wish to penetrate the hid­ scientific rationality. One of the roles of den depths of an alleged transcendental When we first established CSICOP we CSICOP is to challenge die views of pseu- reality that cannot be known by using the did not realize we would elicit such an dosciencc pouring lortii daily from die methods of scientific inquiry. In my view intense response from die scientific com­ media. It is clear that we cannot operate this is a reversion to primitive forms of munity or the public within die cloistered confines of die acad­ magical thinking. That is why it is often so In no small measure, the epidemic of emy, but need to enter into die public arena. difficult to cope with paranormal beliefs, paranormal beliefs is due to the rapid In monitoring the media, we surely have for we are dealing with faith and convic­ emergence of the mass media on a global not sought to censor producers or publish­ tion, not testable theories or hypotheses. scale. These media have virtually replaced ers; we only wish for some balance on their This perhaps explains why there is often so die schools, colleges, and universities as part in presenting paranormal claims, and much animosity toward science in large the chief conveyors of information. The for some role for skepticism about these sectors of the population, and why antisci- days of the lone scientist conducting claims. Largely because of die media, large entific irrationalism at times overwhelms research in the lab or of die isolated sectors of public opinion simply assume the dispassionate standards of scientific scholar writing a paper or book for a lim­ diat psychic powers are real (clairvoyance, inquiry. Too many people find the scien­ ited audience have been bypassed. Today telepathy, precognition), that it is possible to tific attitude too demanding and rigorous; new ideas arc popularized—whether half- modify material objects merely by the mind they want something easier to ingest. or fully baked—and dicy are broadcast far (psychokinesis), that psychics can help Modern science and technology have and wide even if they have not been suffi­ detectives solve mysteries, that we can aban­ transformed the globe and have vasdy ciently tested. Apparently the chief inter­ don the clinical tests of medical science and improved the standards of living and health ests of most media conglomerates are heal patients by miraculous means, and ili.it of large sectors of the population in those entertainment rather dian information, die Earth is visited daily by extraterrestrials societies where it has been applied. Those profit rather than truth, selling products who are engaging in sexual biogenetic of us committed to the scientific outlook rather that contributing to die sum of experiments with humans The number of do not wish to abandon its programmatic human knowledge. Accordingly, paranor­ paranormal, occult, and sci-fi television pro­ goals; we wish to continue to use the medi- mal ideas are pandered to a gullible public grams is increasing. Our objection is that ods of science and technology to under­ and the line between fiction and reality is "docudramas" are not labeled as fictional­ stand nature and solve human problems. blurred. Psychic wonders, angelic visita­ ized accounts but touted as fact. In regard to We are willing to suspend judgment about tions. Virgin Mary sightings, satanic infes­ the many talk shows diat constantly deal the claims of new forms of reality until they

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER luly/August 1996 7 FROM THE CHAIRMAN

have been tested; they should at least be fal­ behavioral sciences—all too often is exces­ of the philosophy of science, and in this age si h.lb11- and they need to run the gauntlet of sively naturalistic or materialistic, and that of intense specialization, many may not peer review and replication. In this post­ it leaves little or no room for spiritual, choose to take that step. modernist age of nihilistic subjectivity, occult, or paranormal realms. I personally many intellectuals consider this view to be accept the naturalistic interpretation of the Future Prospects "outdated," and we are criticized for universe. However, in being committed to defending the ideals of the Enlightenment. the scientific outlook, I do not deny the I have briefly reviewed how far we have They reject die view that die methods of vital importance of human creativity in come in these past twenty years. The ques­ science and critical thinking are the most life, or the significance of passions, feel­ tion is, Where do we go from here? I effective procedures for testing truth claims ings, and other dimensions of human would suggest that our work has only just and resolving human problems. We main­ experience, but I would insist that in begun, and that there is a continuing need tain that where the methods of science have searching for testable hypotheses these in contemporary culture for the skeptical been used, they have been eminendy suc­ dimensions are not relevant. Some may movement. Would that we could'go out of cessful, and we wish to extend these meth­ choose to reject this interpretation. I business! Alas, there arc always new claims, ods to other areas. The methods of sci­ respond that if we are to abandon the many often more bizarre or outrageous ence—measured on a comparative scale methods of objective inquiry we need to than previous ones (like the "alien with intuition, faith, emotion, and meta­ have good reason and evidence to do so. autopsy" or "milk-drinking statues"), that physics—though not perfect, seem to us the The defining characteristic of the new emerge and cry out for examination. best way to gain reliable knowledge. skepticism is that we use objective methods Our task in the future will be to con­ The new skepticism that we defend is to establish truth claims as nearly as we can tinue to luiii. 11!HI as Socratic gadflies. This is positive and constructive, not negative. It and whenever they are applicable. This vital, and it means that scientific skepticism is a powerful tool, an indelible part of the does not mean that we are opposed to the should be applied to borderland questions. process of scientific inquiry. We insist that sense of wonder. The great scientific dis­ It means that we need to keep alive our we need to keep an open mind about all coveries of the past four centuries have probing critical methods—no matter how claims to truth, including our own. It is expanded the boundaries of our under­ much they may infuriate those whom we important to point out that unlike many standing. As spacecraft probe our solar sys­ criticize. But we need to continue to forms of classical skepticism, we do not tem and the galaxies beyond on the macro develop in the public an understanding and deny the possibility of knowledge. We level, or penetrate the micro level of inani­ appreciation for scientific inquiry and the believe that there is a body of reliable mate and organic matter, we discover hith­ scientific outlook. Our role in this sense is knowledge that has developed. When we erto unknown dimensions. Our chief primarily educative. CSICOP and the say we are skeptical, we simply demand caveat is that intuitive or speculative theo­ newly developed Center for Inquiry have that objective criteria for evaluating truth ries need to be corroborated by valid infer­ taken upon themselves this important task. claims be respected in a community of ence and experimental confirmation. In the future, we must seek new ways inquirers, and rigorous standards be Not all of those who enthusiastically to bring this critical point of view to the applied not only for evaluating claims on consult the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER or the general public. We sometimes feel like the the borderlands of science, but within the Skeptical Briefs, or who draw upon CSI- lone voice in the wilderness. There are entire range of scientific investigations. COP for the expertise of those associated exciting new directions that we plan to The frontiers of science are forever with it, will accept this broader naturalistic take. We believe we have a valuable contri­ expanding, and this means that we constantly interpretation of the sciences. We are not bution to make, but we will in the future have to be prepared to revise our theories. But asking them to do so; yet they may find our need to further convince opinion-mak­ the fact rhat our theories and hypotheses unraveling of crop circles, spoon-bendings, ers—political and industrial leaders, the change should not be a cause of despair or spontaneous human combustion, or pol­ directors of corporations, and the masters uncertainty. The fact that we cannot make tergeists helpful. Our work draws upon the of the media—that our battle is theirs and absolute or final judgments does not mean interdisciplinary efforts of many that a free and democratic society can sur­ that we cannot make any judgments: we researchers; and rather than depending on vive and prosper only if it keeps alive the insist we still have a body of tested beliefs, and the so-called experts in fields such as astrol­ appreciation for skepticism and critical rhese tell us something about the nature of ogy or UFOlogy, as the case may be, many thinking. To fulfill this mission in the the expanding evolutionary universe and die find the work of the skeptical movement decades ahead we will need the support of place of die human species within it. highly instructive in specific areas of inter­ our readers. We are grateful for your loyal Critics maintain that the above est. In maintaining that the broader inter­ help over the past twenty years. We look account of the universe—based on our pretation of our world is naturalistic, I have forward to the challenges of the future, reading of the natural, biological, and no doubt entered the controversial domain and will continue to serve you.

8 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NOTES Of * FRINGE-WATCHER MARTIN GARDNER

Thomas Edison, Paranormalist

homas Alva Edison (1847-1931) Alva Edison: An American Myth only had come to believe in an afterlife, was the world's most famous, (1981)—and the chapter on Edison in but was actually working on an electri­ Tmost prolific, inventor. I will Martin Ebon's They Knew the Unknown cal device for communicating with the spend little time on biographical details (1981). dead! (Sec also Austin Lescarboura's because they are easily found in encyclo­ In his youth Edison was an outspo­ "Edison's Views on Life after Death," in pedias or in the more than sixty books ken freethinker. He greatly admired Scientific American, October 30, 1920.) about Edison. Nor will I be concerned Thomas Paine's Age of Reason, but Nothing is known about the kind of with whether his 1,093 patents are ail to unlike deist Paine, Edison did not machine Edison had in mind, although be credited to his undisputed genius or believe in God, the soul, or an afterlife. it is known that he conducted experi­ to the work of many assistants. It has At that time Edison was a pantheist who ments with it. It was probably some sort been said that his greatest invention was liked to call nature the "Supreme of telephone using greatly amplified the invention factory, or research team. Intelligence," indifferent and merciless electromagnetic waves. Many of his inventions were improve­ toward humanity. His friend Edward Martin Ebon quotes the following ments on earlier work by others. (Most Marshall interviewed him for the New remarks made by Edison to the inventions are.) The incandescent light York Times (October 2, 1910). "There is Scientific American interviewer: bulb, for example, had a long history no more reason to believe that any before Edison found better filaments. human brain will be immortal," Edison If our personality survives, then it is His one great, indisputably original, declared, "than there is to think tli.it one strictly logical and scientific to assume that it retains memory, intel­ invention was the phonograph. of my phonograph cylinders will be lect, and other faculties and knowl­ This also is not the place to discuss immortal No, the brain is a piece of edge that we acquire on [his earth. Edison's foibles: his temper tantrums, meat mechanism—nothing more than a Therefore, if personality exists after his lust for money, his efforts to purloin wonderful meat mechanism." what we call death, it's reasonable to conclude that those who leave this ideas, his boasts about war weapons that Edison's words, occasioned by the earth would like to communicate never existed, or his disastrous relations death of William James, generated an with those they have left here. with his two wives and his children. uproar of opposition from Christians of ... I am inclined to believe that These are aspects of Edison's character I all stripes. He was soundly trounced by our personality hereafter will be able did not know about when forty years Cardinal Gibbons. Columbian Maga­ to affect matter. If this reasoning be ago I wrote an adulatory article about zine, a Catholic periodical, devoted an correct, then, if we can evolve an instrument so delicate as to be him for Children's Digest (November enure issue to attacking what it called affected, or moved, or manipulated 1954). "Edison's materialism." by our personality as it survives in My intent here is to focus on Then something happened to Edison the next life, such an instrument, Edison's changing religious opinions, his on the way to his laboratory. In an inter­ when made available, ought to record lifelong interest in psychic phenomena, view tided "Edison Working on How to something. Certain of the methods now in use and his gullibility. My main sources are Communicate with the Next World," in arc so crude, so childish, so unscien­ two biographies—Robert Conor's American Magazine (October 1920), tific, that it is amazing how so many Thomas A. Edison: A Streak of Luck B. C. Forbes—he later founded Forbes rational human beings can take any (1979) and Wyn Wachorst's Thomas magazine—revealed that Edison not stock in them. If we ever do succeed

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 9 vMF C S I C O P A T THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY

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

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

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

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

4) Th« Library of Skepticism With the establishment of the John and Mary Frantz Skeptics' Library in memory of Margaret Frantz at the Center for Inquiry, CSICOP has created a permanent repository to house and main­ tain the world's literature about the scientific analysis of para­ normal claims—and to make it accessible to scholars and other qualified users.

CSICOP at the Center for Inquiry, Box 703, Amherst, N.Y. 14226 (716) 636-1425 in establishing communication with newspaper headlines around the world, magician Berthold Reese (1841-1926), personalities which have left this pre­ Edison conjectured that the human better known as Bert Reese. He was a sent life, it certainly won't be through mind was composed of billions of infin­ fat, bald-headed little man with pop any of the childish contraptions which itesimal particles that are responsible for eyes and a round face like a cherub. seem so silly to the scientist. intelligence and memory. He thought Born in what is now Poland, "Dr." diey came from outer space, bringing Reese, as he liked to call himself, trav­ Christian leaders here and abroad eled widely around Europe performing welcomed Edison into dieir ranks as a wisdom from other inhabited planets. what magicians call "mental magic" for theist who now believed in immortality. After we die, they may disperse, or they Scientific American, in the article cited earlier, ran a photograph of Edison "A firm believer in PK (psychokinesis), he tried to pouring liquid from a flask into a start pendulums swinging with mind control." beaker. The caption read: "Thomas A. Edison—the world's foremost inven­ may swarm like bees and enter other celebrities and royalty. He liked to wear tor—who is now at work on an appara­ human skulls, he said. Edison liked to on his tie a huge diamond pin given to tus designed to place psychical research call his particles "little people." him by the King of Spain, and an even on a scientific basis." Occasionally, he said, they get into con­ larger diamond on a finger ring. Many flict with one another. Here is how he leading parapsychologists believed he Although Edison never became a had extraordinary psi powers. Christian, Mina Miller, his young and put it in his diary: Reese specialized in what is called pretty second wife (she was eighteen They fight out their differences, and "billet reading." He would ask someone years his junior), never wavered from then the stronger group takes charge. to write something on a piece of paper, her devout Methodist upbringing. If die minority is willing to be disci­ Conot (page 427) calls her "an unrecon­ plined and to conform there is har­ which he would fold and either hide or structed fundamentalist who . . . mony. But minorities sometimes say: destroy. Reese would then pretend to thought evolution a plot of Satan." I "To hell with this place; let's get out read the message by ESP His methods of it." They refuse to do their had the pleasure of meeting her when I were well known to honest magicians of appointed work in the man's body, he was a small boy. My parents had taken sickens and dies, and the minority the time. There are scores of ways to me to Chautauqua, New York, where gets out, as does too, of course, the accomplish billet reading. die Edisons maintained a summer cot­ majority. They are all set free to seek Houdini was so impressed by Reese's tage. I rang their doorbell to ask for the new experience somewhere else. skill that in a letter to Conan Doyle great man's autograph. He was not at (April 3, 1920) he said that Reese "is home, but Mrs. Edison graciously Edison was fascinated throughout his! without doubt the cleverest reader of promised to have him send it to me, long life with the occult. In his thirties; messages that ever lived." Houdini which he did. he became intrigued by the writings of urged Doyle to have a "seance" with that amusing mountebank Madame: Reese if he ever visited New York City "Has Man an Immortal Soul?," t where Reese was dien living, to see if another interview by Marshall, appeared Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, the great I "you can fathom his work." in the Forum's November 1926 issue. guru of theosophy. Edison attended Edison now speaks of the "soul," and meetings in New York of the theosophi- In his book Paper Magic (page 91) refers to God as both a "Great Power" cal society and was awarded some sort of Houdini refers to Reese in a footnote as and a "Creator." "Today the preponder­ diploma. A firm believer in PK (psy­ "in my estimation, the greatest pellet ance of probability gready favors belief chokinesis), he tried to start pendulums reader that ever lived. (A pellet is a bil- in the immortality of die intelligence, or swinging by mind control, but theE let rolled into a ball.) I had a stance soul, of man," Edison said. He praises results were negative. He also attemptedi with Dr. Reese, and if it had not been Christianity as the wisest and most to confirm telepathy by experiments for my many years of experience as an beautiful of world religions, seeing it as with electric coils around die heads of expert, I might have been mystified by evolving toward a faith with less empha­ human receivers and transmitters. Eboni his adroit manipulations and uncanny sis on doctrines and more on the moral quotes from Edison's diary: "Four deductions." code of Jesus. Theologians should stop among us first stayed in different rooms;,, Edison was the most famous person debating creeds, Edison emphasized, joined by the electric system. . . . to be totally bamboozled by Reese. Like and devote more rime to "pile up the Afterwards we sat in the four corners o{f so many scientists who tumble for psy- evidence . . . which no fool skeptic can die same room, gradually bringing our chic charlatans, Edison considered him- demolish." ihaiis closer together toward the center self far too intelligent to be fnolrd, and of the room, until our knees touched1,, of course it never occurred to him to In later interviews that produced and for all of that, we observed no seek explanation from a magician. Martin Gardner's latest book is The results." When an article in the New York Night Is Large: Collected Essays It was Edison's good friend Henry Graphic unveiled some of Reese's tech- 1938-1995 (St. Martins Press, 1996). Ford who introduced Edison to die niques, Edison was furious. He sent the

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 11 newspaper a letter in which he said: billet reading performances, with an 245.) explanation of how he did it. "In fifteen years, more electricity will I am certain that Reese was neither a The best account of Reese's methods be sold for electric vehicles than for medium nor a fake. I saw him several is "Bert Reese Secrets," by magician Ted light." (Quoted in Science Digest, times and on each occasion I wrote something on a piece of paper when Annemann, in the 1936 Summer Extra February 1982.) Reese was not near or when he was in issue of his periodical, The Jinx. It Edison's worst prediction had to do another room. In no single case was includes a photograph of Reese, his with what was called the "war of the one of these papers handled by Reese, hand holding a cigar that he habitually currents." Nikola Tesla and others and some of them he never saw, yet he recited correctly the contents of smoked during his performances believed that alternating currents were each paper. because it made it easier to palm a the best way to transmit high voltage Several people in my laboratory folded billet. Annemann writes that electricity over long distances. Edison had the same kind of experience, and Harvard's distinguished German-born stubbornly insisted that only direct cur­ there arc hundreds of prominent peo­ philosopher and psychologist Hugo rent should be used. "There is no plea ple in New York who can testify to Miinsterberg (1863-1916) "became which will justify the use of high-ten­ the same thing. such a believer in Reese's powers that he sion alternating currents, either in a sci­ was preparing a book on him when entific or a commercial sense. They arc Houdini wrote to Doyle on August death prevented its finish." I was unable employed solely to reduce investment in 8, 1920: to verify this. Like his friend William copper wire and real estate. . . . My per­ James, Miinsterberg believed in both sonal desire would be to prohibit You may have heard a lot of stories God and immortality, but unlike James entirely the use of alternating currents. about Dr. Bert Reese, but I spoke to Judge Rosalsky and he personally he was a well-known skeptic of the para­ They are as unnecessary as they are dan­ informed me that, although he did normal who had a great record of expos­ gerous. ... (I quote from David not detect Reese, he certainly did not ing mediums and other psychic charla­ Milsted's article "Even Geniuses Make think it was telepathy. I am positive tans by carefully contrived traps. Can Mistakes," in The New Scientist, August that Reese resorts to legerdemain, makes use of a wonderful memory, any reader shed light on Annemann's 19, 1995.) and is a great character reader. He is startling claim? Edison's influence on science fiction incidentally a wonderful judge of There is evidence that Edison is covered in the entry "Edisonade," in human beings. thought he himself had ESP. At any rate, the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction That he fooled Edison docs not there is no question that his powers of (revised edition, 1995), edited by John surprise me. He would have surprised precognition were poor. Here are some Clute and Peter Nichols. The literature me if he did not fool Edison. Edison is certainly not a criterion, when it of his failed predictions that I found in starts with the Tom Edison, Jr., comes to judging a shrewd adept in The Experts Speak (1984), an amusing sequence of dime novels, by Edward die art of pellet-reading. anthology by Christopher Cerf and Ellis. Edison is also portrayed as a char­ The greatest thing Reese did, and Victor Navasky, and elsewhere: acter in a French novel, Tomorrow's Eve which he openly acknowledged to "The talking motion picture will not (1886), by Villiers de Lisle Adams, and me, was his test-case in Germany when he admitted they could not supplant the regular silent motion pic­ in Garrett P. Serviss's Edison's Conquest solve him. ture. . . . There is such a tremendous of Mars (1898). For more recent refer­ I have no hesitancy in telling you investment in pantomime pictures that ences consult the Encyclopedia of Science that I set a snare at the seance I had it would be absurd to disturb it." Fiction. with Reese, and caught him cold­ blooded. He was startled when it was (Munsey's Magazine, March 1913.) In the introduction to his book, over, as he knew that I had bowled "It is apparent to me that the possi­ Conot sums up his opinion of Edison him over. So much so diat he claimed bilities of the aeroplane, which two or this way: I was the only one that had ever three years ago was thought to hold the detected him, and in our conversa­ tion aftet that we spoke about other solution to the [flying machine] prob­ The Edison that I discovered was a workers of what we call the pellet lem, have been exhausted, and that we lusty, crusty, hard-driving, oppor­ test—Foster, Worthington, Baldwin must turn elsewhere." (New York World, tunistic, and occasionally ruthless ct al. After my seance with him, I November 17, 1895.) Midwesterner, whose Bunyanesque went home and wrote down all the ambition for wealth was repeatedly details. "The radio craze . . . will die out in subvened by his passion for inven­ time so far as music is concerned. But it tion. He was complex and contradic­ may continue for business purposes." tory, an ingenious electtician, The letters are quoted from Houdini (Quoted by Conot in his biography of chemist, and promoter, but a bum­ bling engineer and businessman. The and Conan Doyle: The Story of a Strange Edison, page 424.) stories of his inventions emerge out of Friendship (1932), by Bernard Ernst and "Sammy, they will never try to steal die laboratory records as sagas of Hereward Carrington. Joseph Rinn, in the phonograph. It is not of any com­ audacity, perspicacity, and luck bear­ Sixty Years of Psychical Research (1950), mercial value." (Edison to Sam Insull, ing only a general resemblance to the legendary accounts of the past. has a good description of one of Reese's an assistant, as quoted by Conot, page

12 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER INVESTIGATIVE FILES B JOE NICKELL

Ghostly Photos

rash of new "ghost" photographs winning photos. Citing my book, the editors had received were due to is plaguing the Western world. Camera Clues, at the end, the accompa- such causes as film-processing errors, A lens flares (caused by interreflection I first became aware of the mysteri­ between lens surfaces), and outright ous phenomenon when I received a call hoaxes. What was left, they opined, at my office at the Center for Inquiry. It were a few pictures that "may represent was from a Lockport, New York, couple an ectoplasmic energy or kinetic energy who were experiencing some spooky often associated with the presence of a occurrences and were concerned about ghost; however, experts tell us that their young children. The most unusual kinetic energy can be related to a living phenomenon, diey said, was found in being as well" (Fate Ghost Contest their color snapshots. Although they 1995). had seen nothing at the time the photos Yet again, the strandlike forms appear were taken, each contained strange, in a British photo in Jane Goldman's The unusually white shapes the couple could X-Files Book of the Unexplained (1995, not explain (see Figures 1 and 2). reviewed in SI, May/June 1996). Similar pictures were taken by Goldman's caption suggests the white another couple. They had appeared with shape is a ghost; "Or is it fogged film?" me on "The Danny Show" (where they Goldman asks in a moment of doubt. presented UFO video sequences). Actually it is neither. I learned the Afterward, discovering I had written a source of the ghosdy phenomenon when book they praised, Camera Clues: A the first young couple visited my office Handbook for Photographic Investigation and, at my request, brought their camera (1994), they gave me some snapshots and film for me to keep for a few days. that puzzled them. Looking at them Examination of die negatives revealed later I recognized a few that had similar­ nothing remarkable, but by the next day I ities to die photos that die first couple had the answer the strand- or looplike had taken. A note on one indicated it form was caused by the new subcompact had been made in Mexico and was sim­ camera's hand strap getting in front of die ilar to a photo in Fate magazine. lens. Since this type of camera's viewfinder Naturally, the notation led me to die does not sec what the camera sees (as it October 1995 issue of Fate, which fea­ dots in a :>iiiglc-!cm icflex type camera), tured a nationwide ghost photo contest. Figure 1 (above) and Figure 2. 'Ghostly' the obtruded view goes unnoticed. forms in photos like these made by a New It was (to quote Yogi Berra) deja vu all York State couple are becoming common. Although such camera straps are typically over again! Beginning with the Grand black and photograph black (or dark) in Prize Winners photo (Figure 3), myste­ nying Fate article explained how some normal light, their sheen enables them to rious strandlike forms "infected" all six of the ghost effects in die photos that brighdy reflect the flash from the camera's

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 13 Left: Figure 3. Grand Prize-winning photo featured in Fare magazine's ghost photograph contest was made by Marilyn Bolduc, Sanford, Maine. (Published by permission.)

Below: Figures 4, 5, and 6 (clockwise). Experimental photographs by the author reproduce similar ghostly effects. self-contained flash unit. Some of my experimental snapshots are shown in Figures 4-6. The braiding of the strap can even be seen. When die cord is quite close to the lens, the result is softer, more misdike. It follows that analogous effects could occur if other articles were placed before the lens— either deliberately or inadvertendy. For example, flash-reflected hair, jewelry, articles of clothing, or the like could produce distinctive effects that might not be easily recognized. It is instructive to note that in each of the cases I have related, including the six examples in Fate magazine, no one saw anything out of the ordinary but simply discovered the anomalous shapes when die photos came back from the film processors. As I point out in Camera Clues, that situation is a good indication that the paranormal phenomenon in question—ghost, UFO, or other entity— is really only some sort of photographic glitch caused by camera, film, process­ ing, or other element. In this case, a new type of camera was the culprit in a rash of allegedly supernatural pictures.

References

The Fate Ghost Contest- 1995. Fate. October, pp. 42-45. Goldman. Jane. 1995. The X-Files Book of the Unexplained London: Simon & Schuster, p. 25. Nickel), Joe. 1994. Camera dues: A Handbook for Photographic Investigation. Lexington: Uni­ versity Press of Kentucky. •

14 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER SPECIAL REPORT

Science or Pseudoscience? Pentagon Grant Funds Alternative Health Study

$355,225 was awarded for a 'laying over of hands,' Therapeutic Touch study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

CARLA SELBY and BELA SCHEIBER

onsider the following: A major son will be made between the control to help heal him or her and pretending public university's burn center group which will receive placebo inter­ to wave your hands over a patient's body Crequests a grant for $317,725 vention (mimic TT) along with the stan­ hoping to help heal him or her?" from the Uniformed Services University dard treatment regimen, and the experi­ Another question might be, "What if of the Health Sciences (USUHS) (a mental group will receive TT in addition the mimic 11 practitioner feels com­ department of the Pentagon) in order to to usual burn center management."' passion for the burn patient and acci­ study the "laying over of hands," or During the experiment, a group of dentally performs actual TT?" How "The Effect of Therapeutic Touch on burn patients—suffering from first-, would that affect the results of die Pain and Infection in Burn Patients." second-, and third-degree burns on any­ study? Granted, the UAB Burn Center One might be skeptical about die topic where from 5 percent to 70 percent of deals with burn victims, but if the to be investigated and therefore not sur­ their bodies—will have a nurse's hands USUHS was going to reject the first prised that the grant was rejected. Now waved over them without touching proposal and make suggestions, why assume that this same university resub­ (which should relieve any anxiety about didn't they suggest that the practitioners mitted die grant proposal revised in exacerbation of pain on die part of burn start widi a group of subjects suffering accordance with the suggestions of patients) to see if the patient is helped. from less trauma? For example, people USUHS and two months later was This group of patients will be compared with mild sunburn? awarded a grant of $355,225. with a control group of burn patients— The proposal "is designed to investi­ And, in I net, that's what happened: selected by a coin toss—who are denied gate the effects of a complementary $355,225 was awarded September 20, die benefit of a trained practitioner's therapy."1 1994, to the University of Alabama at TT, but who instead get a wave of die The "specific objectives" of the pro­ Birmingham (UAB) Burn Center for a hands from a nurse who has been ject are to: "single blinded randomized clinical trial" trained in how to fake therapeutic to "quantify the effect of therapeutic touch. • Recruit 150 subjects aged 15 to 65 and randomly assign them to either touch (IT) on pain and infection in Of course, a skeptic might ask, the treatment or control group. burn patients, and to develop a research- "What's the difference between waving • Compare the effects of 11 on the based protocol for practice. A compari­ your hands over a patient's body hoping outcomes of pain perception and

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 15 nosocomial infection. energy field, but to a trained sense, TT was not effective. Why? Because the • Develop and test a TT protocol for primarily touch, the human energy results are measured by asking the use as an adjunct to narcotic analgesia field can be perceived and assessed.' in lowering pain levels and die inci­ patients if they feel better! 1 dence of infection in burn patients. One might well ask, "Doesn't that The proposal says the following last point actually negate the practice of "instruments" will be used in this study Apparendy, no one at USUHS raised therapeutic touch, which involves no to collect data relative to outcome vari­ concerns about the the less-than-scientific touching? And what was that bit about ables: and extremely imprecise language used in quantum theory all about?" The pro­ the grant proposal to describe 11 and posal goes on: "It is postulated that TT, 1. McGill Pain Questionnaire (which consists primarily of three major support the request. Language such as: which therapeutically manipulates the classes of word descriptors: sensory, individual's energy pattern, stimulates affective and evaluative, and is used to • Therapeutic touch is a contempo­ the release of endorphins through the specify the subjective pain experience); rary interpretation of several ancient healing practices. triggering of supraspinal mechanisms."* 2. Visual Analogue Pain Estimation Scale (which is used by having the • The technique ... is based on the Perhaps the people at USUHS were patient mark or indicate a point on a assumption of a human energy field impressed by the diagram of the straight line that reflects the amount which extends beyond the skin. The Conceptual Model of Study that accom­ of sensation the patient is experienc­ idea behind TT is that die human ing at the time); energy field is abundant and flows in panied the proposal. The diagram balanced patterns in health but is (reproduced on the next page) shows 3. Visual Analogue Anxiety Estima­ depleted and/or unbalanced in illness that burn injury causes "pain," "stress," tion Scale (which is used by having or injury. the patient mark or indicate a point and "risk of infection." TT, on the other on a similar straight line that reflects the amount of anxiety the patient is "During the experiment, a group of burn patients— experiencing); 4. Credibility of Therapy Form suffering from first-, second-, and third-degree burns (which is used after an explanation of TT to record the patient's opinion as on anywhere from 5 percent to 70 percent of their to how logical TT seems, how confi­ dent the patient is that II will be bodies—will have a nurse's hands waved over them successful, and if the patient would be willing to pay for TT as an optional without touching ... to see if the patient is helped." part of hospital treatment).7

• This action is believed to place the hand, leads to "activation of endogenous person in an optimal position for opioid system," "reduced stress," and The names of patients who answer "yes" his/her own resources to be used in self-healing. "decreased T-suppresor (sic) lympho­ to that last question ought to be valu­ • In this view, the therapist acts as a cytes," which in turn lead to "pain able information to somebody! human energy support system until relieP and "decreased risk of infection," The grant proposal isn't afraid to the person's own immunological sys­ which together lead to "enhanced heal­ reveal the secrets of TT by describing tem is robust enough to take over. ing."6 Of course, the existence of a how it works: "The TT practitioner will • Central to the practice is the human energy field as well as the bene­ begin by centering" which "consists of a assumption of a human energy field and an environment filled with 'life fits of TT arc all hypothetical. Their quieting and focusing of consciousness energy' which is also present in all liv­ efficacy is the purpose of the study, after with the intent to help. Next, an assess­ ing organisms. all. Unfortunately, the continued ment of the subjects energy field will be • Support for this view is based assumption of the validity of the theo­ done to search out all areas of imbalance, entirely on a field world view. retical basis of TT is to be found blocked energy flow, congestion, or • Quantum theory states that all of reality is made up of energy fields and throughout the proposal without any deficit in energy flow. Then TT treat­ that over 99% of the universe is sim­ comment about this logical fallacy on ment will begin, starting at the subject's ply space. the part of the proposal's reviewers. crown and moving downward to the feet • Our present technology does not Among other criteria for selecting . . . through stimulation and augmenta­ allow the measurement of die human the subjects are the necessity of speaking tion, clearing of congestion or blocks in English and the ability to communicate flow, or quieting the energy flow to Carta Selby is special projects director for verbally. The subjects must also be able achieve a balanced, abundant, symmetri­ CSICOP Center for Inquiry-Rockies and to see and hear. One might wonder if cal energy flow. The TT practitioner's a board ber of the Rocky Mountain the patients need to be able to see and hands, held about four inches above the Skeptics. Bela Scheiber is executive direc­ hear so that they will be aware when subjea, will move in a rhythmical way tor of the Center for Inquiry-Rockies and either TT or mimic TT is being admin­ directing energy from central areas of the president of the Rocky Mountain Skeptics. istered. However, this requirement is subjects energy field to peripheral ones Grateful acknowledgement to Mary putatively added in order to determine or touching the subject lightly for short Folsom and Dan Culberson. if the IT was effective and if the mimic periods where additional energy is

16 luly/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER activation of endogenous • opioid system pain / / relief •

reduced enhanced stress 1 healing

X decreased X risk of decreased T-suppresor infection risk of 1 lymphocytes - infection

Diagram from original grant proposal that purports to show how the use of Therapeutic Touch can result in 'enhanced healing' for burn victims.

needed."* Contrast this precision research assistants and the Thera­ UAB Burn Center had in acquiring methodology with TT's exceedingly peutic Touch practitioners and iden­ $355,225 to study TT, we ask whether tify which treatments are real. The imprecise origin in Martha Rogers's .. . public money is best spent on such research will not be started until nursing theory . . . based entirely on a observers cannot tell the real from the highly speculative "alternative thera­ field world view . . ."' which has far mimic treatments. pies." What is the difference, after all, in more in common with revealed wisdom Mimic treatments will be given in the TT and "remote healing" where practi­ than with a scientific hypothesis. patients' rooms approximately one tioners will patients to get better from hour before the daily dressing change. across the room, or perhaps, over the An ongoing assessment by the practi­ As in the Therapeutic Touch treat­ phone. (What about E-mail?) tioner will indicate when the treatment ment, the patients will lie on their is completed. At the conclusion of this backs on the hospital beds. Lighting Further, should questions not be process, the subject will be allowed to will be dim, and sott. relaxing instru­ asked about the ediics of trying a com­ mental music will be playing. Prior to rest quietly for about 10 minutes. It is pletely speculative technique on burn the first treatment, the subject will be implied therefore that the subject needs instructed to relax as Hilly as possible patients whose pain is most severe and this time of quiet rest at the end of TT and a brief explanation of what will be intractable and whose infection rate is treatment in order to recover from all done during the treatment will be very high? First and most important, the agitation caused by the practitioner's given. The research assistant may ran­ practitioners of TT must demonstrate domly spend between five and twenty waving hands. some basis in reality for their theory. minutes doing the mimic treatment. At Then, and only then, can rhey move to On the other hand, the placebo the end of the mimic treatment, the the next step—proving its efficacy. intervention of die mimic IT adminis­ subject will be allowed to rest quiedy for about 10 minutes. Thus, with this tered to the control group will be com­ single, blind placebo intervention, all pletely different: subjects and unit personnel will per­ Notes ceive that subjects are receiving the 1. Grant No. MDA 905-94-Z-0080. Mimic treatments will be provided to same intervention. The identity of the Uniformed Services University of the Health all control group subjects by the non- mimic II vs. TT intervention subjects Sciences. Project Title: The Effect of Therapeutic 10 nurse research assistant, who does not will be known only to the researchers. Touch on Pain and Infection in Burn Patients know what Therapeutic Touch is. (N94-O20A1). p. 35. Awarded to: University of Alabama at Birmingham. Principal Investigator This research assistant will be trained Joan G. Turner. Award amount: $355,225. Period to perform the same movements that The proposal attempts to address of Award: 9/15/94 through 9/30/95. (Due to the will be used by the Therapeutic unwillingness of UAB to provide us a copy of this some "limitations" of its study: "A fre­ Touch practitioners. However, grant proposal, wc obtained ii through a Freedom instead of centering and holding the quent criticism when TT administra­ of Information An request.) intent to help the subject as the tion is used as an intervention relates to 2. Ibid. Therapeutic Touch practitioners will the 'placebo effect." However, adminis­ 3. Ibid. do, the research assistant will simply 4. Ibid., p. 40. tration of a mimic intervention to con­ begin the treatment and will count 5. Ibid., p. 42. back from 100 by serial sevens during trol subjects helps control for placebo 6. Ibid., p. 45. the mimic treatment. effect."" In other words, a placebo treat­ 7. Ibid., p. 47. To assure that the sessions are all ment for a possible placebo treatment 8. Ibid., p. 49. comparable, three uninvolved by per­ 9. Ibid., p. 40. sons will be asked to observe the will take care of that problem! 10. Ibid., p. 52. In considering the success that the 11. Ibid., p. 52. D

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER luly/August 1996 17 Traditional Medicine and Pseudoscience in China: A Report the Second CSICOP Delegation (Parti)

In this, the first of a two-part report on a 1995 CSICOP delegation to China, the authors discuss the historical rationale for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), its involvement with the questionable Qigong movement, and the growing importation to the West of these practices by Western practitioners of "alternative medicine. " They present their observations of how TCM is practiced at the major TCM facility in Beijing and describe their visit to China's preeminent neurophysiology lab studying the neurochemical underpinnings of acupuncture effects.

