sign in sign up
<<
Home , Benny Hinn, Morristown UFO hoax, Pseudoarchaeology, Reparenting, Skeptical Inquirer

• Benny Hinn: Healer or Hypnotist? • Bogus Civil War Pterodactyl

SON

Published by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL AT THE -INTERNATIONAL (ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO] • AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION , Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy. State University of New York at Buffalo , Executive Director , Senior Research Fellow , Research Fellow Richard Wiseman, Research Fellow Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director FELLOWS

James E. Alcock* psychologist. York Univ.. Saul Green, PhD, biochemist president of ZOL James E. Oberg, writer Consultants, New York. NY Irmgard Oepen, professor of medicine , magician and inventor. Albany, Susan Haack, Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts (retired), Marburg. Germany Oregon and , prof, of philosophy, University Loren Pankratz, psychologist, Oregon Health Marcia Angell, M.D.. former editor-in-chief. of Miami Sciences Univ. New England Journal of Medicine C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales John Paulos, mathematician. Temple Univ. Robert A. Baker, psychologist. Univ. of Al Hibbs, scientist Jet Propulsion Laboratory Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist, MIT Kentucky Douglas Hofstadter, professor of under­ Massimo Polidoro, science writer, author, M.D.. psychiatrist, author. standing and cognitive science, Indiana Univ. executive director CICAP, Italy consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Milton Rosenberg, psychologist Univ. of , * biopsychologist, Simon Physics and professor of history of science. Chicago Fraser Univ., Vancouver, B.C., Canada Harvard Univ. Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical professor of Irving Biederman, psychologist. Univ. of ,* psychologist. Univ. of Oregon medicine, Stanford Univ., editor, Scientific Southern California Leon Jaroff, sciences editor emeritus, Time Review of Alternative Medicine Susan Blackmore, psychologist, Univ. of the Sergei Kapitza, former editor. Russian edition. Amardeo Sarma, engineer, head of dept. West of England. Bristol at T-Nova Deutsche Telekom, executive Henri Broch. physicist, Univ. of Nice, France Philip J. Klass. • aerospace writer, engineer director, GWUP. Germany. Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, professor Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director, Griffith Evry Schatzman, former president. French emeritus of English, Univ. of Utah Observatory Physics Association Vern Bullough, professor of history, California Paul Kurtz,* chairman, Center for Inquiry Eugenie Scott physical anthropologist, execu­ State Univ. at Northridge Lawrence Kusche, science writer tive director, National Center for Science Mario Bunge, philosopher, McGill University Leon Lederman, emeritus director, Fermilab; Education John R. Cole, anthropologist, editor, National Nobel laureate in physics , science writer Center for , psychologist, Emory Univ. Elie A. Shneour, biochemist, author, Frederick Crews, literary and cultural critic, Lin Zixin, former editor, Science and director, Biosystems Research Institute, professor emeritus of English, Univ. of Technology Daily (China) La Jolla, Calif. California, Berkeley Jere Lipps, Museum of Paleontology. Univ. of Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Terrey F. H. C. Crick, biophysicist. Salk Inst, for California. Berkeley Hills, N.S.W.. Australia Biological Studies. La Jolla. Calif; Nobel Prize , professor of , Robert Steiner, magician, author, laureate Univ. of Washington El Cerrito. Calif. Richard Dawkins, zoologist. Oxford Univ. Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, Jill Cornell Tarter, astronomer, SETI Institute, Cornells de Jager, professor of astrophysics, AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia. Calif. Mountain View, Calif. Univ. of Utrecht, the Netherlands John Maddox, editor emeritus of Nature Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Paul Edwards, philosopher, editor. David Marks, psychologist City University, London. Angeles. Calif. Encyclopedia of Philosophy Walter C. McCrone. microscopist, McCrone David Thomas, physicist and mathematician, . professor of , Research Institute Peralta, New Central Connecticut State Univ. Mario Mendez-Acosta, journalist and Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy, Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., U.K. science writer, Mexico City, Mexico Univ. of Southern California Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer. Foothill College, Marvin Minsky, professor of media arts and Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and direc­ Los Altos Hills, Calif. sciences, M.I.T. tor, Hayden Planetarium, New York City ,* science writer, editor. David Morrison, space scientist, NASA Ames Marilyn vos Savant Parade magazine con­ Research Center tributing editor and CBS News correspondent Yves Galifret. vice-president. Affiliated Richard A. Muller, professor of physics, Univ. Steven Weinberg, professor of physics and Organizations: France of Calif., Berkeley astronomy, Univ. of Texas at Austin; Nobel ,* author, critic H. Narasimhaiah, physicist president. Prize laureate Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, Santa Bangalore Science Forum, India Richard Wiseman, psychologist University of Fe Institute; Nobel Prize laureate Dorothy Nelkin, sociologist, New York Univ. Hertfordshire Thomas Gilovich, psychologist Cornell Univ. Joe Nickell,* senior research fellow, CSICOP Marvin Zelen, statistician. Harvard Univ. Henry Gordon, magician, columnist, Toronto Lee Nisbet* philosopher, Medaille College Stephen Jay Gould, Museum of Comparative Bill Nye, science educator and television host. * Member, CSICOP Executive Council Zoology, Harvard Univ. Nye Labs (Affiliations given for identification only.)

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

The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (ISSN 0194-6730) u published bimonthly by the Committee for the Articles, report*, reviews, and letters published in the SKEPTJCAI INQUIRER represent the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, 1310 Sweet Home Rd„ Amherst. NY views and work of individual authors. Their publication does not necessarily constitute an 14228. Primed in U.SA Periodicals pottage paid at Buffalo. NY. Subscription prices: one year endorsement by CSICOP or its members unless so stated. (six issues). $35: rwo years, $58; three years. $81: single issue. $4.95. Canadian and foreign orders: Copyright ©2002 by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Payment in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank must accompany orders; please add US$10 per year Paranormal. .Ml rights reserved. The SKUTKAl INQUIRER is available on 16mm microfilm. for shipping. Canadian and foreign customers are encouraged to use Visa or MasterCard 35mm microfilm, and 105mm microfiche from University Microfilms International and is Inquiries from the media and the public about the work of the Committee should be made indexed in the Readers Guide to Periodical Literature. to Paul Kurt*. Chairman. CSICOP. Box 703. Amherst. NY 14226-0703. Td.: 716-636-1425. Subscriptions and changes of address should be addressed to: SKf PT1CM. INQUIRER. Box FAX: 716-636-1733. 703. Amherst. NY 14226-0703. Or call toll-free I -800-634-1610 (outside U.S. call 716-636- Manuscripts, letters, books for review, and editorial inquiries should be addressed to Kendridc 1425), Old address as well as new are necessary for change of subscriber's address, with six Frazier. Editor. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. 944 Deer Drive NE, Albuquerque. NM 87122. Fax 505- weeks advance notice. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER subscribers may noc speak on behalf of CSICOP 828-2080. Before submitting any manuscript, please consult our Guide for Authors for format and or the SkrprKAE INQUIRER. references requirements. It is on our Web site at http://www,csicop.org/si/guidc-for-authors.html IVisimastcr. Send changes of address io SKHTKAI INQI IKi.K. Box 703. Amhcrsi. NY and on page 69 of the March/April issue. Or you may send a fax request to the editor. 14226-0703. Skeptical Inquirer COLUMNS EDITOR'S NOTE 4 May/June 2002 • VOL. 26, NO. 3

NEWS AND COMMENT AAAS Session Provides Glimpse at Science-end of Alternative ARTICLES Medicine Issues, Research / Study Finds NCCAM Grants Have Produced No Useful Results / New Journal Dedicated to Distinguishing Science from in Mental Health / Rash of Mysterious Rashes May Be Linked to Mass Hysteria / Ohio and Washington: Agendas Push Questionable Science / in the Oil Patch: Microlepton Fields, Again / Archaeo­ logical Institute Hosts Workshop Session on Combating Pseudo- / Astronomers Respond to Claims Universe is Young with Material for Classroom Teachers / UFOs Over Hollywood / Dec. 15 Party Features Editors to Celebrate CFI-West Occupancy/ Recent Deaths S

INVESTIGATIVE FILES Benny Hinn: Healer or Hypnotist? JOE NICKELL 14 24 Who Abused Jane Doe? The Hazards of the Single Case History VIBRATIONS Djinn Engine Solves the Crisis Part 1 ROBERT SHEAFFER 18 Cose histories have played a long-standing role in the history of science, medicine, and' mental health. But they can mislead— NOTES ON A STRANGE WORLD especially when only half the story is told. Here's a case history A Pterodactyl in the Civil War about a case history thai proves just that. MASSIMO POLIDORO 21 ELIZABETH F. LOFTUS and MELVIN J. GUYER NEW BOOKS 55 33 Is the Mars Effect a Social Effect? SCIENCE BEST SELLERS 54 A re-analysis of the Gauquelin dam suggests that hitherto FORUM baffling planetary effects may be simple social effects in disguise. The Logic That Dare Not Speak Its Name RALPH ESTLING 58 GEOFFREY DEAN Laughter: The Real Ageless, Timeless Medicine J.D. HAINES, M.D 59

39 Gray Barker's Book of Bunk FOLLOW-UP , Saucers, and MIB Many Worlds? A Response to Bryce DeWitt's 'Comments ...' MARTIN GARDNER 61 Those who seek the elusive truth behind the "" and "Mothman " should know that material touched SHORT COMMUNICATIONS by Gray Barker's enterprising hand is tainted by self-serving Magnetic Mountains deceit. He launchedhoaxes , joined others' deceptions, and MARK BENECKE 62 manipulated people's beliefs. "And I," says our author, "was one of those who helped " LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 63

JOHN C. SHERWOOD

BOOK REVIEWS

Aliens, Ghosts, and Cults: Legends We Live By Bill Ellis .49

45 The King of Quacks: Skeptical Odysseys: Personal Accounts by the World's Albert Abrams, M.D. Leading Paranormal Inquirers Edited by Paul Kurtz One of the greatest quacks of all time was Albert Abrams, ROBERT A. BAKER .51 M.D. Abrams earned the dubious distinction of "the dean of twentieth century " by the American Medical The Syndrome Association. By Paul Jordan J.D. HAINES, M.D. KEN FEDER .b3 EDITOR'S NOTE THI UAGAZIMI 'OR SCIINCI AND MASON

EDITOR Kendrick Frazier Controversies and Case Studies EDITORIAL BOARD James E. Alcock Barry Beyerstein he best introduction to the extraordinary narrative we begin in this issue Thomas Casten Martin Gardner Tby Elizabeth Loftus and Melvin Guyer (first of two parts) is Loftus's impas­ Ray Hyman sioned commentary "When Scientific Evidence is the Enemy," in our Lawrence Jones Philip J. Klass November/December 2001 issue. The two are linked. The commentary was her Paul Kurtz Joe Nickell acceptance speech upon receiving the American Psychological Society's William Lee Nisbet James Fellow Award. The citation honored her courage and pioneering scien­ Amardeo Sarma Bela Scheiber tific work in showing that reconstructive memory processes rather than past Eugenie Scott objective reality have often been at the root of controversial cases alleging CONSULTING EDITORS Robert A. Baker "recovered memories" of childhood abuse. The citation spoke of her strengdi in Susan J. Blackmore weathering the "widespread scorn and oppression that unfortunately but John R. Cole Kenneth L. Feder inevitably accompanies clear and compelling scientific data that have die effron­ C. E. M. Hansel tery to fly in die face of dearly held beliefs." At that time Loftus reported that E. C. Krupp Scott O. Lilienfeld she continued to be die target of efforts to censor her views. She was dien under David F. Marks a gag order and could provide no details. The story can now be told. James E. Oberg Robert Sheaffer In "Who Abused Jane Doe? The Hazards of a Single Case Study," which David E. Thomas begins in this issue, Loftus (professor of psychology at the University of Richard Wiseman MANAGING EDITOR Washington) and Guyer (professor of psychology at the University of Benjamin Radford Michigan Medical School) write a compelling narrative of their involvement ART DIRECTOR Lisa A. Hutter in the case of a young woman called Jane Doc, whose biological and divorced PRODUCTION parents were entangled in a vicious custody dispute that included allegations Paul Loynes Jason Mussachio of sexual and physical abuse of the child. CARTOONIST The two-part article is, as they say, "a case study of a case study—a cau­ Rob Pudim WEB PAGE DESIGN tionary tale." It is an absorbing and sobering chronicle of their efforts to get at Patrick Fitzgerald, Designer the real truth of the matter. And it has implications for beyond diis particular Amanda Chesworth Kevin Christopher case. We hope to publish in a later issue further perspective on the batdes and Rob Beeston

travails Loftus and Guyer had to endure in carrying out their investigations. PUBLISHER'S REPRESENTATIVE » * * Barry Karr CORPORATE COUNSEL Anodier controversial issue going back years (in this case decades) involving Brenton N. VerPloeg acrimonious disputes, this time over interpretations of data, is die topic of BUSINESS MANAGER Sandra Lesniak Geoffrey Dean's article "Is the Mars Effect a Social Effect?" Dean, a meticulous FISCAL OFFICER critical investigator of astrological claims, just may have found a way out of the Paul Paulin CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER whole "Mars Effect" mess, a possible explanation diat hints strongly diat the Arthur Urrows problem may not be with the neoastrologer-psychologist Michel Gauquelin's DEVELOPMENT OFFICER handling or interpretations of die extensive birth data he had collected but with James Kimberly CHIEF DATA OFFICER the data's origin. Dean's insights point a way to understanding the "Mars Effect" Michael Cione data as a social effect—human biases in preferentially reporting certain birth STAFF Darlene Banks times and dates and eschewing others. If Dean's analysis is supported by further Patricia Beauchamp study, the effects Gauquelin found were diere not because Gauquelin selected Jodi Chapman Allison Cossitt or manipulated die data, and not because die planetary positions at birth affect Jennifer Miller Heidi Sander human destiny, but because the parents who were the original sources of die Ranjit Sandhu birth data had social reasons for reporting slightly fudged times and dates. Anthony Santa Lucia John Sullivan Dean provides intriguing evidence to back up diat hypodiesis. He is care­ Vance Vigrass ful not to claim he has explained the Mars Effect; he claims only that the Mars PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR Kevin Christopher effect involves social effects diat need to be controlled before we can proceed YOUNG SKEPTICS PROGRAM DIRECTOR further. It will be interesting to see how bodi sides in this controversy respond. Amanda Chesworth INQUIRY MEDIA PRODUCTIONS Thomas Flynn DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES Timothy S. Binga

