Skeptical newspaper column Mysticism in a labcoat? ’s spiritual healing Homeopathic overdose

number 95 – autumn 2010 content editorial

Clones in space: Responses to the Dominion Post science column 3 A tribal occasion

Forum 6

Is science just mysticism in a lab coat? 6 HEN Richard Dawkins made a flying visit to New Zealand in March he attracted people from all over the country – includ- 10 W ing three from this household. Tickets to all events were quickly An evening of healing 12 snapped up, but fortunately friends in the Auckland Univeristy After the overdose 16 Alumni Association put some aside for us. .

Belief and knowledge: The information content of a one-hour lecture (with about 20 A plea about language 19 minutes for questions) is not that great. And there wasn’t much in his presentation that anyone familiar with his work wouldn’t have encountered before, although he concluded with some ideas on the origins of religion that were new to me. For not much more than the $30 admission fee (less than half what charges for an evening, I had to note) you could buy one of his many books, which would keep you busy for days. But the evening wasn’t really about learning new stuff. It was a ISSN - 1172-062X gathering of the tribe, of sorts, though admittedly it’s a rather odd tribe. It’s one that doesn’t really have leaders, but to paraphrase Terry Contributions Pratchett, Richard Dawkins is one of the most highly regarded of the Contributions are welcome and leaders we don’t have. It was just good for one’s cosmic lev- should be sent to: els, to be in the same room, and breathe the same air for a while. David Riddell One gratifying feature of the evening was the age range in attend- 122 Woodlands Rd ance. Grey, balding heads and beards would once have overwhelm- RD1 Hamilton Email: [email protected] ingly predominated at an event like this, but there were good numbers of university age in the audience, and a much more even gender ratio Deadline for next issue: than would have prevailed 20 years ago. Our 19-year-old daughter June 10 2010 received jealous comments when she had to graciously decline an invitation to a steampunk party the same night. Letters for the Forum may be edited as space requires - up to 250 words And as a bonus, we picked up several free copies of The Origin is preferred. Please indicate the publication and date of all clippings of Species – the edition with the “Special Introduction” by New for the Newsfront. Zealand-born creationist Ray Comfort, which were being handed out on the street nearby. He’s gone out of his way to make Darwin’s Material supplied by email or CD is words inaccessible: I didn’t know they made typefaces that small, appreciated. although of course his introduction is impeccably laid out, with lots Permission is given to other non- of amusing 19th century caricatures of Darwin. But I can’t help profit skeptical organisations to thinking that distributing this book to people who otherwise would reprint material from this publication provided the author and NZ Skeptic never go near a copy is not a brilliant strategy, especially now he’s are acknowledged. been made to call in his original version that was missing crucial chapters. Poor old Ray was never the sharpest knife in the drawer Opinions expressed in the New – check out his clip on YouTube about how the banana is an atheist’s Zealand Skeptic are those of the individual authors and do not worst nightmare. This latest stunt of his will no doubt create fur- necessarily represent the views of ther amusement, but few converts, unless NZ Skeptics (Inc.) or its officers. they’re in an unintended direction. Subscription details are available from www.skeptics.org.nz or PO Box 29-492, Christchurch. number 95 – autumn 2010 main feature Clones in space: Responses to the Dominion Post science column

Bob Brockie

At last year’s NZ Skeptics conference Bob Brockie reflected on his career as a newspaper columnist and explained why he has no future with the Mormon Church.

FTER spending most of my Raelians say, they will present did was on a fellow who had Alife as a scientist, at the age their DNA to the scientific com- chicken pox. The doctor told of 69 I became a weekly science munity. him there was nothing he could columnist for the Dominion Post do for it, other than staying home I didn’t get any response from and Evening Post. I’ve written and keeping away from people this article from local people, but about 500 articles now and peo- for 10 days. He was a bit of a I did get an invitation from the ple ask where I get my stuff from. skeptic and went along to some Australian chapter of the Rael- Mostly I get it from trawling alternative practitioners. The ians to attend their next gather- through weekly scientific maga- first one told him his stomach ing three hours north of , zines, from the other side of the was too acid and gave him some where a white robe would await world. I like to bring the curious homeopathic water to drink. me. or obscure, gee-whiz stories to The second hooked him up to public attention. a contraption and told him he had been raped The media is overrun by as a child. The third one stories on climate change, said he had Ross River pollution and conserva- fever. They all charged tion. I write about any- from $50 to $100. thing but those subjects. That’s not news to me; I I’ve also written about report other things. experiments with acu- puncture, which works Alien DNA just as well if you stick In 2003 I wrote about the needles in at ran- an amazing group of peo- dom. ple called the Raelians These pieces invari- and their claim to have ably attract writers de- cloned a little girl called Bob Brockie: The Dominion Post’s regular science columnist since 2001 has received floods of letters. fending the treatment Eve. Rael is a French and accusing me of hav- former sports-car journalist who A pox on alternative ing a closed mind. The disgrun- claims he was abducted by little practitioners tled people usually argue that aliens, who told him that 40,000 , or home- years ago they came to Earth and I often report on experiments opathy worked for them or their produced these little Eve-like to test alternative medicines husband or their wife, and that’s creatures. At any moment, the of one kind or another. One I the end of it.