BARRY L. BEYERSTEIN and WALLACE SAMPSON

n 1988 the first CSICOP delegation to China looked into the claims of several Qigong (pronounced chee- Igungy masters and their young proteges. These child marvels supposedly possessed what Chinese admirers call "special ability" or "extraordinary functions of the human body." They were said to be able to alter the shape or color of objects in sealed containers and perform a host of other minor miracles. What the first CSICOP delegation (com­ posed of most of the Executive Council at the time) found was that these children could not produce their effects under

18 luly/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER close observation. In short, the whiz kids and their masters elites, top party and military officials cynically kept for them­ were performing unsophisticated conjuring tricks (Alcock et selves the best treatments scientific medicine could offer. al. 1988). Also, in controlled tests, the delegation found the According to Mao's personal physician, Li Zhisui (Li 1994), vaunted abilities of the Qigong masters to diagnose medical Mao himself relied on Western methods to treat his many ill­ ailments to be unsubstantiated. nesses (except for a few folk practices carried over from his Despite such failures, medical uses of Qigong have contin­ rural childhood). Trained in scientific medicine at an ued to gain popularity in China. Along with other facets of American-run medical school in China, Li immigrated to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it has become increas­ Australia after World War II. He was working as a medical ingly fashionable in the West officer for an Australian ship­ as well. Most observers con­ ping company in 1949 when sider TCM's growing reputa­ he was enticed to return to tion in China in the decades Introduction Paul Kurtz, Chairman of CSICOP Beijing. Shortly afterward, he following the Communist rev­ was appointed Mao's doctor, The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the olution (takeover in 1949) to the post he held until Mao's Paranormal has cultivated a long-standing relationship with scientific have been due primarily to a and skeptical colleagues in China. It began in 1987, when Mr. Lin death in 1976. Li had no mix of practical necessity and Zixin, editor-in-chief of Science and Technology Daily (China's largest- other patients than Mao, political expediency on the circulation scientific publication), visited CSICOP's headquarters (then Mao's hypochondriacal wife, part of Chairman Mao in Buffalo) and invited a delegation to visit China from March Jiang Quing, and a few other 21-April 3, 1988. The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER published three accounts of Zedong. With fewer than Mao family members and top this significant visit: Paul Kurtz, "Testing Psi Claims in China: Visit by a 30,000 scientifically trained CSICOP Delegation"; James Alcock. Kendrick Frazier, Barry Karr, Philip party officials. For them, Li physicians in all of China J. Klass, Paul Kurtz, and James Randi, "Preliminary Testing" (both had the latest Western drugs, (most of them concentrated in Summer 1988); and Paul Kurtz, "The China Syndrome: Further surgical techniques, and med­ the large cities and suffering Reflections on the State of Paranormal Belief in China" (Fall 1988). ical equipment at his disposal, from politically suspect class Since that time. Mr. Lin spent a year in Amherst. New York, and and a well-equipped portable backgrounds), die Communist frequently visited CSICOP headquarters and the adjacent Amherst hospital that accompanied revolutionaries were faced campus of the State University of New York at Buffalo. A Chinese del­ Mao and his entourage on egation composed of members of China's Popular Science magazine with an immediate need to be and association visited the United States, and six members of this their frequent, impulsive seen as "doing something" delegation participated in a CSICOP conference in Dallas and visited romps around the vast coun­ about the dismal state of med­ skeptical groups in Boulder and Los Angeles. tryside. ical care in China at die time. In an effort to maintain contact, our Chinese colleagues indi­ With the economy devastated, cated a desire for a third visit. Barry Beyerstein, Wallace Sampson, Although the health of hard currency almost nonexis­ and Andrew Skolnick made the trip. We are glad to publish the first the masses did begin to tent, and hostility emanating part of their article below. Part 2 will be published In the next issue. improve following the revolu­ A delegation of six Chinese researchers are participating in the from most foreign capitals, the tion, the herbal remedies, first World Skeptics Congress in Amherst, New York, in June 1996. new regime saw little hope of acupuncture, and moxibus- We are also pleased that with this issue we will begin listing 2 soon being able to afford two contact groups in China. I should point out that the Chinese tion dispensed by Mao's Western medical technology have published translations of many articles and books by skeptics. "barefoot doctors" probably and pharmaceuticals for a We hope to continue our dialogue. contributed much less to the population that was already approaching 600 million. Thus improvement than several the Communist Party began a concerted effort to convince the phenomenal efforts in the public health sphere (after all, folk masses that TCM, like other aspects of Chinese culture, was medicine had been the only treatment available to the masses not merely equivalent but superior to decadent "imperialist" up to that time and the state of their health had been far from alternatives. This of course carried the added political bonus of encouraging). Recruited from the peasantry, the "barefoot fostering national pride and solidarity among a war-weary and doctors" were armed with exhortations from the ubiquitous fractionated people. booklets of Mao's quotations and training roughly equivalent to that of first aid attendants in the West. They organized vast and successful communal health projects. Sanitation facilities But while TCM was being touted to the masses by the and access to safe drinking water were greatly improved and several parasitic epidemics were brought under control. At the Barry L. Beyerstein is associate professor of psychology and a mem­ same rime, the spread of sexually transmitted diseases was con­ ber of the Brain Behavior Laboratory at Simon Fraser University tained and greater social stability allowed improvements in (Burnaby, B. C, V5A 1S6, Canada). He is a Fellow and member diet, perinatal caic, and basic immunization (Horn 1976; of the Executive Council of CSICOP. Wallace Sampson is clini­ China Report 1983). cal professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine (Division of Hematology!Medical Oncology, Santa TCM had been the treatment of the Chinese people since Clara Valley Medical Center, 751 South Bascom Avenue, Santa ancient times,' but having gained Mao's somewhat cynical Clam, CA 95128). He is the board chairman of the National imprimatur, TCM's leaders began to amass increasing political Council Against Health Fraud and a Fellow of CSICOP. power in the new China. Western journalists who accompa-

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 19 nied Richard Nixon during his historic rapprochement with to replace the scientific worldview with mystical beliefs and, in the Chinese government were intensively courted by the TCM particular, their willingness to credit virtually any healing establishment, as were later delegations of Western doctors claims, providing they are ancient or hail from exotic places. (China Report 1983; Skrabanek 1985). These delegations TCM's growing r/opularity in Europe and North America were shown major surgery being performed wirJi acupuncture is widely recognized. Its shaky scientific foundations and eco­ anesthesia. When columnist James Reston required an emer­ nomic and politically driven push for legitimacy are perhaps gency appendectomy during Nixon's visit, he was widely, less well known. When the authors' trip to China was con­ though erroneously, believed to have been given only ceived, the movement to make TCM part of the therapeutic acupuncture as a pain killer during the surgery. It was not until mainstream in the West had already been 20 years in gestation. much later mat it was revealed that the Chinese surgical By 1995, the U.S. Office of Alternative Medicine had been patients observed by foreign delegations had been preselected created by Congress (not by scientists, it should be noted) and for high pain tolerance and heavily indoctrinated beforehand.' was sponsoring alternative medicine projects that were It was also disclosed that these demonstration cases were rou­ expected to provide hard evidence to justify some of these tinely administered surreptitious doses of morphine in an treatments.6 TCM practitioners have recently requested that intravenous drip that supposedly contained only hydrating the U.S. Food and Drug Administration upgrade acupuncture and nourishing fluids (Keng and Tao 1985). In addition, it has needles from the "investigative device" category, and Congress since come to light that much of the has just passed a bill upgrading the apparently objective and well-con­ official medical status of these nee­ trolled research on TCM emanating dles. U.S. schools of TCM. felt by from Chinese medical schools during many to be diploma mills, are gradu­ die tumultuous era of the cultural ating practitioners who clamor for revolution (1966-1976) was falsified licensure. Twenty-eight states have at the behest of the hospitals' scientif­ already licensed lay acupuncturists, ically unqualified political commis­ and most states allow physicians to sars to ensure that the "research" perform acupuncture. Some states would support the party line. allow lay acupuncturists to be "pri­ Despite this prevarication, most mary care physicians" for industrial experts today concede that acupunc­ injuries (and be paid the same as ture does have some analgesic proper­ licensed M.D.s and D.O.s). Seven ties (though its potency has been states now have laws allowing any greatly exaggerated). Similarly, many "licensed practitioner" to use any herbal remedies have already been method he or she wishes, as long as assimilated into scientific medicine/ the patient is informed in advance On the other hand, proof for the A ward at the Acupuncture Clinic in the China Academy that the treatment lacks scientific val­ hyperbole served up by some profes­ of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing. Patient with idation. acupuncture needles inserted in his leg for treatment of sors of acupuncture from the TCM musculoskeletal problems. Next to his bed can be seen Likewise, unproven and possibly institutes Barry Beyerstein toured dur­ the electronic stimulator for delivering current pulses dangerous herbal remedies are widely through the inserted needles. (Photo: Barry Beyerstein) ing a visiting professorship in China in sold in health food stores, herbalist 1990 remains as elusive as ever. For example, he was told then shops, and by mail order in the U.S. and Canada. These prod­ that acupuncture can cure cholera, deafness, paralysis, cataracts, ucts evade the regulations, which require prescription drugs to and mandibular overbite, among other things. Although the demonstrate their safety and efficacy scientifically, by means of evidence was lacking, claims like these appealed to deep-seated a loophole that permits herbal remedies to be marketed as longings in certain social movements that were emerging in the "food supplements." West during the 1970s. The "New Age" movement is only the A bill before the U.S. Congress would legitimize all latest in die long history of Western movements populated by unproven remedies in all states; and no longer would use of sci­ seekers who have turned to the East for answers in times of dis­ entifically discredited treatments be grounds for discipline by illusionment. As Huston (1995) has noted: professional boards. Practitioners of TCM stand to gain immensely from these political gambits. Much of the willing­ The history of Sino-American relations is in part a story of ness of North Americans to support these trends has been due Americans looking to the East and interpreting a huge, com­ to uncritical media reports concerning the extent and effective­ plex and, to an outsider, confusing culture in such a way that ness ofTC M in China today. As several members of the Chinese they see what they desire and fear die most. scientific community became aware of these shifting attitudes in the West, they began to worry that their reputations were being Among New Agers in Europe and North America, there tarnished abroad by the growing acceptance of the media-driven was an eagerness to embrace the "natural" and "holistic" phi­ notion that Chinese medicine was undergoing a wholesale losophy they perceived in TCM. It fit nicely with their desire reversion to its ancient, mystical roots. Thus it seemed a muru-

20 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER ally advantageous time for a North American team to look into called "meridians." By balancing Qi in this way, they say, die status of TCM in China. An invitation from the Chinese health is maintained or restored. Some of the means for Association for Science and Technology (CAST) to these achieving this balance can look rather strange to those accus­ authors and Andrew Skolnick, associate news editor of the tomed to scientific medicine. Take, for instance, something Journal of the American Medical Association, afforded us that widely sold in China, the "505 Magic Bag." It is "shaped like opportunity. CAST has long been a foe of pseudoscience in an apron and, containing 50 [herbal] ingredients, [it] can pre­ China and welcomed the opportunity to strengthen the coop­ vent and treat many diseases of the stomach and intestines erative ties it had already forged with CSICOP . . . [when] the bag [is worn] close to the navel" (Hou 1991).7 Critics have pointed out that TCM relies, even today, on an What is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)? ancient philosophical view of the body that was formulated during an era when the Chinese, for religious reasons, were forbidden to dissect cadavers. Thus the organ systems referred Every culture, including the Western culture, has evolved an to in the ancient texts that still underlie TCM's practices are indigenous system of folk healing (Atkinson 1956). Because of merely metaphors that bear little relationship to the anatomi­ the body's natural restorative processes and the power of the cal systems revealed by Andreas Vesalius, William Harvey, and placebo effect, many physiologically inert folk remedies have the other pioneers of scientific medicine.' Chinese medicine long enjoyed unearned credit for curing diseases. It is only in the of 3,000 years ago was certainly no modern scientific era that it has been more primitive than the folk prac­ possible to separate truly effective tices from the same era that treatments from only apparently effec­ evolved into Western medicine; tive ones by means of double-blind, but just as we no longer rely on the random-assignment, placebo-con­ astronomy of ancient Greece, it trolled tests. When submitted to ade­ would seem that progress in quate clinical trials, some ancient folk anatomy, physiology, pathology, remedies have proven their worth; and therapeutics has rendered most many more have not (Nolen 1974; ancient medical practices obsolete. Stalker and Glymour 1985; Skrabanek For those who would argue that and McCormick 1990; Randi 1989; antiquity implies validity, consider Barrett 1990; Pantanowitz 1994). It the longevity of racism, sexism, or was our desire to see what progress the the belief in a flat Earth. Chinese were making in scientifically evaluating traditional treatments that Although TCM is based on a motivated our tour of the major TCM philosophical rather than empirical centers in Beijing and Shanghai during understanding of bodily function, it the summer of 1995. TCM Library at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese is possible that some of its proce­ Medicine in Beijing, A centuries-old herbalist's manual is dures might still work, but for rea­ Practitioners of TCM consider it preserved in an elaborate folding protective cover. (Photo: an empirical "science" of healing that Barry Beyerstein) sons unrelated to the magical belief has proved its worth in Asian coun­ system that supplied their rationale thousands of years ago (Xie 1995). Open-minded physicians tries for more than 3,000 years (Wallnofer and von everywhere would welcome any treatment that could benefit Rottauscher 1975). According to Chinese government figures, their patients, regardless of its origins—providing it can demon­ there are now more than 2,000 TCM hospitals throughout the strate its value in properly controlled clinical trials. It was in this country (Hou 1991). Unlike Western scientific medicine, spirit that we approached the fact-finding mission that took us which aims to identify and counteract specific pathogens for to the foremost TCM facilities in the People's Republic. different disease states, TCM views all illnesses as the conse­ quence of a unitary cause, namely an imbalance of vital ener­ We had been aware for some time that Chinese Qigong gies in the body. The term Qi, which translates roughly as masters were amassing considerable wealth and political power "divine breath," refers to these putative energies, which arc by allegedly healing people with mysterious force fields—sup• assumed by TCM to permeate everything in the universe. posedly "external" manifestations of their Qi "energy." Many With respect to biological organisms, Qi is rather like the con­ masters subsequently immigrated to North America where cept of elan vital, a hypothetical "life force" that was aban­ they established even more lucrative healing ventures. Qigong doned in Western medicine when scientific discoveries made masters were featured in Bill Moyers's highly acclaimed but embarrassingly credulous 1993 public television series, it apparent that there is no essential difference in chemical "Healing and the Mind." Appearing with Moyers on one seg­ constituents or processes between living and inanimate matter. ment was David Eisenberg, who enhanced his already high TCM's advocates assert that herbs, moxibustion, massage, standing in the alternative medicine community by promoting breathing exercises, acupuncture, and certain foods are able to the powers of the Qigong mentor, Master Shi. Moyers's restore the balance of the Yin and Yang, variants of Qi energy, demonstration made it appear that Shi, this elderly, frail man. which are supposed to flow in invisible channels in the body

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 21 had the strength to resist vigorous shoving by his hearty young invoked it to diagnose illnesses, it is the same "energy" that students, whereas he could apparently "push" them around TCM advocates say runs dirough acupuncture meridians to from a distance with the invisible force of his external Qi. Our effect healing. It has always struck us as odd that proponents study of slow-motion replays led us to conclude that the stu­ can accept that this mysterious energy is unable to interact dent was not exerting any great muscular force on the master's with the physical matter in the sensors of measuring instru­ body, but was only pretending to do so.' At one point, even ments (which could confirm its existence) while it is still able the trusting Eisenberg is heard to shout, "Try harder. You look to interact with the physical matter of bodily organs to "read" like you are faking it." In response to the master's movements, their state of health and produce a cure. another student leaped backward, making it appear that the It was against this background of mysticism, naive trust in master's "energy" had repelled him without physical contact. testimonials, prior incidents of fakery, and a host of inter­ Peter Huston, writing in the September/October 1995 twined political and ideological considerations that we set out SKEPTICAL INQUIRER ("China, Chi, and Chicanery") reached to look into TCM's claims ourselves. We wanted to see if the same conclusion that we did from studying this perfor­ Qigong and other TCM practices were as fully integrated with mance. It looked like a well-rehearsed ballet. Various stage tricks passed off as miracles by Qigong masters have been scientific medicine in the Chinese health care system as pro­ repeatedly exposed by Chinese investigators, who were among ponents on this continent assert." We had hoped to observe our hosts during our tour of China herbal prescribing, traditional pulse and tongue diagnoses, (Lin et al., in press). cupping, moxibustion, "back scrap­ ing," and the use of acupuncture for Eisenberg's 1982 book, Encounters anesthesia, analgesia, and treatment with Qi, recounts the postgraduate of organic disorders. Some of these training in TCM he received in we saw and others we did not, since China. In the book he describes our hosts in the TCM institutions many supposedly proven paranormal selected our itineraries for reasons 0 feats performed by Qigong masters.' steeped in philosophy, politics, and Although he makes a few token courtesy. proclamations of skepticism, Eisenberg seems curiously loath to ask the mas­ Our Visit ters to recreate the effects he observed under conditions that Beijing: June 1995. While we were would prevent the kind of stage in Beijing, we enjoyed the superb tricks the demonstrations clearly hospitality of Madam Shen Zhenyu resembled. In Encounters with Qi, he of CAST (the principal organizer), unquestioningly accepts the thera­ Mr. Lin Zixin (former editor of peutic benefits of balancing the Research poster, laboratory of Dr. Han Jisheng. Neuroscience Science and Technology Daily and a body's (internal) Qi with herbs, Research Center, Beijing Medical Center. The poster depicts CSICOP Fellow), Madam Shen acupuncture, and moxibustion (also biochemical effects of acupuncture discovered in Han's labo­ Zhen-xin (of the Academia Sinia), an herbal treatment). When he ratory. (Photo: Barry Beyerstein) and Mr. Bai Tongdong, a graduate returned to China with Moyers, Eisenberg continued to student at Beijing University. embrace die dierapeutic effects of TCM as enthusiastically as he had back in his student days when he accepted as real the While touring the Forbidden City with us, Mr. Bai, a kind of "external Qi" effects others have exposed as magic physicist and graduate student in the philosophy of science, tricks. Moyers seemed equally willing to credit the healing set die tone for our later discussions with his assertion that Qi powers of Qi on the basis of nothing; more than patient testi­ is a philosophy, not a reflection of physical reality. In his view, monials and the word of his guides. Eisenberg now directs the principles of TCM, including Qi, are merely useful, alternative medicine courses for medical students and physi­ socially determined metaphors for the realities and facts that cians through Harvard University. These courses and a 1993 only science can provide. He did not offer opinions on die article he coauthored on alternative medicine (Eisenberg et al. validity of traditional Chinese medicine. 1993) were funded by the Fetzer Institute, a $200 million The morning of our first full day, we were taken to a major endowment for the propagation of various unproven hospital and research institute at Beijing Medical University. "mind/medicine" principles. There we were greeted by Professor Han Jishen, a world- famous neurophysiologist, and several other distinguished The effects shown on Moyers's program were said to be dri­ faculty members. Dr. Han proceeded to chair a seminar that ven by "external Qi," the same doubtful force invoked to included descriptions of the institute, its achievements in both explain allegedly supernatural feats, (extraordinary functions Western and traditional Chinese medicine, and discussion of the human body) that the 1988 CSICOP delegation among ourselves and the assembled faculty. exposed as conjuring tricks. Although the delegation found One of the speakers was Dr. Xie Zhu-fan, director of the this "force" dismally inaccurate when the Qigong masters Institute of Integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and

22 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Western Medicine. In his presentation he oudined three his­ whether the cellular effects of acupuncture found in the ani­ torical phases in die resurgence of TCM in China. Dr. Xie did mal experiments could legitimately account for the myriad not mention the political contributions to this renaissance, clinical effects in human patients claimed by practicing merely saying diat in the early 1950s TCM began to be taught acupuncturists. after decades of neglect and that some Western-trained A detailed account of Dr. Han's research is beyond the Chinese physicians had been released from their duties to scope of this article, but we can summarize some of his work, study TCM. After this, he said, there followed a period which has been widely published and presented at interna­ devoted to documenting die clinical effects of TCM. Dr. Xie tional conferences (e.g., Chen et al. 1994). Dr. Han showed, admitted, as he does in his recent book (Xie 1995), that TCM before the discovery of the enkephalins (the brain's endoge­ philosophy is not compatible with modern science; but that nous morphinelike neurotransmitters), that acupuncture acupuncture and some other traditional techniques have been caused a reduction in pain responses in rabbits and that trans­ demonstrated clinically to have analgesic properties or positive fusing a treated animal's cerebrospinal fluid into a nontreated effects on certain functional disorders. animal produced a similar effect in the second rabbit. It was According to Dr. Xie, the Chinese arc now in the third suggested that acupuncture had elevated the pain threshold by phase, the investigation of mechanisms that could account for triggering a release of a transmissible agent (later identified as TCM's clinical effects. For example, he said they had con­ the opioid peptides, enkephalin and endorphin). Dr. Han firmed the ability of certain Chinese later showed, by using antisense herbs to dilate blood vessels, decrease DNA in the system, that the abil­ platelet activity (inhibit blood clot­ ity of acupuncture to produce anal­ ting), and "modulate immune gesia [lowered sensitivity to pain responses." Because of the multiple while conscious] can be prevented actions of herbs, each could be used by blocking the expression of the for several different disorders. Dr. Xie endorphin receptor on the surface did not explain how these effects had of spinal neurons. Others have been determined: whether the mix­ shown that endorphin-blocking tures raised or lowered blood pressure drugs also reverse acupuncture and just how "immune system mod­ analgesia. ulation" (we're not sure exacdy what More rccendy, Dr. Han's group he meant by this term) benefits the has shown that the peptide neuro­ patient. There was no discussion of transmitter cholecystokinin (CCK side effects. Here, and during our dis­ —receptors for which are believed cussions with other TCM physicians, to be distributed in close proximity it seemed axiomatic that when herbal to those for the endorphins) antag­ medications are ingested, only desir­ onizes the endorphin-related able outcomes follow.12 A ward at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing. Patient is being treated for a gastrointestinal problem effects of acupuncture. It seems to using a process called moxibustion. The wooden box contains After the opening seminar, we smoldering herbs on a meshwork bottom that is in contact with do so by altering the endorphin were taken on a tour of Professor the skin of the patient's abdomen. (Photo: Barry Beyerstein) receptor's affinity for its transmit­ Han's laboratory. Dr. Han heads an institute with a staff of ter, or its ability to conduct messages inside the cell. Dr. Han thirty-seven that occupies three floors of one campus building. thinks that natural hyperactivity of the CCK system in about His support comes primarily from governmental grants, there 10 to 20 percent of the human population is responsible for being few, if any, independent sources of funding in China. the finding that a similar percentage of normal people is Dr. Han also has grants from the National Institute on Drug totally "nonresponsive" to acupuncture. He said he belongs to Abuse in the U.S. and Upsa Laboratories, a French pharma­ that group of nonresponders. ceutical company. We met several of his collaborators, whom Our visit was too short to assess the adequacy of the we observed in their labs. Although the lab appointments were methodology or the validity of these studies, although they simple, they were serviceable. The hallways were dimly lit by seemed sound and have been published in peer-reviewed jour­ single, sparsely distributed fluorescent lamps, electricity appar­ nals. Nonetheless, we felt that although this research is impor­ ently being expensive. Much of the lab's equipment had been tant basic science, it does not bear directly on many of the donated by an admirer of Dr. Han's, the distinguished opiate clinical claims made by acupuncturists. For instance, a rise in researcher, Avram Goldstein, who shipped his furnishings and endorphin levels has been attributed to a number of varied apparatus to Beijing after retiring from Stanford University. activities running, meditating, etc.—so Dr. Han's findings The institute's walls were decorated with poster presentations are not necessarily uniquely caused by acupuncture. The from research meetings that described the lab's discoveries. demonstration of an agent's effect in an animal model does not Professor Han spent two more hours with us, touring the lab automatically imply its reproducibility, specificity, or signifi­ and summarizing the work of his group on the physiology and cance in clinical practice. neurochemisrry of acupuncture. Our interest was to see Dr. Han maintained that, in humans, the acupuncture

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 23 point between the thumb and forefinger is specific for the special "profession" now needs to be created to administer this results he measured; but others have found that the exact procedure, so little about it having been satisfactorily proved. placement of the needles is unrelated to the pain relief or other We next visited several clinics at the China Academy of clinical effects obtained (Richardson and Vincent 1986). In Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing. The main one was a addition, other researchers have failed to reproduce die rever­ moderate-sized room, approximately 12 by 4 meters, crowded sal of acupuncture analgesia by the morphine antagonist with ten or twelve patients being treated—most with naloxone, so die conditions under which measurements are acupuncture, several with acupuncture and moxibustion, and made may be important, and the optimal ones are not yet two with cupping, as described below. The acupuncturist known. It should also be noted that the role of the endorphins deftly twirled the needles in the prescribed points, leaving in pain relief remains controversial because plasma endorphin them in place for twenty to thirty minutes. Some patients concentrations are not consistently related to levels of pain received electroacupuncture, others the traditional method. experienced by humans (Skrabanek 1985). And finally, a tran­ Moxibustion, the placement of burning herbs on the surface sient rise in endorphin levels could not reasonably account for of the body, is like the process of "blistering" common in pre- the prolonged pain relief claimed by acupuncturists, nor other scientific Western medicine. Here it was administered by plac­ avowed cures in organ systems that are unaffected by the ing the smoldering material in a wooden box with a porous, endorphins- recessed bottom that was placed on the diseased body part— Dr. Han has also developed a in these cases, the back or the stom­ low-voltage electric stimulator for ach. This was difficult for us to administration of electroacupunc- understand because we could not ture, which he favors for both see how any active ingredients the research ind therapy. Known as the burning herbs might contain could "HAN ."4 S," we found it used be absorbed in therapeutic quanti­ throughout China by those who ties, and we had read previously prefer to deliver brief electric pulses that, for moxibustion to be effec­ through acupuncture needles rather tive, the herbs must be twisted into than merely twirling the needles in small cones and burned precisely the traditional manner. It resembles over the appropriate acupuncture the TENS transcutaneous stimula­ points. Moreover, the same herbal tors widely used in Western pain mixture seemed to be used indis­ clinics. criminately for a variety of quite Dr. Han was most gracious to us, different complaints. and he is obviously a leader in his For cupping, heated clear glass field. At the end of our tour, we vessels were placed on the upper wondered if he would agree, as we Group photo at the Forbidden City in Beijing. From left to back and shoulders, on presumed had read, that a number of other, right Bai Tongdong, Andrew Skolnick, Shen Zhenyu, Wallace meridians or acupuncture points. As Sampson, Barry Beyerstein. less invasive stimuli can also raise the cups cooled, skin was sucked up, endorphin levels in the central nervous system. We asked if it much as with a vacuum cleaner. The rationale given was that were not true, as Dr. Victor Herbert had shown," that any irri­ the suction draws out bad or diseased energy from the body. An tative stimulus, such as a pinch, might produce a similar rise identical practice survived from ancient times until surprisingly in endorphin levels (this is conceded by many acupuncturists recently in Western medicine as well—to draw out diseased who use "acupressure" where the skin points are simply mas­ "humors" or "vapors" that are no longer believed to exist. saged rather than needled). He replied that yes, that is so, but While touring the TCM complex, we made several obser­ acupuncture does not hurt as much as a pinch. We wondered vations. The total space in this institution devoted to the prac­ at this juncture why pinch controls are not routinely included tice of TCM was a relatively small portion of its holdings. The in acupuncture experiments and how one could justify clinical rest of the complex of several large buildings was apparently use of an invasive method (needling) known to be capable of devoted to more mainstream scientific research. We asked producing serious complications to obtain such modest, what portion of the total medical services delivered in China inconsistent results. We, like Skrabanek (1985), also wondered was TCM, and how people were chosen to receive TCM treat­ whether suggestion and placebo effects had really been ruled ments. We received some surprising answers: Patients gener­ out by acupuncture researchers as a more parsimonious expla- ally request TCM treatments themselves, rather than being narion for observed clinical effects in humans. The argument referred to TCM practitioners by biomedically trained physi­ that acupunctures effectiveness in animals eliminates the cians. Most scientifically trained doctors do not practice placebo explanation ignores the fact that the immobilization TCM, nor do they decide on the mode of treatment if they necessary to insert the needles in animal subjects has been should refer a patient for TCM. shown to produce a son of catatonia/analgesia by itself.14 At TCM is practiced at the institute by specialists trained in the very least, we went away wondering why, back home, a their respective techniques. We were told that most TCM stu-

