Vol. 16, No. 1 FdlM991/$6.25

NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES In or Out of the Body?

Multicultural 1991 CSICOP Conference Classical and Common Sense Spook Hill Illusion

Published by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is the official journal of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. Editor Kendrick Frazier. Editorial Board James E. Alcock, Martin Gardner, Ray Hyman, Philip J. Klass, Paul Kurtz. Consulting Editors Isaac Asimov, William Sims Bainbridge, John R. Cole, Kenneth L. Feder, C. E. M. Hansel, E. C. Krupp, David F. Marks, Andrew Neher, James E. Oberg, Robert Sheaffer, Steven N. Shore. Managing Editor Doris Hawley Doyle. Contributing Editor Lys Ann Shore. Business Manager Mary Rose Hays. Art Valerie Ferenti-Cognetto. Chief Data Officer Richard Seymour. Computer Assistant Michael Cione. Typesetting Paul E. Loynes. Audio Technician Vance Vigrass. Librarian, Ranjit Sandhu. Staff Lynda Harwood (Asst. Public Relations Director), Leland Harrington, Sandra Lesniak, Alfreda Pidgeon, Kathy Reeves. Cartoonist Rob Pudim. The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal Paul Kurtz, Chairman; philosopher, State University of New York at Buffalo. Barry Karr, Executive Director and Public Relations Director. Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director. Fellows of the Committee (partial list) lames E. Alcock, psychologist, York Univ., Toronto; Isaac Asimov, biochemist, author; Robert A. Baker, psychologist, Univ. of Kentucky; Irving Biederman, psychologist. University of Minnesota; Susan Blackmore, psychologist. Brain Perception Laboratory, University of Bristol, England; Henri Broch, physicist. University of Nice, France; Mario Bunge, philosopher, McGill University; John R. Cole, anthropologist, Institute for the Study of Human Issues; F. H. C. Crick, biophysicist, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, Calif.; L. Sprague de Camp, author, engineer; Cornells de Jager, professor of astrophysics, Univ. of Utrecht, the ; Bernard Dixon, science writer, , U.K.: Paul Edwards, philosopher, Editor, Encyclopedia of Philosophy; Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., U.K.; Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer, executive officer. Astronomical Society of the Pacific; editor of Mercury; Kendrick Frazier, science writer. Editor, THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER; Yves Galifret, Exec. Secretary, lTJnion Rationaliste; Martin Gardner, author, critic; Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, California Institute of Technology; Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, broadcaster, Toronto; Stephen Jay Gould, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard Univ.; C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales; Al Hibbs, scientist. Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human understanding and cognitive science, Indiana University; Ray Hyman, psychologist, Univ. of Oregon; Leon Jaroff, editor, Time; Lawrence Jerome, science writer, engineer; Philip J. Klass, science writer, engineer; Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director, Griffith Observatory; Paul Kurtz, chairman, CSICOP, Buffalo, N.Y.; Lawrence Kusche, science writer; Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia, Calif.; David Marks, psychologist, Middlesex Polytech, England; David Morrison, space scientist, NASA Ames Research Center; Richard A. Muller, professor of physics, Univ. of Calif., Berkeley; H. Narasimhaiah, physicist, president, Bangalore Science Forum, India; Dorothy Nelkin, sociologist, Cornell University. Joe Nickel), author, technical writing instructor, University of Kentucky; Lee Nisbet, philosopher, Medaille College; James E. Oberg, science writer; John Paulos, mathematician, Temple University; Mark Plummer, lawyer, ; W. V. Quine, philosopher. Harvard Univ.; Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, University of Chicago; Carl Sagan, astronomer, Cornell Univ.; Evry Schatzman, President, French Physics Association; Eugenie Scott, physical anthropologist, executive director. National Center for Science Education, Inc.; Thomas A. Sebeok, anthropologist, linguist, Indiana University; Robert Sheaffer, science writer; Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Terrey Hills, N.S.W., Australia; Robert Steiner, magician, author. El Cerrito, California; Carol Tavris, psychologist, UCLA; Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy, Northwestern Univ.; Marvin Zelen, statistician, Harvard Univ. (Affiliations given for identification only.)

Manuscripts, letters, books for review, and editorial inquiries should be addressed to Kendrick Frazier, Editor, THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, 3025 Palo Alto Dr., N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87111. Subscriptions, change of address, and advertising should be addressed to: THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Box 229, Buffalo, NY 14215-0229. Old address as well as new are necessary for change of subscriber's address, with six weeks advance notice. Subscribers to THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER may not speak on behalf of CSICOP or THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. Inquiries from the media and the public about the work of the Committee should be made to Paul Kurtz, Chairman, CSICOP, Box 229, Buffalo, NY 14215-0229. Tel.: (716) 636-1425. FAX: (716)-636-1733. Articles, reports, reviews, and letters published in THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER represent the views and work of individual authors. Their publication does not necessarily constitute an endorsement by CSICOP or its members unless so stated. THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is indexed in the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. Copyright *1991 by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, 3965 Rensch Road, Buffalo, NY 14226. All rights reserved. THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is available on 16mm microfilm, 35mm microfilm, and 105mm microfiche from University Microfilms International. Subscription Rates: Individuals, libraries, and institutions, $25.00 a year; back issues, $6.25 each. Postmaster: THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is published quarterly. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Printed in the U.S.A. Second-class postage paid at Buffalo, New York, and additional mailing offices. Send changes of address to THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Box 229, Buffalo, NY 14215-0229. {} SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Vol. 16, No. 1, Fall 1991 r ISSN 0194-6730 Journal of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal

ARTICLES Near-Death Experiences: In or out of the Body? Susan Blackmore 34 Multicultural Pseudoscience: Spreading Scientific Illiteracy Among Minorities Bernard Ortiz de Montellano 46 Science and Commonsense Skepticism John Aach 51 Spook Hill: Angular Illusion Guss Wilder 58 Lucian and Alexander Debunking in Classical Style Walter F.Rowe 61 1991 CSICOP CONFERENCE Exciting Science, Hypnosis, Urban Legends, Pop ... and a Controversy Lys Ann Shore 2 Further Notes, Observations, and Comments Kendrick Frazier 15 NEWS AND COMMENT 20 Biodynamic Baloney Exposed by Possum Pepper Test / P&G Cleansed of Satanism Charge / OBEs Found Common Among TMers / Weird Science Taught at Steiner School / Media Moguls Cowed by Chain Letters / Green Party Founder Enthralled with New Age

NOTES OF A FRINGE-WATCHER Reader Feedback, from Urantia to Titanic Martin Gardner 27 I ~l VIBRATIONS The Stamp of Pseudoscience, the Army of Saucerers Robert Sheaffer 31

I I BOOK REVIEWS Arthur Lyons and Marcello Truzzi, The Blue Sense: Psychic Detectives and Crime Robert A Baker 67 Kevin D. Randle and Donald R. Schmitt, UFO Crash at Roswell Philip J. Klass 71 Umberto Eco, Foucaulfs Pendulum Erik Strommen 76 James Randi, The Mask of Nostradamus Hugh H. Trotti 80

NEW BOOKS 82

ARTICLES OF NOTE 83

FOLLOW-UP 87 Unfinished ESP-Teaching-Machine Business / More on John's Statistics / More on Hi-Fi Audio Claims FORUM 92 Talking with Fast Talkers LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 94

Cover illustration by Bruce Adams. 1991 CSICOP CONFERENCE

Exciting Science, Hypnosis, Urban Legends, Pop Psychology... and a Controversy

LYS ANN SHORE

cience and society were the twin foci of the Fifteeenth Anniver­ Ssary Conference of the Commit­ tee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, held May 3-5, 1991, in Berkeley/Oakland Hills, California. The setting was the Clare- mont Resort Hotel, a rambling struc­ ture whose grand style, spacious rooms, and wide corridors recall a bygone era. Perched on a hillside with Kurtz: Developing appreciation for science. a spectacular view of San Francisco Bay, the Claremont is a California- meeting furnished ample fuel for style health spa as well as a hotel. conversation, some of it quite fiery. According to the "Guest Directory" This year's conference, which was provided in each room, the spa offers cosponsored by the Physics Depart­ Shiatsu massage, , aroma­ ment of the University of California therapy massage, and an "acupressure at Berkeley and hosted by the Bay fresh cell facial" (whatever that is). Area Skeptics, continued in the new Presumably, the spa found few takers direction set at last year's meeting, among the 600 or so attending the which had scientific literacy as its CSICOP conference, especially since theme. Conference chairman Lee the busy schedule left little free time Nisbet and CSICOP chairman Paul to try out such exotic offerings. The Kurtz in their opening remarks dwelt scenic surroundings and mild weather on the importance of "promoting encouraged outdoor walks and discus­ recognition of genuine science" and sions between and after sessions, and "developing public appreciation for the this was a good thing since the methods of science." Several of the

2 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 CSICOP fcgj^gg CONFERENCE

sessions did just that with notable suc­ Spanos of Carleton University, cess, providing the audience with in­ Ottawa, and Ernest Hilgard, professor sights into how science is actually emeritus at Stanford University, done. Other sessions examined the discussed the existence and nature of fads and foibles of popular culture, the hypnotic state. The two re­ fostering the same kind of critical searchers represent different sides in examination that CSICOP has pre­ a scientific controversy internal to the viously applied to paranormal claims. field of hypnosis research; their In one case, however, CSICOP may participation in the same session gave have fallen below its own standards the audience a window into the of skepticism (see p. 4). creative conflict out of which scientific Plenary sessions each morning consensus eventually emerges. were followed by concurrent sessions The controversy involves the pre­ in the afternoon, and it was rather cise nature of the hypnotic trance, or difficult to choose between sessions state—even whether such a phenom­ that sounded equally interesting and enon exists. Spanos pointed out that important: Subliminal pseudoscience it's perfectly possible to elicit the or popular psychology? Urban legends phenomenon without the use of hyp­ or ? It was a relief not notic induction techniques ("You are to have to choose among the plenary getting sleepy . . ."); the subject will sessions. respond just as well if simply requested to try his best. "The respon­ Differing Views of the Hypnotic State siveness of the subject matters more than whether or not you use the The opening plenary session on Fri­ induction procedure," he said, point­ day, "Controversies in Hypnosis," was ing out that the hypnotic response prefaced by a summary of the history occurs in a social situation in which of hypnosis provided by moderator the hypnotist is trying to elicit a Robert A. Baker, professor emeritus response, so that the subject in order of psychology at the University of to "please" has to show the desired Kentucky, Lexington. Two other phenomena. "People want to be good psychology professors, Nicholas hypnotic subjects, so they'll try to

Hypnosis panelists Baker. Spanos. Hilgard, and Kreskin. Differing views on the scientific controversy within psychology over hypnosis research.

Fall 1991 3 CSICOP CONFERENCE *r#rffigd*

Commentary: Hit and Run LYS ANN SHORE and STEVEN N. SHORE

n past years, CSICOP has fre­ quently invited speakers repre­ I senting alternative views of a subject. This outreach effort has resulted in the participation at past conferences of the late UFO researcher J. Allen Hynek and parapsychologist Robert Morris, among others. This year as well, CSICOP reached out—to "the Amazing Kreskin," a mentalist and well-known performer. Kreskin, a vocal critic of hypnosis, was one of the speakers in the opening session, "Controversies in Hypnosis," and his presentation created a contro­ versy of its own. Several factors exacerbated the situation. First, Kreskin: Focus of conference controversy. session moderator Robert A. Baker, in his introduction of Kreskin, and that "if you believe in para­ identified him as a "practical and normal phenomena, you will see effective psychologist who uses the them wherever you walk. But if stage as his laboratory" and a you're completely convinced there's "scientist of behavior"—epithets no such thing as paranormal phe­ that drew fire. nomena, you'll never be able to Second, Kreskin's own presen­ discover it if it exists." He implied tation contained several pro- that the charisma of a stage hyp­ paranormal statements. At Baker's notist exerts a powerful and mys­ request, he spoke off the cuff, terious effect on hypnotic subjects, although he had come with a and stated that in his opinion prepared paper. Most dramatically, hypnosis is not a special state and he stated: "I do claim to be a men­ is not a proper topic for scientific talist and that under certain cir­ research. Along the way, he ques­ cumstances ... I absolutely can tioned the motives^ and ethics of reveal what a person's thinking and researchers, therapists, and exper­ so forth, but it may not be because imental subjects alike. of the that we think of such While many of those attending phenomena as is called telepathic." the CSICOP conference certainly He further remarked that "man­ disagreed with such opinions, few kind is an incurably mystical race" (continued on p. 6)

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Response to the Shores wrong, but it is an interesting hypothesis to explore. It is clear We welcome constructive that Kreskin is using tricks criticism within CSICOP, throughout his act, whether his and the Shores have raised "muscle reading" routine is an some valid concerns, which we illustration of his ability to "read" appreciate. What they overlooked physical cues or a trick is an in their complaint is that Kreskin interesting topic to debate. The was invited to participate in a publication of a book by Prome­ session devoted specifically to theus does not in any sense imply hypnosis, and he is clearly one of approval of anything the author the country's leading skeptics con­ has to say. cerning the misuse and abuse of I do not condone Kreskin's hypnosis, particularly in justifying dodging of any questions. I should paranormal claims. point out, however, that he told us Incidentally, the Shores quote before he came that he was on a Kreskin out of context. He begins tight schedule and would have to his statement on being a mentalist leave by 12:45 P.M. to catch a plane. by stating explicitly: "1 do not claim We had invited him to attend a to be a psychic." twelve-o'clock press luncheon we I grant that Kreskin is not a 100- were hosting for members of the percent skeptic, but skeptics should media at the conference. There­ avoid any appearance of hardline fore, his leaving at noon (the end dogmatism. Surely our audience is of the session) was primarily due intelligent enough to evaluate to our urging him to attend the speakers without being hood­ luncheon. winked. When I asked the hundreds Incidentally, CSICOP does not of people present at the banquet on endorse any speakers at its confer­ the following night if they ences. The Executive Council has approved of our inviting Kreskin to said over and over again that no our conference, the reaction was one speaks for CSICOP; and since overwhelmingly positive, with only we invite speakers who present a seven or eight objecting. wide range of views, this precludes As to my own introduction of an invitation being either an en­ Kreskin, I did say that he had just dorsement or a disclaimer. written a book, The Secrets of the Amazing Kreskin, critical of para­ Paul Kurtz normal interpretations of hypnosis, CSICOP Chairman but he also presented the interest­ ing theory that some apparently paranormal phenomena may be Kreskin has been one of the few interpreted as "extremely sensitive "mentalist" magicians to emphasize perception"—not extra- and not that "natural laws govern the paranormal. Kreskin may be working of the mind and that those (continued on p. 6)

Fall 1991 5 CSICOP CONFERENCE i (Commentary, continued from p. 4) to do. For a speaker at any confer­ if any would be opposed to a ence to refuse to answer questions speaker's expressing them. In this is almost unheard of, and in this case, the problem arose in part from case Kreskin's refusal was openly CSICOP chairman Paul Kurtz's abetted by Lee Nisbet, the confer­ announcement of Kreskin's new ence chairman. All speakers have book on "extra-sensitive percep­ faced and responded to hostile tion," soon to be published by questions from audiences; the Prometheus Books. The tone of implicit understanding is that all this announcement inadvertently questions deserve a response, as created the impression that long as they are posed in terms that CSICOP endorsed Kreskin's gen­ are at least superficially polite. The eral position on the paranormal. It question addressed to Kreskin overshadowed the disclaimer made clearly met this criterion. by Baker in his introduction that The Kreskin controversy lasted "despite some claims, Kreskin is not throughout the conference and a psychic, an occultist, a fortune­ after, though Kreskin himself left teller, a mindreader, a medium, or in haste, literally running from the a hypnotist. There is nothing room to a scheduled CSICOP press about anything he luncheon featuring him and several does or has ever done. He .. . uses others. As a result, we are left in natural and scientific means to the dark about the precise nature baffle, to entertain, and to amuse." of his "extra-sensitive perception," The third, related factor was his definition of mentalism, and the Kreskin's refusal to answer ques­ meaning of his remarks on the tions at the end of the session. paranormal. Admittedly, the first question posed to Kreskin was a tough one— Lys Ann Shore is a contributing a challenge, from a professional editor, and Steven N. Shore a con­ magician, to define "mentalist." sulting editor, to the SKEPTICAL This Kreskin refused point-blank INQUIRER.

(Response, continued from p. 5) who do not understand these laws "hypnosis," I felt this point of view call them supernatural or extra­ should be heard and that Kreskin sensory." Kreskin has long insisted deserved a place on the CSICOP there is nothing magical or mys­ panel. Read carefully. Shore's quo­ terious about "hypnosis." Because tations of me and Kreskin (pg. 4) he is correct in his view and because all support our anti-occult stance. mentalists and stage magicians have made significant contribu­ Robert A. Baker tions to our understanding of CSICOP Fellow

6 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 CSICOP i CONFERENCE respond in such a way as to succeed." latter. The session also attracted quite Spanos also questions just how amaz­ a few psychologists, as revealed by a ing and puzzling the phenomena of show of hands called by one of the hypnotism really are: How can we speakers, which made for a lively know that a subject can't hear or see, question-and-answer period. or doesn't feel pain, in response to The opening speaker, Loren Pan- hypnotic suggestion, when all the kratz, a professor of psychology at evidence we have is the person's Oregon Health Sciences University, verbal response? If someone says she Portland, believes it's important to can't hear, are we dealing with a per­ evaluate psychological therapies as ceptual change or a reporting bias? critically as we do consumer products. When experimenters attempt to mea­ He structured his talk around the sure actual physiological or perceptual National Council on Health Fraud's changes, he said, "in most cases you definition of quackery: "the promotion get no evidence of any change." He of false, unsafe, or unproven health concluded that "by and large the schemes for financial gain." phenomena of hypnosis don't involve As far as "promotion" is concerned, physiological and perceptual changes; he noted that the line is fuzzy between rather, to seek to understand these informing the public and pitching phenomena we need to look in the area claims. Under "schemes," he pointed of reporting." out that at least 450 different psy- Hilgard, who has studied the hyp­ chotherapies have been identified so notic phenomenon ("I much prefer the far, with more coming along all the adjective to the noun hypnosis") for the time. As for "financial gain," he said past 25 years, described the thrust of that "when consulting for insurance his research as "limiting the domain" companies, I often feel that as many of the phenomenon. He has done this dollars are wasted on the overuse of in part through developing objective valid psychotherapies as are spent on scales to measure such factors as quack therapies." Therapists some­ suggestibility. Since to study any times combine the best of intentions phenomenon one must first define it, with the worst of ideas, Pankratz Hilgard sees the effort to develop noted, reminding his audience that techniques of measurement as a intentions or beliefs are not at issue necessary prelude to understanding since many quacks believe in their what the hypnotic state might actually chosen therapy. "Ethical therapists be. "Serious research goes on," he said, discuss up-front questions like fees, "and it is to be hoped that one day confidentiality, conflict of interest, we'll have an accepted set of criteria and so forth. They view their art to work from." within the scientific enterprise," he concluded. "Those who don't are using [the equivalent of] flashlight batteries Fop Psychology and, Self-Help and lead weights." Friday afternoon featured two simul­ In a talk called "Self-Help or Hype?" taneous sessions, both on topics in Gerald Rosen, professor of psychol­ psychology, "Subliminal Pseudo- ogy and psychiatry at the University science" and "Popular Pyschology: An of Washington, Seattle, presented Evaluation"; I chose to attend the comments on "psychology's failure to

Fall 1991 7 CSICOP CONFERENCE k advance self-care." These days, self- ciated with such products and pre­ help is big business, with as many as sented a consumer checklist for eval­ 2,000 new books published each year uating them. and hundreds of millions of tapes sold. Existing self-help books have sev­ (One estimate holds that 250 million eral weaknesses, Gambrill said. They subliminal tapes were sold in 1987 typically provide few if any guidelines alone.) Self-help videotapes and com­ for self-selection of interventions puter programs are also widely avail­ suited to individual readers. Similarly, able. At the same time, the self-help they seldom offer guidelines to industry has expanded its horizons, encourage generalization and main­ for example, by introducing products tenance of the desired skill or behav­ that focus on problems of children. In ior. An insidious aspect of self-help the face of this growth, Rosen believes products, she noted, is the implication that psychologists have so far "failed that the individual is solely responsible in their support role to evaluate for self-change, when in reality "there whether and how people can best care are external sources of problems that for themselves." are environmental, economic, social, Techniques that are highly success­ and political." ful in a clinic may not work nearly Session moderator Barry Beyer- as well when self-administered, Rosen stein presented the final talk. Beyer- pointed out, and unsuccessful treat­ stein is a professor of psychology at ments may actually make problems Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, worse. Even if a program seems to be British Columbia, whose research successful, introducing changes into it concerns experimental neuroscience, can have unforeseen results, so that or "how the brain mediates psychol­ different editions or versions of a ogical processes." His talk concerned program may not be equally effective. those proponents of pseudoscience In many cases, psychologists them­ who are "restating the old gospel of selves are the authors of self-help positive thinking in the .garb of products, and Rosen criticized the neurological science." practice of "rushing to market with Beyerstein used the example of untested programs in the face of alpha waves, the pattern of electrical research results that warn pyscholo- waves emitted by the brain associated gists to be cautious." The challenge, with relaxation and meditation. The he said, is "not to sell psychology but association has led to the promotion to use our skills to enhance the effec­ of alpha waves in relaxation and tiveness of self-help interventions." stress-management techniques. "Now The third speaker in the session, there's an alpha-wave industry," Eileen Gambrill, replaced scheduled Beyerstein said, which results from speaker Carol Tavris, who was unable the logical flaw of mistaking correla­ to attend. Gambrill, a professor of tion for causation. "The entire alpha- social welfare at the University of wave conditioning industry is built on California, Berkeley, and author of the the false premise that because people recent book Critical Thinking in in a relaxed state produce a lot of alpha Clinical Practice, took a consumer- waves, therefore if you can teach them awareness approach to self-help prod­ to produce more alpha, you'll enhance ucts. She discussed the dangers asso­ their relaxation, happiness, and so

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forth." In fact, it's not even known, for example, whe­ ther alpha waves signify re­ laxation as opposed to, say, inattention to visual phe­ nomena. Turning to the use of biofeedback techniques to increase alpha-wave pro­ duction, Beyerstein asked why there are so many satisfied customers for such techniques. In his own experiment on this ques­ tion, Beyerstein found that when controls were added for expectation effect, "the results turned out to show a classic placebo effect."

The Search for Human Origins

The outstanding event of the 1991 conference was Johanson: Wresting answers about origins. Friday evening's keynote address by Donald C. Johanson, the by bringing his audience into the paleoanthropologist best known for actual process of "doing paleo­ his discovery a decade ago of the anthropology." three-million-year-old human skel­ Johanson illustrated his talk with eton dubbed "Lucy," as well as her slides of his team at work in Africa, contemporaries, the "First Family." where he has conducted field research Johanson heads the Institute for for 20 years "trying to wrest as much Human Origins at Berkeley. Lucy, you as possible out of the fossils to help may remember, is the petite female answer the question of where did we australopithecine who proved con­ come from." In this tour of the clusively that human beings walked excavation sites and procedures in the upright three million years before the Great Rift Valley, at the sites of present. Her name was also the title Olduvai and Hadar, he reminded the of Johanson's best-selling book on the audience of a motto from the ancient discovery. "Naming the specimen author Pliny: "Ex Africa semper thus familiarly was very important," aliquid novi," or "There is always he said, "as giving people a way to something new out of Africa." "We identify with a human ancestor." In have barely scratched the surface at his CSICOP talk, Johanson similarly Hadar," Johanson said. gave people a way to identify with Johanson recognizes that the dis­ the search for human ancestors covery of Lucy brought with it a

Fall 1991 a CSICOP A CONFERENCE tremendous responsibility, which he of catastrophism and evolution, "two exercises by speaking out firmly and very misunderstood concepts . . . frankly on questions of human evo­ which are related ideas that overlap." lution. "Evolution is a fact, just like She defined catastrophism as the idea gravity, but some people are not easily that "the earth's life- and land-forms able to accept it," he said. He pointed have been shaped by sudden, violent out the importance of bipedalism as forces, or catastrophes," and traced its "the single thing that defines homin- history from the early nineteenth- ids. A large brain, culture—these don't century French scientist Georges go back too far. Bipedalism is all there Cuvier onward. "The essence of is." Johanson places his work on science seems to be change," she human origins in a larger context; it commented, noting that Cuvier's serves "to remind us of our place in version of catastrophism has been nature, for we are still part of the accepted, rejected, and most recently natural world, in spite of our supposed regenerated as "neocatastrophism," a superiority of culture." concept used to support evolution— while creationists continue to apply Catastrophism and Evolution the notion in its original nineteenth- century form. The session on catastrophism and The first speaker was Jere Lipps, evolution, which took place the morn­ a paleontologist and professor of ing following Johanson's address, gave integrated biology, who began by a different kind of insight into the displaying a slide showing a hypothet­ process of "doing science." The three ical phylogeny of fast-food restau­ speakers—a paleontologist, a geolo­ rants—from "ancestral drive-in gist, and a physicist—are all colleagues generalist" to hamburger specialist to at the University of California, Berke­ chicken, roast beef, or Mexican food ley. Much of their work focuses on specialist. Lipps used the example to a key issue in catastrophism, the event define the concepts of punctuated that appears to have caused the mass equilibrium, phyletic gradualism, and extinctions that took place at the end punctuated gradualism. Punctuated of the Cretaceous and the beginning equilibrium posits periods of stasis of the Tertiary era (the so-called K- followed by rapid evolutionary events T boundary) 65 million years ago. Each that are too fast to be seen in the fossil of the three addressed his two col­ record. This is the view put forth by leagues as much as the audience, such scientists as Stephen Jay Gould responding to what the others had and Niles Eldredge. Phyletic gradual­ said, and engaging in a kind of banter ism calls for cumulative small changes that revealed the human side of in species over time. The difference science. Their presentations imparted between the two concepts, however, a vivid sense of the excitement of the is only one of timing, since the scientific enterprise. mechanism is identical in both. Indeed, Moderator Eugenie Scott, a phys­ the same mechanism is at work in ical anthropologist and executive punctuated gradualism, which com­ director of the National Center for bines the other two concepts. "Evo­ Science Education, began with a lutionists are not fighting among historical introduction to the concepts themselves," Lipps emphasized. "Evo-

10 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 CSICOP CONFERENCE m really happens/' he began. "So let's mals with large food intake. After the look at the dirty, real-life way in which extinction, there is low diversity, these things actually happen." simple morphology, cosmopolitan Using his own research as an distribution, lack of eutrophic phyto­ example, he pointed out that "fifteen plankton, and lack of animals with years ago I wasn't interested in large food intake. dinosaurs, I was working on reversals Richard Muller raised the question of the earth's magnetic field." Then of periodicity in mass extinctions on he found an anomalous iridium peak earth, at intervals of 26 million years. in the geologic record at the K-T While many scientists do not yet boundary. That was the starting point accept the evidence for periodicity, for further research—his own and those who do have had to develop a others'—that has identified several theory that would account for it. kinds of evidence pointing toward Muller and his colleagues have put some sort of catastrophic impact forth the theory of a hypothetical solar taking place at the boundary. "Virtu­ companion—popularly known as ally anywhere in the world where you Nemesis, the Death Star—with a 26- look at a complete Cretaceous- million-year period whose orbit would Tertiary boundary, you find the cause a "comet storm" every 26 million evidence of the impact," Alvarez said. years. This comet storm could result "So the question now is not whether in a series of extinction events on it occurred, but what effects it had." earth. The search for an actual Neme­ The catastrophism session was sis star is ongoing; 3,000 candidate organized in an unusual fashion. Each stars are being investigated. "If you speaker actually gave two short talks, believe in the periodicity—and many rather than a single presentation. The scientists don't—then Nemesis is the first round, which dealt with general only viable theory," Muller stated. issues, was followed by a second, in Walter Alvarez recounted the hunt which the speakers discussed specific for the actual K-T impact site, noting research results. frankly that "we've gone from the Lipps addressed the problems embarrassment of having no impact involved in analyzing the evidence of crater candidate to having too many," the fossil record for extinction events. since 35-kilometer-wide craters occur He distinguished between back­ much more often than do mass extinc­ ground, or normal, extinctions and tions. Currently, the best candidate is multiple simultaneous extinctions, a site in Yucatan, Mexico, which bears noting that "the fossil record must be many signs of disturbance activity, examined with particular care as you such as waves, occurring just at the approach any boundary, because of K-T boundary. "It looks like a mega- random effects." tsunami," bigger than anything else While the K-T boundary exhibits known, Alvarez said. varying levels of extinction of differ­ ent categories of creatures, before the Urban Legends extinction there is high species diver­ sity, complex morphology, provincial Saturday afternoon offered a choice distribution, presence of eutrophic between sessions on urban legends phytoplankton, and presence of ani­ and teaching critical thinking, of

12 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 CSICOP CONFERENCE

Eugenie Scott introduces Berkeley scientists Lipps, Alvarez, and Muller. Their lively interchanges on cotastrophism and evolution vividly revealed the human side of science and the excitement of search and discovery. lution is a fact; we don't fight about asteroid) of 10 kilometers in diameter that. . . . Which version you accept would equal about 100 million meg­ may depend on what kinds of orga­ atons of TNT, or about 100,000 times nisms you work on; personally, I love the world's present nuclear arsenal. 'em all." Huge amounts of dust and debris Like evolution, extinctions also would be sent into the atmosphere, have been known about for a long notes Muller, "but would it cause the time, and scientists "are not fighting earth to become hotter or colder? The about that, either," Lipps said. The present consensus is that the earth extinction of the dinosaurs has served would cool." to focus the problem in the public Such catastrophic impacts of astro­ mind, to such an extent that dinosaurs nomical objects "we know must have have become "the paleontological happened," Muller said. "The astron­ spokes-animal for extinction." omers should have told the paleontol­ Richard Muller, a professor of ogists, 'We know these things happen physics who is also the recipient of periodically, and since these things are a MacArthur fellowship, is best inevitable, there ought to be some known for his book Nemesis, the Death indication of them in the geological Star. He talked about "how it should record.' There ought to have been a have happened"—"it" being the recog­ great collaboration between astrono­ nition of the role of catastrophe in mers and paleontologists to uncover mass extinctions. Comets have histor­ the catastrophes in the record." ically been associated with impending Walter Alvarez is a geologist, or, disaster, and astronomical objects as he puts it, "a historian of the earth, have hit and do hit the earth, just as who looks at rocks, which are the they do the moon, leaving their mark textbooks of the earth." His research in the form of craters, such as Ari­ has focused on the development of the zona's Meteor Crater. The energy of asteroid extinction theory. "How it an impact of an object (such as an should have happened isn't how it

Fall 1991 11 CSICOP CONFERENCE

Brunvand: Understanding urban legends. which I chose the former, as a subject conflict between science or govern­ that broke new ground for CSICOP. ment, on the one hand, and , First up was noted folklorist Jan on the other. Brunvand, whose popular books, such Brunvand devoted his presentation as The Vanishing Hitchhiker, have to tracing the history of one of the gained a wide readership. A professor most common such tales, the story of of English at the University of Utah, "The Missing Day in Time" (see the Brunvand has made a specialty of Summer 1991 issue of 51, p. 350). He collecting, reporting, and analyzing has collected many versions of this urban legends, those tales of bizarre story, which he classes as a traditional experiences that "actually happened" narrative. The story, which circulates to a friend of a friend (FOAF). An among fundamentalists, tells how a urban legend, Brunvand notes, is NASA computer confirmed a biblical always told as something that really event, and how a simple, religious happened and generally combines a fellow knew more than the learned fact known to be true with an element scientists. Brunvand noted that many of fantasy. Thus truth and fantasy such urban legends gain circulation combine to make a tale that is told not just through oral retelling but also and retold, with embellishments and through the popular press. "General variations. Such stories can gradually and inaccurate references to support­ wend their way through an entire ing evidence are apparently sufficient population; many Americans have to convince many people that the story heard some variant of the "Vanishing has a foundation," he said. Hitchhiker" story, for example. A Folklorist William Ellis of Pennsyl­ common theme of urban legends is the vania State University, Hazleton,

Fall 1991 13 CSICOP CONFERENCE 4 began his talk—titled "Legends and audience, "Don't think that I'm in any Alien Abductions: What Can Folk- way a typical folklorist," and noted lorists Explain?"—by admitting, "I'm that his Freudian approach is "shared a little bit nervous approaching a by no one in the field." Dundes roomful of skeptics with a talk on why believes Freudian theory can help I admire Whitley Strieber." While illuminate parapsychological folklore, many skeptics would say that, in and he gave several provocative his controversial book Communion, examples. One was the image of light Strieber was misstating the facts, or at the end of the tunnel, a key element else he was mad, or else the aliens he of many accounts of near-death described were real, a folklorist would experiences. "It has been claimed that tend to resist these open-and- death is seen by the unconscious mind shut alternatives and interpret the as a reversal of the birth act, a return account as a legend instead (that is, to the womb," he said. Dundes if one can assume the veracity of the believes that this insight can be used report). "Legends are controversial to illuminate both near-death expe­ accounts of ambiguous experience," riences and out-of-body experiences, Ellis maintains. He identified what he even if infants can't see, they are calls the "Rumpelstiltskin Principle," almost certainly light-sensitive. Thus, which states that anomalous expe­ birth could be considered the original riences produce stress until a way can out-of-body experience, and death be found to narrate the experience to could be seen as "debirth," a return others. to the peaceful sanctuary of the "The legend process cannot easily womb. deal with materials far outside the cultural norm," Ellis noted. "Such Conclusion matters may be repressed for fear of ridicule or being viewed as crazy." In Within the confines of this article, I've Strieber's case, he said, we observe the only been able to hit the high spots compulsion either to deny the claims of the 1991 conference. And since as or to explain them in terms of known a skeptic I'm not allowed to have out- psychological phenomena. Ellis of-body experiences or use telepathic believes that "Strieber has essentially powers to hear speakers in another entered a mythological world"—as he room, I've limited coverage to the has found himself less and less able sessions I was actually able to attend. to document the reality of the abduc­ I couldn't even use to tions, he has become more and more intuit which of the two concurrent convinced of their reality. "Folklorists sessions would be the most interest­ can't explain the origin and content ing. Would any out there care of abduction stories," Ellis said, "but to predict which will be the best we can explain how they're con­ sessions at the next CSICOP structed by legend-making pro­ conference? • cesses." A Freudian view of folklore was presented by Alan Dundes, a profes­ Audiotapes of all conference sessions are sor of anthropology at the University now available from the CSICOP office of California, Berkeley. He warned the in Buffalo.

