CSICOP Delegation
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MARTIN GARDNER ON ISAAC NEWTON • EXTRATERRESTRIAL HIGHWAY • GOATSUCKER HYSTERIA Skeptical Inquirer i • THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE AND REASON Volume 20, No. 5 • September/October 1996 4 Science Fiction, Skepticism, and Reality; . Stewart, Greg Bear the First World and Paranoia Skeptics Congress An Afternoon Traditional Medicine and with a Psychic Pseudoscience in China Part 2 of a Report of the second CSICOP Delegation Published by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL AT THE CENTEft FOR INQUIRY (ADJACENT TO TMi STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFAiO) • AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, State University of New York at Buffalo Barry Karr, Executive Director and Public Relations Director Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow Lee Nisbet. Special Projects Director FELLOWS James E. Alcock,* psychologist. York Thomas Gilovich, psychologist, Cornell Joe Nickel I," senior research fellow, CSI Univ., Toronto Univ. COP Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, Lee Nisbet,* philosopher, Medaille Albany, Oregon Toronto College Robert A. Baker, psychologist, Univ. of Stephen Jay Gould, Museum of James E. Oberg, science writer Kentucky Comparative Zoology, Harvard Univ. Loren Pankratz, psychologist, Oregon Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, C E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Health Sciences Univ. author, consumer advocate, Wales John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Allentown, Pa. Al Hibbs, scientist. Jet Propulsion Univ. Barry Beyerstein,* biopsychologist, Laboratory Simon Fraser Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Mark Plummer, lawyer, Australia Douglas Hofstadter, professor of Canada human understanding and cognitive W. V. Quine, philosopher. Harvard Univ. Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ. science, Indiana Univ. Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of Southern California of Chicago Susan Blackmore,* psychologist, Univ. Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics and Professor of History of Carl Sagan, astronomer, Cornell Univ. of the West of England, Bristol Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical profes Henri Broch, physicist, Univ. of Nice, Science, Harvard Univ. sor of medicine, Stanford Univ. France Ray Hyman,* psychologist, Univ. of Evry Schatzman, President. French Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist. pro Oregon fessor of English, Univ. of Utah Leon Jaroff, sciences editor emeritus, Physics Association Vern Bullough, professor of history, 77me Eugenie Scott physical anthropologist, California State Univ. at Northridge Sergei Kapitza, editor. Russian edition. executive director, National Center Mario Bunge, philosopher, McGill Scientific American for Science Education Philip J. Klass,* aerospace writer, engi Glenn T. Seaborg, University Professor University of Chemistry. Univ. of California, John R. Cole, professor of anthropolo neer Berkeley; Nobel Prize laureate gy, Univ. of Mass. at Amherst Marvin Kohl, professor of philosophy, Thomas A. Sebeok, anthropologist, lin F. H. C Crick, biophysicist, Salk Inst, for SUNY at Fredonia guist, Indiana Univ. Biological Studies, La Jolla, Calif; Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director, Robert Sheaffer, science writer Nobel Prize laureate Griffith Observatory Elie A. Shneour, biochemist; author, Richard Dawkins, zoologist, Oxford Paul Kurtz.* chairman, CSICOP director, Biosystems Research Univ. Institute, La Jolla, California Lawrence Kusche, science writer L. Sprague de Camp, author, engineer Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Leon Lederman, emeritus director. Cornells de Jager, professor of astro Terrey Hills. N.S.W., Australia Fermilab; Nobel laureate in physics physics, Univ. of Utrecht, the Robert Steiner, magician, author, El Netherlands Elizabeth Loftus, professor of psycholo Cerrito, Calif. gy, Univ. of Washington Bernard Dixon, science writer, London, Jill Cornell Tarter, SETI Institute U.K. Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, Carol Tavris", psychologist and author, Paul Edwards, philosopher. Editor. AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia, Calif. Los Angeles, Calif. Encyclopedia of Philosophy David Marks, psychologist, Middlesex Stephen Toulmin, professor of philoso Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Polytech, England phy. University of Southern California Univ., U.K. Walter C. McCrone, microscopist, Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer, Foothill Steven Weinberg, professor of physics College. Los Altos Hills, Calif. McCrone Research Institute and astronomy, University of Texas at Austin; Nobel Prize laureate Kendrick Frazier,* science writer, Marvin Minsky, professor of Media Arts