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

4 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

AAAS Session Provides Glimpse at Science-end of Alternative Medicine Issues, Research

KENDRICK FRAZIER doing its best to sift through all kinds of ing that the grants and awards issued by claims for nuggets of scientific and ther­ NCCAM and its predecessor Office of The more scientific end of the spectrum apeutic value. Alternative Medicine have produced no of alternative medicine got a hearing at "Our role is to stimulate and support useful information (see story on next the annual meeting of the American the best scientific modalities," he told page). He didn't quibble with the con­ Association for the Advancement of the media. Some of the therapies clusion but again emphasized that larger Science (AAAS) in Boston in February. NCCAM studies "may hold germs of studies will be necessary to get definitive Generally the kind of wacky and ques­ truth." Some, he said, "will be proven results. "If something [turns out to be] tionable stuff that critics and skeptics of safe and effective, some unsafe and inef­ ineffective, I have no need to fund fur­ alternative medicine focus on was fective." He said the agency seeks to pro­ ther studies of that topic," he said. nowhere to be seen, and in both the vide the public guidance to sort through In his presentation introducing the February 17 session and in a news brief­ "folklore and rumor." symposium on Sunday morning, Straus ing for science reporters the day before, In the news conference the media again offered numerous cautions. He presenters described real scientific were about equally divided between spoke of the strong influence of people's investigations and had all the right cau­ those interested in the scientific presen­ beliefs, the unintended consequences tionary words about fringier topics. tations to be given and those interested of such things as botanical and drug The half-day session was titled "The in grilling Straus about the controversies interactions, "studies that provide Science Underlying Complementary over the scientific value of NCCAM and important cautionary tales" (such as and Alternative Medicine." It was orga­ alternative medicine in general. DiBella multitherapy, which claimed nized by Stephen E. Straus, Director of Isn't NCCAM a highly political 10,000 successful patients, whereas sub­ the National Center for Comple­ agency, influenced by the views of the sequent studies showed "zero evidence mentary and Alternative Medicine politicians who helped set it up and of remissions"), and important issues of (NCCAM) within the National Insti­ continue to support it with ever /body medicine. tutes of Health; Donald Krogstan of increasing funding? "Complementary But he maintained that good science Tulane University; and Sondra Schlesin- and alternative medicine is popular," could be done in the field. "Our speak­ ger of the Washington University School Straus pointed out. The strong political ers today will tell you that it's not all a of Medicine. support NCCAM enjoys is helping it bunch of nonsense. There is interesting Straus, a physician, has the task of move forward, he said. "It provides the and exciting science to do." trying to bring good science to wherewithal to separate the wheat from In answer to questions from the NCCAM while not offending those the chaff." audience, Straus said, "I believe that influential congressional advocates of What would it take to say all of it the American people are not stupid." alternative and untested therapies who (alternative medicine] "is bunk?" he was He said they seek good information, provide a strong political and funding asked. "Our job is not debunking," he but the problem is that if reliable infor­ base for the center, whose annual budget said, but only finding out what works mation is not provided, it is human for extramural research now exceeds and what doesn't. "In the U.S. people nature for people to "attach to anec­ $100 million. Most observers say he is a can take things without proof [of effi­ dotes." Said Straus: "We at least can master at this. [See also "Bioterrorism cacy]," he said. "We can sit back and rail provide the public with better informa­ and the NCCAM: The Selling of about this or we can try to set out and tion to make those decisions. We want Complementary and Alternative Medi­ find" what the facts are. to elevate the dialogue. We want to get cine," by Kimball C. Atwood IV, M.D., He openly acknowledged that it out of the streets and get it into the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, March/April NCCAM's studies haven't yet produced hospitals and laboratories." 2002.) At die meeting and the news any significant results one way or anodier, * a * briefing, Straus certainly said all the but he maintained that larger studies now right words for his audiences of scien­ under way are likelier to do so. As for the rest of the symposium, there tists, physicians, and at times skeptical He was asked directly about a new were some interesting reports: science journalists. He offered up the study just published in the Scientific Jonathan Davidson (Duke Universi­ image of a taxpayer-funded agency Review of Alternative Medicine conclud­ ty Department of Psychiatry) provided a

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 5 NEWS AND COMMENT critical analysis of previous studies of the analgesia is mediated by the body's the awards have not produced useful efficacy of St. John's Wort (hypericum) endogenous opioid systems. "In other information. on major depression. Sales of St. John's words, the appropriate context and The study is published in The Wort are now four times those of expectation is capable of triggering the Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine Prozac. There is, he said, "a little evi­ release of endogenous opioids in the (5[4]:205-207, 2001) by Saul Green, a dence that St. John's Wort helps the sea­ brain," leading to relief of pain. "We now former professor of biochemistry at sonal blues, or SAD" (seasonal affective know that placebos induce the release of Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute. disorder). But the study that really got endogenous opioids in painful condi­ Congressional advocates of alterna­ the herb's sale going was the so-called tions and of endogenous dopamine in tive medicine caused OAM to be estab­ Linde study in 1996, an analysis of motor disorders, like Parkinson's disease," lished in 1992 within the National twenty-three randomized trials. It said Benedetti. "Both endogenous opi­ Institutes of Health, supposedly to carry claimed a response in treating depres­ oids and dopamine appear to be released out rigorous evaluation of "alternative" sion of 55 percent—equivalent to that as neurotransmitters at the level of spe­ medical treatment methods and to of prescription agents—compared with cific neurochemical pathways, rather determine their effectiveness. With 22 percent for a placebo. than as systemic modulators/hormones." some intense political support, congres­ • David Spiegel (Stanford University sional appropriations for OAM and its "However," said Davidson, "there successor NCCAM have increased were limitations" to the Linde study, in­ School of Medicine) described studies using positron emission tomography yearly. Its research funding now stands cluding small sample sizes and lack of at $105 million this fiscal year. long-term follow-up. He also finds "a (PET) scans of the brain to reveal effects number of things puzzling" about the of hypnosis on color vision. The PET Green, a noted critic of alternative study, including a smaller-than-expected scan examined blood flow of "highly medicine, downloaded from the placebo effect (30 to 50 percent is typical hypnotizable" patients during hypnotic NCCAM Web site records of grants and in depression). "It's not quite clear to me states and showed that blood flow awards and tabulated them. He also examined published reports of the inves­ how you would get these results," he said. increased when the hypnotized patient believed he was looking at colors, tigations, although he found these to Post-Linde (since 1997) studies of regardless whether the pattern exhibited exist in small numbers. hypericum with large samples have had was in color or in gray scale. The hyp­ Among his findings: "Many publica­ some "disappointingly low" results, with notic illusion of color induced blood tions were found to be repetitions of odds of getting better with the treatment flow change consistent with observing previously performed research, reviews, at 2.1, "a more realistic" finding com­ color. "The subjective experience of and commentaries—the latter two not pared with Linde's 5.5, but still suggestive color alteration in hypnosis was associ­ requiring large grants to perform. . . . "of some small effect," Davidson said. ated with activation and deactivation of Many projects seem to be devoted to Davidson had hoped to present at the color processing regions of the brain," implausible methods. No clearly posi­ symposium results of his own NIH- said Spiegel. "This provides evidence tive or negative findings have been sponsored study aimed at testing the effi­ that hypnotic alteration of reported for any method, yet many cacy and safety of hypericum in major changes perceptual experience and not reports call for continuing research." depressive disorder. It's a multicenter, merely reports of that experience." Green says most of the people who double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of were appointed to the OAM advisory hypericum extract. He described the Kendrick Frazier is Editor of the committees were strong advocates of study protocol, which he considers "a SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. alternative medicine, and many of them kind of model for studies of depression," were reappointed to the NCCAM advi­ but said the report is still in peer review sory committees. in a major journal. "I hope to be able to Study Finds NCCAM The trend continues, he says. "More share results in public before too long." recently appointed members of the advi­ Two studies described in the sympo­ Grants Have Produced sory committees are largely advocates of sium presented some perhaps surprising No Useful Results aberrant methods. Few members have findings. been chosen to serve on these commit­ • Fabrizio Benedetti (University of A newly published independent study tees from the ranks of the standard med­ Turin Medical School, Italy) described of grants and reports from the first ical science community." studies of the neurobiology of the nine years of existence of the Office "Considering the total amount of grant placebo effect in sensory and motor sys­ of Alternative Medicine and its suc­ funding awarded by both the OAM and tems. He said studies provide diree lines cessor agency the National Center die NCCAM," says Green, "few research of evidence that the placebo effect is for Complementary and Alternative papers containing results that can be inde- physiologically real and that placebo Medicine (NCCAM) has found that pendendy reproduced have been written."

6 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

"Of interest," he says, "was the finding NCCAM-funded grants. But he said scientific support is questionable or that ten individuals who were awarded that in the early years many of the stud­ weak. These and other unproven tech­ NCCAM grants accounted for nearly 20 ies were too small in scale to be useful niques may be harmful in certain cases, percent of the total funding granted to all and that larger studies were needed and as evidenced by the tragic death two recipients in the period between 1998 and now being done. years ago of ten-year-old Candace 2000. Of the total number of reports "I do agree that the kinds of things Newmaker in Colorado. Still other tech­ written by recipients of these grants, most [studied] in the early years were not the niques, although perhaps not harmful were not original research results but kind to get good results. We need larger per se, may deprive mental health con­ appeared to be reviews of the results of studies." sumers of valuable time and resources or their previous studies or commentary on —Kendrick Frazier lead them to forgo effective treatments. the work of others. Nevertheless, until now there has "To my knowledge and based on a existed no journal dedicated to distin­ review of abstracts published by the New Journal Dedicated guishing scientifically unsupported from OAM/NCCAM, no report stated that a to Distinguishing scientifically supported claims in mental treatment did not work." He says the health practice. I his spring, Prometheus agency's mandate, originally given by Science from Books (the publisher of The Scientific Sen. Tom Harkin, D-lowa, who w;s Pseudoscience in Review of Alternative Medicine) will fill largely instrumental in setting up the Mental Health this void with the launching of a new OAM in 1992, was to determine, by rig­ journal, The Scientific Review of Mental orous scientific research, whether corr- Health Practice, which will be edited by plementary or alternative treatments Scott Lilienfeld of Emory University's were worthless and if worthless shoulJ Department of Psychology. This peer- be discarded. reviewed journal, which will initially "In the past nine years," says Green, appear twice a year, will be (he first peri­ "no negative result has been published, odical devoted exclusively to critically nor have any of the methods studied examining novel, controversial, and been shown to work to the satisfaction unorthodox claims in clinical psychol­ of the medical science community." ogy, psychiarry, social work, and related Concludes Green: "Between 1993 disciplines. The journal will focus on and 2000, close to $110 million ii evaluating psychotherapeutic, assess­ grants have been awarded" by OAM ment, and diagnostic techniques that arc- and NCCAM. "So far, few basic science either unsubstantiated or largely experiments and clinical trials have untested, and will publish both literature been performed. Reports in the litera­ reviews and controlled investigations. It ture are mainly reviews and commen­ will also highlight novel treatments and taries, and no method has been deter­ assessment methods that are either mined to be either useful or ineffective promising or that have demonstrated on the basis of OAM or NCCAM As regular readers of the SKEPTICAL strong empirical support. Articles slated grants. . . . On the basis of grants and INQUIRER are well aware, increasing for the 2002 issues of the journal include reports from the first nine years of exis­ concerns have been voiced over the past scientific investigations of EMDR, tence, the NCCAM awards have not decade regarding the widening gap and related techniques (e.g., produced useful information." between science and practice in clinical ), fringe treatments for infan­ NCCAM Direcror Stephen E. Straus psychology, psychiatry, social work, tile autism, Munchausen's by proxy (a M.D., was asked about Green's SRAM counseling, and allied disciplines. controversial psychiatric diagnosis that study conclusions during a February 16, Suggestive techniques (e.g., hypnosis) describes the behavior of parents who 2002, news conference at the annus 1 for "recovering" purported early memo­ intentionally produce illnesses in their meeting of the American Association for ries of abuse, facilitated communica­ children), and neurotherapy (a popular the Advancement of Science in Boston, tion, eye movement desensitization and but latgely unsubstantiated treatment tor the day before a session devoted to th: reprocessing (EMDR), Thought Field childhood psychiatric disorders that is science underlying alternative medicine Therapy, "rebirthing" therapy, and the based on brain wave biofeedback). (see article on page 5). Rorschach Inkblot Test are merely a The Scientific Review of Mental Straus acknowledged that no defini­ handful of the mental health methods Health Practice has been endorsed by the tive results have emerged as yet from featured in SKEPTICAL INQUIRER whose newly formed Council for Scientific