24 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER dents receive little scientific medical education and, overall, sci­ we were there. On another floor we were shown a major pro­ entifically trained physicians seemed to have little interaction ject funded by the UN's World Health Organization to estab­ with TCM practitioners. Some physicians from abroad were lish a computer database from this storehouse of information studying at the institute, but most of the foreign students we about TCM. met were physiotherapists, health food entrepreneurs, natur­ Interspersed with our packed itinerary of official visits, we opaths, or other alternative medicine practitioners. By 1991 were shown the sights of Beijing including the Forbidden City, more than 2,000 foreign students had graduated from die the Summer Palace, and several museums; and we trekked thirty TCM colleges in China. At any given time, there are typ­ along the Great Wall. Everywhere we went, our hosts pam­ ically 30,000 Chinese students studying TCM (Hou 1991). pered and fed us in grand style. Our questions were answered We were told that, these days, die proportion of Chinese frankly and we were always made to feel most welcome. In patients choosing TCM, nationwide, is only about 15 to 20 per­ Part 2 of this report [to be published in a future issue of 57], cent, a figure that surprised us, but was consistent with the rela­ we shall describe the major scholarly conference CAST tively small area allotted to these practices in the institute we vis­ arranged to coincide with our visit, and our further explo­ ited in Beijing. Government publications as recent as 1991 had rations of TCM in Shanghai. put die usage rate for TCM at about one-third of all patients in die country (Hou 1991). The 15 to 20 percent estimate was later Notes reiterated by odier informants who practiced TCM in Shanghai. 1. "Qi" is the name Chinese philosophy gives to a scientifically unde­ Most TCM patients we observed were being treated for chronic tectable force or energy that is supposed to permeate all things. Believers in problems such as indigestion, back pain, arthritis, and bursitis, TCM assert that imbalances in the flow of Qi are responsible for disease, fatigue, etc. Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, etc., supposedly restore well-being which was not surprising to us. Conditions such as these often by rebalancing the flow of this mystical essence. Qigong is a set of mental and respond well to reassurance and psychological interventions and physical exercises akin to those of Tai Chi Chuan and Ai-ki-do ih.it also diey tend to be cyclical, so virtually any treatment is likely to promise spiritual and physical benefits by channeling this mysterious energy. With its mental disciplines and breathing exercises, Qigong has long been coincide with relief at some time. This is why placebo controls practiced as a form of self-hypnosis that claims to promote relaxation and gen­ are essential in evaluating all putative therapies. eral health, much in the manner of certain yoga exercises. These days, practi­ tioners of this sort of discipline call it "internal Qigong" to distinguish it from We were surprised at the low levels of personal interaction so-called "external Qigong," which has enjoyed a dramatic rise in popularity between TCM therapists and their patients. The warm, indi­ in China and the West. Devotees of external Qigong claim they can control the Qi force outside their bodies to debilitate their foes, achieve the sorts of vidualized attention and extended time spent with patients (a psychic feats familiar to Westerners, as well as to diagnose and cure physical distinguishing feature of TCM according to its advocates in ailments. Qigong masters have become rich and powerful in China, filling North America) was not evident here. Most patients arrived at massive sports arenas for their demonstrations of magic and faith healing. Chinese skeptics who have exposed these Qigong hoaxers were among the the Beijing clinic with diagnoses in hand. The treatments we hosts of the delegation that included these authors (Lin ct ai., in press). saw seemed to be largely symptom oriented, contrary to claims 2. Moxibustion employs various herbal materials but instead of being of supporters in North America who see as one of TCM's supe­ eaten, they are twisted into small cones and set on fire. The cones arc placed riorities that it "treats die whole person." There was no over hypothetical "meridians" that arc supposed to supply "Qi energy" to the attempt, in our presence anyway, to diagnose with TCM meth­ afflicted pan of the body. There they smolder, much like lit tobacco leaves. Although this is the traditional procedure, in the clinics we observed it had ods (e.g., by reading the fifteen unique pulses traditional heal­ mostly been replaced by one in which a wire-bottomed box containing the ers say they can discern, or the more than 100 different diag­ smoldering herbs was simply placed over the site of the patients complaint. nostic signs on the tongue [see Wallnofer and von Rottauscher 3. We should note, as Skrabanek (1985) points out, that TCM has been 19751). Diagnoses for the patients we saw had generally been banned several times in Chinese history as useless, only later to be reinstated by official fiat. Mao's resurrection of TCM rescinded die 1929 ban instituted made by biomedical physicians, and the patients had elected to by the Kuomintang government, which had opted for scientific medicine over receive TCM in addition to their Western treatments. We were folk practices but did a very poor job of delivering it to the masses. not shown acupuncture anesthesia for surgery, this apparendy 4. Western physicians have long been aware that suitably selected patients can undergo major surgery without anesthesia and show astonishingly little having fallen out of favor with scientifically trained surgeons. evidence of suffering if given hypnotic inductions or any of a host of other, Dr. Han, for instance, had been emphatic that he and his col­ related cognitive/social manipulations (see Melzack and Wall 1982, or leagues see acupuncture only as an analgesic (pain reducer), not Skrabanek 1985). Modern psychological research has shown that pain is partly a sensation and partly an emotional reaction (the "agony component"). Any an anesthetic (an agent that blocks all conscious sensations). manipulation of attention, anxiety, or arousal that anenuates die emotional component leaves the purely sensory aspect of pain surprisingly tolerable. Before leaving the Beijing Institute, we were shown the 5. Many mainstays of modern pharmacology have their origins in tradi­ largest collection of references on TCM, especially herbalism, tional folk remedies (Lewis and Elvin-Lewis 1977). Traditional Chinese in China. We entered through a long reading room with rows herbalism has already provided scientific medicine with valuable medications such as ephedrinc (from the plant Chinese herbalists call "Ma Huang"). of display cases and tables. Another room branched from the Undoubtedly, many other useful medicines remain to be isolated from the side and at the end was a large vault, temperature- and humid­ huge traditional pharmacopeia. ity-controlled, containing stacks of rare, ancient volumes. Unfortunately, as it standi, must tiaditional herbs have not yet beer, prop Splendidly bound, they dated back many hundreds of years, erly tested for safety or efficacy. Thus, herbalism remains an inseparable mix­ ture of some safe and effective remedies, some inert placebos, and some dan­ some much more, and contained beautiful illustrations of gerous substances. It is difficult, if not impossible, in most instances, to tell medicinal plants. TCM recognizes more than 8,000 plant which concoctions belong in which of these categories. The encouraging news species as having medicinal value. Students come from all over is that, particularly in China, there are increasing numbers of attempts to apply scientific methods to separate the effective herbal medications from the China to study these tomes, although we saw only a few while placebos and to isolate the active ingredients in those that actually work.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 25 Firmly in the pscudoscience camp must be placed all traditional remedies milder, safer, and more benign than "manufactured" drugs is a common mis­ made from rhinoceros horns, tiger penises, bear gall bladders and other parts conception among most practitioners of herbal medicine. A moment's reflec­ of magnificent, endangered species. Lucrative poaching to harvest these body tion will reveal that strychnine, "deadly nightshade" (belladonna), and a vari­ pans is seriously threatening these animals with extinction. And all this for ety of mushrooms are among nature's most dangerous poisons. Many herbal useless treatments based solely on principles of sympathetic magic; i.e., the remedies arc of questionable safety, let alone efficacy (Tyler 1985). ancient belief that "like begets like." These are symbolically potent parts of 13. In a personal communication, Herbert presented the following powerful beasts, so it is believed that such organs must therefore magically account of a demonstration of animal acupuncture he had observed in China. transfer to the people who take them the vitality and fortitude of their donors. The experimenter inserted needles into the animal subject and took a blood 6. The newly appointed director of the Office of Alternative Medicine, sample that showed a rise in endorphin levels. Herbert asked if he could try Joe Jacobs, soon ran afoul of the wishes of the alternative medicine commu­ pinching the skin to see if it would have a similar effect on endorphin levels nity and resigned his post (Marshall 1994). Jacobs exhibited a rare and to that of the needles. It did. commcdablc mixture of willingness to entertain unconventional hypotheses 14. Known in the older literature as "animal hypnosis," grabbing and rapidly and a hardheaded demand for rigorous tests before accepting them. turning over small mammals can produce a stunned immobility, a protective Alternative practitioners had long contended that the only reason their treat­ freezing response, in which they appear to be insensitive to painfril stimuli. ments had not proven their worth scientifically was that the hidebound med­ ical establishment had prevented them from receiving the necessary research funds. When Congress suddenly made grants available through the new insti­ References tute, most proponents of alternative medicine proved that they didn't know Alcock. J., K. Frazicr, B. Karr, P. Klass, P. Kurtz, and J. Randi. 1988. Testing how to conduct proper clinical trials and didn't really want them anyway. psi claims in China: Visit by a CSICOP Delegation. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER When they increased their demands that most of the money be turned over to 12(4) (Summer): 364-375. them, without proper peer review, to continue gathering the scientifically use­ less testimonials they had always relied upon, Jacobs quit rather than perpe­ Atkinson, D.T. 1956. Magic. Myth and Medicine. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett. trate a charade. He called their demands "professionally insulting." Barrett, S. 1990. Health Schemes. Scams, and Frauds. Mt. Vernon, N.Y.: Consumer's Union. 7. This exemplifies another aspect of sympathetic magic in TCM. Chen, X.-H., S.-F. Guo, C-G. Chang, and J.-S. Han. 1994. Optimal condi­ Believers in "contact magic," say that things that are in physical proximity can tions for eliciting maximal clectroacupuncture analgesia with dense-and- influence each other by passing a mystical "vital essence," merely by being in dispcrse mode stimulation. American Journal of' Acupuncture 22(1): 47-54. the same vicinity. This is why psychics believe they can tell things about China Report: Health care in the world's most populous country. 1983. absent owners of objects they arc allowed to hold—the owners' essence sup­ Canadian Medical Association Journal. Special Report 109(2): 150a-150n. posedly transferred to the object and then into the psychic by contact. Eisenberg, D. (with T. L. Wright). 1982. Encounters with Qi: Exploring 8. For instance, no reputable scientist has ever found an anatomical basis in Chinese Medicine. New York: W W. Norton. the circulatory, nervous, or lymphatic systems for the "meridians" through which Eisenberg, D., R. Kessler, C. Foster, F. Norlock, D. Calkins, and T Delbanco. die health-enhancing vital energies posited by TCM are supposed to flow. The 1993. Unconventional medicine in the United States. New England energies themselves cannot be detected by conventional scientific instruments. Journal of Medicine 328(4): 246-252. Likewise, doubts have been raised because of the ways in which TCM remedies, Horn, J. S. 1976. Away with All Pests: An English Surgeon in People's China such as moxibustion, arc administered—it must be claimed that they interact with 1954-1969. New York: Monthly Revue Press. their target organs by some son of dubious "vibrations" or "sympathy" because our Hou, R. L. 1991, The golden age of Traditional Chinese Medicine. China modern understanding of the body's integument and membrane properties rules Today March, pp. 32-34. out their absorbtion by and distribution to target organs by any of die conven­ Huston, P. 1995- China, chi, and chicanery. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (5) tionally accepted routes. For instance, take this description of a TCM product pro­ (September/October): 38-42. moted by an official Chinese government publication: "Yuwang-Brand Superior Keng, H. C. and N. H. Tao. 1985. Translated by P. U. Unschuld. The evalu­ Weight-Reducing Bathing Liquid is made from medicinal herb extracts mixed ation of acupuncture anesthesia must seek truth from facts. In Medicine in with high quality detergent. It cleans the skin and promotes fat metabolism, help­ China: A History of Ideas, ed. by P U. Unschuld. Berkeley: University of ing to reduce weight and keep the figure slim" (Hou 1991, p. 33). California Press. 9. Whether this disciple was in fact "pulling his punches" intentionally to Lewis, W H. and M. P. F. Elvin-Lewis. 1977. Medical Botany: Plants Affecting make his master look good, or was psychologically deluding himself that he Health. N.Y.: Wilcy-Interscicnce. was actually applying massive force when he was not, remains a matter of Li, Z. S. 1994. The Private Life of Chairman Mao. N.Y.: Random House. conjecture. What is known is that strong believers arc capable of "ideomotor Lin. Z. X.. L Yu, Z Y. Guo, H. L Zhang. Z. Y. Shen, and T. L Zhang. (In actions" (or inactions) where they honcsdy believe their movements (such as press.) Qi Gong: Chinese Medicine or Pseudoscience' Amherst, N.Y.: with a Ouija board or a dowsing rod) arc not being initiated and controlled Prometheus Books. by their own volition (Vogt and Hyman 1979). Similarly, there is evidence Marshall, E. 1994. The politics of alternative medicine. Science 265: that people can sincerely convince themselves they are exerting muscular 2000-2002. effort when in fact they arc not. Various hypnotic phenomena are of this sort. Melzack, R. K. and P. Wall. 1982. The Challenge of Pain. Harmondsworth, 10. In a similar vein, Barry Beyerstein, when he lived in China several U.K.: Penguin Books. years ago, was told by the staff at his residence that they knew a Qigong mas­ Nolen, W A. 1974. Healing: A Doctor in Search of a Miracle. N.Y.: Fawcett Crest. ter who could leap over buildings. Of course, they said, the skeptical foreigner Pantanowitz, D. 1994. Alternative Medicine: A Doctor's Perspective. Johannes- could have a demonstration. Unfortunately, for some reason, the time was berg: Southern Book Publishers. never quite right. When he returned to Canada, Beyerstein organzed a lecture Randi, J. 1989. The Faith Healers. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. by a famous Qigong master, Ge, who had relocated to Vancouver. Ge Richardson, P. H. and C. A. Vincent. 1986. Acupunctutc for the treatment of promised to demonstrate the power of his Qi by making distilled water taste pain: A review of the evaluative research. Pain 23: 15—40. sweet. Once again, the audience was greatly disappointed when, after a ram­ Skrabanek, P. 1985. Acupuncture: Past, present, and future. In Examining bling, incoherent lecture, the master announced he was now too tired to do Holistic Medicine, ed. by D. Stalker and C Glymour, Amherst, N.Y.: the double-blind, forced-choice test Beyerstein had prepared. Ge's claim that Prometheus Books. Pp. 181-196. he could diagnose diseased organs by passing his hands over the surface of a Skrabanek, P. and J- McCormick. 1990. Follies and Fallacies in Medicine. patient's body and feeling a twinge in the same organ in his own body was met Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. with a question from the floor "And just how do you detect ovarian cancer?" Stalker, D. and C Glymour. Editors. 1985. Examining Holistic Medicine. 11. It was the conclusion of Barry Beyerstein, after touring several treat­ Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. ment facilities outside the largest Chinese cities six years ago, that the mtich- Tyler, V. 1985. Hazards of herbal medicine. In Examining Holistic Medicine. icized "complete integration" of traditional and scientific practitioners ed. by D. Stalker and C. Glymour. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. was not as happy a marriage as it had been portrayed. Back then, scientifically Vogt, E and R. Hyman. 1979. Water Witching U.SJ\. 2d Edition. Chicago: trained Chinese doctors were more circumspect in expressing their doubts University of Chicago Press. about official encouragements of TCM, but many of them expressed thci. Wallnofer. H. and A. von Rottauscher. 1975. Chinese Folk Medicine and reservations quietly to the visitor nonetheless. On this more recent visit most Acupuncture. London: White Lion Publishers. scientific critics were bolder, but still cautious. Xie, Zhu-fan. 1995- Best of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Beijing: New World 12. This belief that if something is "organic" or "natural" it must be Pn-s. •

26 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Maria s Near-Death Experience: Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop

The extraordinary story of a Seattle heart patient is widely cited as powerful evidence for a near-death experience as more than a complex hallucination. Here is our investigation of the claim.

HAYDEN EBBERN, SEAN MULLIGAN, and BARRY L. BEYERSTEIN

I'm not afraid to die; I just don't want to be there when it happens.

—Woody Allen

keptics enter most debates at a disadvantage because they are usually forced to cast doubt on comforting Sbeliefs. The idea that so-called near-death experiences, NDEs for short, could count as evidence for survival of the soul after death is perhaps the most comforting belief of all. Since physician Raymond Moody (1975) coined the term "near-death experience" to describe a reasonably consistent set of experiences recalled by about a third of those who are resuscitated after near-fatal incidents, such descriptions have been welcomed with enthusiasm by a large segment of the public. Susan Blackmore (1991) has described near-death experi­ ence as follows: "For many experiencers, their adventures

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 27 seem unquestionably to provide for evidence for life after observing attempts to revive its lifeless body. A subset of those death, and the profound effects the experience can have on who reach the OBE stage further report being ptopeiled them is just added confirmation. By contrast, for many scien­ through a spiral tunnel toward a bright light. For some, the tists these experiences are just hallucinations produced by the light eventually resolves into a significant religious figure, dying brain and of no more interest than an especially vivid deceased relative or friend, or vista of paradise. As rescue pro­ dream. So which is right?... neither is quite right: NDEs pro­ cedures begin to take effect, these patients often report feeling vide no evidence for life after death, and we can best under­ great reluctance at being pulled back into the painful, uncer­ stand them by looking at neurochemistry, physiology, and tain, everyday world. psychology; but they are much more interesting than any Virtually every book retelling this now-familiar story achieves dream. . . . Any satisfactory theory . . . leads us to questions best-seller status and reaps substantial rewards for its author. about minds, selves, and the naiure of consciousness." James Alcock (1981) provided several insights into the Historically, philosophers have used motivations underlying this fervent the term mind to refer to the subjective longing for "proof" of an afterlife. He awareness of one's self and its surround­ also suggested an explanation for why ings and the experience of imagining, the will to believe so readily overcomes planning, and willing our actions. the desire to examine the evidence criti­ Psychologists and neuroscientists gener­ cally (Alcock 1981, p. 65): ally prefer the term consciousness when referring to this inner stream of percep­ Intellectually capable of foreseeing that they will one day die, yet emotionally too tions, images, memories, and feelings. It frail to accept that physical death may is from them that the brain assembles indeed be the end of their existence, the conscious model it experiences as human beings have long clung to the reality. By mixing inference with sensory idea that life continues beyond the grave. inputs, body images, emotions, and stored memories, the brain constructs Alcock reminds us that survival our sense of an ongoing self dwelling in beyond death lies at the core of almost all a physical body, surrounded by a real formal religions and that protecting this world of objects and events. In religious hope was also a major impetus for the lore, the terms soul or spirit encompass founding of the modern discipline of not only this subjective awareness of the parapsychology. Alcock was referring in self and its whereabouts, but also the the latter statement to the eminent belief that this mental tableau is a mani­ group of British scholars and statesmen who in the nineteenth century banded festation of a divine essence each individ­ Figure 1. View from the ground outside ual is thought to possess. Believers con­ Harborview Medical Center where the shoe Maria together to form the Society for sider souls nonmaterial, usually immor­ said she saw was located. In the background is the Psychical Research. Disturbed by the Smith Tower, where an NDE support group said implications of modern science for their tal. In what follows, mind and conscious­ one would have to be positioned to see a shoe on the medical center window ledge. Christian worldview, these members of ness will refer to secular, naturalistic the intelligentsia espoused the goal of depictions of mental awareness. Soul or establishing scientific proof for the existence of an immortal spirit will be reserved for when the holder's views imply that soul. this awareness of the self is somehow supernatural, separable from the body, and capable of surviving death (i.e., in an Reports of NDEs appeared earlier than the nineteenth cen­ "afterlife"). NDEs are only one example of episodes in which tury, however. One of the earliest accounts is that of a soldier's the brain's construction of reality breaks down temporarily supposed return from death, found in Plato's Republic. The Bible and allows the self model to feel as if it were pure spiritual too is replete with stories of people raised from the dead, as are essence, no longer attached to a physical body. the sacred texts of most other faiths. Although reports of NDEs The NDE typically begins with a sense of serenity and have shown up over the centuries, the appearance rate seems to relief, followed by a feeling that the self is leaving the body (the have increased dramatically in recent times. This is likely due to "out-of-body experience," or OBE). From this vantage point, vast improvements in emergency medicine, coupled with a the supposedly disembodied spirit sometimes feels that it is worldwide resurgence of religious fundamentalism (a twentieth- century movement among Christians, Jews, and Muslims that Hayden Ebbern is an undergraduate in the Department of advocates the literal interpretation of their respective sacred writ­ Psychology and Sean Mulligan is a graduate student in the ings). The spiritual interpretation of NDEs is reinforced by the Department of Biological Sciences at Simon Fraser University. mass media, which prosper by pandering to public longings of all Barry Beyerstein is a faculty member and member of the Brain sorts, including the desire for life after death. Behavior Laboratory in the Department of Psychology at Simon The concept of immortality is, in the final analysis, a meta­ Fraser University Burnaby, B. C, V5A 1S6, Canada. physical proposition that can only be accepted or rejected on

28 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER faith (Edwards 1992). While faith alone used to be sufficient nation, but they forget that what we mean by the term halluci­ to bolster such convictions, the growing prestige of science has nation is an internally generated experience so detailed, emo­ left many sophisticated believers uneasy in the absence of more tional, and believable that it is indistinguishable from ordinary solid proof of an afterlife. In response, a field known as "near- perceptions of reality (Siegel 1992; Beyerstein 1996). death studies" has emerged with the thinly veiled agenda of It is also important to note that NDEs are always reported providing a scientific gloss for religious views of an afterlife. by people who presume they have died, but have not really About the same time, another field emerged known as "anom­ died. Cardiopulmonary arrest (C.P.A.)—i.e., stoppage of the alistic psychology" (Reed 1988; Zusne and Jones 1989; Neher heart and lungs—was once an adequate definition of death. 1990). It accepts that experiences such as NDEs and OBEs With the advent of modern resuscitation techniques, however, can seem compellingly real to those who have them, but offers it became possible in some cases to restore breathing and many reasons to doubt their reality outside the mind of the pulse, often as long as several minutes after they had ceased. percipient (Blackmore 1993). During C.RA., the brain undergoes sev­ Anomalistic psychology seeks naturalis­ eral biochemical and physiological tic explanations for various seemingly changes, but by relying on its limited supernatural states of consciousness backup of stored oxygen and metabolic based on sound psychological and neu- fuels, certain aspects of consciousness rophysiological research (Beyerstein can be sustained, albeit in a somewhat 1987-1988, 1988). degraded fashion. Thus, it is not surpris­ ing that there might be some residual To accept notions such as survival memories from the time that one was after death, disembodied spirits, and a dying, but not yet clinically dead. host of other parapsychological phenom­ ena, one must also adopt some form of That this minority of revived the philosophical doctrine known as C.P.A. patients recall anything from the "dualism" (Beyerstein 1987-1988). interval tells us more about how the Dualism asserts that the mind is funda­ brain creates our sense of self and the mentally different from the physical feeling that there is an external reality body, and this is essentially equivalent to than it does about the possibility of an the religious concept of an "immaterial afterlife. Much can be learned from soul." If dualism is correct, it is possible, studying the orderly fashion in which some say, for mind or consciousness to these internally consrructed models shut disengage temporarily from the body but down when the brain is traumatized, but still retain self-awareness and the ability because those who have been revived did to gathet information and interact phys­ not reach the irreversible state of brain ically with the environment. Many dual­ Figure 2. The Harborview Medical Center death, any experiences they recall cannot Emergency Room entrance, showing the canopy ists also believe that their spiritual selves and curved driveway. Maria's room was directly be said to have come from "the other are immortal and that these spiritual above the entrance. side." selves will eventually abandon their physical bodies and assume a separate existence in some other realm. All of this is The subjective contents of the NDE arc anything but impossible from the standpoint of "material monists" who unique to the onset of death. The basic elements of the NDE assert that the mind is equivalent to and inseparable from are common to hallucinations of various sorts. They are also brain function. found in psychedelic drug states, psychoses, and migraine and epileptic "auras" (Siegel 1992; Blackmore 1991, 1993; Beyer­ Not surprisingly, NDE accounts are welcomed by many stein 1996). Similar experiences have even been reported in a occultists because they appear to be a major impediment to surprisingly high proportion of those who panic during nat­ the materialist worldview they find so distasteful. Likewise, in ural disasters, when they are psychologically traumatized but fundamentalist circles, NDEs are hailed as a vindication for in no real physical danger (Cardena and Spiegel 1993). various spiritual teachings. If the components of the NDE have plausible roots in Materialists readily concede mat the subjective experiences of brain physiology, this undermines the argument that they arc the NDE feel very real. Indeed, they contend that NDEs helped a glimpse of the afterlife rather than a rich and believable hal­ suggest the concept of an immortal soul to our ancestors in the lucination. It is for this reason that accounts of NDEs that first place. Despite the subjective realness of the NDE, however, contain elements that are logically incompatible with the hal­ modern neuroscience offers not only a wealth of reasons to lucination hypothesis assume special importance. doubt the possibility of disembodied minds, but it also provides One attempt to gather objective evidence, rather than the much evidence that the compelling subjective phenomena of usual anecdotal, after-the-fact accounts, has been initiated by the NDE can be generated by known brain mechanisms the British psychiatrist Peter Fenwick (personal communica­ (Beyerstein 1988; Blackmore 1991, 1993). Believers counter tion). He has placed messages written on paper on ledges, above that the NDE seems too real to have been a dream or halluci- eye level, in the operating rooms of the hospital where he works.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 29 If a surgical patient should have an NDE/OBE, then his or her seriousness of the medical condition that led to her NDE, we spirit, which supposedly hovers far above the body, looking assume Maria is no longer living. The following description of down on it, should be able to read die otherwise inaccessible Maria's NDE is constructed from Clark's (1984) original messages and recall them when revived. As yet, no one has been report and from telephone and face-to-face conversations the able to provide this kind of objective evidence, which would authors had with Clark. admittedly create serious problems for the materialist position. In the absence of such proof, the spiritually inclined fall back on Maria's NDE those NDE reports where things are "recalled" about the resus­ citation environment, or about distant places that the revived In April of 1977, Maria, a migrant worker from the Yakima area person supposedly could not have known unless his or her spir­ of Washington state, was visiting friends in Seattle when she suf­ itual self had been observing from outside the body. fered a severe heart attack. She was taken, at night, by paramedics Psychologist Ray Hyman has long urged his fellow skep­ to Harborview Medical Center where she was admitted to the tics to concentrate on the cases that supporters of paranormal coronary care unit. Kimberly Clark, a social worker, was ran­ claims put forth as their very best. If these examples fall short, domly assigned to Maria to provide assistance with social and logically or empirically, the remainder must be even weaker. financial problems arising from her illness. Clark says she spent a In the area of near-death studies, the widely cited story of considerable amount of rime with Maria and was with her when, the Seattle heart patient known as "Maria" occupies a place of three days after her admission to the hospital, she suffered a car­ pride for paranormalists (Clark 1984; Wilson 1987; Rogo diac arrest. Because Maria was being monitored closely, she was 1989; Blackmore 1993; Ring and Lawrence 1993). resuscitated quickly and her condition stabilized. This account is held in Later the same day, Clark such high regard primarily returned to see Maria and for two reasons. First, many found her quite distressed of its proponents have some about what she had experi­ professional standing. More enced during the recent emer­ important, it is claimed that, gency. Maria told Clark, "The during her NDE, Maria strangest thing happened became aware of things, when the doctors and nurses including an oddly posi­ were working on me. I found tioned shoe, that were impos­ myself looking down from the sible for her to have known ceiling at them working on my unless her spirit had literally body." Clark was not immedi­ departed and returned to her ately impressed by this for she body. Throwing down the realized that, like most people gauntlet to disbelievers, the who have been exposed to prominent NDE researchers Figure 3. Close-up of a Harborview Medical Center third-floor window television, movies, novels, and Ring and Lawrence (1993, p. ledge and the investigators' shoe. magazines, Maria could be 223) say this about the case: expected to have known what would be happening during such a procedure. Maria had also Assuming the authenticity of the account, which we have no been in the cardiac facility long enough to become familiar with reason to doubt, the facts of the case seem incontestable. its staff, equipment, and emetgency routines. And, because hear­ Maria's inexplicable detection of that inexplicable shoe is a strange and strangely beguiling sighting of che sort that has die ing is one of the last senses to drop out as someone loses con­ power to arrest the skeptic's argument in mid-sentence, if only sciousness, she could have heard much that she seemed to know by virtue of its indisputable improbability. about her resuscitation when she later described the scene to Clark. Thus Clark initially leaned toward our position that Because Maria's story was frequently recommended to us as Maria's account was a sincere recollection of visual and audio their "best case" by those who believe NDEs are different from images that welled up from her memory during her cardiac hallucinations, we decided to conduct our own investigation. arrest. However, as Maria elaborated further, Clark began to In 1994, Hayden Ebbern and Sean Mulligan traveled to doubt her own initial assessment. Seattle to visit the sites where the events surrounding Maria's Clark began to be impressed when Maria told her of seeing NDE transpired and had several conversations with Kimberly chart paper streaming from the machines monitoring her vital Clark, who first reported the incident (Clark 1984). They also signs, even though no one had talked about it while reviving attended a meeting of the support group Clark founded for her. More dramatically, Maria also said that she became dis­ people who have experienced NDE. Despite repeated efforts, tracted by something over the emergency room driveway and including contacting media people who publicized the event, suddenly found herself outside the building, as if she had just we were unable to locate Maria or anyone other than Clark "thought herselP there. Maria also described the area around who claimed to have had direct contact with Maria. Given the the emergency entrance, relating details such as that the doors

30 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER opened inward, that the emergency entrance is reached by a from the opposite direction; i.e., looking from outside toward one-way road, and that the road had a curve in it. die building rather than from inside. Clark is adamant that These details piqued Clark's interest because she knew these details of the shoe could not have been visible from inside Maria had arrived after dark and she thought it unlikely that the hospital. Clark retrieved die shoe, convinced that it offered she would have absorbed much knowledge of the approaches irrefutable proof that Maria's spirit had indeed left her body to the emergency area. Initially, Clark considered the possibil­ and floated outside of the hospital during her cardiopulmonary ity that, because the room Maria was assigned is above the arrest. emergency entrance, she might have looked out die window sometime in die three days prior to her NDE, and noticed the Do These Recollections Require a layout of die area below. However, Clark told us that she came Spiritual Interpretation? to believe that these prosaic explanations were unlikely. She believes that Maria could not have seen On the surface, certain aspects of Maria's die driveway area from her window story seem to defy naturalistic explana­ because it is obscured by a canopy over tion. The leading NDE researchers Ring the entrance (Figure 2). And further­ and Lawrence, quoted earlier, accept more, Clark asserted, Maria had been Clark's spiritualistic interpretation restrained by various lines attaching her wholeheartedly, although they do admit to die physiological monitors, making it that not everyone would agree. There doubtful she could leave her bed to look are, of course, other plausible explana­ out the window. tions for the key points that distinguish Maria went on to describe being dis­ this case. Closer examination reveals that the story is much less impressive than it tracted again, diis time by something on seems at first blush. a third floor, outside window ledge at the north side of the hospital. Maria said she Clark was impressed by the fact "thought her way" up to the object and that Maria recalled seeing chart paper discovered that it was a shoe. She streaming from monitoring apparatus described it as a large tennis shoe that while she was supposedly out of her was worn at the small toe and sitting body. But, as Clark admits, Maria could with a shoelace tucked under the heel. have been familiar with the hospital Maria then asked Clark to search for the equipment and procedures. So, like shoe as a way of verifying that her spirit other pans of typical NDEs, it is quite had really been out of her body. possible that this was merely a visual memory incorporated into the halluci­ Clark went outside to see if she could Figure 4. Author Sean Mulligan outside the med­ natory world that is often formed by a make out die shoe from ground level, but ical center, with the investigators' shoe visible on sensory-deprived and oxygen-starved said she couldn't sec anything unusual in a third-floor window ledge. Note the construction fence that prevents the even closer access that brain. We know that the brain frequently the suggested direction. She then was possible around the time of Maria's NDE. tries to construct a substitute image of returned inside, went upstairs in diat external reality from memory when traumatic changes tem­ wing, and began going through various patients' rooms, look­ porarily deprive it of its normal sensory inputs (Blackmore ing out the windows. She recalls the windows as being so nar­ 1993; Beyerstein 1996). Because this memory-derived imagery row that she had to press her face against the glass, just to see is the most complete and stable construct the brain can muster the ledge at all. Eventually, by pressing her face tighdy against under the circumstances, it is accepted as reality for the the glass of one of die windows, Clark says, she was able to look moment. down and see a tennis shoe on die ledge. This was a third floor window ledge of a patient's room on the west side of die hos­ Maria's description of die emergency entrance and drive­ pital's nordi wing. The wing faces Puget Sound and a local way area may also seem extraordinary at first glance, but a bit landmark known as die Smith Tower (Figure 1). People at the of reflection upon standard hospital design suggests diat Maria NDE support group the authors attended embellished this pan reponed nothing more than what common sense would dic­ of die story, claiming that the shoe was positioned so diat one tate. It would strike most people as logical that the doors of a would have to have been in the Smith Tower, miles away, to be hospital emergency room would open inward as it would be at the correct angle to see it; then, of course, it would have been awkward for paramedics to have to negotiate doors that much too small to recognize from that distance. opened toward them as they rush patients, stretchers, wheel­ chairs, and other apparatus into the emergency room. In addi­ Although she had been able, with difficulty, to see the shoe tion, Maria may have picked up more direct knowledge of the from inside, Clark believed her view of it had differed from scene than she was aware of, for she had been brought into the Maria's. That is because for Maria to have noticed diat die side hospital through this entrance. of die shoe next to the small toe was worn and that a shoelace was tucked under the heel, she would need to have viewed it The same weaknesses are apparent when we consider

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 31 Maria's knowledge of the driveway. Although it was dark when heard such a conversation among any of the doctors, nurses, Maria arrived, die area is well-lighted. Even if she hadn't been patients, visitors, or other hospital staff who frequented this fully conscious and able to observe the scene as she was trun­ busy area. Memory researchers are well aware that people can dled through it (hospital officials would not confirm Maria's hear snippets of conversations outside their focal awareness level of consciousness upon arrival), it only makes sense to and recall the contents in various forms, including visual require one-way traffic in such areas to facilitate the safe and images, even though they honestly believe they never encoun­ orderly entrance and exit of speeding emergency vehicles. And tered the information before. This is known as "cryptomnesia" recall that the room Maria occupied for three days prior to her (Zusne and Jones 1989, p. 138). NDE was immediately above the emergency entrance (Figure Let us suppose, for rhe moment, that no one noticed the 2). Giving Clark the benefit of the doubt when she suggests original shoe in 1977 on the hospital ledge from outside the that never once did Maria catch a glimpse of the entrance area building. Would that rule out nonspiritualistic explanations beneath her window, it is still not far-fetched to assume that for the contents of Maria's NDE? Not necessarily. According she could have gained some sense of the traffic flow from the to Clark, it was nearly impossible to see the shoe from inside sounds of the ambulances coming and going. At night, reflec­ the building. She emphasized how difficult it was to find the tions of vehicle lights could also supply similar clues, even to shoe when Maria asked her to search for it: "I went up to the a bedridden patient. third floor and began going in and out of patients' rooms and While most parts of Maria's account are neither unique looking out their windows, which were so narrow that I had nor convincing, her sighting of the tennis shoe seems prob­ to press my face to the screen, just to see the ledge at all." lematic for those who would explain her NDE as a hallucina­ When Ebbern and Mulligan visited the third-floor wards at tion. Clark has long maintained that the shoe was unde­ Harborview, they did not find this to be the case at all. They tectable except from a vantage point outside of the hospital easily placed their running shoe on the ledge from inside one and above the third floor of the building. As part of our inves­ of the rooms and it was clearly visible from various points tigation, Ebbern and Mulligan visited Harborview Medical within the room. There was no need whatsoever for anyone to Center to determine for themselves just how difficult it would press his or her face against the glass to see the shoe. In fact, be to see, from outside the hospital, a shoe on one of its third- one needed only to take a few steps into the room to be able floor window ledges. They placed a running shoe of their own to see it clearly. To make matters worse for Clark's account, a at the place Clark described and then went outside to observe patient would not even need to strain to see it from his or her what was visible from ground level. They were astonished at bed in the room. So it is apparent that many people inside as the ease with which they could see and identify the shoe well as outside the hospital would have had the opportunity to (Figure 3). notice the now-famous shoe, making it even more likely that Maria could have overheard some mention of it. The peculiar­ Clark's claim that the shoe would have been invisible from ity of its position would almost certainly invite speculations ground level outside the hospital is all the more incredible about what kind of prankster or bungler could have been because die investigators' viewpoint was considerably inferior responsible. to what Clark's would have been seventeen years earlier. That is because, in 1994, there was new construction under way Those who prefer the spiritualistic explanation of Maria's beneath die window in question and this forced Ebbern and NDE also stress a number of details in her description of the Mulligan to view the shoe from a much greater distance than shoe. Clark has repeatedly declared that the only way Maria would have been necessary for Clark. Figure 4 shows Mulligan could have known about the worn spots on the shoe and posi­ in front of the construction fence that prevents the much tion of the shoelace was if she had been hovering outside the closer access that would have been possible in 1977. It is from window—allegedly these details were undetectable from any­ this position that die photo in Figure 3 was taken. where else. Having visited the scene ourselves, we determined The construction site had been, until 1994, a parking lot that one did not need to be pressed against the glass to see the and patient recreation area. Thus, back in 1977, many people shoe, but we did find that by assuming that position it would in this high-traffic area would have had the opportunity to get have been easy to discern the additional details that so a better view of a shoe on the ledge than we had. If we could impressed Clark. Looking down from that angle at the shoe see our shoe with such ease from a greater distance, it seems we placed on the ledge, we had no difficulty seeing the shoe's reasonable that many people who used the parking lot and allegedly hidden outer side. recreation facility would have noticed one as well. When Thus we believe we have shown that it would not have Ebbern and Mulligan returned to Seattle one week after plac­ been as difficult as Clark claims for Maria to have become ing the shoe on the third-floor ledge, the shoe had been aware of the shoe prior to her NDE. It would have been visi­ removed, proving that it was also discernible to someone not ble, both inside and outside the hospital, to numerous people specifically looking for it. who could have come into contact with her. It also seems It is not a far-fetched notion to assume that anyone who likely that some of them might have mentioned it within might have noticed the shoe back in 1977 would have com­ earshot. But even if we assume that none of this occurred, mented on it because of the novelty of its location. Thus, dur­ there are other considerations that make this less than the air­ ing the three days prior to her NDE, Maria could have over­ tight case its proponents believe it is.

