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Doug Henning and Tm Martin Gardner a Young Grand Canyon? Timothy H THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE AND REASON May/June 1995 U.S. $4.95 Can. $5.95 THE BELIEF ENGINE JAMES E. ALCOCK IS SKEPTICISM TENABLE? JOHN BELOFF plus SUSAN BLACKMORE, RAY HYMAN, PAUL KURTZ, JAMES ALCOCK, MARTIN GARDNER CROP CIRCLE MANIA WANES JOE NICKELL DOUG HENNING AND TM MARTIN GARDNER A YOUNG GRAND CANYON? TIMOTHY H. HEATON POSTMODERN UNREASON MIXED-UP MEDIUMSHIP ANCIENT ALUMINUM? George Englebretsen Gordon Stein Gerhard Eggert PUBLISHED BY THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, State University of New York at Buffalo Barry Karr, Executive Director and Public Relations Director Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director FELLOWS James E. Alcock," psychologist, York Univ.. Martin Gardner," author, critic Joe Nickell,* author, technical writing instructor. Univ. of Kentucky Toronto Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, Santa Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Albany, Fc Institute Lee Nisbet,* philosopher, Medaille College Oregon Thomas Gilovich, psychologist, Cornell Univ. James E. Oberg, science writer Robert A. Baker, psychologist, Univ. of Loren Pankratz, psychologist. Oregon Health Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, Toronto Kentucky Sciences Univ Stephen Jay Gould, Museum of Comparative Stephen Barrett, Mil, psychiatrist, author, con­ John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ. Zoology, Harvard Univ. sumer advocate. Allentown, Pa. Mark Plummer, lawyer, Australia C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist. Univ. of Wales Barry Beyerstein,* biopsychologist, Simon Fraser W. V. Quine, philosopher. Harvard Univ. Univ.. Vancouver, B.C., Canada Al Hibbs, scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human under­ Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of Chicago Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ. of standing and cognitive science, Indiana Univ. Carl Sagan, astronomer, Cornell Univ. Southern California Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical professor of Susan Blackmore," psychologist, Univ. of :the Physics and Professor of History of Science, medicine, Stanford Univ. West of England, Bristol Harvard Univ. Henri Broch, physicist, Univ. of Nice, France Evry Schatzman, President, French Physics Ray Hyman," psychologist, Univ, of Oregon Association Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, professor of Leon |jrolT. sciences editor, Time English, Univ. of Utah Eugenie Scott, physical anthropologist, executive Sergei Kapitza, editor, Russian edition, Scientific director, National Center for Science Vern Bullough, Distinguished Professor, State American Education Univ. of New York Philip J. Klass," aerospace writer, engineer Glenn T. Seaborg, University Professor of Mario Bunge, philosopher, McGill University Marvin Kohl, professor of philosophy, SUNY at Chemistry, Univ. of California. Berkeley John R. Cole, anthropologist, Inst, for the Study Fredonia Thomas A. Sebeok. anthropologist, linguist, of Human Issues Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director, Griffith Indiana Univ. E H. C. Crick, biophysicist, Salk Inst, for • Observatory Robert Sheaffer, science writer Biological Studies. La Jolla. Calif. Paul Kurtz,* chairman, CSICOP Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Terry Hills, N.S.W, Australia Richard Hawkins, zoologist, Oxford Univ. Lawrence Kusche, science writer Robert Steiner, magician, author. El Cerrito, Calif L Sprague dc Camp, author, engineer Elizabeth Loftus, professor of psychology, Univ. Cornelis dc Jager, professor of astrophysics, of Washington Jill Cornell Tarter, SETI Institute Univ. of Utrecht, the Netherlands Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Bernard Dixon, science writer, London, U.K. AeroVironment, Inc.. Monrovia, Calif. Angeles, Calif. Paul Edwards, philosopher. Editor, Encyclopedia David Marks, psychologist, Middlesex Polytech, Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy, of Philosophy England University of Southern California Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., U.K. David Morrison, space scientist, NASA Ames Steven Weinberg, professor of physics and astronomy, University of Texas at Austin. Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer, Foothill College, Research Center Los Altos H.Ik Calif. Marvin Zelen, statistician, Harvard Univ Richard A. Muller, professor of physics, Univ. of Kendrick Frazicr,* science writer, Editor, Calif. Berkeley Lin Zixin, former editor, Science and Technology SKEPTICAL INQUIRER H. Narasimhaiah, physicist, president. Bangalore Daily (China) Science Forum, India Yves Galifret, Exec. Secretary. I'Union "Member, CSICOP Executive Council Rationalistc Dorothy Nelkin, sociologist New York Univ. (Affiliations given for identification only.) The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (ISSN 0194-6730) is published bimonthly publication does not necessarily constitute an endorsement by CSICOP by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the or its members unless so stated. Paranormal, 3965 Rensch Rd., Amherst, NY 14228-2713. Printed Copyright ©1995 by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation in U.S.A. Second-class postage paid at Amherst, New York, and of Claims of the Paranormal. All rights reserved. The SKEPTICAL additional mailing offices. INQUIRER is available on 16mm microfilm, 35mm microfilm, and Inquiries from the media and the public about the work of the 105mm microfiche from University Microfilms Internationa] and is Committee should be made to Paul Kurtz, Chairman. CSICOP Box 703, indexed in the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature. Amherst, NY 14226-0703. Tel.: (716) 636-1425. FAX: 716-636-1733. Subscriptions, change of address, and advertising should be Manuscripts, letters, books for review, and editorial inquiries addressed to: SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Box 703, Amherst. NY 14226- should be addressed to Kendrick Frazier, Editor, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. 0703. Old address as well as new are necessary for change of subscribers 944 Deer Drive NE, Albuquerque NM 87122-1306. FAX 505-828- address, with six weeks advance notice. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER subscribers 2080. For Guide for Authors, see this issue, page 63. may not speak on behalf of CSICOP or the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. Articles, reports, reviews, and letters published in the SKEPTICAL Postmaster: Send changes of address to SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, INQUIRER represent the views and work of individual authors. Their Box 703, Amherst. NY 14226-0703. ARTICLES May/June 1995 ^^V 14 The Belief Engine V0I.19N0.3 JAMES ALCOCK Our brains and nervous systems constitute a belief-generating machine, a system that evolved to assure not truth, logic, and reason, but survival. The belief engine has seven major components. 19 The Skeptical Position: Is It Tenable? JOHN BELOFF If the "skeptical position" regarding parapsychology is to be tenable, says Beloff, it must apply not only to die latest experimental evidence—where repeatability on demand may forever elude investigators—but also to historical cases. Response by Susan Blackmore, Ray Hyman, Paul Kurtz, James Alcock, Martin Gardner. 30 Mediumship: Is It Mixed or Just Mixed Up? GORDON STEIN How should one approach the rationalization that catching a psychic or medium cheating is no reason to believe they always cheat? Here's a suggestion. 33 A Young Grand Canyon? TIMOTHY H. HEATON A university geologist critiques a creationist geologist's arguments that the Grand Canyon in particular and the Earth in general are not as they seem to science. 37 Ancient Aluminum? Looking for the Real Heart of a Legend GERHARD EGGERT The incredible story is still being repeated and amplified even after almost 2,000 years. Is there any real basis for it? What accounts for its longevity? 41 Crop Circle Mania Wanes JOE NICKELL In the field among the (remaining) cerealogists, an afternoon adventure. BOOK REVIEWS Psychic Sleuths edited by Joe Nickell ROBERT BAKER 44 Lysenko and the Tragedy of Soviet Science by Valery N. Soyfer GRAYDON JOHN FORRER 45 Drums Along the Congo by Rory Nugent JOHN H. ACORN 46 NEW BOOKS 48 ARTICLES OF NOTE 49 EDITOR'S NOTE KENDR1CK FRAZIER 2 NEWS AND COMMENT 3 Academy Proposes Science Education Overhaul / The Geller Case Ends / New Eye on Nature / 'X-Files' Error Leaves Viewers Wondering / A Letter to Ann Landers CSICOP NEWS Boulder Critical Thinking Workshop J. p. MCLAUGHLIN 6 NOTES OF A FRINGE-WATCHER Doug Henning and the Giggling Guru MARTIN GARDNER 9 MEDIA WATCH Tales from the TV Talk Shows C EUGENE EMERY. JR. 12 FOLLOW-UP Empirical Evidence for Reincarnation? The Giggling Guru A Reply to Leonard Angel IAN STEVENSON 50 FORUM Postmodernism and New Age Unreason ON THE COVER: GEORGE ENGLEBRETSEN 52 Illustration by Patrick Hubenthal LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 55 Editor's Note iorto« Kendrick Frazicr Why do we believe? •DITOtlAl HO»«D James E. Alcock Barry Beyerstein €€ how can anyone Relieve in (fill in the blank)?" Most of us have Susan J. Blackmore Martin Gardner J. A. undoubtedly uttered a sentence like that more than once. But we Ray Hyman Philip J. Klass must be careful. We all have our beliefs. It's a natural human tendency to Paul Kurtz think our beliefs make sense, even if the other person's don't. How does this Joe Nickell Lee Nisbet happen? Why are belief in all manner of things so strong, so prevalent, so Bc"la Scheiber enduring? CONSULTING IDITCHtS Robert A. Baker Psychologist James £. Alcock examines that profound question in this issue. William Sims Bainbridge In "The Belief Engine, "he shows how the brain and the nervous system con­ John R. Cole
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