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER M.iy/June 2002 7 NEWS AND COMMENT

Mental Health Practice, an umbrella causes. While a virus may be causing both bad science and bad . It group of over seventy distinguished psy­ some of the incidents, a national study appears mat wiser heads among the state's chologists, psychiatrists, and social of the rashes concluded, "With 53 mil­ politicians may have prevailed. On workers from numerous countries, lion young people attending 117,000 March 12, the Ohio House said the issue including the United States, Canada, schools every day in the United States, it wasn't for the legislature to decide, effec­ Australia, the United Kingdom, the is expected that rashes from a wide vari­ tively killing three bills pro-creationist Netherlands, Italy, and . The mem­ ety of causes will be observed." legislators had produced. As with odier bers of this Council include many Health officials have ruled out the states, vigilance and action by scientists prominent researchers and authors possibility of environmental causes (sol­ and science educators must be kept up. familiar to the readers of SKEPTICAL vents, bacteria, etc.), widi the exception In Washington, D.C., a White House INQUIRER, such as Elizabeth Loftus, of one school which had high levels of Commission on Complementary and Carol Tavris, Robert Baker, Barry skin and dust particles. The rash of Alternative Medicine Policy appointed Beyerstein, Wallace Sampson, and Susan rashes began during the anthrax scare, during the closing days of the Clinton Blackmore. and it's possible that they have always administration was about to turn over its To order by credit card call (800) 421 - existed in the school system, but during final report. The commission is made up 0351, or write to The Scientific Review of the present bio-terror concern, students almost entirely of alternative medicine Mental Health Practice, 59 John Glenn have been paying more attention to advocates; few if any of them have done Dr., Amherst, NY 14228-2197. their skin and school nurses are more any published scientific research. likely to report such incidents. Dry skin Nevertheless the commission was —Scott Lilienfeld and itching are notorious duting the expected to recommend expanded federal Scott O. Lilienfeld, Ph.D., is the founder winter months in the U.S. as people spending and other major policy initia­ and editor of The Scientific Review of spend more time indoors and the air is tives to promote taxpayer support of Mental Health Practice, a CSICOP typically dry from the heating system. alternative medicine. The hope here too was that cooler heads would prevail. Fellow, and a SKEPTICAL INQUIRER con­ —Robert Bartholomew and Efforts were underway in die corridors of sulting editor. Benjamin Radford power to encourage the Bush administra­ Robert Bartholomew is a sociologist and tion to shelve the report as a bad idea Rash of Mysterious freelance writer living in Vermont; from a previous administration. The out­ Rashes May Be Linked Benjamin Radford is a writer and man­ come will be watched closely. aging editor of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. to Mass Hysteria —Kendrick Frazier For the past six months, a mystetious Ohio and Washington: skin rash affecting thousands of mainly Junk Science in the Oil primary schoolchildren has been re­ Agendas Push ported at widely separated locations in Questionable Science Patch: Microlepton fourteen states. The first outbreak Fields, Again occurred in Indiana in October 2001. As this issue was nearing publication, The rashes tend to last anywhere from a two major disputes involving the inter­ Finding oil and gas is a process mat com­ few hours to two weeks, are not accom­ jection of questionable science, or bines physics and geology with a lot of panied by other symptoms, and usually worse, into the political system were engineering technology. Potential drilling go away when the students leave school. coming to a head. sites are located using 3D seismic data In at least a few cases, students faked the In Ohio, scientists and educators were and a deep understanding of geology and rash by rubbing themselves with sand­ battling the latest efforts of creationists geophysics. Evaluating a potential site paper in an effort to shut down the and diose with hidden ideological agen­ requires drilling a well and recovering school. das to introduce in the guise actual rock cores. Since recovering rock Health investigator Dr. Norman of "" into Ohio schools' cores is very expensive and at times risky, Sykes stated that "For something like science curricula. Proponents of good sci­ various physics-based measurements must this to occur almost simultaneously in ence brought out big guns like physics be made while the drilling is going on or different parts of the country is, to my professor and author Lawrence Krauss after me well is drilled to provide addi­ knowledge, unprecedented." According (The Physics of Star Trek) and Brown tional necessary information. These mea­ to the Centers for Disease Control and University biologist Kenneth Miller surements consist of acoustic travel time, Prevention in Atlanta, the rashes appear (Finding Darwin's God) to strongly con­ neutron scattering, and gamma-ray scat­ to be different kinds with different demn the efforts and to show how ID is tering to determine the rock properties

8 May/lune 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT

(especially the porosity), and various elec­ minerals deep within the earth The Academic Department of tromagnetic and NMR measurements to through a process called GeoVision. General Physics and Astronomy at a special session on July 9, 1991, char­ determine the properties of the fluids in Their starting point is a thorough study acterized this case as "organized activ­ the rock pores. of satellite imagery, followed by a heli­ ity of pseudosciencc with specific fea­ Although the physics of these mea­ copter-borne . They claim that this tures of large-scale bluff." surements is straightforward, the fact is combination can reduce the uncertainty The next link in the search was even that many of the properties of the rocks to nearly zero. The brochure goes on to more revealing. The link was to spir- that are needed by the petroleum engi­ describe the economics of drilling with itweb.org. This was an article by a neer to evaluate the reservoir cannot be certainty of success rather than uncer­ Russian author describing deriving directly measured in situ. These inter­ tainty. The mechanism of the GeoVision equations related to those of Schro- esting properties have to be inferred method is given as "microlepton radia­ dinger and Dirac and relating these to through very empirical relationships tion." To quote from the Alkor Web site, (Iskakov 1994): (which change from field to field) to the "The most important point of properties that can be measured. This Microlepton GeoVision Technology is The study of psychic phenomena process of inference requires highly the fact that all physical objects have their dictated the need to define the con­ trained people, and, as one might imag­ cept of the information-energy field. own microlepton field. The method is ine, is expensive. It also does not always Its material medium, according to based on the analysis of microlepton find oil. The uncertainty of success contemporary notions, may be a emissions of Earth and allows to make global lepton gas, consisting of from even the best science-based explo­ accurate forecasts on the existence of var­ extremely light particles, microlep- ration methods, combined with the tons, with a mass of lO^-lO"' ious minerals, with the use of space pho­ huge amounts of money at stake, opens grams. Microlepton arc much the door to methods that are somewhat tos and field expeditions results, treated lighter than electrons and arc capable less than pure in their science. on special equipment." of freely penetrating any body in the Now, to a physicist involved in oil Universe. A recent example surfaced from a con­ and gas exploration for many years, this The only other links were to other tact in the Middle East. A Russian com­ sounded much too good to be true. spiritweb.org sites. pany, Alkor (www.Alkorlnternational. Leptons are, of course, physical—a So much for the science in the com), is offering to find oil, gas, and familiar example is the electron. GeoVision method. My company main­ However, "microlepton" was a new term tains a research liaison group in Moscow, to me. Searching the Web for "microlep­ and I asked the head of that group if he ton" gave very interesting results. The had heard of Alkor. His reply is enlight­ first few entries were from Alkor and ening: "1 have been offered that stuff two other companies representing them. some time ago already. I met some of the One link was to a group in England guys: it is hard to believe but tficy even opposing local drilling for oil. Sure seem of good faith; I managed to decline enough, the rationale for drilling was politely without laughing. You can find that the Alkor people had tun a survey. plenty about it on the Web. Also hard to The next link was surprising—it was to believe: they do have a real (Russian) a past issue of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER! patent!" This was from an article on science in So, in oilfield exploration, as in all post-Soviet Russia (Shmakin 1996). other endeavors, Caveat Emptor! This article states A well-known scandal happened References in 1991, when physicists of the USSR Academy of Sciences Iskakov. B.. Hatonn. and Glenda Stocks. 1994. demanded that government Quantum mechanics and some surprises of cease to support charlatans work­ creation. At www.spiritwcb.org/Spirit/religion- ing on "microlepton fields" (distant eq-scicncc.html. biological influence of army and Shmakin, B. 1996. A view from Russia: Popular­ ization of science as a cool against antisctence. civil inhabitants with "torsion SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 20 (4). radiation"). About $500 million had been spent on such "investi­ — Tom Barber gations." Fortunately, the Supreme Soviet Committee Tom Barber is a physicist working in the field stopped this waste of money. of borehole geophysics in Houston, Texas.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 9 rf> THE PROJECT IS LAUNCHED. No longer a dream, reality has begun for our permanent Center for Inquiry - West. After a five-year search we have purchased a building at 4773 Hollywood Boulevard, in the heart of Hollywood. This ultimate Rallying Point for skeptics will house CFI-West's regional pro­ grams as well as Center for Inquiry's™ new national Media Center. This development has enormous importance for supporters of everywhere, especially readers of Skeptical Inquirer.

And now it's up to our readers and friends. Only you can help us fulfill this bold potential. Purchasing the building took $1.6 million, which we must pay back over three years. Renovation will require another $500,000 - creating a 99-seat auditorium, library, exhibit area, media production center, and offices. We're even looking into solar panels so we can generate our own electricity! An additional $495,000 will equip the Media Center and fund its first three years of operation. Finally we must add millions more to endowment, so the new Center will always be fiscally stable. j All told, we need $5.85 million, of which less than $2 million has already been raised. It's the great­ est challenge skeptics and secular humanists have faced since our community gave more than $5 mil­ lion to build and endow the Center for Inquiry - International in Amherst, N.Y., from 1991-1995. MAJOR GIVING OPPORTUNITIES STILL AVAILABLE! A major goal demands major gifts. While gifts in any amount are welcome, we urgently need five-, six-, and even seven-figure gifts now, early in the campaign, when they can do the most to slash interest costs and spur additional contributions. Fortunately, larger gifts can be made as pledges payable over three years. Attractive opportunities exist to name various parts of the new building for oneself or a loved one:

MEMORIAL ITEM: COMMITMENT: MONTHLY* Name CFI-W: your choice $1,000,000 $27,778 Entrance Hall Atrium 500,000 13,889 Meeting Room 275,000 [Already taken!] Bookstore 150,000 4,167 Display Area 150,000 4,167 Library 75,000 [Already taken!] Reception area and lobby 100,000 2,778 Cafe 50,000 1.389 Stage 50,000 1,389 Reading room 25,000 [Already taken!]

Each donor is guaranteed two identical plaques: one for the donor's home or work­ place and the other for permanent display at CFI-West. •Pledge payments are billed quarterly in the interest of economy.

The new CFI-West and its National Media Center will make and critical thinking more central than ever to national and worldwide debates. Make your com­ mitment today! Send your most generous gift to the address below. For more infor­ mation, especially for confidential assistance in structuring a major gift, return the postcard in this magazine or contact us directly.

All gifts to the Center for Inquiry™ are tax-deductible as provided by law. Free brochure available. Southern California residents and visitors: Building tours avail­ able. Call 805-969-4828.

CENTER FOR INQUIRY - WEST Regional Headquarters and National Media Center A joint project of the Center for Inquiry™, the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, and the Council for Secular Humanism, each a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt educational corporation P.O. Box 741 • Amherst NY 14226-0741 • (716) 636-4869 ext. 311 • FAX (716) 636-1733 NEWS AND COMMENT

Archaeological Institute hand, ignores that complexity, propos­ Each of die invited workshop partici­ ing simpler—though certainly quite pants provided short presentations about Hosts Workshop remarkable—scenarios of the human a number of elements of pseudo­ Session on Combating past that present the inconvenient archaeology. These presentations served as additional problem of having catalysts for discussion among the presen­ absolutely no evidence in their support. ters as well as with members of die audi­ So, instead of the development and ence. The sizeable number of workshop evolution of ancient societies being the attendees, and the robust discussions diat result of complex cultural evolutionary characterized the entire session, is a reflec­ processes, it is proposed by the "alter­ tion of the seriousness widi which die native" archaeologists that the human archaeological community views the issue past can be understood only if one of pseudoarchaeology. Though diere were accepts: varying perspectives expressed concerning the best strategies for response, it is fair to 1) The crucial role in human his­ tory of catastrophically colliding state that most of those in attendance The annual meeting of the Archaeological planets—in the workshop, Egyptol­ were in agreement that pseudoarchaeol­ Institute of America (AIA) was held at die ogist Donald Redford of Penn State ogy aimed at a mass audience poses a gen­ University discussed the claims of uine danger to a field of study diat Philadelphia Marriott Hotel on January Immanucl Velikovsky as these relate 3—6, 2002. Tucked in among the fascinat­ to the history of ancient ; depends on public interest and support ing symposia on Greek architecture, 2) The visitation of Earth in the for its work. It is hoped diat diis work­ ancient iconography, Bronze Age ideol­ mists of antiquity by peripatetic shop will lead to additional discussions ogy, and Roman sculpture was a work­ extraterrestrial aliens—archaeologist and a coordinated response to the non­ Ken Feder of Central Connecticut shop titled "Combating Pseudo- sense diat dogs our discipline. State University discussed, among a archaeology." Organized by Garrett number of issues, acceptance by uni­ —Kenneth L. Feder Fagan, assistant professor of classics and versity students of the claims of Erich ancient Mediterranean studies and history von Daniken that the development of Kenneth L. Feder is an archaeologist at ancient resulted from the at Penn State University, die session was Central Connecticut State University and visits of such aliens; or, devoted to die issue of so-called "alterna­ author of Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries: 3) The existence of an extraordi­ tive" prehistory and history. Along with narily precocious and now lost ancient Science and Pseudoscience in Archae­ defining, enumerating, and discussing die which single-handedly ology. He is a CSICOP Fellow. many guises of pseudoarchaeology, one of inspired the development of all of die die workshop's aims was to begin a con­ "derivative" ancient civilizations with which we are familiar—television sci­ versation widiin die archaeological com­ ence documentary producer Chris Astronomers Respond munity concerning strategies diat might Hale related his experiences producing be developed in response to popular but a documentary diat addressed claims to Claims Universe is unsubstantiated claims made about die like these offered by popular writer Young with Material human past. for Classroom Teachers As Fagan pointed out in his intro­ Oceanographer Nicholas Flemming, ductory remarks, pseudoarchaeology is of the European Global Ocean In several U.S. states diere have been predicated on the assertion that, in Observing System at Southampton demands diat discussions of die Big Bang essence, everything we archaeologists Oceanographic Observatory, provided and the vast age of the cosmos be think we know about the human past is a broad context for the claims of die excluded from science curricula in K-12 wrong. Having deconstructed tradi­ pseudoarchaeologists and addressed classrooms. In response, die Astronomy tional archaeological interpretations as the vexing question: Should profes­ Education Board of die American entirely comprised of conjecture, the sional archaeologists respond to the Astronomical Society (AAS) has put pseudoarchaeologists provide alternative claims of pseudoarchaeologists or does togedier an article for teachers on how versions of the human past. For exam­ such a response provide an air of legiti­ astronomers know that die universe is old ple, traditional archaeologists view macy to the claimants? Flemming and diat it changes widi time. human antiquity as explicable by refer­ maintained that it is an abrogation of The illustrated article has been ence to a complex interplay of culture professional responsibility to let invalid posted on the Web at www.astrosociety. and the physical and social environ­ claims about the human past stand org/education/pubIications/tnl/56/. It ments in which human beings live. without response by the scientists who is a special issue of The Universe in the Pseudoarchaeology, on the other study that past. Classroom, a newsletter on teaching