32 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Memory and Interpretive Biases profitable, book on the subject. When Ebbern and Mulligan attended meetings of the support group Clark runs (which bills Kimberly Clark is not a trained investigator and she did not itself as devoted to scientific research into NDEs), they were publicly report the details of Maria's NDE until seven years after struck by the revival-meeting atmosphere. The participants it occurred. It is quite possible that during this interval some exhibited a conspicuous lack of scientific knowledge and low parts of the story were forgotten and some details may have levels of critical thinking skills. They seemed quite unaware of been interpolated. As Clark has not produced notes or record­ how to mount a proper investigation of such incidents. The ings from her interviews with Maria, we have no way of know­ appeal throughout was strictly to faith. The few mildly critical ing what leading questions Maria may have been asked, or what questions the visitors raised were decidedly unwelcome. Maria might have "recalled" that did not fit and was dropped from the record. Research shows that we all have a confirmatory Conclusion bias that leads us to recall and embellish information that sup­ ports our beliefs and to forget parts that do not. This is true Our investigation cannot prove that Maria's spirit did not both for individuals central to the event and for their support­ leave her body and return, nor that Kimberly Clark's recol­ ers, especially when an oral account of the event becomes the lections and interpretations are wrong. It does, however, show subject of controversy and there is a need to defend one's credi­ that this case, often touted as the best in the area of near- bility and point of view. Memory researchers call this tendency death studies, is far from unassailable, as its proponents assert. for stories to improve over time "sharpening and levelling." We have shown several factual discrepancies and plausible Details that support a story assume greater prominence, and ways that Maria's supposedly unobtainable knowledge could details that might make the story less convincing fade. have been obtained by quite ordinary means. On delving into In talking about her NDE, Maria could have unintention­ this incident, we were first disappointed, then amused, that ally filled in inferred details to flesh out the story. Pressed for such a weak case should have achieved the importance it has details by someone in a position of authority, this woman of been accorded. Ring and Lawrence (1993) certainly must have modest status could easily have succumbed to what psycholo­ spoken in haste when they issued theit challenge; for rather gists call "demand characteristics" and, quite innocently, filled than "arrest[ing] the skeptic's argument in mid-sentence," in more than she knew from direct experience. Research shows investigation of Maria's story has shown us the naivete and the that humans edit and shape memories in order to achieve a power of wishful thinking in the supposedly scientific area comprehensible and satisfying account of past events. Once known as "near-death studies." Once again, it is apparent why Maria had reported a shoe sitting on an outside ledge, it would Demosthenes cautioned, more than 2000 years ago, "Nothing have been plausible to infer it was an old shoe—otherwise is easier than self-deceit, for what each man wishes, that he wouldn't the owner have taken the trouble to retrieve it? From also believes to be true." this, it is only a small step to assume a worn toe, not unusual in an old shoe. That the shoelace was correctly described by References Maria as tucked under the heel may also have been a later addition to a story that, as we have seen, is marked with mem­ Alcock, J. E. 1981. Pseudoscience and the soul. Essence 5(1): 65-76. Beyerstein, B. L. 1987-1988. The brain and consciousness: Implications for ory distortions on Clark's part. As far as we were able to ascer­ psi phenomena. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 12(2) (Winter): 163-173. tain, Clark never photographed the shoe on the ledge. When Beyerstein, B. L. 1988. Neuropathology and the legacy of spiritual possession. Ebbern and Mulligan asked Clark about the current where­ SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 12(3) (Spring): 248-262. Beyerstein, B. L. 1996. Visions and hallucinations. In The Encyclopedia of the abouts of the shoe, Clark replied that she probably had it Paranormal, cd. by Gordon Stein. Buffalo. NY: Prometheus Books. around somewhere, maybe in her garage, but that it would be Blackmore, S. 1991. Near-death experiences: In or out of the body? SKEPTI­ too much trouble to look for it. This cavalier attitude toward CAL INQUIRER 16(1) (Fall): 34-45. the most important artifact in the field of near-death studies Blackmore, S. 1993. Dying to Live: Near-Death Experiences. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. struck us as odd, given the almost mythic status this humble Cardena. E. and D. Spiegel. 1993. Dissociative reactions to the Bay Area piece of footwate has been accorded. earthquake. American Journal of Psychiatry 150: 474-478. Clark, K. 1984. Clinical interventions with near-death experiencers. In The Perhaps in her excitement at discovering the shoe, and in Near-Death Experience: Problems, Prospects, Pnspectives, ed. by B. Greyson and C. P. Flynn. pp. 242-255. Springfield, III.: Charles C. Thomas. her haste to retrieve it, Clark did not spend sufficient time ana­ Edwards, P., ed. 1992. Immortality. New York: Macmillan. lyzing and recording details of the situation, and now honestly Moody, R. A. 1975. Lift after Lift. New York: Bantam. misremembers how closely the facts matched Maria's account. Neher. A. 1990. 7*e Psychology of Transcendence. New York: Dover. Note, for example, that her assertions about the invisibility of Reed, G. 1988. The Psychology of Anomalous Experience. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. the shoe are clearly exaggerated in her memory. The motivation Ring, K. and M. Lawrence. 1993. Further evidence for veridical perception to defend cherished or self-serving beliefs makes it easy for during near-death experiences. Journal of Near Death Studies 11: 223-229. unintentional embellishments to creep into key accounts as Rogo, D. S. 1989. The Return from Silence. Northamptonshire. U.K.: Aquarian Press. they are retold. In our discussions with her, Clark exhibited Siegel. R. K. 1992. Fire in the Brain: Clinical Talet of Hallucination. New York: obvious emotional commitment to the spiritual interpretation Plume/Penguin. of Maria's story. She has become a minor celebrity because of Wilson. I. 1987. The After-Death Experience. New York: William Morrow. her involvement with it and is writing yet another, potentially Zusne, L and W H. Jones 1989. Anomalistic Psychology: A Study in Magical Thinking. (2d ed.) Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum. •

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 33 Wait! I've Changed My Mind

Environmental doomsday models and eminent scientific and political authorities provide opportunities for teaching critical thinking to college students.

PAUL NICKEL with NANCY SHELTON

conoclastic writing assignments that require applying skeptical tests to environmental "doomsday models" are Ia dramatically successful way to teach students the nuts and boles of the scientific method. The students learn what the skeptical tests are and how to use them; and they learn the difference between advocates and scientists. (Advocates attempt to prove their models right, but scientists prove those models wrong.) A bonus is that with all this practice, student writing becomes better too. Writing assignments force reasoning and logic to be made explicit and visible in a comprehensible process. Applying skeptical tests in written assignments etches the tests firmly in students' brains. Students become better writers also because in too-large classes (120-170) they help edit each other's 25 formal and informal papers per semester. (Of course, the newly acquired critical thinking skills aren't lim­ ited to analyzing "doom scenarios." They are useful in nearly any subject, field, discipline, or project, e.g., history.)

34 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Why select environmentalism? Now that we no longer 5. Be wary of scientists (and economists and theolo­ believe Charles Wilson's "What's good for General Motors is gians) who fall madly in love with their own theories. good for the country," we are all environmentalists. That's one S—Professor Dorothy U. Seyler's "logical fallacies" from place many unquestioned, untested, unfalsified models are Read, Reason, Write (1984). Generalization tests include causes now: And that is precisely why we should question our beliefs. of illogic: egos, prejudices, resistance to change, a need for Obviously, the same critical methods can be applied to claims answers. Fallacies resulting from oversimplifying encompass:' in virtually any field. • errors in generalizing Doom Models • the forced hypothesis • non sequitur Most contemporary doomsday models begin with Thomas • slippery slope Robert Malthus's predicted population growth and resulting • false dilemma resource shortages. Other reasons for the predicted end of • false analogy the world include global warming, pollution, AIDS, the • post hoc fallacy "rainforests' revenge" (loss of lifesaving exotic plant cures), • begging the question global starvation, and global cooling. Fortunately, the pre­ • circular reasoning dictions and models are useful for teaching students to be • red herring skeptical and to question conventional wisdom, whether • straw man proffered by metaphysics, religion, environmental science, or • ad hominem social science. The easy adoption of and unquestioning belief • appeal to authority in conventional wisdom by the television generation gives • common practice/bandwagon the crafty teacher a way to present numerous evidence tests. A major virtue of environmental warnings is that failed mod­ N—Professor Paul Nickel's rules—drawn from life: els and predictions provide a magnificent way to teach sci­ Admit ignorance and reserve judgment; irreverence is the ence process, logic, reasoning, analytical writing, and the beginning of learning and provides good perspective for mod­ glum realization that we can't prove anything but should test els. If everyone believes it, it's probably wrong. Ask for evi­ everything. dence and test it. Evaluate tradeoffs—there must be tradeoffs. Look for counterintuitive evidence. Find the appropriate FRSNs (frissons) expert for testing evidence—scientists versus magicians to test paranormal claims? (Definitions, words, symbols, and evi­ Who/what arc FRSNs? Shorthand for critical thinking tools: dence tests are all that stand between us and burning tests and rules. witches.) F—FiLCHeRS—an acronym coined by James Lett (1990). FRSNs for skeptical thinking using contrarian, falsifiable, The capital letters stand for Falsifiability, Logic, and counterintuitive writing assignments can be taught to stu­ Comprehensiveness, Honesty, Replicability, Sufficiency. dents, using Judgment Day, end-of-the-world predictions by R—Rules by Milton A. Rothman (1990): eminent environmental scientists and other experts. 1. Don't believe everything you read or hear. Millenarian predictions, along with interesting interpretations 2. Cast a cold eye on studies and experiments from of murky chunks of Revelations and Nostradamus, can be which different workers elicit different answers. used to add color to the writing exercises. Millenarians have 3. If a claim is made for a phenomenon that violates one grasped the use of environmental doom and crashed ecosys­ or more of the laws of nature, be doubly cautious. tems as useful and persuasive reasons for their formerly vague, 4. Be skeptical of the opinions of experts outside their biblically interpreted, termination theories. areas of expertise. Strange bedfellows indeed, the millenarians and the envi­ ronmentalists. Many of their dates with destiny based on envi­ Paul Nickel teaches in Michigan State University's Department of ronmental, population, resource, and ecological crashes of one Resource Development. He consults on North American resource sort or another have passed unnotably. Several predictions problems for the Government of Canada's Environmental hover around the year 2000, although cannier prognosticators Indicators Task Force and for MSU's Writing Center, Bailey have cagily moved their date with doom well ahead into the Scholars' Program, and Quality of Undergraduate Instruction twenty-second century—evidendy to give themselves some Program. He is a member of the Advancement of Sound Science wiggle room. Coalition, Washington, D.C. Address: 315 Natural Resources Fortunately, for the few skeptical process teachers, plenty of Building, E Lansing MI 48824-1222. Nancy Shelton is a Nobel Prize winners and admired scientists are eager to pro­ writer)'editor who retired recently from the Defense Nuclear vide millenarians with good reasons why the world will end. Agency, and a member of New Mexicans for Science and Reason. They have predicted its terminal date on both sides of the mil­ Address: 11617 Snowheights Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM lennium. What a very satisfactory symbiosis—what a Dream 87112-3157. Team—to teach students to question authority and themselves

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 35 in writing by using science process and logic tests on every­ or her own "fully tested and true" beliefs and models. The one's models, instead of uninstructive, though personally sat­ errors of those who attempted to prove their models right— isfying, bombast and Menckenian iconoclasm. not wrong—provide wonderful lessons for students to learn. If Writing assignments teach and enforce use of skeptical you really want to advance knowledge (or at least informa­ tools and reasoning. Using FRSNs in writing gives students tion), reserve judgment, be modest, admit ignorance, test the useful skills of applying the scientific process because writ­ models using writing assignments, and falsify the models. ing makes thought visible, and falsifies it with questions, counterintuitive evidence, anticommon sense, and rewriting. A Second FRSN: Identify an Objective Function When students apply FRSNs, and they write and rewrite their reasoning and logic steps, they become more aware of their Teach students to recognize—and require of doomsayers or own flawed logic and violations in reasoning and reaching of any scientific hypothesis—a specified objective or inde­ conclusions. They also become less passive and gullible and pendent function, perhaps the predicted date of the world's more aggressive in fact-finding as they come to suspect that end, and subsequently determine by "test" if the predicted the most authoritative journal article can be as erroneous as a end happened. It's hard to make the end of the world a "rel­ National Enquirer story, but not as sensational. ative," instead of an "absolute," event for equivocation and argument. Doom dates do at least establish an objective Dirty Tricks function to be tested—did the world end on the specified date or not?—whether predicted by Indiana Millerites,2 the "My Very Own Favorite Doom Model I Believe Whole­ Ehrlichs, Rachel Carson, Club of Rome, Cornell ecologists, heartedly" is the tide of a short research paper assigned early in a $60 student textbook, or by the Branch Davidian's self-ful­ the semester. Accurate description, documentation, and filling prophecy (with the help from weapon suppliers, the authorities are required. Other early assignments, "What Is Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Erosion and Why I Hate It," followed by "Why I Love the Agency). Grand Canyon" and "How I Explain the Difference Between My Two Points of View," bring audible groans from the stu­ A Third FRSN: Defining an Objective (Independent) dents along with awareness that even their teacher is untrust­ Function: The Planet Is Running Out of (fill in the worthy, and one should (must) question authority. blank) in the Year (fill in the blank)'

Testing End-Of-The-World Predictions Fears of "running out" of resources, energy, and even farm­ with the FRSN: Did the Predicted Outcome land are examples in which a FRSN objective function may Actually Happen? be usefully tested. Does the term reserves available in text­ books mean "physical supply of all resources of all qualities One skeptical test is, simply, "Did the predicted outcome and all grades everywhere" including undiscovered reserves, occur?" We are grateful to Rachel Carson {Silent Spring, which could be used up at some future date? Or does reserves 1962) for alerting us to dire consequences had we continued available mean "the inventory" that is technologically and to use pesticides indiscriminately. On the other side, a Nobel economically available now, but which will change (though Prize winner, George Wald, in 1975 predicted the end of the probably be maintained) as prices, scarcity, discovery, and world in 1985. Paul and Anne Ehrlich predicted the end from substitutes maintain a "floating inventory" for use as the starvation and overpopulation in their series, Population planet moves along into the future? I certainly don't know, Explosion, Population Bomb (Ehrlich and Ehrlich 1968). but definitions are important for testing purposes. The Sadly, even admirable microbiologist Ren£ Dubos in 1972 world's "known" mineral "reserves" have actually increased predicted overindustrialization as the reason for the world's since World War II, right along with the Ehrlichs' feared pop­ end in 1997, hitting a little close to home for comfort (Dubos ulation increase to 5-5 billion people. Indeed, food and 1972). The cover of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists resource prices—discounted for inflation—have decreased, showed a doomsday, atomic apocalypse clock for decades despite the Ehrlichs' population explosion. until the Cold War ended. The Ehrlichs and Julian Simon (1984), an economist, By projecting population consumption "scientifically"— made a bet based on their respective positions, "running out" using computer models—the Club of Rome predicted a 1980s versus "plenty of," using a mix of metals prices at the end of a end of the world from energy, raw material, and mineral short­ ten-year period as their objective, or independent function.' ages and depletion. When its doom model failed, the club The former honorably paid up recently as the drop in prices at recovered nicely and explained why its prediction crashed. The the end of the period confirmed "plenty oP vs. scarcity despite club claimed its work had miraculously alerted the world and the vast population increase. Wdl this be an example of econ­ convened everyone to needed wise resource use thus avoiding omists' and other experts' hubris too? Are there alternative The End. It's not that the predictions couldn't happen or may explanations for the drop? Admitting ignorance and reserving not happen, but the proper teacher speaks in terms of models judgment are definitely the best positions for teachers of evi­ that suggest certain consequences instead of demonstrating his dence-testing.

36 luly/AugusI 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Against die ideas of running-out-of and disappearing farm­ environmental science ozone story by Philip Smith,' but is it land is the notion of production systems having many inputs, falsifiable? Students can be taught to test die devastating including hybrid seed, double- (even triple-) cropping, capital, impact of a wandering ozone hole over Punta Arenas, Chile, fertilizer, pesticides, transportation and storage systems, water, from which die tabloid reported fish and cattle were blinded, and increased CO; (ask your local greenhouse manager how crazed, and starved, while horses became polka dotted and they add CO: to make plants grow a lot). Also ask if global trees died overnight, along with commonplace claims appear­ warming could do that too. Indeed, if crop disease control in ing of human melanomas usually caused by "toxicities" and Africa is ever accomplished, reportedly usable farmland equal "pollutants." Such claims beg to be tested by students with to the area of the United States will be added there. Testing a FRSNs of Look for Alternative Explanations (fungus does specified objective function with a lot of FRSNs using avail­ cause horse polka dots) and the full array of the SKEPTICAL able data enables students to accept or reject claims of pop, INQUIRERS James Lett's (1988) tests: Logic, Sufficiency, green-doom projections. Comprehensiveness, and Replicability. Students also learn to specify the time period modelers give Perhaps the animals were in heat; sick; the fish spawning. for running out of resources. Is the short run (human and gov­ Can an upper stratosphere ozone hole be "blown" around? ernmental policy time) being indicated by the modeler, or is Were 60 previous years of sunbathing the cause of the long run (geologic time) being specified? Besides learning melanomas? Which scientific "experts" made the claims, and to specify if the prediction is short run or long run—or if the why didn't the events happen in other places beneath the modeler failed to specify a doom date at all—students learn mobile ozone hole? The article gives students a fine workout the valuable but rarely used FRSNs: Use the right expert (per­ with FRSNs and also exposes their own personal, dangerous haps a geologist or economist as well as a biologist?); and test hubris about "Joe and Jane Sixpack," who, students contend, to prove the theory wrong. unlike themselves, might actually believe such stuff. Other useful FRSNs include Seyler's Forced Hypothesis Interestingly, students are indignant that their teacher uses a (Seyler 1984) and the requirement to look for alternative National Enquirer article. explanations and opposing evidence. For example, are The comeuppance for students occurs in the last question of increasing absolute numbers of cases (as opposed to inci­ one writing exercise: "Would you believe die windblown ozone dence and rate) of various cancers caused simply by a hole claim if it came from a 'respectable' and 'authoritative' sci­ longer-living population? Long enough perhaps to entific source?" Replies are split, but students have increasingly encounter cancer—most prevalent in older folks—whereas answered no, diey wouldn't. Those who said yes explained that previously, pandemics carried the younger people off much Nature, New Scientist, and odier respectable sources can be relied earlier so they never reached cancer age? Milton Rothman's on, a dubious attitude perhaps in view of many questioned or (paraphrased) FRSN—big claims require big proof—is a retracted articles recently in several authoritative periodicals. useful test of toxicant and death-dealing pollution claims as Obviously, too, students and everyone else already do well. This is particularly so when sampling is questionable. believe the general ozone hole model simply because it is a Paul Nickel's Rule (1993)—sampling is always question­ respectable conclusion that is believed by experts to be true and able—leads to another Nickel Rule: Always question to see accurate. (In fact, the scientific work that identified chemical if data have been "mined" for selective data, overlooking reactions that can lead to depletion of ozone in die stratosphere contrary evidence. brought the three codiscoverers the 1995 Nobel Prize in chem­ Richard Feynman (1989) warned Caltech researchers about istry, announced October 11, 1995.) "The Retroactive Falsification Fallacy," wherein we "refine" The capper to die exercise is citing Vice President Albert models, "mine" data, and deceive ourselves. The Ehrlichs' Gore's book Earth in the Balance (1992), although students "bang" models come to mind here in which a population report to this author they are increasingly skeptical of this popu­ claim, arguing by analogy from insect to human populations, lar source of green doom as respectable scientific data. The book, is pursued until, someday, maybe, the bang models will prove like die National Enquirer, reports cataracts, skin cancer, and true, and the Ehrlichs, like Branch Davidians in their closed blind Patagonian animals and fish, suggesting the cause is upper system, will get it right! Testing is all and testing is fun if you atmosphere goings-on. Doubdess this essay is unfair to students, teach the tests to students, even offering one's own "author Al Gore, and others, but it can be used to illustrate a mean- anonymous" article for them to savage in order to teach them minded and unfair logic-chop test. Actually, a surprised August to question authority. 21, 1993, New Scientist reported on a Johns Hopkins University team of scientists, who, after investigating, suggested an alterna­ Examples of other FRSNs include Rothman's "Beware of tive explanation for diese specific ozone happenings as being a Experts Outside their Area of Expertise" (including scientists). virus, not an empty hole, over Punta Arenas, Chile. Point: Test Malthus, useful as he was, was a pastor, not a demographer. As the most and die least authoritative articles. Test everything. several CSICOP experts—including James Randi, Ray Hyman, Joe Nickell, and others—have noted, you have to use the right expert. The right expert for most psychic claims is a Tradeoffs': Another Useful Skeptical Test magician, not a physicist. The National Enquirer (1992) presented a highly testable Consideration of tradeoffs is also very useful in having stu-

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/Auguil 1996 37 dents evaluate doom models and predictions related to chlo­ environmental models and beliefs wrong—falsifying them—is rine use. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's zero- the beginning of bitter, sober, and somber questioning, true, tolerance reports assert that chlorine (a chemical widely used modest learning, and learning to learn. In general, too many to purify water) produces cancer risk in certain amounts. Less environmental scientists, and respectable learners such as Vice responsible green-doom models claim that chlorine causes President Gore, strive mainly to prove their models and them­ 6 "gender shift" or "homosexuality," and "short penises." In selves right. Consequently, their work resembles legal briefs light of these reports, students are asked to comment on the more than research. need for thoughtful evaluation of "relative" and "absolute" risk The tension of cognitive dissonance in the exercises, I of tradeoffs among policy choices on chemical and economic believe, also sets the use of FRSN tests in students' reason­ alternatives in water treatment policy. ing—forever. If thinking is the manipulation and testing of Relying on environmental models, chlorine elimination ideas and data leading to a cultivated mind, then students' was called for in the Great Lakes based on "weight of evi­ written responses applying FRSNs show gratifyingly that hap­ dence" as opposed to more guarded, tedious, and self-doubt­ pens—as demonstrated at the end of one student's paper: 7 ing models using severe, scientific process. When Peruvians "Wait! I've changed my mind and I want to change my answer stopped chlorine use for water purification they reportedly but there isn't time. Help!" used EPA's models for justification, claiming that the small With such comments it is reasonable to consider that struc­ cancer risk justified the halt of chlorine purification. (Some tured thinking and testing have gone into the papers and into cynics suggest Peruvians were looking for a way to save the frequent writing and testing practice. money.) The result was thousands of cholera deaths and tens of thousands—if not hundreds of thousands—of cholera vic­ tims treated depending on whether one accepts the "spread Notes effect" reports. (Note that advocates of eliminating chlorine 1. All terms arc annotated in student handbook. recently claimed they were misquoted and indicated they 2. Millerites repeatedly miscalculated a biblically based Second Coming, meant to retain use of chlorine for water purification.) This giving away property while waiting to be "swept up." Unfazed by repeated fail­ ure, they reinterpreted their biblical sources to redesignate "the day" late in the explanation allows the alert teacher to raise questions about last century. Millerites, followers of William Miller (1782-1849). initiated the using Lett's "honesty test" and, as well, the fatal flaw of which Seventh-Day Advcntist church in 1860. Miller predicted the second coming Richard Feynman warned. Our ability to deceive ourselves was of Christ would take place in 1843. superbly demonstrated at both the 1994 and 1995 CS1COP 3. See Wall Street Journal June 5. 1995. "When the Boomster Slams the Doomster, Bet on a New Wager," by Charles McCoy. workshops on critical thinking and human error," featuring 4. National Enquirer, Nature, and New Scientist arc among diverse files Ray Hyman, Barry Beyerstein, Louis Pankratz, and Jerry available to students. Andrus. 5. Forties's cover story, "The Health Scare Industry," August 14, 1995, by Philip E. Ross, refutes recent diet and lifestyle advisories. 6. See "Toxic Threat" in Ann Arbor News, February 17, 1994. by David The premier, all-time, great FRSN, of course, is Lett's rule Poulson. (or Karl Popper's [1959] falsification test).' At the end of a 7. The Great Lakes region has considerable experience with a polluted semester of tirelessly applying the tests to everything and water supply going back to the late 1800s when the Chicago River was reversed to "flush" waste into the Mississippi to halt the epidemics of cholera everyone else, students are suddenly jolted by being required and typhoid that at one point killed 12 percent cf Chicago's population. to prove their own favorite environmental model to be wrong 8. See SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 19(3) (May/June 1995): 6-7. for a report by J. P. in a documented, "authoritative," article. To falsify the McLaughlin on the 1994 Boulder, Colorado, workshop; and 20(3) model, they use files full of authoritative articles from New (May/June 1996): 21-22. for a report by N. Shelton on the 1995 Eugene. Oregon, human error workshop. Scientist, Nature, etc., which generally treat models, theories, 9. Eatman, J. 1986. A Primer on Determinism, pp. 8-10. is negative to hypotheses, and scientific speculation as such instead of as Popper. gospel. A final, most useful teaching exercise is helping students use References Ray Hyman's Charity or Courtesy Principle (Hyman 1989) to Dubos, Rene J. 1972. A God Within. New York: Scribner. formulate what would be scientifically acceptable "proof" of Carson, Rachel. 1962. Silent Spring. Cambridge. Mass.: Riverside Press. the claimant's favored model or claim, rather than debunking Ehrlich. Paul R. and A. Ehrlich. 1968. The Population Bomb. New York: it. Ballantine Books. Feynman, Richard P. 1989. Lectures on Physics. Reading, Mass.: Addison- The startling shock of having to disprove one's favorite Wesley. environmental model is arguably the finest learning experience Gore, Albert. 1992. Earth in the Balance. P. 85. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. most students and professors have because students learn sci­ Hyman, Ray. 1989. "Proper Criticism." In Hyman's The Elusive Quarry. Amherst, N.Y: Prometheus. (Available as a flyer from SI.) entific process attempts to prove its models wrong—not right. Lett, James. 1990. A field guide to critical thinking. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER One learns more that way. Making mistakes, and recognizing 14(2) (Winter). them, is more important than rote memorizing in education. Nickel, Paul. 1993. Resource Development. Michigan State University. Popper, Karl R. 1959. The Logic of Scientific Disctvery New York: Harper. The process works because cognitive dissonance is created Rothman, Milton A. 1990. Cold fusion: A case history in 'wishful science'? between what the students already believe and what reasoning, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 14(2) (Winter). logic, and evidence establish. Seyler. Dorothy U. 1984. Read. Reason. Write. New York: Random House. Simon, Julian L, and Herman Kahn. 1984. The Resourceful Earth. New York: Forcing students to prove fondly held, unquestioned, pop Basil Blackwell. Q

38 luly/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Alternative Health Education and Pseudocredentialing

The healthcare marketplace is fraught with "credentials, "some legitimate, some overrated, some dubious, and some far afield of science.

JACK RASO

he next time someone who is not your spouse, lover, or trusted physician asks you to disrobe, spit, or uri­ Tnate, think twice. And hold on to your wallet or purse. Quackery is going strong on the coattails of alterna­ tive medicine and has its own "credentials." In the healthcare field, a quack is anyone who falsely claims medical skill. Some opponents of health fraud use the word to denote practitioners ranging from nonprofessionals bereft of medical skill who profess it, to physicians who make unfounded claims for methods they employ or prepa­ rations they administer. Nowadays, few quacks in the United States pretend to be M.D.s or osteopaths (D.O.s, who are equivalent to M.D.s). Providing fraudulent medical degrees is a high-risk business, and medical licensing proce­ dures are stringent. However, practicing and would-be quacks can become "doctors," or at least diplomates, through a variety of correspondence courses.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 39 Credentials and "Credentials" said that at least 251 clients had paid Pace an average of $317 in the previous four years. According to the lawsuit, Pace had The healthcare marketplace is fraught with "credentials," some massaged women's feet, had sometimes performed lengthy legitimate, some overrated, some dubious, and some far afield of and/or private mammary and vaginal exams, and had rou­ science. A bona fide credential is any evidence that one is trust­ tinely requested a hair specimen (sometimes pubic). Finally, an worthy or has authority. However, since authority does not injunction prohibited Pace from practicing medicine unlaw­ guarantee trustworthiness, whether a credential deserves confi­ fully and from publicizing his doctoral status. dence depends ultimately on whether the tenets that underlie IUNE operates as a nonaccredited "distance learning" insti­ the credential are worthy of confidence. "Authority-type" tution in Chula Vista, California. It offers, for example, pro­ healthcare credentials range from the science-based (e.g., podi- grams that lead to a Ph.D. degree in "Clincial Nutrimedicine atric [chiropodist, or "foot doctor"] licensure) to the controver­ and Biological Sciences." Majors include "nutri-medical den­ sial (e.g., naturopathic licensure). tistry," "nutri-medical eye and visual health care," "nutri-med­ Credentials encompass (1) achievements and (2) documents ical homeopathy," and "therapeutic nutrimedicine." Five of that attest achievements. Many consumers mistake documen­ the thirteen members of IUNE's core faculty hold graduate tary (usually paper) credentials for proof of skill. Often, these degrees from Donsbach University and/or IUNE. are merely proof of past enrollment in an academic program, Also in 1985, a congressman opposed to quackery not proof of erudition or skill. Educational credentials are the announced that he had become "Dr. Pepper": Claude Pepper professional standard because academic standing is more quan­ had obtained a Ph.D. degree in psychology from Union tifiable than knowledge or skill. The most commanding educa­ University, Los Angeles, the nonaccredited correspondence tional credential, and therefore the most tempting to would-be school from which Donsbach has claimed a Ph.D. degree in misusers, is the doctorate. There are many types of doctorates, nutrition. Pepper said that about half a million Americans had but all are categorizable as "traditional" (e.g., a nonhonorary purchased unearned "credentials." Ph.D. degree), "professional" (e.g., an M.D. degree), and hon­ Does an ill-conceived system of academic accreditation lull orary (e.g., a D.Sc. [Doctor of Science] degree without acade­ consumers into accepting health-related rubbish and disinfor­ mic status). Some types of doctorates in each category are con­ mation? siderably more doubtful than others. For example. Bears Guide to Earning College Degrees Nontraditionally (1995) lists as con­ Who's Minding the (Academic Department) Store? troversial "professional degree titles": D.Hyp. (hypnotism), Graph.D. ("Graphoanalysis"), and H.M.D. or "M.D.(H.)" (homeopathy). Many such degrees are available throughout the Accreditation is an especially thorny matrer concerning alter­ United States. native health education, which encompasses: (1) indoctrina­ tion in alternative healthcare (or occult medicine), in particu­ In 1978, Kurt W. Donsbach (pronounced "donsbah"), lar methods thereof, or in sectarian religious "healing"; (2) D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic), founded Donsbach University, iionir.Kliiion.il academic programs that afford such indoctri­ which offered correspondence courses leading to bachelor's, nation-, and (3) nontraditional academic programs in science- master's, and doctoral degrees in nutrition. Electrical engineer oriented healthcare. Academic accreditation is recognition, by Gary Pace obtained a Ph.D. degree from this nonaccredited an agency or association, that an educational institution, uni­ school before it was renamed, in the late 1980s, the versity school, academic department, or academic program International University for Nutrition Education (IUNE). meets the reviewing body's administrative, organizational, and Pace practiced as a "nutritional consultant" on Long Island, fiscal criteria. The many accrediting agencies, associations, New York. In 1985, his ad in the Nassau County (New York) bodies, commissions, and groups in the United States range Yellow Pages stated that one could determine one's "true vita­ from the reputable to the spurious. The U.S. Secretary of mins, minerals, enzymes and glandular needs" from such tests Education and the Commission on Recognition of as "hair and diet analysis," "herbal saliva," and "computerized Postsecondary Accreditation (CORPA), a nongovernmental urine and vascular analyzer." That year, then New York State organization, autonomously decide whether (1) to grant Attorney General Robert Abrams filed a civil suit against Pace, recognition to any functioning or would-be "accreditor" that accusing him of practicing medicine without a license, false expressly wants it, or (2) to withhold or withdraw it from such advertising, and illegal use of educational credentials. Abrams an entity. In practical terms, recognition constitutes publiciz­ ing acceptance of such an entity as an accreditor. (CORPA succeeded the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation on Jack Raso, a registered dietitian, is the author of Mystical Diets: January 1, 1994.) Accreditation by accreditors "recognized" by Paranormal, Spiritual, and Occult Nutrition Practices (1993) either of the aforementioned organizations indicates only rel- and "Alternative" Healthcare: A Comprehensive Guide (1994), ative organizational soundness and intradisciplinary program­ both published by Prometheus Books; coeditor (^Nutrition Forum matic soundness. It is by no means a guarantee that the teach­ newsletter, also published by Prometheus Books; and a board mem­ ings of the accredited entity are consistent with science. ber of the National Council Against Health Fraud. He is vice pres­ "Recognized" accreditors comprise: (1) six regional accrediting ident of the council's New York State Chapter and coordinator of bodies, which have the authority to accredit colleges and uni- its Task Force on Dubious Healthcare Credentials.

40 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER versifies in respective regions of the United States; and (2) a motley group of more than fifty "national, profes­ sional, and specialized" accrediting bodies. The latter group includes accrediting entities for schools that specialize in and endorse Christianity, Judaism, chiropractic, naturopathy, and traditional Chinese medicine. Nevertheless, accreditation by a rec­ ognized accreditor at least weeds out fly-by-night and financially shaky organizations. Thus, absence of such accreditation is grounds for suspicion.