14 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 CSICOP i CONFERENCE Further Notes, Observations and Comments KENDRICK FRAZIER

he Adventure of Science. Much of Hilgard on Fringe-Science. One of the the success of CSICOP's confer­ grand old men of science participating 7ences is due to the work of Lee in this CSICOP conference was Ernest Nisbet, a professor of philosophy at R. Hilgard, the distinguished profes­ Medaille College and CSICOP's long­ sor of psychology, emeritus, from time special projects director. Lee, in Stanford. Hilgard, who has since consultation with many others, has observed his 87th birthday, has served primary responsibility each year for on the Stanford faculty since 1933. In putting together the program of ses­ his talk he recalled the short piece he sions. He has championed the cause published in the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER of broadening the conferences' scope ten years earlier, "Hypnosis Gives Rise to include such subjects as animal to Fantasy and Is Not a Truth Serum," rights vs. scientific research at last (vol. 5, no. 3, Spring 1981). In it he year's conference and the several described implanting in a subject recent sessions dealing with exciting under hypnosis false memories of a topics on the frontiers of science. One bank robbery that never occurred. He way to help distinguish pseudoscience also assigned two concurrent life from genuine science, he said in experiences to the same person, who opening this year's Berkeley confer­ proceeded to recall each in detail. ence, "is to show what real science is." But Hilgard seemed surprised he Donald Johanson's keynote address had been asked to talk at this CSICOP "In Search of Our Origins" and what meeting about a rather arcane topic proved to be an exciting session the within psychology—the controversy next morning on catastrophism and over whether hypnosis is a special evolution are prime examples. "We state—rather than give his views seek to explain why certain ideas are about fringe-science and paranormal scientific," Nisbet said. One goal "is matters. So he briefly described the to immerse all of us in the adventure latter as well. of science." "Those of us who have made the study of hypnosis scientifically re­ Tribute to B. F. Skinner. Opening the spectable," he said, are "just as critical conference, CSICOP chairman Paul of psi" and of "claims of the super­ Kurtz commemorated the memory of normal" as are other members. CSICOP founding Fellow B. F. As for UFOs, he said, his attitude Skinner, the eminent Harvard psy­ is a matter of public record. Hilgard, chologist who died this past year. a longtime member of the National Kurtz noted that through his illus­ Academy of Sciences, served on the trious career, Skinner "kept alive Academy committee that was asked scientific and critical inquiry." to review the University of Colorado

Fall 1991 15 CSICOP CONFERENCE m CSlCOP's 1991 Awards ive distinguished scientists, award; the one previous recipient, scholars, and journalists were in 1990, was Henri Broch, physicist, Fhonored by the Committee for France. the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal May 4, Responsibility in Journalism 1991, at the Awards Banquet of the Award (print category): Keay CSICOP 15th Anniversary Con­ Davidson, science editor, San Fran­ ference in Berkeley/Oakland Hills, cisco Examiner, "in recognition of his California. outstanding contribution to fair and balanced reporting of paranor­ In Praise of Award: mal claims." Also recognized was Donald C. Johanson, President, science writer Janet L. Hopson, Institute of Human Origins, Berke­ coauthor with Davidson of one of ley, and prominent paleoanthropol- the articles cited, an investigation ogist, "in recognition of his into the claims surrounding Koko distinguished contribution to the the talking ape. Previous recipients use of critical inquiry, scientific of this award have included Leon evidence, and reason in evaluating Jaroff (Discover and Time), Davyd claims to knowledge." Previous Yost (Columbus, Ohio, Citizen- recipients of this award are Martin Journal), Boyce Rensberger Gardner (1982), Sidney Hook (Washington Post), Lee Dembart (Los (1985), Stephen Jay Gould (1986), Angeles Times, now at the San Carl Sagan (1987), Douglas Hof- Francisco Examiner), Eugene Emery stadter (1988), Gerard Piel (1990), (Providence Journal), and Stephen and Cornelis de Jager (1990). Doig (Miami Herald).

Public Education in Science Award: Responsibility in Journalism Eugenie Scott, physical anthropol­ Award (broadcast category): Mark ogist and executive director of the Curtis, reporter, WEAR-TV, National Center for Science Edu­ Channel 3, Pensacola, Florida, who cation, Berkeley, "in recognition of did a major investigation exposing her distinguished contribution to the trick photography used for the the teaching of scientific principles Gulf Breeze "UFO" photos and and to the public understanding of sightings, "in recognition of his science." The one previous recip­ outstanding contribution to fair ient of this award was astronomer and balanced reporting of paranor­ Richard Berendzen in 1990. mal claims." Previous recipients are Ward Lucas (Denver), Ed Busch, Distinguished Skeptic Award: Michael Willesee (Australia), and Susan J. Blackmore, psychologist, Milton Rosenberg (Chicago). University of Bristol, U.K., "in All 1991 recipients were present recognition of her contributions to to receive their awards except Mark the scientific study of parapsychol­ Curtis, who sent a special video­ ogy." This is CSlCOP's newest taped acceptance.—K.F.

16 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 CSICOP % CONFERENCE study on UFOs (the Condon Report) preliminary comments he noted with and provide an independent assess­ some satisfaction that, whereas phys­ ment of its scope, methodology, and icists have been struggling for decades findings. The Academy panel gave the to achieve a so-called grand unified report a favorable review, supporting theory that would unite the funda­ its critical findings about UFO claims mental forces of physics, biologists (NAS News Report, February 1969), have had their grand unifying theory and the study was issued. since 1869: Darwin's theory of evo­ Hilgard said he still agrees with his lution by means of natural selection. panel's assessment and the Condon Report's conclusions. "The study was We Didn't Say It, But We're Happy to very carefully done," he said. Repeat It. The East Bay Skeptics Society, quite in evidence at the New NRC Report Coming. Speaking of CSICOP Berkeley conference, pub­ the National Academy of Sciences, its lishes a newsletter called The Beacon. operating agency, the National In their January-March 1991 issue on Research Council, still has in action display at the conference, the East Bay its Committee on Techniques for the Skeptics board president and Beacon Enhancement of Human Perfor­ editor Daniel Sabsay wrote a nice piece mance. The committee's first report, honoring the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER on Enhancing Human Performance, in­ its fifteenth anniversary. It said SI cluded a critical assessment of para­ "has brilliantly chronicled worldwide psychology and claims of paranormal skeptical exploits and achievements phenomena, summarized in my article throughout its fifteen-year history." in the Fall 1988 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. He then mentioned two recent The same committee also has a sub­ "groundbreaking" discoveries pub­ committee on subliminal perception, lished in SI that merit special recog­ and the report it has been preparing nition, Phil Klass's report showing is due to be published this fall. Two that the MJ-12 document was a participants in the CSICOP session on counterfeit (Fall 1990) and Martin subliminal pseudoscience, psycholo­ Gardner's column unveiling the gists Eric Eich and Ray Hyman, are earthly origin of the Urantia Book on that NRC subcommittee but were (Spring 1991). The piece concluded: constrained from talking much about "Fifteen years of such distinguished its conclusions. Well watch for it with front-line journalism have set the interest. (By the way, several articles standard for skeptical discourse and based on papers from this conference scholarship and made the SKEPTICAL session will appear in a future SI.) INQUIRER welcomed and admired throughout the world. Bravo!" What can we say but to offer our deepest Biology's Grand Unified Theory. thanks. Paleoanthropologist Donald C. Johan- son, discoverer of the Lucy fossil, gave a wonderful keynote talk about the Kendrick Frazier is Editor of the search for human ancestors. In his SKEPTICAL INQUIRER.

Fall 1991 17 CSICOP Headquarters Progress Report

Phase I Building Now in Operation

hase I of the , CSICOP's new headquarters

complex, is now fully occupied and functioning at peak Pefficiency. Our administrative offices and our production and computer facilities are now consolidated at the new 5,700-square- foot building adjacent to the State University of New York's Amherst campus. (Kendrick Frazier continues to edit the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER from his Albuquerque, New Mexico, address.)

The Phase I building, a combined conversion-construction project fully operational.

Please note our new telephone number: 716-636-1425. Our mailing address remains the same: P.O. Box 229, Buffalo, NY 14215-0229.

CSICOP is building this headquarters complex in cooperation with the Council for Democratic and Secular Humanism (CODESH), publishers of magazine. We are pleased that, thanks in large part to the generosity of our readers, we were able to complete

Phase I without incurring bank debt. Back Issues of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 15% discount on orders of $100 or more ($6.25 for each copy. To order, use reply card insert.) SUMMER 1991 (vol. 15, no. 4): Lucid dreams, Bartholomew. Newspaper editors and the creation- Blackmore. Nature faking in the humanities, Gallo. evolution controversy, Zimmerman. Special report: Carrying the war into the never-never land of psi: New evidence of MJ-12 hoax, Klass. The great Urantia Part 2, Gill. Coincidences, Paulos. Locating invisible mystery, Gardner. buildings, Plummer. True believers, Bower. Cal Thomas, FALL 1989 (vol. 14, no. 1): Myths about science, the big bang, and Forrest Mims, Gardner. Rothman. The relativity of wrong, Asimov. Richard SPRING 1991 (vol. 15, no. 3): Special report: Hi-fi Feynman on . Luis Alvarez and the pseudoscience, Davis. Searching for extraterrestrial explorer's quest, Muller. The two cultures, Jones. The intelligence: An interview with Thomas R. McDonough. 'top-secret UFO papers' NSA won't release, Klass. The Getting smart about getting smarts, Faulkes. Carrying metaphysics of Murphy's Law, Price. The Unicorn at the war into the never-never land of psi: Part 1, Gill. large, Gardner. Satanic cult 'survivor' stories, Victor. 'Old-solved SUMMER 1989 (vol. 13, no. 4): The New Age—An mysteries': The Kecksburg incident, Young. Penn & Examination: The New Age in perspective, Kurtz. A Teller, the magical iconoclasts, Gordon. Magic, New Age reflection in the magic mirror of science, medicine, and metaphysics in Nigeria, Roder. What's O'Hara. The New Age: The need for myth in an age wrong with science education? Look at the family, of science, Schultz. Channeling, Alcock. The psychology Eve. Three curious research projects, Gardner. of channeling, Reed, 'Entities' in the linguistic WINTER 1991 (vol. 15, no. 2): Special report / Gallup minefield, Thomason. Crystals, Lawrence. Consumer poll: Belief in paranormal phenomena, Gallup and culture and the New Age, Rosen. The Shirley MacLaine Newport. Science and self-government, Piel. West Bank phenomenon, Gordon. Special report: California court collective hysteria episode, Stewart. Acceptance of jails psychic surgeon, Brenneman. personality test results, Thiriart. Belief in astrology: SPRING 1989 (vol. 13, no. 3): High school biology A test of the Barnum effect, French, Fowler, McCarthy, teachers and pseudoscientific belief, Eve and Dunn. and Peers. A test of using signal-detection, Evidence for Bigfoot? Dennett. Alleged pore structure McKelvie and Gagn'e. Intercessory prayer as medical in Sasquatch footprints, Freeland and Rowe. The lore treatment? Wittmer and Zimmerman. Tipler's Omega of levitation, Stein. Levitation 'miracles' in India, Point theory, Martin Gardner. Premanand. Science, pseudoscience, and the cloth of FALL 1990 (vol. 15, no. 1): Neural Organization Turin, Nickell. Rather than just debunking, encourage Technique: Treatment or torture, Worrall. The spooks people to think, Seckel. MJ-12 papers 'authenticated'? of quantum mechanics, Stenger. Science and Sir William Klass. A patently false patent myth, Sass. Crookes, Hoffmaster. The 'N' machine, Gumming. WINTER 1989 (vol. 13, no. 2): Special report: The Biological cycles and rhythms vs. biorhythms, Wheeler. 'remembering water' controversy, Gardner and Randi; The mysterious finger-lift levitation, Gardner. 1990 Bibliographic guide to the 'dilution controversy.' CSICOP Conference. Pathologies of science, precognition, and modern SUMMER 1990 (vol. 14, no. 4): make news: psychophysics, Jensen. A reaction-time test of ESP and How four newspapers report psychic phenomena, precognition, Hines and Dennison. Chinese psychic's pill- Klare. Thinking critically and creatively, Wade and bottle demonstration, W« Xiaoping. The Kirlian Tavris. Police pursuit of satanic crime, Part 2, Hicks. technique, Watkins and Bickel. Certainty and proof in Order out of chaos in survival research, Berger. creationist thought, Leferriere. Piltdown, paradigms, and the paranormal, Feder. FALL 1988 (vol. 13, no. 1): Special report: Astrology Auras: Searching for the light, Loftin. Biorhythms and and the presidency, Kurtz and Bob. Improving Human the timing of death, Lester. Relativism in science, Performance: What about ? Frazier. Gardner. The China syndrome: Further reflections on the SPRING 1990 (vol. 14, no. 3): Why we need to paranormal in China, Kurtz. Backward masking, understand science, Sagan. The crisis in pre-college Mclver. The validity of graphological analysis, Furnham. science and math education, Seaborg. Police pursuit of The intellectual revolt against science, Grove. Reich satanic crime, Part 1, Hicks. The spread of satanic- the rainmaker, Gardner. cult rumors, Victor. Lying about polygraph tests, SUMMER 1988 (vol. 12, no. 4): Testing psi claims Shneour. Worldwide disasters and moon phase, Kelly, in China, Kurtz, Alcock, Frazier, Karr, Klass, and Randi. Saklofske, and Culver. St. George and the dragon of The appeal of the occult: Some thoughts on history, , Gardner. religion, and science, Stevens. Hypnosis and reincar­ WINTER 1990 (vol. 14, no. 2): The new catastro- nation, Venn. Pitfalls of perception, Wheeler. Wegener phism, Morrison and Chapman. A field guide to critical and pseudoscience: Some misconceptions, Edelman. An thinking, Lett. Cold fusion: A case history in 'wishful investigation of psychic crime-busting, Emery. High­ science'? Rothman. The airship hysteria of 1896-97, flying health quackery, Hines. The bar-code beast, I I Occupancy of Phase I marks an important milestone. But it is only a beginning. Back-issue storage, our mail center, and our audio-visual facilities remain at our old location in the inner city. And Phase I has space for only the most recent literature in CSICOP's library collection. Finally, there is no room for our increasing numbers of meetings and seminars.

Phase II Completing Phase II of our building program, an all-new building with almost 25,000 square feet of space, is now our top priority. It will provide a permanent home for CSICOP's research library, seminar/meeting rooms, additional office space, and other vitally needed facilities. When Phase II is completed, all of our operations will be housed in one location, with room for future expansion. Donors of $1,000 or more will be listed in a special commemorative album. Names of donors of $5,000 or more will be inscribed on a bronze plaque. A seminar room in the Phase II building will be named after anyone giving $25,000 or more, and a wing of the building will be named for anyone giving $100,000 or more. Please give today. Make checks payable to CSICOP and mail to the CSICOP Center for Inquiry Capital Fund Drive, Box 229, Buffalo, New York 14215- 0229. Inquiries regarding substantial donations may be made in confidence to Paul Kurtz at the same address.

Yes, I support skepticism, science and reason! Here is my contribution to the CSICOP / SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Center for Inquiry Capital Fund Drive.

The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal CSICOP, Box 229, Buffalo, NY 14215-0229

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Amount: D $100 D $500 D $1,000 more D $5,000 or more • Other $

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Pests Unperturbed: diluted extract is made according to A Slice of homeopathic principles. Scattering of such preparations around the habitat Biodynamic Baloney of the possum is said to send the creatures fleeing in terror from the emasculating tincture. ^jrichosururs vulpecula ("possum") Responding to the complaints of I is a herbivorous marsupial about dairy farmers and conservationists the size of a rabbit. It was in­ that something should be done, and troduced from its native Australia into to pressure from the biodynamic lobby forests over 100 years for the large-scale use of the homeo­ ago, with the aim of establishing a fur pathic procedure, the New Zealand industry. Today there is no fur Animal Health Board (the govern­ industry, and possums have multiplied ment regulatory agency) commis­ to the extent that they are a serious sioned a trial of this method, carried pest. out by scientists of the New Zealand The estimated 70 million possums Forest Research Institute. They have are destroying the unique native recently submitted their report, so far forests of New Zealand, which have unpublished (C. T. Eason, R. Hey- no built-in tolerance of, or resistance ward, C. Frampton, and G. J. Hickling, to, browsing animals. Furthermore, Forest Research Institute Contract many populations of possums have Report: FWE 9 1/6, "An Evaluation of become infected with tuberculosis, the Repellent Effects of Biodynamic and in some way not yet understood Materials on Brushtail Possums," this disease can be passed from Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box infected possums to domesticated 31-011, Christchurch, New Zealand). cattle, with dire possibilities for New The trial was carried out in a Zealand's economically important thorough, scientific manner. Six dairy export trade. preparations, either supplied by the The most favored method for biodynamicists or made under their controlling possums has been the direction, were tested under double- laying of food bait containing the blind, replicated, placebo-controlled poison fluoroacetate. This has not conditions. Procedures used were proved entirely successful, and among approved by representatives of the the alternatives suggested is one Biodynamic Farming & Gardening promoted by the Biodynamic Farming Association before commencing. Pos­ & Gardening Association. This sums were tested in pens and in the requires the procurement and burning wild. Penned possums were offered of a quantity of possum testicles. The bait smeared with, or surrounded by, ash, known as "possum pepper," is test material or placebo for 16 nights then mixed with sand, or a highly and then checked for body weight,

20 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 food consumption, and foraging able uses for their scarce dollars. It behavior. Possums in the wild were is thus hardly ever possible to rebut offered food at 58 bait stations, the even the most unlikely claim on the surroundings of each having been basis of scientifically acceptable evi­ sprayed either with test material or dence. The researchers could find only with water. Bait consumption at each one published report of tests on station was measured. biodynamic pest control, and that For each of the effects under study, was an old, poor-quality experi­ there was no difference between the ment, lacking untreated controls. The "possum pepper" and placebo, nor did trials of New Zealand "possum pep­ the presence of the "pepper" have any per" have therefore significance observable effect on the behavior of beyond the immediate local problem. the possums. In contrast, as a positive They have shown clearly and un­ control, separate tests of a known equivocally that, as scientists would possum repellent under similar con­ have expected, the biodynamic ditions had the expected repellent materials are useless in achieving effect. The authors do not recommend what is claimed for them. The wider the biodynamic materials for possum implication is that tests of similar control. They say further research rigor, applied to other claims of this does not appear to be warranted; and kind, would demonstrate their vacuity if it is to be carried out, it should be also. at the expense of the biodynamicists, according to standard scientific —Bernard H. Howard procedure. and Vicki Hyde "Alternative" proponents are notoriously shy of organizing proper Bernard H. Howard is Emeritus Professor tests of their theories. Scientists, for at Lincoln University, New Zealand, and their part, have in mind more produc­ secretary of the New Zealand Skeptics. tive uses for their time, and scientific Vicki Hyde is editor of the New Zealand administrators also have more profit­ Science Monthly.

P&G Gets Satanism Under the settlement, James H. Rumor Settlement, Newton and Linda K. Newton of Parsons, Kansas, who operate New­ J Changes Logo Anyway ton & Associates, an independent Amway distributorship, agreed to pay Procter & Gamble $75,000. federal judge in Topeka, Kansas, The court also approved an injunc­ has approved settlement in the tion permanently prohibiting the AMast of a dozen lawsuits filed by Newtons from publishing or distribut­ the Procter & Gamble Co. to halt ing additional statements or informa­ rumors associating the company with tion purporting to associate P&G with Satanism. The suit accused a Kansas Satanism. The order also forbids the couple of spreading false and malicious Newtons from encouraging others to statements. It was the first that boycott Procter & Gamble products. yielded monetary damages, said P&G Other suits resulted in defendants spokesman Terry Loftus. being enjoined from spreading rumors

Fall 1991 21 J1 *

The modernized Procter & Gamble logo, left, and the one it is replacing. about Procter & Gamble, but no Despite the favorable court judg­ monetary judgments, Loftus said. ments, on July 10, 1991, Procter & "These ridiculous lies have cost the Gamble announced it is redesigning company a lot of time and energy over its moon-and-stars symbol. the past ten years. We continue to The company said it is eliminating pursue legal recourse against those the curly hairs in the man-in-the- spreading such rumors, and we will moon's beard that to some looked like file additional lawsuits if necessary," 6s. The number 666 is linked to Satan said Robert L. Wehling, the company's in the Book of Revelations, and this vice president of public affairs. helped fuel the false rumors fostered The company said it has responded by fundamentalists. The moon and to more than 150,000 inquiries about stars will remain a company trade­ the stories during the past decade. mark, but new logos featuring simply They were especially heavy in 1982, the company's name or initials will be 1985, and 1990, it said. more widely used. •

Out-of-Body Feeling that, over time, depersonalization can Common, Persistent occur without warning. In some experienced TMers, it has "become a In Meditators continuous, apparently permanent mode of functioning." Depersonalization can account for #\ t least some people who practice the "higher state of consciousness" or ^L^ Transcendental Meditation are "enlightenment" felt by some TMers. actually experiencing deper­ Meditators also describe the experi­ sonalization, the well-known pyscho- ence as the "witness" or "witnessing." logical phenomenon that makes These meditators have no obvious people feel they are observing sign of mental or physical illness, themselves. Castillo said. While experiencing Richard J. Castillo, an anthropol­ depersonalization, they show no ogist now at Harvard University, outward signs that anything is amiss, reported in the May 1990 Psychiatry they believe they are performing

22 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 better on the job, and they feel mildly school. The teaching methods seemed happy or content during the experi­ very progressive. The children studied ence. Yet they also have an "apparent subjects in two-week blocks, and longterm loss of the ability to feel wrote and illustrated their own books, strong emotions, either negative or with art woven into every subject. A positive," he said. few glimpses of the strange writings A survey by University of Mani­ of the school's founder, Rudolf toba psychiatrist Colin Ross, pub­ Steiner, raised some questions for lished in the November 1990 American Dugan, but the teachers assured him Journal of Psychiatry, found that 29 that Steiner's philosophy did not percent of 1,055 Canadians said they appear in the curriculum. They said occasionally felt they were watching they used only his teaching methods. themselves in a movie and 4 percent He enrolled his son in sixth grade, and said they had the feeling frequently. everything went well for a year. A separate survey by David Spie­ Trouble began when Dugan picked gel, a psychiatrist at Stanford Univer­ up one of Steiner's books, on sale at sity medical school, found that about the school. Steiner lectured (Ger­ 10 percent of 90 people surveyed after many, 1922): "If the blonds and blue- the 1989 San Francisco earthquake eyed people died out, the human race reported having an out-of-body expe­ will become increasingly dense if men rience at the time. do not arrive at a form of intelligence Depersonalization can be sparked that is independent of blondness." by fear or by repeated stimuli, such How could apparently intelligent and as repeating a meditator's mantra. It sensitive people be publishing this is also apparently linked to near-death stuff in the 1980s? They would have experiences. to be wearing the blinders of cult indoctrination. —C. Eugene Emery Jr. Then his son complained, "They're teaching us baby science." A specialist Eugene Emery is a science writer for the science teacher had told the sixth Providence (R.I.) Journal. grade that "the elements are earth, air, fire, and water." Dugan looked at (See also Susan Blackmore's article on several science lesson books and found near-death and out-of-body experiences in more bad news. "Planetary influences" this issue.) were said to affect the growth of plants. In physiology, the body was said to be made up of "the nerve-sense system, the metabolic-muscular sys­ tem, and the rhythmic system." Worse Weird Science than the occasional items of cult At Steiner School pseudoscience was what was left out. D The science curriculum was based entirely on observation, and the hen Dan Dugan attended an theories that form the backbone of open house at the San Fran­ scientific knowledge were almost cisco Waldorf School, he completely omitted. The children W were not to be "prejudiced" by "mate­ thought he'd found the most beautiful school in the world. The teachers were rialistic dogma," but were to make up the most dedicated he'd met since the their own minds about how the world nuns he remembered from Catholic worked from direct observation.

Fall 1991 23 Dugan proposed a parents commit­ a new twist, sending cover letters and tee to reform the science teaching. No copies of cover letters from previous other parents were interested. He recipients. The results let me follow requested a hearing with the "college the trail of five separate chains, all of teachers," which runs the school. with a common source and one of He was refused, and a delegation of which had gathered 38 links in one teachers informed him that his family year. would be expelled unless he stopped The comments show that people in making trouble. Beaten, they with­ a business that prides itself on the drew from the school. pursuit of facts and truth are easily Did all the other parents share cowed by and an amor­ Steiner's worldview? Belief in pseu- phous threat of bad luck. doscience wasn't mentioned as a re­ The decision to copy other people's quirement when they were recruited. cover letters as part of the package Dugan sent a survey to all 270 parents apparently started with Judy Kuri- in the school, asking their positions anski of cable TV's Consumer News on a selection of religious, New Age, & Business Channel. It eventually fell scientific, and Steiner beliefs. Thirty- into the hands of George Miles of two responded. Most of these parents WNET in New York and then to agreed with New Age beliefs like Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., deputy pub­ reincarnation that Steiner followers lisher of the New York Times. "You'd also hold, but almost none knew about think that George, as chairman of our or agreed with the pseudoscientific Outward Bound School, would have statements taken from Steiner liter­ more courage than to send this to me," ature. It appears that their children wrote Sulzberger. "You'd think I were being indoctrinated in weird would have more courage than to send science without their knowledge. • it to you. I look to you five for true examples of courage." No such luck. At least four links later, the letter was in the hands of Chain Letter Washington Post executive editor Benjamin C. Bradlee, who sent it to Weighs Heavily on five people with a note: "A man will J Top Journalists do anything out of fear." Several, like Sulzberger, encour­ aged others not to cave in to super­ hink that hard-bitten media types stition. "I'm counting on you to break are too down-to-earth to be intim­ this ridiculous chain," John Sterling of Tidated by a chain letter? Think Houghton Mifflin wrote to five col­ again. leagues. "Save a tree, break this Since as far back as January 1990, chain," said Random House vice- and possibly earlier, a single chain president Dona Chernoff, who didn't. letter has been making the rounds of Others who passed on the letter media moguls in the U.S. were Jody Powell, television com­ Like most chain letters that don't mentator and former presidential ask for money or goods, this one press spokesman, and ABC newsman promises good luck for perpetuating Pierre Salinger, who wrote that, at 65, the chain, and bad luck if you don't. "I am getting too old to take a chance." But reporters, editors, and their Gene Foreman of the Philadelphia colleagues have given this chain letter Inquirer probably put it best: "You

24 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 The Isle of Arran, Teesside, and the Kent cliffs will be under water by Christmas 1991. These predictions startled all of Britain in March. The man making them was David Icke (pronounced Ike), a former sports star, one of the cofounders of the Green Party (an environmentalist political party), and a well-known TV sports commentator. Dressed in a turquoise track suit ("the color of wisdom"), Icke called a press conference to announce his apocalyptic visions. The British press were fascinated; however, they were even more impressed by Icke's new companion, a young woman he intro­ duced as his "soul mate," who was moving into his house to live with Icke and his wife. According to the Daily Mail, Icke's understand that I am not doing this sporting career—he was a soccer because I'm superstitious," he wrote. goalkeeper—ended when he was 21 "I just want to avoid bad luck." and developed rheumatoid arthritis. (By the way, people who feel, for During the 1980s, while he was the whatever reason, that they can't spokesman for the Green Party, he throw a chain letter in the trash now began experimenting with fringe have a place to mail their copies. After medicine and spiritualism as part of putting the name of a friend on the his search for an arthritis cure. In envelope, use this address instead of August 1990, following the termina­ their regular address: Chain Letters tion of his BBC contract, Icke met a Anonymous, P.O. Box 6866, Provi­ group of self-styled psychics at a dence, R.I., 02940. Advise the person Green Party exhibition. One of them, that the letter will find a good home. Deborah Shaw, now Mari Schawsun You don't need to tell them that this and, according to Icke, a "daughter of address does to chain letters what a Christ," invited Icke to Calgary and black hole does to passing meteors.) took him to visit the Blackfoot Indians. From there, he seems to have delved —C. Eugene Emery, ]r. further and further into New Age philosophies. Now Icke believes he has a mission to save the world; his wife, Linda, has been renamed Michaela (he says she is "an aspect of the Archangel Green Party Cofounder Michael"); and he is, sadly to many D Icke Goes New Age people, the laughing stock of Britain. —Wendy M. Grossman ew Zealand is going to disap­ pear. Los Angeles will split off Wendy Grossman writes out of Rich­ N from the American mainland. mond, Surrey, U.K.

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Reader Feedback, from D Urantia to Titanic

n my Spring 1991 column I asked Company. It was founded by his readers for help on three research brother Will Keith Kellogg. I also was I projects: information about Wilfred mistaken in reporting that Anna and C. Kellogg, who channeled the Urantia Wilfred were among the non-legally Book (UB); data about the year the adopted children of Dr. John Harvey White Star Company decided to name Kellogg. John had a half-brother, its liner Titanic; and speculations on Smith Moses Kellogg, who died how Silvio, a Swiss psychic, could have November 26, 1927, in Battle Creek, paranormally linked two tiny frames, Michigan. Smith Kellogg's obit lists one of paper and the other of alum­ among his survivors two daughters, inum foil. Lena Celestia, who married Dr. Wil­ Readers were most generous in liam Sadler, and Anna Bell, who responding. Four Illinois correspond­ married Wilfred Kellogg. ents—James Ott, of Elmhurst; Don Dr. Sadler, a prominent Chicago Pearlman, Skokie; Charles Stats, Oak psychiatrist, edited the revelations Park; Robert Michaelson, Evanston— that purportedly came from extrater­ and Greg Bart, of Los Angeles, sent restrials and which make up the UB, copies of the obituaries of Wilfred the massive "Bible" of the Urantia cult. Kellogg and his wife Anna from the Dr. Sadler also arranged for its Chicago Tribune and other Chicago publication. It was Mrs. Sadler who papers. The obits were brief, giving first became persuaded that the little more than the deceased's name channeling of her brother-in-law and address and the name of the Wilfred was the genuine revelation of funeral parlor that serviced both a new religion superior to Christian­ deaths. Wilfred lived at 2752 ity. Dr. Sadler was soon in enthusiastic Hampden Court, half a block from the agreement. He repeatedly said that Urantia Foundation's headquarters at the channeler's identity would never 533 Diversey. The building in which be disclosed, and the leaders of the he and Anna lived has since been Urantia movement have maintained replaced by a high-rise condominium. strict silence on this ever since. A I erred in identifying Dr. John former Seventh-Day Adventist min­ Harvey Kellogg, an excommunicated ister and associate of Dr. John Kellogg, Seventh-Day Adventist, as the Sadler stated in his popular book Mind founder of the Kellogg Cornflake at Mischief that only twice in his career

Fall 1991 27 had he encountered trance channeling messages while in trance, it is likely by persons he could not accuse of that Dr. Sadler's adopted daughter deception: one was the undisclosed UB took them down and then typed them channeler, the other Mrs. Ellen Gould for reading by Dr. Sadler at weekly White, the inspired prophetess of the meetings of the Urantia group. Sadler Adventist church. has an interesting discussion of trance With the aid of Ken Raveill, and states on pages 392-394 of his 896- death certificates from the Chicago page Modern Psychiatry. funeral parlor, the immediate ances­ Gary Vey, of Simsbury, Connecti­ tors of Wilfred and his wife have now cut, wrote to point out that Urantia, surfaced. Wilfred Custer Kellogg was the UB's name for the earth, becomes born in Berkshire, Vermont, the son Urania when you remove the of the Rev. Charles Leonidis Sobeski T. Urania was one of the nine muses Kellogg, a Seventh-Day Adventist of Greek mythology, who were minister. Charles's father, Edward daughters of Zeus. She was the muse Kellogg, was also an an Adventist of astronomy, commonly depicted minister. with one arm on the spherical earth, Wilfred's mother was Emma Kel­ her other hand pointing to the heav­ logg, born in Tyrone, Michigan, ens. Frequently she wears a crown of February 7,1850, the daughter of John stars. Urania was also taken by the Preston Kellogg by his second wife. Greeks as a personification of the love John Preston Kellogg was an Advent­ that unites the earth and universe, ist who begat Smith Moses Kellogg, making her name even more approp­ half-brother of W. K. Kellogg and Dr. riate for the Urantia revelation. John Harvey Kellogg. All three broth­ ers left the Adventist church later in life. Smith Moses was the father of Lena and Anna. Thus Wilfred and his Dr. Anthony Garrett, of the Univer­ wife, Anna, had the same grandfather sity of , and C. D. Allen, and were first cousins. Stoke-on-Trent, England, convinced It is believed by Raveill that when me that the White Star Company Wilfred and Anna, then living in Battle could not have made plans for a ship Creek, decided to marry, they were to be called the Titanic before Morgan prevented by a state law against first- Robertson chose the name Titan for cousin marriages. They moved to the huge liner, in his prophetic novel LaGrange, Illinois, where it seems that of 1898, that sank when it struck an for a time they shared a house with iceberg in the North Atlantic. Dr. Sadler and Lena before all four However, some unusual new light came to Chicago. on the story came in a letter from The mystery of why so much Brenda Bright, of Croton-on-Hudson, Adventist doctrine is in the UB is now New York. She sent a copy of a page clear. Sadler was a former Adventist from a book I had not seen, Titanic: minister, Wilfred was the son of an Destination Disaster, by John P. Eaton Adventist minister, and their wives and Charles Haas (Norton, 1987). The were sisters who had been brought authors reproduce in its entirety the up in the church. It is not yet known following news story that appeared in whether Wilfred had any formal the September 17, 1892, issue of the education beyond grade school, or New York Times. This was six years whether he channeled the UB orally before Robertson's 1898 novel was or by writing, or both. If he spoke the published.

28 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 tion and therefore provide positive game away, and it would have saved proof of the reality of psi powers. Beloff from the embarrassment of Beloff should have been suspicious trumpeting a fake PPO in what of Meyer's linkage because the paper purports to be a scientific journal. frame in his PPO bore no watermark Meyer is the spoon bender of Swit­ or printing. It would have been just zerland, and Bernhard Walti, who as easy for him to slice and "heal" a wrote the paper about Meyer's PPO, frame cut from a printed page or from is a parapsychologist too gullible to currency. The fact that he used only comprehend that Meyer is no more blank paper should have given the than a magician. •

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30 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 London, Sept. 16—The White Star its 1910 ship was almost inevitable. Company has commissioned the The company was surely aware of great Belfast shipbuilders Harland Robertson's Titan, but perhaps did not and Wolff to build an Atlantic mind adopting a similar name because steamer that will beat the record in it was firmly persuaded that its Titanic size and speed. was absolutely unsinkable. She has already been named Gigantic, and will be 700 feet long, 65 feet 7Vi inches beam and 45,000 horsepower. It is calculated that she will steam 22 knots an hour, with a maximum speed of 27 knots. She will have three screws, two fitted like Majesties, and the third in the centre. She is to be ready for sea in March, 1894.

The figures given for the planned liner are very close to those Robertson used for his imaginary Titan. The Gigantic was to be 700 feet long, with 45,000 horsepower, a speed of 22 to Were these twoframes paranormall y linked 27 knots, and three propellers. The by a Swiss psychic? Titan was 800 feet long, 40,000 horsepower (changed to 75,000 in the Two readers, first John Geohegan, of book's second printing), a speed of 25 Albuquerque, New Mexico, then P. M. knots when it struck the iceberg, and deLaubenfels, Corvallis, Oregon, with three propellers. explained how easy it would have been The Gigantic was never built. At for Silvio Meyer to link his two little the time Robertson wrote his novel frames. Cut a piece of paper into tiny the White Star had built the Oceanic pieces, boil them in water, then beat (1871), the Britannic (1874), the the mixture with a blender to make Teutonic (1889), and the Majestic a liquid. Pour the liquid over wire (1889). The company always added mesh and press it flat. When it dries "ic" to the names of its liners. After and is smoothed with the back of a Robertson's novel was published it spoon, it is indistinguishable from the would build a second Oceanic, a Celtic, original paper. By cutting a slot in the Cedric, Baltic, Adriatic, Olympic, and screen and inserting a foil frame, the Titanic. puddle can be formed around one side It seems clear now what may have of the foil frame. The dried paper is happened: Knowing of plans for the then cut into a frame that is linked Gigantic, Robertson modeled his ship with the foil. For more details, see my on this proposed mammoth liner. note "How to Make a PPO," in the After the use of such names as July 1991 issue of England's Journal Oceanic, Teutonic, Majestic, and Gigan­ of the Society for Psychical Research, tic, what appropriate name is left for edited by the well-known parapsy- a giant liner except Titanic? Not chologist John Beloff. "PPO" is Beloff's wishing to identify his doomed Titan term for Permanent Paranormal with the White Star line, Robertson Object. He has long hoped that such dropped "ic" from the name. The an object could be created by a psychic White Star's later choice of Titanic for that would defy any normal explana-

Fall 1991 2° Psychic Vibrations

The Stamp of Pseudoscience, the Army of Saucerers

ROBERT SHEAFFER

ouldn't you jump at the chance to buy a set of stamps tffi&am Wfor $135 that, according to the fellow offering them for sale, might soon be worth $10,000? Not if you have any common sense you wouldn't, because you would realize that any investment sounding that good literally is too good to be true. (Besides, if the stamps were really LEONE going to become that valuable, he'd by a Swiss-based combine of interna­ never sell them to you!) Why are these tional stamp organizations" for stamps supposedly such a gold mine? allegedly violating the "philatelic code Because they depict the famous "face of ethics" of the Universal Postal on Mars" that is claimed by some to Union. have been erected by a vanished Feinstein published an interview Martian civilization. 51 previously with New Age space consultant reported on the claims of an invest­ Richard Hoagland, who, when asked ment firm, Alan Shawn Feinstein to justify the figure of $10,000 Associates, that the so-called "face" suggested for the stamps' value, shown on the Viking photo may replied, "Because that's what I represent "the greatest discovery of believe." He added, "I know basically the century" (Summer 1988: 340; Fall nothing about stamps." But Hoagland 1988: 22). Feinstein is now suggesting went on to explain that the face on a way for his clients to cash in on the Mars is a relic of an intelligent amazing discovery. Recently the tiny civilization and that when the world West African nation of Sierra Leone realizes this "it will have an unprece­ issued a "face on Mars" stamp as part dented effect on people everywhere, of a series saluting the upcoming and on the value of the Sierra Leone Observer mission to Mars. The set." Editor Michael Laurence of Linn's respected Linn's Stamp News of replies: "Those who believe such December 10, 1990, reported that breathless nonsense probably deserve Feinstein is selling the set for what financial disappointment. And that's he calls "only" $135, even though that the likely reward in store for anyone set is "one of a handful just blacklisted who expects speculative profit from

Fall 1991 31 this overpriced and highly manipu­ toppled in a coup. Sierra Leone, lated stamp set." beware! The rulers of Sierra Leone are perhaps unaware that the last national * * * leaders who issued stamp sets pro­ moting pseudoscience must have Just because the Gulf War has ended regretted it soon afterward. In the late without triggering Armageddon, as 1970s the tiny Caribbean nation of some had feared or hoped, it still Grenada issued a set of stamps depict­ doesn't prove that the eschaton isn't ing UFOs (this column, Summer practically upon us. Indeed, one small 1979). That island's then-Prime Min­ group of ultra-Orthodox Jews expects ister, Sir Eric M. Gairy, was a staunch the long-awaited Messiah to reveal believer in alien visitors. He spent himself before the Jewish New Year, much of his time in New York which begins September 9, sending attempting to convince the United the Jewish people back to Jerusalem Nations of the threat he believed "on clouds of glory." UFOs posed to the planet. He spent On April 15 the San Francisco so much time promoting UFOs and Chronicle reported on Rabbi Mena- ignoring his real problems that in chem Schneerson of Brooklyn, the 89- March 1979 during one of his many year-old leader of the Lubavitcher sect absences he was deposed by a radical of Hasidic Jews who made the predic­ faction led by Maurice Bishop. Bishop tion. Since Schneerson was said to was in turn deposed, then executed, have scored some bull's-eyes in pre­ by an even more radical faction in vious predictions, his approximately 1983, leading directly to the U.S. 40,000 followers eagerly expected the intervention. And all because of fulfillment of this one. Schneerson is UFOs! Soon after Grenada issued its credited with predicting last fall that UFO stamps, the Republic of Equa­ a war would be fought in the Gulf torial Guinea issued its own stamps, region, but would take few Jewish bearing the likeness of the famous lives and would be over by the holiday Adamski Chicken Brooder UFO, of Purim, February 28. Both were under the banner Colaboracion Inter- exactly correct. Some are calling it planetaria (this column, Spring 1980). "miraculous" that, although Iraqi Scud About a year later, the Nguema missiles damaged 10,000 Israeli apart­ regime in Equatorial Guinea was ments, only a few people were killed. As for the end of the war, President Bush ended Operation Desert Storm at midnight, February 27.