12 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEWS AND COMMENT astronomy in grades 3-12, published by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. The article explains the evidence UFOs Over Hollywood showing that we live in a universe that is between 10 billion and 15 billion years A production company working for old and that both the universe and its the British Broadcasting Corporation contents undergo evolutionary change. spent the day at the Center for It is designed to help teachers explain Inquiry-West in early December to do these ideas to their classes and concerned a piece on UFO in Hollywood. community members. A list of written As a part of their story. At It and Web resources is also included. Productions wanted to see how diffi­ cult it would be to fake a UFO photo. The article grew out of a formal It turns out that it's not difficult at statement on behalf of the astronomical all. Three members of CFI-West's community issued by the Council of the Independent Investigations Group used AAS in 2000, when the Kansas State a coffee pot lid, some invisible string, Board of Education in 1999 adopted and a $9 disposable camera to capture state standards that eliminated both evo­ the accompanying pictures. They were lution and Big Bang cosmology. taken from (and made on) the roof of While those standards have now the new CFI-West building in Holly­ been repealed, following the election of wood. The 35mm camera needed no new Board of Education members, the alteration to chronicle the Mr. Coffee scientific perspective continues to be — That Almost Ate Hollywood. (Thanks questioned in states and communities to Milt Timmons and Bob Gelfand of James Underdown is Executive Director around the U.S. Both the AAS Council the IIG for their help.) for the Center for Inquiry—West. and the Society's Astronomy Education Board believe that astronomers have an obligation to assist teachers in sorting out the evidence supporting the modern Recent Deaths view of an ancient universe. Thomas A. Sebeok, CSICOP Fellow —Andrew Fraknoi and professor of anthropology, linguis­ tics, and semiotics at Indiana Univer­ Andrew Fraknoi is an astronomer active sity from 1943 to 1991, a prolific au­ in astronomy education at Foothills thor (Animal Communication, Speak­ College, Los Altos Hills, California. He is ing of Apes are among his sixty books) a CSICOP Fellow. who debunked theories that apes and facility in the U.S west of the Miss­ chimpanzees could learn and commu­ nicate in human language, pioneer Dec. 15 Party Features issippi River. The Center for Inquiry owns this building, which will remain a of the field of semiotics, of leuke­ Editors to Celebrate fixture on the landscape of ideas in mia, at the age of 81, at his home CFI-West Occupancy Southern California. in Bloomington, Indiana, on Decem­ On December 15, 2001, the Center ber 21, 2001. The offices of the Center for Inquiry- for Inquiry-West hosted two luminaries Grover Kautz., controversial Wash­ West were officially transferred to the of the publishing world. ington State University anthropologist organization's new building at 4773 magazine editor Tom Flynn and who became strongly identified with Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Cali­ SKEPTICAL INQUIRER editor Kendrick attempts to find scientific evidence of fornia, on October 18, 2001. The CFI- Frazier visited Los Angeles from New or sasquatch, author of several West staff. Secular Organizations for York and New Mexico, respectively, for books on the subject and advocate of Sobriety, New Horizons, and Atheists a party to launch the building. James bringing forensic techniques to the United now occupy the second floor of Underdown, Executive Director of CFI- study of these still-undiscovered this new facility. The first floor will be West, hosted and also spoke. After the bipedal creatures, of pancreatic cancer renovated when funding permits. brief presentations, the 100+ attendees at his home in Port Townsend, This move inaugurates the first full- stayed for music, food, and refreshments Washington, on February 14, 2002, at time, fully staffed, skeptic and humanist to celebrate the occasion. the age of 71.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 13 INVESTIGATIVE FILES JOE NICKELL

Benny Hinn: Healer or Hypnotist?

enny Hinn tours die world with (1907-1976). At draws the largest crowd of any evangelist his "Miracle Crusade," drawing that service he had a profound religious in America today" (Condren 2001). Bthousands to each service, with experience, and that very night he was Hinn's mentor, Kathryn Kuhlman, many hoping for a healing of body, pulled from bed and "began to shake who performed in flowing white gar­ mind, or spirit. A significant number and vibrate all over" with the Holy ments trimmed with gold (Spraggett seem rewarded and are brought onstage Spirit (Hinn 1999,8-14). 1971, 16), was apparently the inspira­ to pour out tearful testimonials. Then, Before long Hinn began to conduct tion for Hinn's trademark white suits seemingly by the Holy Spirit, they are services sponsored by the Kathryn and gold jewelry. From her he obviously knocked down at a mere touch or ges­ Kuhlman Foundation. Kuhlman died learned the clever "shotgun" technique ture from the charismatic evangelist. before Hinn could meet her personally of faith-healing (also practiced by Pat Although I had seen clips of Hinn's ser­ but her influence on him was profound, Robertson and others). This involves vices on television, I decided to attend as he acknowledged in a book, Kathryn announcing to an audience that certain and witness his performance live when Kuhlman: Her Spiritual Legacy and Its healings are taking place, without speci­ his crusade came to Buffalo, New York, Impact on My Life (Hinn 1999). fying just who is being favored (Randi last June 28-29. Donning a suitable Eventually he began preaching else­ 1987,228-229). garb and sporting a cane (left over from where, including the Full Gospel Selection Process a 1997 accident in Spain), I limped into Tabernacle in Orchard Park, New York my seat at the HSBC Arena, downtown. (near Buffalo) and later at a church in In employing this technique, Hinn first Orlando, Florida. By 1990 he was sets the stage with mood music, leading Learning the Ropes receiving national prominence from his the audience (as did Kuhlman) in a gen­ Benny Hinn was born in 1953, die son book Good Morning, Holy Spirit, and in tle rendering of of an Armenian mother and Greek 1999 he moved his ministry headquar­ He touched me, oh. He touched me, father. He grew up in Jaffa, Israel, "in a ters to Dallas. And, oh, die joy that filled my soul! Greek Orthodox home" but was "taught Lacking any biblical or other theolog­ Something happened and now 1 by nuns at a Catholic school" (Hinn ical training, Hinn was soon criticized by know He touched me, and made me other Christian ministries. One, 1999, 8). Following the Six-Day War in whole. . . . 1967, he emigrated to Canada with his Personal Freedom Outreach, labeled his family. When he was nineteen he be­ teachings a "theological quagmire ema­ Spraggett (1971, 17) says that with came a born-again Christian. Nearly nating from biblical misinterpretation Kuhlman, as it was sung over and over, two years later, in December 1973, he and extra-biblical 'revelation knowl­ it became "a chant, an incantation, hyp­ traveled by charter bus from Toronto to edge.'" He admitted to Christianity notic in its effect," and the same is true to attend a "miracle service" Today magazine that he had erred theo­ of Hinn's approach. by Pentecostal faith-healing evangelist logically and vowed to make changes In time, die evangelist announces that (Frame 1991), but he has continued to miracles are taking place. At the service I Joe Nickell is CSICOP's Senior Research remain controversial. Nevertheless, attended, he declared that someone was Fellow and author of numerous investiga­ according to a minister friend, "Outside being "healed of witchcraft"; others were tive hooks. of the Billy Graham crusade, he probably having the "demon of suicide" driven

14 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER out; still others were being cured of can­ "Now, it's okay to relax and separate resulted from "an abusive relationship cer. He named various diseases and con­ them." If he has too many candidates with her husband." Still another (who from the first test, he may then give ditions that were supposedly being alle­ admitted to being "an emotional per­ them a second test by suggesting they viated and mentioned different areas of cannot open their mouths, move a son") said her sister-in-law sitting the anatomy—a back, a leg, etc.—that limb, or open their eyes after closing beside her had begun to "speak in he claimed were being healed. He even them. Those volunteers who fail one tongues" and that she herself felt she stated that he need not name every dis­ or more of the tests are sent back to ease or body part, that God's power was effecting a multitude of cures all over the arena. Hinn's selection process is—perhaps not

Thus, instead of the afflicted being surprisingly—virtually identical to that employed invited up to £f healed (with no guaran­ by professional stage hypnotists. tee of success), the "shotgun" method encourages receptive, emotional individ­ uals to believe they are healed. Only that was healed of various ailments, includ­ self-selected group is invited to come ing high blood pressure and marital forward and testify to their supposedly trouble. At her mention of her brother, miraculous transformation. While I Hinn brought him up and learned he remained seated (seeing no investigative had been healed of "sixteen demons" purpose to making a false testimonial), two years previously, and expected to others are more tragically left behind. At be cured of diabetes; Hinn prayed for one Hinn service a woman—hearing God to "set him free" of the disease. the evangelist's anonymously directed Another was supposedly cured of being command to "stand up out of that "afraid of the Lord" (although he was wheelchair!"—struggled to do so for carrying the of a friend who had almost half an hour before finally sink­ died of AIDS), and one woman stated ing back, exhausted (Thomas 2001). she believed she had just been cured of There is even a further step in the ovarian cancer. selection process: Of those who do make In each instance—after the person it down the aisles, only a very few will has given a little performance (running actually be invited on stage. They must about, offering a sobbing testimonial, first undergo what amounts to an audi­ etc.), and Hinn has responded with tion for the privilege. Those who tell the some mini-sermon, prayer, or other re­ most interesting stories and show the action—the next step in the role-playing greatest enthusiasm are the ones likely to is acted out. As one of his official catch­ be chosen (Underdown 2001). ers moves into place behind the person, This selection process is—perhaps Benny Hinn Hinn gives a gesture, touch, or other sig­ not surprisingly—virtually identical to nal. Most often, while squeezing the that employed by professional stage their seats, and those who pass all the person's face between thumb and finger, hypnotists. According to Robert A. tests are kept for the demonstration. he gives a little push, and down the Baker, in his definitive book. They Call Needless to say, not only are they com­ compliant individual goes. Some slump; It Hypnosis (1990, 138-139): pliant, cooperative, and suggestible, some stiffen and fall backward; a few but most have already made up their Stage hypnotists, like successful trial reel. Once down, many lie as if en­ in volunteering to help out and lawyers, have long known their most do exacdy as they arc told. tranced, while others writhe and seem important task is to carefully pick their almost possessed. subjects—for the stage as for a jury— if they expect to win. Compliance is Role-playing Along with speaking or praying in highly desirable, and to determine this Once on stage, one of Hinn's screener;rs tongues (glossolalia) and other cmo- ahead of time, the stage magician will announces each "healed" person in tional expressions, this phenomenon of usually give several test suggestions to those who volunteer to come up on turn, giving a quick summary of thhee "going under the Power" is a character- the stage. Typically, he may ask the vol­ alleged miracle. At the service II istic of the modern charismatic move- unteers to clasp their hands together attended, one woman put on a show ooff ment (after the Greek charisma, "gift"), tightly and then suggest that the hands jumping up and down to demonstratite Also known as being "slain in the are stuck together so that they can't pull them apart. The stage hypnotist that she was free of pain following kneee Spirit," it is often regarded skeptically selects the candidates who go along surgery three weeks before. Anotheicr even by other Christians who suspect— with the suggestion and cannot get was cured of "depression," caused by correctly—that the individuals involved their hands apart until he tells them, "the demon," said a screener, thaat are merely "predisposed to fall" (Benny