Pseudocredentials Galore

Published studies conducted since the mid-1980s, an annual (New Age Journal's 1995-1996 Holistic Health Directory, published in Fall 1995), and several books—notably the 336- page twelfth edition of Bears' Guide to Earning College Degrees Non- traditionally (Benicia, California: C and B Publishing, 1995) and the 200- page second edition of The Common u«Ar> Boundary Graduate Education Guide: Holistic Programs and Resources Integrating Spirituality and Psychology (Bethesda, Maryland: rials (e.g., registration with the Commission on Dietetic Common Boundary, 1994)—suggest that healthcare-related Registration—R.D. status) in an area where these credentials pseudocredentialing is rampant. Pseudocredentialing includes: have little or no importance (e.g., medical diagnosis). (1) providing certificates, degrees, diplomas, and titles in a "Credentials" listed uncritically as "professional titles" in particular field to persons who have not demonstrated compe­ The Common Boundary Graduate Education Guide include: tence, erudition, or expertise in that field; and (2) providing a Acupuncture Physician (Ac. Phys.), Certified Acupuncturist paper facade of medical know-how to persons whose course of (C.Ac.), Certified in Classical Homeopathy (C.C.H.), study in the field of the "credential" had inadequate scientific Diplomate in Homeotherapeutics (i.e., homeopathy) (D.Ht.), content. Doctor of Acupuncture (D.Ac.), Doctor of Oriental Medicine Pseudocrcdentialism is a byproduct of credentialism, which (D.O.M.), Homeopathic Medical Doctor (H.M.D.), is overemphasis on documentary (particularly educational) Licensed Acupuncturist fJLAc.), Master of Acupuncture and credentials as prerequisites to employment or as augmenters of Oriental Medicine (M.Ac.O.M.), Naturopathic Medical upward mobility. In the healthcare field, where competence Doctor (N.D. or N.M.D), Oriental Medical Doctor often is a life-or-death concern, emphasis on certificates, (O.M.D.), and Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac.). Because the degrees, and licenses, which facilitate ruling out unqualified predominant forms of most or all of the methods that under­ job applicants, usually does not seem undue. In some cases, lie each of these "titles" lack scientific substantiation, I con­ however, it does seem distorted. For example, between mid- sider them pseudocredentials—signs of shaky philosophies 1987 and 1993, I worked in two healthcare facilities where that inspire little or no confidence in the scientific community. food-service managers who were not health professionals— Below I describe several relevant studies. they were not registered dietitians (R.D.s) and did not have a • In early 1986, the National Council Against Health graduate degree—had authority over chief dietitians who were Fraud (NCAHF) published the findings of its study of practi- R.D.s with healthcare-related mailer's dcgiccs. tionei listings in the Yellow Pages under the headings "Dieti­ While credentialism shortchanges some contributors to tians" and "Nutritionists" within the preceding four years. The society and inappropriately aggrandizes others, pseudocrcden­ principal finding of this study, which covered 4l areas of 17 tialism tends to cheat all consumers. It encompasses: (1) the states, was that only 13 percent of 439 "nutritionists" appeared "for-profit" use of "credentials" obtained from pseudocreden­ qualified. Furthermore, 46 percent of 24 physicians listed in a tialing organizations and (2) the misuse of bona fide creden- subsection tided "Nutrition" (under the heading "Physicians

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 41 and Surgeons") were "clearly spurious," and none appeared qualified as nutritionists. Their offerings included acupuncture, chelation therapy, life Suspicious extension, orthomolecular medicine, and orthomolecular psychology. • In a comprehensive 1992-1993 Yellow Pages study sponsored by die Characteristics NCAHF, Ira Milner, R.D., collected data from 64 areas of 32 states. The Most providers of dubious credentials make good principal finding was that consumers had less rJian a fifty-fifty chance of first impressions, and many have a streamlined (and therefore inviting) application procedure and mini­ finding a reliable "nutritionist" through the directory. Task-force volunteers mal entrance requirements. These are not signs of consisted of registered dietitians, public health nutritionists, dietetic interns, pseudocredentialing but may put consumers off and postsecondary nutrition students. They categorized 21 (9 percent) of guard. To evaluate a "credentialing" organization, the 231 businesses listed under die heading "Dietitians" as "spurious." consumers often must penetrate a veneer of friendli­ ness and/or respectability. Below is a list of character­ These included Diet Center facilities, health food stores, multilevel-mar­ istics that are. in my opinion, grounds for caution. keting distributors, a nutritionist with a dubious doctorate who practiced iridology (a pseudodiagnostic method involving examination of the iris), • The organization does not possess accreditation by and a former vitamin company salesman who used hair analysis. an entity recognized by the US. Secretary of Education or CORPA. The "credential" initials used by dubious nutrition practitioners • The organization claims accreditation, but neither included: C.C.N. (Certified Clinical Nutritionist), C.N. (Certified the U.S. Secretary of Education nor CORPA rec­ Nutritionist), C.N.C. (Certified Nutrition Consultant), N.C (Nutrition ognizes the accrediting entity. • Potential enrollees must pay to receive a course Counselor), N.M.D. (Doctor of "Nutrimedidne"), N.D. (Doctor of catalog. Naturopathy), O.M.D. (Doctor of Oriental Medicine), H.M.D. • Consumer telephone requests for printed informa­ (Homeopathic Medical Doctor), C.C.T. (Certified Colon Therapist), tion elicit requests for prerequisite autobio­ R.C.T. (Registered Colon Therapist), C.M.T. (Certified Massage graphical letters. Therapist), and M.L.D. (Manual Lymph Drainage). • Literature from the organization does not specify the location of its headquarters. In September 1992,1 telephoned all businesses listed under the headings • The organization has changed its address more "Dietitians" and "Nutritionists" in the 1992-1993 NYNEX Yellow Pages than twice within ten years. for the borough of Queens, in New York City. Only one of the 26 busi­ • Letters, postcards, or phone calls from the organi­ zation foretell a fee increase. During my nesses listed seemed a reliable source of nutrition information; at least seven 1994-1995 study, one program director, a were health food stores or dietary-supplement distributors. A self-styled naturopath who evidently thought I was a "certified eating-disorder specialist" told me he prescribed dietary supple­ potential enrollee, spoke of such a deadline In three messages on my answering machine. ments. When 1 complained of tiredness, he declared that tiredness is "the • The organization makes offers of substantial first sign of illness." A practitioner of "holistic nutrition" also said he pre­ tuition discounts with short time limits. An scribed such supplements and stated he had an N.D. degree "from Puerto introductory mailing from the University of Rico." (There were, and are, no accredited naturopathy degree programs in Metaphysics postmarked July 12, 1995, Puerto Rico. And any naturopathy degree is a sign of pseudoscience.) I included a "half-price tuition offer" expira­ tion-dated July 31, 1995. In a follow-up mail­ asked where I could buy the supplements, and he said he had a "warehouse" ing, postmarked July 20, 1995, the university in his office. added to this offer a free meditation course and a "Beautiful Doctoral Graduate Lapel Pin • In early 1994, the publishers of Nutrition Forum newsletter sponsored To Wear Proudly," (See below.) a follow-up to the 1992-1993 Yellow Pages study. In the follow-up, Milner • The organization mails unsolicited partial-scholar­ decided that 17 of die 24 self-described Ph.D.s listed under the heading ship applications to potential enrollees who "Nutritionists" held "phony" Ph.D. degrees. Apparently, eight of the dubi­ have not requested a scholarship application. ous doctorates came from nonaccredited correspondence schools (five from A mailing from the University of Metaphysics (see above) postmarked September 8, 1995, Donsbach University or the International University for Nutrition included an unsolicited scholarship application Education); one came from a nonaccredited college that required atten­ whose deadline was September 30, 1995. dance; and one came from the "Clayton School of Homeopathy." Persons who were unemployed, disabled, or retired, or who had a financial reason for not • In a spinoff of the 1992-1993 Yellow Pages study, I examined promo­ enrolling, qualified—with prepayment by tional mailings from diverse providers of alternative health education. September 30, 1995—for a tuition discount of Between mid-July 1994 and February 27, 1995, using Nutrition Forum let­ approximately 90 percent. A 'last minute scholarship reminder" followed. terheads, I mailed a one-page itemized request for perusable information and a one-page questionnaire to 50 "credentialing" organizations with • The organization offers a degree with a nonstan­ dard wording. Examples are "Doctor of addresses in 23 states. Selection of organizations was arbitrary. However, all Holistic Health" (H.H.D.) and "Doctor of had offered health-centered or customizable academic programs within the Naturology" (D.N.). previous seven years. By February 26, my assodates and I received course • The person who answers the phone for the orga­ descriptions from 27 organizations, induding questionnaire responses from nization does not immediately state the orga­ nization's name. eleven. Each of rhese organizations offered at least one academic program • Prerequisites for admission are trivial, very flexible, that: (1) covered human health and nutrition, or was adaptable to such a or nonexistent. focus; (2) did not involve attendance, or required short attendance; and (3) culminated in a certificate (certification), a nondegrce diploma, or a gradu-

42 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER ate degree. psychic surgeon." There were no prerequisites for admission to The following findings pertain to the 27 organizations any of the courses. At least two of them did not have a time from which we received course descriptions during die afore­ limit for completion. mentioned period. The main question here is not whether HHA's manner of At least 21 (78 percent) offered correspondence programs. "credentialing" by correspondence is technically sound, or Degrees available through nutrition-related correspondence whether its certificates represent proficiency. The nuts and programs included: Doctor of Divinity (D.D.), Doctor of bolts of an academic program are immaterial if its teachings Holistic Health (H.H.D.), Doctor of Naturopathy (N.D.), are unfounded. The main question is: Do the certificates rep­ Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Doctor of Science (D.Sc), and resent science-oriented learning, or indoctrination in unscien­ Doctor of Naturology (D.N.). ("D.N." also represents two tific methods? In other words, are they credentials or pseudo- other nutrition-related pseudocredentials: the degrees of credentials? Are students learning facts about methods, "Doctor of Naprapathy" and "Doctor of Nutripathy.") A absorbing propaganda, or simply learning little? To all appear­ "Master Herbalist" (M.H.) diploma was likewise available ances, HHA wants to attract would-be practitioners of the through correspondence. Obtaining a "Health Educator" methods that are the courses' subjects. Certainly Bach flower (H.E.) certificate required attendance at an institute for eight therapy, foot reflexology, and traditional Chinese acupuncture consecutive weeks. The H.E. certificate, the M.H. diploma, lack scientific support ("Yin/Yang science" is an oxymoron). and all the aforementioned correspondence doctorates were Thus 1 conclude that the academy is in the business of indoc­ not trustworthy. trination, not education. Twenty of die organizations (74 percent) lacked (and still lack) accreditation by an entity recognized by the U.S. California College for Health Sciences Secretary of Education or CORPA. Six of the organizations (22 percent) claimed accreditation The main question tegarding California College for Health by entities not recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education Sciences (CCHS), in National City, California, is different: or CORPA. The question is whether the school's manner of credentialing Below I contrast two providers of alternative health educa­ by correspondence is sound. In other words, do its degrees tion. represent proficiency? CCHS is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the The Herbal Healer Academy Distance Education and Training Council, which is recog­ nized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and CORPA. Last Founded in 1988, the Herbal Healer Academy (HHA) is non- summer I applied to the school's Master of Science correspon­ accredited. It has a letterbox in Mountain View, Arizona. I dence program in Community Health Administration and learned of the academy from a mailing (Health Pak) I received Wellness Promotion. (It also offers health-related correspon­ in October 1995. HHA's Health Pak card quoted its founder dence programs leading to the degree of Associate or Bachelor and director, Marijah McCain, N.D., M.H. ("Master of Science.) The application procedure was a breeze. There Herbalist"), "DIHom" (evidendy a homeopathic "credential"): were only two entrance requirements: (1) a baccalaureate from "Our Members Save Thousands in Doctor Bills! Some an accredited school and (2) completion of an introductory Members Save Their Lives!!!" HHA's "special" offer was "pri­ psychology course. Graduation requires completion of 36 semester credits, 27 of which the enrollee must complete at vate" lifetime membership for $5. The mailing I received the CCHS. The school admitted me to the program within a following month for $5 included a laminated membership month of my applying. card, a copy of HHA's Fall 1995 newsletter (whose "front-page headline" was ". . . And God Gave the Herbs for the Healing In October 1995, I enrolled in the first course in the core of Mankind"); an interview with a nonpracticing chiropractor, curriculum: "Ethical Considetations in Healthcare Delivery." titled "Essiac: Nature's Cure for Cancer"; a catalog of dietary Designed for the course and published by CCHS, the collo­ supplements; a "Natural Medicine Supply Catalog"; and order quial, 380-page textbook, What Is a Life Worth? (1993), is forms. The latter catalog offered correspondence courses lead­ interesting despite grammatical imperfections, stylistic flaws, ing to certificates in acupuncture, Bach flower therapy, foot and typographical errors. But it's not especially user-friendly. reflexology, "herbology," and hypnothetapy. The acupuncture Earning the self-contained course's three credits requires only course covered "electrical acupuncture," "electrical acupres­ that the student pass: (1) five "open-book" exams, which con­ sure," "five element theory," "meridians," "Oriental diagno­ sist of multiple-choice and true-false items; and (2) a "closed- sis," and "Yin/Yang science." The "hetbology" course covered book" final exam, consisting of 100 items (most multiple- choice, some true-false), that must be supervised by a "respon­ reflexology. The hypnotherapy course covered neuro-linguistic sible individual" who does not have a personal or professional programming (N.L.P, a quasi-spiritual "performance psychol­ "direct involvement" with the examinee. This is, in effect, an ogy" technique). The "Natural Medicine Supply Catalog" also honor system. Students may take the final exam three times. stated that McCain had diplomas in aromatherapy, homeopa­ thy, and Touch for Health (an offshoot of applied kinesiol­ In November 1995, I phoned the college and inquired ogy), and that she had trained with "an outstanding Brazilian whether my primary candidate fot proctorship was eligible. 1

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 43 described her as a medical librarian who (1) worked at my for­ charges one's "life-energy" and prepares one for the "incredi­ mer place of employment and (2) was a member of the edito­ bly powerful magic" of Huna, an esoteric tradition native to rial board of the newsletter I coedit. The woman at CCHS the Hawaiian Islands. told rne tJiat the librarian could be my proctor. • In 1989, the American Association for Parapsychology The five "open-book" exams are half the basis of the final (AAP), in Canoga Park, California, offered "A Complete grade. To pass them, one need only search the textbook sec­ Course in Parapsychology." This correspondence program led tions titled "Study Questions and Answers." to a certificate of membership and a diploma. It featured such subjects as radiesthesia ("used in medical diagnosis"), psy- "Believing Is Magic" chometry (object reading, a form of divination), and "spiritual healing." In July 1995, AAP was offering a Doctor of Later in November, 1 enrolled in another course, titled Metaphysics "external degree" program through the American "Health Psychology." Unlike the ethics course, this psychology International University (AIU), a nonaccredited organization course has a final project requirement, which involves inter­ with which it shared a post office box. The program led to a viewing five patients in a clinic or hospital regarding their Ph.D. degree. pain. Supervision is not mandatory. The project is half the • In 1993 and late 1994, the American Society of basis of the final grade. The course materials, which I received Alternative Therapists (ASAT), in Rockport, Massachusetts, in December, included a 114-page booklet tided Developing offered the "Holistic Health Counseling (H.H.C) Certification Self-Esteem: A Guide for Positive Success (Menlo Park, Home Study Program," a twelve-videocassette course that led California: Crisp Publications, 1994). My first assignment, in to: (1) a "certificate of certification in Holistic Health effect, was to "attempt" to do all the exercises in the booklet Counseling (C.H.C.)" from ASAT, (2) a "Diploma in and mail die "completed" booklet to the school. The exercises, Transformational Counseling" from the Institute of Transformational Studies, and (3) mem­ "In early 1995, The New Seminary ... offered The bership in ASAT for one year. Physician of the Soul Program,' a videotape course Transformational counseling is a system of "facilitation" that encompasses "dream whose subjects included such 'spiritual approaches therapy," "parts therapy," "progression/ to healing' as: 'Homeopathic Healing/ ... 'Quantum regression therapy," and "psycho-neuro integration" (P.N.I). A purported aim of Healing/ rebirthing,... and Therapeutic Touching.'" P.N.I, (also called psychic healing) is the "recharging" and realignment of "subtle which are self-inventories, have no bearing on the final grade. energy centers." Apparently, the chief postulate of transforma­ On page 44, the author declares: "Believing is magic." tional counseling is that beliefs are the "real" cause of mental, Because it has an easygoing exam system, requires only one physical, emotional, and "etheric" problems. ASAT was internship (a three-credit course), and does not have a thesis founded in 1990. In July 1995, it was still offering the "home requirement, the CCHS Master of Science degree may be study" version of its three-weekend course. more acceptable as an adjunctive credential than as a "stand­ • For its 1991-1992 academic year, the Atlantic Academy alone" master's degree. Nevertheless, I like the school's orga­ of Classical Homeopathy, in New York City, offered a 500- nized, uncomplicated, low-cost, continuing-education hour classroom program that culminated in a "Certificate in approach. For credentialed health professionals employed in a Homeopathy (C.Hom.)." Previously, the academy had offered healthcare facility, the M.S. program may be worth a try. a "certification system" leading to a "Certificate in Homeopathic Therapeutics (C.H.T.)." Classical homeopathy "X-Filed" involves extensive questioning of the patient by the practi­ tioner, purportedly to determine the "single remedy" for that Since early 1989,1 have collected a wealth of promotional lit­ patient. The academy was founded in 1989. In August 1995, erature from assorted providers of healthcare "credentials." it had an "off campus" C.Hom. program. Below I describe thirteen of the many nonaccredited health­ •In 1993 and 1994, the Barbara Brennan School of care "crcdentialing" organizations that my 1994-1995 study Healing, in East Hampton, New York, offered the "4-year did not cover. Professional Healing Science Training Program," which led to • In early 1995, Advanced Neuro Dynamics, in certification and "mastery in the practice of Healing Science." Honolulu, Hawaii, offered in-state and out-of-state "Master Barbara Brennan healing science is a "spiritual" system con­ Practitioner Certification Training." This afforded "Master cocted by Barbara Ann Brennan, author of the best-seller Time Line Therapy Practitioner Certification" by the Time Hands of Light: A Guide to Healing Through the Human Line Therapy Association. Time Line Therapy (T.L.T.) is a Energy Field and Light Emerging: The Journey of Personal group of "techniques," one of whose premises is that people Healing, both published by Bantam. Her "science" is a form store their "experience of time" on a line in space. Journeying of so-called energy field work that involves "Core Star heal­ on this so-called timeline to the past and future allegedly ing" and "Hara healing." (Some spiritualists use the Japanese

44 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER word hara to denote the tanden—the alleged seat afki [super­ tus" recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education, and natural "energy"] in humans, slightly below the navel.) "Candidate for Accreditation" status wirii CORPA. The insti­ According to the 1995-1996 Holistic Health Directory, "the tute may achieve accreditation in 1998. healer works to clear the client's [energy] field of unhealthy • In early 1995, The New Seminary, an interfaith and blocked energies, charge depleted areas, repair distorted "National Academy of Wisdom" in New York City, offered patterns, and balance die entire field." The school was "The Physician of the Soul Program," a videotape course founded in 1982. In July 1995, it was still offering the pro­ whose subjects included such "spiritual approaches to healing" gram described above. as: creative visualization, "Homeopathic Healing," hypnother­ •In 1990 and 1991, the California School of Herbal apy, "Kabbalistic Healing," "Quantum Healing," rebirthing, Studies (CSHS), in Forestville, California, offered an eight- reiki (a variant of the laying on of hands), shamanic healing, week program on the West Coast that led to a "Certificate in shiatsu, and "Therapeutic Touching." The course required Therapeutic Herbalism." The school also offered a corre­ attendance at a "one-day Intensive Retreat" and led to certifi­ spondence course titled "Therapeutic Herbalism" (previ­ cation as a modern "Physician of the Soul." The seminary was ously "Medical Herbalism") to "anyone interested in herbal founded in 1981. health care." It described this course as similar to the former • In early 1994, the University of Metaphysics, in Los and as the cornerstone of "developing a practice as a medical Angeles, California, offered self-paced, "all home study" doc­ herbalist." The school was founded in 1978. In mid-1995, toral programs that led, for example, to a Ph.D. degree in CSHS offered an on-site "intensive training program" com­ "healing" and degrees in "holistic science" (Hsc.D.) and prising two semesters: "Foundations of Herbalism" and "metaphysical science" (Msc.D.)- It advertised that its pro­ "Therapeutic Herbalism." The program led to a "certificate grams had but one prerequisite: "a sincere desire to improve of completion." the quality of human life." On July, 7, 1995, I mailed a check •In early 1995, The DoveStar Institute (also called the for $5 to the organization's "communications address," in DoveStar Alchemian Institute), in Hooksett, New Hampshire, Studio City, California, for a "detailed Research Report" and offered a program that led to certification as a "Reiki- "full details" of the "Doctoral Degree Program." The mailing Alchemia Therapist." Reiki-alchemia is a union of: (1) reiki, a I received about a week later included a letter from dean Paul variant of die laying on of hands that posits "Universal Life L. Masters, Msc.D., in which he said a "Student Enrollment Force Energy," and (2) alchemia, a form of channeling that Drive" was in progress, enabling enrollment before August at allegedly involves activating "Universal Fifth Dimensional half the regular tuition. Energy." According to the so-called research report, titled "A • In early 1995, The Focusing Institute, in Chicago, Doctoral Career in Metaphysics" (1994, by Paul Leon Illinois, offered a five-level curriculum that led to a Masters), (1) the International Metaphysical Ministry is the "Certificate of Completion." Focusing is a "natural" stepwise university's parent body; (2) the doctoral program is self- system of "personal growth" based on the work of psychology paced, and enrollees can meet degree requirements in less than professor Eugene (Gene) T Gendlin, author of Focusing a year; (3) upon successful completion of the first six months (Bantam Books, 1981) and Let the Body Interpret Your Dreams of study, enrollees receive the Ministerial Ordination (Chiron, 1986). It involves "dreamwork" and "inner child Diploma, which "gives one the legal right" to "practice spiri­ work." The latter is a form of "psychotherapy" popularized by tual healing," and the "Practitioners Ordination Diploma," author and theologian John Bradshaw. The purported effects which "protects one's right legally to practice Spiritual of Focusing include: direct contact with the (allegedly palpa­ Healing"; and (4) to those who successfully complete the ble) "wisdom" of one's body (i.e., prenatal "bodily meaning"); "Doctoral Degree Program" and have "Ministerial standing" the flowing of "life's energy" in "new ways of being"; discovery with the International Metaphysical Ministry, the "university" of one's "genuine self"; and an increase in personal gives one of three "Ph.D." degrees: Doctor of Metaphysics, "whole[ness]." Doctor of Metaphysical Counseling, and Doctor of New Thought Ministry. • For its 1992-1993 academic year, the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (ITP), in Palo Alto (previously in Mcnlo Park), California, offered two "M.A." correspondence The Bottom Line programs: (1) the 21-month "Master of Arts in Transpersonal Studies (MATS.)" program and (2) the 27-month "Master Few providers of alternative health education deserve the per­ of Transpersonal Psychology (M.T.P.)" program. Transpersonal sonal consideration of health professionals who desire addi­ psychology is a combination of Eastern mysticism, Jungian tional ctcAcni\A%\ i.e., few deserve candidacy as sources of cre­ psychology, and psychosynthesis (a "spiritual psychotherapy"). dentials for credentialed people. Even fewer deserve the per­ Italian psychiatrist Roberto Assagioli, M.D. (1888-1974), sonal consideration of would-be health professionals. originated psychosynthesis in 1910. Its purported design is to Credentialing by correspondence may be a viable, even effect the "integration" and "growth" of the self and to release promising, movement. Alas, it is a movement dominated by and direct "psychic energies" allegedly generated thereby. ITP fast-buck artists, charlatans, and propagators of mysticism, was founded in 1975. By 1994, it attained a "preaccredited sta­ pseudoscience, and supernaturalism.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 45 BOOK REVIEWS

A Battle-Cry for Reason and Rationality

JAMES RANDI

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark. By Carl Sagan. Random House, New York, 1996. ISBN 0-394-53512-X. 457 pp. Hardcover, $25.95.

one of the incisiveness of Broca's riveting explanation, as an example of sci­ dedication, and courage. But if we Brain or the sweep of Dragons of ence at its best, of how Einstein's revolu­ don't practice these tough habits of thought, we cannot hope to solve the Eden has been lost in Carl Sagan's tion of physics was not a denial of previous N truly serious problems chat face us— new book, The Demon-Haunted World: work, but an exciting expansion of known we risk becoming a nation of suckers, Science as a Candle in the Dark. This one, views of the universe. In effect, he shows up for grabs by the next charlatan however, focuses strongly and accurately us that Newton was not wrong but merely who saunters along. on the pseudoscience, quackery, and gen­ limited in scope by the tools available to eral nonsense that readers of this journal Very properly, Sagan also points out have agonized over and that the skeptical the perils of relieving naive persons of movement as such was founded to their delusions about the paranormal. oppose. We have here the batde-cry of CARL His understanding of people fitting the our equivalent of an avenging angel. description of the "Believer Type" is Not that Sagan has ever failed to bat­ awesome, and he knows from experi­ tle absurdity whenever he came upon it. ence that they are not easily led to rea­ SAGAN son. Their lack of knowledge about the In previous books, he has delivered jabs at astrology, parapsychology, various real world, and of how it actually works, obviously nutty notions in cosmology, lies behind their delusions. Sagan sug­ and prayer. In this present book, he rears gests that "they know everything about back and produces roundhouse blows of Atlantis, but not a thing about DNA." far greater impact. Having seen an ear­ An episode that he relates particu­ lier manuscript of this book, I perceive larly well involves "Carlos," a channeler here in the published version a stronger THE who invaded Australia briefly and and less restrained Carl Sagan. proved that the media can be willingly The opening chapter [which was DrMON-HAUMLD seduced so long as they are convinced excerpted in part in the March/April that surrender to bunk will increase rat­ 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER] is well WOULD ings, circulation, and general satisfac­ worth the price of admission all by itself. tion of the consumer who adores being After explaining what science is all him. The wonderful ability of science to homswoggled and will pay for that priv­ about, Sagan gets to a definitive point at correct itself upon the presentation of bet­ ilege. Jose Luis Alvarez, the young which he shows how it differs from reli­ ter data is clearly demonstrated here. American "performance sculptor," took on the media Down Under in a whirl­ gion and .superstition. This is a section One of Sagan's admonitions particularly wind campaign that culminated in a that every skeptic will find quite valu­ struck me as worthy of being communi­ able when arguing the case for science one-night appearance at the Sydney cated to every science classroom when sci­ and against antiscience. It's a clearly rea­ Opera House, with teary-eyed devotees ence is first introduced to students: soned examination of points that we clutching crystals and being told ridicu­ often find difficult to express. Finding the occasional straw of truth lous things by Carlos, such as "Gravity awash in a great ocean of confusion is simple; it is more natural for things to He then launches into a delicious and and bamboozle requires vigilance,

46 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS

fall down than to fall up!" When ments in their stories as tokens of yields such inferior and moldy fruits. Alvarez's hoax was revealed to be a work verisimilitude, rather than evidence Sagan's treatment of even the most that they [the abductees] have con­ of performance art commissioned by bizarre claims is typically sensible and trived their stories out of a shared cul­ TV's Channel Nine, the victims in the gentle (unlike some other skeptical crit­ ture and biology. media were unrepentant. Why are we ics, one of whom he refers to as "intol­ not surprised? Taking what could be considered easy erant and condescending") and he man­ In connection with the Alvarez cre­ shots at the fare that has been and is being ages to keep his dismay at the foibles of ation, and the failure of the media to pro­ offered us on television, die author points popular culture from coloring the text. vide any responsible investigation of the out that die "In Search Of . . ." series The clear, nontechnical language actual facts behind it, it is proper to note began each episode with a gentle dis­ used by Carl Sagan in The Demon- that Harry Edwards, a prominent and claimer stating that die writers were sim­ Haunted World will provide any lay per­ outspoken figure in the Australian skepti­ ply not presenting a properly balanced sons with the means to properly exam­ cal community, was invited on one TV view of the subjects discussed. He says, ine their personal beliefs. Whether show to dispute the reality of the claims of Sagan can induce the horse to drink Carlos, and promptly revealed—cor- The idea that there might be alterna­ after being led to water is yet to be seen. rccdy—the modus operandi for Carlos's tive explanations to be decided by the There was a pseudo-factual book weight of evidence never surfaces. pulse-stopping trick, a demonstration that titled The Cloning of a Man, which had wowed the press and was seen several He lumps the "Sightings" and "Unsolved declared on its cover, "A True Story!" and times in TV interviews of the young Mysteries" series in with this uncritical for a few weeks made a minor brouhaha "guru." Edwards's direct explanation was blight infesting die world of TV. in publishing circles, then deservedly ignored by everyone, and the subsequent "The X-Files," he tells us, very seldom vanished. Were the claims of that book confirmation of his evaluadon—when the meets its thinly avowed dedication to the true, we might wish to insist diat all hoax was finally revealed—must have skeptical point of view, and "Star Trek," in efforts be made to clone Dr. Carl Sagan. been a great satisfaction to him and to the its several incarnations, ignores com­ We need him, and a dozen of his clones, skeptical movement. to head up the skeptical forces that are pletely the basics of biology, allowing essentially die only protection available Sagan sums up such matters as the interspecies mating that is equivalent to to the public against uncritical thinking Roswell "crashed flying saucer" episode accepting the crossing of a man and an and media exploitation of ignorance. Buy in two succinct paragraphs, giving it as artichoke. The film Star Wars used "par- several copies of The Demon-Haunted much attention as it really deserves. sec" as a unit of speed instead of distance. World and donate them to school Later he discusses "UFO abductees" who Dropped in among all these com­ libraries wherever you can. That would declare that they have been kidnapped ments is one diat struck me as being a be a worthwhile investment, I assure you. and whisked off to Venus or another very pertinent inquiry: "When is the last unlikely spot to have their reproductive time you heard an intelligent comment The back jacket of the book bears a systems examined and tinkered with. on science by a President of the United quotation that could be inscribed above These colorful and popular characters States?" Sagan here missed the recent the doorway of every school in the world: often report very similar physical appear­ statement by Presidential candidate and ances for the aliens who grabbed them, intellectual giant Pat Buchanan, who I worry that, especially as the and Sagan points out that Millennium edges nearer, pseudo- asserted that no scientist could ever con­ science and superstition will seem vince him he was descended from a mon­ year by year more tempting, the siren The believers take the common ele- key. I'll leave mat stultifying error and the song of unreason more sonorous and question it obviously invokes.... attractive. Where have we heard it before? Whenever our ethnic or James Randi. magician and indefatigable Chapter 13 of The Demon-Haunted national prejudices ate aroused, in investigator of paranormal claims, is World, "Obsessed with Reality," contains times of scarcity, during challenges to author of such works as Flim-Flam!, The "a representative, not a comprehensive, national self-esteem or nerve, when Faith Healers, The Mask of Nostra­ list" of "typical offerings of pseudo- we agonize about our diminished cos­ mic place and purpose, or when damus, and, most recently. An Encyclo­ science." There are forty-eight items fanaticism is bubbling up around pedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of listed, among which are favorites like us—then, habits of thought familiar the Occult and Supernatural (St. dowsing, homeopathy, Edgar Cayce, from ages past reach for the controls. Martin's Press). He recently announced perpetual motion machines, Scientology, The candle flame gutters. Its little pool of light trembles. Darkness gath­ the creation of the James Randi and phone calls from the dead. Reading ers. The demons begin to stir. Educational Foundation to conduct or his account of rJiesc subjects, one cannot finance original research into paranormal, resist the suspicion that Dr. Sagan grows occult, and supernatural claims. weary of laboring in a vineyard mat Arc we listening? •

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 47 BOOK REVIEWS

SURFING hours." After a few hours of climbing, Lenz states that he was "on top of a HIMALAYAS A Wayward Way mountain twice as high as any I had to Buddhist Spirituality snowboarded before." During his first run he crashes into an old, bald-headed JOSEPH P. SZIMHART monk who seems to appear out of nowhere. Thus begins his relationship Surfing the Himalayas: A Spiritual Adventure. By Frederick Lenz. St. with Fwap, who convinces die boy to Martins Press, New York, 1995. ISBN 0-446-52034-9. 236 pp. become his student because of Lenz's Hti:i>l:KICK l.LNZ Hardcover, $14.95. achievements in past lives as a meditator and occultist. We discover that Lenz has been chosen to carry on the important any yean ago I wrote to a ened" monk with miraculous powers, work of the Rae Chorze-Fwaz Tantra Tibetan scholar, Nawang Master Fwap. The monk is the sole liv­ Mystery School and that Fwap is its only Tsering, for information ing teacher from the ancient (fictitious) M living "enlightened" master on the planet. about a mysterious manuscript that was Rae Chorze-Fwaz Order. Fwap's lineage allegedly kept at the Hem is Gompa stems from die legendary Atlantis that From Chapter Two onward the text Buddhist Monastery in Ladakh—a sent great teachers to ancient Egypt and abounds with the wisdom of Fwap, who region north of the India (now part of other places before it sank from its guides his beguiled young student into Kashmir). The manuscript told about karmic depravity. Fwap tells us that the the teachings of his order. The master the wanderings and teachings of a man ancient wisdom behind true enlighten­ uses the snowboard as a tool during sev­ named "St. Issa," who spent his youth in ment is now contained in his mysterious eral sessions. In one situation Fwap him­ India and Tibet. At age 30 this man Buddhist enclave outside of Katmandu, self steps on the board with the "wrong returned to his native Israel to preach for Nepal. shoes" and swiftly glides down a steep several years only to be crucified. He Although Surfing the Himalayas is slope only to levitate, board and all, was supposedly Jesus, who began die published as a fictional account, Lenz back to the top. Fwap directs Lenz to Christian religion. Tsering graciously nevertheless claims that the book con­ accomplish this by becoming "one with researched the story for me with his tains his "real experiences" when he was the board." Such magical guru tricks friend who was both a monk and a his­ in Nepal "some time ago." The story amaze Lenz who then wants to learn torian at the monastery. His reply con­ begins with Lenz, the author, as the nar­ more. But the unflappable Fwap brushes firmed my research and that of many rator—a device used by James Redfield magical power aside, telling his student orhers who have invalidated the legend in his comparable best-seller, The that it is merely a by-product of enlight­ created by adventurer Nicholas Celestine Prophecy—telling us about his enment—the true goal. Notovitch, who published his Life of St. love for the snow and sledding as a Issa in the late nineteenth century. Fwap's preachings are directed by young boy. It quickly moves to a period Notovitch claimed that he got his infor­ simple questions from his student. On when Lenz was a man of college age— mation from a manuscript at the one occasion Lenz asks how to tell if a which places die narrative around 1970. monastery. Buddhist master is enlightened. "The He flies to Nepal to "surf" the first condition was that the master's aura Himalayas since he has already "success­ Tsering told me that no such manu­ would turn a beautiful, bright golden fully snowboarded most of the higher script ever existed at this or any other color when he meditated." The second mountains in the United States and Buddhist monastery; that it was all characteristic was that the master Canada." He checks into the Katmandu "thought construction." He also wrote "would always have a totally outrageous Youth Hostel where he falls asleep and that just as we in the West have many sense of humor, because life, when has a weird dream in which he meets a legends about Jesus, so too, Buddhists viewed through the eyes of enlighten­ magical Buddhist monk on a mountain have put up with quite a bit of nonsense ment, was incredibly funny!" of snow. The monk appears in the air in the East about die Buddha. next to Lenz, who has inadvertendy Some of Fwap's teachings sound sus­ Frederick Lenz—"Rama" to his cult careened off a cliff. The monk teaches piciously like those of the don Juan following—has created a version of him to levitate and saves him. character created by writer Carlos Buddhism in Surfing the Himalayas that Castaneda. Fwap discourses about the is entirely self-serving, while revising Later, after awakening, Lenz hires a second attention, luminous beings, the Tibetan religion from an idiosyncratic. yak-drawn cart driven by a farmer who tonal, places of power, and seeing in terms New Age perspective. In the book, he takes him from Katmandu to a snow- familiar to anyone who has read introduces us to a fictitious, "enlight­ covered Himalayan mountain "in several Castaneda's own magical autobiographi-