page  science column

Cosmic energies down on the the terrible thing that people per- made the mistake of saying it farm ceived it to be. was no wonder they were acting so strangely, because they were Then there’s biodynamics. The Mormon blacklist all Mormons up there. They The stars and planets rain down were very quick to point out astral energies, which are ab- Generally I try to keep off that they were in fact Seventh sorbed through cow’s horns religion but occasionally I stray Day Adventists. I had to write buried in the ground. This radi- in that direction. I got into big a grovelling apology, but found ates out and makes everything trouble when I wrote about the that I’d been put on the Mormon grow. The colour of roses is Mormon Church. The Mormons blacklist. When I consulted the controlled by Venus, and the list to see who else was there I colour of cornflowers by Saturn. On the scientific saw I was in very good company In the Wellington public library evidence, if you’re in line with all sorts of famous people, there are four copies of Rudolf including Richard Dawkins. I’m Steiner’s book, published in the for heart surgery, stop afraid I’ve got no future with the 1920s, and they’re out all the people praying for you. Mormons. time. Steiner really was the fa- ther of organic farming, but the The power of prayer organic people get very angry at claim that Jesus went to North me when I point this out. I get America and converted the in- One of the biggest responses an enormous response if I write habitants to Christianity 2000 I got was when I wrote about about Steiner, not only from his years ago. They also believe that unanswered prayers. America’s followers, but also from organic the Red Indians are one of the Templeton Foundation are very farmers who think they are above tribes of Israel, although DNA interested in the relationship this sort of thing. studies show there’s no possible between science and spiritual- connection. ity; they raised $2.5 million to Genetic Engineering: finance an experiment in which yesterday’s issue? I wrote about that, but I also several doctors chose 1800 pa- found that Joseph Smith, the tients who were due for bypass I’ve done three or four articles founder, was a complete rascal surgery. They then arranged on genetic engineering over and charlatan. He was expelled for a team of people, a mix of the years, reporting on various from the Methodist Church Protestants, Catholics and Jews, experiments. Living in New for dealing with necromancy, to pray for half these patients Zealand you’d think the entire enchantments and believing in anonymously. GE field was being closed down, ghosts, and fined for being a but in fact in all continents of the disorderly person and impostor. They were alarmed to find world it is spreading at a huge At age 38 a mob of vigilantes that the ones they prayed for did rate. The peasants in China and enraged by Smith’s arrogance, worse than the ones who were Africa who are producing geneti- monetary deals and promiscu- not prayed for. cally engineered crops find they ity – he ran off with all the best don’t have to use so many pesti- looking girls in the congregation I also mentioned the famous cides. But when I wrote about – shot him dead in an Illinois jail. study by Charles Darwin’s cous- this in 2001 I got a tremendous The Mormons of course think he in, Francis Galton, who wrote response from angry people who was a martyr to his cause. At any a book about the efficacy of wanted to keep New Zealand one time the Mormon church is prayer. He asked who gets GE-free. And two years later, the building at least 200 churches prayed for most – Queen Victo- same thing happened. The next around the world. ria of course. She was prayed time I wrote about it there were for every Sunday as were all the not so many letters, and when I I thought this was worth re- sovereign heads of Europe. His wrote a pro-GE article early in porting, because at the time figures showed that, despite all 2009 I didn’t receive a single there were some men on Norfolk the praying, sovereigns lived letter. So things have gradually Island in trouble with the law shorter lives than army officers, quietened down; GE is no longer for playing up with the girls. I traders, merchants, doctors, and number 95 – autumn 2010 science column the gentry. And he famously had done this sort of work before. a trust raised the money. I said he concluded that the prayers there- I pointed out that for 2000 years had a radio station and broadcast fore have no efficacy. Well. people had been going up Mt stuff around the world; he said The letters still keep coming. Ararat and there are hotels and he didn’t have a radio station, I got letters saying that faith a monastery up there. There’s a he just produced programmes. can’t be scientifically analysed, well-worn track; thousands of These are run by 287 other radio that God’s way of working is a people go up and down all the stations around the world. He mystery, and that science can’t time. A whole tourist industry wrote a letter to the editor of the determine the effects of prayer has been developed there. paper and suggested I get the at all. Someone else said people sack for my mistakes. of faith don’t need prayers to The difficulty with this, of know that prayers work. One course, is that no boat can ac- Filthy sex aids and the end of argued that some of the people commodate 5000 species of the world mammals, 8700 birds, 30,000 having operations would have I once wrote about the begin- had extra prayers – they prayed worms, and two million insects. The column of beetles would ning of the world, and got an for themselves. Other critics said 11-page letter telling me when they had used the wrong prayers, be 240km long, and Noah and his family must have each car- the world is going to end. The in the wrong language, that they letter was from none other than didn’t pray hard enough, or that ried 100 diseases from anthrax to syphilis. How Noah coped God and his wife. They told me they didn’t adopt the best posture that the Earth would end shortly for saying prayers. with food for the animals, the ventilation, the waste disposal, before January 31 in the year A local priest wrote to me disembarkation on to a dead 5000. Owing to the mental and twice, explaining in great de- Earth, and how the platypus physical condition of humanity tail that there are two sorts of got from Mt Ararat to and filthy sex aids, mankind be- prayers. There are petitionary are all very difficult to explain. come unable to reproduce about prayers, where you beg God’s A retired clergyman wrote me then. There was lots of other intercession, which hardly ever several, quite substantial letters advice as well, about divorce work, and adorational prayers, as a result. and the number 7777 and how where you simply praise God. If the true church is the Salvation you want to get results, he said, A letter from the Hamster Army. Sadly, I couldn’t reply to God, because there was no do this. Don’t ask for favours. I’ve written one or two col- It sounds as if the Muslims are forwarding address. I did notice umns on the Creation Museum in it was sent from a post office on the right track; all you have Kentucky. In it are depictions of to say is God is great. On the down in Manners St, Wellington, life in the Garden of Eden, and of however. scientific evidence, if you’re in a happy Adam and Eve, wander- line for heart surgery, stop people ing around among the dinosaurs. Scientific gossip praying for you. I gather that 40 percent of Ameri- Why do I write this stuff? Tourism on Ararat cans believe that humans and di- nosaurs were on the Earth at the Well, $170 a week is very wel- In Auckland a couple of years same time. I produced a column come, but I think that a vast ago two young men developed on the museum last year, which amount of science goes unreport- a system for making maps from generated no response here, but ed, and it gives me quite a buzz satellite imagery. They’d been someone at the museum itself to bring news of this. I feel a bit looking closely at Mt Ararat and must have read it. Ken Ham, like a postman, bringing news of some Americans were financing the Australian who runs it, was developments and scientific gos- them to go there to see if they upset. He replied, point by point, sip to the public. Also, there’s a could find Noah’s Ark. The to all the mistakes I’d made. I sense of obligation to the public story in all the newspapers was had made one or two mistakes who paid for me to work as a all about these pioneers going to but they were trivial. I said he’d scientist for most of my life. I a really difficult place, breaking raised US$27 million to build it; feel a duty to let them know new ground, and how nobody he said he didn’t raise the money, what they’re getting for their

page  science column forum money. We’re floating around Witch-hunting Peter Ellis, his co-workers and in a miasma of , with the unfortunate children caught people believing preposterous ancient and up in events reminiscent of a things with great intensity. I modern modern witch trial, fueled by the can’t help but challenge them in ignorance and hysteria of certain some way: ask them, how can Claire and I have taken a year people who ought to have known you justify this, where do you off to teach English in the Czech better. get these ideas from? Republic. These two photos are our friend Lada indicating the Pozdrav od, I derive a lot of joy from writ- site where Agatha Toott was John and Claire Welch ing these articles. It’s very dif- burned to death 400 years ago. ferent from writing for scientific journals. There you sweat blood Agatha Toott was convicted of and tears and produce a piece, being a witch and burned at the which is then published years stake. Contemporary records after you submitted it. Eighteen indicate that she was guilty months later somebody in Mo- of nothing more than being zambique or the Canary Islands outspoken and perhaps a little asks for a reprint. With these eccentric. The brass memorial newspaper articles I write it to- plaque is an effort to keep alive day and it’s published tomorrow. her memory and remind people And people are on the phone or of the consequences of ignorance writing complaining letters the and hysteria. next day. I would like to propose a brass Bob Brockie is a Wellington biolo- memorial plaque be placed out- gist, columnist and cartoonist. side the site of the Christchurch Civic Creche, in memory of

evolutionary psychology Is science just mysticism in a lab coat?

Bernard Beckett

Some fields that claim the authority of science may be in need of an overhaul. This article is based on a presentation to the NZ Skeptics 2009 conference in Wellington, 26 September.