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 15 Hinn: Pros & Cons 2002). That is, they greater or lesser degree to "mental medi­ of her hearing" as claimed at the merely engage in a form of role-playing cine." Pain is especially responsive to sug­ Portland crusade. However, her physi­ tiiat is prompted by their strong desire gestion. In the excitement of an evangel­ cian stated, "I do not think this was a to receive divine power as well as by the ical revival, the reduction of pain due to miracle in any sense." He reported that influence of suggestion that they do so. the release of endorphins (pain-killing the woman had had only a "very mild Even the less emotionally suggestible substances produced by the body) often hearing loss" just two years before and people will be unwilling not to comply causes people to believe and act as if they that she had made "a normal recovery." when those around them expect it. have been miraculously healed (Condren The fourth case was that of a girl In short, they behave just as if "hyp­ 2001; Nickell 1993; Nolen 1974). who had not been "getting enough oxy­ notized." Although popularly believed Critical studies are illuminating. Dr. gen" but who claimed to have been to involve a mystical "trance" state, hyp­ William A. Nolen, in his book Healing: healed at Hinn's service. In fact, since the crusade she "continued to suffer breathlessness," yet her mother was so One professional hypnotist said of convinced that a miracle had occurred that she did not continue to have her Hinn's performance: "This is something we daughter seek medical care. do every day and Mr. Hinn is a real professional. Finally, there was what the crusade billed as "a walking dead woman." She had had cancer throughout both lungs, nosis is in fact just compliant behavior A Doctor in Search of a Miracle (1974), but her doctors were now "over­ in response to suggestions (Baker 1990, followed up on several reported cases of whelmed" that she was "still alive and 286). One professional hypnotist said of healing from a Kathryn Kuhlman ser­ still breathing." Actually, her oncologist Hinn's performance: "This is something vice but found no miracles—only remis­ rejected all such claims, saying the we do every day and Mr. Hinn is a real sions, psychosomatic diseases, and other woman had an "unpredictable form of professional" (Thomas 2001). explanations, including the power of cancer that was stable at the time of the suggestion. crusade." Tragically, her condition sub­ Cures? More recently a study was conducted sequently deteriorated and she died just But what about the healings? Do faith- following a Benny Hinn crusade in nine months afterward. healers like Benny Hinn really help Portland, Oregon, where seventy-six What Harm? nudge God to work miracle cures? In miracles were alleged. For an HBO tele­ fact, such claims are invariably based on vision special, A Question of Miracles As these cases demonstrate, there is a negative evidence—"we don't know (Thomas 2001), Benny Hinn Ministries danger that people who believe them­ what caused the illness to abate, so it was asked to supply the names of as selves cured will forsake medical assis­ must have been "—and so many of these as possible for investiga­ tance that could bring them relief or represent the logical called "argu­ tion. After thirteen weeks, just five even save their lives. Dr. Nolen (1974, ing from ignorance." In fact, as I names were provided. Each case was fol­ 97-99) relates the tragic case of Mrs. explained to a reporter from The Buffalo lowed for one year. Helen Sullivan who suffered from can­ News following a Benny Hinn service, The first involved a grandmother cer that had spread to her vertebrae. people may feel they are healed due to who stated she had had "seven broken Kathryn Kuhlman had her get out of several factors. In addition to the body's vertebras" but that the Lord had healed her wheelchair, remove her back brace, own natural healing mechanisms, there her at the evening service in Portland. and run across the stage repeatedly. The crowd applauded what they thought was is the fact that some serious ailments, In fact, x-rays afterward revealed other­ a miracle, but the antics cost Mrs. including certain types of cancer, are wise, although the woman felt her pain Sullivan a collapsed vertebra. Four unpredictable and may undergo "spon­ had lessened. taneous remission"—that is, may abate months after her "cure," she died. The second case was that of a man for a time or go away entirely. Other fac­ who had suffered a logging accident ten Nolen (1974, 101) stated he did not tors include even misdiagnosis (such as years previously. He demonstrated think Miss Kuhlman a deliberate charla­ that of a supposedly "inoperable, malig­ improved mobility at the crusade, but his tan. She was, he said, ignorant of diseases nant brain-stem tumor" that was actu­ condition afterward deteriorated and and the effects of suggestion. But he sus­ ally due to a faulty CT scan [Randi pected she had "trained herself to deny, 1987, 291-292]). "movement became so painful he could no longer dress himself." Yet he remained emotionally and intellectually, anything And then there are the powerful convinced he was healed and refused the diat might threaten the validity of her effects of suggestion. Not only psychoso­ medication and surgery his doctors ministry." The same may apply to Benny matic illnesses (of which there is an insisted was necessary. Hinn. One expert in mental states, Michael A. Persinger, a neuroscientist, impressive variety) but also those with The next individual was a lady who, suggests people like Hinn have fantasy- distinct physical causes may respond to a for fifty years, had only "thirty percent

16 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER prone personalities (Thomas 2001). because they didn't believe." More research assistance, Ranjit Sandhu for typing Indeed, the backgrounds of both pointedly. Rabbi Harold S. Kushner the manuscript, and Robert A. Baker for reading it. Kuhlman and Hinn reveal many traits stated on A Question of Miracles associated with fantasy-proneness, but it (Thomas 2001): References must be noted that being fantasy prone 1 hope there is a special place in Hell does not preclude also being deceptive Baker, Robert A. 1990, They Call It Hypnosis. for people who try and enrich them­ Buffalo, N.Y.: . and manipulative. selves on the suffering of others. To Benny Hinn: Pros & cons. 2002. Internet posting: tantalize the blind, the lame, the www.rapidnct.com/-jbeard/bdm/exposes/ Hinn notes that only rarely does he hinn/gcneral.htm. dying, the afflicted, the terminally ill. lay hands on someone for healing, but he Condren, Dave. 2001. Evangelist Benny Hinn to dangle hope before parents of a packs arena. The Buffalo News. June 29. made an exception for one child whose severely afflicted child, is an indescrib­ Frame. Randy. 1991. Best-selling author admits case was being filmed for the HBO doc­ ably cruel thing to do, and to do it in mistakes, vows changes. Christianity Today. the name of God, to do it in the name October 28, 44-45. umentary. The boy was blind and dying Hinn, Benny. 1990. Good Morning, Holy Spirit. from a brain tumor. "The Lord's going to of religion, I think, is unforgivable. Nashville: Thomas Nelson. touch you," Hinn promised. The child's . 1999. Kathryn Kuhlman: Her Spiritual Amen. legacy and Its Impact on My Life. Nashville: parents believed and, although not Thomas Nelson. wealthy, pledged $100 per month to the Nickell. Joe. 1993. Looking for a Miracle: Weeping Acknowledgments Icons. Relics, Stigmata. Visions & Healing Cures. Benny Hinn Ministries. Subsequently, Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. however, the child died. Nolen. William A. 1974. Healing: A Doctor in I am grateful to George E. Abaunza, Search of a Miracle. New York: Random Critics, like the Rev. Joseph C. Professor of Philosophy at Felician College in House. Hough, President of New York's Union Iodi, N.J., for sending me a copy of the Randi, James. 1987. The Faith Healers. Buffalo, Theological Seminary, say of the desper­ video A Question of Miracles. I also appreciate N.Y.: Prometheus Books 228-229. Spraggett, Allen. 1971. Kathryn Kuhlman: The ately hopeful: "It breaks your heart to the input of Jim Underdown and other mem- bets of the Center for Inquiry-West's Woman Who Believed in Miracles. New York: know that they are being deceived, Independent Investigations Group who Signet. Thomas, Antony. 2001, A Question of Miracles. because they genuinely are hoping and attended a Benny Hinn Miracle Crusade in HBO special, April 15. believing. And they'll leave there think­ Anaheim, California, August 17, 2001. Underdown, James. 2001. Personal communica­ ing that if they didn't get a miracle it's Thanks are also due to Tim Binga for tion, October 23.

CONFERENCE AUDIOTAPES NOW AVAILABLE From the Center for Inquiry conference Science and Religion: Are They Compatible? • Atlanta, GA • November 9-11, 2001

COMPLETE SET(S): 90-mmute audiocassettes«special discount for full-set orders $130 plus $10S/H 15 tapes $140.00 INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS: SPEAKERS NUMBER PRICE QUANTITY SUBTOTAL Science and Religion: Are They Compatible?: P. Kurtz, V. Bullough, Setting the Stage. M. Pigliucci ltape $9.45 J Do Souls Exist? W. Casebeer, J. Elbert, K. Frazier ltape S9.45 Luncheon Address by Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka ltape $9.45 Evolutionary Biology and Religious Belief S. Blackmore. S. Pinker, E. Scott 1 lape S9.45 Prayer at a Distance: Medically Effective? 6. Posner, H. Avalos, R. Hyman ltape S9.45 Intelligent Design H. Avalos, E. Scott, M. Pigliucci, M. Young, Q. Smith 2 tapes $18.90 Near-Death Experiences A. Flew, J, Alcock, R, Moody, K. Jansen 2 tapes $18.90 Awards Banquet P. Kurtz, K. Frazier, David Willey performance ; tape $9.45 and Science Joe Nickell 1 :aoe $9.45 New Cosmolo0es and Religion 0. Gingerich, V. Stenger, Q. Smith 2 tapes S18.90 African Americans, Religion, and Science N. Allen, R. Finley, G. Yohannes, V. Bullough 1 tapes $9.45 Science and the Islamic World T. Ismail, P. Hoodbhoy, T. Edis, R, Brown 2 tapes S18.90 SHIPPING & HANDLING: If subtotal is $35 or less, add $5; if subtotal is $75 or less, add $7.50; above $75. add $10. TOTAL

Name:. Address:. City: . State:. .Zip:_ . Day Phone:

I will pay by ; Check/MO payable to Center for Inquiry Credit Card MC • Visa G AmEx

Number: Exp.: Signature: i"*rMWO«lMi Allow (our weeks for delivery • Detach and mail to Center for Inquiry, P.O. Box 741. Amherst NY 14226. Or FAX to 17161 63&1733. call toll free 1-80O634-1610.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 17 PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS ROBERT SHEAFFER

Djinn Engine Solves the Energy Crisis

ove over, . ences," it is necessary for anyone who which this Aristotelian system has There is a new kid on the wishes to pursue the tradition to accept proved so attractive to Muslim thinkers, Mblock seeking ro replace you: the Aristotelian system as a dogma, but but the belief that such a system is Islamic Science. Like its Christian coun­ we have tried to show that this is a mis­ intrinsically 'inferior' should be rejected terpart, Islamic Science seeks to apply the take. There is nothing dogmatic about at the beginning." principles embedded in purportedly the Aristotelian system; it is chosen Surely whether or not the Aristo­ because of its great affinity to the idea of divinely inspired religious texts to telian system is "inferior" is a question tatvhid [oneness]. It must therefore be, advance our understanding of the physi­ open to experiment. However, one won­ and is, open to examination, and if it is cal world. In an article in Al-Serat, a jour­ ders what kind of experiments might be found to be unsatisfactory as a principle nal of Islamic studies published by the attempted by a good Aristotelian Islamic of knowledge, appropriate steps should Muhammadi Trust of Great Britain and scientist: the transmutation of Earth be taken to rectify the situation." Northern Ireland (Vol. IX, No. I), Yahya into Fire? One man who apparently has no hes­ itation about putting the principles of What kind of experiments might be attempted Islamic Science into practice is Sultan Bashir Mohammed (sometimes spelled by a good Aristotelian Islamic scientist: "Mahmood" or "Memhood"), a nuclear the transmutation of Earth into Fire? scientist who reportedly had been detained in Pakistan for investigation of his links to terrorist organizations. According to a story in the Times of Cooper laments that "die Muslim has Spoken like a good empiricist, India, SBM (as he is known to his fol­ taken to neglecting his own scientific tra­ although scientists in the Western world lowers) "is a believer in djinns, described dition. The campaign of Western science found Aristotle's speculations to be in the Holy Koran as beings made of has been largely successful in suppressing "unsatisfactory as a principle of knowl­ fire. A proponent of' Islamic science,' he competition not only in the West but also edge" about 400 years ago. "We do not has written papers suggesting that these elsewhere, perhaps nowhere more success­ wish in any sense to imply that there is entities could be tapped to solve the something wrong with the Aristotelian fully than in the Muslim world. In which energy crisis. He has also spoken about world view, and it seems that there is universities in Muslim countries, or any­ the possibility of developing souls and good reason to suppose that many of the where else, are the Islamic sciences prac­ communicating with them" (www.time criticisms directed at it in the West are ticed, not as a historical discipline, but as sofindia.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=37 not founded on the "rational" principles 'living' sciences?" (See www.al-islam. 865728). SBM has also claimed that that have been claimed to support these sunspots play a major role in determin­ org/aI-serat/defauIt.asp?url=science.htm.) criticisms. However, this matter is an ing human behavior and history. One factor holding it back is "the area of research which has scarcely been After establishing a solid reputation idea that since Aristotelian science has opened up, and is one which should in conventional science, SBM "is been the foundation of the "Islamic sci- engage the attention of any true, dare we say. Islamic philosopher. When such a believed to have turned to 'Islamic sci­ Robert Sheaffer's World Wide Web page study is undertaken, proper attention ence' in die 1980s, delving into die for UFOs and other skeptical subjects is at will have to be paid to the reasons for Holy Koran, which he to be a www. . com. fount of knowledge. He came up with

18 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER unusual theories to bring together carries all manner of UFO-related sou­ 10-12 at this site. Following close on its physics and . Some of the venirs including jackets, T-shirts, San heels will be the "Metaphysical Music ideas were spelt out in a volume titled Luis Alien Dust, and other extraterres­ Festival" on June 21-22. (A tinny ver­ The Mechanics of Doomsday and Life trial stuff. Admission to the UFO sion of the Close Encounters movie After Death. He later established the Watchtower is $1. theme is looped loudly and annoyingly Holy Koran Foundation to explore the Many of the sightings reported from on the UFO Watchtower's Web site- scientific dimension of the book." this region sound very much like satel­ let's hope that the music festival will Islamic Science now seems ready to lite passes and meteors. When folks with sound better than this!) join the ranks of Creation Science, Science, Soviet Science, Vedic Science, and Feminist Science as con­ When folks with little knowledge of astronomy tentious alternatives to just plain, univer­ sal "science." As soon as any of these ide­ come to an extremely dark and remote site and start ologically based disciplines succeeds in looking skyward, they will notice all kinds of things doing something significant that ordi­ nary science has not, we'll all sit up and that they had never seen before. take it seriously. Until then, we're justi­ fied in presuming them to be nonsense.