By now there is a small army of saucerers investigating the absolutely unbelievable story about a UFO crashing in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947. They continue to make incred­ ible discoveries, but mostly about one another. A new book on the subject by Roswell newcomers Don Schmitt and Kevin Randle has just been

32 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 published. (See the review in this with Moore and Shandera, ostensibly issue.) In the 1970s, Randle made a because of their criticisms of Schmitt circuit of UFOdom touting his discov­ and Randle; but the increasingly wide ery that the celebrated "cattle mut­ recognition of the MJ-12 papers— ilations" were not performed by which Moore and Shandera "discov­ saucer aliens as everyone had thought, ered"—as a crude hoax, must surely but by "Satanic cults." Reportedly, have influenced Friedman's decision. Schmitt and Randle have discovered Early in 1991, a new witness that, when the saucer crashed near stepped forward with a sensational Roswell, it left behind a trench 500 firsthand account of stumbling upon feet long, which had previously a crashed saucer near Roswell in 1947. escaped notice. Not surprisingly, Forty-eight-year-old Gerald Ander­ oldtime Roswell-digger William L. son recounted how, when he was five Moore and his colleague Jaime Shan­ years old, he and his family spotted dera don't like these new kids on the two live aliens and two dead ones crashed-saucer block, especially since beside a disabled spacecraft before the certain key witnesses, when inter­ military arrived and rudely chased the viewed independently, are having Andersons away. Friedman was trouble keeping their stories straight. impressed with Anderson's story. Also, the two teams keep stepping on However, Randle calls the account a each other's toes over such matters hoax, noting that "a diary Anderson as whether certain military photos supplied is on pre-1947 paper but used show real debris from the crashed post-1970 ink." flying saucer or just balloon debris that was supposedly used as "disin­ formation" to mislead, the public. Looking at a particular photo taken in General Ramsey's office, Moore and Shandera proclaim it to be debris from an extraterrestrial craft, while Schmitt and Randle insist that the photo actually shows aluminum foil and sticks, the real extraterrestrial debris having been cleverly hidden away. The late Mac Brazel, who was first to find the now-famous debris in the desert, described it as "tinfoil, paper, tape, and sticks . . . [weighing] maybe five pounds." (That was, of course, what the government made And as if the stories surrounding Brazel say; it was really unearthly the Roswell Incident were not already saucer metal, claims Bill Moore.) remarkable enough, a man who calls himself Jerry Willis has been turning In 1990 Stanton Friedman, who up at UFO conferences claiming to be calls himself "the flying saucer phys­ the reincarnation of one of the saucer icist," broke his longtime association aliens who died at Roswell. •

Fall 1991 33 Near-Death Experiences: In or Out of the Body?

SUSAN BLACKMORE

hat is it like to die? Although most of us fear death to a greater or lesser Wextent, there are now more and more people who have "come back" from states close to death and have told stories of usually very The experiencesft pleasant and even joyful experiences at death's door. people report seem For many experiencers, their adventures very real and can be seem unquestionably to provide evidence for life profound and after death, and the profound effects the experience can have on them is just added transforming. Rather confirmation. By contrast, for many scientists than deny or these experiences are just hallucinations minimize them, we produced by the dying brain and of no more interest than an especially vivid dream. should seek to So which is right? Are near-death experien­ understand them, ces (NDEs) the prelude to our life after death and that can best or the very last experience we have before be done by theories oblivion? I shall argue that neither is quite right: NDEs provide no evidence for life after death, and tests involving and we can best understand them by looking neurochemistry, at neurochemistry, physiology, and psychology; physiology, and but they are much more interesting than any dream. They seem completely real and can psychology Some of transform people's lives. Any satisfactory the answers are quite theory has to understand that too—and that interesting. leads us to questions about minds, selves, and the nature of consciousness.

Deathbed Experiences Toward the end of the last century the physical sciences and the new theory of evolution were

34 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 making great progress, but many people felt that science was forcing out the traditional ideas of the spirit and soul. Spiritualism began to flourish, and people flocked to mediums to get in contact with their dead friends and relatives "on the other side." Spirit­ ualists claimed, and indeed still claim, to have found proof of survival. In 1882, the Society for Psychical Research was founded, and serious research on the phenomena began; but convincing evidence for survival is still lacking over one hundred years later (Blackmore 1988). In 1926, a psychical researcher and Fellow of the Royal Society, Sir William Barrett (1926), published a little book on deathbed visions. The dying appar­ ently saw other worlds before they died and even saw and spoke to the dead. There were cases of music heard at the time of death and reports of attendants actually seeing the spirit leave the body. With modern medical techniques, deathbed visions like these have become far less common. In those days people died at home with little or no medication and surrounded by their family and friends. Today most people die in the hospital and all too often alone. Paradoxically it is also improved medicine that has led to an increase in quite a different kind of report— that of the near-death experience.

Close Brushes with Death

Resuscitation from ever more serious heart failure has provided accounts of extraordinary experiences (although this is not the only cause of NDEs). These remained largely ignored until about 15 years ago, when Raymond Moody (1975), an American physician, published his best-selling Life After he put together an account of a typical Life. He had talked with many people NDE. In this idealized experience a who had "come back from death," and person hears himself pronounced

Fall 1991 35 dead. Then comes a loud buzzing or peacefully. Then ... I was going ringing noise and a long, dark tunnel. elsewhere, floating towards a dark, He can see his own body from a but not frightening, curtain-like distance and watch what is happening. area. . . . Then I felt total peace. Soon he meets others and a "being of light" who shows him a playback of Suddenly it all changed—I was slammed back into my body again, events from his life and helps him to very much aware of the agony evaluate it. At some point he gets to again. a barrier and knows that he has to go back. Even though he feels joy, Within a few years some of the love, and peace there, he returns to basic questions were being answered. his body and life. Later he tries to tell Kenneth Ring (1980), at the Univer­ others; but they don't understand, and sity of Connecticut, surveyed 102 he soon gives up. Nevertheless the people who had come close to death experience deeply affects him, espe­ and found almost 50 percent had had cially his views about life and death. what he called a "core experience." He Many scientists reacted with dis­ broke this into five stages: peace, body belief. They assumed Moody was at separation, entering the darkness least exaggerating, but he claimed that (which is like the tunnel), seeing the no one had noticed the experiences light, and entering the light. He found before because the patients were too that the later stages were reached by frightened to talk about them. The fewer people, which seems to imply matter was soon settled by further that there is an ordered set of expe­ research. One cardiologist had talked riences waiting to unfold. to more than 2,000 people over a One interesting question is period of nearly 20 years and claimed whether NDEs are culture specific. that more than half reported Moody- What little research there is suggests type experiences (Schoonmaker that in other cultures NDEs have 1979). In 1982, a Gallup poll found basically the same structure, although that about 1 in 7 adult Americans had religious background seems to influ­ been close to death and about 1 in 20 ence the way it is interpreted. A few had had an NDE. It appeared that NDEs have even been recorded in Moody, at least in outline, was right. children. It is interesting to note that In my own research I have come across nowadays children are more likely to numerous reports like this one, sent see living friends than those who have to me by a woman from Cyprus: died, presumably because their play­ mates only rarely die of diseases like An emergency gastrectomy was scarlet fever or smallpox (Morse et al. performed. On the 4th day follow­ 1986). ing that operation I went into shock Perhaps more important is and became unconscious for several whether you have to be nearly dead hours. . . . Although thought to be to have an NDE. The answer is clearly unconscious, I remembered, for no (e.g., Morse et al. 1989). Many very years afterwards, the entire, similar experiences are recorded of detailed conversation that passed people who have taken certain drugs, between the surgeon and anaes­ thetist present.... I was lying above were extremely tired, or, occasionally, my own body, totally free of pain, were just carrying on their ordinary and looking down at my own self activities. with compassion for the agony I I must emphasize that these exper­ could see on the face; I was floating iences seem completely real—even

36 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 more real (whatever that may mean) than everyday life. The tunnel expe­ rience is not like just imagining going "I have no objection to the along a tunnel. The view from out of theory that the experiences are the body seems completely realistic, not like a dream, but as though you hallucinations. I only object to really are up there and looking down. the idea that you can explain Few people experience such profound emotions and insight again during them by saying, 'They are just their lifetimes. They do not say, "I've been hallucinating," "I imagined I went hallucinations.' This explains to heaven," or "Can I tell you about nothing. A viable theory would my lovely dream?" They are more likely to say, "I have been out of my answer these questions without body" or "I saw Grandma in heaven." dismissing the experiences." Since not everyone who comes close to death has an NDE, it is interesting to ask what sort of people groups, such as marijuana users) have are more likely to have them. Cer­ had OBEs at some time during their tainly you don't need to be mentally lives. In my own survey of residents unstable. NDEers do not differ from of Bristol I found 12 percent. Typically others in terms of their psychological these people had been resting or lying health or background. Moreover, the down and suddenly felt they had left NDE does seem to produce profound their bodies, usually for no more than and positive personality changes (Ring a minute or two (Blackmore 1984). 1984). After this extraordinary expe­ A survey of more than 50 different rience people claim that they are no cultures showed that almost all of longer so motivated by greed and them believe in a spirit or soul that material achievement but are more could leave the body (Sheils 1978). So concerned about other people and both the OBE and the belief in another their needs. Any theory of the NDE body are common, but what does this needs to account for this effect. mean? Is it just that we cannot bring ourselves to believe that we are Explanations of the NDE nothing more than a mortal body and that death is the end? Or is there really Astral Projection and the Next World: another body? Could we have another body that is You might think that such a theory the vehicle of consciousness and leaves has no place in science and ought to the physical body at death to go on be ignored. I disagree. The only ideas to another world? This, essentially, is that science can do nothing with are the doctrine of astral projection. In the purely metaphysical ones—ideas various forms it is very popular and that have no measurable consequen­ appears in a great deal of New Age ces and no testable predictions. But and occult literature. if a theory makes predictions, how­ One reason may be that out-of- ever bizarre, then it can be tested. body experiences (OBEs) are quite The theory of astral projection is, common, quite apart from their role at least in some forms, testable. In the in NDEs. Surveys have shown that earliest experiments mediums claimed anywhere from 8 percent (in Iceland) they were able to project their astral to as much as 50 percent (in special bodies to distant rooms and see what

Fall 1991 37 was happening. They claimed not to retical objections to the idea of astral taste bitter aloes on their real tongues, bodies. If you imagine that the person but immediately screwed up their has gone to another world, perhaps faces in disgust when the substance along some "real" tunnel, then you was placed on their (invisible) astral have to ask what relationship there tongues. Unfortunately these exper­ is between this world and the other iments were not properly controlled one. If the other world is an extension (Blackmore 1982). of the physical, then it ought to be In other experiments, dying people observable and measurable. The astral were weighed to try to detect the body, astral world, and tunnel ought astral body as it left. Early this century to be detectable in some way, and we a weight of about one ounce was ought to be able to say where exactly claimed, but as the apparatus became the tunnel is going. The fact that we more sensitive the weight dropped, can't, leads many people to say the implying that it was not a real effect. astral world is "on another plane," at More recent experiments have used a "higher level of vibration," and the sophisticated detectors of ultraviolet like. But unless you can specify just and infrared, magnetic flux or field what these mean the ideas are com­ strength, temperature, or weight to pletely empty, even though they may try to capture the astral body of sound appealing. Of course we can someone having an out-of-body ex­ never prove that astral bodies don't perience. They have even used ani­ exist, but my guess is that they mals and human "detectors," but no probably don't and that this theory is one has yet succeeded in detecting not a useful way to understand OBEs. anything reliably (Morris et al. 1978). Birth and the NDE: Another popu­ If something really leaves the body lar theory makes dying analogous in OBEs, then you might expect it to with being born: that the out-of-body be able to see at a distance, in other experience is literally just that— words to have extrasensory percep­ reliving the moment when you tion (ESP). There have been several emerged from your mother's body. experiments with concealed targets. The tunnel is the birth canal and the One success was Tart's subject, who white light is the light of the world lay on a bed with a five-digit number into which you were born. Even the on a shelf above it (Tart 1968). During being of light can be "explained" as the night she had an OBE and cor­ an attendant at the birth. rectly reported the number, but critics This theory was proposed by Sta- argued that she could have climbed nislav Grof and Joan Halifax (1977) out of the bed to look. Apart from this and popularized by the astronomer one, the experiments tend, like so Carl Sagan (1979), but it is pitifully many in parapsychology, to provide inadequate to explain the NDE. For equivocal results and no clear signs of a start the newborn infant would not any ESP. see anything like a tunnel as it was So, this theory has been tested but being born. The birth canal is seems to have failed its tests. If there stretched and compressed and the really were astral bodies I would have baby usually forced through it with expected us to to have found some­ the top of its head, not with its eyes thing out about them by now—other (which are closed anyway) pointing than how hard it is to track them forward. Also it does not have the down! mental skills to recognize the people In addition there are major theo­ around, and these capacities change so

38 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 much during growing up that adults Some say the tunnel is a symbolic cannot reconstruct what it was like representation of the gateway to to be an infant. another world. But then why always "Hypnotic regression to past lives" a tunnel and not, say, a gate, doorway, is another popular claim. In fact much or even the great River Styx? Why research shows that people who have the light at the end of the tunnel? And been hypnotically regressed give the why always above the body, not below appearance of acting like a baby or a it? I have no objection to the theory child, but it is no more than acting. that the experiences are hallucina­ For example, they don't make draw­ tions. I only object to the idea that ings like a real five-year-old would do you can explain them by saying, "They but like an adult imagines children do. are just hallucinations." This explains Their vocabulary is too large and in nothing. A viable theory would general they overestimate the abilities answer these questions without dis­ of children at any given age. There missing the experiences. That, even is no evidence (even if the idea made if only in tentative form, is what I shall sense) of their "really" going back in try to provide. time. The Physiology of the Tunnel: Tun­ Of course the most important nels do not only occur near death. question is whether this theory could They are also experienced in epilepsy be tested, and to some extent it can. and migraine, when falling asleep, For example, it predicts that people meditating, or just relaxing, with born by Caesarean section should not pressure on both eyeballs, and with have the same tunnel experiences and certain drugs, such as LSD, psilocybin, OBEs. I conducted a survey of people and mescaline. I have experienced born normally and those born by them many times myself. It is as Caesarean (190 and 36 people, respec­ though the whole world becomes a tively). Almost exactly equal percen­ rushing, roaring tunnel and you are tages of both groups had had tunnel flying along it toward a bright light experiences (36 percent) and OBEs (29 at the end. No doubt many readers percent). I have not compared the type have also been there, for surveys show of birth of people coming close to that about a third of people have— death, but this would provide further like this terrified man of 28 who had evidence (Blackmore 1982b). just had the anesthetic for a In response to these findings some circumcision. people have argued that it is not one's own birth that is relived but the idea I seemed to be hauled at "lightning of birth in general. However, this just speed" in a direct line tunnel into reduces the theory to complete outer space; (not a floating sensa­ vacuousness. tion ...) but like a rocket at a terrific Just Hallucinations: Perhaps we speed. I appeared to have left my should give up and conclude that all body. the experiences are "just imagination" or "nothing but hallucinations." How­ In the 1930s, Heinrich Kluver, at ever, this is the weakest theory of all. the University of Chicago, noted four The experiences must, in some sense, form constants in hallucinations: the be hallucinations, but this is not, on tunnel, the spiral, the lattice or its own, any explanation. We have to grating, and the cobweb. Their origin ask why are they these kinds of probably lies in the structure of the hallucinations? Why tunnels? visual cortex, the part of the brain that

Fall 1991 39 processes visual information. Imagine you have gradually increasing electri­ that the outside world is mapped onto cal noise in the visual cortex. the back of the eye (on the retina), The computer program starts with and then again in the cortex. The thinly spread dots of light, mapped in mathematics of this mapping (at least the same way as the cortex, with more to a reasonable approximation) is well toward the middle and very few at the known. edges. Gradually the number of dots Jack Cowan, a neurobiologist at the increases, mimicking the increasing University of Chicago, has used this noise. Now the center begins to look mapping to account for the tunnel like a white blob and the outer edges (Cowan 1982). Brain activity is nor­ gradually get more and more dots. mally kept stable by some cells inhib­ And so it expands until eventually the iting others. Disinhibition (the whole screen is filled with light. The reduction of this inhibitory activity) appearance is just like a dark speckly produces too much activity in the tunnel with a white light at the end, brain. This can occur near death and the light grows bigger and bigger (because of lack of oxygen) or with (or nearer and nearer) until it fills the drugs like LSD, which interfere with whole screen. (See Figure 1.) inhibition. Cowan uses an analogy If it seems odd that such a simple with fluid mechanics to argue that picture can give the impression that disinhibition will induce stripes of you are moving, consider two points. activity that move across the cortex. First, it is known that random move­ Using the mapping it can easily be ments in the periphery of the visual shown that stripes in the cortex would field are more likely to be interpreted appear like concentric rings or spirals by the brain as outward than inward in the visual world. In other words, movements (Georgeson and Harris if you have stripes in the cortex you 1978). Second, the brain infers our will seem to see a tunnel-like pattern own movement to a great extent from of spirals or rings. what we see. Therefore, presented This theory is important in show­ with an apparently growing patch of ing how the structure of the brain flickering white light your brain will could produce the same hallucination easily interpret it as yourself moving for everyone. However, I was dubious forward into a tunnel. about the idea of these moving stripes, The theory also makes a prediction and also Cowan's theory doesn't about NDEs in the blind. If they are readily explain the bright light at the blind because of problems in the eye center. So Tom Troscianko and I, at but have a normal cortex, then they the University of Bristol, tried to too should see tunnels. But if their develop a simpler theory (Blackmore blindness stems from a faulty or and Troscianko 1989). The most damaged cortex, they should not. obvious thing about the representa­ These predictions have yet to be tion in the cortex is that there are lots tested. of cells representing the center of the According to this kind of theory visual field but very few for the edges. there is, of course, no real tunnel. This means that you can see small Nevertheless there is a real physical things very clearly in the center, but cause of the tunnel experience. It is if they are out at the edges you cannot. noise in the visual cortex. This way We took just this simple fact as a we can explain the origin of the tunnel starting point and used a computer to without just dismissing the experi­ simulate what would happen when ences and without needing to invent

40 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 other bodies or other worlds. Out of the Body Experiences: Like tun­ nels, OBEs are not confined to near death. They too can occur when just relaxing and falling asleep, with meditation, and in epilepsy and migraine. They can also, at least by a few people, be induced at will. I have been interested in OBEs since I had a long and dramatic experience myself (Blackmore 1982a). It is important to remember that these experiences seem quite real. People don't describe them as dreams or fantasies but as events that actually happened. This is, I presume, why they seek explanations in terms of other bodies or other worlds. However, we have seen how poorly the astral projection and birth theories cope with OBEs. What we need is a theory that involves no unmeasurable entities or untestable other worlds but explains why the experiences happen and why they seem so real. I would start by asking why any­ thing seems real. You might think this is obvious—after all, the things we see out there are real aren't they? Well no, in a sense they aren't. As perceiv­ ing creatures all we know is what our senses tell us. And our senses tell us what is "out there" by constructing models of the world with ourselves in it. The whole of the world "out there" and our own bodies are really constructions of our minds. Yet we are sure, all the time, that this construc­ tion—if you like, this "model of reality"—is "real" while the other fleeting thoughts we have are unreal. We call the rest of them daydreams, imagination, fantasies, and so on. Our FIGURE 1: A computer simulation of the brains have no trouble distinguishing "tunnel" some see near death. "reality" from "imagination." But this distinction is not given. It is one the at any time and choosing the most brain has to make for itself by deciding stable one as "reality." which of its own models represents This will normally work very well. the world "out there." I suggest it does The model created by the senses is the this by comparing all the models it has best and most stable the system has.

Fall 1991 41 find this strange, try to remember the last time you went to a pub or the "According to this theory there last time you walked along the sea­ is, of course, no real tunnel. shore. Where are "you" looking from in this recalled scene? If you are Nevertheless there is a real looking from above you will see what physical cause of the tunnel I mean. So my explanation of the OBE experience. It is noise in the becomes clear. A memory model in visual cortex." bird's-eye view has taken over from the sensory model. It seems perfectly real because it is the best model the It is obviously "reality," while that system has got at the time. Indeed, image I have of the bar I'm going to it seems real for just the same reason go to later is unstable and brief. The anything ever seems real. choice is easy. By comparison, when This theory of the OBE leads to you are almost asleep, very frightened, many testable predictions, for exam­ or nearly dying, the model from the ple, that people who habitually use senses will be confused and unstable. bird's-eye views should be more likely If you are under terrible stress or to have OBEs. Both Harvey Irwin suffering oxygen deprivation, then (1986), an Australian psychologist, the choice won't be so easy. All the and myself (Blackmore 1987) have models will be unstable. found that people who dream as So what will happen now? Possibly though they were spectators have the tunnel being created by noise in more OBEs, although there seems to the visual cortex will be the most be no difference for the waking use stable model and so, according to my of different viewpoints. I have also supposition, this will seem real. found that people who can more easily Fantasies and imagery might become switch viewpoints in their imagination more stable than the sensory model, are also more likely to report OBEs. and so seem real. The system will have Of course this theory says that the lost input control. OBE world is only a memory model. What then should a sensible bio­ It should only match the real world logical system do to get back to when the person has already known normal? I would suggest that it could about something or can deduce it from try to ask itself—as it were—"Where available information. This presents a am I? What is happening?" Even a big challenge for research on near person under severe stress will have death. Some researchers claim that some memory left. They might recall people near death can actually see the accident, or know that they were things that they couldn't possibly have in hospital for an operation, or known about. For example, the Amer­ remember the pain of the heart attack. ican cardiologist Michael Sabom So they will try to reconstruct, from (1982) claims that patients reported what little they can remember, what the exact behavior of needles on is happening. monitoring apparatus when they had Now we know something very their eyes closed and appeared to be interesting about memory models. unconscious. Further, he compared Often they are constructed in a bird's- these descriptions with those of people eye view. That is, the events or scenes imagining they were being resusci­ are seen as though from above. If you tated and found that the real patients

42 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 gave far more accurate and detailed descriptions. There are problems with this "We know something very comparison. Most important, the interesting about memory people really being resuscitated could probably feel some of the manipula­ models. Often they are tions being done on them and hear constructed in a bird's-eye view. what was going on. Hearing is the last sense to be lost and, as you will realize . . . So my explanation of the if you ever listen to radio plays or OBE becomes clear. A memory news, you can imagine a very clear model in bird's-eye view has visual image when you can only hear something. So the dying person could taken over from the sensory build up a fairly accurate picture this model." way. Of course hearing doesn't allow you to see the behavior of needles, and so if Sabom is right I am wrong. We transmitters (in particular the endo­ can only await further research to find genous endorphins). These then stim­ out. ulate the limbic system and other The Life Review: The experience of connected areas. In addition, the effect seeing excerpts from your life flash of the endorphins could account for before you is not really as mysterious the blissful and other positive emo­ as it first seems. It has long been tional states so often associated with known that stimulation of cells in the the NDE. temporal lobe of the brain can produce Morse provided evidence that some instant experiences that seem like the children deprived of oxygen and reliving of memories. Also, temporal- treated with opiates did not have lobe epilepsy can produce similar NDE-like hallucinations, and he and experiences, and such seizures can his colleagues (Morse et al. 1986) have involve other limbic structures in the developed a theory based on the role brain, such as the amygdala and of the neurotransmitter serotonin, hippocampus, which are also asso­ rather than the endorphins. Research ciated with memory. on the neurochemistry of the NDE is Imagine that the noise in the dying just beginning and should provide us brain stimulates cells like this. The with much more detailed understand­ memories will be aroused and, accord­ ing of the life review. ing to my hypothesis, if they are the Of course there is more to the life most stable model the system has at review than just memories. The that time they will seem real. For the person feels as though she or he is dying person they may well be more judging these life events, being shown stable than the confused and noisy their significance and meaning. But sensory model. this too, I suggest, is not so very The link between temporal-lobe strange. When the normal world of epilepsy and the NDE has formed the the senses is gone and memories seem basis of a thorough neurobiological real, our perspective on our life model of the NDE (Saavedra-Aguilar changes. We can no longer be so and Gomez-Jeria 1989). They suggest attached to our plans, hopes, ambi­ that the brain stress consequent on tions, and fears, which fade away and the near-death episode leads to the become unimportant, while the past release of neuropeptides and neuro- comes to life again. We can only accept

Fall 1991 43 it as it is, and there is no one to judge a strange and dramatic experience. For it but ourselves. This is, I think, why there is no longer an experiencer—yet so many NDEers say they faced their there is experience. past life with acceptance and This state is obviously hard to equanimity. describe, for the "you" who is trying Other Worlds: Now we come to to describe it cannot imagine not what might seem the most extraor­ being. Yet this profound experience dinary parts of the NDE; the worlds leaves its mark. The self never seems beyond the tunnel and OBE. But I quite the same again. think you can now see that they are The After Effects: I think we can now not so extraordinary at all. In this state see why an essentially physiological the outside world is no longer real, event can change people's lives so and inner worlds are. Whatever we profoundly. The experience has jolted can imagine clearly enough will seem their usual (and erroneous) view of real. And what will we imagine when the relationship between themselves we know we are dying? I am sure for and the world. We all too easily many people it is the world they expect assume that we are some kind of or hope to see. Their minds may turn persistent entity inhabiting a perish­ to people they have known who have able body. But, as the Buddha taught died before them or to the world they we have to see through that illusion. hope to enter next. Like the other The world is only a construction of images we have been considering, an information-processing system, these will seem perfectly real. and the self is too. I believe that the Finally, there are those aspects of NDE gives people a glimpse into the the NDE that are ineffable—they nature of their own minds that is hard cannot be put into words. I suspect to get any other way. Drugs can that this is because some people take produce it temporarily, mystical expe­ yet another step, a step into nonbeing. riences can do it for rare people, and I shall try to explain this by asking long years of practice in meditation another question. What is conscious­ or mindfulness can do it. But the NDE ness? If you say it is a thing, another can out of the blue strike anyone and body, a substance, you will only get show them what they never knew into the kinds of difficulty we got into before, that their body is only that— with OBEs. I prefer to say that a lump of flesh—that they are not so consciousness is just what it is like very important after all. And that is being a mental model. In other words, a very freeing and enlightening all the mental models in any person's experience. mind are all conscious, but only one And Afterwards? If my analysis of is a model of "me." This is the one the NDE is correct, we can extrapolate that I think of as myself and to which to the next stage. Lack of oxygen first I relate everything else. It gives a core produces increased activity through to my life. It allows me to think that disinhibition, but eventually it all I am a person, something that lives stops. Since it is this activity that on all the time. It allows me to ignore produces the mental models that give the fact that "I" change from moment rise to consciousness, then all this will to moment and even disappear every cease. There will be no more expe­ night in sleep. rience, no more self, and so that, as Now when the brain comes close far as my constructed self is con­ to death, this model of self may simply cerned, is the end. fall apart. Now there is no self. It is So, are NDEs in or out of the body?

44 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 I should say neither, for neither breaking in large-scale nervous activity. experiences nor selves have any International journal of Quantum Chem­ location. It is finally death that istry, 22:1059-1082. Georgeson, M. A., and M. A. Harris. 1978. dissolves the illusion that we are a Apparent foveo-fugal drift of counter- solid self inside a body. phase gratings. Perception, 7:527-536. Grof, S., and J. Halifax. 1977. The Human Encounter with Death. London: Souvenir Note Press. Irwin, H. J. 1986. Perceptual perspectives of In November 1990 1 visited the Netherlands visual imagery in OBEs, dreams and to give two lectures. The first, on parapsy­ reminiscence, journal of the Society for chology, was part of a series organized by Psychical Research, 53:210-217. the Studium Generale of the University of Moody, R. 1975. Life After Life. Covinda, Ga.: Utrecht and titled "Science Confronts the Mockingbird. Paranormal." The second was at the Skepsis Morris, R. L., S. B. Harary, J. Janis, J. Hart- Conference. Skepsis refers to the very active well, and W. G. Roll. 1978. Studies of Dutch skeptics organization called Stichting communication during out-of-body ex­ Skepsis, which means "skeptical foundation." periences, journal of the Society for Cornelis de Jager, professor emeritus in Psychical Research, 72:1-22. astronomy, is the Chair. Skepsis was estab­ Morse, ]., P. Castillo, D. Venecia, J. Milstein, lished in 1987 and publishes the journal and D. C. Tyler. 1986. Childhood near- . also publishes death experiences. American journal of conference proceedings and monographs on Diseases of Children, 140:1110-1114. subjects like reincarnation, , and Morse, J., D. Venecia, and J. Milstein. 1989. . As its purpose is to educate the Near-death experiences: A neurophysio- public, Skepsis received a starting grant from logical explanatory model, journal of the government but is now self-supporting, Near-Death Studies, 8:45-53. thanks to many generous donations. This is Ring, K. 1980. Life at Death. New York: the lecture I presented at the organization's Coward, McCann & Geoghegan. 1990 conference, on "Belief in the Para­ . 1986. Heading Toward Omega. New normal." York: Morrow. Saavedra-Aguilar, J. C, and J. S. Gomez- Jeria. 1989. journal of Near-Death Studies, References 7:205-222. Sabom, M. 1982. Recollections of Death. New Barrett, W. 1926. Death-bed Visions. London: York: Harper & Row.. Methuen. Sagan, C. 1979. Broca's Brain. New York: Blackmore, S. J. 1982a. Beyond the Body. Random House. London: Heinemann. Schoonmaker, F. 1979. Denver cardiologist . 1982b. Birth and the OBE: An un­ discloses findings after 18 years of near- helpful analogy, journal of the American death research. Anabiosis, 1:1-2. Society for Psychical Research, 77:229-238. Sheils, D. 1978. A cross-cultural study of . 1984. A postal survey of OBEs and beliefs in out-of-the-bodv experiences. other experiences, journal of the Society journal of the Society for Psychical Research, for Psychical Research, 52:225-244. 49:697-741. . 1987. Where am I? Perspectives in Tart, C. T. 1978. A psychophysiological imagery and the out-of-body experience. study of out-of-the-body experiences in journal of Mental Imagery, 11:53-66. a selected subject, journal of the Society . 1988. Do we need a new psychical for Psychical Research, 62:3-27. research? journal of the Society for Psychical Research, 55:49-59. Susan Blackmore is with the Department Blackmore, S. J., and T. S. Troscianko. 1989. The physiology of the tunnel, journal of of Psychology, University of Bristol, and Near-Death Studies, 8:15-28. the Department of Social Sciences at the Cowan, J. D. 1982. Spontaneous symmetry University of Bath.