41 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS cal adventures. Perhaps don Juan was mimics many others that use literary founded by Sri Aurobindo before set­ merely teaching the Rae Chorze-Fwaz devices such as a mysterious spiritual ting up his own group in the late 1960s. Tantra philosophy. master from a mysterious and ancient Lenz denounced Chinmoy and pro­ But there is more here than a mere spiritual order. The remote Himalayan claimed himself to be Rama around rip-off of Castaneda. In this book Lenz cultures and exotic Tibetan teachers 1983. Although Lenz has been called a has condensed significant elements of have been foils for many authors. Often charlatan in the media many times, he his own teachings since the early 1980s. these authors gain a cult following manages to hold onto several hundred His devoted students believe that he is gullible enough to believe that the or more dedicated devotees who nearly an enlightened being (like Master Fwap writer actually experienced what he all pursue computer programming jobs. or don Juan) who radiates golden light wrote about. For instance, there have Many "offer" him as much as several and has an outrageous sense of humor. been hundreds of thousands of people thousands of dollars a month for his Well, at least some of them do. The rest who believed that the books by T. "spiritual" support. Fwap, in some ways, seem to believe that they are not spiritu­ Lobsang Rampa—the first was the is merely a revision of Sri Chinmoy, who ally advanced enough to see his lumi­ Third Eye in 1956—were true stories by claims to be the most evolved human nous aura or appreciate his humor, but a Tibetan monk who gained psychic being on the planet. powers. In reality, T. Lobsang Rampa they remain loyal with hopes that some­ One former Lenz devotee and close never existed. The books were written day diey might. friend who knew him in the early days by Cyril Henry Hoskin, the son of a from 1977 is Mark E. Laxer, who pub­ Surfing the Himalayas was self-pub­ British plumber. He had never visited lished Take Me for a Ride: Coming of Age lished in 1994 by Lenz in a small edition the Orient. mostly for his students (InterGlobal in a Destructive Cult in 1993. He left Seminars, Inc.). The book gained the Lenz's spiritual adventure comes Lenz in 1985. Laxer notes that Lenz attention of Warner Books, which has closer in type to another man's, who also became progressively more delusional had huge success with another initially posed as a student of a mysterious and coy, but manipulative, over the self-published spiritual adventure, The Tibetan master. Paul Twitchell pub­ years. Lenz said he believed then that Celestine Prophecy. Warner bought the lished The Tiger's Fang in 1967 about his LSD helped a teacher to reorganize a rights to Surfing for a cool quarter mil­ magical adventures with Eckankar student's aura of luminous fibers and he lion dollars and planned ro publish it Master Rebazar Tarzs. Tarzs, according encouraged its use with special students. under its label in the fall of 1995. After to the book, has been around nigh 500 Fwap does not talk about LSD, but he the Warner-Lenz deal appeared in years and is a member of the ancient does teach that a person's soul or aura Publisher's Weekly (May 22, 1995), Vairagi Order of Soul Travelers. In real­ needs to be "rcpatterned" with a master's Warner received information alleging ity, Twitchell based his Tarzs character help in order to speed up enlighten­ Lenz was a controversial cult leader with partially on Kirpal Singh, a guru from a ment. 1 believe that Lenz has chosen this a sordid reputation for sexually manipu­ fringe Sikh organization, the Rad- period of his life to revive himself with lating female followers. Warner dropped hasoami Satsang, with whom Twitchell Surfing the Himalayas. the contract, but still lost $80,000 to had studied. Twitchell was known to It is highly unlikely that Lenz was Lenz in the deal. St. Martin's Press, an have plagiarized heavily in writing his snowboarding in Nepal at the time of earlier bidder, picked up the contract for "autobiography." The new religion of his story, for several reasons. Snow­ an undisclosed amount, but according Eckankar is based on Twitchell's revela­ boards were not developed until the mid to the New York Times Quly 13, 1995), tions, which curiously blend Theosophy 1970s or later. Lenz has never demon­ St. Martin's was unaware of any contro­ with the Radhasoami tradition of India strated his snowboarding abilities to versy surrounding Lenz. and Scientology. Twitchell had been a eyewitnesses, to my and former mem­ member of the latter group as well. There has been a spate of books bers' knowledge. Even if the snowboard­ geared for the spirituality seeker carried Lenz had dedicated his first book. ing is merely a fictional device employed in recent decades by publishing houses Lifetimes: True Accounts of Reincarnation by Lenz, the author's knowledge of hoping to tap the expanding New (1980) to his guru, Sri Chinmoy, now actual places like Katmandu and the Age/metaphysical market. Lenz's book based outside of Brooklyn. Lenz was Himalayas is insular. I visited called "Atmanada" when he broke with Darjeeling, Katmandu, and other Chinmoy in the early 1980s to start his Himalayan communities in February Joe Szimhart has been a specialist in con­ 1981. Himalayan yaks flourish around troversial new religions, therapies, and own cult. His first members had been Chinmoy devotees. Chinmoy is another 14,000 feet or higher and get sickly and cults for more than a decade. He works as die at lower altitudes. I remember seeing a consultant to help groups and individu- godman who has made claims to super­ human powers. Chinmoy had been a a lone yak in the zoo in Darjeeling. It als to understand or reevaluate participa­ was in terrible shape at 7,500 feet. tion in questionable behaviors and beliefs. member of a modern ashram in India

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 49 BOOK REVIEWS

Katmandu is at 4,600 feet. It is unlikely energy, just as you are" (p. 87)- Earlier in this review I mentioned that Lenz hired a yak-driven cart there. He also stresses that one needs a liv­ Nawang Tsering. In 1979 he published Less likely is a slow-moving animal ing, enlightened teacher if one is to seek Buddhism in Ladakh in India, a biography reaching anywhere near snow-clad enlightenment. Fwap's master was Fwaz of an eighteenth-century Ladakhi saint slopes from Katmandu in several hours Shastra Dup, a monk who died around and scholar, Ngag-dbang Tse-ring [sic]. as Lenz describes, even in winter. 1950. Lenz does not tell us if Fwap is The saint was a historically authentic fol­ Lenz states that he climbed "twice as available to other seekers, but he does lower of Buddhist Tantra and, according high" on his first Himalayan peak as he point to himself today as heir to the to Tsering, a pivotal scholar and reformer ever had in North America. I have Tantric throne of enlightenment via die much loved by his disciples and peers. climbed many average American peaks Rae Chorze-Fwaz Order. That is far more than we can say about up to 13,000 feet. During die snow sea­ Lenz's future plans are indicated in Fwap—a magical character of the imagi­ son, hiking was extremely difficult if not Chapter Four, in which he has a curious nation. After initial promotion, including impossible without snowshoes. Even if dream about himself in the future. His a full-page ad in the New York Times in Lenz had snowboarded at a mere 12,000 future self convinces Lenz to meet with November 1995, Surfing is doing very feet in North America, this would have Fwap rather than go snowboarding on well as a New Age tide. Frederick Lenz placed him at 24,000 feet in Nepal, no an auspicious day. may have a best-seller by present indica­ easy feat for a single trekker in one day "You owe him your life, you know. tions, but that is not surprising. who may have had to climb around You ran him down with your snow­ There is a market for gullible seekers 10,000 feet after a yak cart dropped him board. . . . He could have easily burned who fail to distinguish either the message off. In any case, Lenz neglects to mention you into a very small pile of ashes with or the messenger of Buddhist wisdom. that trekking in Nepal's mountains was his occult power, but because he is a Another case in point. The Tibetan Book not and is not allowed without a permit compassionate Buddhist master he let of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche and a guide with the route approved by you off the hook." has done very well since its release in the Central Immigration Office. He reveals this in his vision to him­ 1993. If Sogyal Rinpoche is an authentic The yak, the snow-covered peaks, and self as a student in a large Buddhist tem­ Buddhist by training, if not in practice, Fwap all become fantastic literary devices ple with stained glass windows. Lenz that is more than we can say about Lenz. upon analysis of Surfing the Himalayas meets his future self facing a large white If you want Buddhist wisdom, first get and not part of a possible setting that marble altar adorned with six giant red an education in authentic Buddhist phi­ supports good fiction. Fwap's Rae candles. Lenz tells the novice the future: losophy. Reading books by Sogyal Chorze-Fwaz Order is as fictional as "This is my—our—temple. Not bad, is Rinpoche or Lenz is not going to get you Tarzs's Vairaigi Order and a host of other it? We designed it ourselves." closer to Buddhist spirituality. • pseudolineages proclaimed by modern cults. Fwap's discourses on Tantric Buddhism speak more of Western New Age occultism and folk Tantra than Witch Hunts Past essential Buddhism. Fwap argues that the Christian-influenced West is linear and Present and hierarchical in its thinking, whereas the Buddhist East is circular and more PETER HUSTON efficient. He teaches that the earth is pol­ Witch-Children: From Salem Witch-Hunts to Modern Courtrooms. luted psychically by too many unenlight­ By Hans Sebald. Prometheus Books, Amherst, N.Y, 1995. ISBN ened people; and that he (Fwap) needs to 0-87975-965-8. 258 pp. Hardcover, $24.95- refresh himself at times at his monastery. "Every living being is psychic.... Did hroughout the history of human satanic-rirual abuse, we once again often you know that the vast majority of justice, a key problem has been to see the guilt or innocence of die accused thoughts you think and emotions you Tdetermine how reliable children's decided on the same sort of evidence. feel aren't even your own?" Master Fwap testimony is. A few centuries ago, the per­ In this groundbreaking work, Witch- asked with a wry smile on his face (p. 55). ceived reliability of children's testimony Children: From Salem Witch-Hunts to Fwap later carries this equivocal con­ was a key factor in many witchcraft trials. Modern Courtrooms, Hans Sebald exam­ cept to extremes: "Whether you are Often innocents were executed following ines children's testimony from both eras aware of it or not, your board has an the damning testimony of a child. Today, and draws parallels. Almough the infor­ inherent knowledge of its own capabili­ particularly in cases of alleged sexual mation is good and the parallels well ties because it is made up of intelligent abuse of children that sometimes includes drawn, in my opinion the book suffers

50 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS from overly long stretches in which it drawn with modern practices of using out discussing that the diagnosis is dwells too much on the dark history of children's testimony to support accusa­ highly controversial and many believe it European witchcraft trials. Although the tions of sexual abuse of children that to be nothing more than iatrogenic witchcraft trials are important and inter­ sometimes includes satanic-ritual malingering by patients anxious to esting in their own right, the book abuse. please a therapist. His references to false jacket seems to promise a text that grap­ The focus on history is most appar­ memory syndrome, although appropri­ ples more with the important modern ent in Part Two. Here we are offered a ate, are backed up by very few sources. social issue of children's courtroom testi­ detailed examination of the confession Still, overall this section is well done and mony. Instead, the topic of children's of a 9-year-old child known only as "the perhaps the best part of the book. present-day courtroom testimony is vir­ Witchboy." Responding to an accusa­ Lately, I have become involved in the tually ignored in much of the book. tion in 1629 in Bramberg, Germany— issue of how innocent people can In Part One, Sebald, professor emer­ without torture, but under the threat— become falsely accused of sexual abuse of itus of sociology at Arizona State the Witchboy gave the inquisition an children. Child abuse and sexual abuse University, discusses how children can elaborate and highly detailed confession of children are terrible and must be pre­ easily suffer from "mythomania"—a claiming that he had been involved in a vented, but no good occurs by punishing tendency to imagine fanciful scenes and variety of sorcerous and black magic those innocently accused. Furthermore, events and later come to believe them as activities. The motivations for this con­ I am troubled by the way in which those fact. Among children, the author says, fession, as well as the social and histori­ charged are often treated as guilty until this is quite common and normal. cal context in which they are placed, are proven innocent, particularly when chil­ Mythomania in a child becomes more discussed in full. dren, often highly coaxed and trained children, testify against them. readily active when the child's imagina­ Those interested in the witch trials tion is led by adults who expect the should gain much from the well-done Would I recommend this work to child to say certain things. The author description in this fascinating book. those who share my concern? The describes the culture of the fifteenth- to Nevertheless, it is doubtful those inter­ answer is yes, I would recommend it the early eighteenth-century witch- ested in modern courtroom activities highly, but I would encourage people to hunters and inquisition and describes will benefit much from such an elabo­ begin at Part Three, followed by Part how fearful society was of the imagi­ rate and detailed description in this doc­ One, and then, only if they're interested nary threat of witchcraft. He describes umentation of the role of children in in the history of Germany or witchcraft how such a society could lead a child seventeenth-century German society. trials, turn to the ninety pages that make not only into testifying against others In Part Three, parallels are drawn up Part Two of the work. Those inter­ but. surprisingly, even into testifying ested exclusively in the witchcraft trials against himself or herself. Parallels are much more strongly between historical and modern behavior. At one point the may reverse this order. Having done so, author mentions multiple personality I expect they will find this an informa­ tive and fascinating book. Peter Huston writes from Schenectady, N. Y. disorder, a possible result of abuse, with­

NEW BOOKS

The Demon-Haunted World Science as a memories while presenting science as (including many Fellows of CSICOP and Candle in the Dark. Carl Sagan. Random humanity's best hope for truly understand­ other authorities familiar to readers of the House, 201 East 50th Street. New York, NY ing the natural world. Sec James Randi's SKEPTICAL INQUIRER). Several well-known 10022. 1996. ISBN 0-394-53512-X. 457 review in this issue. parapsychologists arc also included. Among pp. $25-95, hardcover. This is the noted the 92 topics, presented alphabetically in arti­ astronomer and Pulitzer Prize-winning The Encyclopedia of the Paranormal cles ranging from a few thousand to more author's long-awaited work on behalf of sci­ Gordon Stein, editor. Prometheus Books, 59 than 10,000 words each, are altered states of ence, reason, skepticism, science education, John Glenn Dr., Amherst. NY 14228-2197. consciousness, ancient astronauts, astrology, and scientific literacy in a popular climate of 1996. ISBN 1-57392-021-5. 859 pp. cattle mutilations, coincidences, CSICOP. superstition, pseudoscience, and irrational­ $149.95, hardcover. Foreword by Carl Sagan. fortune-telling, ghosts, graphology, hypnosis, ity. (Several excerpts were published in the An ambitious and long-needed reference levitation, the media and the paranormal, March/April SKEPTICAL INQUIRER.) In his work. Presents comprehensive, authoritative miracles, New Age thinking, out-of-body fresh and personal approach, Sagan explores articles on nearly all substantial aspects of the experiences, palmistry, parapsychology, pol­ all manner of bizarre topics and beliefs rang­ "paranormal" from a generally balanced, sci­ tergeists, prophetic dreams, psychic detec­ ing from alien abductions. UFOs, and the entific point of view. Most of the 56 contrib­ tives, psychic research, psychokinesis, reincar­ face on Mars to hallucinations and repressed utors are skeptical scientists and scholars nation, scientific crcationism, skepticism and

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 51 the paranormal, spiritualism, spontaneous science writer challenge the asteroid-impact and astronomy (University of Hawaii) and human combustion, statistics and the para­ scenario. In a short, readable, provocative author (Physics and Psychics), leads the normal, UFOs, Velikovsky, witchcraft, book, they amass scientific evidence and reader through modern quantum mechanics xenoglossy, and zombies. Each article arguments against all substantial aspects of and addresses claims of authors such as includes a bibliography. With a few caveats, the Alvarez hypothesis, including the Deepak Chopra and Fritjof Capra—such as this is a worthy and highly recommended ref­ extraterrestrial origin of the iridium layers the assertion that human consciousness erence work that will be valuable to all schol­ and the Chicxulub structure on the Yucatan holds the key to reality. A chapter entitled ars, libraries, and skeptical investigators. as the impact site. They contend Chicxulub "Cosmythology" critically examines the cos­ is not an impact structure at all, and present mic anthropic principle that attempts to put Eccentrics. Dr. David Weeks and Jamie evidence that the extinction was a conse­ humans at the center of realiry and the uni­ James. Random House (Villard Books quence of wholly earthly, natural events. verse. Stenger says he hopes other physicists Division) 201 East 50th Street, New York, They call for skepticism toward the entire and scientists will join him in "providing the NY 10022.1995. ISBN 0-394056565-7. 277 subject and put the asteroid-impact claim reading public with a more balanced view of pp. $23-00, hardcover. In a study of sanity into the same category as pathological sci­ the significance of developments in twenti­ and strangeness, a neuropsychologist and a ence episodes such as polywater. In addition eth-century physics and cosmology." journalist examine the topic of human eccen­ to the scientific arguments—all presented tricity, and find that eccentrics arc creative, accessibly—particularly interesting are the chapters on science and politics, "silly sea­ Voices for Evolution. Edited by Molleen curious, idealistic, opinionated, intelligent, Matsumura. The National Center for Science and, in many cases, healthier than the average son" side-scenarios (the Nemesis star and comet impacts with a periodicity of 26 mil­ Education. Inc. RO. Box 9477, Berkeley, CA person. A chapter on scientists explores the 94709. 1995. ISBN 0-939873-53-2. 176 pp. fine line between genius and madness, also lion years), and media science. Whether one agrees with them or not—how asteroid- $10 t $2 shipping (volume discounts avail­ subject of an earlier chapter on the distinc­ able), paper. Revised, expanded edition of an tions between eccentricity and mental illness. impact proponents respond will be interest­ ing to see—the book should be read by all invaluable resource book presents statements scientists involved in the controversy, sci­ from the world's leading scientific organiza­ The Great Dinosaur Extinction Con­ ence writers, and students of how scientific tions (including the National Academy of troversy. Charles Officer and Jake Page. ideas are presented and become accepted. Sciences and those representing biologists, Addison-Wesley, New York, 1996. ISBN 0- geologists, astronomers, geophysicists, 201-48384-X. 224 pp. $25.00, hardcover. chemists, and psychologists), educational In 1980 Nobel laureate physicist Luis The Unconscious Quantum: Metaphysics in associations, and religious organizations Alvarez and his geologist son Walter Alvarez Modern Physics and Cosmology. Victor J. asserting the primary legitimacy of evolution propounded the theory that the great Stenger. Prometheus Books, 59 John Glenn as a fundamental principle of science. An Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event 65 Drive, Amherst, NY 14228. 1995. ISBN 1- important addition to this edition is a sum­ million years ago was caused by the impact 57392-022-3. 322 pp. $32.95, hardcover. mary of six significant court decisions from of an asteroid into Earth. Since then this One of the first works that addresses the 1982-1994 regarding evolution/creation view has gained wide scientific and popular metaphysical claims of writers on the new issues. prominence and considerable general accep­ physics from a relatively detailed critical tance. Here a Dartmouth geologist and a perspective. Stenger, a professor of physics —Kendrick Frazier

ARTICLES OF NOTE

Amos, Bill. "Chance Remarks." Nature, Evolutionary Answer." Nature, 380: roads," Kor says in his introduction. "After February 8, 1996. Letter pointing out how a 103-104, March 14, 1996. Noting that cre­ almost 50 years of investigation and specula­ global type I error (a statistically significant ationists often claim that evolution is only tion, the solution that researchers seek is result occurring strictly by chance) might inferred, not observed directly. Diamond nowhere in sight. Indeed, the discrepancy operate between laboratories. Shows that here reports on "a remarkable paper" between what is believed about flying saucers there "is such a thing as a global type I error (Journal of Ecology, 84: 53-72, 1996) in and what can be proved continues to grow, and that individually good statistical practice which the authors report the direct detection forcing researchers to invent increasingly does not necessarily remove that risk." of both rapid evolutionary change and a radical explanations to compensate. The phenomenon in populations of wild plants time has come to pause and take stock . . . in which new colonies of a species may "More Spirited Debate on Physics, Para­ [to determine] why the quest that began become instantly distinct from the parent psychology and Paradigms.'' Physics Today, with so much promise so long ago has not population. April 1996, pp. 15,81. Two letters comment lived up to expectations." on an earlier article by Jonathan P. Dowling (July 1995) that expressed concern about Kor, Peter. "Where are the Saucers?" Kor's Lemonick, Michael D. "Dumping on Physical Review A's publication of a paper by Kosmos (1207 Cordova Rd., Mayfield Darwin." Time, March 18, 1996, p. 81. Henry P. Stapp dealing with parapsychologi- Heights, Ohio 44124), 10: 1-19, March Good, succinct report, sympathetic to the cal experiments. Dowling then responds. 1996. A call, in a lengthy dialogue, for stock­ scientific viewpoint, about recent attacks by taking and critical thinking by flying saucer politicians and creationists on evolution. Diamond, Jared M. "Daisy Gives an proponents. "Saucer research is at a cross- There is no controversy [about the fact of

52 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER evolution] among scientists. Time says. "The Mermin, N. David. "The Golemization of University) offer a cognitive-motivational only dispute comes from a small, vociferous Relativity." Physics Today, April 1996, pp. 11, explanation for how spurious memories of band of religiously motivated scholars who 13. Following up on his earlier essay, here UFO abductions can be created and main­ focus on evolution's admitted inconsistencies Mermin examines how Collins and Pinch in tained. The motivational roots lie in peoples and ignore its powerful insights." Golem treat the theory of relativity. Collins desire to escape from the ordinary. The cog­ and Pinch make much of the fact that the nitive bases involve the integration and elab­ Mermin, N. David. "What's Wrong widi famous Michelson-Moriey experiment was oration of hallucinations, general knowl­ this Sustaining Myth?" Physics Today, March less decisive and more ambiguous than is usu­ edge, and contextual cues into full-blown 1996, pp. 11, 13. A thoughtful physicist's ally presented (a point with which Mermin accounts, usually with the aid of hypnosis. essay in reply to arguments and misconcep­ agrees) and imply that relativity was therefore Due to the pitfalls of hypnosis, people tions about science used by sociologists accepted on less-than-solid grounds. But he develop a high degree of confidence in the Harry Collins and Trevor Pinch in their says the authors ignore a variety of reasons for verity of spurious UFO abduction memo­ award-winning book The Golem: What believing in special relativity in 1925 "having ries. Following this paper, the journal pre­ Everyone Should Know About Science. nothing to do with Michelson-Moriey." He sents twelve commentaries (by people rang­ (Cambridge University Press, 1993) Do sci­ says Collins and Pinch don't even hint that ing from Martin Ornc to John Mack), and entists build consensus out of disagreement they arc following "a single tiny strand in an Newman and Baumeister then respond with by a social process? How could it be other­ enormous tapestry of fact and analysis." It is "Not Just Another False Memory: Further wise? Mermin asks. But, "die notion that this only by ignoring all this other evidence that Thoughts on the UFO Abduction is the whole story—that all we are doing is they can conclude that the acceptance of rela­ Phenomenon" (pp. 185-187)- exercising our exceptional skills at coming to tivity was primarily a cultural phenomenon. agreement—is a sustaining myth for sociolo­ "Collins and Pinch confuse a legend about Thalbourne, Michael A. "Science Versus gists. ... I believe their book furnishes an relativity with relativity itself, and they use the Showmanship: A History of the Randi instructive demonstration of what can go weakness of that legend to undermine the Hoax." Journal of the American Society for wrong if you focus too strongly on the social intellectual coherence of the process by which Psychical Research, 89: 343-366, October perspective." Sociologists like die authors the theory was established, paving the way for 1995. On January 28, 1983, the professional leave out essential pans of die process, he them to transform it from a truth about the conjuror and investigator James Randi says—an understanding of the "multitude of natural world into a cultural artifact." announced his Project Alpha—that he had interlocking mutually reinforcing clues" that masterminded a hoax against the McDonnell lead to acceptance of a scientific theory. Laboratory for Psychical Research at "They never acknowledge that an enormous Newman, Leonard S., and Roy F. Washington University, St. Louis. This is the multiplicity of strands of evidence, many of Baumeister. "Toward an Explanation of the published version of an earlier manuscript them weak and ambiguous, can make a UFO Abduction Phenomenon: Hypnotic that circulated privately describing the hoax coherent logical bond whose strength is enor­ Elaboration, Extraterrestrial Sadomaso­ and raising what parapsychologists have con­ mous. ... By focusing on individual threads chism, and Spurious Memories.'' Psycho­ tended are "controversial methodological and they have produced a picture of 'what actu­ logical Inquiry, 7(3): 101-126, 1996. This other scientific issues" to which the episode ally happens in science' that overlooks the target article leads off almost an entire issue has drawn attention. crucial role played by die intricate structure devoted to this paper and discussion of it. of the whole interconnected tapestry." Newman (University of Illinois, Chicago) and Baumeister (Case Western Reserve —Kcndrick Frazier

Skeptical Briefs is the quarterly newsletter of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, published to inform skeptics about CSICOP activities and the pursuits of independent, local, and other national skeptics organizations. You'll find many exciting features in Skeptical Briefs, including the following regular columns: A Skeptic's Notebook, by Robert A. Baker, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Kentucky and a CSICOP Fellow; Reality Check, by Milton Rothman, physicist and CSI­ COP Consultant; Beyond Belief, by Tom Flynn, electronic media expert and director of Inquiry Media Productions; Inklings, by U.K. science writer Lewis Jones; Investigative Files, by Joe Nickell, author, magician, and Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Inquiry.

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A View from Russia: Popularization of Science as a Tool against Antiscience

BORIS SHMAKIN

n Russia, as well as in many other When real scientists are active, they We should not be astonished when countries of the world, many para- can expose pseudoscience. A well- in a Russian television program astrol­ Ipsychologists, astrologers, so-called known scandal happened in 1991, when ogy was characterized as an "applied sci­ nontraditional medical doctors (mainly physicists of die USSR Academy of ence"; and when we regularly watch on charlatans), specialists on UFOs, etc., Sciences demanded that government television such "specialists" on astrology are involved in pseudoscientific "investi­ cease to support charlatans working on as former doctor of sciences in chem­ gations." Very often they use radio, tele­ "microlepton fields" (distant biological istry V. Velichko or former physicist vision, and newspapers to publish arti­ influence of army and civil inhabitants Tamara Globa. cles on various topics of pseudoscience. with "torsion radiation"). About $500 I am a member of the International Why is such activity still not unmasked? million had been spent on such "inves­ Academy of Information, which has There are at least three reasons: (1) tigations." Fortunately, the Supreme headquarters in Moscow. There are The leaders of mass media organizations Soviet Committee stopped this waste of many divisions organized by scientific are not educated enough to recognize money. The Academic Department of specialization or by regions of activity (as and expose pseudoscientific "theories." General Physics and Astronomy at a our Irkutsk Division, for instance). The They don't ask advice of real scientists, special session on July 9, 1991, charac­ leadership and divisions of the academy probably in order to conceal their terized this case as "organized activity of have taken much positive action. But naivete; and scientists tJiemselves are, as pseudoscience with specific features of recently I was shocked to learn diat one a rule, not sufficiently active in the large-scale bluff." more division was named: the "Division struggle against antiscience. (2) Real In the 1990s the government of die of UFOlogy and Bioenergoinformatics"! scientists understand the limitations of Ukraine allocated much money to a Isn't that a shame for the scientific com­ general knowledge. They sincerely man named Bovbalan for realization of munity? We are trying to overrule this acknowledge that many puzzles of his ideas to move clouds and cyclones, disgraceful decision, but it is difficult to nature are not yet understood. to cause rains in drought areas, and so find die source of such a mistake. Parascientists, on die contrary, are con­ on. This episode became known to the One more shameful situation hap­ fident in their "achievements"; diey pre­ public only a year ago. pened in the Russian Parliament. tend to be more certain. (3) In the Even in the circles close to the presi­ Members invited a "soodisayer"—Raisa 1930s and 1940s some attempts were dent of the Russian Federation there are Soumerina—to talk to them. She tried made in the former Soviet Union to end "believers" in miracles. The newspaper to determine who in the government is investigations in such important fields Moscow News (weekly, Nos. 29 and 30, "constantly erring," who is "stamping as genetics and cybernetics. After such 1995) published a story about General his feet," etc. And the members of die oppression was disclosed and lifted, George Rogozin, who is the deputy Parliament were listening to this delir­ biologists and physicists—along with chief of the Presidential Security ium! Professor of physics E. P. pseudobiologists and pseudophysi- Service. His hobby is studying Kruglyakov, the corresponding member cists—felt freedom. The latter occultism, telepadiy, astrology, etc. As of the Russian Academy of Sciences, demanded respect for their "new ideas" die newspaper stated, Rogozin prepares called diis case a symbol of "degradation and diey portrayed themselves as fight­ the astrological "forecasts" for die lead­ of audiorities" (Nauka v Sibiri, weekly, ers for truth. ers of die country. Nos. 47 and 48, 1995).