HAVE always been in two discussion. But a true sceptic tells you nothing is true, they are I minds about scepticism. I must be sceptical about scepti- telling you not to listen to them, am undoubtedly a sceptic by cism too, and it’s hard to escape so don’t. nature; I enjoy questioning and two weaknesses in the scepticism challenging things. It suits my agenda. The first is oft noted. As Of course, few confessed temperament and I like to think the British philosopher Roger sceptics are sceptics in this pure adds something important to a Scruton puts it, when a sceptic philosophical sense. In some number 95 – autumn 2010 evolutionary psychology things we must opt for mind- is a refuge of shysters that by Before the General Theory of less belief in order to function. and large is not subject to the Relativity, nobody imagined that Without our commitment to no- same level of attack endured by light would be bent by gravity. tions of causation for instance, , which is odd to me, for When Eratosthenes predicted or other minds, or time, or the the methodologies are remark- the angle of the sun as measured rules of logic, we would be un- ably similar. I suspect it’s got by the shadows in a well shaft able to make much headway in something to do with the fact would be different at the same the world; yet none of these core that it happens not in the tents of time of day, he was using the principles are able to withstand a gypsy fair but within the hal- hypothesis of a curved earth to the sceptic’s gaze. And so, quite lowed hallways of academia, and generate a novel prediction (and sensibly, we do not look there. better still often within spitting so test his hypthesis). When The typical sceptic, it seems to distance of the science faculty. Fresnel’s equation predicted this outsider, is more a champion And to allay my second concern that light waves would produce of an evidence-based form of with scepticism, I have little a bright patch directly behind something we might call scient- trouble being a busybody in this an obstacle he forced the French ism. Their mission becomes the area for the simple reason that academy to rethink their accept- challenging of those forms of the activities of academics are ance of Newton’s particle theory knowledge which appear to pay so often tax-payer funded, and of light. And closer to home, scant regard to the available set given the vital role of academia when David Penny and Mike of observations. The trouble here in protecting and advancing Hendy working out of Massey is that limited resources mean knowledge it’s quite okay to University predicted that species there are only so many places hold these people to a higher relatedness would produce par- the sceptical gaze can shine and standard. ticular patterns in as-yet untested choices must be made. Some- genetic sequences, they gave us times prejudice will determine So, why be sceptical about a way of verifying the evolution- which knowledge is scrutinised evolutionary psychology? Well, ary hypothesis. and which is left alone, or worse because it’s not scientific in its still, laziness. It is all too easy approach and yet attempts to In all these cases and so many to attack the hapless for our own hide behind the language of sci- more we are awestruck by the amusement, while leaving the ence, and to me that feels like an power of science to not just powerful unchallenged. intellectual fraud. I can’t make explain existing facts, but also that claim without first defin- generate new ones. If you look The second problem is one of ing what I mean by science and at X under circumstances Y, I ‘busybodyism’. I myself have given the millions of words that predict you will see Z, says the little time for and su- have been written on the slippery scientist. And what’s more, if perstition but most of the time I topic I’m clearly going to have you don’t then my theory is at find it hard to care whether others to oversimplify. least partially wrong. On the share my perspective. Yes, it is back of this method we have clearly wrong for those pretend- The basics of the scientific developed the technologies that ing to talk to the dead (or rather method are well known. At heart underpin the modern world. pretending the dead talk back) to this is a discipline based upon exploit the grieving, but to those observation, hypothesis mak- Evolutionary psychology, the who enjoy recounting their ghost ing, prediction and testing. The claim that understanding our stories and snorting their arnica I remarkable power of science to evolutionary past will help us tend to feel why not leave them advance our knowledge stems for better understand our contempo- to it. Who am I to say my life’s the ability to test the claims we rary behaviour, has none of these any richer for having forgone are making against the data, and attributes, although at first glance such flim-flammery? crucially this data is at its most it can appear to. Ostensibly the powerful when it is generated discipline seeks first to read the It is with these caveats in by the hypothesis, rather than known data, our understanding mind that I turn my attention representing a cobbling together of the evolutionary processes by evolutionary psychology. Here of the already known facts. which we were designed, then

page  evolutionary psychology build its hypotheses, speculations and although difficult to test, about our evolutionary past, and about the behavioural tendencies it’s probably not impossible. so the blocks with which we of modern humans, and finally Commonalities across time and build our initial hypotheses are using the tools of psychology to culture provide clear hints that spectacularly inadequate. Some- test these hypotheses against the there is a genetic component at times, when reading the claims observations of our contempo- work. of the evolutionary psychologist, rary behaviour. Unfortunately, it is tempting to imagine the sa- any resemblance to actual sci- However, and here’s the rub, vannah was fully equipped with ence is entirely coincidental. For there is nothing about evo- CCTV cameras and Facebook. evolutionary psychology as it is lutionary theory that gives it Complex stories are built about currently practised contains three exclusive right to this claim of social structures, hunting and crucial flaws. innate aesthetics. A creationist collecting rituals and mating could equally well argue that preferences, and what emerges The first comes from the re- God himself endowed humanity is a rendering of our evolution- quirement that a hypothesis, in with these basic tendencies to as- ary past that owes more to the order to be tested, must make sess and report upon the world’s Flintstones than any compelling a unique prediction. If two hy- beauty. Both hypotheses gener- archaeological evidence. potheses both generate the same ate exactly the same predictions prediction, then experimentation and this is a clear sign the evolu- Take for example the initially will yield no means of deciding tionary part of the process is not persuasive claim that the differ- between them. Take the claim a scientific one, for in science ence in the reproductive poten- for instance that certain aspects predictions are used to choose tials of men and women led to of our appreciation of art are in- between rival explanations. men (competing to mate with nate. Well yes, that’s a sensible as many as possible) the aggres- enough idea, it may well be true A second huge problem is that sors, and women (attempting to we don’t actually know much raise the healthiest possible) the