Editor, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and Sciences, M.I.T. Marvin Zelen, statistician, Harvard Univ. Yves Galifret Exec. Secretary, I'Union David Morrison, space scientist, NASA Lin Zixin, former editor. Science and Technology Daily (China) Rationaliste Ames Research Center * Member, CSICOP Executive Council Martin Gardner,* author, critic Richard A. Muller, professor of physics. • Associate Member, CSICOP Executive Murray Gell-Mann, professor of Univ. of Calif, Berkeley physics. Santa Fe Institute; Nobel Council H. Narasimhaiah, physicist, president. Prize laureate (Affiliations given for identification only.) Bangalore Science Forum, India Dorothy Nelkin, sociologist. New York Visit the CSICOP Univwe. b site at http://www.csicop.org The Surncu INQUWR (ISSN 0194-6730) is published himomMr by the Committee for the Scientific work of individual authors. Their publication does not necessarily constitute an endorsement by CSI Investigation of Oimi of rh«- Paranormal. 3965 Rniih R.i . Asnhrra. NY 1422S-7743 Ftonrrd i„ COP or -. memkr, unl«» *o nud U-SA. Sccood-chss pottage paid at Amhcra, New York, and additional mailing offices. Subscription Copyright 61996 by the Comminee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal prices: one year (so issues). S3' 50. two yean. $54.00; three yean, $75.00, single issue, $4.95. All r-ghts reserved. The Surncu Isqmtrjt IS available on 16mm microfilm. 35mm microfilm, and Inquiries from the media and the public about the work of the Comminee should be nude to 105mm microfiche from University Microfilms International and is indexed in the Reader's Guide to Paul Kurtz. Chairmaii. CSICOP. Bd 703. Amhem. NY 14226-0703. Td.: (716) 636-1425. FAX Periodical Literature. 716-636-1733. Subscriptions, change of address, and advertising should be addressed to: SfcxroCAi IKQITUR. BOX Manuscripts, letters, books for review, and editorial irtquirks should be addressed to Kendnck 703. Amherst. NY 14226-0703- Old address as well as new are necessary for change of tubscnbcM Frauer. Editor. StirtKM IN****** *44 Deer Dnve NE. AJbuqterque NM 87122-1306 FAX 505- address, with six weeks advance notice. SarncAi INQIIMK subscribers may not ipcak on behalf of CSI 828-2080. For Guide for Authors, see page 65 of the May/junc 1996 issue or fax request, to the Editor. COP or the SurriCAi IMJIHOH Articles, reports, reviews, and k-ners published in the Surncu IKQCMUS represent the views and Postmaster Send changes of address to SWJTJCAI iKQUMfa. Box 703. Amherst. NY 14226-0703 Grossman reviews Skeptical Inquirer Stein, p. 51 THE September/October 1996 • VOL 20, NO. 5 ENCYCLOPEDIA oi THI: PARANORMAL WORLD SKEPTICS CONGRESS 5 Something for Everyone at World Skeptics Congress JM 6 Four Days with the Skeptics (.OKIION sri.lN. I'h.l). Commentary by WENDY GROSSMAN 7 CSICOP Award Winners 8 CSICOP Announces New Council for Media Integrity/ Asteroids Named for CSICOP, Kurtz Extraterrestrial Highway, p. 17 SCIENCE FICTION, SKEPTICISM. AND REALITY COLUMNS 19 Shades of Meaning: Science Fiction as a New Metric EDITOR'S NOTE 4 Science fiction can, and should, be used to explore paranormal and NEWS AND COMMENT fringe-science issues in compelling, meaningful ways. Noreen Reiner 'Put to the Test'—Hollywood EUGENE R. STEWART TV Style / Goatsucker Hysteria 9 Skepticism and Science Fiction, GREG BEAR / The Goulden NOTES OF A FRINGE-WATCHER Twig, HAL CLEMENT / Science Fiction and Scientific Isaac Newton: Alchemist and Fundamentalist Possibilities, FRED ERIK POHL MARTIN GARDNER 13 PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS ARTICLES Travels on the Extraterrestrial Highway ROBERT SHEAFFER 17 27 Traditional Medicine and Pseudo- NEW BOOKS 55 science in China: A Report of the Second ARTICLES OF NOTE 55 CSICOP Delegation FORUM This is the second of a two-part report of a recent CSICOP delegation Art, Reason, and Reality to the People's Republic of China. In this article the authors describe JANE HADDAM 57 their participation in a symposium on pseudoscience in China, held in Beijing, and their further interactions with practitioners of Traditional What Constitutes Scientific Evidence? Chinese Medicine in Shanghai. WAYNE R. ANDERSON 59 WALLACE SAMPSON and BARRY L. BEYERSTEIN LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 62 35 Conspiracy Theories and Paranoia: Notes from a Mind-Control Conference BOOK REVIEWS Some therapists' lack of skepticism may make them prime targets for racist propaganda. The Encyclopedia of the Paranormal Edited by Gordon Stein EVAN HARRINGTON WENDY M. GROSSMAN 51 43 We Need Science and the Humanities Leaps of Faith Science and technology will serve humanity welt only if ours hearts and by Nicholas Humphrey heads work in concert. Critical, rational thought and respect for the GORDON STEIN 52 world in which we live are both needed The Myth of Scientific Literacy JOHN W. WHITE by Morris H. Shamos ROGER KLARE 53 45 Testing the ESP Claims of SORRAT Bizarre Beliefs The Society for Research