54 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER There are a few ways to struggle One of the most popular books amongst leagues, for example, geologists V. A. against pseudoscience. One is to check teenagers—my contemporaries—in die Obruchev and I. A. Efremov. I will cite publications and television programs 1940s was the collection of romantic short just one sentence from Obruchev's pop­ prepared by astrologers, parapsycholo- stories by rhe well-known Russian miner­ ular book Foundations of Geology: gists, etc. in order to find their mistakes alogist and geochemisi A. E. Fersman, "What does a stream whisper running and to disclose false "facts" and bogus named Reminiscences about Stone. There along a ravine?" "theories." This is being done by the are twenty-five stories, from three to nine These authors wrote their books NLO (UFO) Commission of the pages each, connected with the brightest (sometimes science fiction, such as Russian Academy of Sciences and by the memories of the authors life. Plutonia by Obruchev and Andromeda Committee for the Scientific Investi­ "Saami's Blood" described the legend Nebula by Efremov) to show not only gation of Claims of the Paranormal in about the origin of the rare mineral interesting facts and fantastic landscapes, the United States and elsewhere. But we eudialyte, red in color, in the Lovozero but also principles of nature and specific are never sure that the results will be as Mountains of the Kola Peninsula. "Testa features of life in expeditions. They tried widely available to the public, radio lis­ Nera" (from the Italian for "black to attract readers' attention to many puz­ teners, and television watchers as are head") was a folk story telling why crys­ zles of science, and to the excitement and false claims. In every case scientists can tals of polychromatic tourmaline on happiness of divining them. be labeled "oppressive" or "fighters Elba Island have black tops. "Blue Stone To my regret I cannot think of any against new ideas." of Pamirs" was about the deposits of members of the Russian Academy of lapis lazuli in one of the mountain Another way is the popularization of Sciences of recent years who have writ­ cteeks with an appropriate name, real science, its laws, and its achievements. ten books for a wide circle of readers. It Lajvar-Dara (Lazurite Cteek). Everywhere we can use the possibilities to means that scientists do not consider the teach: in schools, universities, in television "Proceeding to Sulfur" documented popularization of science to be one of and radio programs. But maybe me best the story of the discovery of rich deposits their important functions. way of popularization is to publish books in the center of the Kara-Kum Desert. One of the results is that, in many and articles in popular journals. "The Kiss" was about the unexpected popular Russian journals such as Nauka Such publications should not only be gratitude of a Mongolian guide who had i Zhizn (Science and Life), there are some correct and understandable; they must to be threatened to show the way. poor scientific stories and even pages of be very interesting, written by scientific In the final chapter, the author calls parascientific attempts "to explain" authors skillful in popularization. upon young people to explore vast terri­ something not understandable. In the In Russia we had examples of good, tories of Siberia, to discover ores and bookstores, really scientific books are popular books on mathematics, physics, waters under their feet, and to invent sinking in the seas of books with preten­ biology, and geology (including mineral­ new methods of metal extraction. He tious tides, such as Everything about Life, ogy and geochemistry). Repeatedly cited the words of the great Russian sci­ Secrets of Health, Stars Recommend, etc. reprinted, these books attracted the atten­ entist of the eighteenth century, Michael Let us stop being passive in situations tion of adults and teenagers for decades. Lomonosov: "Metals and minerals will when we have to act! Let us demand not come to the yards themselves, they that mass media companies consult with demand eyes and hands to be found." Boris Shmakin teaches in universities and real scientists when they publish or works in geochemistry and mineralogy of Hundreds and thousands of young­ show something connected with science endogenous processes in the Vinogradov sters became students in geology and and nature. Let us write popular books Institute of Geochemistry, Siberian Branch geography departments of universities and articles in order to demonstrate real scientific achievements and to make the of the Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box after reading this book and many other truth stronger and more evident. 4019, Irkutsk, 664033, Russia. books written by Fersman and his col­

CSICOP and the Skeptical fnqurer changed the terms at discussion in fields ranging from pseudosbence and the paranormal to science and educational pokey >bu can take an endur- ng step to preserve their vitality when you provide for the Skeptical Insurer in your wi Your bequest to CSICOP Inc. wi help to provide for the future of skepticism as it helps to keep the Skeptical Inourer finandaly secure. l>fjencSng on your tax situation, a char- itable bequest to CSICOP may have inle impact on the netsoe of your estate—or may even result in a greater amount being available to your beneficiaries We would be happy to work with you and your attorney n the development of a wi or estate plan that meets yew wishes A variety of arrangements are possible. rek«J rig gifts at a fixed amount or a percentage of your estate, kvmg trusts or gift anruijes. which provide you with a Betime ricome. or a contingent bequest that provides for the Skeptical fnqurer only if your primary beneficiaries do not survive you. For more riormation. contact Barry Karr. Executive Director of OlCCff Alinquries Believe it. wi be held n the strictest conldence. You can make a lasting impact on the future of skepticism, when you provide for the Skeptical Inquirer in your will. Commiltee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal PO Box 703. Amherst. NY 14226-0703 • 7/6-636-/425

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 55 FORUM

Faith in Science

RALPH ESTLING

e are hearing these days, I think we may rightly express our in its place—I can think of lots of things more and more, the claim irritation with one or die other facet of that are worse—but this hardly consti­ Wthat science is no less an act the scientist's nature, that they are either tutes evidence of its eternal primacy in of faith than is religion, and that far too too sure of themselves or not sure the minds of human beings. To be hon­ many of us are using science today enough, but I can't help feeling that it's est, I can't imagine what might take sci­ much as the church was used in the rather unfair to fault them on both entific reasoning's place and be superior Middle Ages, as a repository, albeit a counts simultaneously. Either they are to it, but then my imagination is no big latter-day one, of all truth, hope, and arrogant and pig-headed, or wishy- deal. knowledge. Science, or rather scientism, washy wimps. But they can't be both at The necessity of being on guard to is the new god. the same time. not allow science and its findings and It's a message we're going to hear a lot Perhaps those who think that science methods to become our new faith and more of. The idea, not new, that science is just religion with Bunsen burners in scientists our new high priests is one is little more dian modern man's church place of candles, our own day's edition almost all true scientists would fervently has received fresh impetus from the of eternal unreasoning and unreasonable endorse. In fact, they would plead with writings of a number of people calling laiili. and new formaldehyde in old bot- us to do so. For those whose faith in sci­ themselves "philosophers of science," des, can suggest something better in its ence is founded on a high respect for and it shows no sign of abating. Nor place? Perhaps they can do something reason, and not a high respect for one's should it. It is an important and neces­ even more useful, and that is to study own particular reasons, the need for sary cautionary tale, dangerous as it what science really claims to be: the best drastic and continual assessment is vital. doubtless is when employed by those way of reasoning we have at the Science cannot become a religion if it who fear science because they fear rea­ moment, to be abandoned as soon as remains scientific. Science can never be son itself. anything better turns up. Anyone who certain. It must doubt everything: itself sees our current state of scientific most of all. Religions, transcendent or The argument of those who fear sci­ knowledge as the final step, apotheosis earthbound, can't do that. ence seems to be two-pronged: 1) scien­ of all our dreams, is behaving idiotically tists too often make rash assertions of Why the need for these blindingly on two counts: one, the more obvious, is possessing truths, and 2) scientists too self-evident truisms, these platitudes of that the present state of the game is sub­ often dispute matters hotly with each conspicuous presumption? Because sci­ ject to rapid, unexpected alterations at other. ence /.( becoming something like a faith all times and in most directions: and to too many people: a crutch for some, You will note the weakness in the two, less transparendy the case, there is and a good, whacking club for others to assault, for it attacks itself massively on no God-given fiat that decrees that, use on the heads of adversaries. both flanks. One, that scientists pretend whatever the state of play today, the Godlike status and, two, that they're not future is bound to be one in which what This misuse is norhing new. It was sci­ Godlike enough. Scientists claim to we now call scientific method will still ence's malignant afterbirth, accompany­ know, and diey debate too much over prevail forever and ever in all its hypo- ing it as it was born 400 years ago. And it each other's claims to know, and then, dietico-deductive glory. At the moment haunts science today, dogging its foot­ to cap it all, they change their minds! we can't think of anydiing better to put steps like a malevolent shadow. Bacon, They are indeed a shifty bunch. Galileo, and Descartes used science less as

56 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER a light to dispel the darkness of fear, igno­ The consequent and very rapid spread of ence (and in this category I include soci­ rance, and superstition, and more as a the theory diroughout die West—that ologists of science and historians of sci­ battering ram to knock down the walls of our universe is governed by uncaused, ence) are too often useless as observers the establishment of their day: a battle­ undetermined, and indeterminable of and commentators on science; they ship, a howitzer, a cruise missile, sent into chance—speaks volumes about us and really know very little about science the world before its time, half-formed, our psychology. What it tells us about because they are almost always trained like something designed by da Vinci, hor­ external reality is less clear. in the humanities. Many critics of sci­ rible, and lumbering, and clearly primi­ In the good old days of Victorian sta­ ence in the last century fell into this cat­ tive, but effective enough to blast away bility, when everyone knew his and her egory. More to the point, many current the ancient citadels of church and state. It place in the scheme of things, physics critics of science still do, and this is was never what it pretended to be: a dis­ saw cause and effect as a beautiful, unforgivable. Even when critics write interested search for truth. It could hardly be expected to have been. Pope Urban "The best critics of science are found among the and Louis XTV were not inclined to look indulgently on disinterested searches for best scientists; best because they're shrewd enough trudi. Giordano Bruno knew that, and so did the church that burned him at the to be dealing with the things they really know stake. Science's search for truth was always about.. . and they're not out to pull any wool over an interested one, a personal one. It was conducted by men and women, not anybody's eyes, including their own." angels. And science had its beginnings in rebellion: its symbol was Lucifer. unbroken chain of law and sweet reason. cogently and coherently about science, Biologists, even today, interpret which they sometimes do, they're still Things are not so different today, Darwinism and things like sociobiology writing from a standpoint of ignorance except in one vital feature. Lip service is and IQ in a way remarkably consistent and unawareness, and even I can spot still paid to total objectivity, while sci­ with their personal, political outlook this, just as I can spot scientists out of ence, its research, its paradigms, and its and voting behavior patterns. their depdi in philosophy. Both the phi­ applications, are dictated by more prag­ This is so, and only as it should be. losophizing scientist and the scientific matic, if less publicized, assumptions. Science was never neutral. It cannot be philosopher are too deeply entranced in The big difference now is that the war neutral. Anything that forces us to think their navels. The biologist Steve Jones with authority is largely over; die state cannot be neutral. Reason, rationality, puts things this way: and big business pay the majority of our are never neutral. Seventy years ago white-coated pipers and, so, call most of J. B. S. Haldane told us why: There's a disease of middle-aged liter­ the tunes. ary men called Hearty Degeneration of die Fat; when you get old, you As has been pointed out once or The conservative has but little to rear boom about Big Issues. G. K. twice, scientists, no less than the rest of from the man whose reason is the ser­ Chesterton was a classic example. us, do not live, work, and think in social vant of his passions, but let him Scientists, I guess, have a related beware of him in whom reason has problem—Anguished Uncertainty of vacuums, but within the emotional, become the greatest and most terrible philosophical, and .ittitudin.il frame­ die Elderly is probably a better term. of the passions. These are the wreck- All of a sudden you forget that science work, the worldview of their times and en of outworn empires and civiliza­ is the art of die answerable and you places. This is especially noticeable in the tions, doubters, disintegrators, dei- begin to speculate about things that social sciences, in sociology, psychology, cides.... basically lie outside science altogether. education, economics, and related disci­ plines. But even in die field of physics, Splendid words. My only question is, It was this same Steve Jones who this attitude is not unknown. A number in just how many of our scientists has wrote that "philosophy is to science of observers of science and scientists reason become the greatest and most what pornography is to sex." have pointed out that the eagerness with terrible of the passions? Of course, die best critics of science which a new generation of German and If I don't appear to be as humble as I arc found among die best scientists; best Austrian physicists embraced acausality really ought to be, I blame this on the in quantum mechanics in die 1920s can­ because they're shrewd enough to be fact that too many scientists are unreli­ not be understood, or even considered, dealing widi the things they really know except in relation to the political, social, able guides to science, to reality; too about and because their criticism is con­ cultural, and philosophic incoherence in much inclined to speculate idly, rather structive and they're not out to pull any the republics of Weimar and Vienna. than to speculate to good purpose, and wool over anybody's eyes, including to philosophize, which they generally do their own. badly, because they aren't trained When all's said and done, I have Ralph Estling writes from Ilminster, philosophers. On die other side of a faith in science—and in a few scientists, Somerset, U.K. very different coin, philosophers of sci- too. •

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 57 on Ertel's 'Update' / Magic Melanin: Spreading scien­ tific illiteracy among minorities. Part 2 / Adventures in FILL IN THE GAPS IN YOUR science and cyclosophy / Searching for security in the mystical.

FALL 1991 (vol. 16, no. 1): Near-death experiences / Skeptical Inquirer COLLECTION Multicultural pseudoscience: Spreading scientific illit­ eracy. Part 1 / Science and commonsense skepticism / • 15% discount on orders of $100 or more • Spook Hill / Lucian and Alexander /1991 CSICOP con­ ference. • $6.25 a copy, Vols. 1-18 ($5.00 Vols. 19, 20). To order, use reply card insert • SUMMER 1991 (vol. 15, no. 4): Lucid dreams / Nature fak­ MAY/JUNE 1996 (vol. 20. no. 3) Delights and dangers SPRING 1994 (vol. 18, no. 3): The Antiscience Threat: The ing in the humanities / Carrying the war into the of sensory illusions. Wolf I The enigmatic battery of growth of antiscience / The antiscience problem / never-never land of psi: Part 2 / Coincidences / Locating Baghdad, Eggert I The claims of aromatherapy, Measuring the prevalence of false memories / Bleuler's invisible buildings /True believers. McCutcheon / Fun and fallacies with numbers, Savant views on inheritance of acquired characteristics and on SPRING 1991 (vol. 15, no. 3): Special report Hi-fi I A study of fantasy proneness in John Mack's psi phenomena / Examining the satanic panic ... A per­ pseudoscience / Searching for extraterrestrial intelli­ Abduction, Nickell/ The great egg-balancing mystery, sonal perspective ... A sociological and historical per­ gence: An interview with Thomas R. McDonough / Gardner (S5.50) spective / Philosophy and the paranormal. Part 2: Getting smart about getting smarts / Carrying the war Skepticism, mirades, and knowfedge. MARCH/APRIL 1996 (vol. 20, no. 2) Science and into the never-never land of psi: Part 1 / Satanic cult superstition, Sagan / Special report: Evaluation of mil­ WINTER 1994 (vol. 18, no. 2) The new skepticism / 'survivor' stories / 'Old-solved mysteries': The itary's program on psychic spying, Hyman I The role of Philosophy and the paranormal. Part 1: The problem of Kecksburg incident / Magic, medicine, and meta­ representativeness in erroneous and pseudoscientific 'psi.' / Electromagnetic field cancer scares / Attacks on physics in Nigeria / What's wrong with science educa­ beliefs, Gilovich and Savitsky I Vampires of folklore role-playing games / Global fortune-telfing and Bible tion? Look at the family. and legend. Barber I Miracle photos Nickell I prophecy / Chernikov pattern puzzle. WINTER 1991 (vol. 15, no. 2): Special report: Gallup Claiborne Pell: Senator from outer space, Gardner poll: Belief in paranormal phenomena / Science and ($5.50) FALL 1993 (vol. 18, no. 1). 'Perspectives on education in America: Sandia study challenges misconceptions / self-government / West Bank collective hysteria JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1996 (vol. 20, no. 1) How to Do 'honesty' tests really measure honesty? / Astrology episode / Acceptance of personality test results / Belief make an alien for autopsy, Stokes / EMDR treatment. strikes back—but to what effect? / Diagnoses of alien in astrology: A test of the Barnum effect / A test of Lilienfeld I Psychic crime detectives. Wiseman, West kidnappings that result from conjunction effects in clairvoyance using signal-detection / Intercessory and Stemman I Health statistics bad for J memory / Mathematical magic for skeptics prayer as medical treatment? our health, Paulos I Science and reason in / The blind girl who saw the flash of the FALL 1990 (vol. 15, no. 1): Neural Organization film and television, Evans I Post Freudian JLNC first nuclear weapon test / Science: The Technique: Treatment or torture / The spooks of quan­ dream theory, Gardner (S5.O0) feminists' scapegoat? tum mechanics / Science and Sir William Crookes/ The *N' NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1995 (vol. 19, no SUMMER 1993 (vol 17. no. 4): The right machine / Biological cycles and rhythms vs. biorhythms / 6) The GAO report on Roswell, Klass I Why hemisphere: An esoteric closet? / Improving 1990 CSICOP Conference. creationists don't go to psychic fairs, Taylor. science teaching: The textbook problem / SUMMER 1990 (vol. 14, no. 4): Ghosts make news: Eve. and Harrold I Eyewitness testimony The eyewitness: Imperfect interface How four newspapers report psychic phenomena / and the paranormal, Wiseman, Smith, and between stimuli and story / Pathological sci­ Thinking critically and creatively / Police pursuit of Wiseman I Objectivity and repeatability in ence: An update / Jack Horkheimer, 'Star satanic crime. Part 2 / Order out of chaos in survival science, Mussachia I Culture-bound syn­ Hustler,' interview / The false memory syn­ research / Piltdown, paradigms, and the paranormal / dromes as fakery, Bartholomew I Freud's drome. Auras: Searching for the light. theory of dreams, Gardner ($5-00) SPRING 1993 (vol 17, no. 3): Anguished SPRING 1990 (vol.14, no.3): Why we need to under­ SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1995 (vol. 19, no. silence and helping hands: Autism and facil­ stand science / The crisis in pre-college science and 5) The paradox of knowledge, Loevinger I itated communication / Facilitated Communication, math education / Police pursuit of satanic crime. Part 1 Consciousness as a valid subject for science, Ingalls I autism, and Ouija / Treading on the edge: Practicing / The spread of satanic cult rumors / Lying about poly­ School da*e: review of African-American baseline safe science with SET! / Education for science / A threat graph tests / Worldwide disasters and moon phase. essays. Rowe I Mystical medical alternativism. Raso I to science / Charles Honorton's legacy to parapsychology China, chi, and chicanery, Huston I Fuzzy logic, /1993 CSICOP Conference. WINTER 1990 (vol. 14, no. 2): The new catastrophism / A Gardner ($5.00) field guide to critical thinking /Cold fusion: A case his­ WINTER 1993 (vol 17, no. 2): Special report: 3.7 million tory in 'wishful science*? The airship hysteria of 1896-97 JULY/AUGUST 1995 (vol. 19. no. 4) How to sell a Americans kidnapped by aliens? / Psychics: Do police / Newspaper editors and the creation-evolution contro­ pseudoscience, Pratkanis I Rumors, self-fulfilling departments really use them? / Psychk detectives: A criti­ versy/Special report: New evidence of MJ-12 hoax. prophecies, and national obsessions, Paulos I Rose cal examination / Therapeutic touch. / Mackenberg, Pankratz/moon, planets, and disasters, Improving science teaching in the U.S / The FALL 1989 (vol. 14, no. 1): Myths about sci­ Branham I Artificial languages, Gardner I Project Big Sur 'UFO* / The strange case of the New ence / The relativity of wrong / Richard Mogul and the Roswell incident ($5.00) Haven oysters. Feynman on fringe science; Luis Alvarez and the explorer's quest / The two cultures MAY/JUNE 1995 (vol. 19, no 3) The belief engine, FALL 1992 (vol 17, no 1): A celebration of / The top-secret UFO papers' NASA won't Alcock I Is skepticism tenable? Beloff plus Blackmore. Isaac Asimov: A man for the universe, release / The metaphysics of Murphy's Law. Hyman. Kurtz, Alcock, and Gardner I Mediumship, Kendrick Frazier. Arthur C Clarke. Frederik Stein I Ancient aluminum, Eggert I Crop circle mania Pohl, Harlan Ellison, L Sprague de Camp, SUMMER 1989 (vol. 13. no. 4): The New wanes. Nickell I Doug Henning and TM, Gardner I A Carl Sagan. Stephen Jay Gould, Martin Age—An examination: The New Age in per­ young Grand Canyon? Heatori. ($5.00) Gardner, Paul Kurtz. Donald Goldsmith. spective / A New Age reflection in the magic James Randi, and E C. Krupp I Gaia with­ mirror of science / The New Age; The need MARCH/APRIL 1995 (vol. 19, no. 2) Remembering dan­ out mysticism / Gala's scientific coming of for myth in an age of science / Channeling / gerously, tortus I Antiscience in academia. Gross and age / The curse of the runestone: Deathless The psychology of channeling / 'Entities' in Levitt I Feminism now alienating women from science, hoaxes / Night terrors, sleep paralysis, and the linguistic minefield / Crystals / Consumer Koertgel 'Lights out*: A faxlore phenomenon, Brunvand devil-stricken telephone cords from hell / culture and the New Age / The Shirley I Critique of evolution study. Larhammar. ($5.00) Scientific creationism: The social agenda of Madame phenomenon / Special report California court JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1995 (vol. 19. no. 1) Wonder science / Observing stars in the daytime: Th jails psychic surgeon. and skepticism, Sagan I Putting away childish things, myth / Does an ancient Jewish amulet commemorate SPRING 1989 (vol. 13, no. 3): High school biology Dawkins I The astonishing hypothesis. Crick. I Nuclear the conjunction of 2 B.C.? teachers and pseudoscientific belief / Evidence for medicine, Seaborg I Literary science blunders, Gardner SUMMER 1992 (vol. 16, no. 4): Freedom of scientific Bigfoot? Alleged pore structure in Sasquatch footprints I Air Force report on the Roswell incident / 1994 CSI inquiry under siege / Psychic experiences: Psychic illu­ / The lore of levitation / Levitation 'miracles' in India / COP Conference. ($5.00) sions / The scientist's skepticism / The persistent popu­ Science, pseudoscience, and the doth of Turin / Rather FALL 1994 (vol. 18, no. 5): Empirical evidence for rein­ larity of the paranormal / Self-help books: than just debunking, encourage people to think / MJ-12 carnation? / Reader's guide to the ozone controversy / Pseudoscience in the guise of science? papers 'authenticated'? / A patently false patent myth. Brgfoot evidence. Are these U*JLS real? / Why we arc SPRING 1992 (vol. 16. no. 3): Special Report: The unmoved as oceans ebb and flow / Anomalous phe­ WINTER 19S9 (vol. 13, no. 2): Special report The Maharishi caper: JAMA hoodwinked / Myths of sub­ nomena in Kazakhstan / False memories. 'remembering water* controversy / Bibliographic guide liminal persuasion: The cargo-cult science of sublim­ to the 'dilution controversy' / Pathologies of science, SUMMER 1994 (vol 18. no 4): 'Extraordinary science* inal persuasion / Subliminal perception: Facts and fal­ precognition, and modern psychophysics / A and the strange legacy of Nikola Testa / Nikola Tesla: lacies / Subliminal tapes / The Avro VZ-9 "frying saucer* reaction-time test of ESP and precognition / Chinese Genius, visionary, and eccentric / Pollens on the 'Shroud': /Two 19th-century skeptics: Augustus de Morgan and psychic's pillbottte demonstration / The Kirlian tech­ A study in deception / Do televised depictions of para­ John Ftske. nique / Certainty and proof in creationist thought. normal events influence viewers' beliefs? / Syrxhronicity and the archetypes/The synthetic mind clashes with the WINTER 1992 (vol.16, no.2>. On being sued: The chill­ reductionist text / Psi in pyschotogy. ing of freedom of expression / The crop circle phenom­ For a complete listing of our bade issues, enon / Update on the 'Mars effect' / A dissenting note call 800-634-1610. A Geologist's Enlightened Notes on 'Crystal Power'

HANS G. MACHEL

rom October 13 (a Friday!) to specimens were exceptionally pretty). No Monica, Inspirational Advisor October 15, 1995, an event called distinction was made between crystals and • clear quartz attracts a lot of positive F"A Psychic Affair" took place on minerals. As is well known in crystallogra­ energy; the Northlands Exhibition Grounds in phy, a mineral is a crystal only if it grew • I don't really know much about Edmonton, Canada. The newspaper with planar surfaces that form predictable, them, go to Theodore, The Crystal advertisements promised that the fair constant angles widi one another (diese Man; would be featuring "world-class psy­ angles differ from mineral to mineral and • if you listen to die story of the crystals, chics, astrologers, palmists, numerolo- can be used for mineral identification). At you'll get die message; gists, past lives, crystal ball, teacup, and this fair, many artificially polished or nat­ • science will not tell you everything holistic practitioners. . . ," and further urally rounded and abraded mineral spec­ about crystals; listed "books, crysrals, gems, aura cam­ imens were sold as "crystals." • I don't really know much about them era, computer printouts, etc. etc." At one stand a chart was offered free —diere are a lot of books about diem; As a professor teaching an under­ of charge called "Crystal Awareness • here I have one with points at both graduate geology course at the Guide H," published by "Legion of ends—diat means more energy; University of Alberta, I had just covered Light," which lists the most amazing • this one even has two peaks at one in class crystals, minerals, and rocks. I "powers" of about 48 minerals, some of end—diat means lots of energy; decided to invite my students to attend which are so rare that they are hard to • you have to hold it and squeeze it. this fair, widi the goal of finding out come by. The "powers" ascribed to the about "crystal power." We came widi a various types of crystals on display Theodore, The Crystal Man: pretty good understanding of what crys­ spanned the widest range of possibilities • quartz is die granddaddy of all crystals; tals are, what types of energies are pre­ under the sun. Apparently, diere is • it means power, enhancement, pro- sent in crystals to bond atoms in crystal almost nothing in the universe diat can­ grammability; structures, and where and how crystals not be influenced, or is not influenced, • it has the property of consistency; form in nature. I had told my students by some type of crystal or another. • it gets tired because of many people to expect that the psychics would likely Faced with this bewildering array of touching it; ascribe many amazing powers to crystals information, we decided to find out • it might require a few things of prepa­ that did not seem to have anything to more about die "powers" of one type of ration, it might have to get activated so do with die physical energies that are crystal. We picked clear, colorless quartz it can give off its power; present and active in crystals (such as because it was the most common type of • it loses some of its energy when it covalent bonds, ionic bonds, lattice crystal on display at this fair. We asked comes out of die ground; vibration, etc.). We decided to ask the four of the "psychics" separately (every­ • it gets into diis vibration with your psychics some questions about crystals one having a stand at diis fair claimed to body and energy comes out of it; and to make note of the claims die psy­ have psychic powers): "What arc die • you have to lay them (crystals) out in chics would make about diem. powers of clear, colorless quartz?" The a grid, and then they will transmit their There were a number of stands selling psychics delivered a profusion of energy to you; "crystals." Hundreds of specimens of 60 to answers. Here are some of die answers, • it may not work for you, but it works 80 types of minerals were on sale (some in the order given. for many people.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 59 Faye, of "Mystic Treasures": would make sense. tect the softhearted, gende people of the • it's good for healing; worid from being misused and prevent • it's how it feels to you; The Other Woman: them from being emodonally drained by • die crystals are transmitters of bad or Faye also sold small wands that had odiers. Obsidian holds your energies. Be good feelings, they amplify whatever "crystals" mounted at both ends. careful not to allow others to touch it. you feel toward the outside world— Supposedly, these wands can be used to Rejuvenate it periodically by immersing it they act as receivers too; locate pain or illnesses. On that day, I in sea salt, sand, or sunlight. Whatever • you have to wash them from time to had a very sore shoulder from a fall works for you and it. It acts as a filter and time; (which I did not tell her), so I decided to keeps out die unwanted." Right. • in Atlantis we used them as thought put this to a test. forms; I asked Faye to demonstrate the use Chakras: • a crystal destroyed Atlantis—this is of these wands to me. She called upon Faye also sold flyers containing a when die Earth shifted its tilt for the one of her colleagues, another woman, Chakras chart, which is a sketch of the first time; who was touted as "really good" at this. human body with eight colored dots along the middle, from the head to die "At one stand a chart was offered free of charge crotch. The flyer states: "Just as the ner­ vous system coordinates activities called 'Crystal Awareness Guide 11/ ... which lists the within the physical body, there are cen­ most amazing 'powers' of about 48 minerals." ters in the energy body that help to inte­ grate it with our physical vehicle, and • England is the last piece of Atlantis This woman picked a wand with a clear widi our mind and our emotions. These energy centers look and feel like spin­ that is still there; quartz crystal mounted at one end and a ning spheres when you turn your senses • everybody is psychic, just most people green jasper pebble at the other, and inward and explore them." According to don't let it out. then tried to find diseases or pains in my body by pointing the end of the wand Faye, one should buy eight "crystals" (pointing to a basket full of colored peb­ Bonnie, Psychic Advisor with the clear quartz crystal at me, mov­ bles) that match die colors shown by the • lots of power and energy; ing the wand up and down about 20 to dots on die chart and lay out diese • it's for healing; 30 cendmeters in front of my torso. She repeatedly pointed to my intestines in "crystals" in a line under one's bed • I use quartz for angel energy; before going to sleep, matching the • this crystal is for communicating with the lower left abdomen (about 15 cen­ timeters below the stomach), and sequence of colored dots on die chart. my angel; repeatedly told me that there is "some­ Then, during sleep, energy will flow • don't you see his wings in the crystal? thing with your stomach." She then between the "crystals" and die body. I pointed to the middle of my abdomen did not buy any "crystals," so I did not It is quite obvious that tJiese psychics and told me that my back is sore. The test the alleged flow of energy during (a) listed an amazing array of irrational, pain in the "stomach" may be "left over sleep. Also, even though I tried hard, I illogical, and unsubstantiated claims from the back," she said. I was holding did not detect those "spinning spheres" (whenever we asked how they knew this a piece of paper between the wand and inside my body, alluded to in diat flyer. or that, we were told that "this is in a part of my chest, so she asked me to books," or "this is how I feel about move the paper away because it would We left the fair after about two them," etc.); and (b) that these claims interfere with her search. She did not hours, truly enlightened. We had been were given in a completely disjointed "find" any more points of pain or illness. given a profuse performance of irra­ sequence. Listening to these psychics It should be noted that my stomach, tional claims. That, however, did not was not unlike flipping through a large intestines, and back are fine. But this really surprise us. After all, there is number of television channels with a woman did not find the strong pain in money to be made selling crystals (and remote control, and picking up three to my shoulder. they sell well!). What did surprise us, five sentences on each channel before however, was how sincere these psychics changing to the next. Strung together were, and that diey really seemed to from, say, 50 television stations, these Obsidian: believe in what diey were saying. sentences would form an equally dis­ One stand had for sale pebbles of obsid­ Another conclusion we drew was jointed monologue, except that the few ian, called "Apache tears." These pebbles that any one of us could have had a sentences from each individual station aren't even crystals, either in shape (they stand at that fair selling minerals, ascrib­ do not have planar crystal surfaces wirh ing any powers to diem. Shordy before Hans G Machel is a professor in the defined angles), or in structure (obsidian is leaving the fair, Faye actually said to us Department of Earth and Atmospheric a volcanic glass that is amorphous, i.e., its that "everyone is psychic—there isn't Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmon­ atoms do not form a crystal structure).The anything in here (the fair) that you could ton, Alberta, Canada. attached label read: "These pebbles pro­ not do yourself." Amen. •

60 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Carl Sagan on Science "The physicist has an idea." Ideas are sig­ tune tellers, spoon benders, and alien and Superstition nificant only if they relate to reality. "The autopsies which SI takes such joy in more he thinks it through, the more sense debunking. This is trivial stuff. You're swat­ Carl Sagan's article "Does Truth Matter?" it seems to make." This implies that the ting at a gnat while ignoring an elephant. (March/April 1996) raises an interesting thinking process is efficacious. "He con­ issue for humanists concerning the use of sults the scientific literature." This is a sen­ Brian Templeton the word "spirituality" to refer to the feel­ sible, or even just meaningful, thing to do Des Moines, Wash. ing and sense of awe and wonder that can only if there is a reality common to him­ come from the contemplation of the self and other thinkers. beauty and subdety of life and the universe I could go on to show that each step of I'm nothing less dian exultant, having just as revealed by science. Perhaps it is desir­ the scientific process is based on an implicit finished Cad Sagan's article "Does Trudi able to transform (he meaning of "spiritu­ metaphysical view—a view of what reality Matter? Science, Pscudoscicnce and ality" from its current almost universally as such is. One could hold a different view, Civilization." The audior has a gift for elo- understood dualistic and supernaturalistic such as the notion that our senses are for­ quendy articulating arguments I ofttimes find basis, to a naturalistic, humanistic and ever befuddled by demons who trick us in difficult to coordinate into cohesive dioughrs. psychological basis. This could make it eas­ ways too subtle for our minds to notice. But what compels me to respond thus ier for believers in traditional supernatural- Wim this metaphysics, we would have to is Dr. Sagan's quotation from Edmund ity to make the transition to a naturalistic regard science as an exercise in futility. Ideas Way Teale: "It is morally as bad not to care interpretation without having to reject the would be useless, thinking them through whether a thing is true or not, so long as it term itself, which could be difficult for would be in vain, and we couldn't even makes you feel good, as it is not to care someone having a life-long belief in "spiri­ know what the literature really said. how you got your money as long as you tuality" of some kind. This could facilitate The job of philosophy is to give us have got it." This raises the question: are a decrease in those who have supernatural answers to die basic questions that under­ we who identify ourselves as skeptics as beliefs, and an increase in those who accept lie all knowledge. Do we have reason to entirely skeptical as so labeling ourselves naturalistic and humanistic descriptions regard the scientific method as valid? Is allows? Where ends pseudoscience? and explanations of life and the universe. there any cause beyond convention to This would clearly be a good thing. Dr. Sagan in his various books, articles, believe that there is a "real world"? Those interviews, et al., has left no doubt about his On the other hand, any "positive" who avoid these questions may be afraid belief in extraterrestrial "life. ..." statements by scientists about "spiritual­ that looking too deeply will undermine There is absolutely no evidence whatso­ ity" could cause many listeners or readers the foundations of reason and show every­ ever for the existence—or even the possibil­ to assume that he or she does, in fact, thing to be just groundless belief at root. ity—of "life" anywhere else in the universe. believe in some kind of nonphysical, non- But failing to address them leaves the And I defy die scientific (or the pseudosci- scientific, supernatural spirituality—the answering to those who have no desire to entific) community to provide one shed of current meaning for the vast majority of support reason. If we fail to defend the credible evidence to the contrary. validity of science, exhortations to be sci­ nonscientists, and probably even for most My intention is not to admonish Dr. entific will serve no purpose. scientists. This could, ironically, reinforce Sagan—or anybody else—for speculating the very beliefs that the speaker or author It is not true that "the metaphysicist about extraterrestrial "life," or for wishing it would like to change. Thus, I think that it has no laboratory." Rather, since the to exist. But I've detected in Dr. Sagan a is worth considering whether the natural truths of metaphysics are those that apply propensity for expressions of certainty—or human emotion of awe and wonder that to our entire realm of knowledge, the lab­ near certainty—when he approaches the sub­ science can engender should be described oratory of metaphysics is the universe. ject. And this disposition is not consistent as "spirituality," or by terms that do not with genuine, instructive skepticism have supernatural connotations. Gary McGath Hooksett, N.H. Thomas L. Munden R. H. Davis San Francisco, Calif. Palo Alto, Calif. Cad Sagan's "Does Truth Matter?" was a classic example of what's wrong with Representativeness The sidebar The Metaphysicist Has No SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. SI and die great Laboratory" in Carl Sagan's article expresses majority of its contributors are eager to toss Gilovich and Savitsky ("Like Goes with a view that is unfortunately common cream pies at TV psychics, astrologers, frying Like: The Role of Representativeness in among those who wish to be scientific The saucer crashes in the desert and lots of other Pseudosaentific Beliefs," March/April 1996) idea thai metaphysics is in opposition to sci­ nonsense one sees in supermarket tabloids. fall into a common trap of psychologists and ence is fueled by some of the bizarre meta­ But Sagan and 5/ tiptoe oh so very carefully others who ignore the results of the past physical theories philosophers have pro­ around mainstream Judeo-Christian reli­ twenty years of research in linguistic prag­ posed. However, in the absence of a theory gion. That's the taboo you won't go near. matics, the study of how meaning emerges of reality as such, science would collapse. Few people really devote their lives (or from language in context. In die following Let's look at Robert Wood's comments. much of their money) to the various for­ example, (1) has a very different meaning

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 1996 61 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR when uttered in connection with one's work Thomas Gilovich and Kenneth Savitsky reply: affecting many persons at the same schedule than when uttered after having dri­ time, and spreading from person to ven one's car up to a parking meter. Steven Cushing is correct to point out that var­ person in a locality where the dis­ (1)1 have some free time. ious pragmatic considerations determine "how ease is not permanently prevalent. In particular, they show no awareness meaning emerges from language in context." 2. extremely prevalent; wide­ spread.—n. 3. a temporary preva­ of the fact dial the meaning derived from Indeed research psychologists have been in the lence of a disease. 4. a rapid spread a sentence by a hearer or reader cannot be forefront of the effort to demonstrate and pub­ or increase in the occurrence of assumed to be the same as intended by its licize that fact (Clark 1992: Pinker 1994). something: an epidemic of riots. speaker or writer. Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, the two Gilovich and Savitsky correctly analyze psychologists responsible for the "Linda prob­ lem" described briefly in our article on repre­ And by using the noun "epidemic" to die logic of (2) and (3) as individual sen­ describe malaria, one uses a term that is tences. sentativeness, certainly understood this notion well and went to great lengths to ensure that it representative of, but not applicable to, a (2) Linda is a bank teller. was not responsible for their results. In a differ­ disease that has been present and infecting (3) Linda is a bank teller and is active ent version of the experiment than the one we humans for tens if not hundreds of thou­ in the feminist movement. described some participants were given the sands of years; the correct noun to However, subjects typically understand description of Linda and then asked to assess the describe malaria is: (2) and (3) not as individual sentences, but likelihood that she would become a bank teller. as parts of a coherent discourse, together with Other subjects were asked to assess the likeli­ en-dem-ic (en dem-ik) adj. Also, the paragraph that describes what they are hood that she would bcome a bank teller active en-dem-i-cal 1. natural to or char­ about. When (2) and (3) are presented in the feminist movement. Because the partici­ acteristic or a specific people or place; native, indigenous: endemic together, subjects typically understand (2) as pants assessing the former outcome are never folkways; countries where high (4), because of a perceived contrast with (3). exposed to the latter, there is no reason—prag­ unemployment is endemic. 2. (4) Linda is a bank teller and is not matic or otherwise—for them to interpret belonging exclusively or confined active in the feminist movement. "Linda is a bank teller" to mean "Linda is a to a particular place: a fever (You can test this claim by asking bank teller and is not active in the feminist endemic to the tropics.—n. 3. an diem.) They then proceed to reason cor­ movement. "Nevertheless, dte same pattern was endemic disease. rectly about (3) and (4). People are not observed in the subjects' ratings, namely Linda wrong to understand language in this way, was judged less likely to be a bank teller than a Even if they deny it was deliberate, I'll just as the Earth is not wrong to tevolve bank teller and a feminist Tversky and still have my suspicions. around the sun, contrary to former expec­ Kahneman 1983). It thus appears that it is Thanks to the authors for an excellent tations. That's just how the relevant part indeed the average person's faulty reasoning, article. of the human brain works. and not "the experimenters' naive assumptions," that are responsible for the conjunction fallacy In other words, it is not the subjects' rea­ Keith Conover, M.D. soning, but the experimenters' naive Department of Emergency assumptions that turn out to be incorrect in Medicine this case. The subjects' alleged "Fallacy of dark. H. H. 1992. Amua of Lmgiugr Ust. Chicago: Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh Conjunction" is really the experimenters' University of Chicago Tress. Tversky, A.. & D. Kahneman. 1983. Extensionai versus Clinical Assist. Professor own "Fallacy of Ignored Implicit Inference." intuitive reasoning: The conjunction fallacy in prob­ Department of Emergency As often happens in the behavioral sciences, ability judgment. Ptycholopcd Rarinn 90: 293-315. Medicine ordinary people turn out to be smarter (and Pinker. S. 1994. Thr Linpup Inaina. New York: HarperCollins. more rational) than some of the scientists University of Pittsburgh would like to think they are.