The lead story in the November 2001 UFO tourists who tire of the same old issue of the MUFON UFO Journal, trips to Roswell and now have published by the largest UFO group in anotiier destination for their pilgrim­ the U.S., carries the provocative title: ages. The remote San Luis Valley in "Did a UFO Crash in Missouri in south-central Colorado has long been 1941?" Its author is Ryan S. Wood, one reputed as a place where UFO sightings of the leading investigators/promot are commonplace (see www.fortune ers of the "Son of MJ-12 Docu­ city.com/marina/strand/2044/unex ments" (see www.majesticdoc plained.html). Along highway 17 is the uments.com). The journal's edi­ tiny town of Hooper, and nearby tor, Dwight Connelly, warns is the TLC (Terrestrial Lookout) that Wood's account "is Ranch, where UFO watchers only a tantalizing possi­ congregate (see www.ufowatch- bility, not a proven tower.com/). The UFO Center fact." However, "in looking has been in operation for over a at the total picture, there ap­ year, and has been pronounced pears to be enough evidence to "a success" by its owner Judy justify continued research on pos­ Messoline. She says that she sible UFO crashes" other than bought the property six years the one at Roswell, which for ago to raise Scotch-Highland most MUFON members is an cattle, bravely defying the sup­ article of faith. posedly high rate of unexplained cattle Wood explains how the official mutilations reported in the area. But it government coverup of a UFO wasn't alien activity that put her out of that crashed in the spring of 194] just the cattle business, just the high cost of little knowledge of astronomy come to outside Cape Girardeau, Missouri, a providing the animals' food and water, an extremely dark and remote site like town along the Mississippi River, began so she is now in the full-time UFO busi­ this and start looking skyward, they will to leak when the family of the Baptist ness. Persons hoping for their very own notice all kinds of things that they had minister brought in to pray for the dead can stay in the camp­ never seen before. Tower-watchers have aliens recently began to spill die beans. ground and look skyward. The highlight reported seeing lights flash and hover, According to Charlette Mann, whose of the site is the ten-foot-high UFO dicn disappear in about an hour—very grandfather the Reverend William Watchtower, which boasts of panoramic likely stars or planets. Others have come Huffman had allegedly been brought in views of the 7,500-foot-elevation valley there to tell their stories of being to pray for the aliens' souls (or whatever where "unexplained" encounters are "abducted." If you want to check the it is that alien humanoids may have), she reported to occur. The ranch also con­ phenomena out for yourself, the "First learned from her grandmother how tains a saucer-shaped gift shop, which Annual UFO Watch" will be held June grandpa had been called out one fine

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 19 spring evening in 1941 around 9 was said to the others, but he was told retrievals. One was in the San o'clock, ostensibly to minister to victims 'this didn't happen; you didn't see this; Bernardino Mountains, east of Los of a plane crash. But when he got there. this is national security: it is never to be Angeles, and the second was offshore he allegedly saw a craft that was not talked about again'." Other witnesses are from the southern California coast, pos­ from this world, with three dead bodies said to have confirmed this account, but sibly shot down by anti-aircraft fire. of short aliens scattered about. "They are unfortunately nowhere to be found. There may have been more UFO were covered head to foot in what Philip J. Klass, in his Skeptics UFO crashes in Missouri, as well, which looked like wrinkled aluminum foil. He Newsletter #70, gives us one piece of would make it an even more dangerous could see no hair on the bodies and they information that may help in judging flyover state than New Mexico for UFO had no ears. They were small framed like Ms. Mann's credibility: her business card pilots. A shop called "The Crystal Ball" a child, about four feet tall, but had reads "Spiritual Counselor, in Shorewood, Wisconsin, is selling larger heads and longer arms than a Instructor, Past Life Regression." alleged "1947 Missouri Crash Site human child. They had very large oval According to Wood, the best evi­ Debris." The event supposedly took shaped eyes, no noses just holes, no lips dence in support of the UFO that sup­ place in "July 1947 about the same time with a small slit for a mouth," she said. posedly crashed more than six months as the took place." "My grandfather, upon arrival, said there before Pearl Harbor is their supposed They admit that their account of the were already several people there on the confirmation in the second round of crash story is third or fourth-hand. scene, two that he assumed were local MJ-12 documents (which of course However, interested parties are invited photographers, fire people," according proves nothing more than that the doc­ to purchase pieces of metallic slag that to Ms. Mann, "and not so long after ument hoaxer was aware of what UFO may or may not be fragments of they arrived, the military just showed stories were being told). One alleged extraterrestrial craft, at prices ranging up, surrounded the area, took them off document discusses the creation of the from $250 to $3,490, plus shipping and in groups separately, and spoke to each Interplanetary Phenomena Unit (IPU), handling (see www.wehug.com/crash of them. Grandfather didn't know what and tells of two more saucer crash sitedebris.html). Skeptical Inquirer Marketplace wzm~MZm

Skeptical Inquirer Marketplace All prices include shipping, except for mug orders outside the United States (please add $8.00 shipping & handling). QUANTITY QUANTITY Darwin Fish Bizarre Cases Book SI0.00 ea. Silvertone S7.00 ea. The Outer Edge Book $8.00 ea. Goldtone S7.00 ea. Skeptical Inquirer Mug $10.50 ea. Skeptical Inquirer Tee Shirt For mug orders outside She US please add S8.00 shipping & handling. Screen printed green and black (design on back). Complete name and address information and call toll free Alien Size(s) LG XLG $15.00 ea.. (800) 634-1610. mail OR fax to: SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, I Doubt It! Size(s) LG XLG .$15.00 ea.. P.O. Box 703. Amherst. NY 14226 • FAX (716) 636-1733

TOTAL ORDER_ '. Check or Money Order enclosed. Make checks payable to CSICOP. Inc. Please Charge my D VISA • MC • AMEX Account Number. . Exp_ Signature Day Phone (required for charge sales).

Name . Address.

City State ZIP E-mail.

20 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NOTES ON A STRANGE WORLD MASSIMO POLIDORO

A Pterodactyl in the Civil War

ost people know about the Sherlock Holmes, published one of his forward and placed in front of the plot of Jurassic Park, the most famous novels. The Lost World. It Professor's chair. All sound had hushed MSteven Spielberg movie was not a coincidence—nor a theft— in the audience and everyone was inspired by the Michael Crichton best­ but a tribute to the old master, then, absorbed in the spectacle before them. seller: dinosaurs are brought back to life that Crichton would give the same title Professor Challenger drew off the top of thanks to the wonders of genetic engi­ to his own book. die case, which formed a sliding lid. neering. The dinosaurs were so real that In Doyle's book, a group of explorers, Peering down into the box he snapped the movie instantly became a huge suc­ led by the energetic Professor his fingers several times and was heard cess. It was obvious that a new Crichton Challenger, sets sails for a lost land in from the Press seat to say, 'Come, then, book and subsequent Spielberg movie. South America (a place where Crichton pretty, pretty!' in a coaxing voice. An The Lost World, would be pro­ instant later, with a scratching, duced. Again a fantastic suc­ rattling sound, a most horrible cess and more sequels to come and loathsome creature- (though with Crichton and appeared from below and Spielberg still more or less perched itself upon the side of involved, but not in the lime­ the case. The face of the crea­ light anymore). ture was like the wildest gar­ goyle that the imagination of a Lost World mad medieval builder could Not many, however, know that have conceived. It was mali­ the original idea for dinosaurs cious, horrible, with two small still living in the modern era red eyes as bright as points of and interacting with burning coal. Its long, savage dates back to 1912 when mouth, which was held half- Arthur Conan Doyle, then already a would stage his stories as well) and dis­ open, was full of a double row of shark­ worldwide celebrity thanks to the covers that dinosaurs, long believed to like teeth. Its shoulders were humped, adventures of his cool private detective be extinct, still live. The group survives and round them were draped what a million adventures and then is able to appeared to be a faded gray shawl. It was Massimo Polidoro is an investigator of the make it back to London. At a public lec­ the devil of our childhood in person." paranormal, author, lecturer, and co- ture at Queen's Hall they try to convince founder and head of CICAP, the Italian a skeptical audience of the wonders they Lost Creatures skeptics group. He was profiled in witnessed but words, drawings, and That's the description of a pterodactyl, the "Introducing Italy's Version of Harry fuzzy pictures are not enough. The only ancient prehistoric winged reptile that Houdini" in the March/April 2001 thing that could have an effect would be lived between 144 and 65 million years SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. He is a CSICOP the presence of a real creature. ago. When Doyle wrote his book, Fellow. This is the first of a new series of SI And the creature is there: "[A) large dinosaurs and pterodacryls were of course columns by him. square packing-case was slowly carried long gone. Imagine how fantastic it would

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 21 be if, somewhere, somehow, some Lost Picture and explained that the strange bird was dinosaur were still alive; that's exacdy brought to town and photographed. It what many believe the Loch Ness or the It all began in April 26, 1890, when the was put in a wagon and, after reaching Ogopogo "monsters" are, or what odier Tombstone Epitaph, an Arizona local Tombstone, was nailed to the wall of a mysterious creatures could be. Animals newspaper, published a sensational barn: six men stood before it with their that lived when dinosaurs roamed are still story: "Found in the Desert—A Strange arms outstretched touching fingertip to widi us and will probably still be here for Winged Monster Discovered And Killed fingertip. Pearl, however, seems to have a long time, such as sharks, crocodiles, On The Huachuca Desert." In it the gotten many details wrong, as Mark and turtles, for example. monster was described as "a huge alliga­ Hall clearly explained in Yes, you'd say, but there's a huge dif­ tor with an extremely elongated tail and magazine, and die story of the picture has never received any corroboration. There were many, though, who remem­ bered seeing such a photograph, or a In the spring of 2000 a new Web site published a photocopy of it, in the hands of Ivan T. Sanderson, the famous naturalist and sensational photograph showing a group of what Fortean author who died in 1973. appeared to be Union soldiers before the Apparently, Sanderson gave the photo­ copy to two young men who travelled carcass of a massive pterodactyl! into the heart of northern Pennsylvania to inquire about reports of giant birds in that region and lost it in the course of ference between a lone, mysterious, an immense pair of wings." The mon­ their search. All kinds of publications gigantic creature that is said to live in a ster had been sighted and shot by two were searched, from National lake—but of which nobody seems to be ranchers who were returning home from Geographic to Fate magazine, including able to take a decent picture—and ani­ the Huachuca Desert. When the crea­ all the back issues of the Epitaph, but no mals that any school kid can meet at an ture was certainly dead, they proceeded traces of such a photo were ever found. aquarium. Okay, one could answer, but to make an examination and "found "The numerous vague recollections what do you say about the fact that pre­ that it measured about ninety-two feet of seeing this missing photograph," con­ historic creatures that were thought to in length and the greatest diameter was cludes Hall in his article, "might well be be extinct are still found to be alive? about fifty inches." The wingspan, erroneous. Like many others, I have That's what happened with the coela- "from tip to tip," was about 160 feet. spent many hours looking for it and like canth, for example, of which a living The wings, as in the pterodactyl, were them I will continue to look. Everyone specimen was discovered only in 1952. "composed of a thick and nearly trans­ who reads about this phantom photo­ And, surprisingly, "new" animals can parent membrane and were devoid of graph has the same desire to see it for still be found in our small world: ani­ feathers or hair, as was the entire body." themselves." And then, after many mals such as the okapi, the Komodo Unfortunately, according to the story, years, a mysterious picture emerges from dragon, the mountain gorilla, the the two cowboys left the monster where the Internet. Manchurian brown bear, or the giant it was and only cut off a small portion of panda, were all discovered only in the the tip of one wing as a souvenir. A Lost Chance twentietn century. Even to this day, search, however, was to be sent next day In the spring of 2000 a new Web site huge and unexpected new creatures can "for examination by the eminent scien­ (www.freakylinks.com) appeared and be found: What would you call, in fact, tists of the day." No trace of die bird or published a sensational photograph, here the chance filming by an underwater of the commission's report however has reproduced, showing a group of what expedition in May 2001 of a big, ever appeared. Harry McClure, a young­ appeared to be Union soldiers before the strange-looking, and never-seen-before ster early last century in Lordsburg, New carcass of a massive pterodactyl! The edi­ squid (more than seventeen feet long)? Mexico, when the two ranchers came to tor of the site, Derek Barnes, claimed that (Vecchione et al. 2001) town, remembered the episode. He had the photo was found in July of 1998 Now, you'd probably admit that the friends who knew them well and "squeezed between the pages of a 70s possibility of finding an unexpected diought the story was not a . Was cheesy paranormal book bought at a "dinosaur," or at least some creature tliat die creature photographed? No, it was thrift store." The photograph, sepia lived millions of years ago, appears to be not, according to McClure, and in any tinted, scratched, bent, and torn on the more plausible. But, would you be ready case die Epitaph did not carry any pic­ edges, appeared to be very impressive to stretch your willingness to die point tures with its article. and, apparendy, its authenticity was veri­ of imagining a real, living pterodactyl, Others, however, think differendy. fied by various experts. One historian flying through North America? Some Writer Jack Pearl told about the Epitaph had identified the men's uniforms as people did. story in a 1963 issue of Saga Magazine "typical of Union Volunteers around