Fall 1991 45 Multicultural Pseudoscience Spreading Scientific Illiteracy Among Minorities—Part I i

BERNARD ORTIZ DE MON7ELLANO

here is general agreement that minorities are underrepresented in science and engi­ Tneering. There is also agreement that it would be useful to give young people in minority groups examples of the role minority researchers play and have played in science. Unfortunately, one widely distributed attempt to do this will increase scientific illiteracy and impede the recruitment of African-American children into scientific careers. In 1987, the Portland, Oregon, school district One attempt to published the African-American Baseline Essays, introduce a set of six essays to be read by all teachers and whose contents are to be infused into the Afrocentric teaching of various subjects in all grades. The science curricula purpose of the essays is to provide resource materials and references for teachers so that will set back they can use the knowledge and contributions efforts to increase of Africans and African-Americans in their classes. The Science Baseline Essay, titled "African the number of and African-American Contributions to Science minority scientists and Technology" (Adams 1990), was written by Hunter Haviland Adams, who claims to be a and instead will research scientist at Argonne National Labor­ increase science atory. Actually, Adams is an industrial-hygiene illiteracy. technician who "does no research on any topic at Argonne," and his highest degree is a high school diploma (Baurac 1991). The Science Baseline Essay follows a pattern familiar to students of pseudoscience. It is a farrago of extraordinary claims with little or no evidence; it argues for the existence of the paranormal and advocates the use of religion as a part of the scientific paradigm. No distinc-

46 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 tion is made between information drawn from popular magazines, van­ "The Science Baseline Essay ity press books, and the scientific literature, and quotations are often is a farrago of extraordinary not attributed or are not accurate. claims with little or no There are a number of references to the existence and scientific validity of evidence; it argues for the the paranormal in the context of its existence of the paranormal and use by the ancient Egyptians. In this work, Egyptians are considered to be advocates the use of religion as black and their culture is claimed as a part of the scientific ancestral to African-Americans. Adams mentions the use of the paradigm." zodiac and of "astropsychological treatises" by Egyptians. He clearly suffer from science illiteracy. Thus implies that it is science. Elsewhere he this essay, endorsed by a school has stated that astrology is based in district, prepared by someone identified science and that "at birth every living as a research scientist at Argonne, and thing has a celestial serial number or written using scientific-sounding frequency power spectrum" (Adams jargon, is certain to influence some 1987). The Science Baseline Essay also teachers to accept psi as a scientifically states that the ancient Egyptians were valid concept. The effect will be that "famous as masters of psi, precogni­ many minority—and majority—chil­ tion, , remote viewing dren will be taught in their science and other undeveloped human capa­ classes that psi is valid, in addition to bilities." It argues that there is a being subjected to the usual barrage distinction between magic, which is of "New Age" material. not scientific, and "psychoenergetics," Another fundamental problem is which is, but gives no basis to distin­ the claim in the Baseline Essay that guish one from the other. It defines Egyptian religion was supposed to be psychoenergetics as the "multidiscipli- a key organizing principle of Egyptian nary study of the interface and society. This included beliefs such interaction of human consciousness as: (l) Acknowledgment of a Supreme with energy and matter" and states Consciousness or Creative Force, that it is a true scientific discipline. The (2) Existence via Divine Self- essay says that Egyptian professional Organization, (3) A Living Universe, psi engineers, hekau, were able to use (4) Material and Transmaterial Cause these forces efficaciously and that psi and Effect, (5) Consciousness has been researched and demon­ Surviving the Dissolution of the Body, strated in controlled laboratory and and (6) Emphasis on Inner Experiences field experiments today. Apparently for Acquiring Knowledge. According this is why Aaron T. Curtis, who is to the Baseline Essay, Maat represented identified as an electrical engineer and the first set of scientific paradigms and psychoenergeticist, is included in a list was the basis from which "ancient of African-American contributors to Egyptians did all types of scientific science at the same level as Benjamin investigations." Adams admits that Banneker, George Washington Maat's paradigms are antithetical to Carver, and Ernest E. Just. those of Western science. But an The essay is aimed primarily at unsophisticated audience will see the grade-school teachers, many of whom long list of claimed early Egyptian

Fall 1991 47 discoveries and successes in science do not apply when explaining and presented in the Baseline Essay as understanding scientific phenomena, evidence that Maat is equivalent to or when only natural laws may be used. better than the standard scientific The Second Law of Thermodynamics method. This approach, just like that does not have a supernatural or an of the "scientific" creationists, violates ethical component. Its application in the First Amendment's clause on particular cases might have conse­ separation of church and state because quences that raise moral and ethical it confuses the fundamental distinc­ questions, and these might require tion between science, which can only discussion, but this is quite different use natural laws to explain observed from teaching that supernatural (or phenomena, and religion. This distinc­ transmaterial) causes are acceptable tion was crucial in the ruling of Judge explanations in science. Overton in McLean vs. Arkansas that A very basic question is involved teaching "scientific" creationism vio­ in the use of the Baseline Essay. What lated the First Amendment. is its purpose in the curriculum? Do The key question is whether chil­ we want to teach science as it is usually dren in public schools are going to be conceived or do we wish to prosely­ taught that religion (under the guise tize? How is a teacher to present this of "Egyptian science") equals science. section to a class? To say that Egyptian Apart from the questionable consti­ science uses the supernatural, but that tutionality of teaching religion (be it Western science does not, with the Christian or Egyptian) in the public implication that Egyptian science is schools, it will be a great disservice better or equal will only perpetuate to minority children to teach them scientific illiteracy. How will students such a distorted view of what consti­ learn to distinguish science from tutes science. Minorities are already astrology, channeling, crystal healing, greatly underrepresented in science telekinesis, , and the and engineering. Teaching them myriad of other New Age pseudo- pseudoscience will result in making it scientific nonsense that is floating much more difficult for these young about? people to pursue scientific curricula We can also apply to the Baseline because they will face ridicule at the Essay the two basic principles to point they encounter a true science remember when confronting paranor­ class. mal claims (cited by Gill 1991:271): i.e., Egyptian religion and ethics can be that the burden of proof is on the taught in comparative religion courses claimant and that extraordinary claims or in social studies, but that is quite require extraordinary proofs. A a distance from teaching that Egyptian number of outlandish claims about the religion is essential to Egyptian accomplishments of Ancient Egypt are "science" and that it is superior or made with little or no evidence. For equal to "Western" science. Teaching example, on the basis of a creation morality and ethics is compatible with myth in which the word evolved is used, teaching science. Ethical principles like the Baseline Essay claims that Egyp­ honesty, truth, and respect for others tians had a theory of species evolution are involved in science. Science also "at least 2,000 years before Charles involves others, such as justice, Darwin developed his theory. ..." On equality, and avoidance of harm to the basis of a 6" x 7" tailless, bird- others, in evaluating the consequences shaped object found in the Cairo of research. These factors, however, Museum, supposedly a scale model of

48 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 a glider, Adams says that Egyptians of the current pressure on school had full-size gliders 4,000 years ago districts to incorporate multicultural and "used their early planes for travel, material into the classroom and the expeditions, and recreation." The dearth of this kind of material, it has Essay credulously repeats assertions been widely distributed. Hundreds of that certain dimensions of the Great copies of the Baseline Essays have been Pyramid reveal and encode knowledge sent to school districts across the about the 26,000-year cycle of the country. Carolyn Leonard, Coordina­ equinoxes and the acceleration of tor of Multicultural/Multiethnic Edu­ gravity. He also claims that Egyptians cation for the Portland Public Schools, electroplated gold and silver 4,000 has given more than 50 presentations years ago and had developed copper/ on the Baseline Essays. These have been iron batteries some 2,000 years ago. adopted or are being seriously consi- One extended example illustrates the level of argument employed. Without citing a reference, the Essay "Minorities are already greatly states that the Egyptians had an effective pregnancy test: "A sample of underrepresented in science and a woman's urine was sprinkled on engineering. Teaching them growing barley grains; if they failed to grow, the woman was considered pseudoscience will result in not pregnant. Modern experiments show this method was effective in making it much more difficult about 40 percent of tested cases. for these young people to pursue . . ." These purported "modern exper­ iments" show that the Egyptian scientific curricula." method is inferior to flipping a coin; the latter would have a 50-percent dered by school districts as diverse as success rate. The Baseline Essay mis­ Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Chicago, quotes and distorts the true sense of and Washington, D.C. The Baseline the passage. A complete citation from Essay has been used for several years the Berlin Papyrus (Manniche 1989) in Portland, and has been adopted by reads: "Barley [Hordeum vulgare] and the Detroit Public Schools. Hunter emmer [Triticum dicoccum]. The Adams, sponsored by D. C. Heath woman must moisten it with urine Publishers, was a featured speaker at every day like [she does the] dates and a conference to stimulate and to train the sand, after it has been placed in science teachers held by the Detroit two bags. If both grow, she will give Public Schools on April 27, 1991. A birth. If the barley grows, it means workshop on "African Contributions a male child. If the emmer grows, it to Science and Technology" presented means a female child. If neither grows, undiluted material from the Baseline she will not give birth." Since the word Essay, including the use of gliders by for barley in Egyptian is masculine and Egyptians 4,000 years ago, without a that for emmer is feminine, this is a murmur of dissent from an audience classical example of magical proce­ composed of grade-school science dure, which follows the Law of teachers. Similarities used in magical proce­ dures everywhere. Concerned scientists need to develop reliable and scientifically valid The Baseline Essay is a classical curricular material that deals with example of pseudoscience, but because Africa and African Americans. There

Fall 1991 49 is much in Egypt that would be useful, technology. In African-American Baseline shorn of its New Age accretions. For Essays. Portland, Ore.: Multnomah example, the building of the pyramids School District (hereafter cited as Baseline Essay). can be usefully developed into lessons 1987. Lecture at First Melanin Con­ about mechanics, there is interesting ference, San Francisco broadcast by technology involved in irrigation, and WDTR 90.9 FM, Detroit Public School we owe the division of the day and Radio, on September 15, 1990. Baurac, Davis, Director of Public Informa­ night into twelve hours each to the tion, Argonne National Laboratory. Egyptians. Scientists and concerned Letter to Christopher Trey, May 22, citizens need to question their schools 1991. to see if they have adopted or are Gill, S. 1991. Carrying the war into the considering the Baseline Essay. We never-never land of psi. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, 15:269-273. should protest the inclusion of errone­ Manniche, L. 1989. An Ancient Egyptian ous material that makes unsupported Herbal. Museum Publication, pp. 107- claims, introduces religion under the 108. guise of science, and claims that the paranormal exists. The critical need to increase the supply of minority scient­ Bernard Ortiz de Montellano is professor ists requires that they be taught of anthropology at Wayne State Univer­ science at its best rather than a parody. sity, Detroit, Michigan. He is one of the founding members of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native References Americans in Science (SACNAS). His Adams, H. H. 1990. African and African- latest book is Aztec Medicine, Nutrition, American contributions to science and and Health (Rutgers, 1990).

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50 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 Science and Commonsense Skepticism i

JOHN AACH

measure of the task of educating people about the difference between science and AL pseudoscience can be seen in the results of polls occasionally published in the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and other journals. These studies show that even college students, professors, newspaper editors, and policy makers often believe in astrology, past-life regression, and other unscientific theories. A customary re­ sponse to this problem is to encourage objec­ tive, formal studies of the theories, accumulate evidence of their success or failure, and place Common sense the results before the public. The hope is that can often such evidence will persuade, but it does not always do so. A commonly heard argument is encourage that the conditions imposed by critical inves­ skepticism where tigations dispel the paranormal phenomena that are meant to be observed and that negative science cannot. results should be dismissed. Negative evidence Sometimes it can therefore often goes unheard. also be the best I would like to suggest a technique for dealing with this problem, I call it the "method of way to educate commonsense skepticism." It employs informal, people about commonsense arguments to expose gaps in the evidence and the reasoning that are perceived what science is. as supporting unsubstantiated claims. It can also be used to demonstrate the relevance of scientific criticism of such claims to those who are inclined to dismiss it. Commonsense skepticism is a natural com­ plement to the more formal methods of critiquing paranormal claims encouraged by CSICOP. And, within its limitations, it also has a role to play in educating people about the nature of science.

Fall 1991 Commonsense Skepticism keep the discussion from degenerating into mere ad hominem argument. No intelligent person can function in Where references to formal studies is today's world without a healthy dose made, but the findings rejected, the of skepticism about at least some kinds method moves to illustrate the con­ of commonplace claims, and without tinuity of formal studies with accepted some propensity to evaluate the evi­ articles of common sense. dence for and against them. These The following examples illustrate tendencies are rudimentary forms of these points. The first two show how the kinds of reasoning and observa­ the method can lead people to recon­ tion employed in science. Common- sider previously accepted conclusions sense skepticism relies on the fact that and the perceived evidence for them. most people have an elementary The third shows how it can help critical faculty to expose gaps in the overcome the dismissal of negative kind of reasoning perceived as sup­ scientific evidence. porting unsubstantiated claims. Example 1: A group of people at Because this method is primarily a work were discussing a hypnotist to form of criticism, it is not generally whom others had gone to quit smok­ suited to the rigorous evaluation of ing. One person, X (not in the group), the actual truth or falsity of such had reportedly gone to the hypnotist claims; only more formal methods are with her husband and several co­ adequate to do that. But it has one workers. The hypnotist had asked advantage over formal methods: while them all to stand up, close their eyes, negative results from formal studies and form an image in their mind of do not always convince a person to something other than smoking. X said reconsider acceptance of a claim, a she heard a hissing sound and opened good commonsense reason for ques­ her eyes just enough to see him tioning it often can. The common- standing rigidly in front of her with sense reason can even persuade a his eyes closed and sucking air person to take formal critiques of the through his teeth—after which he claim more seriously. moved on to the next person. For the Since the method is informal, I can first few days afterward, X still felt give only some brief indications of a strong urge to smoke. She called up how and when it can be used. It works the hypnotist, who told her she had well in informal discussions about formed an image of the wrong kind unsupported claims and seems espe­ of thing (a cup of coffee) and she cially well suited to deal with para­ should return for a second treatment. normal claims. It demands only a Her urge to smoke did decrease after recounting of perceived evidence for this second visit for a similar treat­ the claim and a liberal use of common ment, nearly a week after the first. sense. Discussions are usually She gave the hypnotist considerable friendly, since those who believe the credit for breaking her smoking habit, claim are in center stage but don't have as did most of the people in the group to defend themselves against author­ discussing the incident. itative pronouncements from more A lively debate arose and several rigorous, formal studies. At the same alternative explanations of the inci­ time, detailed consideration not only dent were laid out. It was not clear of the deficiencies of the perceived that the hypnotist did anything at all, evidence but also of the strengths of since X reported no reduction in the possible alternative evidences helps urge to smoke until a week later—

52 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 when the worst withdrawal symp­ replied, "how did you know you were toms might have passed on their own. ?" She had to admit that this Peer pressure could also have been a incident was not, in fact, evidence for factor. She had gone to the hypnotist dowsing. with her husband and several co­ Example 3: At a family dinner, Z workers and none of them would want described her belief in . I to be the first to break rank. Still, the replied that I was skeptical of telepathy consensus was that "it worked," since as I understood that science had so many people had succeeded in apparently found no sound support quitting, and that the hypnotist should for it. She said that science could not get some credit for this. be expected to detect telepathy since I opposed this opinion on the unsympathetic skepticism inhibits it. following grounds: Even if we I replied that I thought of science assumed that something about the mainly as a method of assuring that procedure helped X and the others conclusions were based on sound stop smoking, the group was claiming evidence and that I could see no reason more than that by saying "it worked." telepathy would not show up in What was the it? The hypnotist's scientific studies if it existed. What, standing in front of the group and I asked her, was her evidence for sucking air through his teeth? When telepathy? we discussed this, nobody could quite Z replied that she and her sister believe that this act could help break used to have a special rapport. When a smoking habit, and there were no her sister was in one part of the house further claims to the effect that the and thought something, Z would hypnotist should get credit. know what she was thinking, and vice Example 2: Y's father was well versa. I asked if she thought it would known as a dowser. When we visited have made a difference if someone else her parents' house, Y's father tried to were in the house with her and her show me how to dowse, saying anyone sister and took note of exactly what could do it. Part of his procedure conditions were in effect as it hap­ involved my holding one fork of a pened. She said it would not. I replied dowsing rod while he held the other. that this would be little different from I noticed that, when he relaxed his grip what a scientific investigation of this on his fork and the stick dropped by rapport would be like, except that the its own weight, it felt on my side very scientist might ask to set the condi­ much as if it was being pulled down. tions to see what effects they might I speculated that unconscious relax­ have. She now agreed that a scientific ation of one's grip when holding both study of telepathy could be of value. forks might make one think the stick was being pulled down by some Limitations of the Method external agency. Y strongly denied that this was so, The third example is a good instance saying she had felt the stick being of what may be the main limitation pulled down and had not relaxed her of the method of commonsense skep­ grip. She took this as evidence for ticism. Whereas in the first two dowsing. I asked her if, in fact, there examples people actually revised their was water under the spot where the opinions about paranormal claims and stick dropped, and she said that she the perceived evidence for them, it is had never checked. "Then regardless doubtful that Z changed her mind of what happened with the stick," I about the existence of telepathic

Fall 1991 53 communication with her sister or formal studies can determine the what she perceived as evidence for it. truth of such claims.) But purported Z conceded only that science could diagnoses and treatments that do not have something to say about whether involve commonplace things, e.g., telepathy exists, but did not think the and reflexology, are harder negative evidence science had accum­ targets for precisely that reason— ulated was in any way relevant to her. since anatomy, physiology, the etiol­ Doubtless, she felt quite the oppo­ ogy of disease, and the feelings of well- site—that a scientific study of her being of the practioners' subjects are rapport with her sister would have all generally beyond common knowl­ substantiated the existence of tele­ edge. pathy. While commonsense skepticism The source of this limitation is not may not be able to directly induce hard to find: While the key points reconsideration of a claim in such raised in the first two examples turn cases, it may yet have an indirect effect on issues easily adjudicated by com­ if it succeeds in demonstrating the mon sense, the question of telepathy relevance of science, as it did in Z's in the last one cannot be. Everyone case. For this imposes an obligation knows the limits of the effects in the to deal with scientific evidence against everyday world of thoughts of cups the claim. A person in Z's situation of coffee and sucking air through one's might well feel compelled to put her teeth, and everyone knows that dows­ own claim of paranormal powers to ing means more than feeling a stick a scientific test, or to show why the drop. As a result, when those discuss­ negative scientific evidence does not ing the first two paranormal claims apply to her case. Both of these are realized that the reasoning advanced advances from an initial position that in their favor conflicted with this entirely rejects science. common knowledge, they imme­ diately acknowledged it as a challenge Commonsense Skepticism and to their beliefs and revised them accordingly. But the psychology of Z Science Education and her sister is not common knowl­ To learn a science is, among other edge, so commonsense doubts about things, to learn a discipline for for­ this particular rapport between them mulating well-defined claims about cannot be raised. the world and comparing them in a The effects of this limitation can controlled way with experience. There be quite conspicuous. Purported med­ is more to science than just this, of ical treatments provide good examples course. Science also aims to build up for comparison. A treatment that organized bodies of such claims and, supposedly removed allergens from where possible, to construct compre­ foods by shining a light on them when hensive theories that explain them. placed over a magnet was an easy But organization and theory-building target for commonsense doubts, since are not unique to science (consider, most people are well acquainted with e.g., law or philosophy), while formu­ magnets, lights, and allergies. (Of lation and confirmation of well- course, such doubts may yet be defined claims about the world is. If resisted by those committed to the this discipline is lacking, even one idea of such treatments, and they do thoroughly versed in scientific theo­ not constitute actual proof that the ries may be said not to know science.1 treatments are ineffective; again only To acquire this discipline can involve

54 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 mastering specialized languages for method can go considerably further, stating claims (e.g., mathematics) and as seen in a continuation of Exam­ highly technical methods of acquiring ple 2. and evaluating experience (e.g., special Example 2 (continued): Y still insisted instruments of observation and the­ that there was something to dows­ ories of observational error). ing, saying that it should not be Despite this, scientists and philos­ dismissed simply because there was no ophers have long insisted that science explanation for it. I replied that I has its roots in common sense. If so, would not need an explanation for the method of commonsense skepti­ dowsing to accept its existence, but cism may have some role to play in only good evidence for it. W then teaching people what science is and asked if I meant I wanted some­ how it differs from pseudoscience. thing like a cause; I said no, more like That this seems true may be seen by a "track record." I explained myself by reflecting once more on the examples reference to the recent discovery of above. These suggest that common- the HIV virus, pointing out that until sense skepticism addresses a deficit then nothing like a cause or explana­ that must be dealt with before disci­ tion of AIDS had been known, but that plined confirmation of claims about scientists had developed a profile of the world can take place. the disease from epidemiological data Part of what goes into calling that identified its principal manifesta­ scientific claims "well defined" is that tions, modes of transmission, and so they must be articulated in terms on. If a confirmed record were avail­ whose meanings are not allowed to able of how and when dowsing suc­ change over the course of their ceeded, I would be convinced of its scientific employment. The key de­ existence. Y and I went on to discuss velopment in Example 1, however, what might be needed to provide a was to expose a term that had no clear track record for dowsing and why reference—the it in the claim "it the kinds of accounts of dowsing she worked"—and to show that the claim and her father provided were inade­ was unacceptable as soon as its quate for this (e.g., they lacked reference was made specific. In Exam­ controls and took no account of the ple 2, as well, the main issue revolved high probability that water can be about a case of shifting meaning— found at random because it is so here, for the term dowsing. Only by common). forgetting that "dowsing" means feeling a stick drop in response to the The Task of Science Education presence of water could Y jump to the conclusion that she was actually To see why the task of educating the dowsing on the occasion mentioned. public about science may require some When the error was pointed out to form of commonsense skepticism first her, she immediately modified her demands that we recognize the pecu­ claim. liar nature of this task: While the In this way, commonsense skepti­ enterprise of science demands that cism helps lay some important scientists be educated about science, groundwork for learning about sci­ science as a form of inquiry does not ence and so can contribute to science demand that it be understood by most education. But by dealing with the people. The fact that polls show that question of possible alternative evi­ most people misunderstand or reject dences for unsupported claims, the science is not a problem for science

Fall 1991 55 per se, but for societies that depend The important point is that in two on science. of the world's oldest and most Polls are data. They describe the prominent democracies at least nine opinions or levels of knowledge pos­ out of ten citizens lack the scientific literacy to understand and partici­ sessed by certain groups of people, but pate in the formulation of public not what opinions or knowledge they policy on a very important segment should possess. That large numbers of of their national political agendas.3 educated people do not accept science is simply a fact, not a problem, until The key point here is that the a value judgment is made that wide­ forces demanding that the public spread scientific knowledge is impor­ understand science are largely inde­ tant. Obviously, anyone who denies pendent of the burden of the task the value of science can take comfort itself.4 But this burden is not small. only in data showing that a scientific If the differences between science and world-view is unpopular. But until pseudoscience were easily grasped, the recent times even scientists and problem of widespread misunder­ philosophers often simply took it for standing of science would never have granted that to behold deep truths was arisen. One need not be elitist, nor the privilege of a select few. assume with La Mettrie that ignor­ In 1748, La Mettrie wrote: ance is voluntary, to suppose that it is likely that there will always be large It is not enough for a wise man to numbers of people who will only grasp study nature and truth; he should it with difficulty.5 dare state truth for the benefit of As researchers explore the depths the few who are willing and able and causes of public misunderstanding to think. As for the rest, voluntary of science, remedies are already being slaves to prejudice, they can no more attain truth, than frogs can sought in improvements to science fly.* curricula and methods of teaching science. Significant progress is no doubt possible. But given the difficulty La Mettrie's example, by no means of the lesson to be taught (not to unique, shows that the judgment that mention the fact that such improve­ widespread scientific knowledge is ments will not affect the multitudes valuable is not intrinsic to science whose schooling is already over), it is itself. Such a value must have come, not too much to suggest that there in part, from outside science, and some will be a persistent need to teach and of its modern sources are not hard to reinforce it with the aid of more find. Today, more than ever before familiar things. Thus, since common- (and probably since the Industrial sense skepticism can help convey some Revolution), science confers power, of the main features of science by and its cultivation and control is means of things everyone can be recognized as a social and political expected to know, it may always have necessity. But this requires that a place in educating the public about scientific knowledge be widespread. science. As Jon Miller of Northern Illinois University recently noted in connec­ tion with a poll he and John Durant Notes of Oxford University conducted on scientific literacy in the 1. Richard Feynmann once described a university in Brazil where physics students and Great Britain: could solve problems and manipulate phys-

56 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 ical concepts in the abstract but could not scientific. In an age marked by the Chernobyl relate them to the world. Thus, students nuclear accident, the first finding surely could answer questions in the abstract about represents a more pressing educational how light reflected from a surface would be problem than the second, even though the polarized, but did not know that the light second reveals a serious misunderstanding reflected from the bay outside was polarized. of what science is about. One obvious way Feynmann challenged the university with to argue that science education should teach the claim that "no science is being taught in the nature as well as the results of science Brazil" (Richard P. Feynmann, Surely You're is to claim, presumably with Miller, that joking, Mr. Feynmann, Bantam Books, 1985, policy issues involving science cannot pp. 191-198). There is some danger that rationally be decided unless the public knows excessive concern with polls that test public both. knowledge of scientific facts may obscure 5. Regular literacy, as opposed to scien­ this point. tific literacy, yields a useful parallel here. 2. Julien Offroy de La Mettrie, Man the George Miller has recently noted that Machine, annotated by Gertrude Carman economic and technological developments in Bussey (Open Court: La Salle, 1912), p. 85. society now demand that more people meet 3. Barbara J. Culliton, "The Dismal State higher standards of literacy than have been of Scientific Literacy," Science, 243:600. Also required in the past, and argues that it may reported in David Swinbanks, "Science no longer be reasonable to assume that all Literacy Found Wanting in the United States people can and should be made to meet the and Britain," Nature, 337, no. 6206, p. 400. same high standard (George A. Miller, "The The quotation (from Miller) and statistics in Challenge of Universal Literacy," Science, note 4 below are from the Science article. 241:1293-1299). 4. The point is also important because it shows that there is a need to justify the claim that science education should communicate John Aach (234 South St., Chestnut Hill, not only the results of science but also an accurate picture of what science is. Lacking MA 02167) holds a Ph.D. in "Inter­ this, it may well be judged socially more disciplinary Studies: Philosophy and important to communicate the former at the Psychology" from Boston University and expense of the latter. Miller and Durant works for the John Hancock Mutual disclosed that 35 percent of those surveyed in both countries thought radioactive milk Insurance Company as network software could be made safe by boiling, and that 88 consultant. He has taught philosophy at percent of Americans thought astrology was Bentley College.

OUT THERE Rob Pudim

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Fall 1991 57 Spook Hill: Angular Illusion ******

GUSS WILDER

ars and oranges roll uphill, baffling scientists? This is the sort of stuff you Cexpect to see in the National Enquirer. But if you picked up the October 25,1990, Wall Street Journal, you saw a headline in the middle of the front page proclaiming: "Spook Hill Baffles Scientists, Defies Laws of Gravity." While this spot in their paper is traditionally devoted to human-interest and local-color stories with only a tenuous link to financial matters, this particular article on Spook Hill was Do cars really roll unusually lacking in factual substance. Spook Hill is located in the city of Lake Wales up Spook Hill? The in central Florida. It involves a public street that, Wall Street Journal when viewed from one approach, has the appearance of sloping somewhat downward seemed to think before rising up a steeper slope. Signs at the so. location direct cars to drive forward and stop at the apparent low point. At that point, when the car is put into neutral, it rolls backwards— apparently uphill. The illusion is quite striking, and the location has been a minor attraction for decades. It is, however, just an illusion, nothing more. The contours of the surrounding terrain combined with the twists in the approach road lead the viewer's senses astray. When viewed from any angle other than from the designated approach road, the alleged "low point" is obviously higher than the road behind it. A substantial portion of the visitors never get out of their cars to size up the situation properly and drive away with bewildered looks on their faces. The street has been made one-way, so drivers cannot turn around and get the very different perspective driving back down the steep hill. It is an interesting study of human nature just to watch the befuddled people who stop their cars, look around a while, and finally

58 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 get that "Now I see it!" look on their faces. One wonders how it was that Robert Johnson, the Wall Street Journal reporter, happened to miss what was there for anyone to see. Most reported strange pheno­ mena are not usually available for firsthand investigation—a fleeting Loch Ness monster, for instance. But since this one is quite accessible, View from approach leads the eye to believe the road negligence in reporting is goes slightly downhill. (Photo by Guss Wilder) inexcusable. Does the Wall Street Journal expect its reporters to know "up" from "down"? According to Johnson, a reporter (unnamed) placed a carpenter's level on the slope and verified that the hill sloped upward in the direction the cars rolled. It only takes a moment's y ;• r thought about how a level works to question I. -. this observation. Why is it that the water in a level Side view of same section of street shows its uphill would be drawn in one inclination. (Photo by Guss Wilder) direction while cars and oranges are drawn in the opposite chologist—whose titles and back­ direction? Bringing my own level to grounds would seem to give them the site, and checking three different prima facie respectability among points on the slope, I found that the scientific thinkers. The quotations, downward direction, according to the however, did not seem to deal with level, was the direction that the cars actual observations of the site. Cur­ rolled. Further, any dutifully obser­ ious as to whether they were truly vant reporter would have noticed the representative of the observations and storm drain positioned at the true low conclusions of those quoted, Gary point of the road to which the cars Posner, founder of the Tampa Bay roll "up." At least the city engineers Skeptics, was able to contact two of knew the low point when they built the quoted scientists. Jack A. Kapchan, the street. a University of Miami psychologist, Under a "Scientists Baffled" sub­ stated, "Without any data, I am unable heading, the article quotes from four to advance any hypothesis explaining people—three geologists and a psy- the phenomenon. Therefore I am

Fall 1991 50 was mistreated in the editing depart­ ment. According to Eric Pera, a Time Hypes Hill Too reporter for the Lakeland Ledger, Johnson grew up in that area of The Wall Street Journal isn't the Florida, and he quotes Johnson as only national news publication saying of his visit, "I went as a skeptic, recently to hype Spook Hill. In and I returned a skeptic." If Johnson Time magazine's May 27, 1991, really was a skeptic, it did not show cover story on Orlando, Florida up in his article. While this was ("Fantasy's Reality"), the weekly certainly not a "hard" news article, newsmagazine, in a sidebar there are many people in the world entitled "Strange But True," who will assume that if a Wall Street said: "The oddest natural curi­ journal reporter was confounded, osity in the area is Spook Hill, there must be a "real" phenomenon 50 miles south of Disney World, there. To have preserved its integrity where drivers can shift their cars as a solid source of information, and into neutral and mysteriously to have made a worthwhile contribu­ roll backward 'up' toward the tion to the education of the public, the top." Journal should have stated unequiv­ ocally that Spook Hill was an amusing illusion, well worth the current price inclined to go with the optical-illusion of admission (free). explanation. However, I hope to visit the site in the very near future." Contrary to suggestions in the Another WSJ interviewee, Anthony article, it appears that there is no Randazzo, of the University of Florida serious intent to charge a fee for this Geology Department, stated bluntly attraction. So, after you have blown that he had never visited the site, that the family vacation fund at Disney he was quoted out of context (in a way World, drive over to Lake Wales for that implied a true gravitational this. Even after you figure it out, it's anomaly may exist there), and that he still fun to watch the string of tourists did not wish to continue to be involved mulling it over. And if you are looking in such "foolishness." So where are for a reliable news source for your the "Baffled Scientists" alluded to— investment considerations, well. . . perhaps they are vacationing in the Bermuda Triangle (also referred to in Guss Wilder is a computer programmer the article). who resides in central Florida and is a It could be that Johnson's report member of the Tampa Bay Skeptics.

60 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 Lucian and Alexander Debunking in Classical Style

WALTER F. ROWE

n the year A.D. 164 a middle-aged gentleman paid a visit to the town of Abonuteichos on I the southern coast of the Black Sea. That he was an important personage was shown by his escort of two Roman soldiers. He had come to meet the most prominent citizen of Abonutei­ chos: the prophet Alexander, founder and leader Lucian's exposure of the cult of Glykon, the human-headed snake god. He found Alexander surrounded by a mob of Alexander the of worshipful locals. As Alexander extended his quack prophet hand in greeting, the visitor bowed as if to kiss the proffered hand and then sank his teeth into began a long line it in a savage bite. of writings Thus did Alexander the quack prophet meet exposing his future biographer, Lucian of Samosata. Like the cynic philosopher Diogenes (who used a fraudulent cults, lantern in daylight to search for an honest man), tricksters, and Lucian continued to clamp his teeth into rogues, albeit in a figurative rather than a literal sense. charlatans that Lucian's satire on the life of Alexander of continues to this Abonuteichos, Alexander; or The False Prophet, immortalized Alexander as the archetype of the day. cosmic scoundrel and charlatan. It proved to be the beginning of a long line of writings exposing fraudulent religious cults and assailing rogues and charlatans generally. James Randi's expo­ sures of tricksters and swindlers in Flim-Flam! and The Faith-Healers are just the most recent skirmishes in a battle whose first shots were fired by Lucian. As Lucian tells the story, Alexander was born in Abonuteichos of undistinguished parents. One of his lovers, a disciple of Apollonius of Tyana (founder of another well-known cult) became his mentor and taught him all the tricks

Fall 1991 of the strolling mountebank. Eventu­ and started to dig the foundations. ally, Alexander took up with a partner, Alexander was by now back in Abo­ an astrologer nicknamed "Nutsy." nuteichos, sporting the appropriate Together, they traveled about swin­ ensemble of a high-class prophet: dling the local "fatheads." Their flowing hair, purple shirt, and scim­ biggest score was a wealthy woman itar, in the style of Perseus. Alexander who had come to Bithynia from had manufactured a Sibylline oracle Macedon many years before. When identifying Abonuteichos as the birth­ she decided to return to Macedon they place of a prophet. The oracle included tagged along. In Macedon, Alexander a cryptogram identifying Alexander as and his colleague first encountered the the prophesied one. local breed of snakes. These were quite enormous; at the same time they One who will show, first, the were also docile and harmless. Alex­ primary unit, then a decade ander and Nutsy cooked up a scheme thrice over, for using one of these snakes to Followed by five other units, then establish an oracle to rival Delphi. twenty plus twenty plus twenty; After some debate, the would-be Numerals four which add up to the name of a man to defend us! prophets decided on Abonuteichos as the site of their oracle: the town and (Primary unit = 1; decade thrice surrounding province of Pontus over = 30; 5 other units = 5; and 20 would provide an ample supply of plus 20 plus 20 = 60. In the Greek way superstitious rubes, better provided of using letters of the alphabet to with money than brains. represent numbers, 1 + 30 + 5 + 60 To launch their enterprise, they would be written A, L, E, X. "A man" planted bronze tablets in the sanctu­ is andr- and "to defend" is alex.) ary of Apollo at Chalcedon. The The final step was the epiphany of inscriptions on the tablets stated that Alexander's god. One night he buried Asclepius and his father Apollo were a blown-out goose egg in the exca­ moving forthwith to Abonuteichos. vation for the new temple's founda­ When the citizens of Abonuteichos tions. He had placed a baby snake in heard of this miraculous event, they the eggshell and carefully sealed it up immediately voted to erect a temple with white wax and white lead. The next day Alexander, clad only in a gold brocade G-string, appeared in the main square of town. Babbling ecstat­ ically and incoherently (except for the frequent words Apollo and Asclepius), he drew an awed crowd. He led his audience to the site of the temple, where after singing some hymns he scooped up the previously buried egg and cracked it open to reveal the baby snake, which he claimed to be Asclepius. Alexander hurried home, where he lay low for several days to let the suspense build and allow the word of the miraculous birth to spread throughout

62 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 the surrounding province. Finally, Alexander let the frenzied mob in to view a further miracle: the baby snake had grown to enormous size virtually overnight and now had the head of a man! The snake was of course one of the tame Macedonian variety; Alexander had wrapped it An early Roman coin bearing an image of Glykon. around his body so that the (from Harold Mattingly's Roman Coins from the head was tucked under his arm, Earliest Times to the Fall of the Western Empire, out of sight. A linen mask pro­ Methuen, London, 1967). vided the god's human face. Eventually the human-headed snake As his oracle grew in fame and (now named Glykon) would grace stature, Alexander created a three-day pictures, models, and statuettes— mystery ceremony (like that con­ even the coinage of Abonuteichos. ducted at Eleusis). After an expulsion Having equipped himself with a ritual in which Epicureans and Chris­ god, Alexander went into the oracle tians were enjoined to be gone, the business in a big way. He directed ceremony presented in turn the births those seeking predictions to write of Apollo, his son Asclepius, and the their queries on scrolls, which they new god Glykon. It ended with the were to seal with wax or clay. He love affair of Alexander and the would then take the scrolls to the god; goddess Selene. Throughout, Alex­ they would later be returned to the ander made sure his flowing robes clients, seals intact, but with the frequently parted to show his golden answers to their questions miracu­ thigh (a piece of gilded leather tied lously written underneath. Alexander over his upper leg). This golden thigh had mastered several tricks of the led to learned speculation by some trade: with a hot needle, he would cut university professors about whether through the wax underneath the Alexander had the soul of Pythagoras impressed seal, read the contents of or merely one similar to it. (One the scroll, add an appropriate pro­ cannot but be forcefully reminded nouncement below the question, and here of the disgraceful role played by then restore the seal by a second various "professors" in validating the passage of the hot needle; alterna­ spurious claims of certain psychics.) tively, he would make a cast of the Needless to say, occasionally the impression on the seal, using a quick- oracle's predictions did not work out. setting plaster, break the seal, carry On one occasion, the governor of out the necessary hocus-pocus, and Cappadocia, Marcus Sedatius Severi- then make a new wax or clay seal with anus, sought a prophecy before he the cast of the original. Later, for an marched his forces into Armenia to appropriately enhanced fee, Alex­ battle the Parthians. Upon receipt of ander had Glykon deliver prophecies a favorable prediction, Severianus set in person: the windpipes of some birds out to do battle with the Parthians. were fitted together and inserted into When Severianus and his forces were the back of the linen mask; a confed­ unfortunately (and unexpectedly) erate outside the room provided the annihilated by the Parthian king, voice of the god. Alexander quickly substituted an

Fall 1991 63 unfavorable prediction for the pre­ suffered a catastrophic defeat. In the vious favorable one. (Many modern face of this apparently failed predic­ psychics, such as Jeane Dixon, have tion, Alexander blandly pointed out developed the manufacture of the that the god had prophesied victory "retrodiction" to a high art.) without specifying whether it was to Even when Alexander could not be Rome's or the enemy's. Alexander fudge the record in this way, the true also tried to get the emperor to change believers who sought auguries from the name of Abonuteichos to Ionopolis Glykon found it easy to explain away and permit the city to issue a coin with misfired predictions. When Publius Glykon's image on it. (This campaign Mummius Sisenna Rutilianus, a was ultimately successful. Abonutei­ prominent Roman official, sought chos became Ionopolis, a vestige of this Glykon's advice about an appropriate name being preserved down to the teacher for his son, the oracle directed: present by the Turkish village of "Choose thou Pythagoras. Choose the Ineboli that occupies its site. Examples great poet and teacher of battle." of the coinage showing Glykon may Within days of this pronouncement be seen in many museums.) the boy died. Rutilianus immediately Lucian had tried to influence Ruti­ saw the true import of the god's lianus against his marriage to Alex­ advice: his son was to be taught by ander's daughter. This was in vain, Pythagoras and Homer, both of whom because Rutilianus, although other­ were dead! wise a reasonable man and a respon­ From Abonuteichos the influence sible public official, was virtually of Alexander's cult spread into the insane on the subject of religion. To surrounding provinces. Eventually it expose the bogus oracle, Lucian sent spread to Italy and Rome (partly hoax inquiries to the shrine: through the sponsorship of Rutilia­ nus, whom Alexander dominated to Query: Is Alexander bald? (Appar­ such an extent that in response to an ently he wore a wig to disguise oracle he married Alexander's daugh­ the fact.) ter). Members of the imperial court Answer: Sabardalchu malach Attis sought advice from Glykon, their was different. questions providing Alexander with much information about political He submitted under different names undercurrents at Rome as well as two hoax scrolls bearing the question: unsurpassed opportunities for black­ "Where was Homer born?" (This was mail. Even the emperor Marcus Aure- a trick question in that one possible lius was not immune to Alexander's answer was the town of Amastris, a blandishments. During the Marco- political and commercial rival of mannic War, Alexander sent the Abonuteichos with whose Epicureans emperor an oracle directing him to Alexander had a longstanding feud.) throw two live lions into the Danube. The first scroll was submitted by one of Lucian's servants, who responded Whereupon there shall come in an to Alexander's probing questions that instant his master wanted a treatment for a Victory, glory bounding, and with pain in the side. it the peace we so cherish. Answer: Rub it, I bid, with a "cyt- The sacrifice was duly performed mis" plus foam from the mouth and the Roman forces immediately of a race horse.