The complexities of language under­ Tell me true—did Gilovich and Savitsky David Hume asked, will the future resem­ standing are only beginning to be under­ ("Like Goes with Like") include this as a test ble the past? When Gilovich and Savitsky stood even by those of us who have been to see if we could catch these two examples give examples of representativeness, they studying that process professionally. of the representativeness fallacy (in a single omit Hume's question but their analysis However, there is already an extensive litera­ phrase, no less), or is it an honest error? applies. Heuristics, they say, are what ture on the topic. Psychologists and others In the first full paragraph on page 36, "people use to render complex problems who seek to explain human behaviors would they say "Tiny viruses give rise to devastat­ manageable. Heuristics are often described do well to familiarize themselves with it. ing epidemics like malaria or AIDS. ..." I as judgmental shortcuts that generally get won't belabor the point that, unlike the us where we need to go—but at the cost of Steven Gushing tiny virus that causes AIDS, malaria is occasionally sending us off course." Jamaica Plain, Mass. caused by unicellular parasite orders of We all generalise from past experience magnitude larger than a virus. but now and then we are led astray. The issue (Steven Cushing is author of Fatal Words: But the Random House Unabridged is to determine when generalisations, as they Communication Clashes and Aircraft Dictionary says: put it, "give rise to misperception and illu­ Crashes, Chicago: University of Chicago ep-i-dem-ic (ep-i-dem-ik) adj. 1. sion." There can be no general answer but Press, 1994) Also, ep-i-dem-i-cal. (of a disease) we can discover and learn to avoid error.

62 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Scientific inquiry is especially helpful. This Drakul solely to Bram Stoker. It was cer­ moted an objective and unbiased interest in approach seems to me to solve the age-old tainly his Victorian melodrama Dracula studying these phenomena. LANDS wel­ philosophical problem of induction. that popularised the association, but the comes any opinion on the NDE that is Irish author originally heard the story from based on empirical observation, just as CSI- Daniel Goldsmith the Hungarian explorer, adventurer, and COP professes to encourage unbiased Vancouver, B.C., Canada linguist, Armin Vambery, when he visited responsible investigations of paranormal Britain. The imaginative Vambery, how­ claims. In fact, LANDS's peer-reviewed ever, may well have embroidered the folk- scholarly journal, The Journal of Near- Vampire Lore legend he had picked up in eastern Europe. Death Studies, has counted CSICOP lumi­ naries on its editorial board and among its Paul Barber's masterly review of vampire Barbara Smoker authors. Criticizing Pell for serving on lore (March/April) arrives at the same con­ Bromley, Kent, U.K. LANDS's advisory board is like criticizing clusion drat I did. As a pathologist with a Gardner for serving as a CSICOP Fellow, focus on autopsy, I've been surprised how on the erroneous assumption that because much liquid, fresh-appearing blood can be Gardner on Claiborne Pell CSICOP is interested in paranormal present in die trachea, throat, and mouth of daims, it purports to establish their validity. a dead body after a few days, even without Martin Gardner, in "Claiborne Pell: The obvious gaseous distention. We call it the Senator from Outer Space" (SI, Bruce Greyson "bloody purge," and any medical examiner March/April 1996), described the Army Professor of Psychiatry reading Bram Stokers account of die messy Research Institute as fearful "that the Health Sciences Center staking of Miss Lucy will recognize it. Soviets were decades ahead of the United University of Virginia You could not mistake any of the com­ States in paranormal research." I believe Charlottesville, Va. mon porphyrias for vampirism. But the that the quoted statement actually comes rare "congenital erythropoietic porphyria" from an alarmist 1984 article by the features excessive facial and body hair, columnist Jack Anderson. The motivation Visual blue shift not a fallacy? extreme sensitivity to light, fluorescent-red for the ARI-funded study, however, is teeth, and (at its worst) hideous mutilation clearly stated in the preface to Enhancing Of all the material we published in our of the features which reminds me of some Human Performance. (National Research March/April issue, the single item that gen­ decomposing bodies. As an autosomal Council 1988) It is "to examine the poten­ erated the most mail was a letter to the edi­ recessive disease, there have probably been tial value of certain techniques that had tor, "Visual Blue Shift Fallacy?" Here are inbred populations where several of these been proposed to enhance human perfor­ three of the letters, plus a reply from science unfortunates have lived. Isolated mountain mance. . .." The preface also makes it clear fiction author Greg Bear, who was gently communities are a possible location. We that the study was designed to question the criticized in the original letter. can easily imagine superstitious horror promotion by commercial vendors of arising in their neighbors. Although I'm "training packages" that are based on not aware of these folks ever having used claims that are poorly supported in the blood-drinking as a home remedy, the peer-reviewed literature. Paranormal tech­ In your March/April Letters column, mainstay of treatment for common acute niques were included among these "pack­ Alistair Blennerhassett criticized science intermittent porphyria is injection of ages." Moreover, AR1 has never funded any !H tion writers for stating that the Doppler altered heme, the red pigment in blood. original research on paranormal phenom­ effect would produce a visible color ena, and, as a result of the study performed change in stars at relativistic speeds. He I've seen both a mirage of the star by the National Research Council, has a argued that the Doppler effect would only Sinus, and a weather balloon. I could have good reason for not doing so in the future. change the wavelengths of the spectrum mistaken either for a UFO. I think we all lines, but not the overall color of a star. know how easy it is for humans to draw Unfortunately, that argument is incor­ similar wrong conclusions from a variety Michael Drillings rect. It assumes that a star radiates equally of observations. Arlington, Va. at all wavelengths. But no star does this. Instead, the overall spectrum of a star Edward Friedlander, M.D. roughly approximates that of a black body Chairman Martin Gardner's article on Claiborne Pell at the Star's temperature, with a peak at a Department of Pathology criticized the Senator for serving on the wavelength that depends on the tempera­ University of Health Sciences advisory board of the International ture. The line spectrum of the star is then Kansas City, Mo. Association for Near-Death Studies superimposed on this overall curve. The (LANDS), an endeavor Gardner described Doppler effect shifts the entire spectrum, as "purporting to establish that persons not just the absorption lines. Though very interested in Paul Barber's dose to death often get pecks into the here­ The sun has a peak at a wavelength of well-researched article on the evolution of after." LANDS has never had as a goal the roughly 5000 Angstroms, around the the vampire legend, I think he is mistaken establishment of any one interpretation of middle of the visible spectrum. Since the in attributing its association with Vlad near-death experiences, but has always pro­ sun's radiation curve has (very roughly!)

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 63 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR equal amounts of energy on either side of that to first approximation, Blennerhassett hot body is a horizontal line. This is not the the peak, the overall effect is that the sun is correct; certainly the color shift would case. It is a distorted version of the regular looks yellowish-white in color. not be nearly as dramatic as suggested in probability bell curve, not too wildly Suppose we move away from the sun at some science fiction stories. changed on the low energy side of die peak one-third the speed of light. The relativis- Because of the nature of the Planck but very much so on the high side. The tic Doppler shift for a wavelength of 5000 function (the energy distribution over gains don't balance the losses, though for A would be a little over 2000 A, which wavelength of thermal tadiation), which is ordinary stellar radial velocities the differ­ would shift the peak of the sun's spectrum rather shallow on the red side of the peak ence would, as Mr. Blennerhassett says, not be detectable by the human eye. to 7000 A, near the longest wavelengths but very steep on the blue side, some stars visible to the human eye. With the peak at can appear very red, but none can appear However, at what might be called sci­ the red end of the spectrum, and the very blue. Stars which are so cool that the ence-fiction velocities, matters are different. intensity decreasing toward the blue, the peak in the function is in the infrared (e.g. The sun's energy curve peaks at about 550 sun would look distincdy red, perhaps Antares) appear very red because we are nanometers; we can see to about 700 at the seeing only the short wavelength end of about the color of Aldebaran. long-wave end of the visible band, so much the Planck function, which is very steeply If we approached the sun at the same of the sharp short-wave drop-off in the sloped. On die other hand, very hot stars speed, the wavelength shift would move curve contributes to our perception of sun­ with a spectral peak in or near the ultravi­ die peak to around 3000 A, in the ultravi­ light color. If an observer is approaching olet (e.g. Spica) appear more or less olet. With the intensity now decreasing our sun at half the speed of light, the peak "white," because while the peak in the is shifted (Wien's Law) to about 225 nm, from the blue end of the spectrum to the energy spectrum may be blueward of the well into the ultraviolet, and the curve is red end, the sun would look bluish, about visual sensitivity of our eyes, the slope in sloping upward toward short wavelengths like the star Sinus. energy level across the visual range is shal­ all through what has become the visible Greater speeds would produce even low and yields only a sensation of "slightly region. The sun will appear blue-white. greater color shifts. At the same lime, bluish" to our eyes. aberration would shift all star images for­ Similarly, for a star like Rigel, an observer ward, so they would be increasingly con­ So certainly stars in front of a starship receding at half die speed of light will have centrated around the point toward which would not appear noticeably blue, die peak shifted into die visible region; but the spacecraft was aimed. although maybe "less red" on average. To the relatively steep negative slope of the the rear, there might be a larger fraction of curve on the short-wave side will deprive the R. Erik Zimmermann, Director "teddish" appearing stars, but again indi­ new apparent visible light of a large pan of Robert J. Novins Planetarium vidual stars could not appear deeper red its violet end, and Rigel would appear quite Toms River, N.J. than other, cooler stars viewed in their sunlike (or even redden I haven't tried to do own reference frame. an actual computation, I admit). 1 am not claiming that all my col­ Alistair Blennerhassett would be correct, Alan Harris leagues have considered the matter to this that there would be no apparent color Jet Propulsion Laboratory depth of detail, but I know I'm not the shift, if stars emitted light uniformly at all California Institute of only one who has. wavelengths. The dramatic color shift Technology I'd be interested in hearing how many which is a favorite stock of science fiction Pasadena, Calif. letters you receive from astronomers, would be correct if stars emitted mono­ physicists, science-fiction enthusiasts, and chromatic light, like a sodium lamp. others on this matter: one can hope that Thermal emission, which dominates stars, 1 realize that Greg Bear is quite competent there may possibly be a bright side to our covers a broad spectral range, but is not to defend himself, but as a member of the admittedly rather sad science education. flat, so the actual effect would be some- rather large group of science fiction writ­ tiling between the extremes mentioned. ers who have also been involved in what Harry C. Stubbs ("Hal Effectively, stars in front of a starship Alistair Blennerhassett calls the "Blue Shift Clement") moving close to the speed of light would Fallacy" I feel justified in joining in. Milton, Mass. appear "hotter" than they really are, and It is quite true that spectral line posi­ stars behind would appear "cooler" than tions have to be used rather than subjec­ they really are. So individual stars would be tively measured colors as check points in On first look, I felt that Mr. "bluer" in front and "redder" behind. But the measurement of radial velocities (espe­ Blennerhassett's critique might have some the natural range of surface temperatures cially in these recent ones where extra-Solar validity—but upon reading the comments of stars is so great that there exist stars so planets are being detected by measuring of Hal Clement (Harry C. Stubbs) and cool that their peak radiation is in die meter-per-second velocities). However, the others who wrote you, and after consulting infrared, and others so hot that their peak argument that visible energy Doppler- with Gregory Benford, I have to concur radiation is in the ultraviolet so that as shifted out at one end of die spectrum will with them. The problem is—I'm no pio­ some stars are reddened (or "blued") out of be made up by energy shifted in at die neer in this area, and certainly no expert. die visual spectral range, others would other implies that the curve of energy emit­ I believe the earliest use of the "starbow" come in to replace them. Thus I suspect ted against wave length or frequency by a was in Frederik Pohl's fine story, "The Gold

64 July/August 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR at the Starbow's End." Poul Andersons Meditation. Here's proof: As discoverer, I claim the right to name "Tau Zero" inspired me and many other the behavior associated with my new dis­ young science fiction writers in 1970 with l)The book was published by the covery. I name it "St. Rupert's Dance," its picture of near-light-speed travel. Bhaktivedanta Institute in San Diego, after its famed occurrences on Fox I might add that what 1 pictured in "Anvil 2) The book is dedicated to "His Television. Careful research on my part of Stars" was a tcl.itivisiic "necklace" of star Divine Grace A C. Bhaktivedanta has uncovered similar outbreaks in other Swami Prabhupada," images, twisted and contorted depending on species, such as supermarket tabloids and which way the viewer is facing. I remember 3) In the forward, Pierce J. Flynn formerly well-respected newspapers. writes "The authors admit their basing this upon some computer simula­ own sense of place in a knowledge Now, if I can just make it past Peer tions, but I forget the source. universe with contours derived Review and get into the right journal. . . . The colors in die "necklace" depend on from personal experience with relative intensity of stellar spectra for stars of Vedic philosophy, religious percep­ Edward Mills different temperatures. If 1 read my source tion, and Indian cosmology. San Jacinto, Calif. text right (Colours of the Stars by Malin and Murdin, Cambridge 1984), and factor in the Please note that 1 don't feel that this comments of real experts, then as one makes the authors' statements wrong, but I have read some of the articles and reader approaches "science-fiction velocities," it's obvious that there is no way for them comments about the "Alien Autopsy" film approaching or receding from a star, the to exclude their biases in presenting them (SI, January/February and March/April). entire curve of the star's intensity vs. wave­ since their extreme religious beliefs deter­ People seem to be missing the one major length diagram will shift left or right, and the mine who they are as individuals. flaw that stood out the very first second I slope of the curve as it passes through the vis­ By broadcasting this program, I believe saw the film: the "alien" looks too human! ible part of the spectrum will determine how that NBC must be branded as dupes, will­ Everything else is just minor details. extreme the visual color shift will be, toward ing or unwilling, to a religious sham, since Simply considering genetics should be red or blue, with the additional detail that the creationist inspiration for the program sufficient to cast serious doubts about the some stars will appear (visually) dimmer, and was disguised as real science in an attempt authenticity of this film. When different others brighter. Given sufficient velocity, X- to fool the general public. species just on this planet exhibit such ray sources will become visible ahead, and diverse physical appearances, I seriously infra-red and radio sources behind. Ray Sin era doubt any alien race is going to look as I hope my amateur skills aren't mud­ Ocean Grove, N.J human as the body shown in that film! dling the issue any further! To be sure, for an alien race to develop And thanks to Alistair Blennerhassett space travel they would have to have cer­ for making us re-diink this whole question. During the 1980s, we witnessed several tain physical capabilities ... but at best (in lethal outbreaks of the infamous terms of similarity to us), that only means Greg Bear Computer Virus. 1 am proud to announce a torso, legs, arms, and head of some sort. Lynnwood, Wash. my discovery of an entirely new virus, one Unless there is some unknown historical that perhaps evolved from the former. The connection between our race and an alien race (some long forgotten colonization of victims of this plague are not computers, this planet from afar?) any aliens we NBC's 'Mysterious Origins' but television networks. This new virus encounter would most certainly LOOK jumped species, as it were. alien from top to bottom, just in the exact In anticipation of the uproar over NBC's The first outbreak of my higher- shape of recognizable features of the head. airing of the thinly disguised creationist evolved species appeared on KCBS-TV program "Mysterious Origins of Man" on here in Los Angeles a year ago. Bizarre The body in the "Alien Autopsy" film Sunday, February 25, I thought it might behaviors associated with the discovery of could easily pass for a human body with be a good idea to look into the underlying Noah's Ark in Turkey appeared on KCBS- makeup . . . the film must be a fake. source of the program. TV in an hour-long pseudoscientific doc­ Much of this program was based on umentary. Now, it seems that my new Joseph P. Maia the book Forbidden Archeology by Michael virus has infected KNBC-TV. Burlington, N.J. Cremo and Richard Thompson, who were During prime time on Sunday, some of the main characters in the pro­ February 25, all Los Angeles witnessed the gram. This book is by no means a real sci­ appearance of similar bizarre behaviors on The letters column is a forum for views on entific work. Indeed, it is an extreme cre­ KNBC-TV. For one full hour, viewers the matters raised in previous issues. ationist work. But Cremo and Thompson were educated about new and improved Letters should be no more than 250 words. are far from being mainstream creationists scientific theories—like the There's—No- Due to the volume of letters, not all can be such as those affiliated with the Institute Missing-Link Theory, or like the published They should be typed double- for Creation Research (ICR) that we are Th e- Past- Was—a-Complete-Catastrophe spaced. Address: Letters to the Editor, all familiar with. Cremo and Thompson Theory, not to mention the famous are a different kind of creationist: follow­ Scientists-Are-Conspiring-To-Hide-The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, 944 Deer Dr. NE, ers of the Hindu cult of Transcendental -Truth Theory. Albuquerque, NM 87122.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1996 65 International Network of Skeptical Organizations

ARGENTINA. CAIRP. Director. Ladislao Enrique Joseph's Hospital, Limerick. ILLINOIS. Midwest Committee for Rational Marquez, Casilla de Correo 26. sue. 25. 1425. ISRAEL. Israel Skeptics Society. Philip Marmaros. Inquiry, Danielle Kafka. President P.O. Box 2792. Buenos Aires. Chairman, P.O. Box 8481, Jerusalem. (Fax: 972-2- Des Plaines. IL 60017-2792. Rational AUSTRALIA. National: Australian Skeptics. P.O. Box 611976. E-mail: charismaanetvision.net.il). Examination Assoc, of Lincoln Land (REALL). A2324. Sydney South. NSW 2000. (E-mail: skep- ITALY. CICAP (Comrtato Italiano per il Controilo David Bloomberg, Chairman. P.O. Box 20302. ticsOspot.- tt.sw.au.oz). Regional: Australian delle Affermazioni sul Paranormale), Largo Springfield IL 62708 (217-522-7554). Capital Territory, P.O. Box 555. Civic Square. 2608. Europa, 2-35137 Padova. Scienza « Paranormale, INDIANA. Indiana Skeptics. Robert Craig. Newcastle Skeptics. Chairperson. Colin Keay, Massimo Polidoro, Editor, P.O. Box 1117, 35100 Chairperson. 5401 Hedgerow Drive, Indianapolis, Physics Dept.. Newcastle University. NSW 2308. Padova. (Tel, Fax: 39-426-22013.) IN 46226. Queensland. P.O. Box 2180. Brisbane, 4001 South JAPAN. Japan Skeptics. Jun Jugaku, Chairperson, KENTUCKY. Kentucky Assn. of Science Educators Australia. P.O. Box 91. Magill. 5072. Victoria. P.O. Business Center for Academic Societies Japan, 16-9 and Skeptics (KASES), Chairman, Prof. Robert A. Box 1555P, Melbourne. 3001. Western Australia. Honkomagome 5-chome, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113. Baker. 3495 Castleton Way North. Lexington. KY P.O. Box 899, Morley WA 6062. MEXICO. Mexican Association for Skeptical Research 40502. BELGIUM. Committee Para, J. Dommanget, (SOMIE), Mario Mendez Acosta*. Chairman, Apart ado LOUISIANA. Baton Rouge Proponents of Rational Chairman, Observatoire Royal de Belgique. Postal 19-546. Mexico 03900. Of. Inquiry and Scientific Methods (BR-PRISM). Avenue Circulaire 3. B-1180 Brussels. SKEPP. W. NETHERLANDS. Stichting Skepsis. Rob Nanninga. Dick Schroth. Director, 425 Carriage Way, Baton Betz, Secretary, Laarbeeklaan 103, B1090 Brussels Secretary. Westerkade 20. 9718 AS Groningen. Rouge. LA 70808-4828 (504-766-4747). (FAX: 32-2- 4774301). NEW ZEALAND. New Zealand Skeptics, Vicki Hyde. MASSACHUSETTS. Skeptical Inquirers of New BRAZIL. Opcao Rational. Luis Gutman. Rua Santa Chairperson, South Pacific Publications. Box England. Contact Laurence Moss. Ho & Moss, 68 Clara.431. Bloco 5. Apt. 803. Copacabana - Rio de 19-760. Christchurch 5. N.Z., Fax: 64 3 384-5138. Harrison Ave., 5th, Floor, Boston 02111. Janeiro 22041-010 (55-021-237-2088). NORWAY. Skepsis, St. Olavsgt. 27, N-0166, Oslo. MICHIGAN. Great Lakes Skeptics, Carol Lynn, con CANADA. Alberta Skeptics, Heidi Lloyd-Price, RUSSIA. Contact Edward Gevorkian, Ulyanovskaya tact 1264 Bedford Rd., Grosse Pointe Park. Ml Secretary, P.O. Box 5571, Station A. Calgary, 43, Kor4. 109004. Moscow. 84230-1116. Alberta T2H 1X9. British Columbia Skeptics, Lee SOUTH AFRICA. Assn. for the Rational MINNESOTA. Minnesota Skeptics. Robert W Moller. contact. 1188 Beaufort Road. Vancouver Investigation of the Paranormal (ARIP), Marian McCoy, 549 Turnpike Rd., Golden Valley. MN V7G 1R7. Manitoba Skeptics. Contact John Laserson, Secretary, 4 Wales St., Sandringham 55416 St. Kloud ESP Teaching Investigation Toews, President. Box 92. St. Vital. Winnipeg, Man. 2192. SOCRATES. Leon Retief. contact 3 Committee (SKEPTIC). Jerry Mertens. R2M 4A5. Ontario Skeptics. Henry Gordon. Hoheizen Crescent. Hoheizen. Bellville 7530. Coordinator. Psychology Dept, St. Cloud State Chairman, 343 Clark Ave West. Suite 1009. SPAIN. Alternativa Racional a las Pseudosciencias Univ., St Cloud, MN 56301. Thornhill Ontario L4J 7K5. Sceptiques du (ARP). Carlos Telleria. Executive Director. Apdto. MISSOURI. Kansas City Committee for Skeptical Quebec: Donald Gilbert, C.P. 202, Succ. Beauben. 1516. 50080 Zaragoza. 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Ciech Club of Skeptics, Milos UNITED KINGDOM. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Representative. NEW YORK. Inquiring Skeptics of Upper New Chvojka, nam. Jiriho z Lobkovic 7, CS-130 00 Michael J. Hutchinson, 10 Crescent View, York (ISUNY). Contact: Michael Sofka. 8 Prague 3, The Czech Republic. Loughton, Essex IG10 4PZ. The Skeptic maga­ Providence St, Albany, NY 12203. (518-437-1750). ESTONIA. Contact Indrek Rohtmets. Horisont. EE zine. Editors, Toby Howard and Steve Donnelly. New York Area Skeptics (NYASk), Alan Weiss, 0102 Tallinn, Narva mnt. 5. P.O. Box 475, Manchester M60 2TH. (E-mail: contact person, 44 Parkview Drive. Millbum, NJ EUROPEAN COUNCIL OF SKEPTICAL ORGANIZA­ tobyScs.man.ac.uk). Wessex Skeptics, Robin 07041. e-mail: nyaskOliii.com. Western New TIONS. Amardeo Sarma, Secretary. Postfach 1222. Allen, Dept. of Physics. Southampton Univ.. York Skeptics, Tim Madigan, Chairman, 3965 D-64374 Rossdorf (FAX: *49 6154 81912). Highfield. Southampton S09 5NH. Rensch Road, Buffalo. NY 14228. FINLAND. Skepsis. Ilpo V. Salmi. President. Secretary OHIO. South Shore Skeptics. Page Stephens. 6006 Fir and contact person: Anneli Aurejdrvi, Sireenitie United States Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44102 (216-631-5987). 10b A2. FIN-01390 Vantaa. Finland. E-mail contact: ALABAMA. Alabama Skeptics. Emory Kimbrough. Association for Rational Thinking (Cincinnati Sami Hiltunen. sjhiftunOcc.helsinki.fi, 3550 Watermelon Road. Apt. 28A, Northport, AL area), Joseph F. Gastright Contact 111 Wallace Ave, FRANCE. Cercle Zetetique. Contact: Paul-Eric 35476 (205-759-2624). Covington. KY 41014 (606-581-7315). Blanrue. 12 Rue David Deitz. 57000 Metz. Comite ARIZONA. Tucson Skeptics Inc. James McGaha, OREGON. Oregonians for Rationality, Contact Francais pour I'Etude des Phenomenes Chairman. 7049 E. Tangue Verde Rd, Ste. 370, Tucson. Secretary: John Reese. 7555 Spring Valley Rd NW. Paranormaux. Claude Benski, Secretary-General, AZ 85715. Phoenix Skeptics, Michael Stackpole. Salem. 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Contact Sacramento. CA 95821 (916-488-3772), E-mail: (215-533-4677). Rebecca Bradley, P.O. Box 1010, Shatin Central tsandbek.mother.com. San Diego Association TEXAS. Houston Association for Scientific Post Office. Shatin, NT. for Rational Inquiry. Contact: Bruce R. Wallace, Thinking (HAST). Darrell Kachilla. P.O. Box 945 Fourth Avenue. San Diego. CA 92101 (619- HUNGARY. Hungarian Skeptics. Gyula Bencze. 541314, Houston. TX 77254. North Texas 233-1888 Fax:: 619-696-9476). Termeuet Vtlaga. P.O. Box 25. Budapest 8.1444. Skeptics, Virginia Vaughn. President. P.O. Box (Fax 011-36-1-118-7506). COLORADO. Rocky Mountain Skeptics. Bela 111794. Carrollton. TX 75011-1794. INDIA. Indian Skeptics. B Premanand. Chairman. 10 Scheiber. President P.O. Box 7277, Boulder. CO WASHINGTON. The Society for Sensible Chen i pa lava m Rd, Podanur 641-023 Coimbatore 80306 (phone: 303-444-5368. web: ben.boulder. Explanations. P.O. Box 7121. Seattle. WA 98133- Tamil Nadu. Indian Rationalist Association. ecus/community /rms). 2121. Tad Cook. Sec/Treas. (E-mail: udOssc.com). Contact. Sanal Edamaruku. 779. Pocket 5. Mayur D.C Capital Area. National Capital Area Skeptics, WISCONSIN. Contact person: Roxine McQuitty. Vlhar 1. New Delhi 110 091. Maharashtra cto D.W. "Chip" Denman. 8006 Valley Street MATC-West 1200 S. 71st St, West Allis. Wl 53214 Superstition Eradication Committee, Dada Silver Spring. MD 20910. (414-456-5402. Fax: 414-873-4446). Chandane. Secy., D/6. First Floor, Super Market FLORIDA. Tampa Bay Skeptics. Gary Posnef. 1113 " Associate Members of CSICOP Executive Council Solapur 413001. Dravidar Kazhagam. General Normandy Trace Rd.. Tampa. FL 33602 Secretary K. Veeramnani. Periyar Thidal, 50, E.V.K. (813-221-3533), E-mail: garyposeaol.com. The organizations listed above have aims sunder to those of CSICOP Sampath Road, Madras - 600 007. Tamil Nadu. but ere independent end autonomous. Representatives of these GEORGIA. Georgia Skeptics. Becky Long. President. organizations cannot speak on behalf of CSICOP Please send IRELAND. Irish Skeptics. Peter O'Hara. Contact. St. 2277 Winding Woods Dr.. Tucker. GA 30084 updates to Barry Karr. PO. Bo* 703. Amherst. NY 142264703. THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY (ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO) • AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Paul Kurtz, Chairman Barry Karr. Executive Director

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS

George Agogino. Dept. of Anthropology, Philip A. lanna, assoc. professor of Chris Scott statistician, London, England Eastern New Mexico University astronomy, Univ. of Virginia Stuart D. Scott Jr., associate professor of Bill G. Aldridge. executive director. William Jarvis, professor of health pro­ anthropology, SUNY, Buffalo National Science Teachers Assoc. motion and public health, Loma Linda Erwin M. Segal, professor of psychology. Gary Bauslaugh. dean of technical and University, School of Public Health SUNY. Buffalo academic education and professor of I. W. Kelly, professor of psychology, Steven N. Shore, associate professor and chemistry, Malaspina College, University of Saskatchewan chair, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada Richard H. Lange, M.D.. Mohawk Valley Indiana Univ. South Bend Richard E. Berendzen. astronomer, Physician Health Plan, Schenectady, Barry Singer, psychologist. Eugene, Washington, D.C. N.Y. Oregon Martin Bridgstock, lecturer, School of Gerald A. Larue, professor of biblical his­ Mark Slovak, astronomer, University of Science, Griffith Observatory, Brisbane, tory and archaeology, University of So. Wisconsin-Madison Australia California. Gordon Stein, physiologist, author; editor Richard Busch, magician, Pittsburgh, Pa. Bernard J. Leikind, staff scientist, GA of the American Rationalist Shawn Carlson, physicist, San Diego, Calif, i Technologies Inc., San Diego Waclaw Szybalski, professor, McArdle Charles J. Cazeau. geologist. Deary, Idaho William M. London, Director of Public Health at the American Council of Laboratory, University of Wisconsin- Ronald J. Crowley, professor of physics, Madison California State University, Fullerton Science and Health Thomas R. McDonough, lecturer in engi­ Ernest H. Taves, psychoanalyst, Roger B. Culver, professor of astronomy, neering, Caltech, and SETI Coordinator Cambridge, Massachusetts Colorado State Univ. of the Planetary Society Sarah G. Thomason, professor of linguis­ Felix Arcs De Bias, professor of comput­ tics. University of Pittsburgh er science. University of Basque, San James E. McGaha. Major, USAF; pilot Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist. Sebastian, Spain Joel A. Moskowitz, director of medical Princeton University and the Hayden Michael R. Dennett writer, investigator. psychiatry, Calabasas Mental Health Planetarium Federal Way, Washington Services, Los Angeles. Robert B. Painter, professor of micro­ Sid Deutsch. Visiting Professor of electri­ Richard Wiseman, Senior Research biology, School of Medicine, University cal engineering. University of South Fellow in psychology, University of Hertfordshire Florida, Tampa of California John W. Patterson, professor of materials J. Dommanget astronomer, Royale science and engineering, Iowa State Observatory, Brussels. Belgium University Nahum J. Duker, assistant professor of CSICOP Steven Pinker, professor and director of pathology. Temple University the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Subcommittees Barbara Eisenstadt. psychologist, educa­ MIT Astrology Subcommittee: Chairman, tor, clinician, East Greenbush, N.Y. James Pomerantz, Provost and professor I. W. Kelly, Dept. of Educational John F. Fischer, forensic analyst. Orlando, of cognitive and linguistic sciences. Psychology, 28 Campus Drive, Fla Brown Univ. Saskatoon. Sask., Canada. 57N-OX1 Frederic A. Friedel. philosopher, Gary P. Posner, M.D., Tampa, Fla. Hamburg, West Germany Electronic Communication Subcommittee: Daisie Radner. professor of philosophy, Chairman, Page Stephens. 6006 Fir Robert E. Funk, anthropologist, New SUNY. Buffalo Ave., Cleveland. OH 44102. E-Mail: Jim York State Museum & Science Service Michael Radner, professor of philosophy, Kutz aa3878Cleveland.Freenet.edu Eileen Gambrill. professor of social wel­ McMaster University. Hamilton, Health Claims Subcommittee: Co-chair­ fare, University of California at Ontario, Canada Berkeley men, William Jarvis, Professor of Robert H. Romer. professor of physics, Sylvio Garattini. director, Mario Negri Health Promotion and Education, Amherst College Pharmacology Institute, Milan, Italy School of Public Health, Loma Linda Milton A. Rothman. physicist University, Loma Linda, CA 93350, and Laurie Godfrey, anthropologist. Philadelphia. Pa. Stephen Barrett M.D.. P.O. Box 1747. University of Massachusetts Karl Sabbagh, journalist Richmond, Allentown, PA 1810S. Gerald Goldin. mathematician, Rutgers University, New Jersey Surrey, England Parapsychology Subcommittee: Donald Goldsmith, astronomer; president Robert J. Samp, assistant professor of Chairman. Ray Hyman, Psychology education and medicine. University of Interstellar Media Dept., Univ. of Oregon, Eugene. OR Wisconsin-Madison 97402. Clyde F. Herreid. professor of biology. Steven D. Schafersman. geologist Houston SUNY, Buffalo Bela Scheiber.* system analyst Boulder, UFO Subcommittee: Chairman, Philip J Terence M. Hines. professor of psychology. Colo. Klass, 404 -N- Street S.W., Pace University, Pleasantville, N.Y. •Member of CSICOP Executive Council Washington, DC 20024. CENTER FOR INQUIRY The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal P.O. Box 703, Amherst, NY 14226 • (716) 636-1425

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

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

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

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