number 95 – autumn 2010 evolutionary psychology choosey co-operators. A cave scientific process. Because we of the tales in the area centre man version of the courting observe modern males indulg- around the eternally fascinating practices of birds is evoked and ing in more physical forms of topic of gender. because the language used is aggression we guess this is in- faux scientific, we are expected nate (an heroic assumption in So should we be sceptical to buy the construction. itself) and then cobble together about these works of fiction pa- an evolutionary ‘Just So’ story rading as scholarly analysis of Again, it is possible that our to give these modern prejudices our past? Absolutely. We should distant ancestors arranged them- the veneer of social respectabil- mock them with the same gusto selves this way but it is by no ity. And that is story telling. It we mock the water diviner and means certain. It is equally is often diverting and frequently the investment adviser. So come plausible that the emergence of amusing, but only in the way that on sceptics, this is a call to arms. language and complex culture a horoscope is. Out the phonies wherever you changed the game completely, find them. selecting against male aggres- What’s actually happening is sion and for charm and social that contemporary studies of hu- Interestingly none of this acumen. While Conan is out man psychology, which should means we should give up on smiting all with an ass’s jaw- be judged purely upon the con- the field of evolutionary psy- bone, Romeo is inside the cave temporary data they generate, chology completely, for the getting to know his wife. We have their credibility bolstered hypothesis does have one test- have examples from the primate by an appeal to a distant past able and important implication. world of females being the that exists only in the imagina- If indeed our evolutionary past dominant aggressors and more tion of those wishing to sell their has hard-wired certain behav- importantly the emergence of theory. ioural tendencies then clues of complex language sets the hu- this process will still lurk in our man ape apart, generating unique Do men and women in general DNA. Longitudinal studies like selective pressures that we can use different methods to get their the groundbreaking work com- only guess at. bearings? A lot of experiments ing out of Dunedin are begin- suggest they do. Okay. Is there a ning to mine the potential in this The key moments in the evolu- genetic basis for this? We could approach. But the work is long tion of the human mind revolved certainly look for one. Does a and painstaking, the conclusions about the invention of language cock-and-bull story about how complex and tentative and sub- and so it is worth asking the evo- men roamed further in their hunt- ject to constant revision. lutionary psychologist, how did ing of animals while women paid language first come about, where close attention to the details of The picture slowly emerging is and when, under what environ- where particular berries would one of delicate feedback between mental pressures did it develop be found add anything to our gene and environment and the and what was it used for? Until knowledge of this phenomenon? stories to be told are cautious, we can answer these questions, Well, it adds colour and sale- fragile things. Real science in and perhaps some day we will be ability I suppose, but that is a other words, is potentially about able to, we do not have the basis lousy criteria by which to judge changing the face of our fu- the theory requires. scientific advancement. ture. That’s where the resources should be going. This second flaw exposes How has all this happened? Bernard Beckett is a High School the third problem. We are not One can only speculate. Partly teacher and writer. In 2005 he spent in fact using data from the past it may be the thrill that comes a research year at the Allan Wilson to form hypotheses about the to academics when they cross Centre for Molecular Evolution present state of the human mind. into a new discipline. Suddenly and Ecology. Rather we are using our observa- everything is fresh and exciting tions and testings of our current again, and the new perspective psychology to speculate about gives them great energy. Partly the nature of our evolutionary it’s just that we all love a good past. We are reversing the entire story, particularly when so many

page  newsfront Compiled by David Riddell Autism paper binned

WELVE years after it in- The Lancet announced a par- The truth is in there duced panic among parents tial retraction in 2004 after it T UFO researchers UFOCUS world-wide, a paper linking emerged that Dr Wakefield had NZ are excited at the prospect the measles-mumps-rubella received payments for his re- of hundreds of secret files on (MMR) vaccine to autism has search from the Legal Aid Board mysterious sightings which been withdrawn (NZ Herald, 4 which he had not declared. This are to be released by the New February). was a fatal conflict of interest, the Zealand military (The Press, 23 journal said. The paper, published in the January). Lancet in 1998, was withdrawn after a preliminary verdict by The files cover the period a panel from Britain’s General Stargazers at odds 1979 to 1984, and include the famous Kaikoura sightings of Medical Council found Dr An- Obviously, it came in the drew Wakefield and two of his December 1978. They were to middle of the silly season when have been public in January, but co-authors had acted “dishon- papers struggle to find copy, but estly” and “irresponsibly”. are having personal information journalist Rebecca Lewis had a removed first to comply with the “It has become clear that sev- lot of fun with astrologers’ pre- Privacy Act. eral elements of the 1998 paper dictions for the year ahead (NZ by Wakefield et al are incorrect,” Herald, 3 January). UFOCUS NZ director Su- zanne Hansen said the group had the Lancet’s editors stated. “... Pitting one astrologer against In particular, the claims in the been in discussion with the NZ another, she checked out what Defence Force for many years. original paper that children were various authorities in the field ‘consecutively referred’ and that “It is frustrating from a research had to say about Sagittarians. perspective because we would investigations were ‘approved’ A certain Anne McNaughton by the local ethics committee like to collate these sightings picked 2010 as a year in which with international research.” have been proven to be false. a full moon in the “financial Therefore we fully retract this sector” would get things off to a New Zealand Skeptics chair- paper.” good start for them. On the other woman (sic) Vicki Hyde said the The paper was based on just hand Jenny Blume in Woman’s files would not be as interesting 12 children, some of whom Day reckoned changes at work as they appeared. “The Govern- had bowel disorders and autism and home would leave Sagittar- ment is required to log these which had developed after vac- ians feeling “skint” in autumn. things and it can give a false cination with MMR. It led to impression that there is a vast Someone on the Universal amount of activity out there. sharp falls in vaccination rates Guild website calling and, said Auckland University’s herself Astrogirl reckoned they “There is probably intelligent Immunisation Advisory Centre would ditch their club-hopping life elsewhere, but whether it has director of research Helen Pet- ways and start “nesting”. Marie come here to play silly buggers ousis-Harris, many preventable Claire promised the coming year with us in a game of cosmic hide cases of disease. would be about being daring and and seek is another matter. outgoing, and astrology.msn. “There are still many parents “It is a big jump from ‘there co.nz claimed 2010 would bring who are concerned about the was something in the sky and I out the “practical” side of Sagit- Wakefield claims. We hope that don’t know what it was’ to ‘that tarians, with a primary focus on this news [the retraction] will was a craft piloted by aliens’.” add further reassurance that the finances. MMR vaccine is not associated “Confused?” asked Lewis. with autism or any other devel- “Yup.” opmental problems.” number 95 – autumn 2010