64 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 When the second scroll was presented, would prevent him from punishing Lucian let Alexander overhear that Alexander even if he were caught in the questioner wanted to know flagrante delicto. whether to go to Italy by ship or by Alexander's life ended with land. another failed prophecy: he had predicted that he would live to be 150 Answer: Ships I forbid thee—the and die by being struck by lightning. way across land with thy feet He did not live half so long, dying shalt thou follow. before the age of 70 of a gangrenous leg. Lucian also submitted a scroll on the As good skeptics we should be outside of which he had written that willing to ask how much, if any, of it was a request for eight oracles. In Lucian's tale of Alexander of Abonu­ fact the scroll contained the single teichos is true. For a long time, question: "When will Alexander the classical scholars regarded Lucian's quack magician be caught?" Needless Alexander as an example of the insig­ to say the eight oracles supplied were, nificance of the targets of Lucian's as lawyers like to say, nonresponsive. personal satires. The most recent Not content to wage his war scholarship has confirmed Lucian, at against shams at long range, Lucian least as far as the broad outlines of took the war into the enemy's coun­ his story are concerned. The cult of try. With an escort supplied by the Glykon was in fact widespread and governor of Cappadocia, Lucian jour­ influential. The name of Abonutei­ neyed to Abonuteichos, where he chos was indeed changed to Ionopolis. greeted Alexander as described at the The city did in fact issue coinage beginning of this article. The enraged bearing the likeness of Glykon. On the believers were about to mob him when other hand, Lucian may have copied Alexander intervened, telling the descriptions of the mechanics of crowd that Glykon could turn even Alexander's oracular frauds from bitter enemies into friends. After a books attacking other oracles. These brief colloquy, in which Alexander circumstantial details may come from reproached Lucian for his advice to Celsus's Against the Magicians (no Rutilianus against the marriage, longer extant) and Hippolytus's Ref­ Lucian found it discrete to pretend a utation of All Heresies. Lucian's per­ new-found friendship for Alexander. sonal tests of Alexander's oracular Alexander for his part arranged for powers may derive from Oenomaus's a boat to carry Lucian on the next Detection of Impostors. It is, however, stage of his journey and deliver him fair to point out that many fraudulent to Amastris. oracles may have used the same tricks, and Lucian may have adopted the On the journey to Amastris Lucian tactic of exposing the fraudulent discovered that the crew had been nature of Alexander's oracle through ordered by Alexander to throw him submission of bogus questions over the side. The captain prevailed because it was likely to be effective. on the men not to harm their pas­ senger and he was set safely ashore. Lucian carried on his war against In revenge, Lucian tried to get up a sham and imposture in many of his lawsuit against Alexander, but Avitus, other writings. All told, his surviving the governor of Bithynia and Pontus, writings comprise nearly 1,300 pages got him to drop the case on the of Greek text. In addition to his grounds that Rutilianus's influence Alexander, Lucian wrote The Death of

Fall 1991 65 Peregrinus, a satire that targeted the All that he [Homer] hath said of Cynic philosopher Peregrinus, who Venus and of Mars his passion is committed suicide in a spectacular act also manifestly composed from no of self-immolation at the Olympic other sources than this science games. [astrology]. Indeed, it is the conjunc­ tion of Venus and Mars that create The influence of Lucian on later the poetry of Homer. writers was profound. His works were imitated, plagiarized, extended, Because Lucian insists on identifying updated, and otherwise mined for Aphrodite with the planet Venus (as usable ideas by noted writers, includ­ did everyone else in antiquity), Veli­ ing Erasmus, Thomas More (Utopia kovsky has to add the following idiotic owes much to Lucian's True History), gloss on the text: Jonathan Swift (Gulliver's Travels is another spinoff of True History), Ben Lucian is unaware that Athene Jonson (the title character of Jonson's is the goddess of the planet Venus The Alchemist strongly resembles and yet he knows the real mean­ Alexander), Christopher Marlowe, ing of the cosmic plot of the and Goethe. Homeric epic, which shows that the sources of his instruction in astrol­ Desiderius Erasmus was the most ogy were cognizant of the facts of influential later writer to draw inspir­ the celestial drama. (Worlds in Col­ ation from Lucian's Alexander. He lision, p. 25lf) prepared one of the first translations of Alexander. The Colloquies of Eras­ Leaving aside the arrogance that leads mus (a collection of readings intended Velikovsky to "correct" the classical for beginning students of Latin) scholarship of a classical author, contains a Lucian-inspired dialogue Velikovsky ignores the possibility entitled "Exorcism or The Spectator," suggested by some classical scholars in which a group of hoaxers expose that Lucian's Astrology was written to the superstition and credulity of a satirize exactly the kind of farfetched foolish priest. Ironically, the character exegesis that is Velikovsky's metier. of one of the hoaxers was probably Even today, over the distance of nearly based on Erasmus's friend Thomas two millennia, Lucian and his skeptical More. descendants are still sinking their Lucian has also been mined by teeth into humorless cranks. writers of a less skeptical bent. Immanuel Velikovsky, in Worlds in Walter F. Rowe is a professor in the Collision, quotes from Lucian's Astrol­ Department of Forensic Sciences, The ogy to support his interpretation of George Washington University, Homer's Iliad as a coded recounting Washington, DC 20052. He is a member of the natural disasters caused by of the Board of Directors of the National Venus's encounters with other planets Capital Area Skeptics and chairperson of after its ejection as a comet from its Education-in-Skepticism Special Inter­ Jupiter. est Group.

66 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 Book Reviews

Black Noses and Blue Nonsense The Blue Sense: Psychic Detectives and Crime. By Arthur Lyons and Marcello Truzzi. Mysterious Press, New York , 1991. 314 pp. Cloth, $19.95.

ROBERT A. BAKER

ust in case we didn't know, Arthur Lyons and Marcello J Truzzi tell us that the Soviets agreed to eliminate medium-range missiles from Europe because Uri Geller beamed thoughts of peace to the Russian negotiators. In 1980, moreover, psychics were used in planning the rescue of American hostages in Iran, and in 1981 they were used in the attempted rescue of General James Dozier, who had been kidnapped by the Italian Red Brigade. In 1982 psychics were used to "remote view" the house of General Noriega, and in 1983 to locate the terrorists responsible for the 241 U.S. service­ men killed in Beirut. Finally, in 1985 the U.S. Air Force advocated training its own psychic performers for a number of different and important chores. Psychics have also been used in jury selection as well as by the police to help locate missing people, to find missing bodies, and to finger murder­ sense" referred to the blues. I was ers. Since two-thirds of the American mistaken. population believes in extrasensory Since cops do depend so much on perception and psychic abilities, why, intuition, hunches, gut-feelings, and the authors ask, should military the like, it is easy for them to believe officers, lawyers, and cops be exempt? in psychic phenomena and difficult for I was so saddened by these blatant examples of institutionalized folly that them to understand the role that years I immediately assumed that "the blue of practical experience and subtle environmental cues play in their "gut

Fall 1991 67 reactions." It is clear they are not persons, argued, "I am only a good psychologists and, particularly, not psychologist." anomalistic psychologists. Neverthe­ Although the authors repeatedly less, both cops and psychics, the state they are making every effort to authors tell us, possess "the blue be scrupulously fair, one doesn't have sense," which gets its name from the to read too far or too long before one common color of police uniforms. The realizes they have convinced them­ hunches that send cops down alleys selves that the psychics' claims are or around corners and the foreboding credible. They do, nevertheless, sense of danger that causes them to temper their convictions with a grain draw their guns—or any other prac­ of salt: tical use of their intuition that goes beyond what they can see, hear, or It must be remembered that evi­ smell—is now referred to as "the blue dence is always a matter of degree sense." A few years ago it was called and that all these tales are based "the sixth sense," a term that has mostly on anecdotal reports. Their apparently outlived its usefulness and validity as scientific evidence depends obviously lacks the of glamour upon human testimony, and psy­ and mystery supplied by a "color" chologists who study human behav­ name. In some circles it is still called ior recognize that perception and memory are frequently filled with "intuition," and although it is not fully error. . . . However, many re­ understood it is by no means an searchers think it would be foolish unfathomable psychological mystery. to dismiss these cases completely (See Malcolm R. Westcott, Toward a just because as scientific evidence Contemporary Psychology of Intuition, they are weak or lightweight, (p. 36) Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1968.) In their carefully researched book, Apparently the authors believe there Lyons and Truzzi attempt to answer is definitely "something" to psychic just about every reasonable question detection and proceed to cite as much one might ask about psychic detectives evidence in its favor as they can amass. and their alleged "hits" or successes. Curiously, they also state all of the They do make a major effort to resolve skeptical arguments against this the issue of whether a "blue sense" conclusion. The result, though it may exists or whether such an assumed well leave readers believing they are ability is merely nonsense. In the early on a teeter-totter, does manage to chapters the authors provide an keep their interest and forces them to interesting historical survey of psychic turn the pages. No doubt this stylistic sleuths, and they review the definitely strategy stems from Lyons, who is an unsupernatural techniques of uncon­ excellent mystery writer and a master scious body movements, the intimi­ at keeping his readers' interest dating rituals of thief-magic, or aroused. It also makes it clear that the bluffing, and the use of exaggeration authors intend their book to appeal by many psychics and mediums who, to a mass rather than a "specialized" when subjected to carefully controlled audience. As a truly comprehensive tests, as in the case of Jacques Aymar, survey of the psychic behavior field fail miserably. To skeptics it is espe­ in general and psychic detectives in cially interesting that some of the best particular, it is the best book we have of the psychic detectives deny they thus far. possess any psychic ability at all. Janos Lyons and Truzzi do an excellent Kele, famed for locating missing job in dealing with the Dutch psychics

68 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 Croiset and Hurkos, pointing out that at certain times it is valid. In their they had many, many more misses words: than hits (see P. Hoebens's articles in SI, 6[l]:17-28, and 6[2]:32-40). They Even a psychic scoundrel like Peter also devote an entire chapter to Hurkos, who frequently lied about fraudulent psychics; yet, strangely his successes, sometimes seems to enough, they take CSICOP to task for have produced hits that we find its vigorous opposition to all such difficult to dismiss, (p. 135) deceptions. They note, "Perhaps groups like CSICOP should stop Again and again throughout their attacking psychics and join with them book Lyons and Truzzi use the same in their call for licensing. After all, if arguments that were employed at the the hard-line critics are right and real turn of the century by all those true psi is just an illusion, and if a proper believers in spiritualism who moved set of credential-establishing proce­ heaven and earth to convince every­ dures could be instituted, none of the one that just because a medium was applicants . . . should be able to pass caught cheating on one or more the formal exams" (p. 133). The occasion, this does not explain all of authors also scold skeptics for doubt­ the other occasions on which he or ing these wonder workers and throw she apparently performed success­ in lots of facile and aphoristic plums, fully. While Lyons and Truzzi review such as: "True disbelievers at times the psychic's use of cold readings, self- behave as unscientifically as do 'True fulfilling prophecies, multiple end- Believers,' " and "Whereas the rational points, the stock spiel, the Barnum and scientific posture toward a claim effect, retrospective falsification, with inadequate evidence must be misrepresentation, and all of the other nonbelief, many skeptics express scams in the psychic's armamenta­ active disbelief" (p. 132). Again, "In rium, they conclude: other words, though some things may seem highly improbable, science ulti­ Discounting fabrications and con­ mately cannot say anything empirical fabulations by psychics and their is absolutely impossible" (p. 134). biographers, media distortions, and Then they quote Mario Bunge to the cases of outright fraud, there effect that suppressing dissent "in the remains a considerable body of name of the orthodoxy of the day is documented cases in which psychic even more injurious to science than sleuths have scored impressive and all of the forms of pseudoscience put seemingly inexplicable successes, (p. together" (p. 134). These aphorisms 155) are supposed to persuade the reader that the case for psychic validity is just This conclusion is supported in the as scientifically and logically sound as next chapter with an in-depth analysis it is for any other accepted empirical of a number of murder cases in which fact. Unfortunately, it isn't. psychics were "helpful." Yet, again, the authors hedge by stating at the It is very clear that the nation's end of the chapter: psychic detectives have, at last, ac­ quired their champions. Although at Even calling them psychic "detec­ times they pose as pseudo-skeptics, tives" or "sleuths" may itself be Lyons and Truzzi are clearly out to misleading. The psychics really convince all comers that "the blue claim only to be extraordinary sense" exists and that in certain heads witnesses. At best, they should be

Fall 1991 69 viewed as consultants. Many of the that the case for a "blue sense" psychics we interviewed repeatedly remains not proved, but nonproof does reminded us that they do not see not constitute disproof. Most psycholo­ themselves as solving crimes. The gists would take exception to their police must solve them. The psychic next statement, that "intuition only tries to help by providing what remains a largely mysterious and often seems to be a better-than- chance set of directions which the perhaps even transcendent capacity." police might pursue, (p. 187) Recent studies in cognitive science have shown clearly that a considerable The authors conclude with a state­ amount of information processing, ment from Ingo Swann to the effect memorization, and learning takes that, if a psychic is successful once, place automatically at unconscious then everyone expects him or her to levels in the central nervous system. be successful on demand. This is (See Jeremy Campbell, The Improbable analogous to saying that because I Machine, Simon & Schuster, 1989.) won that state lottery one time What we call "intuition" is probably everyone expects me to win it every nothing more than the conscious time I bet! Chance, it should be mind's dim awareness that the obvious, is at work for both lottery unconscious has already solved the numbers and "successful" psychics. problem and is trying to provide the Swann is certainly correct. Just be­ answer. We now know that we know cause he guessed correctly once should much more than we think we know. never be cause for believing hell guess When this information wells up from right again. below and crosses the threshold of In another chapter the authors awareness we call it a "hunch" or an provided a fascinating look at how the "intuition." It is in no way "a tran­ "myth of the psychic" can be used to scendent human capacity." con felons into confessing their crimes The authors also warn that it is a because they believe the psychic capital mistake to theorize before one knows they are guilty; or in another has data. An even greater error, context to produce "cover" stories or however, is to base our theories on to "launder" information already faulty, erroneous, or misleading data. obtained. They also look at possible Although Lyons and Truzzi have done uses of psychics in the courtroom and their best to convince us that the data some of the legal problems that arise for a "blue sense" is sound, hard, and when the judicial system has to come flawless, it is, in fact, none of these. to grips with the psychics' premoni­ What we have for the most part are tions or supposed foreknowledge of case reports from either the psychics crimes to come. The use of psychics themselves or those they have per­ to elicit confessions from the guilty suaded. Such data are unsound, soft, is certainly preferable to the trun­ and flawed. Controlled laboratory cheon or the rubber hose, but it may studies have failed to support such a well raise some sticky questions of due sense. In sum, there can be but one process. conclusion: the evidence for a "blue In summing up their book Lyons sense" is not one whit stronger or and Truzzi modestly claim they never better than the evidence we had intended to supply any final answers around the turn of the century for the but only to evaluate the arguments ability of mediums to converse with and point out directions for future the dead. Those who wish to believe research. Again, they make the point it will, those who choose not to won't.

70 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 In their zeal to mystify, amaze, and book equally as entertaining and confound, the authors overlooked informative about the cracking of another sense much more acute, tough cases through doggy diligence accurate, and reliable: the canine sense and a sensitive snoot could certainly of smell. Over the centuries blood­ be written—and probably has been. If hounds, German shepherds, and their I were a cop faced with a difficult case kin have located more missing per­ with few or no clues to go on and were sons, dead bodies, drug stashes and given the choice of using a "black nose" caches, and have helped solve more or a "blue psychic," I'd opt for the black crimes than the psychics ever have or nose every time. ever will. We certainly would be justified in referring to this canine skill Robert Baker is professor emeritus of as the "Black Sense" after the fact that psychology, University of Kentucky, and most dogs' noses are black. A crime author of They Call It Hypnosis.

Roswell UFO: Coverups and Credulity

UFO Crash at Roswell. By Kevin D. Randle and Donald R. Schmitt. Avon Books, New York, N.Y., 1991. 325 pp. Paper $4.95.

PHILIP J. KLASS

is is the publisher's promo printed on the back cover of UFO I CCrash at Roswell:

On July 3, 1947, a rancher came across the wreckage of an alien spacecraft in the high desert of New Mexico. Several days later, the bodies of four extraterrestrials were discovered a few miles from the alleged crash site. On July 8, 1947, the U.S. Army Air Force cordoned off the area around Roswell, New Mexico, and removed all evidence of one of the most astonishing events in recorded history. THESE ARE FACTS-SUPPORTED BY NEWSPAPER REPORTS, GOV­ ERNMENT DOCUMENTS, AND EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS- HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC FOR 40 YEARS ... UNTIL NOW!

In reality the book is an expanded clone of The Roswell Incident, by

Fall 1991 71 Charles Berlitz (of Bermuda Triangle might be. Hundreds of reports had fame) and William L. Moore, published been received since June 24, when 11 years ago. Its revelations were private pilot Kenneth Arnold's sight­ characterized at the time as the ing made headlines around the nation. "Cosmic Watergate" by Moore's long­ On September 23, 1947, Twining time partner, UFOlogist Stanton T. replied to Schulgen in a letter then Friedman, but President Carter did classified "Secret." R/S tell their not resign as Nixon had done. readers that "Twining's conclusion Randle and Schmitt (R/S) located [was] that flying discs were real" (p. and interviewed many "new" (alleged) 108). The authors fail to mention witnesses, some of whom emerged Twining's important caveat: "Due after the Roswell incident was fea­ consideration must be given the following tured on several popular network TV . . . the lack of physical evidence in the shows. "Almost every one knew two shape of crash recovered exhibits which or three others who had some kind would undeniably prove the existence of of knowledge about the events of July these objects." Berlitz and Moore (B/M) 1947," R/S report (p. 177). The also chose to omit Twining's impor­ authors are quite certain that four ET tant caveat in their earlier book. bodies were recovered whereas Ber­ In March 1985, five years after the litz/Moore (B/M) quoted numbers B/M book was published, the Air Force ranging from six to thirty. declassified many intelligence docu­ This book, like its predecessor, ments dating back to the late 1940s. proves that there is indeed a "crashed- Included was a 26-page document, saucer coverup"—not by the U.S. originally classified "Top Secret," government as both books charge, but dated December 10,1948, prepared by by their authors, who omit lots of hard the USAF's Directorate of Intelligence data that would disprove their and the Office of Naval Intelligence, crashed-saucer claims. titled "Analysis of Flying Object Example: Both books claim that Incidents in the U.S." Highlights of crashed-saucer debris, discovered by this document were published in the "Mac" Brazel on his ranch near July 1985 issue of the MUFON UFO Corona, New Mexico, was flown in Journal. early July 1947 to Wright-Patterson If a crashed saucer and four ET Air Force Base, in Dayton, Ohio, for bodies were recovered in July 1947— analysis by Air Materiel Command's more than a year before this "Top (AMC) top scientists. R/S report Secret" document was prepared— interviewing dozens of civilians and clearly somebody forgot to inform the low-level military personnel who USAF's and the Navy's top intelligence claim to have seen the crashed saucer officials. Their report reveals that as debris and/or ET bodies, or talked with of late 1948 top USAF and Navy people who had, within a few hours officials were puzzled by many UFO after they (allegedly) were recovered. reports. With good reason, they Yet word of this remarkable event speculated that UFOs might be Soviet somehow failed to reach a top Air reconnaissance vehicles, developed by Force intelligence official in Washing­ German scientists captured during the ton—Brig. Gen. George Schulgen. closing phases of World War II. Roughly two months after the alleged From my lengthy telephone con­ recovery, Schulgen wrote to Lt. Gen. versation with Randle on November Nathan Twining, AMC Commander, 27, 1989, I know that he was familiar to seek his opinion on what UFOs with this Top Secret USAF/Navy

72 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 intelligence report on UFOs. Yet it is source, three C-54 transport aircraft not even mentioned in the new 327-page loaded with crashed-saucer wreckage book. However, R/S repeatedly accuse took off on July 9, 1947, for "short the U.S. government of coverup! flights to Los Alamos" (p. 213). If The debris recovered from Brazel's R/S had checked, they would have ranch, after being flown to 8th Air learned that on that date the first Los Force headquarters in Ft. Worth on Alamos airport was still under con­ July 8, 1947, was identified by an Air struction. When it began operations Force meteorologist as a weather two months later, it had a short balloon carrying a radar tracking unpaved runway, which, at the air­ device made from balsa-wood sticks port's 7,150-ft. altitude, would not be and metal foil-coated paper. R/S, like suitable for C-54 aircraft. B/M, charge this was a disinforma- One of R/S's sources told them that tion-coverup. a giant crate, measuring 15' x 3' x 4' Three persons were firsthand was constructed to transport the four witnesses to the original debris: ET bodies by B-29 to Wright- rancher Brazel and two officers from Patterson AFB. This was confirmed by the Roswell base who accompanied a second source, who said the crate him back to the ranch to recover it. was 15' x 4' x 5'. Considering that the One of these was Major Jesse Marcel, ETs are described as being shorter and an intelligence officer, and the other smaller than Earthlings, it seems was Captain Sheridan Cavitt, head of curious that it never occurred to the Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) Roswell officials to put each body in office. Cavitt is the only one of these three an ordinary coffin rather than con­ firsthand witnesses who is still alive. But struct a giant 15 ft. long crate (pp. 97, R/S do not mention him by name until 210), especially since a 15-foot-long crate page 273, where they cryptically could not possibly fit inside a B-29, whose inform the reader that he does not bomb-bay is little more than 13 feet long. support their crashed-flying-saucer/ Ignoring this discrepancy, R/S alien-bodies tale. In Appendix G, the report that the giant crate with the book lists and briefly describes 54 four ET bodies was flown by B-29 "to "Relevant Persons" whom the authors Fort Worth. Unloaded there, they consider to be key principals in the were put on another aircraft and incident. Cavitt is not one of those listed! flown to Wright Field." R/S never R/S prefer to rely on the more than question why the B-29 did not fly the 40-year-old claimed recollections of the ET bodies nonstop from Roswell to dozens of other second- and third- Dayton, which it could easily do. hand witnesses—refreshed by several According to R/S, Maj. Gen. Clem­ national TV shows that featured the ents McMullen, deputy commander of Roswell incident and by their loaded the Strategic Air Command (SAC), interview questions. R/S credulously learned of the crashed saucer and accept almost all such recollections ordered that some of the debris be even when they conflict with one flown to Washington as soon as another or with hard data, such as possible. According to R/S, the debris Twining's letter, the 1948 USAF/Navy was loaded onto a B-29—which could intelligence assessment, once "Secret" easily have flown nonstop from Roswell documents released by the Central to Washington. Instead, according to Intelligence Agency, and newspaper R/S sources, the B-29 flew the debris stories quoting the principals. only as far as Ft. Worth, where it was Example: According to one R/S taken off and loaded onto a B-26 to

Fall 1991 73 fly it to Washington. If R/S had several hours, the word had traveled checked, they would have learned that around the globe, and the news media the B-26's range was so short that it were bombarding Haut and the Air would have had to make at least one Force for more details. refueling stop to reach Washington, Haut now claims that Colonel delaying its arrival. Blanchard told him to issue the press R/S admit contradictions in the 40- release because it was his policy to year-old recollections of some of their keep the community informed of base sources, usually without giving activities. R/S ignore evidence sug­ details. Still other contradictions were gesting that Haut's recollections are overlooked by the authors. For exam­ flawed and that he acted on the ple, R/S report on page 46 that Brazel, suggestion of Major Marcel. If ordered Marcel, and Cavitt left Roswell "about by Blanchard, surely the base com­ dusk" to drive to Brazel's ranch— mander's name would have appeared about a 3-to-4-hour drive over unim­ somewhere in the press release, but proved roads. Six pages earlier in the it does not. Only Marcel is mentioned. book (p. 40), R/S reported that "it was Haut's recollections are denied by the nearly dark when they reached the resulting article in the July 8, 1947, ranch. . . ." This suggests either some edition of the Roswell Daily Record, sort of "time warp" or conflicting which began: "The intelligence office recollections from different sources. of the 509th Bombardment group at According to R/S, Marcel instantly Roswell Army Air Field announced at recognized the extraordinary nature noon today, that the field has come of the debris brought back from into possession of a flying saucer." Brazel's ranch, as did the Roswell Base R/S readily accept Haut's claim that Commander, Colonel William Blan- Blanchard told him to issue the press chard. If true, they should first suspect release to keep the public informed, that the object might be a Soviet but the authors also quote sources reconnaissance vehicle on a mission to who claim that Blanchard dispatched reconnoiter the not-too-far-away Los military police to block roads leading Alamos nuclear laboratory or the to Brazel's ranch to keep curious local White Sands Missile Range, where the citizens away from the "crash site." U.S. was testing captured German Before the press release was issued, ballistic missiles. After all, in only a handful of civilians were aware December 1948, the earlier-cited Top of the incident, and the debris was in Secret USAF/Navy intelligence esti­ a remote area and almost impossible mate suggested that UFOs might be to find without Brazel's help. Soviet reconnaissance craft. R/S write: "For any investigation According to R/S, top Air Force into the Roswell affair to be valid, it officials were promptly notified, but must encompass all the evidence and no one thought to tell Colonel Blan- explain all the fads (p. 184). R/S offer chard that the incident should be kept a strange explanation for their claims under wraps. And it never occurred that Colonel Blanchard ordered the to Blanchard, according to the R/S press release and simultaneously set scenario. Around noon on July 8, the up an ostentatious road block to keep Roswell public-information officer, the public away. They suggest it was Lieutenant Walter Haut, issued a a clever strategy intended to coverup press release announcing that one of the crashed saucer. First tell the public the mysterious "flying discs" had been that a mysterious flying saucer has found and brought to the base. Within been recovered, then announce the

74 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 next day that the object was only a by rancher Brazel to news media in balloon-borne radar-tracking target— Roswell at roughly the same time. and the public and media would Relations between the two camps quickly lose interest. will not improve when Moore reads If this R/S strategy had been used the R/S characterization of the book several years earlier, the U.S. could he coauthored with Berlitz (p. 265). have been spared the great expense R/S write that "those in the 'know' and trouble of trying to keep secret rejected the book" as simply an update the existence of the Los Alamos of a 1950 crashed-saucer book by atomic bomb facility. First announce Frank Scully, who was the victim of that Los Alamos was being established a hoax. R/S claim the "difference this to develop an atomic bomb. Then, the time was that a few names were next day, claim there had been a slight named. Even so, the book disappeared mistake—that Los Alamos was being quickly." This is an inaccurate "put- built only to provide a wartime down" of the Moore/Berlitz book, vacation area for overworked scient­ which has been published in a number ists. The public and news media would of foreign-language editions and quickly forget Los Alamos. recently was published here in When William L. Moore learned paperback. that Randle and Schmitt were plan­ Funding for some of the R/S ning to write a book on the Roswell investigative effort, including a 1989 incident he threatened legal action if expedition to the "crash site" in an they plagiarized from his book or unsuccessful attempt to find debris, subsequent research. This prompted was provided by the Hynek Center for his longtime partner, Stanton Fried­ UFO Studies (CUFOS). Jerry Clark, man, to break with Moore and coop­ editor of the CUFOS International erate with Randle/Schmitt. But more UFO Reporter, praised the R/S book recently Friedman has patched up his in the March/April 1991 issue. Clark relations with Moore. claimed the book "records the most One very significant difference thoroughly investigated, the most between the two camps is over a series completely documented event in the of six photos taken in Ft. Worth on history of UFOlogy. The Roswell case July 8, which show Marcel and other is, of course, also the most important Air Force officers with "Roswell case of all." Clark predicted that the debris." Moore/Shandera claim that "heretofore unkillable canard, that one photo of Marcel shows him UFO research has made no progress holding "authentic" crashed-saucer in four decades, [will be] disposed of debris, while the others show bogus once and for all." material. Randle/Schmitt correctly This reviewer disagrees. The book note that the debris shown in all of by Randle and Schmitt demonstrates the photos is identical. the credulity of some of today's R/S admit that the material visible leading UFOlogists and the super­ in the photos is from a demolished ficiality of their investigations. balloon-borne radar target, but they claim it was substituted for the Philip ]. Klass, technical journalist and authentic debris. They do not even try chairman of CSICOP's UFO Subcom­ to explain how Air Force officials in mittee, has published four books on UFOs Ft. Worth would have been able to and is working on a fifth. Klass also obtain so quickly debris that so closely publishes the bi-monthly "Skeptics UFO matched the description being given Newsletter."

Fall 1991 75 Reflections on Reality in Literary Hall of Mirrors Foucault's Pendulum. By Umberto Eco. Ballantine Books, New York 1990. 537 pp. Paper, $6.95. (Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, New York, 1989. 641 pp. Cloth, $22.95.)

ERIK STROMMEN

e know that pseudoscience, psych" lesson on personality and the occultism, and other fringe need to make meaning. But in this Wbelief systems are castles book we are treated to a far more built in the air; for all their elegance thoughtful game, one that is simul­ and complexity, they are ultimately taneously a randy romp through the nothing more than ideas, and bad ideas arcane world of "secret knowledge," at that. But we also know that as ideas a subtle commentary on the seductive­ they are seductive and dangerously ness of loose thinking, and a caution­ intoxicating in their confused reason­ ary tale of the perils of those who flirt ing and oblique promises of secret with true belief just a tad too closely. powers revealed only to the select few. Umberto Eco's first novel, The How is it possible for people to fall Name of the Rose, has been described under the spell of such thoughts, and as more widely admired than read, and why do they persist in a scientific and I suspect this book is likely to be nominally rational age? These ques­ received in the same manner. Most tions form the basis of Umberto Eco's novels are sequences of action, punc­ latest novel, Foucault's Pendulum. In tuated by brief moments of exposi­ less able hands, such questions might tion. Eco's books are sequences of be answered with a shallow, "pop exposition, punctuated by brief moments of action. Eco is a semiol- ogist, so it should not be surprising that since his is the world of ideas, it is in that realm that his efforts are focused. In Rose, a medieval murder mystery was interlaced with lengthy discussions of the nature of sin, the symbology of religious icons, and theories of heresy, all to ponder the question: How do we create order in an orderless universe? It was a mas­ terful work. Where else can you find a monk so committed to protecting a particular view of the universe that he would kill to settle the debate of whether or not Christ ever laughed, and whether humor is sinful or divine? While not nearly as rich as the

76 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 subject matter in Rose, Eco's erudition continues to be impressive in his latest "This book . . . coheres as a book. This time, however, his expo­ sition covers systems of mysticism tremendous meditation on the rather than medieval theology (or are powers of reason and their they actually the same?). In Pendulum, the vehicles for our trip into the arcane corruption, often expressed are not monks, but modern-day through highly intelligent and intellectuals. The story centers on three main characters: Causabon, a witty characters." disillusioned graduate student; Diotal- levi, who studies numerological and that a jaded Marxian materialism cabalistic theories in his spare time; guides their thinking. They find and Belbo, an insecure skeptic who unseen worlds and mystical forces believes he can use his computer, laughable, but intriguing for what Abulafia (named after a medieval they suggest about the human spirit. cabalist), to help him determine the Gradually, though, Causabon's truth or falsity of paranormal ideas. skepticism and that of his colleagues These men all work at Garamond is undermined by a complex series of Press, which has two divisions. The incidents that make reality begin to first prints obscure scholarly works, seem like a game of hide-and-seek. from which no money can hope to be First comes the mysterious Colonel made. The second, the focus of the Ardenti, anxious to print a book story, pays for the works of the first exposing an occult society descended (and more) through, the delicious from the Knights Templar. He claims racket of fleecing self-financing to have found a medieval document authors who will pay handsomely to that proves their continued existence have their occult works published. as a secret order studying the arcane Causabon and his coworkers spend forces of the earth, and that his life most of their time at work bantering is in danger. Our heroes laugh, but good-naturedly about mystical beliefs abruptly he is murdered. Or is he? and arguing the finer points of mys­ Then in Brazil, Lia falls into a trance tical nonsense. His coworkers reveal at an ecstatic pagan ceremony, an their attitude early by introducing him experience that shakes her faith in to their "School of Comparative rational thought and the liberating Irrelevance," where vapid and impos­ power of materialist philosophy. And sible ideas are packaged to sound like what about the Comte St. Germaine, serious subjects of study. But behind who claims to be over 400 years old? this veneer of rationality, troubling Cultured, with impeccable taste and shadows linger. Diotallevi is only an impressive knowledge of the partially a skeptic; he can't shake his arcane, his intimate knowledge of the belief in coded meanings, revealed personalities of famous medieval through numerical correspondences figures has to be pure conjecture. We and the rearranged letters of cabalistic don't believe he is who he says—do writings. Belbo finds most mystics we? And why should he show such insufferable, but still believes that keen interest in the publishing house every hermetical idea, no matter how and its crank authors? stupid, should be given a chance. The backdrop of these develop­ Causabon, and his girlfriend, Lia, are ments is a rich review of the history the most reality-oriented, and we see of cabalist ideas, the strange fate of

Fall 1991 77 the Knights Templar, and questions is good or bad, because to some degree of how to interpret the fragments of everything is connected to everything the past that reflect the complex ideas else," p. 618.) Second, if the analogies that make up a medieval cosmology become circular, keep them and use populated with invisible beings and the circularity as evidence of accuracy; unknown forces. The Comte St. and third, keep all the links obvious, Germaine has been introducing our and preferably use connections al­ heroes to armies of true believers (all ready made by others—this way they of whom have their secrets), and they feel like established facts. When get to witness strange and unusual stumped in their creative reconstruc­ events as a result. Eco winks at us and tion of history, our heroes feed then plunges right into the thick of material into a program on Abulafia it, shoveling his hokum merrily and that randomizes lines and words and with great verve, giving life to what spits out the result; pondering this is really unconscionably dull material, Delphic output they easily find new and injecting his own vitriol into it. links in the resulting "hidden mean­ As we are initiated into each new ings" that allow them to forge ahead. secret and contemplate each hidden (One printout, dealing with the meaning, the sheer silliness of the revealed knowledge embedded in theories, the secrecy, and the search Minnie Mouse, is particularly amus­ for revelation become less apparent. ing.) The believers are real, and they are As they plod through the writings in deadly earnest. Their faith is of medievals, divining new cosmolo­ simultaneously both laughable and gies and uniting disparate and out­ frightening in its intensity; they are rageous ideas into a new whole, they surely full of themselves, but they develop a reason for all the secret carry knives—who can laugh too hard searches that power their book, a in the face of that? reason that reveals Eco's subtle and In such an atmosphere, Causabon delicious sense of humor. The under­ and his coworkers hit upon the idea ground Knights Templar, they argue, for a guaranteed occult best-seller, to were committed to meeting to share be published by Garamond: a grand their progress every 16 years (a magic uniting all historical number, of course). Unfortunately, conspiracy theories around the they miss a key meeting of members Knights Templar. They decide that all from two countries when one changes the conspirators of history have been its calendar to the modern system and searching for the ability to control the other delays. Working from dif­ nature's forces, and they set out to ferent calendars, the two groups fail prove their case by forging links to meet and the chain is broken, giving between real and alleged secret socie­ rise to centuries of endless searching ties, creating secret orders, and freely and competition to seek out those they plagiarizing occult works ancient and were supposed to meet. The irony is modern for their material. marvelous: To keep their secrets, the Their three rules for creating the secret societies send secret emissaries conspiracy are simple, and reveal to a secret meeting with unknown much about Eco's opinion of the persons (to keep their identities secret, quality of mystical ideas: First, connect of course); as a result, they screw up everything by analogy, in as many everything, simply by failing to con­ ways as possible. ("There is no way firm each other's information! to decide at once whether an analogy Our heroes get a good laugh out

78 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 of this and so do we, but in the The joke takes its toll on them, headiness of their success we begin poisoning their ability to reason to feel uncomfortable, as they do. The clearly, and ultimately it exacts a story is too good. Causabon begins terrible penalty for their loss of having seemingly accidental meetings bearing. with a disturbing taxidermist who This is not an easy book to read. mutters ominously about the earth's It is dense with elaborate doctrines, hidden forces. Are the Parisian sewers historical information, and highly and subways a grand system for personal writings and observations by channeling magical forces, designed the characters. There are long, almost over the centuries by famous men hallucinatory passages dealing with who were really members of secret magical struggles for power and societies? When the Comte St. Ger- knowledge. The narrative is full of maine, who is enthusiastic about the twists and turns and changes in book, casually asks about "telluric scenery and context that span centur­ currents," only to smoothly drop the ies; just like the doctrines we are subject when he finds that his inter­ exploring, the story is like a hall of locutors know nothing, we feel a mirrors where what has meaning and sudden chill. The strange people we what does not is not immediately used to laugh at now seem menacing; obvious. Given this labyrinth of a believing in untenable ideas suddenly story, the ending is a bit of a letdown, renders them dangerous, not comic. a pessimistic appraisal of our ability They seem so fervent and determined; to throw off the chains of irrational would they kill for the knowledge they thinking. The narrative shortcomings believe Causabon and the others aside, however, the book nonetheless possess? coheres as a tremendous meditation In the end, Causabon finds that he on the powers of reason and their and his colleagues have all been corruption, often expressed through seduced, drawn into the shadowy highly intelligent and witty charac­ world where fact and fiction are ters, in exquisite and sumptuous inseparable: dialogue. For those who can undertake such a winding journey, the ride is I was becoming addicted. Diotallevi definitely worth the effort even if the was becoming corrupted, Belbo was final destination is less than we had becoming converted. But all of us hoped for. Eco has pulled together a were slowly losing that intellectual powerful indictment of New Age-type light that allows you always to tell thinking and a painful parable of how the similar from the identical, the it taints all those who fall under its metaphorical from the real. We spell. were losing that mysterious and bright and most beautiful ability to s'ay that Signor A has grown bes­ tial—without thinking for a Erik Strommen is director of interactive moment that he now has fur and technology research for the Children's fangs. Television Workshop.