22 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 1861-1862." Another expert, an "M. mon in the States and, among them The cryptozoologists' hope of having Nance Darbrow, professor of paleontol­ "there is a much higher proportion of finally found real proof of a living ptero­ ogy from the University of Florida," older and fatter members than in the dactyl in the modern era, then, returned asserted that no one at that time could original armies." The clean and neat uni­ to the world of dreams. But if somewhere have known about pterodactyls, as the forms "also mark them out as re-enactors an unknown magazine or book truly con­ first fossils were not discovered in North radier than the real thing." Their poses, tains an old picture of a mysterious bird, America until 1871. "This photograph," also, are "too naturalistic for an 1860s it will hopefully be found some day. commented Barnes in his Web pages, "is photograph"; if you've ever looked at either going to be the biggest paranormal news scoop of the century or it's going to make me the biggest fool on the planet. Doubts soon emerged after the magazine's article Or perhaps both." Was, then, the holy grail ofcryptozo- was published. Various readers wrote to pinpoint ology located at last? Alright, it did not several details in the photo that led to the have the cowboys standing before the bird but civil war soldiers instead. Was it conclusion that the photo was a fake. perhaps a different pterodactyl? Fortean Times ran a very skeptical article about this photo in its May 2000 issue, con­ photos from that period "you can see References cluding with these words: "We believe there are a dozen subtle differences in the Anonymous. 1890. Found in the desert. Tombstone Epitaph, 26 April. he's a hoaxer but a clever and well- way they stood, the way they held their Anonymous. 2000. Is this a pterodactyl? Fortean informed one as the site is full of excel­ heads, the looks on their faces, and what Times May: 21. lent fortean jokes—e.g., the rather dis­ they did with their arms and hands while Barnes, Dere. 2000. How many pterodactyls did you kill in the war, daddy? www.frcaky gusting photo of a toilet bowl thought­ they were being photographed." links.com. fully snapped after some unfortunate Finally, all doubts were confirmed Crichton, Michael. WW. Jurassic Park. New York: had just vomited frogs." when it was discovered that the site was Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1995. The Lost World. New York: Alfred Further doubts soon emerged after connected to the creators of The Blair A. Knopf, Inc. the magazine's article was published. Witch Project. FreakyLinks was in fact the Doyle. Arthur Conan. 1912. The Lost World. Various readers wrote to pinpoint several title of an upcoming TV series, and the London: Hodder and Stoughton. Hall. Mark. 1997. Thunderbirds arc go. Fortean details in the photo that led to the con­ site was designed to promote interest in it. Times December: 34-38. clusion that the photo was a fake. First of The show star was actor Ethan Embry Lettcrs. 2000. Pterodactyl photo. Fortean Times all, the men pictured were obviously re- and his character was named "Derek August: 52. McClure, Harry p. 1970. Tombstone's flying mon­ enactors, "given the undue proportion of Barnes, Editor of an Internet Web site ster. Old West Magazine Summer, 6(4): 2. over-age and overweight members in that investigates the paranormal." As Pearl, Jack. 1964. Monster bird that carries off their ranks—the average Civil War sol­ expected, the experts quoted in the site people. Saga Magazine May: 29—31. 83—85. Vecchione, M., ct al. 2001. Worldwide observa­ dier was a scrawny youth of nineteen." were imaginary, just as the pterodactyl tions of remarkable deep-sea squids. Science Such groups of re-enactors are quite com­ that was only a stage prop courtesy of Fox. 294:2505, December 21.

NEW FROM PROMETHEUS BOOKS

Skeptical Odysseys: Personal Accounts by the World's Leading Paranormal Inquirers Edited by Paul Kurtz Issued on the 25th anniversary of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), this book brings together personal statements by the leading skeptics of the world. All articles are original and written especially for this collection. •: M Forty distinguished contributors include Martin Gardner, Leon Jaroff (former science editor of Time), Antony Flew, the late Steve Allen (noted author and raconteur), and Eugenie Scott ("creationism" critic), among others. A knock-out and unique compendium! 400 pp. Cloth • ISBN 1-57392-884-4 Price: $27 + S4.75 S/H (US Postal Service) or S5.75 UPS

Order from Prometheus Books • 59 John Glenn Drive • Amherst NY 14228-2197 Credit Card orders call toll free 1-800-421-0351 • Or visit our Web site www.prometheusbooks.com

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 23 Who Abused Jane Doe? The Hazards of the Single Case History Part I

Case histories have played a long-standing role in the history of science, medicine, and mental health. But they can mislead—especially when only half the story is told. Here's a case history about a case history that proves just that.

ELIZABETH F. LOFTUS and MELVIN J. GUYER

ase histories have a long and cherished tradition in science. They are compelling anecdotes, often pow­ Cerful enough to generate entire theories of behavior. Freud built the edifice of on the very few cases he saw in therapy. Bruno Bettelheim used a few cases of autistic children to conclude that autism is caused by "refrigerator" mothers (Pollak 1997). Psychiatrist Cornelia Wilburs account of her patient, "Sybil," captivated millions of people who believed the story of Sybil's "multiple person- to a potty chair, with minimal stimulation apart from being continually beaten, was thought to tell us a great deal about language acquisition (Curtiss 1977). John Money told the world of a boy who lost his penis at the age of seven months, Abstract: Case histories make contributions to and who then received plastic surgery at twenty-one months to science and practice, but they can also be highly reassign him as a girl. Money followed this girl until the age of misleading. We illustrate with our re-examination nine; although she had many "tomboyish" behaviors, she also of the case of Jane Doe; she was videotaped twice, had a female gender identity. Money concluded from this case once when she was six years old and then eleven study and from his research with more than 100 other 'inter­ years later when she was seventeen. During the sex' children that sexual identity is more strongly influenced by first interview she reported sexual abuse by her socialization than by biology. mother. During the second interview she appar­ ently forgot and then remembered the sexual Some case studies offer a window into human nature and abuse. Jane's case has been hailed by some as the physiology that would otherwise be shut. Oliver Sacks's stories new proof of recovery of repressed or dissociated of his patients' rare medical conditions reveal not only the traumatic memories, and even as proof of the reli­ mysteries of the brain but also those of personality (Sacks ability of recovered memories of repeated abuse. 1990). Case studies have identified some of the complex spe­ Numerous pieces of "supporting evidence" were cialties of cells in the visual system: For example, one man with given in the original article for believing thai the localized brain damage was able to recognize a face made up abuse occurred. Upon closer scrutiny, however, entirely of vegetables, but he could not recognize the compo­ there are reasons to doubt not only the "support­ nent vegetables themselves (Moscovitch, Winocur, and ing evidence," but also that the sexual abuse ever Behrmann 1997). The sad case of the man known only as happened in the first place. Our analysis raises H. M., much of whose hippocampus and adjacent cortex were several general questions about die use of case his­ surgically removed in 1953, taught his investigators a great tories in science, medicine, and mental health. deal about the physiology of memory, for H. M. could not There is a cautionary talc not only for those pro­ form new memories of events that happened to him after his fessionals who advance the case history, but also operation (Ogden and Corkin, 1991). Similarly, case studies for those who base their theories on it or would in clinical psychology can refute misguided generalizations, readily accept it as proof. such as that mentally retarded people lack the cognitive ability to develop obsessive-compulsive disorder, or that taijin-kyofit- sho (fear of other people, abbreviated TKS) is a culture-bound —The Authors disorder confined to Japan (McNally and Calamari 1989; McNally, Cassiday, and Calamari 1990). Case studies like these can provide compelling refutations to assumptions about "universal" aspects of human behavior. personality would be more interesting—and sell more But case studies, by definition, are bounded by the percep­ books—than telling the story of her real mental disorder, tions and interpretations of the storyteller. If they are well which was probably some form of hysteria (Borch-Jacobsen told—and Freud, Bettelheim, Wilbur, and Money could tell a 1997). How many readers would ask whether the case of the story well—readers often find them far more persuasive and boy raised as a girl was actually well adjusted, or whedier the compelling than the stodgy numbers and cautions of science. case was typical or anomalous of the many children who have Why would anyone question Cornelia Wilbur's account of had sex reassignment for various medical reasons? Subsequent Sybil? It was years before independent investigators learned investigation revealed that the particular boy, David Reimer, that Wilbur's publisher thought that making Sybil a multiple never adjusted well and reverted to life as a male (Colapinto

l WAS ABUSED

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 25 2000). But neither version of his case gives the full story When they are offered as answers, readers should be wary. What because Reimer was not necessarily representative. Other case follows is a case study of a case study—a cautionary tale. histories involving sex reassignment after ablatio penis (e.g., Bradley et al. 1998) reveal more successful adaptation. So, is it The Memory Wars socialization or biology? For more than a decade, psychological researchers and clini­ Who, at the time, dared criticize die famous Bruno cians have been at war over the nature of memory. Many clin­ icians believe that traumatic experiences, particularly of repeated sexual brutalization, are so upsetting that they are likely to be Case studies, by definition, are bounded "repressed," and can be recovered, accu­ by the and interpretations rately, years later—through therapy, hypno­ sis, dream analysis, and so forth. The extent of the storyteller. If they are well told, of banishment from consciousness assumed readers often find them far more in some definitions of repression was virtu­ ally total, as evidenced by the use of terms persuasive and compelling than the such as "massive repression" (Herman and stodgy numbers and cautions of science. Schatzow 1987, 12) or "fiercely repressed" (Courtois 1992, 23) or "total repression" (Briere 1992). (Later the term repression Bettelheim or ask him pesky questions, such as where his con­ went out of fashion, and some clinicians began claiming that trol groups were (Pollak 1997)? When researchers finally did traumatic experiences caused dissociation, a split in conscious­ ask, they learned that parents of autistic children were no dif­ ness, but they still mean that the trauma is completely ban­ ferent psychologically from parents of healthy children ished from conscious awareness.) (Markin 1997). As for Genie, there would come to pass a snarl Many academic researchers who study memory (and quite a of contradictions in reports about her, and serious questions few clinicians) have been skeptical about these notions of mas­ raised about the competence of many of the scholars who sive repression/dissociation. They have demonstrated repeat­ wrote about her (Rymer 1993). Why did it take decades before edly in laboratory experiments that these suggestible methods critics were willing to expose Freud's biases in his case stories— increase memory "confabulations" and errors, for example by die information he left out, the distortions of what his patients causing people to confuse what they imagine with what actu­ really said, his failure to consider other explanations of their ally happened. They see a lack of credible scientific support for symptoms and problems? (Cioffi 1998; Crews 1998; Powell die notion that massive repression/dissociation of repeated bru­ and Boer 1995; Sulloway 1992; Webster 1995). talization routinely, if ever, occurs. On the contrary, people Case studies therefore illuminate, but can also obscure, the who have survived concentration camps, systematic torture by truth. In many cases, they are inherendy limited by what their despotic political regimes, and repeated rapes—from the vic­ reporter sees, and what their reporter leaves out. This is especially tims of Serbian "ethnic cleansing" to the Korean "comfort true if the writer is untrained in the , and thus women" of World War II—do not forget. They remember, unaware of die , the importance of considering painfully, to this day. Therefore the burden of proof has been competing explanations before making a diagnosis, and so forth. on therapists to demonstrate the existence of this kind of To the scientist, therefore, most case studies are useful largely to repression/dissociation and confirm their belief that such trau­ generate hypotheses to be tested, not as answers to questions. matic memories can eventually be reliably recovered. In 1997, psychiatrist David Corwin and his collaborator Elizabeth Loftus is professor of psychology and adjunct professor of Erna Olafson published a case study that they believed law at the University of Washington. She is past president of the provided such proof (Corwin and Olafson 1997). They told American Psychological Society and author of twenty hooks and the story of a young woman they called Jane Doe, whom more than 350 scientific articles. Her Ph.D. is in psychology and Corwin had first interviewed in 1984, when Jane was six years her major interest is human memory. Address: Psychology old. At the time, her biological and divorced parents were Department, Guthrie Hall, University of Washington, Seattle, WA going through a tumultuous, protracted, and vicious custody 98195-1525. E-mail: elofius@u. washington.edu. Melvin J. dispute, and Jane was living with her mother. Janes father Guyer is professor of psychology. Department of Psychiatry, and stepmother claimed that Jane's mother was sexually and University of Michigan Medical School 1500 East Medical physically abusing the child, and Corwin was brought in to Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0390. E-mail: evaluate these allegations. [email protected]. With both a Ph.D. in psychology and a f.D. From the article itself, we learn that Corwin interviewed degree, he is interested in a variety of issues related to the behav­ Jane three times as a child, videotaping the interviews. In her ioral sciences, clinical practices, and the law. His current interest final Corwin interview as a child, Jane told Corwin that her is the role of expert testimony in judicial proceedings and critical mother "rubs her finger up my vagina" in the bathtub, diat it studies of the reliability of mental health expert opinions. happened "more than twenty times . . . probably ninety-nine