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Scientologists to the rescue heard of a ghost sighting at the out. One witness said Ray told post office. “It’s a very spirited scared participants three times: Among all the tragic stories town, so who knows?” “You are not going to die. You coming out of the Haiti earth- might think you are, but you are quake was the strange tale of not going to die.” John Travolta flying his own private jetliner to the belea- The two-hour ceremony fol- guered country with 7000lb of lowed two days of fasting and medical supplies – and doctors not drinking water. When the and ministers from the Church ceremony was over and people of Scientology (NZ Herald, 27 were trying to get the victims out, January). Ray called attempts to remove blankets from the walls “sacri- Scientologists at a hospital legious”. One victim had been in the capital Port au Prince subjected to such intense heat his said they were healing patients lungs were scorched. through “the power of touch to reconnect nervous systems”. Critics say that such tasks are a Dead letter office: Is that a ghost in sort of confidence trick that exists Sylvie, a spokeswoman, said: the upper right window? Enlarged at the extreme end of America’s “We are trained as volunteer at lower right. US$11.5 billion ($15.8 billion) ministers. We use a process self-help industry. called ‘assist’ to follow the nerv- ous system to reconnect the main The post office, managed by points”. the Department of Conservation since the 1950s, had been vacant ‘Ghosts’ find buyer “I didn’t know touch could for about a year, at least in the Two “captured ghosts” sold on heal gangrene,” said one scepti- bodily sense, she said. cal doctor. Trademe have gone to a company Ghost, or reflection of a cloud? which sells electronic cigarettes I suppose we’ll never know... (The Press, 9 March). St Bathans a ghost town? The “ghosts” were sold by Avie Woodbury of Christchurch, An Invercargill man on a Sweat lodge ends in tragedy who says they are the spirits of an ghost-hunting trip to Otago has old man who lived in the house come away with a spooky photo A sweat lodge at an Arizona in the 1920s and a powerful little – but not of the building that’s “spiritual retreat” ended up girl who turned up after a supposed to be haunted (South- steaming three people to death board session. They have been land Times, 5 February). last October, according to a leaked police report (NZ Herald, kept in holy water which “dulls Andrew Watters had gone to 4 January). the spirits’ energy”. St Bathans to have a look at the The auction recorded more Vulcan Hotel and its supposed The retreat charged thousands than 200,000 page views and ghost. The pub apparently had of dollars for five days of moti- made international headlines. only the regular type of spirits vational talks and spiritual tasks. Safer Smoke NZ had bid $5000, and it wasn’t until later that Following the deaths, self-styled but the final price dropped to a friend noticed in one of his guru James Arthur Ray faces a $2830 after a last-minute bidder photos a shape in the upstairs murder investigation. was revealed to be a fake seeking window of the old post office The report showed partici- to push the price up. nearby that looks remarkably pants vomited, passed out and like an elderly woman. screamed for help. Ray was out- Ms Woodbury will donate the proceeds to the SPCA – once Vulcan Hotel leasee Jude Cav- side the only entrance, control- exorcist’s fees have been paid. anagh said it was the first she had ling the flap that let people in and

page 11 spiritual healing An evening of healing

Noel Townsley continues our series on the psychic roadshows touring New Zealand.

ROM a website to which in the advert and brought their childhood in which she realised FI subscribe came an email cameras, hoping to get a photo she could see spirit, and her notice of two upcoming events of one of those seemingly elusive dramatic call to heal. This came with “well-known psychic” spirits. when, as a bank loans officer, a Jeanette Wilson. She was doing man who had come to see her psychic readings one evening, Jeanette began by explaining about a loan asked her to heal and the following evening Spirit that when she used the term “en- his bad back. Not sure what to Healing, described as “an extra- tity” she was referring to a spirit do, she muttered the prayer she ordinary evening, one that may – often referred to as the “soul” had learnt only a few months change your perception of this in living people, and as “spirit” earlier while attending a healing reality forever.” once they had died, but that all workshop. were interchangeable terms for Having been to an unimpres- the same thing. She also said that The result, she says, was for sive evening with the “well- there were over 2000 spirit doc- three entities to appear. One took known psychic” Sue Nicholson tors and surgeons that she could over her body; the other two took recently (see NZ Skeptic 93), I call upon – these were the same the man (now lying down pre- decided my usual Tuesday night ones that the famous John of God sumably), one by his feet and the pub quiz would likely provide in Brazil uses, and like him, she other by his head, and proceeded me with more satisfaction, but was also dressed in white, as to stretch him out straight, with I would attend Jeanette’s Spirit to better see the spirit/entities. much loud moaning from the Healing evening and see what She was also barefoot as this man. If her next loan appoint- this was all about. “grounded” her to the energies. ment was waiting outside, I won- der what they thought. Eventu- The venue was Rotary House She said some doctors came ally the moaning subsided and in Silverdale. I arrived right on more frequently than others and the man claimed his back was 7.30pm to a medium-sized hall. mentioned various names. None much improved. The next day In the first and smaller of two sounded like Louis Pasteur, he went to his chiropractor, who rooms was a table with various Joseph Lister, or Christiaan Bar- reportedly said his back was now items for sale, and someone to nard. A number of saints were perfectly aligned. collect my $40 pre-purchased mentioned as well. She said she ticket. From behind the divid- had recently done a very success- News of this healing incident ing door I could hear Jeanette ful healing session in Palmerston spread quickly, and she was starting her talk and was quickly North where she said that many soon unpopular with the healing ushered through to a seat at the orbs, entities, and even a float- school, who considered her to be back. There were about 100, ing face had been photographed. a novice. However, while wait- mostly older people, and defi- Things looked promising for ing at the tube station, an old man nitely more women than men. I tonight. walked up to her and told her could see that quite a few, like she was a healer, repeating this me, had taken up a suggestion She then told us about her several times. When she realised upbringing in England, her late number 95 – autumn 2010 spiritual healing he was “not of this world”, the rosary if we knew it, to assist us see a purple around the pa- man promptly vanished, but she in the night’s healing session. tient, and also a single entity just now knew what she was destined behind her. During the break I to do. Jeanette asked if there was overheard someone say that the anyone that had a visible physi- woman who saw the entity was Jeanette related another story cal condition, rather than a sore also a psychic. of how she was asked to see an back for example, that was just (unnamed) peer in the House of qualitative. This, she said, was to Jeanette continued to work on Lords, who was due to swim the visibly “prove” to us that healing our first patient’s problematic left Thames in a week’s time for a was going on. Several hands shoulder but then moved to the charity event, but was unable to went up, including an elderly right side, directed by the enti- free a frozen shoulder. She was lady in the front row, with a pair ties. After a few minutes, with able to fix this in a few minutes, of crutches to her side. Jeanette breaks for attempts to lift both and her fame spread quickly, to asked her name and what was arms, it appeared that the patient the extent that she was being wrong with her. Her name was could now lift her right arm up hounded by the unwell – rather Iris she replied, and she had a further than she could before; like Princess Diana had been by problem with both feet, ankles, however the problematic left arm the paparazzi, she said. legs, and knees, which resulted remained defiantly down. in her being unable to walk any Expectations distance without crutches or use All-knowing entities Jeanette then told us about of a wheelchair. “I’ll come back Jeanette explained that the en- some of her recent healings and to you Iris,” Jeanette said, and tities, who she said had scanned what we could expect to experi- asked again if there was some- us all as we entered the hall this ence. These healings she said one with a smaller observable evening, and see and know eve- usually happen within a few min- condition. rything, often fix things that they utes, or even within a few sec- A woman said she was unable consider to be of more benefit onds of her working with some- to lift her left arm above her head to us than we do, in some cases one. Also, as she was healing, and demonstrated the lack of even fixing things we didn’t we would likely see auras, orbs mobility. Jeanette got to work, know we had. She assured our of light, or even a healing entity. rotating both hands in small patient though, that she would The entities, she explained, do circles very quickly about half a gain more movement in her left the actual healing; she is just a metre from the “patient” (as she arm later on, and presumably conduit for them. She warned us often referred to them) and at the considering that getting the right that at times she would be mak- same time making a continuous arm to lift higher made for a suc- ing quite loud noises, but not to “Eeee” noise. As she worked she cessful healing, asked for a round be concerned by this, and also to again reminded us this was the of applause for our patient, and a have our cameras ready, as this time when spirits/entities would new person to come forward. was the best time to take photos likely appear. She advised that and perhaps capture an image of Our next patient was a man the rapid movement of her hands who had a visible condition, trig- an entity, orb or aura, as this was was not controlled by her, but by when they were most active. We ger finger in both hands, which the entities, although it seemed to he said he had had for about four may also notice that the room, or make her puff a bit. parts of it, may become hot or years. Jeanette said that in her cold – this would be a result of During a break in the experience, the longer the con- the energies, she said. “Eeeeee’s” she asked if anyone dition had persisted, the harder had taken any photos of orbs etc. it was to heal. She began again She explained she believed Although I had seen and pho- with her rapid hand movements in a higher power, although she tographed nothing, one person and the “Eeeee’s”. During breaks did not adhere to any particular near the front said they had, and in the healing process the patient denomination. We were then a woman in a purple sweater near revealed that he also had a lot of asked to close our eyes and recite the back of the room ecstatically damage to his back due to an ac- the Lord’s Prayer, followed by a claimed that she could currently cident that also caused him pain.