Fall 1991 79 Unmasking Nostradamus The Mask of Nostradamus. By James Randi. New York: Charles Scribner's, 1990. 256 pp. Cloth, $19.95.

J HUGHH. TROTTI

convincing to some. But the book is not a simple attack. Randi has approached the subject in a serious way. He has enlisted the aid of historians and historical documents and he visited the places in France frequented by Nostradamus. Such care on his part has resulted in re­ vealing insights into the meaning of some of the seer's writings. In our age, "believers" have attempted to show that some of Nostradamus's quatrains predict the career of Adolf Hitler, and even the Japanese aggression in 1941. See, for instance, Randi's comments on the quatrain No. 4-68 (his chosen Spec­ imen #9, p. 215). Here, followers of Nostradamus have taken allusions to "the two greatest of Asia & Africa" to mean Japan and Mussolini (Randi citing James Laver's interpretation). ames ("The Amazing") Randi has And Hitler enters through the name again produced something well "Hister" for the "Lower Danube." (It worth the reader's consideration: is true that the Danube was in ancient J times called the "Ister.") According to a serious study of the sixteenth- century "prophet" whose latinized Randi, the quatrain predicts trouble name was Nostradamus. The subject for perhaps Venice and Genoa, as well is a fit one for Randi's no-nonsense as for Malta. (Here, I should like to style, which is concise and logical— say that the literate men of the time and impatient with foggy notions and of Nostradamus read the rediscovered far-reaching speculations masquerad­ classics of the Greeks and Romans. In ing as some sort of "science" of the works they read, "Asia" is to be foreseeing future events. Such impa­ taken to be Asia Minor: and the tience may apply (and is applied by "greatest" of Asia Minor at that time Randi) even more to Nostradamus's was obviously Turkey, which had later "interpreters" than to the orig­ already captured Constantinople and inal figure. Randi makes a good case marched on Europe. The "greatest" of for taking hostile views of prophets Africa we might take to be Egypt, and offers explanations of what they where the Mamlukes were once part do and how they produce material of the Ottoman Empire. The Turks

80 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 were the real menace during the time Randi's translations from the of Nostradamus. Randi noted that French text are straightforward and danger elsewhere in his book, but 1 seem reasonable. The quatrain we think it might bear upon Specimen No. have mentioned in this review (Ran­ 9, which he chose for analysis. Turkey di's #9), is translated by him thusly might menace parts of Europe as well (p. 215): as such islands as Malta.) In any event, those with any In the year very near, not far from fascination for the works of Nostra­ Venus, damus—as well as those suspicious of The two greatest of Asia & Africa them—will find this volume well From the Rhine & Lower Danube, worth their time. As a matter of which will be said to have come, Cries, tears at Malta & the Ligurian interest, I would add to Randi's opin­ coast. ion that physician Nostradamus's use of remedies from roses was fallacious, Finally, I should like to remark that to note that such usage was tradi­ if one finds the writings of Nostra­ tional: see Moses Maimonides's damus to be difficult, they are yet recipes, for instance. That twelfth- considerably clearer than the so-called century physician/philosopher/author "Prophecies of Merlin," which are mentioned the medical use of rose marvels of obscurity. The interested products extensively in his The Pres­ reader can find these latter in Geof­ ervation of Youth; he had begun in Spain frey of Monmouth's The History of the but ended his days in Cairo, an older Kings of Britain (pp. 170-185 of the man at the time of Richard the Penguin paperback edition). Lionhearted's crusade. The use of the rose shows that medieval views and "ancient knowledge" were still being H. H. Trotti is author of Beasts and taught at the time of the Renaissance Battles: Fact in Legend and History? in northern Europe. (Rivercross Publishing, J 990).

OUT THERE Rob Pudim

FIGOWITZ SUDDENLY REALIZES HEHA S JUST BLOWN) * $500 AND A WHOLE W^- B4D ID L£A»J HOW TO Bee&TWEWHILE WEARING FUNNY CLOTHES. Fall 1991 81 New Books i

Beasts and Battles: Fact in Legend and more. Many have written postscripts History? Hugh H. Trotti. Rivercross giving new information. The book Publishing, Inc., New York, 1989. 175 takes its title from philosopher Ron pp., $18.95, cloth. Examines from a Amundson's expose of the hundredth- fresh view some questions of fact and monkey myth, published here with his myth in history. Subjects include Sir original follow-up and a postscript. Lancelot, Alexander the Great, Noah's Also included are Geoffrey Dean's Ark, Achilles, Discovering America, thorough two-part examination of Time Machine Gods, and Atlantis. serious astrology, supplemented by an extensive new third part by him. Beyond the Blue Horizon: Myths and Other claims examined include fire- Legends of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and walking, graphology, crashed-saucer Planets. E. C. Krupp. HarperCollins, reports, past-life regression, spon­ New York, 1991. 387 pp. (150 illus­ taneous human combustion, and alpha trations). $35.00, cloth. Excellent consciousness. There are sections on work by astronomer and educator critical thinking, parapsychology, (director of the Griffith Observatory medical controversies, anomalous in Los Angeles) about the sky stories experiences, and controversies within that all cultures have created in science. Intended as a sourcebook of attempting to give the world meaning scientifically responsible examinations and sense and to answer fundamental of the facts and issues surrounding questions about who we are, where controversies, hoaxes, bizarre myster­ we came from, where we are going, ies, and popular myths. and what is the right thing to do. An extraordinary collection of folk tales The Loch Ness Monster: The Evi­ and myths and lore relating to the dence. Steuart Campbell. Aberdeen cosmos and our place in it, all placed University Press, Aberdeen, , into context by an astronomer who 1991. 128 pp., £5.95, paper. Revised revels in the wonder and beauty of paperback edition of book reviewed the natural world. Also addresses favorably in the Summer 1988 stories about UFOs and space aliens, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. astrology, comet madness, the har­ monic convergence, and so on. Science, Medicine, and Animals. National Academy of Sciences and The Hundredth Monkey and Other Institute of Medicine. National Paradigms of the Paranormal. Academy Press, Washington, D.C., Kendrick Frazier, editor. Prometheus, 1991. 30 pp., $5, paper. Position paper Buffalo, N.Y., 1991. 400 pp. $17.95, endorsing animal research. Comes out paper. Name index. New collection of strongly in favor of humanely con­ essays and articles from the SKEPTICAL ducted animal research, a reflection of INQUIRER addresses important issues the organizations' concern over the at the intersection of science and "broad anti-science message implicit" popular belief. Forty-three essays by in the positions of extreme elements forty authors, including Carl Sagan, of the animal-rights movement. Isaac Asimov, Martin Gardner, Ray Hyman, Paul Kurtz, and Susan Black- —Kendrick Frazier

82 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 Articles of Note

Adler, Shelley R. "Sudden Unex­ ing a glossy magazine attacking Time pected Nocturnal Death Syndrome both as a corporation and as a Among Immigrants: Examining the magazine. Role of the 'Nightmare.'" Journal of American Folklore, 104, no. 411, pp. 54- Beyerstein, Barry L. "Brainscams: 71, Winter 1991. Since 1977 more Neuromythologies of the New Age." than a hundred Southeast Asians International Journal of Mental Health, living in the United States have died 19, no. 3, pp. 27-36, Fall 1990. A during the night, with no symptoms scholarly overview of pop neurologists of illness. Adler sees a connection to who water down scientific break­ the traditional phenomena of Night­ throughs and promise the public mare (or Old Hag): a sensation of effortless acquisition of new skills. wakeful paralysis that scientists now connect with misplaced REM sleep. Burton, Thomas H. "Anti-Depression Drug of Eli Lilly Loses Sales After Behar, Richard. "The Thriving Cult Attack by Sect." Wall Street Journal, of Greed and Power." Time, May 6, April 19, 1991, p. 1. Investigative 1991, pp. 50-57. Powerful investi­ report on 's dirty-tricks gative report on Scientology. The campaign against the drug Prozac. article describes the lives ruined and Scientology, which presents itself as fortunes lost from Scientology tactics an alternative to psychiatry, has been and the crimes committed by the distributing mailings and press group. "Scientology poses as a religion releases alleging that Prozac induces but is really a ruthless global scam— murder and suicide. The article quotes and aiming at the mainstream." Out­ a former scientologist minister: "Psy­ lines the tactics Scientologists use to chiatrists are in their way. . . . gain followers' money. It is an unus­ Scientology is a serious conspiracy to ually courageous report against a derail, psychiatry, pharmaceutical group notorious for launching dirty- companies, and so on." tricks campaigns against its critics. Included is Behar's sidebar "The Cassileth, Barrie R. "Mental Health Scientologists and Me" outlining some Quackery in Cancer Treatment." of the "strange things" that happened International Journal of Mental Health, after he started his journalistic 19, no. 3, pp. 81-84, Fall 1990. A report research for the article. At least ten on the use of mental attitude or attorneys and six private detectives mental imagery as a remedy for were unleashed by Scientology and its cancer. followers to threaten, harass, and discredit Behar. Letters in response to Cooper, Marc. "Take This Terrarium this special cover article appeared in and Shove It." The Village Voice, April the May 27 Time. By late June, the 2, 1991, pp. 24-33. Lengthy critical Scientologists were widely distribut­ report into Biosphere 2 project in

Fall 1991 83 Arizona. "The group that built, con­ information consistent only with a ceived, and directs the biosphere 'supernatural' radiation-scorch origin. project is not a group of high-tech In both cases, circular reason is researchers on the cutting edge of employed. ... In both cases, the science but a claque of recycled theater sophisticated imaging analysis is not performers that evolved out of an relevant because to conclude that the authoritarian—and decidedly non- feature may not be natural still scientific—personality cult," says requires a so-called 'leap of faith.' " Cooper. His report, based on dozens Followed by a summary by Carlotto of interviews with current and former of the image-processing results, which associates of the project, "has uncov­ he says justify a closer look by the ered how the core group of the Mars Observer, scheduled for launch Arizona project has little loyalty either in 1992. to honest and open scientific inquiry or to any ecological quest to save the Greenwald, Anthony G., Eric R. Earth. Instead, its only allegiance is Spangenberg, Anthony R. Pratkanis, pledged to one individual: John P. and Jay Eskenazi. "Double-Blind Allen, whose eerie doomsday dogma Tests of Subliminal Self-Help Audi­ makes him much more the Jim Jones otapes." Psychological Science, 2, no. 2, than the Johnny Appleseed of the March 1991, pp. 119-122. three repli­ ecology movement." cations of a double-blind experiment tested subliminal audiotapes that were Cranberg, Lawrence. "Pseudoscience, claimed to improve memory or to Science, and the Media." Paper pre­ increase self-esteem. In the test, some sented to 67th Annual Meeting of subjects who thought they were Southwestern and Rocky Mountain listening to memory tapes had been Division, American Association for given self-esteem tapes, and vice the Advancement of Science, Lub­ versa. After a month of use, neither bock, Texas, May 17, 1991. Identifies the memory nor the self-esteem tapes the mass media, particularly the produced their claimed effects. Never­ Associated Press, as the major vehicles theless, a general improvement for all of dissemination of all forms of subjects in both memory and self- pseudoscience. Discusses the causa­ esteem (a nonspecific placebo effect) tive factors in the sociology of was observed, and more than a third journalism. of the subjects had the illusion of improvement specific to the tape they thought they had listened to. Crowe, Richard A. "The Return of the Martian Canal Builders." Optics & Photonics News, June 1991, pp. 20-22. Horgan, John. "Profile: Reluctant Critical report by an astronomer of Revolutionary." Scientific American, the claims about the Mars "face" and May 1991, p. 40-41. Profile of philo­ pyramidlike objects on the surface of sopher Thomas S. Kuhn, the MIT Mars. Says the methodology of imag­ professor whose Structure of Scientific ing specialist Mark Carlotto, who Revolutions is called one of the most concluded the feature may not be influential treatises ever written on natural, "is very reminiscent of the how science does (or does not) pro­ Jackson-Jumper projection analysis ceed. Here he addresses many of the that purported to show that the image misunderstandings and misinterpre­ of Christ on the Shroud of Turin tations of his work, including the . . . possessed three-dimensional persistent claim that he thinks scien-

84 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 tists are "irrational." Kuhn concedes he's now helping Soviet managers he is partly to blame for some of the help themselves. antiscience interpretations of his book and points out that he is in fact pro- Jefferys, William H. "Bayesian Anal­ science and also pro-"paradigms" (the ysis of Random Event Generator term he popularized with his book). Data." Journal of Scientific Exploration, It is the conservatism of science, its 4, no. 2, pp. 153-169,1990. University rigid adherence to paradigms, he here of Texas astronomer examines data insists, that enables it to produce "the from experiments that use random- greatest and most original bursts of event generators in parapsychological creativity" of any human enterprise. research, such as those of Robert Jahn. These experiments are usually ana­ Huber, Peter. "Junk Science in the lyzed by classical (frequentist) statis­ Courtroom." Forbes, July 8, 1991, pp. tical tests, which summarize the 68-72. Significant report on how by statistical significance of the test carrying the traditional American statistic as a p-value. However, Jef­ adversary system to absurd extremes, freys shows that the classical statis­ judges are allowing "crackpot scient­ tical tests are frequently inappropriate ists" to pollute the legal process "at to these data and that the resulting a cost to consumers and business in p-values "can grossly overestimate the the billions." Scientifically dubious significance of the result." Bayesian court testimony that once would analysis, which is not affected by never have been allowed is now being stopping rules or the intentions of the used in court to achieve large judg­ investigator, shows that a small p- ments. Examples are claims that value may not provide credible evi­ breast cancer can be triggered by a fall, dence that an anomalous phenomenon that the whooping-cough vaccine exists. causes brain damage, that incompe­ tence by obstetricians is a leading Lin, Keh-Ming, et al. "Religion, cause of cerebral palsy, that trace Healing and Mental Health Among environmental pollutants cause Filipino Americans." International "chemically induced AIDS." "Our Journal of Mental Health, 19, no. 3, pp. courts resound with elaborate, sys­ 40-44, Fall 1990. A report on the tematized deceptions that fully Filipino "Santo Nino" faith-healing deserve the label used by the trial tradition and how it currently inter­ lawyers themselves: junk science." A acts with orthodox medicine. relevatory article that shows how pervasive and invidious pseudoscience Maddox, John. "Greek Tragedy can be, especially in invading the Moves in One Act." Nature, 350:269, Americal legal system. From a forth­ March 28, 1991. News and Views coming book, Galileo's Revenge: Junk report and commentary on the tragic Science in the Courtroom (Basic Books). case of scientist/administrator David Baltimore's involvement with a Hubner, John. "Worlds of Werner." research article, since retracted, by a West (San Jose Mercury Newsmagazine), researcher accused of errors and November 11, 1990, Lengthy report falsifications. "The circumstances of describes how Werner Erhard is not this case are . . . both memorable and only back—he never left. After selling significant, and will cast a long shadow human potential in the '70s and over the conduct and even the rep­ corporate effectiveness in the '80s, utation of research."

Fall 1991 85 Mainfort, Robert C, Jr., and Mary L. Conflict Resolution, 34, no. 4, pp. 745- Kwas. "The Bat Creek Stone: Judeans 755, December 1990. In 1988 the JCR in Tennessee?" Tennessee Anthropolo­ published an article by faculty at the gist, 16, no. 1, Spring 1991, pp. 1-19. Maharishi University claiming a corre­ Challenges claims by cult archaeology lation between people practicing proponents that a Paleo-Hebrew Transcendental Meditation in Jeru­ inscription was excavated in eastern salem and a reduction of violence in Tennessee by an employee of the the Middle East. Schrodt challenges Smithsonian Institution in the late some of the article's statistical 1800s. The inscribed signs do not assumptions and offers a more par­ represent legitimate Paleo-Hebrew, simonious explanation. There is a and the evidence suggests that the reply from the authors of the first stone has been recognized as a forgery article (pp. 756-768). by Cyrus Thomas and other contem­ porary researchers. Skrabanek, Petr. "Reductionist Falla­ cies in the Theory and Treatment of Maulin, Michael G. "Seers in the Mental Disorders." International Jour­ Heartland." Christianity Today, 35, no. nal of Mental Health, 19, no. 3, pp. 6- 1, pp. 18-22, January 14. 1991. The 18, Fall 1990. A sardonic look at Kansas City Fellowship is a Christian theories that claim mental illness is church whose leaders claim the power caused by "bad blood" or "bad food." of prophecy. Maulin describes the Treatments based on such concepts services, the behavior of the prophets, include , orthomolecular and some of their critics. medicine, and hemodialysis.

Morrison, Philip. "The Robust Will Stewart, Donna E. "Emotional Dis­ to Believe." Scientific American (book orders Misdiagnosed as Physical review), July 1991, pp. 121-122. Illness: Environmental Hypersensi­ Review of Stephen Williams's Fantastic tivity, Candidiasis Hypersensitivity, Archaeology makes some excellent and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome." general points about science and International Journal of Mental Health, evaluation of evidence. "It is process 19, no. 3, pp. 56-68, Fall 1990. Stewart that validates, not outcome. Nothing maintains that the "trendy" illnesses is too wonderful to be true—if it is in the title are long-recognized emo­ true." tional syndromes now being misdiag­ nosed as physical diseases. Schrodt, Philip A. "A Methodological Critique of a Test of the Effects of —Kendrick Frazier and the Maharishi Technology." Journal of Robert Lopresti

86 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 Follow-up m Unfinished Business gressed, I asked Targ on several occasions to provide a written state­ H KEITH HARARY ment from his claimed witness. The requested statement did not material­ ize, however, before Targ's claim As many SKEPTICAL INQUIRER ultimately appeared in the pages of the Z«A readers may be aware, the first published book. In fact, it never / \edition of The Mind Race, which materialized at all. I coauthored with Russell Targ in When The Mind Race appeared, 1982, contained the following com­ Gardner contacted the publisher, ments about a controversy between Villard Books, requesting that the Targ and Martin Gardner: comments in question be removed from all future editions. As Targ could One well-known critic who fre­ not bring forth a witness who would quently condemned psi research substantiate the published claim, editorially in his Mathematical Villard agreed to Gardner's request. Games column in Scientific American Given the absence of any supporting . . . criticized the NASA supported evidence from Targ with regard to the ESP teaching machine study carried out at SRI in 1974. He falsely alleged statement in question, I agreed with that the subjects in this experiment the publisher's position. Under the tore up their unsuccessful data circumstances, however, I did not tapes, and only handed in successful have an opportunity to review any ones. He said in his article, "I am alleged evidence Gardner claims to not guessing when I say that the have gathered in support of his paper tape records from Phase I original claim about Targ's earlier were handed in to Targ in bits and published ESP-teaching-machine pieces." We now know that he study. When The Mind Race subse­ confided to a fellow reporter that quently appeared in paperback, the he had just made it up, "because comments in question inadvertently that's the way it must have hap­ pened." The reporter was so were reprinted by the publisher in shocked at this disclosure . . he spite of the earlier agreement to felt compelled to call up the SRI remove them from subsequent edi­ reseachers to pass on this remark­ tions. As a result, the publisher able piece of news. reportedly paid Gardner $10,000 and agreed to remove the passage in When The Mind Race was being question from all future editions of written, Targ asked that I agree to his The Mind Race. including the above-quoted passage in In retrospect, therefore, I believe the book. He also assured me that his it was inappropriate to allow Targ's claim that Gardner had "just made claim about Gardner to appear in The . . . up" his criticism of Targ's earlier Mind Race without at least first work was not only true but that he receiving a statement in writing from could provide a witness who would the alleged witness. One would like substantiate this claim. As the writing to believe that the claims of a coauthor and editing of The Mind Race pro­ can easily and incontrovertibly be

Fall 1991 87 proved to be correct. However, since facts of the matter in question for the Targ was unable to provide any solid sake of the scientific and historical evidence in support of the claim in record if he chooses to do so. question, one is compelled to consider Targ is, of course, free to take any the possibility that it may have been position he wishes. For my own part, inaccurate. I would sincerely welcome any chance For my own part, I cannot help but to review Gardner's alleged evidence feel that I was inappropriately caught and get to the bottom of this affair in the middle of a situation in which once and for all. I believe it would be I would rather never have been in­ worthwhile for the sake of the his­ volved at all. The controversy regard­ torical record to do so. In a spirit of ing this entire matter is really between open scientific discourse, therefore, Gardner and Targ. I therefore wish perhaps Gardner will accept this letter to publicly disassociate myself from as an open-minded request to support Targ's claim as stated in The Mind Race his original contention in an incon­ and openly invite Gardner to take this trovertible fashion for SKEPTICAL opportunity to firmly establish the INQUIRER readers.

Reply to own handwritten records. Nowhere did I say, as Targ wrongly states, that 'Unfinished Business' he and Puthoff ever "tore up" any tapes. MARTIN GARDNER An amusing incident occurred dur­ ing my giving a deposition for my am grateful to Keith Harary for lawsuit. Random House's lawyer asked coming to my defense. My quarrel me if I knew journalist Ron McCrae I with Targ is given at some length prior to his passing along to Targ the in Chapter 7 of my book The New Age, rumor about my alleged remark. I said which apparently Harary has not seen, I did not. The lawyer then startled me but let me add here a few more details. with a copy of a letter I had written The person who told me that the to "Dear Ron" that predated McCrea's tapes were in disarray was Persi visit to SRI. I had no recollection of Diaconis, now a well-known Harvard this letter and worried about it all the mathematician. He had been hired by way home. Fortunately I had preserved Caltech to visit Targ's laboratory at SRI my correspondence with SRI's public International, under an assumed name, relations officer, whose first name was and report on the experiments Targ Ron. It was to him my letter had been and Harold Puthoff had made with written. Targ's ESP teaching machine. I did not In the addendum to my chapter on at the time mention Persi's name all this in The New Age, I report that because I didn't want to blow his cover. Random House (which owns Villard) Now it doesn't matter. Persi was did indeed settle out of court for dismayed by the state of the tapes. Not $10,000. My suit against them was only were they in bits and pieces, but based entirely on the fact that Villard's occasionally, when a machine's record­ top editor had assured me that the ing apparatus failed, students kept their libelous paragraph would be removed

88 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 from all subsequent printings of The SRI continues not to permit out­ Mind Race. (I had informed him that siders to look at the raw data of any if this were done, I would take no legal of the experiments conducted by action.) The editor had so little interest Puthoff and Targ when they were on in seeing that the paragraph was the staff. The state of the tapes, and indeed removed that he did not even whether they support the figures check the paperback edition to find given in the monograph by Puthoff out. I learned about it not from him and Targ, could easily be determined but from a friend who bought the if SRI would allow inspection. It is a book. A more responsible house would scandal that a major research institu­ not have published the book in the tion would keep its records hidden first place. Recently a new paperback from the scientific community on the edition was printed with the libelous grounds that the research was funded passage excised at last. by the military. •

More on Jahn's Statistics Jahn here since he is just following a practice of using p-values as a JOHN P. WENDELL measure of evidence against the null hypothesis that is apparently widely obert Jahn states in his letter (SI, accepted in practice as indicated by the Spring 1989: 328-329) in refer­ almost universal use of p-values in R ence to his success rate of .5002 scientific journals (including SI). in 78 million trials that ". . . the Nonetheless, it is simply not true that statistical likelihood of this result's the p-value is a measure of evidence occurring by chance is 2 x 104." He against the null hypothesis. A good apparently is computing this result by article on this subject for interested reference to the cumulative binomial SKEPTICAL INQUIRER readers is "Sta­ distribution with the probability of a tistical Analysis and the Illusion of success equal to 0.5. Although this is Objectivity," by James O. Berger and the correct way to calculate a p-value Donald A. Berry, American Scientist for a one-sided test, this has nothing (March-April 1988), pp. 159-165. For to do with "the statistical likelihood a more technical account of this issue, of this occurring from chance." All this see "Testing a Point Null Hypothesis: p-value provides is the probability of The Irreconcilability of P Values and getting the observed result, or a more Evidence," by James O. Berger and extreme result, in repeated trials if the Thomas Sellke, Journal of the American probability of success in an individual Statistical Association (March 1987), trial is 0.5. In the case at hand this pp. 112-122. means the p-value is the sum of the So what is the evidence against the probabilities of getting from null hypothesis that Jahn's results are 39,015,600 successes to 78,000,000 due to chance? Since the alternate successes in 78,000,000 trials. This hypothesis framed by Jahn is that the sum is almost completely irrelevant results are due to micropsychokinesis since all but one of these 38,984,400 (MPK) and that in the absence of MPK probabilities has anything to do with there should be no effect either what was observed. positive or negative on the chances of In a sense it is unfair to criticize an event, a two-sided test and not a

Fall 1991 89 one-sided test is appropriate. James O. against a variety of other priors) Berger and Mohan Delampady, in then the resulting posterior prob­ "Testing Precise Hypotheses," Statis­ ability is 0.052, a far cry from tical Science, 2, no. 3 (1987): 317-352, 0.0002. provide a method for calculating the One final note: rejecting the null probability that the null hypothesis is hypothesis that the results are due to true in a two-sided test. To apply the chance does not result in accepting the Berger and Delampady method we alternate hypotheses that the results must provide both a prior probability are due to MPK, as there are several that the null hypothesis is true and more plausible alternate hypotheses, a prior distribution for the parameter involving weaknesses in the experi­ space. If we want to be objective, it mental protocol. However, even if seems reasonable to select a prior Jahn's protocol could stand up to probability of 50 percent for the null scrutiny, the evidence from his exper­ hypothesis being true. An objective iment is not nearly as persuasive as prior distribution for the parameter he claims by at least an order of two space is a bit more complicated, but magnitudes. it is clear that Jahn is not claiming that William H. Jefferys's more in-depth the MPK effect is very large, so we treatment of this issue, titled "Bayes- can reasonably restrict it to within one ian Analysis of Random Event Gener­ order of magnitude of Jahn's observed ator Data," appears in the Journal of result: from 0.498 to 0.502. If we Scientific Exploration, 4, no. 2(1990): assume a uniform prior distribution 153-169. within this parameter space (an assumption that Berger and Delam­ John P. Wendell is professor of accounting pady have shown to be quite robust at the University of Hawaii, Manoa.

More on Hi-Fi reduction in distortion of approxi­ mately 0.00005 percent per contact for Audio Claims 100 contacts in series at 1,000 Hz, 1 millivolt and 600 ohms load, with a FRED E. DAVIS decreasing improvement above 1 millivolt. It would be redundant to say that is inaudible. ince the publication of my report Tice Audio Products has intro­ on "Hi-Fi Audio Pseudoscience" duced their version of the digital clock S(SI, Spring 1991), new informa­ for only $350. As Mr. Tice stated, "For tion has come to light on one of those those people who claim to hear big products, several new products have improvements when plugging in appeared, and further tests have been untreated off-the-shelf clocks, I com­ conducted. mend you on your imagination."2 I have learned that the contact Likewise. He also suggests that if one enhancer "Tweek" is actually a diluted clock doesn't work, try two. From the form of the product Stabilant 22 from Tice Audio "white paper" discussing D.W. Electrochemicals Ltd.1 Test the TPT treatment, the chaotic elec­ results reported by the manufacturer tron motion theory has apparently using Stabilant 22a, a more concen­ been abandoned in favor of a new trated solution than Tweek, show a molecular-level noise reduction

90 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 system. change in the eye pattern, no mis- For compact discs (CDs), there are tracking of the servos and, using an cryogenic treatments and new plastic interface to my computer, no change materials to help smooth out that in the digital data read from the CD. grainy sound. For speaker cables, For those readers who, when they there are new vibration-absorbing cannot measure any effect and are stands to lift the cables off the floor skeptical, automatically assume no to reduce magnetic interactions with listening tests are performed, they are the (ironwood?) floor and eliminate mistaken. Also, while anecdotal evi­ floor vibrations from affecting the dence may be interesting and lead to signals reaching the speaker. Another further investigation, it is not manufacturer suggests that since the conclusive. audio signal in a speaker cable travels outside the conductor (i.e., through the insulator), only natural insulating Notes materials like cotton or silk should be 1. D. W. Electrochemical Ltd., 9005 used. Leslie Street, Unit 106, Richmond Hill, I conducted a brief test in an effort Ontario L4B 1G7, Canada. to better understand the consequen­ 2. Stereophile, January 1991, p. 297. ces of stray reflected laser light within a CD. If reducing internal reflections For Further Reading improves the sound (as virtually all of the CD tweaks promise), then the Bert Whyte, "Behind the Scenes: The Urge converse should also be true—increas­ to Tweak," Audio, April 1991, pp. 29-32. Ken Pohlmann, "CD Magic," Stereo Review, ing the amount of internal reflections July 1991, pp. 39-42. should make the sound worse. Also, Ken Pohlmann, "Signals: Science, Not it is much easier to inject light into Magic," Stereo Review, April 1991, p. 26. a CD than it is to measure the level Ken Pohlmann, "Signals: Smoke and Mir­ of internal reflections. In my tests the rors," Stereo Review, August 1990, p. 24. E. Brad Meyer, "The Amp/Speaker Inter­ external sources of light were a face," Stereo Review, June 1991, pp. 53- helium-neon laser of about 1 mW at 56. 632.8 nm, and a semiconductor laser Robert A. Pease, "What's All This Splicing at 780 nm with a power greatly Stuff, Anyhow?" Electronic Design, exceeding 6 mW, the limit of my light December 27, 1990, p. 72. Fred E. Davis, "Effects of Cable, Loud­ power meter. While injecting light speaker, and Amplifier Interactions," ]. from either laser at numerous loca­ Audio Eng. Soc, 39, no. 6, June 1991. pp. tions and angles around the disc (both 461-468. outer and inner edges, over and around the optical pickup from both Fred E. Davis (5 7 Greenway St, Hamden, sides), I could find no audible differ­ CT 06517) is a consulting electronics ence, no change in the error rate, no engineer.

Fall 1991 91 Forum I . . .v»JSi Keep Your Eye on the Brass Ring MILTON A. ROTHMAN

he other day I appeared on a thing about a member of the family morning talk-show on WWOR- being sick." The moderator then said TTV Channel 9, in Secaucus, New some things to the effect that, yes, Jersey. Sociologist Marcello Truzzi air fares have been coming down and was there selling his new book, The a trip to Florida would be a nice thing, Blue Sense, about psychics who do and yes, there may be some sickness detective work (reviewed in this in the family, and a few other things. issue). There were also a couple of Then he turned to me and asked, professional psychics, one of whom, "How do you, as a skeptic, respond Dorothy Allison, is well known as a to all this?" psychic detective. She described how My response, I confess, was not she had gone down to Atlanta to name very strong. Blame this on a tired a serial killer who had done away with brain not being able to process all the a large number of black children. In predictions and all the responses. I said retrospect her story appears less than merely that the psychic had predicted convincing when you read that she a lot of commonplace events that could actually gave 42 names, none of which happen to anybody. Whereupon there were correct (Hines 1988; 46). was a lot of hissing and booing. Truzzi I was present in my usual role as came to my assistance by pointing out the professional skeptic, and my that the moderator had given a reply contribution to the discussion was based on his interpretation of what devoted to pointing out that you have the psychic said, and not exactly on to pay attention to what actually what the psychic had really said. That happens in these cases: what are the was a bit better. exact predictions and how many times But as I was riding home in the do these predictions give a useful nice limousine provided by the station, result? a number of "treppenworter" began Unfortunately, in spite of my to filter into my mind. (Treppenworter insistence on paying attention to what is a Freudian term describing the sharp happens instead of what is said, I found ripostes you think of as you walk myself falling into a serious trap down the stairs after an argumenta­ toward the end of the session, when tive party.) After all my talk about the moderator asked one of the paying attention to what actually psychics to make some predictions happens, I had responded entirely to about him, the moderator. The psy­ what the moderator said was going chic proceeded to utter some gener­ to happen: he was going to Florida, alities, such as, "Well, I feel a trip to there were going to be illnesses in his Florida coming up, and I feel some­ family. I had no way of knowing

92 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 whether he really would have gone separating talk from action. Future to Florida. Probably the idea had been CSICOP meetings should feature put into his head by the psychic's experiential workshops training us in prediction. I don't know if anybody the hard realities of talking with fast was really going to be sick in his talkers. family; I had only his word for it. In retrospect, I realized that I had been Note set up by the moderator. 1. T. Hines, Pseudoscience and the Para­ The moral is: Don't go by what they normal (Buffalo: Prometheus Books, 1988), say; the only evidence that counts is what p. 46. actually happened. It's hard to do this in the heat of combat. For this reason, Milton Rothman, a physicist, is author training in dealing with psychics and of a Physicist's Guide to Skepticism and talk shows must include practice in The Science Gap (forthcoming).