page 13 spiritual healing

Jeanette then said she had a pain many future responsibilities to This pendulum, sculpted by the in her back, which was a sign the deal with, but if she did, at least Aetherius Society’s craftsmen, is entities had directed her to work she now had a strong right shoul- claimed to be an excellent tool on this area too. After a few min- der to cope with them. After a to help develop your intuition utes our patient claimed his back quite lengthy session, and de- and psychic abilities. “It reacts pain was improved, and there spite Jeanette’s efforts, and Iris’s with the subconscious and higher was some improvement in the willingness, Iris seemed unable conscious minds to give physical trigger finger. However, at least to make any progress in walking, movements with the swing of the from the back of the room, there and still resorted to her crutches, pendulum. With the correct use, appeared to be no difference in but as she returned to her seat, you can tap the forces of intui- the fingers. Another round of ap- Jeanette said that she would ex- tion within yourself and then, by plause for our patient, and then perience an improvement in the careful experimentation, many Jeanette directed herself to the next three days. A further round things can be determined.” previous patient, Iris. of applause followed. The Nu-Me pendant appeared Energy flows to be a small coil of copper, about Several weeks on, the size of a 50 cent piece. The Iris revealed further details I cannot report any manufacturers claim it “bal- of her condition; she had ap- ances the personal energy system parently damaged one knee in improvement in my hearing at all, but I will (chakra balancing and aura clear- an accident, for which she was ing) as well as protecting from all currently awaiting reconstructive certainly let you know if disturbed energy including EMF surgery. Jeanette explained that there is. (Electro Magnetic Frequency) all energies flow in and out of POLLUTION.” our feet – good energy flows up, bad energy flows down and out, During this part of the evening The courses currently on offer so in Iris’s case her feet and ankle Jeanette had often asked the by Jeanette include – $3000 problems were due to blockages, audience if they could feel the to become a Reiki Master, and a which in turn created her knee hot or cold energy around them. Spirit Healing weekend, for an problems. No one indicated they did, but “investment” of only $300. Someone from the audience maybe, as it was a hot and sticky The second half asked Jeanette to check with Iris summer evening in a room with if she had ever been bitten by no air-conditioning, this was Upon our return to our seats, something, as this might have too much for the energies to I noted a few more empty chairs caused her problems, as appar- overcome. than before the break. ently it had done in themselves. A pause for breath Jeanette went back into her Iris was sure she had not been healing routine on a few more bitten however. Jeanette worked A break of about 20 minutes patients. I cannot report that any on Iris for some time, getting gave us an opportunity to take of the patients in the second half her to stand up from time to refreshments and look over the showed any marked physical time and try to walk a step or table of books, CDs, Jeanette’s improvement either. One gen- two without her crutches. She upcoming courses, and various tleman, who had a sore shoulder worked on Iris’s shoulders which items including crystals, the Nu- which he said he had injured, but the entities had indicated were a Me pendant, and a radionic pen- ACC had said was due to arthri- problem – left shoulder is past dulum. The pendulum appeared tis, was unable to lift his arm up responsibilities, right shoulder is to be nothing more than a small fully above his head. Jeanette future responsibilities, Jeanette pear-shaped piece of wood at- said that ACC was wrong in explained. tached to a string; however it was their assessment; it had been far more, as my later research on injured, and she was going to Iris looked like she might the internet revealed. have been from a rest home, so have to make very loud noises to hopefully she would not have too ensure a healing – a high impact number 95 – autumn 2010 spiritual healing

(accident) meant a high impact improvement over the coming “patients” to indicate a marked (sound) was needed to correct days, so I was still hopeful. or even a mild improvement in it. Following each healing action any visible condition, although Jeanette would ask the man to lift Several weeks on, I cannot some were reportedly healed of his arm up, each time declaring a report any improvement in my ailments they did not know they small improvement, although she hearing at all, but I will certainly had. Those that claimed to be in acknowledged that he was not let you know if there is. less pain invariably still walked fully healed, but assured him the Her last word of warning was with a limp, or had difficulty improvement would continue. to those who had been through mustering the affected limb to do As the crowd applauded, he re- her healing – because they had anything it could not do before. turned to his seat. A review of been through spiritual surgery, I think most of the non-critical photos from my camera showed which was just like conventional thinking people in that audience that he could lift his arm no fur- surgery, the same advice applied would say they saw proof of ther on his first attempt, than on – they must not exert themselves, healing that night, judging from his last. lift heavy weights etc for some the queue of people wanting her to autograph their newly pur- The finale time. This seemed at odds with her claims that healing happens chased books at the end of the The last part of our evening within a few minutes, and could evening. was to be a mass healing by replace conventional surgery. I found it intriguing that Jean- Jeanette. We were asked again The recovery time at least, would ette’s claim that aches in one to close our eyes and recite the appear to be the same from either part of the body indicated a non- Lord’s Prayer, and a rosary if “surgery”. physical problem, eg sore hands, we knew it, to assist this proc- Gems of information means difficulty dealing with ess. She advised that, as well issues, seemed to be accepted as healing our own ailments, we Amongst the gems of informa- by the audience – obviously the could think of others and heal tion that Jeanette gave out during body is not as complex as we them remotely as well. We were the night was that a doctor (un- have been led to believe. to put a hand on the area that we named) had shown that cats purr- felt needed healing, but if that ing can cause broken bones to I was also puzzled by her area was embarrassing, or hard to heal quicker – one compensation statements that energy leaves and reach, we could put our hand on of working at the SPCA I guess. enters our bodies via our feet, but our heart instead, as the entities She also said that another (also when asked to pray for our own would know what needed to be unnamed) doctor has discovered healing we had to keep our eyes healed anyway. that people with cancer all have closed as bad energy can enter acidic bodies, and that changing through our open eyes and af- The other important thing to fect the outcome. Also puzzling remember was not to open our your diet to make it alkaline will ensure you do not get cancer. was her claim to not be of any eyes during this time, as the religious denomination, but we negative energies being released She also revealed some pre- were asked to recite a Christian could enter our bodies this way dictions – that New Zealand will prayer and the Roman Catholic and undo any healing – a warning be the first country to have full rosary. worth heeding. As I lost about 95 (presumably independently veri- percent of my hearing in my right fied?) healing using her method, In regard to the auras, entities ear in a diving accident, I put my and will also be the first to open and orbs, I saw none, although hand over my right ear and hoped a crystal hospital – I took this one photo I took does have a for an improvement. to mean one that uses healing circular, semi-transparent, white crystals, rather than one made spot in it. As, in the same pic- The only thing that happened ture, I can clearly see the bright at the time was that the constant of crystal, as the cost would be phenomenal. down-lights located in the ceil- tinnitus I also experience seemed ing, I think it is safe to assume to get a little louder. However, In conclusion, I saw noth- that this was in fact lens flare. she did say we could expect more ing that evening in any of the As for the claimed peach/orange