1991 European Skeptics Conference Park Hotel, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Friday and Saturday, October 4 and 5,1991 Terence Hines (USA)—Placebo Practitioners: Paul Kurtz (USA)—The Paranormal: A Psychotherapists as Native Healers, from Religious Phenomenon? Park Avenue to Borneo Michael Heap (U.K.)—Science in Daily Life Armardeo Sarma (Germany)—Testing Dowsing Piet H. Jongbloet (Netherlands)—The Emi­ Claims in Kassel: Aims, Methods, Results nence Effect in Human Annual Birth Rate Claude Benski (France)—A Pedagogical Carl E. Koppeschaar (Netherlands)—A Project of Paranormal Research in an Engi­ Critical Look at Neo-Astrology neering School Cornells de Jager (Netherlands)—The Mars- Michael Howgate (U.K.)—Looking for a Effect Related to Annual Birth Rates Witness of the Great Flood S. F. Hartkamp (Netherlands)—Should the M. A. Klein Breteler (Netherlands)—The State Interfere in Paranormal Practices? Diagnostic Value of Electro-Acupuncture W. Betz (Belgium)— in According to Voll Belgium: The Struggle for Legal Recognition J. Hilgevoord (Netherlands)—The World R. H. Nanninga (Netherlands)—Cooperation According to Quantum Mechanics Between Skeptics and Parapsychologists Registration for the European Congress, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Send to. Stichting Skeptics, P.O. Box 2657, 3500 GR Utrecht, Netherlands Registration fee: Hfl. 76 (approx. U.S. $40) for persons(s) $ _ Friday Fund-Raising Banquet: Hfl. 65 (approx. U.S. $35) for persons(s) $ _ Hotel Accommodations: Park Hotel, Amsterdam (near Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum). Reserve for • Friday o Saturday n Sunday • Single: Hfl. 187 (U.S. $95) per night D Double: Hfl. 248 (US. $125) per night $ _ Charge my • MasterCard o Visa o Diners Club o American Express Total $ _ Card number Exp Name Address City State . Country. .Zip. Phone (day). . (evening).

Fall 1991 93 Letters to the Editor

Our Spring 1991 issue stimulated an unusually large number of letters to the editor, more than double the normal amount—25 alone concerning the two articles on extraterrestrial intelligence. Unfortunately available space didn't miraculously also double and so many excellent letters have to be omitted, but we want you to know we deeply appreciate your lively and thoughtful interest.—EDITOR

Searching for extraterrestrial intelligence: More viewpoints Zen Faulkes argues that one term in the Drake formula for the number of "contactable" civilizations in our galaxy has been vastly overestimated ("Getting Smart About Getting Smarts: Evolu­ tionary Biology and Extraterrestrial Intelligence/'SI, Spring 1991). This term is "the fraction of biospheres that evolve an intelligent species." It is usually taken to be nearly 1.0, but Faulkes estimates 9 it to be about 10 . He obtains this value Independent of my quantitative by dividing the one intelligent species criticism, I am not convinced that 9 that has evolved by the estimated 10 Faulkes's approach is correct. One can total number of species that have ever argue that a better estimate is made not existed. This is an incorrect calculation. by counting species, but by counting the It does not tell us the probability that number of (nearly) fresh starts that have the earth would eventually evolve an been made after mass extinctions. That intelligent species; it only tells us the number is five by Faulkes's count, which probability that a particular species is makes the estimate 20 percent per start. intelligent. At the very least, he needs This approach requires that one know to estimate the total number of species the number of mass extinctions for the that will evolve during the entire course "typical" life-bearing planet and under­ of the earth's life-bearing time-span. For stand the dynamics of the refilling of more accuracy, he probably should try the biosphere. Unfortunately (again), I to decide which ecological niches are don't believe that enough is known at conducive to intelligence and then this time to do it right. analyze the dynamics of how they The only irrefutable fact is that become filled. (I don't think that a million intelligent life is possible. This alone species of beetles is relevant to the makes SETI interesting. I am not calculation.) Unfortunately, I'd guess optimistic about the outcome (for that this is an impossible job at this time. reasons different from Faulkes's), but

^4 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 like Faulkes I'd hate to see the search fraction of biospheres that might evolve abandoned entirely. I'm afraid, though, intelligent life. His estimate of/,- as "one that it's just a shot in the dark. intelligent species / every species that ever lived" is actually an estimate of the Jon J. Thaler fraction of species likely to evolve Department of Physics intelligence (/,,), not the fraction of University of Illinois biospheres (/,) that evolves at least one Urbana, 111. intelligent species. The correct estimate of/, is:

Zen Faulkes considers the term /, of the Drake equation, which is the fraction of planets with life that have intelligent where Ns is the typical number of species life. He proposes that this should be that develop in a biosphere. If our own biosphere is a typical one, then fsi is one intelligent species indeed small. But Ns will be a very large Ji ~ number, and /, may in fact approach every species that ever lived unity rather than zero as argued by Faulkes. This evaluation is logically consistent if only one species exists at any one time! But Craig R. Wyss this is absurd. In fact a fair fraction of Seattle, Wash. all species that have ever existed are coexistent. So the equation should be: It was refreshing to see two points of one intelligent species view on SETI in your Spring 1991 issue. Ji ~ But Zen Faulkes's piece on the proba­ every species that ever lived bility of intelligent life arising given a biosphere has a few difficulties. Stephen x number of coexistent species Jay Gould's bestseller, Wonderful Life, does say that survivors from the Burgess To first order the ratio, number of Shale made it "by luck," a point that coexistent species/every species that Faulkes picks up to underline the theme ever lived, is the reciprocal of the that a sensate being cannot [easily] be number of times nature has erased the expected to arise from evolution. The slate and rolled the dice again—that is, various catastrophes during Earth's life the number of mass extinctions, which could be called "luck" and mutations are is a small number of order 10. But even random, but the process of natural this factor is accounted for elsewhere selection is an iron discipline. Although in the Drake equation, by fy which intelligence need not be selected for includes not only natural extinction of survival (look at the shark or the species, but suicidal behavior of an cockroach), adaptivity certainly will be; intelligent species. So with these correc­ and when adaptivity, driven by demand­ tions of logic, Faulkes's proposal reverts ing environments, has proceeded so far back to the "traditional way of deter­ that the organism can begin to manip­ mining the value of Drake's /,-," that is, ulate the environment, cultural evolu­ "one intelligent species/one biosphere." tion begins. In an atmosphere that is transparent to electromagnetic waves, Alan Harris radio technology will likely eventuate. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Faulkes makes much of Jared Dia­ Pasadena, Calif. mond's point that, because no other animal has exploited the niche of the Even within the bounds of his nonhier- woodpecker, why would one think any archical speciation model, Zen Faulkes animal would exploit radio technology, badly underestimates the value of/„ the which has fewer obvious benefits? This

Fall 1991 95 Back Issues of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 15% discount on orders of $100 or more ($6.25 for each copy. To order, use reply card insert.) SUMMER 1991 (vol. 15, no. 4): Lucid dreams, Bartholomew. Newspaper editors and the creation- Blackmore. Nature faking in the humanities, Gallo. evolution controversy, Zimmerman. Special report: Carrying the war into the never-never land of psi: New evidence of MJ-12 hoax, Klass. The great Urantia Part 2, Gill. Coincidences, Paulos. Locating invisible mystery, Gardner. buildings, Plummer. True believers. Bower. Cal Thomas, FALL 1989 (vol. 14, no. 1): Myths about science, the big bang, and Forrest Mims, Gardner. Rothman. The relativity of wrong, Asimov. Richard SPRING 1991 (vol. 15, no. 3): Special report: Hi-fi Feynman on fringe science. Luis Alvarez and the pseudoscience, Davis. Searching for extraterrestrial explorer's quest, Muller. The two cultures, ]ones. The intelligence: An interview with Thomas R. McDonough. 'top-secret UFO papers' NSA won't release, Klass. The Getting smart about getting smarts, Faullces. Carrying metaphysics of Murphy's Law, Price. The Unicorn at the war into the never-never land of psi: Part 1, Gill. large, Gardner. Satanic cult 'survivor' stories, Victor. 'Old-solved SUMMER 1989 (vol. 13, no. 4): The New Age—An mysteries': The Kecksburg incident, Young. Penn & Examination: The New Age in perspective, Kurtz. A Teller, the magical iconoclasts, Gordon. Magic, New Age reflection in the magic mirror of science, medicine, and metaphysics in Nigeria, Roder. What's O'Hara. The New Age: The need for myth in an age wrong with science education? Look at the family, of science, Schultz. Channeling, Alcock. The psychology Eve. Three curious research projects, Gardner. of channeling. Reed, 'Entities' in the linguistic WINTER 1991 (vol. 15, no. 2): Special report / Gallup minefield, Thomason. Crystals, Lawrence. Consumer poll: Belief in paranormal phenomena, Gallup and culture and the New Age, Rosen. The Shirley MacLaine Newport. Science and self-government, Piel. West Bank phenomenon, Gordon. Special report: California court collective hysteria episode, Stewart. Acceptance of jails psychic surgeon, Brenneman. personality test results, Thiriart. Belief in astrology: SPRING 1989 (vol. 13, no. 3): High school biology A test of the Barnum effect, French, Fowler, McCarthy,teacher s and pseudoscientific belief. Eve and Dunn. and Peers. A test of clairvoyance using signal-detection, Evidence for Bigfoot? Dennett. Alleged pore structure McKelvie and Gagne. Intercessory prayer as medical in Sasquatch footprints, Freeland and Rowe. The lore treatment? Wittmer and Zimmerman. Tipler's Omega of levitation, Stein. Levitation 'miracles' in India, Point theory, Martin Gardner. Premanand. Science, pseudoscience, and the cloth of FALL 1990 (vol. 15, no. 1): Neural Organization Turin, Nickell. Rather than just debunking, encourage Technique: Treatment or torture, Worrall. The spooks people to think, Seckel. MJ-12 papers 'authenticated'? of quantum mechanics, Stenger. Science and Sir William Klass. A patently false patent myth, Sass. Crookes, Hoffmaster. The 'N' machine, Cumming. WINTER 1989 (vol. 13, no. 2): Special report: The Biological cycles and rhythms vs. biorhythms, Wheeler. 'remembering water' controversy, Gardner and Randi; The mysterious finger-lift levitation, Gardner. 1990 Bibliographic guide to the 'dilution controversy.' CSICOP Conference. Pathologies of science, precognition, and modern SUMMER 1990 (vol. 14, no. 4): Ghosts make news: psychophysics, Jensen. A reaction-time test of ESP and How four newspapers report psychic phenomena, precognition, Hines and Dennison. Chinese psychic's pill- Klare. Thinking critically and creatively. Wade and bottle demonstration, Wu Xiaoping. The Kirlian Tavris. Police pursuit of satanic crime, Part 2, Hicks. technique, Watkins and Bickel. Certainty and proof in Order out of chaos in survival research, Berger. creationist thought, Leferriere. Piltdown, paradigms, and the paranormal, Feder. FALL 1988 (vol. 13, no. 1): Special report: Astrology Auras: Searching for the light, Loftin. Biorhythms and and the presidency, Kurtz and Bob. Improving Human the timing of death, Lester. Relativism in science, Performance: What about parapsychology? Frazier. Gardner. The China syndrome: Further reflections on the SPRING 1990 (vol. 14, no. 3): Why we need to paranormal in China, Kurtz. Backward masking, understand science, Sagan. The crisis in pre-college Mclver. The validity of graphological analysis, Furnham. science and math education, Seaborg.Polic e pursuit of The intellectual revolt against science, Grove. Reich satanic crime. Part 1, Hicks. The spread of satanic- the rainmaker, Gardner. cult rumors, Victor. Lying about polygraph tests, SUMMER 1988 (vol. 12, no. 4): Testing psi claims Shneour. Worldwide disasters and moon phase, Kelly, in China, Kurtz, Alcock, Frazier, Karr, Klass, and Randi. Saklofske, and Culver. St. George and the dragon of The appeal of the occult: Some thoughts on history, creationism, Gardner. religion, and science, Stevens. Hypnosis and reincar­ WINTER 1990 (vol. 14, no. 2): The new catastro- nation, Venn. Pitfalls of perception, Wheeler. Wegener phism, Morrison and Chapman. A field guide to critical and pseudoscience: Some misconceptions, Edelman.A n thinking, Lett. Cold fusion: A case history in 'wishful investigation of psychic crime-busting, Emery. High­ science'? Rothman. The airship hysteria of 1896-97, flying health quackery, Hines. The bar-code beast. Back Issues of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 15% discount on orders of $100 or more ($6.25 for each copy. To order, use reply card insert.) SUMMER 1991 (vol. 15, no. 4): Lucid dreams, Bartholomew. Newspaper editors and the creation- Blackmore. Nature faking in the humanities, Gallo. evolution controversy, Zimmerman. Special report: Carrying the war into the never-never land of psi: New evidence of MJ-12 hoax, Klass. The great Urantia Part 2, Gill. Coincidences, Paulos. Locating invisible mystery, Gardner. buildings, Plummer. True believers, Bower. Cal Thomas, FALL 1989 (vol. 14, no. 1): Myths about science, the big bang, and Forrest Mims, Gardner. Rothman. The relativity of wrong, Asimov. Richard SPRING 1991 (vol. 15, no. 3): Special report: Hi-fi Feynman on fringe science. Luis Alvarez and the pseudoscience, Davis. Searching for extraterrestrial explorer's quest, Muller. The two cultures, Jones. The intelligence: An interview with Thomas R. McDonough. 'top-secret UFO papers' NSA won't release, Klass. The Getting smart about getting smarts, Faulkes. Carrying metaphysics of Murphy's Law, Price. The Unicorn at the war into the never-never land of psi: Part 1, Gill. large, Gardner. Satanic cult 'survivor' stories, Victor. 'Old-solved SUMMER 1989 (vol. 13, no. 4): The New Age—An mysteries': The Kecksburg incident, Young. Penn & Examination: The New Age in perspective, Kurtz. A Teller, the magical iconoclasts, Gordon. Magic, New Age reflection in the magic mirror of science, medicine, and metaphysics in Nigeria, Roder. What's O'Hara. The New Age: The need for myth in an age wrong with science education? Look at the family, of science, Schultz. Channeling, Alcock. The psychology Eve. Three curious research projects, Gardner. of channeling, Reed, 'Entities' in the linguistic WINTER 1991 (vol. 15, no. 2): Special report / Gallup minefield, Thomason. Crystals, Lawrence. Consumer poll: Belief in paranormal phenomena, Gallup and culture and the New Age, Rosen. The Shirley MacLaine Newport. Science and self-government, Piel. West Bank phenomenon, Gordon. Special report: California court collective hysteria episode, Stewart. Acceptance of jails psychic surgeon, Brenneman. personality test results, Thiriart. Belief in astrology: SPRING 1989 (vol. 13, no. 3): High school biology A test of the Barnum effect, French, Fowler, McCarthy, teachers and pseudoscientific belief, Eve and Dunn. and Peers. A test of clairvoyance using signal-detection, Evidence for Bigfoot? Dennett. Alleged pore structure McKelvie and Gagn'e. Intercessory prayer as medical in Sasquatch footprints, Freeland and Rowe. The lore treatment? Wittmer and Zimmerman. Tipler's Omega of levitation, Stein. Levitation 'miracles' in India, Point theory, Martin Gardner. Premanand. Science, pseudoscience, and the cloth of FALL 1990 (vol. 15, no. 1): Neural Organization Turin, Nickell. Rather than just debunking, encourage Technique: Treatment or torture, Worrall. The spooks people to think, Seckel. MJ-12 papers 'authenticated'? of quantum mechanics, Stenger. Science and Sir William Klass. A patently false patent myth, Sass. Crookes, Hoffmaster. The 'N' machine, Gumming. WINTER 1989 (vol. 13, no. 2): Special report: The Biological cycles and rhythms vs. biorhythms, Wheeler. 'remembering water' controversy, Gardner and Randi; The mysterious finger-lift levitation, Gardner. 1990 Bibliographic guide to the 'dilution controversy.' CSICOP Conference. Pathologies of science, precognition, and modern SUMMER 1990 (vol. 14, no. 4): Ghosts make news: psychophysics, Jensen. A reaction-time test of ESP and How four newspapers report psychic phenomena, precognition, Hines and Dennison. Chinese psychic's pill- Klare. Thinking critically and creatively, Wade and bottle demonstration, W« Xiaoping. The Kirlian Tavris. Police pursuit of satanic crime, Part 2, Hicks. technique, Watkins and Bickel. Certainty and proof in Order out of chaos in survival research, Berger. creationist thought, Leferriere. Piltdown, paradigms, and the paranormal, Feder. FALL 1988 (vol. 13, no. 1): Special report: Astrology Auras: Searching for the light, Loftin. Biorhythms and and the presidency, Kurtz and Bob. Improving Human the timing of death, Lester. Relativism in science, Performance: What about parapsychology? Frazier. Gardner. The China syndrome: Further reflections on the SPRING 1990 (vol. 14, no. 3): Why we need to paranormal in China, Kurtz. Backward masking, understand science, Sagan. The crisis in pre-college Mclver. The validity of graphological analysis, Furnham. science and math education, Seaborg. Police pursuit of The intellectual revolt against science, Grove. Reich satanic crime, Part 1, Hicks. The spread of satanic- the rainmaker, Gardner. cult rumors, Victor. Lying about polygraph tests, SUMMER 1988 (vol. 12, no. 4): Testing psi claims Shneour. Worldwide disasters and moon phase, Kelly, in China, Kurtz, Alcock, Frazier, Karr, Klass, and Randi. Saklofske, and Culver. St. George and the dragon of The appeal of the occult: Some thoughts on history, creationism, Gardner. religion, and science, Stevens. Hypnosis and reincar­ WINTER 1990 (vol. 14, no. 2): The new catastro- nation, Venn. Pitfalls of perception, Wheeler. Wegener phism, Morrison and Chapman. A field guide to critical and pseudoscience: Some misconceptions, Edelman. An thinking, Lett. Cold fusion: A case history in 'wishful investigation of psychic crime-busting, Emery. High­ science'? Rothman. The airship hysteria of 1896-97, flying health quackery, Hines. The bar-code beast, Letters to the Editor

Our Spring 1991 issue stimulated an unusually large number of letters to the editor, more than double the normal amount—25 alone concerning the two articles on extraterrestrial intelligence. Unfortunately available space didn't miraculously also double and so many excellent letters have to be omitted, but we want you to know we deeply appreciate your lively and thoughtful interest.—EDITOR

Searching for extraterrestrial intelligence: More viewpoints Zen Faulkes argues that one term in the Drake formula for the number of "contactable" civilizations in our galaxy has been vastly overestimated ("Getting Smart About Getting Smarts: Evolu­ tionary Biology and Extraterrestrial Intelligence/'SI, Spring 1991). This term is "the fraction of biospheres that evolve an intelligent species." It is usually taken to be nearly 1.0, but Faulkes estimates 9 it to be about 10 . He obtains this value Independent of my quantitative by dividing the one intelligent species criticism, I am not convinced that 9 that has evolved by the estimated 10 Faulkes's approach is correct. One can total number of species that have ever argue that a better estimate is made not existed. This is an incorrect calculation. by counting species, but by counting the It does not tell us the probability that number of (nearly) fresh starts that have the earth would eventually evolve an been made after mass extinctions. That intelligent species; it only tells us the number is five by Faulkes's count, which probability that a particular species is makes the estimate 20 percent per start. intelligent. At the very least, he needs This approach requires that one know to estimate the total number of species the number of mass extinctions for the that will evolve during the entire course "typical" life-bearing planet and under­ of the earth's life-bearing time-span. For stand the dynamics of the refilling of more accuracy, he probably should try the biosphere. Unfortunately (again), I to decide which ecological niches are don't believe that enough is known at conducive to intelligence and then this time to do it right. analyze the dynamics of how they The only irrefutable fact is that become filled. (I don't think that a million intelligent life is possible. This alone species of beetles is relevant to the makes SETI interesting. I am not calculation.) Unfortunately, I'd guess optimistic about the outcome (for that this is an impossible job at this time. reasons different from Faulkes's), but

^4 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 Keith. Occam's Razor and the nutshell earth, Some remote-viewing recollections, Weinberg. Science, Gardner. mysteries, and the quest for evidence, Gardner. SPRING 1988 (vol. 12, no. 3): Neuropathology and SPRING 1986 (vol. 10, no. 3): The perennial fringe, the legacy of spiritual possession, Beyerstein. Varieties Asimov. The uses of credulity, de Camp. Night walkers of alien experience, Ellis. Alien-abduction claims and and mystery mongers, Sagan. CSICOP after ten years, standards of inquiry (excerpts from Milton Rosen­ Kurtz. Crash of the crashed-saucers claim, Klass. A berg's radio talk-show with guests Charles Gruder, study of the Kirlian effect, Watkins and Bickel. Ancient Martin Orne, and Budd Hopkins). The MJ-12 Papers: tales and space-age myths of creationist evangelism, Part 2, Klass. Doomsday: The May 2000 prediction, Mclver. Creationism's debt to George McCready Price, Meeus. My visit to the Nevada Clinic, Barrett. Morphic Gardner. resonance in silicon chips, Varela and Letelier. Abigail's WINTER 1985-86 (vol. 10, no. 2): The moon was full anomalous apparition, Durm. The riddle of the and nothing happened, Kelly, Rotton, and Culver. Psychic Colorado lights. Bunch and White. The obligation studies: The Soviet dilemma. Ebon. The psycho- to disclose fraud, Gardner. pathology of fringe medicine, Sabbagh. Computers and WINTER 1987-88 (vol. 12, no. 2): The MJ-12 papers: rational thought, Spangenburg and Moser. Psi Part I, Philip ]. Klass. The aliens among us: Hypnotic researchers' inattention to conjuring, Gardner. regression revisited. Baker. The brain and conscious­ FALL 1985 (vol. 10, no. 1): Investigations of fire- ness: Implications for psi, Beyerstein. Past-life hypnotic walking, Leikind and McCarthy. Firewalking: reality or regression, Spanos. Fantasizing under hypnosis, Reveen. illusion, Dennett. Myth of alpha consciousness, The verdict on creationism, Gould. Irving Kristol and Beyerstein. Spirit-rapping unmasked, V. Bullough. The the facts of life, Gardner. Saguaro incident, Taylor and Dennett. The great stone FALL 1987 (vol. 12, no. 1): The burden of skepticism, face, Gardner. Sagan. Is there intelligent life on Earth? Kurtz. Medical SUMMER 1985 (vol. 9, no. 4): Guardian astrology Controversies: Chiropractic, Jarvis; Homeopathy, study. Dean, Kelly, Rotton, and Saklofske. Astrology and Barrett, M.D.; Alternative therapies, ]ones; Quackery, the commodity market, Rotton. The hundredth Pepper. Catching Geller in the act, Emery. The third monkey phenomenon, Amundson. Responsibilities of eye, Gardner. Special Report: CSICOP's 1987 the media, Kurtz. 'Lucy' out of context, Albert. The conference. debunking club, Gardner. SUMMER 1987 (vol. 11, no. 4): Incredible cremations: SPRING 1985 (vol. 9, no. 3): Columbus : Investigating combustion deaths, Nickell and Fischer. I, Randi. Moon and murder in Cleveland, Sanduleak. Subliminal deception. Creed. Past tongues remem­ Image of Guadalupe, Nickell and Fischer. Radar UFOs, bered? Thomason. Is the universe improbable? Shotwell. Klass. Phrenology, McCoy. Deception by patients, Psychics, computers, and psychic computers, Easton. Pankralz. Communication in nature, Orstan. Relevance Pseudoscience and children's fantasies, Evans. of belief systems, Gardner. Thoughts on science and superstrings, Gardner. Special WINTER 1984-85 (vol. 9, no. 2): The muddled 'Mind Reports: JAL pilot's UFO report, Klass; Unmasking Race,' Hyman. Searches for the Loch Ness monster, psychic Jason Michaels, Busch. Razdan and Kielar. Final interview with Milbourne SPRING 1987 (vol. 11, no. 3): The elusive open mind: Christopher, Dennett. Retest of astrologer John Ten years of negative research in parapsychology, McCall, lanna and Tolbert. 'Mind Race,' Gardner. Blackmore. Does astrology need to be true? Part 2: The FALL 1984 (vol. 9, no. 1): Quantum theory and the answer is no, Dean. Magic, science, and metascience: paranormal, Shore. What is pseudoscience? Bunge. The Some notes on perception, D. Safari. Velikovsky's new philosophy of science and the 'paranormal,' interpretation of the evidence offered by China, Lo. Toulmin. An eye-opening double encounter, Martin. Anomalies of Chip Arp, Gardner. Similarities between identical twins and between WINTER 1986-87 (vol. 11, no. 2): Case study of West unrelated people, Wyatt et al. Effectiveness of a reading Pittston 'haunted' house, Kurtz. Science, creationism program on paranormal belief. Woods, Pseudoscien- and the Supreme Court, Seckel, with statements by tific beliefs of 6th-graders, A. S. and S. ]. Adelman. Ayala, Gould, and Gell-Mann. The great East Coast UFO Koestler money down the psi-drain, Gardner. of August 1986, Oberg. Does astrology need to be SUMMER 1984 (vol. 8, no. 4): Parapsychology's past true? Part 1, Dean. Homing abilities of bees, cats, and eight years, Alcock. The evidence for ESP, C. E. M. people, Randi. The EPR paradox and Rupert Sheldrake, Hansel. $110,000 dowsing challenge, Randi. Sir Oliver Gardner. Followups: On fringe literature, Bauer; on Lodge and the spiritualists, Hoffmaster. Misperception, Martin Gardner and Daniel Home, Beloff. folk belief, and the occult, Connor. Psychology and FALL 1986 (vol. 11, no. 1): The path ahead: Oppor­ UFOs, Simon. Freud and Fliess, Gardner. tunities, challenges, and an expanded view, Frazier. SPRING 1984 (vol. 8, no. 3): Belief in the paranormal Exposing the faith-healers, Steiner. Was Antarctica worldwide: Mexico, Mendez-Acosla; Netherlands, Hoe- mapped by the ancients? Jolly. Folk remedies and bens; U.K., Hutchinson; Australia, Smith; Canada, Gordon; human belief-systems, Reuter. Dentistry and pseudo- France, Rouze. Debunking, neutrality, and skepticism science, Dodes. Atmospheric electricity, ions, and in science, Kurtz. University course reduces para­ pseudoscience, Dolezalek. Noah's ark and ancient normal belief. Gray. The Gribbin effect, Roder. Proving astronauts, Harrold and Eve. The Woodbridge UFO negatives, Pasquarello. MacLaine, McTaggart, and incident, Ridpath. How to bust a ghost, Baker. The McPherson, Gardner. unorthodox conjectures of Tommy Gold, Gardner. WINTER 1983-84 (vol. 8, no. 2): Sense and nonsense SUMMER 1986 (vol. 10, no. 4): Occam's razor, Shneour. in parapsychology, Hoebens. Magicians, scientists, and Clever Hans redivivus, Sebeok. Parapsychology psychics, Ganoe and Kirwan. New dowsing experiment, miracles, and repeatability. Flew. The Condon UFO Martin. The effect of TM on weather, Trumpy. The study, Klass. Four decades of fringe literature, Dutch. haunting of the Ivan Vassilli, Sheaffer. Venus and Veli- (continued on next page) kovsky, Forrest. Magicians in the psi lab, Gardner. articles by Oberg, Bauer, Frazier. Academia and the FALL 1983 (vol. 8, no. 1): Creationist pseudoscience, occult, Greenwell. Belief in ESP among psychologists, Schadewald. Project Alpha: Part 2, Randi. Forecasting Padgett, Benassi, and Singer. Bigfoot on the loose, Kurtz. radio quality by the planets, Dean. Reduction in Parental expectations of miracles, Steiner. Downfall of paranormal belief in college course, Tobacyk. Huma­ a would-be psychic, McBumey and Greenberg. Para­ nistic astrology, Kelly and Krutzen. psychology research, Mishlove. SUMMER 1983 (vol. 7, no. 4): Project Alpha: Part SUMMER 1980 (vol. 4, no. 4): , Bainbridge 1, Randi. Goodman's 'American Genesis,' Feder. Battling and Stark. Psychic archaeology, Feder. Voice stress on the airwaves, Slavsky. Rhode Island UFO film, Emery. analysis, Klass. Follow-up on the 'Mars effect,' Landmark PK hoax, Gardner. Evolution vs. creationism, and the Cottrell tests. SPRING 1983 (vol. 7, no. 3): Iridology, Worrall. The SPRING 1980 (vol. 4, no. 3): Belief in ESP, Morris. Nazca drawings revisited, Nickell. People's Almanac UFO hoax, Simpson. Don Juan vs. Piltdown man, de predictions, Donnelly. Test of numerology, Dlhopolsky. Mille. Tiptoeing beyond Darwin, Greenwell. Conjurors Pseudoscience in the name of the university, Lederer and the psi scene, Randi. Follow-up on the Cottrell and Singer. tests. WINTER 1982-83 (vol. 7, no. 2): Palmistry, Part. The WINTER 1979-80 (vol. 4, no. 2): The 'Mars effect' great SRI die mystery, Gardner. The 'monster' tree- — articles by Kurtz, Zelen, and Abell; Rawlins; Michel and trunk of Loch Ness, Campbell. UFOs and the not-so- Franchise Gauquelin. How I was debunked, Hoebens. The friendly skies, Klass. In defense of skepticism, Reber. metal bending of Professor Taylor, Gardner. Science, FALL 1982 (vol. 7, no. 1): The prophecies of Nostra­ intuition, and ESP, Bauslaugh. damus, Cazeau. Prophet of all seasons, James Randi. FALL 1979 (vol. 4, no. 1): A test of dowsing, Randi. Revival of Nostradamitis, Hoebens. Unsolved mysteries Science and evolution, Godfrey. Television pseudo- and extraordinary phenomena, Gill. Clearing the air documentaries, Bainbridge. New disciples of the para­ about psi, Randi. A skotography scam, Randi. normal, Kurtz. UFO or UAA, Standen. The lost panda, SUMMER 1982 (vol. 6, no. 4): Remote-viewing, Marks. van Kampen. Edgar Cayce, Randi. Radio disturbances and planetary positions, Meeus. SUMMER 1979 (vol. 3, no. 4): The moon and the Divining in Australia, Smith. "Great Lakes Triangle," birthrate, Abell and Greenspan. Biorhythms, Hines. 'Cold Cena. Skepticism, closed-mindedness, and science fic­ reading/ Randi. Teacher, student, and the paranormal, tion, Beyerstein. Followup on ESP logic, Hardin and MorrisKrai. Encounter with a sorcerer, Sack. and Gendin. SPRING 1979 (vol. 3, no. 3): Near-death experiences, SPRING 1982 (vol. 6, no. 3): The Shroud of Turin, Alcock. Television tests of Musuaki Kiyota, Scott and Mueller. Shroud image, McCrone. Science, the public, Hutchinson. The conversion of J. Allen Hynek, Klass. and the Shroud, Schafersman. Zodiac and personality, Asimov's corollary, Asimov. Gauquelin. Followup on quantum PK, Hansel. WINTER 1978-79 (vol. 3, no. 2): Is parapsychology WINTER 1981-82 (vol. 6, no. 2): On coincidences, a science? Kurtz. Chariots of the gullible, Bainbridge. Ruma Falk. Croiset: Part 2, Hoebens. Scientific crea- The Tunguska event, Oberg. Space travel in Bronze tionism, Schadewald. Follow-up on 'Mars effect,' Rawlins, Age China, Keightley. responses by CS1COP Council and Abell and Kurtz. FALL 1978 (vol. 3, no. 1): An empirical test of astrol­ FALL 1981 (vol. 6, no. 1): Gerard Croiset: Part 1, ogy, Bastedo. Astronauts and UFOs, Oberg. Sleight of Hoebens. Test of perceived horoscope accuracy, lackey. tongue, Schwartz. The Sirius "mystery," Ridpath. Planetary positions and radio propagation, lanna and SPRING/SUMMER 1978 (vol. 2, no. 2): Tests of three Margolin. Bermuda Triangle, 1981, Dennett. Observa­ psychics, Randi. Biorhythms, Bainbridge. Plant percep­ tion of a psychic, Mclntyre. tion, Kmetz. Anthropology beyond the fringe, Cole. SUMMER 1981 (vol. 5, no. 4): Investigation of 'psy­ NASA and UFOs, Klass. A second Einstein ESP letter, chics/ Randi. ESP: A conceptual analysis, Gendin. The Gardner. extroversion-introversion astrological effect, Kelly and FALL/WINTER 1977 (vol. 2, no. 1): Von Daniken, Story, Saklofske. Art, science, and paranormalism, Habercom. The Bermuda Triangle, Kusche. Pseudoscience at Profitable nightmare. Wells. A Maltese cross in the Science Digest, Oberg and Sheaffer. Einstein and ESP, Aegean? Loftin. Gardner. N-rays and UFOs, Klass. Secrets of the SPRING 1981 (vol. 5, no. 3): Hypnosis and UFO psychics, Rawlins. abductions, Klass. Hypnosis not a truth serum, Hilgard. SPRING/SUMMER 1977 (vol. 1, no. 2): Uri Geller, H. Schmidt's PK experiments, Hansel. Further Marks and Kammann. , Hyman. Tran­ comments on Schmidt's experiments, Hyman. Atlan- scendental Meditation, Woodrum. A statistical tean road, Randi. Deciphering ancient America, test of astrology, McGervey. Cattle mutilations, McKusick. A sense of the ridiculous, Lord. Stewart. WINTER 1980-81 (vol. 5, no. 2): Fooling some people FALL/WINTER 1976 (vol. 1, no. 1): Dianetics, Wallis. all the time, Singer and Benassi. Recent perpetual motion Psychics and clairvoyance. Fine. "Objections to developments, Schadewald. National Enquirer astrology Astrology," Westrum. Astronomers and astro­ study, Mechler, McDaniel, and Mulloy. Science and thephysicist s as astrology critics, Kurtz and Nisbet. mountain peak, Asimov Biorhythms and sports, Fix. Von Daniken's chariots, FALL 1980 (vol. 5, no. 1): The Velikovsky affair — Omohundro. is a non sequitur. There is no rule of tion might find that bit of space flotsam evolution that all niches must be found. and ... do what? Come and do good Besides, radio technology is no survival deeds, I suppose. niche. The evolved sensate being simply Might I be skeptical enough to raise turns to radio technology, as to all the the possibility that some of the critters other diverse interests of modern life, out there—if there are any—might find out of insatiable curiosity, an evolved us to be unbearably delicious? Or that trait. perhaps they might be, from our point of view, inexplicably malevolent, trans­ John Toomay mitting to us an encyclopedia of deadly Carlsbad, Calif. misinformation for reasons beyond human logic? Or that rather than being celestial secular humanists, they might According to Thomas R. McDonough have a theology that holds that all (SI, Spring 1991), SETI will have a moral intelligent life forms other than their payoff. If we do discover ETI, "we would own are the creation of an evil god and begin to see ourselves as a single species are therefore to be destroyed? in which our differences were trivial McDonough and Carl Sagan seem to compared with the differences between share the romantic view that a scien­ us and them." On the other hand, if we tifically and technologically advanced don't discover ETI, well "have to be very civilization is likely to be a morally careful of our own life. It will make us advanced civilization. If this be the case, realize the unique value of our planet then perhaps they can present some in the universe." evidence from recent human history. Boy, this sounds like a terrific win- Until such evidence is forthcoming, win deal for us taxpayers ... unless, it might be prudent to assume that for of course, we discover we're alone in the every E.T. there is an Alien as well. cosmos and conclude that the earth's various races, tribes, and nations are David Savignac even more alien to one another than Crofton, Md. we'd heretofore supposed; or, conver­ sely, we discover that the universe is teeming with clever creatures and Since last summer, I have been actively conclude that we might as well build involved in developing an alternative a Doomsday Machine since, hey, rationale to that currently accepted by what's one intelligent life form more or most of the SETI community. Most of less? my approach, which is centered around optical communications, is not new, and Don Symons ETI laser communications was first Department of Anthropology suggested by Schwartz and Townes University of California back in 1961, only two years after Santa Barbara, Calif. Cocconi and Morrison's classic paper identifying 1.420 GHz as a "magic frequency." For various reasons, the McDonough waxes eloquent on the optical approach wasn't accepted by the possible benefits of a contract with SETI community. The idea that ETI extraterrestrials. . . . Perhaps a bit of signals may be in the optical spectrum caution is in order. is another explanation of why we have I recall the uneasiness I felt when I so far been unable to detect their signals. first read that a plaque had been attached to Pioneer 10, depicting ourselves, The SETI community has been describing our world and its creatures extremely conservative and timid about great and small, and, heaven forbid, ETI technologies and, at most, has revealing the location of our planet! The tended to only slightly extrapolate our hope was that some intelligent civiliza­ current technology for accessing the

Fall 1991 99 technical abilities of ETIs. indefinitely. The species itself may I treat the subject of SETI just like evolve (perhaps under its own control) a communications problem, and I would to superior forms or even be displaced argue that, within a few decades, (voluntarily or otherwise) by its own photonics (optoelectronics) will become intelligent computers. Either way I see the major communications (and perhaps no reason why a technological civiliza­ computer) technology on this planet. It tion that has overcome its initial diffi­ is likely to become the primary mode culties (if it had any) should not continue of electromagnetic terrene communica­ in some form for billions of years. FL, tions through deep space and interstellar in Drake's equation, may be closer to space. The same applies to ETIs, and they one than is generally realized. will have no trouble aiming very narrow optical beams at targeted star systems. Stephen Moreton I believe that the SETI community, Warrington, Cheshire, U.K. which is just initiating the first search program at the C02 "magic wavelength" of 10,600 nm, should be more active in ... The most significant technical change searching the entire optical spectrum. in the past 50 years is the development of computers. There is no reason to Stuart A. Kingsley regard human intelligence as a limit on Fiberdyne Optoelectronics the scale of possible intelligence; and at Columbus, Ohio the present rate of machine develop­ ment and if present trends continue, it is a safe prediction that computers will I enjoyed the articles about extraterres­ be substantially smarter than humans trial intelligence. Faulkes may well be within a hundred years. We also have correct in his assessment of the improb­ no reason to suppose that machine ability of intelligent life- evolving. There intelligences cannot possess conscious­ are some factors he does not cover that ness. Occam's Razor suggests that they mitigate further against technological could. civilizations arising (in fact I have not The conclusion of all this is that seen them covered anywhere). These are perhaps hi-tech societies run by carbon- as follows: based life forms have a very short 1. Any intelligent species would duration, before being somehow over­ require an oxygen-containing atmos­ taken by their own creations, which are phere to make fire and so to smelt silicon-based. There is a lot of uncer­ metals. Any civilization living under an tainty in that "somehow," but the oxygen-free atmosphere would be for­ simplest guess is worth considering, if ever trapped in the stone age. only because I have never seen it 2. Any intelligent species that was discussed. This is that anyone out there wholly aquatic could not make fire and who can communicate over interstellar so would be in a similar predicament. distances is probably a machine. Too bad for dolphins. Is this likely? Enough to take it very 3. An intelligent species with no seriously in pursuing SETI, I think, and manipulative organs (e.g., hands) could particularly as a possible explanation for not make or use tools and so could not our failure to find any signals so far. develop technology. Again that's tough for dolphins. John C. Sleeman To end on a more optimistic note, any Palo Alto, Calif. technological culture smart enough to overcome whatever early problems it may have (war, overpopulation, etc., . . . [One] reason the search is naive is though it is an assumption that such in the presumption that electromagnet­ human problems would apply to aliens) ics are the communication "wave" of the would surely be smart enough to persist future. If the ancient Greeks were given

100 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 the SETI task, they would probably have potentially existing biospheres? Now gener­ assembled a huge chorus, cried out a alizations can be made either statistically message, and listened for an answer. In or by invoking general laws. In this case, the Middle Ages a huge array of torches statistical generalization is invalid because would probably have been assembled the sample size is too small: we know of and a flickering response from the moon only one biosphere. So do we have any would have been expected. biological rationale, any evolutionary laws, A little imagination can produce a any principled reasons that predict the wide variety of potential futuristic inevitable emergence of intelligence, from communications methods that have which we could justifiably claim that significant advantages over electromag­ f, = 1.0? netics. A highly collimated beam of No. The evidence seems to show that: neutral particles, for instance, could (a) there is no general evolutionary trend travel huge distances in space with little toward intelligence, and (b) the argument loss of energy. This would be a highly that evolutionary convergence could produce efficient long-range system and would intelligence analogous to ours is weak. be undetectable to a SETI listener Therefore, there is no compelling reason to outside the beam. say that the evolution of intelligence was For intraplanetary communications a (or is) a highly probable event. noninteracting particle stream, such as neutrinos, could be beamed directly through the planet to the intended Thomas R. McDonough replies: recipient. These particle beams would have tremendous capacity for informa­ If, as I suspect, we discover that the universe tion transmission and would be unde­ is teeming with clever creatures, I don't think tectable to earth-based SETI listeners. we'll use that as an excuse to build a These techniques are farfetched Doomsday Machine. Instead, we'll do what because we do not have and cannot even humans usually do when confronted with dream of technologies needed to effi­ a technologically more advanced civilization: ciently generate or receive such beams. learn from them. Maybe we'll become the We are in the position of Benjamin Japanese of the galaxy, and wind up teaching Franklin trying to create a television them a thing or two. system based on his knowledge of Yes, let's continue searching, even if we magnets, batteries, and static electricity. find nobody. Perhaps there's a better way to communicate that we haven't figured out, Peter Torrione so let's keep trying different techniques. Norwood, N.J. It is entirely possible that there may be hostile aliens out there. My suspicion is that the really nasty civilizations blow themselves Zen Faulkes replies: up before they have a chance to develop interstellar travel. But even if they don't Thanks to those who pointed out that my I still think it's better for us to know of formulation of f{ does not show the fraction their existence than to be ignorant of it. of biospheres that develop an intelligent I agree with Kingsley that optical SETI species: rather, it shows the fraction of species searches should be conducted. Such a search that become intelligent. 1 stand corrected. The was done by the late Soviet researcher, error, however, does not in any way diminish Shvartsman, and I hope that more will be the thrust of the argument. To say that undertaken in the future. fi = 1.0 is a strong claim, and strong claims It's true that there could be planets require principled reasons for making crawling with alien Aristotles who can't use them. tools. Drake recognized that, and in his The interesting question is not whether equation, he only calculates the number of intelligence evolved on this planet (since it civilizations capable of communicating over clearly did), but can we generalize from this interstellar distances. particular occurrence of intelligence to other I agree that some civilizations might

Fall 1991 101 evolve into artificial intelligence (Al). That's request that the magazine publish the all right for SETl, as long as they audiograms of the reviewers of both communicate across interstellar space. AI equipment and music so that readers would make it easy for them to maintain could judge for themselves whether transmitters for billions of years, increasing these self-styled "golden ears" (invari­ our odds of success. ably males, presumably at least middle- Our search methods are bound to be aged, and with a high probability of naive from the point of view of a physicist presbycusis) were physiologically capa­ a thousand years into the future. But they're ble of making the judgments they claim not as naive as they sound. Most SETl to be able to make. This would be a searches are specifically designed to look for critical component of any scientific beacons, not random TV or radar signals, study, particularly when thousands of because we do not yet have available the dollars could be spent by unsuspecting giant antennas that would be needed to detect "audiophiles" on the results of such such faint signals. It is entirely possible that reviews (which often have impressive an advanced civilization would set up an graphs and other obscure technical easily detectable beacon using primitive details to lend credibility to the whole "Galactic Boy Scout" technology, precisely article). in order to make contact with primitives like Needless to say, my requests were us. Also, the SETl community is well aware not even acknowledged by the editor or that there may be means of communicating publisher, and no audiograms were that our present science has not yet published, so I eventually canceled my discovered. We are faced with the problem subscription. of doing something now, given existing human technology and limited funds. Peter R. Wilson The bottom line is that if we don't look, Rochester, Minn. we'll never find anything, so let's look!

Many people believe they hear differ­ Hi-fi audio pseudoscience ences in sound when adding some of the many "tweaks" that are currently I enjoyed Fred E. Davis's "Hi-Fi Audio available. Further, the bulk of hi-fi Pseudoscience" (SI, Spring 1991). It's component sales in the so-called high- rare that one can read an ad for audio end market are based on the expectancy equipment without raising an eyebrow of better sound, with "better" being and rolling one's eyes, but the product defined as closer to the original. This reviews provide the best entertainment. brings up the topic of subjective versus The reviewers are continually creating objective evaluation of hi-fi equipment. new vocabulary to describe what they hear, or believe they hear. (My favorite It is unfortunate that subjective is "wooly bottom.")... impressions can be easily biased by brand reputation, component appearance, James F. Britton price, associated propaganda, and so on. Portland, Ore. The influence of these factors can, however, be eliminated by putting subjective testing on a blind (preferably I must applaud Davis for his comments double-blind) basis. If we wish to on another example of beauty being in determine a preference between ampli­ the ear of the beholder. I had similar fier A and amplifier B, for example, we concerns when I subscribed to one such can adjust them so that they both work magazine (Stereophile) and attempted to at the same power level and are not obtain scientific satisfaction, without overloaded by the music that is used for success. the test; and then the testee, without On several occasions I wrote to both knowing which is which, can try to the editor and the publisher with the identify any differences when they are

102 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 switched. If a difference is detected, then so-called "materialistic" science and the a preference can be expressed. Results accompanying expansion of knowledge of carefully controlled subjective tests and power over nature. Left to the of power amplifiers do not substantiate devices of the animal rights people, subjectivists' claims to be able to detect mankind would still be visited and differences; but where differences are revisited by plagues, epidemics, and established, they can be explained by famines beyond control. measured test data. Alongside its anti-intellectual posi­ Subjectivists reject such A/B switch­ tion, animal rights is based on a pro­ ing tests as being "unnatural," "confus­ found ignorance of science and the role ing," "not the way one listens to music." played by methodology and test systems They even say that the use of switches in scientific experimentation. Funda­ adds distortion that masks the differen­ mentally this ignorance is based on a lack ces between the units being tested of understanding of the unity of science, (ignoring the fact that there are many which stretches from the study of switches in the record/reproduce chain). microbes to plants to planets to animals There is a curious parallel here to tests and back, and from mathematics to of ESP, which give negative results biology. A unity that permits a discovery when a skeptical observer oversees made on a mouse to apply to a human them. and one on a human to an amoeba. There can be no prediction regarding which David Hafler test system will unlock which secret of Marion, Pa. nature, and the choice of the most effective system (cell, enzyme, dog, (Fred E. Davis provides more information human, yeast, pea plant) is itself part in this issue's Follow-Up section.) of science. . . .

Robert J. Rutman Animal rightists antiscientific Dept. of Animal Biology School of Vet. Med. From correspondence (SI, Spring 1991) University of Pennsylvania I infer that CSICOP chooses neutrality Philadelphia, Pa. on the issue of animal rights. In my view, the animal rights movement, although highly variegated, is both philosophically Flatliners' fiction and historically anti-intellectual and antiscientific and in this respect bears As a film writer (Cinefantastique), fiction many similarities to the "paranormal" writer, and longtime SI reader, I was movement, mysticism, and the anti- dismayed to see Jeff Walker's article abortion movement. All of these move­ "Flatliners' Flat-Out Lies" in your Spring ments have several things in common: 1991 News and Comment section. I they are anti-rational and reject logic, sincerely hope that SI is not planning substituting emotion and mysticism for to make a practice of targeting admittedly rigorous intellectual practices. fictional works in its ongoing quest to It must be remembered that the basis educate and inform. Sure, go after books and the root of animal rights is the and movies that glorify the paranor­ historic anti-vivisection movement mal—if the books and movies claim to rather than the latter-day animal- be true stories. Flatliners did not (neither welfare movement. Throughout its did Ghost or Jacob's Ladder, which were history, the anti-vivisection movement also singled out). What's next—debunk­ has regarded scientists and experimen­ ing Stephen King novels? ters as creatures of the devil. Anti- I strongly suggest Walker remember vivisection is one element in a worldwide that fiction is entertainment, just like anti-intellectual movement trying to pit the illusions of James Randi and Penn citizens against the forward sweep of & Teller. Fiction, Flatliners included, is

Fall 1991 103 lies—it's supposed to be. Instead of films absorbed by millions of impressionable overstating the obvious, perhaps Walker minds are justified in complaining, so too might do better to follow the advice of are skeptics when film-makers ground their the advertisements for Last House on the stories in pseudoscience posing as the genuine Left: Keep repeating, "It's only a movie. article. If only viewers knew that the underpinnings of the movie were as "admittedly fictional" as its plot and Dan Perez characters. Far be it from me to denigrate Houston, Tex. "fun entertainment." Flatliners was that and it was misleading for millions with no more than a passing familiarity with NDE Sheesh and all right, already! I am a literature. lifelong skeptic, but I recognize science fiction as such, even in the movies. And the best science fiction is often that Satanic cult stones which has the "flavor of true science." Jeff Walker seems to think that the Jeffrey S. Victor, in "Satanic Cult movie Flatliners has performed some Survivor' Stories" (SI, Spring 1991), great disservice against reason, when in expressed being "a bit mystified" when reality it was fun entertainment, at least hearing someone confess that Satanism for some. Let's face it, there are indi­ confirmed the belief in God. It may be viduals who will misconstrue anything, helpful to demystify a few more stu­ but that's no reason to do away with dents of Satanism. Modern Satanism is the escapes many of us employ to better essentially a product of Christianity. cope with the mundane, understandable, While Satan is not a major factor in nonmystic world in which we all live. main-line Protestant and Catholic reli­ gion today, it (he) is important to Barlow Soper Protestant fundamentalism. The Hard­ Ruston, La. ing psychiatric hospital in Worthington, Ohio, is a part of this fundamentalism. The hospital is staffed and managed by What Flatliners actually does is follow many members of the Seventh-Day one of the oldest Hollywood approaches Adventist church. This church's pro­ to dealing with the "supernatural": phetic founder (Ellen G. White) intim­ Don't take sides, just provide entertain­ idated foes by pronouncing them to be ment. Flatliners was done in such a way under the power of Satan. Adventist that each event can be given either a youth are taught that Satan's angels are natural or a supernatural explanation, constantly trying to ensnare them and depending on the bias of the viewer. The that if their eyes were opened they could true believer who sees the movie only see an army of evil angels slinking about. to have his faith in near-death experien­ Stories of apparitions and seances are ces reinforced will go home just as part of the lore of Adventist school­ disappointed as the skeptic who hoped children. to see NDEs debunked. If Adventism were not so typical of the American experience, did not have Russell Van Zandt an extensive educational system, and did North Aurora, 111. not have a sizeable source of income through many highly skilled members (the educational system emphasizes the Jeff Walker replies: highly paid professions), its existence could be ignored. My experience with Flatliners is fiction entirely dependent on this church led me to realize years ago NDE books whose dubious afterlife- what Jeffrey Victor has just discovered: affirming interpretations are treated as fact, that evidence of satanic evil is evidence fust as aboriginal peoples misrepresented in of God. The psychology is simple. Belief

104 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 in God is closely tied to belief in the it is a good excuse for socially unaccep­ supernatural. This follows from a better table behavior: "Not my fault . . . the understanding and a different attitude other me did it. ... I can't remember." about what we call "natural." Thus doubt of the existence of the Judeo/ Melton L. Francis Christian God is understandably Derby, Kan. brought on by an increase in knowledge. But doubts about the existence of the supernatural are assuaged by evidence As a clinical psychologist, I am involved of evil supernatural power, i.e., Satan. with the treatment of clients diagnosed A very short leap of faith allows one with MPD. Neither the diagnosis nor to believe in supernatural "good" and the the origin of the disorder is arcane. The fear of natural decay and death to symptoms are certainly most dramatic diminish. and can be quite confusing if described Perhaps those debunking fantastic incorrectly. The clients are often very Satanism stories may realize that they intelligent and quite capable of con­ are only cutting warts off a much bigger structing elaborate images. Your series, beast. however, portrays all clinicians as being more gullible and more easily duped than Don Silver is, I believe, the case. I was intensely Ashland, Ky. skeptical of the disorder itself, but came to understand it. I was, and am, skeptical of the stories that are told of torture By profession, I am a clinical social and hurt. What is not reported in your worker and work with child-abuse cases articles is the fact that the clients I know on a daily basis. For over 15 years I have are also skeptical of these stories and handled these cases, and I have never often go to considerable lengths to deny had a case of "ritual abuse" as discussed them, yet often arrive at an acceptance in the 51 series. I attended a workshop of their reality, sometimes through on the subject in Witchita, Kansas, on outside corroborating evidence. In March 15, 1991, conducted by the addition, clients do sometimes retract an Alliance for Cult Awareness. Here are earlier reported "memory." The picture some of the points the presenter made: I wish to communicate here is far fuzzier (1) All of his multiple-personality and more ambiguous than that por­ disorder (MPD) patients were victims of trayed in your series. satanic-cult ritual abuse. (2) There are millions of children killed by these cults Kenneth L. Salzman each year in the United States. He did Lansing, Mich. point out that no bodies have been found. (3) The book Michelle Remembers is an excellent source to learn about As a psychotherapist who works with MPD, as are several other pop- seriously disturbed adolescent offenders psychology books you can buy at Wal- (in the California Youth Authority) I denbooks. (4) The film Manchurian occasionally encounter tales of "satanic" Candidate is an excellent source to learn cult involvement—and the accompany­ about brainwashing. ing horror stories. I do not find them The presenter talked fast, showed convincing (despite their "similarity" slides of drawings by MPD patients, and "internal consistency"—in fact they used anecdotal stories to the exclusion all sound like they were read from the of any evidence of a scientific nature, same transcript!), nor do I find any and either bypassed all pointed questions corroborating evidence in the individu­ or stated, "That is too complicated for als' histories. Surprisingly, the fre­ me to get into with the limited time I quency of such tales is low, considering have." Right! the media hype on the subject, and they My theory regarding MPD is that are generally presented by socially and

Fall 1991 105 emotionally deprived youths who are as a source of Robertson's story" (p. seeking acceptance and stimulation. The 164). He then proceeds to account for more criminally oriented and acultu- each of these correspondences in the rated (e.g., gang members) who would light of the sort of expectations gener­ be most expected (per current stereo­ ated by the engineering marvels of the types) to be involved in "Satanism" don't time coupled with a knowledge of man's have an interest in it. They are too hubris and tendency to overreach attuned to territorial rivalries, obtaining himself. Contrary to what some of your drugs, etc., to bother with quasi- readers may suppose, parapsychologists religious rituals! do not lightly invoke the concept of Your series of articles has been precognition but do so only as a last valuable for me in terms of maintaining resort when influence or coincidence can perspective, and I have shared them with be ruled out. colleagues at work—some of whom have had doubts and questions and may have John Beloff been considering the possibility that Department of Psychology these horror stories are true. Thank you University of for an excellent magazine, and a useful Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K. series of articles.

Selmer E. Wathney Iben Browning's prediction Sacramento, Calif. In "The Iben Browning Quake- Prediction Flap: Lessons Linger" (News Expectation overruling and Comment, SI, Spring 1991), Ken- memory? drick Frazier wrote: "The essential point is that Browning's prediction and his It is curious how expectation can tidal-force theory did not emerge sometimes overrule memory. In your through the usual processes of science, Spring 1991 issue, Martin Gardner which include peer review and eventual discusses the case of the sinking of the scientific publication." I think the Titanic with reference to his own book essential point was that Browning failed The Wreck of the Titanic Foretold? Its to do good science in which the evidence theme, as he reminds readers, is that is used to select the good theories, rather "contrary to what many believers in than using the desired theory to select precognition have argued (notably Ian the evidence. While the scientific Stevenson, a parapsychologist best bureaucracy is useful, it's not the thing known for his research on reincarna­ that makes science, science. tion) there is no good reason to believe Browning's hypothesis that earth­ that the Titanic's disaster had been quakes can be predicted based on the paranormally anticipated." However, if tidal force of the moon wasn't too bad he would care to look again at what as hypotheses go. At least it was built Stevenson actually wrote in his article out of real phenomena instead of magic. "A Review and Analysis of Paranormal The next step should have been to test Experiences Connected with the Sinking the hypothesis, and this is where of the Titanic,"], of the American S.P.R., Browning stopped being a scientist. 54, 1960, 153-171, he would see that, First of all, Browning should have in fact, Stevenson comes to much the recorded all the predictions made using same conclusion as he does. After noting his method, prior to the times the events ten points of resemblance between the were expected to occur. This record Titan of Morgan Robertson's book and must be protected against additions or the Titanic, Stevenson points out that, deletions after unpredicted events although these points of resemblance occurred or predicted events failed to "may strongly suggest precognition occur. ... we certainly cannot exclude inference An objective and uniform system

106 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 should have been established for deter­ Houdini and Home mining hits and misses, with all results recorded. Events must not be selected I have to point out a serious factual error to fulfill the predictions. in the letter from Patrick J. Leonard, Sr. Finally, the ability of the method to (Spring 1991, pp. 327-328). predict earthquakes must be compared Although Houdini is one of my to the chances of predicting earthquakes heroes, he occasionally went off "half- at random. cocked" with unverified statements that Doing all of this would have enabled he thought were facts. In the case of Browning to determine scientifically Daniel Dunglas Home, about whom I whether his hypothesis works. Instead, have spent several years in research and he did none of it, which makes peer about whom I am writing what may be review and scientific publication a moot the definitive book: Houdini is incorrect point. about what he says happened at the seance that Home had at Robert Brown­ Martin J. Grumet ing's house. What is stated to have Danville, 111. occurred, even if it was by Browning's son (who was not present), is simply not correct. In fact, although Elizabeth I would like to add two comments to Barrett Browning liked Home and was your piece about the Iben Browning impressed with him, Robert Browning earthquake prediction. The first is that detested Home. Why is not entirely clear, no one seems to have pointed out that although it was possibly a personality his prediction was fulfilled; if there was clash. It certainly was not because Home a 50/50 chance of an earthquake on or was caught red-handed in a fraud at about December 4, there had to be a Browning's house. 50/50 chance that there would not be On the other hand, Steven Hoffmas- an earthquake, and indeed there wasn't. ter is also incorrect in stating that Home The second touches on your state­ was never caught in a fraud. In this, ment that Browning's prediction had Leonard is correct to criticize him. Home nothing to do with the paranormal. True was caught in at least three frauds enough, but there was a connection, (possibly six), which I document in my though it could be only guilt by asso­ book. The Browning seance, was not, ciation. David Stewart, a geologist at however, such an incident. Southeast Missouri State University, added considerable fuel locally to the Gordon Stein Browning affair by endorsing the pre­ Editor, Encyclopedia of Hoaxes diction. As the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Cranston, R.I. pointed out, quite responsibly in my opinion, Stewart was involved earlier in the promotion of a psychic's prediction Blum's earlier work of a major earthquake in North Carolina. As a result of the story, Stewart left In his review of Howard Blum's Out his post as Director of the Center for There: The Government's Secret Quest for Earthquake Studies, though he retains Extraterrestrials (Winter 1991), Philip J. his faculty position. Klass identifies Blum as a former New York Times reporter whose earlier books R. F. Trimble include one on the Walker spy family. Dept. of Chemistry and But perhaps more relevant to the issue Biochemistry of Blum's credibility as a reporter is Southern Illinois University another of his earlier books, his 1977 Carbondale, 111. bestseller, Wanted: The Search for Nazi War Criminals in America. (Iben Browning died July 18, 1991, in One of the "Nazi war criminals" who Albuquerque, at the age of 73.—ED.) figured prominently in Blum's book was

Fall 1991 107 a man named Tscherim Soobzokov. is an excellent source of a scientific look Relying on information provided by at pseudoscience." Soobzokov's political enemies in Pater- It's a small contribution, but it's a son, New Jersey, Blum accused Soob­ start. I am sure other books will soon zokov of having been a member of a follow. It is great that such a source as "Nazi mobile killing unit" responsible for the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER exists. Thank the deaths of 1.4 million Jews during you. World War II. However, a reporter for The Record, Steve DeGusta a local New Jersey paper, investigated J. F. Kennedy High School Blum's charges against Soobzokov and Sacramento, Calif. concluded that "Blum's writing on Soobzokov was riddled with errors and fantasy." Biblical psi powers Soobzokov sued the New York Times Company, the publisher of Blum's book, I was surprised to read in Samual T. for libel. According to the Village Voice Gill's "Carrying the War into the Never- newspaper, the Times settled out of Never Land of Psi" (51, Spring 1991) that court with Soobzokov for a large sum "the Bible is uniformly and harshly of money. At the insistence of the New critical of psi-type powers." York Times Company, details of the I would have thought that claims that settlement have not been made public. water was turned into wine, that a Perhaps Howard Blum learned a person was observed to walk on water, lesson from this experience and that special messages had been received switched from searching for "Nazi war from nonmaterial sources, or even that criminals" to searching for "extraterres­ the future could be foretold, are all trials" on the reasonable assumption claims to psi-type powers. What one that the latter won't sue for libel, no notices is that they are regarded as matter how riddled with errors and genuine when they support the views fantasy his writing about them might of the writer, but false when they are .be. from an opposing group as in the references quoted by Gill. L. A. Rollins Port Townsend, Wash. George Wood Nailsworth Gloucestershire, U.K. Alerting to pseudoscience

I recently returned from the invigorat­ Cultural modernism problem ing CSICOP conference in Berkeley and was truly impressed with the science and To find an example of someone who with the people. It motivated me to clings to a faith in light of overwhelming complete a letter that I started over a evidence to the contrary, look no further year ago, when the sixth edition of the than the Spring 1991 SKEPTICAL BSCS Blue Version high school biology INQUIRER. In Raymond Eve's essay on text was first released. science education in that issue, he In the first chapter of this textbook, correctly identified the greatest obstacle there is a section (p. 15, 1.8) titled to the advancement of science in Amer­ "Pseudoscience." As a biology teacher ica: the breakup of the American family. and a reviewer and annotation writer, To my astonishment he went on to I provided the following notation, which identify cultural modernism—those was included in the Teacher's Edition: forces that seek to overturn traditional "Ask students to name some examples American values, including the Amer­ of pseudoscience. The SKEPTICAL ican family—as the scientific philosophy INQUIRER, Box 229, Buffalo, NY 14215, of "guess and test."

108 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 16 Get a clue! The social experiment of are largely man-made." This "Moder­ cultural modernism has been a dismal nist" view is not only incorrect, but has failure by any objective measure. For engendered the problems of our modern three decades we have provided financial society. This century has been charac­ incentives for the breakup of the terized by a steady drift away from an American family, and the financial absolute morality. The symptoms Eve burden we have placed upon what used mentions are the empirical evidence that to be the traditional single wage-earner absolute morals should not be aban­ household have all but driven it to doned. The problems in our society are extinction. Cultural modernism is a a direct result of a pragmatic "man-made doctrine of "guess, test, and ignore the morality" that is in continual flux to suit result." But those results have become the needs of the moment. so disturbing that even the cultural modernists are getting a bit squeamish. Roy Timpe And still they figure the cure for the Blandun, Pa. malady is more of the medicine that caused the disease in the first place! Ideas like "Love thy neighbor as Where credit is due thyself" and "Honor thy mother and thy father" are good ones. I want more of In "Penn & Teller, the Magical Icono­ America to think that way, and I don't clasts," by Henry Gordon (SI, Spring care if people come to that conclusion 1991), the definition/joke of channeling through the Bible or through secular (p. 288) was credited to Penn Jillette. humanism. Actually, it was originated by the professional magician Jamy Ian Swiss. Rein S. Teder —ED. Minneapolis, Minn.

Raymond Eve's article "What's Wrong with Science Education" (SI, Spring The letters column is a forum for views on 1991) correctly identified most of the matters raised in previous issues. Brief letters symptoms ailing our modern society. (less than 250 words) are welcome. We However, in both his description and reserve the right to edit longer ones. They assessment of the "Two Americas" he should be typed double-spaced. Due to the commits some common errors. He volume of letters, not all can be published. states, "Cultural modernists . . . tend Address them to Letters to the Editor, to believe a thing is true by means of SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, 3 02 5 Palo Alto rational data collection and hypothesis- Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111. testing. They tend to believe that morals

Fall 1991 109 Introduce your friends to the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER

You know that the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER publishes the latest and most powerful critiques of un­ founded claims. But chances are you know people who share your critical view of pseudoscience and the para­ The CSICOP Newsletter normal but who have never had the Skeptical Briefs is the newsletter of pleasure of savoring the SKEPTICAL the Committee for the Scientific INQUIRER firsthand. Investigation of Claims of the Para­ For a limited time, CSICOP will normal, published to keep interested send a free sample copy of the latest skeptics informed about CSICOP issue of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER to activities and the pursuits of inde­ each of the people you list on the form pendent local and national skeptics below. organizations. Skeptical Briefs brings We ask that you focus on people you CSICOP news and views not often who are likely subscribers. Your local published in the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. astrologer may need to hear our mes­ Skeptical Briefs includes regular sage, but probably won't subscribe! columns, such as "Inside CSICOP" and Thank you for your help. "Who's Who in CSICOP?" and profiles of CSICOP's prominent personalities, Please send subscription information and together with other special features. a sample copy of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Subscribe now! You won't want to to the person(s) named below: miss another issue. It is published quarterly, in February, May, August, Name and November. Address City Fill out this coupon and send it with your payment to: Skeptical Briefs, P.O. Box 229, State Zip Buffalo, NY 14215-0229 Name Dlyr. $15 D2yrs. $25 D3yrs.$30 Address • Check enclosed D Charge my D VISA D MasterCard City # State Zip Exp. Your Name Name Address Address City City State Zip Please mail to: CSICOP, P.O. 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Box 6.112, CANADA. National: Chairman, James E. Bilbao. Alcock, Glendon College, York Univ., SWEDEN. Vetenskap & Folkbildning 2275 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. (Science and People's Education), Sven Regional: Alberta Skeptics, Elizabeth Ove Hansson, Secretary, Box 185, 101 22 Anderson, P.O. Box 5571, Station A, Stockholm. Calgary, Alberta T2H 1X9. British SWITZERLAND. Conradin M. Beeli, Con­ Columbia Skeptics, Barry Beyerstein, venor, Rietgrabenstr. 46 CH-8152 Chairman, Box 86103, Main PO, North Opfikon. Vancouver, BC, V7L 4J5. Manitoba . SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Skeptics, Bill Henry, President, Box 92, Representative, Michael J. Hutchinson, 10 St. Vital, Winnipeg, Man. R2M 4A5. Crescent View, Loughton, Essex IG10 Ontario Skeptics, Henry Gordon, Chair­ 4PZ. British & Irish Skeptic Magazine, man, P.O. Box 505, Station Z, Toronto, Editors, Toby Howard and Steve Don­ Ontario M5N 2Z6. Quebec Skeptics: Jean nelly, P.O. Box 475, Manchester M60 Ouellette, C.P. 282, Repentigny, Quebec 2TH. London Student Skeptics, Michael J6A 7C6 (514-498-7977). Howgate, President, 71 Hoppers Rd., FINLAND. Skepsis, Lauri Grohn, Secretary, Winchmore Hill, London N21 3LP. Man­ Ojahaanpolku 8 B17, SF-01600 Vantaa. chester Skeptics, David Long, P.O. Box FRANCE. Comite Francais pour l'Etude des 475, Manchester M60 2TH. Wessex Ph£nomenes Paranormaux, Claude Skeptics, Robin Allen, Dept. of Physics, Benski, Secretary-General, Merlin Gerin, Southampton University, Highfield, Sou­ RGE/A2 38050 Grenoble Cedex. thampton S09 5NH. GERMANY. East German Skeptics, A. U.S.S.R. Science & Religion, Edward Gevor- Gertler, Chairman, Inst, for Forensic kian, Ulyanovskaya 43, Kor 4, 109004, Medicine, Humboldt Univ., Berlin 1040. Moscow. Perspectiva, Oleg G. Bakhtia- Society for the Scientific Investigation of rov, Director, 36 Lenin Blvd., Kiev 252001. i he Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal •*aul Kurtz, Chairman

Scientific and Technical Consultants (partial list) William Sims Bainbridge, professor of sociology, Illinois State University. Gary Bauslaugh, dean of technical and academic education and professor of chemistry, Malaspina College, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. Richard E. Berendzen, astronomer, Washington, D.C. Barry L. Beyerstein, professor of psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Martin Bridgstock, lecturer, School of Science, Griffith Observatory, Brisbane, Australia. Vern Bullough, dean of natural and social sciences, SUNY College ^t Buffalo. Richard Busch, magician, Pittsburgh, Pa. Shawn Carlson, physicist, Berkeley, Calif. Charles I. Cazeau, geologist, Tempe, Ariz. Ronald J. Crowley, professor of physics, California State University, Fullerton. Roger B. Culver, professor of astronomy, Colorado State Univ.). Dath, professor of engineering, Ecole Royale Militaire, Brussels, Belgium. Felix Ares De Bias, professor of computer science. University of Basque, San Sebastian, Spain. Sid Deutsch, Visiting Professor of electrical engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa. J. Dommanget, astronomer, Royale Observatory, Brussels, Belgium. Natham I. Duker, assistant professor of pathology, Temple University. Barbara Eisenstadt, educator, Scotia, N.Y. Frederic A. Friedel, philosopher, Hamburg, West Germany. Robert E. Funk, anthropologist. New York State Museum & Science Service. Sylvio Garattini, director, Mario Negri Pharmacology Institute, Milan, Italy. Laurie Godfrey, anthropologist, University of Massachusetts. Gerald Goldin, mathematician, Rutgers University, New Jersey. Donald Goldsmith, astronomer; president. Interstellar Media. Clyde F. Herreid, professor of biology, SUNY, Buffalo. Philip A. Ianna, assoc. professor of astronomy, Univ. of Virginia. William Jarvis, chairman, Public Health Service, Loma Linda University, California. I. W. Kelly, professor of psychology, University of Saskatchewan. Richard H. Lange, chief of nuclear medicine, Ellis Hospital, Schenectady, New York. Gerald A. Larue, professor of biblical history and archaeology, University of So. California. Bernard J. Leikind, staff scientist, GA Technologies Inc., San Diego. William M. London, assistant professor of health education, Kent State University. Jeff Mayhew, computer consultant. Aloha, Oregon. Thomas R. McDonough, lecturer in engineering, Caltech, and SETI Coordinator of the Planetary Society. James E. McGaha, Major, USAF; pilot. Joel A. Moskowitz, director of medical psychiatry, Calabasas Mental Health Services, Los Angeles. Robert B. Painter, professor of microbiology, School of Medicine, University of California. John W. Patterson, professor of materials science and engineering, Iowa State University. Steven Pinker, assistant professor of psychology, MIT. James Pomerantz, professor of psy­ chology. Rice University; Daisie Radner, professor of philosophy, SUNY, Buffalo. Michael Radner, professor of philosophy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Robert H. Romer, professor of physics, Amherst College. Milton A. Rothman, physicist, Philadelphia, Pa. Karl Sabbagh, journalist, Richmond, Surrey, England. Robert J. Samp, assistant professor of education and medicine, University of Wisconsin- Madison. Steven D. Schafersman, geologist, Houston. Chris Scott, statistician, London, England. Stuart D. Scott, Jr., associate professor of anthropology, SUNY, Buffalo. Erwin M. Segal, professor of psychology, SUNY, Buffalo. Elie A. Shneour, biochemist; director, Biosystems Research Institute, La Jolla, California. Steven N. Shore, astronomer, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Md. Barry Singer, psychologist, Eugene, Oregon. Mark Slovak, astronomer. University of Wisconsin-Madison. Douglas Stalker, associate professor of philosophy. University of Delaware. Gordon Stein, physiologist, author; editor of the American Rationalist, Waclaw Szybalski, professor, McArdle Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ernest H. Taves, psychoanalyst, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sarah G. Thomason, professor of linguistics. Uni­ versity of Pittsburgh, editor of Language.

Subcommittees Astrology Subcommittee: Chairman, I. W. Kelly, Dept. of Educational Psychology, University of Saskat­ chewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0W0, Canada. College and University Lecture Series Subcommittee: Chairman, Paul Kurtz; Lecture Coordinator, Ranjit Sandhu, CSICOP, Box 229, Buffalo, NY 14215-0229. Education Subcommittee: Chairman, Steven Hoffmaster, Physics Dept., Gonzaga Univ., Spokane, WA 99258-0001; Secretary, Wayne Rowe, Education Dept., Univ. of Oklahoma, 820 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019. Electronics Communications Subcommittee: Chairman, Page Stevens, 6006 Fir Ave., Cleveland, OH 44102. Paranormal Health Claims Subcommittee: Co-chairmen, William Jarvis, Professor of Health Education, Dept. of Preventive Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 93350, and Stephen Barrett, M.D., P.O. Box 1747, Allentown, PA 18105. Parapsychology Subcommittee: Chairman, Ray Hyman, Psychology Dept., Univ. of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97402. UFO Subcommittee: Chairman, Philip J. Klass, 404 "N" Street S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024.