page 15 spiritual healing coloured auras that were suppos- evitably someone taking a photo suggested to anyone that they edly captured by some, I think will be recording these focusing seek conventional treatment for this can easily be explained by lights in their pictures. any of their ailments. the profusion of digital cameras in use, most of which produce a My concern with Jeanette Despite Jeanette’s claim in her red/orange light in low light level Wilson is that people might see advertisement, my perception situations to assist them to focus. her claims of healing as a viable of this reality remains firmly The light emitted is roughly alternative to conventional medi- intact. circular, and of course is aimed cine, and so forgo treatment. To at the point of interest – in this her credit, Jeanette never sug- instance Jeanette and the patient. gested to anyone that they do Noel Townsley is a credit controller living in Auckland. With so many cameras in use, in- that, but conversely, she never After the overdose

Vicki Hyde and David Riddell

NZ Skeptics link up with a British campaign against homeopathy.

N January 30 there was with about 40 people taking part. that the more dilute things are, Oa concerted global mass The event also included an ‘un- the more potent they become, overdose – but no-one died be- derdose’ – homeopaths believe so we were careful to try that cause the ‘medication’ was ho- approach. There are also claims meopathic. The event grew from by product manufacturers that, the UK-based 10:23 campaign in fact, dosage doesn’t matter at (www.1023.org.uk), which was all – whether you take one pill planning a mass homeopathic or 100 – the important thing is overdose to protest against the the frequency of dosage. We Boots pharmacy chain stocking covered that base too. No ill ef- homeopathic products. fects were reported, apart from a distinct drop in the level of cash At a Christchurch Skeptics in in various wallets. While several the Pub meeting (skepticsinthep- members were keen to take part, ub.net.nz) four days before the many said they couldn’t in all planned date, one attendee asked good conscience bring them- if the NZ Skeptics were going selves to buy the stuff in the first to be involved. After all, we had place. For the demonstration, asked a number of times over we reluctantly purchased two the years for the professional boxes of tablets and a 25ml spray pharmacy bodies to supply a from a Unichem pharmacy, cost- conference speaker to talk about ing $51.95. That’s a lot to pay the ethics of selling products of

Claire le Couteur for less than two tablespoons of doubtful efficacy. Things swung water and not much more than quickly into action... that in lactose milk sugar. We held the mass overdose in Got to be good for you: Ursula Rose One of the homeopathic prod- Christchurch’s Cathedral Square, samples homeopathic champagne outside Christchurch Cathedral. ucts downed by the participants number 95 – autumn 2010 homeopathy had a label saying it contained more thoughtful piece on TV3 Christchurch Skeptics in the Pub chamomilia, humulus lupulus, News. gatherings. ignatia, kali brom, nux vomica and zinc val. But those substanc- On TVNZ the Pharma- That sterling effort was then es were actually in homeopathic cy Guild was quoted saying diluted to a very short intro dilutions, meaning that the kali of homeopathic products: followed by a short interview brom, for example, was present “there’s a place for them sequence involving Vicki Hyde in a proportion comparable to so long as customers are and Mary Glaisyer. Following one pinch of sugar in the Atlan- told they only may help”. on from this, we decided to put tic Ocean – that is, not actually We believe that that is unethical, up a challenge of our own to present at all. and certainly that comment was the NZ Council of Homeopaths not made at any of the pharma- to join the campaign to call for Reaction cists we visited to purchase these pharmacies to stop selling home- products. opathic products, as both groups The pre-publicity from the are opposed to the practice, albeit Christchurch Press saw the New TVNZ’s Close Up national for different reasons. Zealand Council for Homeopaths current affairs programme cov- admit publicly that their prod- ered the story on February 12. The New Zealand Council of ucts had no material substance They spent two hours filming Homeopaths and others in the in them (our emphasis). us swallowing pills, spritzing trade have stated that their cus- tomers require lengthy Council spokes- personalised sessions woman Mary Glaisy- to “match the energy of er said (maryglaisyer. the potency of the rem- com/2010/01/press- edy with the person”. release-mass-over- According to Mary dose): “there’s not Glaisyer, this involves one molecule of the matching symptoms original substance with the huge range remaining” in the of materials on which diluted remedies that homeopaths base their form the basis of this ultra-diluted prepa- multi-million-dol- rations. For exam- lar industry. This ple, causticum, more point was picked up mundanely known as by a columnist in

Claire le Couteur potassium hydroxide, the Guardian, who is said to manifest its referred to the NZ homeopathic action in homeopaths as find- “paralytic affections” ing “amusing and and “seems to choose creative ways to dig preferable [sic] dark- themselves deeper Anything yet? Vicki Hyde waits for a homeopathic preparation to take effect while TV news cameras look on. complexioned and rig- into a hole”. id-fibered persons”. We got a flurry of Pharmacists who sell ho- interest in the first press release sprays, demonstrating how a meopathic products in the same from TV, radio and print media, homeopathic dilution is made, way they sell deodorants and as well as great support from talking about the health and perfumed soaps are clearly not members, Skeptics in the Pub safety issues of relying on water meeting basic homeopathic folk and others concerned about as a medicine and a whole host practice. When a number of this issue. of other issues, in the cosy con- fines of The Snug at the Twisted pharmacies in Christchurch were TV One ran a very short news Hop, the bar of choice for the checked by purchasers of these item on it; there was a longer, products, no pharmacy staff

page 17 homeopathy asked about symptoms; one sim- commonly contain no molecules world where people have died ply asked “do you want vitamins of the active ingredient – their or had horrible outcomes as a with that?” homeopath or health profes- result of a mistaken reliance on sional hadn’t disclosed this. The homeopathy. Many people equate homeo- customers believe they are pay- pathic products with herbal ing for the substances listed on The alternative health industry products, hence the belief that the box, but those were only in has built a multi-million-dollar the products contain real sub- the water once upon a time be- business exploiting the natural stance. In addition, the products fore the massive dilution process healing powers of the human are commonly used for condi- began – along with everything body, as many conditions will get tions which get better with time else that the water once had in better within two to three days regardless of treatment, as well it – the chlorine, the beer, the regardless of whether conven- as exploiting the well-known urine... tional or alternative treatments placebo effect. are used, or even if nothing is You have to ask, at what point done at all. Independent testing The call for the NZ Skeptics does it shift from being an issue has shown that homeopathic and homeopaths to join forces is of informed consent to become preparations take full advantage not the first time such action has an issue of fraud? of this and homeopaths quickly been considered. In 2002, when take the credit for any improve- an Auckland pharmacy starting Do pharmacists not know ment in their clients. selling products labelled homeo- that homeopathic products are pathic “meningococcal vaccine” just water, or they do know and The NZ Skeptics have already and homeopathic “hepatitis B don’t care because people will had people asking for a list of vaccine”, we discussed with the buy it not realising the mas- ethical pharmacists that they late Bruce Barwell, at that time sive mark-up? Either way, that can support with their business. the president of the NZ Homeo- should be a big concern for the We are happy to hear from any pathic Society, a joint release health consumer. Here’s a huge pharmacy willing to take a stand condemning this highly danger- industry with virtually no regula- on this issue, and will start to ous move. We were concerned tory oversight or consumer pro- create a database for concerned that relying on water as a vac- tection or come-back, and even members of the public. cine would lead to unnecessary its keen customers aren’t aware deaths. of the highly dubious practices From the UK 10:23 cam- involved. paign: It’s bad enough when the prod- Thanks very much for the note, uct labelling misleads people When Billy Joel’s daughter the support and the energy. We into thinking they are buying attempted to commit suicide in have been overwhelmed by the something more than water. It’s December, she chose to take an enthusiasm from the NZ side of far worse when they misuse a overdose of homeopathic medi- things. It’s been great. word like vaccine in such a life- cation, and thus suffered no ill ef- threatening area. fects. While that case was fortu- To mark the occasion, the NZ nate, there are many cases where Skeptics have released a new The homeopaths were con- people have been harmed by the Skeptics Guide to Homeopathy, cerned then, as now, that their use of homeopathic products in available as a flyer on the web- 200-year-old practices were the place of real medicine. There site (skeptics.org.nz). It outlines being misrepresented by non- is a Coroner´s Court record of the development of homeopathy homeopaths keen to benefit the death of a baby from men- from a relatively harmless at- from the multi-million-dollar ingitis; it had been treated with tempt to help people some 200 industry. homeopathic ear drops and the years ago through to the multi- A recent survey showed that mother was very reluctant for million industry of today. 94 percent of New Zealanders any hospital admission. And the using homeopathic products website whatstheharm.net lists aren’t aware that the remedies many cases from around the number 95 – autumn 2010 bioblog

Belief and knowledge: a plea about language

Alison Campbell looks at some words that cause scientific misunderstandings.

SUSPECT that for many of my current explanation for life’s di- predictive power and have been I first-year Biology students, the versity. This can engender some tested time and time again. They sheer weight of new terms they interesting discussions...) are also incomplete, but that come across is perhaps the most again is the nature of science. But what the statement “most daunting thing about the course. Scientific theories may well be scientists believe” means – to In some ways learning biology modified if new evidence comes scientists – is that most scientists is rather like learning a new to hand: Newton’s laws are an agree that the weight of evidence language, with several thousand example. (Quinn notes that favours a particular interpreta- new words swamping the page Newton’s laws still hold, under tion. Quinn suggests we should (and the brain). certain well-defined condtions.) say “scientific evidence supports But there’s more than just the the conclusion that...” I like this It’s worth repeating Quinn’s new words – there’s the meaning – it leaves open the possibil- description of how scientific of the words to come to terms ity that this conclusion could theories are developed, because with. This is the focus of Helen change, if sufficient evidence this is a valuable description of Quinn’s paper in Physics Today to the contrary comes to light. how science operates and what (2007): Belief and knowledge Which is a much better reflection sets it apart from ‘other ways of – a plea about language. There of the nature of science. Unfortu- knowing’: are many words whose meaning nately there tends to be a percep- When we seek to extend and tion that scientific ‘facts’ don’t to a scientist may be quite dif- revise our hypothetical frame- ferent from what they mean to change. (Also unfortunate is the works, we make hypotheses, a layperson. Quinn feels, and fact that if scientists do change build models, and construct I agree, that some words “are their interpretation of the data, untested, alternate, extended the root of considerable public they’re accused of not really theories. These last must incor- misunderstanding about science: knowing what they’re talking porate all the well-established belief, hypothesis, theory and about. Sometimes I think we just elements of prior theories. Ex- knowledge.” can’t win!) Like Quinn, I feel periment not only tests the new that as scientists we shouldn’t be hypotheses; any unexplained re- ‘Belief’ isn’t really a word using the ‘b’ word – it gives the sult both requires and constrains that sits well with science. As appearance that science is “just new speculative theory building – new hypotheses. Models ... Quinn says, it can be “an article another belief system.” of faith” ie religious belief. Or play an important role here. They – conversely – in the phrase “I ‘Theory’ is another word that allow us to investigate and for- believe he is coming at 5pm”, means different things to differ- mulate the predictions and tests of our theory in complex situa- you get the meaning “but I’m ent people. “I’ve got a theory tions. Our theories are informed about that” really means, ‘I’ve not really sure.” So how are we guesses, incorporating much that to take those news stories that got a hunch or an idea, a guess.’ we know. They may or may not begin “Scientists believe”? A But to scientists ‘theory’ means a pan out, but they are motivated statement like “most biologists well-established explanation for by some aspects or puzzles in believe in evolution” could be a large body of data: the theo- the existing data and theory. We used to claim that evolution is ries of relativity, plate tectonics, actively look for contradictions. evolution... These are definitely as much faith-based as organised Alison Campbell is a biology lec- religion. (I tell my students that not guesses (nor are they belief turer at Waikato University. I don’t ‘believe’ in evolution, systems!), but comprehensive but accept it as the best available explanations that have strong

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NZ Skeptics (Inc.) Chair-entity: Vicki Hyde (Christchurch), [email protected] Secretary: Paul Ashton (Christchurch), [email protected] Treasurer: Al Dennard (Putaruru), [email protected] Committee: Claire le Couteur (Christchurch) Julian Kissock (Palmerston North) Robert Woolf (Auckland) Joanna Wojnar (Wellington) Warwick Don (Dunedin) Annette Taylor (Hamilton) Keith Garratt (Rotorua) Nathan Grange (Auckland) Felicity Goodyear-Smith (Auckland) Michelle Coffey (Lower Hutt) Denis Dutton (Christchurch) Paul Trotman (Dunedin) Gold (Christchurch) Don Kinnell (Wairarapa)

Media Contact: Vicki Hyde NZ Skeptic Editor: David Riddell, [email protected] Video Librarian: Alastair Brickell www.skeptics.org.nz/SK:MEMBERSVIDEO