26 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER times." Jane also told Corwin that her mother had physically ing them and I accused her or—when she was bathing me or harmed her by burning her feet (which Corwin presumed was whatever, hurting me, and that's— on a stove). Jane went on to recount the sexual abuse: Corwin concluded that Jane's mother was molesting her Jane: We were in the bathtub, and 1 don't have any memory, daughter. In addition to the child's statements, he was per­ except for ... I felt that pain. And then 1 remember, you know. suaded of the abuse because Jane seemed to him to be more And then it's like I took a picture, like a few seconds long, a relaxed with her father than with her mother. The father picture of the pain, and what was inflicting the pain and then—you know, that's all the memory consists of. seemed a more reliable informant to Corwin. This was so because when the mother alleged that the father had commit­ Corwin regards Jane's response of remembering the pain as a ted tax fraud, the father proved to Corwins satisfaction that "somatosensory fragment" of the sexual abuse she endured. He the charge was false. However, the mother, Corwin reported, had been "convicted and jailed for fraud." Corwin thought the mother unstable, because, with three previ­ Most of the professionals who ous marriages, he wrote, the mother "had a more extensive history of marital instability read about this case were persuaded than the father, who had had a long-term marriage prior to marrying Jane's mother." that it was a full and accurate account And, he said, Jane was consistent, in the of the story. Virtually all who saw the three forensic interviews, regarding the identity of her abuser and the nature of the videotapes were deeply affected by them. abuse. Her account included persuasive sensory details of what the abuse felt like; and Jane reported that her mother threatened her not to talk. then showed Jane the videotapes of his interviews with her when she was six, all 2.5 hours worth. After watching the tapes, Jane Corwin had also been persuaded that Jane had been sexu­ said, "The little girl that I see in those videotapes I don't see as ally abused because of the report of a social worker who saw [having] made up those things, and it doesn't make sense to me Jane early in 1984, after Jane allegedly told her stepmother that knowing the truth I would out-and-out lie like that. I have that her mother had sexually molested her. The social worker to believe that to some extent my mom did hurt me...." said that Jane reported that her mother "puts her finger up my And so, watching the videotapes, Jane Doe wept, and came vagina in the bathtub. I don't like that. She says she can do to remember how her mother had sexually abused her— anything she wants to me. She puts cream on my vagina. It memories, according to Corwin, that she had repressed for hurts." Jane complained about being fed "cracker soup," and eleven years, a clear example of "traumatic amnesia." Although about nightmares. The social worker found Jane's exaggerated he noted some inconsistencies in Jane's version of events at age startle response and other symptoms to be consistent with six and age seventeen, he said, "this sudden memory discovery post-traumatic stress disorder. appears to be accurate when compared to Jane's descriptions After Corwin's consultation and conclusion, the court ruled at age six of her mother's vaginal penetration of her." in the father's favor, and Jane's father and stepmother assumed For Corwin, this case supports the clinical assumption that custody of six-year-old Jane. The mother even lost rights of traumatic memories and ordinary memories are encoded dif­ visitation. ferently: "The tears and evident strong feeling this memory dis­ Eleven years went by, during which Corwin continued to covery caused Jane were not similar, say, to suddenly remem­ discuss Jane's case at conferences on memory and child abuse. bering where one has put the car keys." In 1995, wondering what, if anything, Jane herself remem­ bered about her experiences, he contacted Jane, now age seven­ Reactions to the Case teen, and she agreed to be reinterviewed on videotape. Would Corwin, a member of the editorial board of the journal Child she have repressed the memories of her mother's abuse? Maltreatment, then invited several researchers and clinicians to According to Corwin, she had. When asked about the past, comment on Jane's case for an article he was preparing to pub­ Jane recalled: "I told the court that my mom abused me, that lish in the journal. Some of the commentators had seen the she burned my feet on a stove, I don't, that's really the most seri­ actual videotapes of Jane at six, talking about what her mother ous accusation against her that 1 remember." When Corwin had apparently done to her, and also at seventeen, "recovering" asked Jane whether she remembered anytJiing about possible this memory, at conferences where Corwin told his story. sexual abuse, she said, "No. I mean, I remember that was part of Others responded to Corwins written account, which included the accusation, but I don't remember anything—wait a minute, excerpts from the videotape transcripts of Jane at both ages. yeah, I do." Most of the professionals who read about this case were Corwin: What do you remember? persuaded that it was a full and accurate account of the story. Jane: Oh my gosh, that's really really weird. I accused her of Virtually all who saw the videotapes were deeply affected by taking pictures (starts to cry) of me and my brother and sell­ them. Paul Ekman (1997), an eminent psychologist and

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 27 expert in the field of emotion research—indeed, he is a lead­ uncertainty about the accuracy of the memory, he said he was ing expert in detecting deception from facial expressions of inclined to believe that Jane's mother did "push her finger up emotion—believed Janes early reports of abuse: "The usually Jane's vagina in a sexually abusive way." The foundation for his spontaneous, very rapid replies which burst forth from the six- belief in the bathtub molestation was "somewhat shaky," he year-old Jane," he wrote, "allow us to have confidence in the said, but he just got "rhe feeling that Jane experienced a pow­ truthfulness of Jane's statements in the first interview." Ekman erful and essentially accurate recovered memory" (190). was also impressed by Jane's emotional expression: "Jane's Only one memory researcher, the cognitive psychologist emotions are genuine and expressed poignantly. Those who see Ulric Neisser, maintained strong skepticism. He observed that the videotape are moved emotionally. I have yet to see anyone Jane's recovered memories—one of accusations that her who does not have a tear in his or her eye when Jane first mother took pornographic photos of her and her brother, and remembers part of what happened to her and begins to cry" one of her mother's molesting her in the bathtub—were far (115). Ekman said he found this case to be "of extraordinary from accurate. The memory of the photos was "entirely false." importance" (116) and urged the pursuit of other similar The second had changed dramatically. The six-year-old Jane cases, following up children who were abused and who are claimed that her mother molested her while bathing her, now adolescents and adults. putting her fingers into Jane's vagina and asking, 'That feel Frank Putnam (1997), a psychiatrist, was impressed that good?' many times. But the seventeen-year-old Jane remem­ Corwin's awareness of the risks of leading questions "permits bered a quite different event—the picture now in her mind "is us to accept Jane Doe's reports as truthful rather than sug­ of a single, deep vaginal intrusion, several seconds in duration gested or coerced" (117). He found Jane to be "genuine and and extremely painful" (124). Neisser wrote that perhaps the believable." Like Corwin, Putnam was impressed with the single dramatic event in Janes age-seventeen memory misrep­ somatic components of Jane's memory of the pain, which he resents a long series of "unpleasant but relatively pedestrian said is "typical of recalled traumatic moments" (118). He childhood experiences"—being bathed by her mother. Still, he emphasized the "high degree of similarity" between what Jane later referred to them as "irritating and unpleasant bathtub Doe said at age six and her delayed recall at age seventeen, and episodes, clear examples of abusive behavior on her mother's felt the case "provides concrete evidence that delayed recall of part." After reminding readers that discovered memories that traumatic childhood events does occur" (120). return can be entirely false, partly false, somewhat distorted, or Jonathan Schooler (1997), an experimental psychologist, also accurate, Neisser nonetheless expressed his gratitude to agreed that this case supported Corwin's conclusion that "Jane's those who made the videotapes available. mother did in fact engage in inappropriate sexual behavior that Once in the literature, Corwin's case history was embraced was both invasive and painful" (126). Schooler was persuaded by many. One group of pro-dissociation writers described it by the "strikingly consistent characterization of Jane's allegations in detail, and then commented that the case was a "good across interviews with two psychological evaluators, one police example of substantial forgetting and later recovery of a cor­ investigator, her therapist, and in the three interviews with roborated childhood sexual abuse memory" (Brown, Scheflin, Corwin" (127). Schooler was also influenced by the "persuasive and Whitfield 1999, 65). Lawyers presented the case at con­ manner" in which Jane described the abuse, her "earnestness" ferences, assuming it was authentic (e.g., P. Brown, 1999). when she described her mother's threats and abusive behavior, Expert witnesses began presenting the case in court as con­ and "the sincerity with which she gave the Brownie Oath that crete proof of the validity of repressed memories (State of she was telling the truth" (127). Schooler expressed his hope that Rhode Island \. Quattrocchi 1998). Professors began teaching skeptics would be persuaded by this case that individuals really the case in their university courses (Steve Clark, personal can have repressed memories of "authentic incidents of abuse." communication 8/16/01). Stephen Lindsay (1997), an experimental psychologist who Thus Corwin's case study was vivid and compelling. studies memory and children's testimony, said that rhe case of Leading scientists were persuaded by it; indeed, emotionally Jane Doe is "destined to be an extraordinarily imponant arti­ moved by it. Few considered any other possible explanations cle." He applauded the article for being balanced and con­ of Jane's behavior at six or at seventeen. Few were skeptical that structive. Lindsay did note that "the important question of Jane really had been abused by her mother before age six, that whether Jane's childhood reports of the bathtub molestations her retrieved memories were accurate, or that "repression" were accurate" is something we are not in a position to know accounted for her forgetting what her mother supposedly had for sure. But he added that "The recollection of being digitally done to her. penetrated in the bathtub converges in its core content with But we were. In 1984, when Corwin was called in to assess the original allegations ... is consistent with Jane's prior this case, Jane's parents had already been battling over her cus­ knowledge and beliefs, was remembered quickly and easily, tody for five years. (They separated for the first time when Jane and appears to have been clear and intense, all of which are was only 8 months old.) In those days, few experts were aware consistent with the hypothesis that the recollection is essen­ of the way children's memories can be tainted by interviewers tially accurate" (189). Although Lindsay acknowledged that who are on a mission to find evidence of sexual abuse. Few Jane might have been remembering the prior allegations rather knew how to interview children in nonsuggestive, noncoercive than actual events, and reminded readers to maintain some ways. Many social workers and clinicians believed that children

28 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER don't utter falsehoods about sexual abuse—a premise that has (according to the published court case). This involvement of a long been shown to be wrong. Like adults, children can tell second court, one which challenged the jurisdiction of the first the truth, and they can also be influenced and manipulated court, led to the appellate case that resolved the jurisdictional into saying things that are not so (Ceci and Bruck 1993). dispute over which court had primary control when child abuse Psychological science has contributed a great deal, especially was alleged. One appellate judge, writing in that opinion, since the early 1980s, to our understand­ ing of the malleability of memory of adults and children. When Child Protection Services (CPS) In the last two decades, the two of us in the mother's home county investigated have conducted research on these issues and testified in court cases, out of our concern the allegations they turned up nothing, about false allegations of abuse—allegations and CPS recommended that that are especially likely to occur in emo­ tionally fraught custody battles. So, just as no action be taken. Corwin had a vested interest in persuading others that his initial judgment about Jane was correct—that explicitly criticized die father for this "blatant forum shopping the mother had indeed molested her—and that some repres­ for the sole purpose of avoiding what he anticipated would be sion-like process is indeed the mechanism that prevents chil­ adverse rulings by the (Mom's county) court on the various cus­ dren from remembering such trauma, we had a vested interest tody and visitation motions then pending in that court." Why in learning if he had provided the whole truth, and nothing did Corwin not tell us that the mother's county CPS had thor­ but the truth. oughly investigated the father's charges and recommended that And so we set out on an odyssey to learn more about the no action be taken? Of course, this doesn't mean that no abuse case. Our investigation produced much valuable information occurred, but the information is surely relevant. that should assist scholars in making their own decisions about From this appellate court case we now knew Dad's first name whether Jane was abused, and if so, by whom. and the first letter of his last name, but the rest of his identity was not revealed. We knew only, from Corwin's article, that he Our Search for the Full Story had died in November 1994. After a long and tedious search of Corwin disguised the case—using names like Jane Doe and the social security death records and newspaper obituaries, we John Doe, Morristown, Dadstown. But he showed the tapes at found out who he was, and from there we uncovered the full a number of professional meetings, and the tapes mention Jane's history of the custody dispute and the abuse allegations. real first name and the city where some of her childhood activi­ Corwin informs readers of the report of the social worker, ties took place. We searched legal databases widi a handful of who believed Jane's claims against her mother. But he omitted key words, and found an appellate court case involving Jane. a letter from a clinical psychologist (Dr. S.), written to a judge From the case we learned that Jane's father, whom we will in February 1984. Dr. S., in accordance with a court order, call "Dad," had been found in contempt of court for failing to had interviewed Dad, StepMom, Mom, and Jane. He spoke comply with visitation orders on three separate occasions. He with Mom's therapist, Jane's psychologist, a CPS worker, Jane's was sentenced to fifteen days in jail for refusing to allow Jane's brother. Grandma, and Mom's attorney. He read police mother and grandmother their court-ordered visitations with reports, court orders, medical reports, and court transcripts. Jane. This was interesting; why did Corwin mention the Dad told Dr. S. that Mom abuses Jane: hits her, pulls her hair, mother's jailing but not tell us about the fathers? Corwin had calls her names ("you shit"), and sticks her fingers up Jane's made a point of the mother's jailing for "fraud" in comparing vagina and anus to clean her out, allegedly asking "does that her credibility to the father's; we learned that she had been feel good?" while doing so. Mom denied doing these things, incarcerated for misdemeanor welfare fraud, during which and told Dr. S. that three CPS investigations and numerous time Dad was given temporary custody of Jane. Upon her court proceedings related to these charges had occurred, but release. Mom sought custody. The court, however, based on none found her guilty of the "supposed abuse." Dad's accusations that Mom had physically abused Jane by Dr. S. wrote in his letter to die judge mat although some "burning" her feet on the stove, ordered joint custody to the documents supported die premise that some type of abuse had parents and physical custody to the father. The custody war occurred, "what has not been made clear is the source or nature escalated, eventually involving allegations by Dad that Mom of die abuse—whedicr these are actual physical and sexual abused Jane not only physically, but sexually. abuses perpetrated by (Mom) or whether they exist only in die When Child Protection Services (CPS) in the mother's home mind and fantasy of (Dad) and are communicated to (Jane) as county investigated these allegations, however, diey turned up (Mom) contends." Dr. S. noted that Jane's narration of her story nothing, and CPS recommended that no action be taken. The was not spontaneous: "She has told her story numerous times to farJier then went to another county, eighty miles away, to repeat a number of different people and she now sounds mechanical." in another court his allegations that the mother was sexually As for the burned feet, he said: "It was never determined if her abusing Jane and had burned her feet "months and years before" feet and hand were indeed burned, since (Jane) has a fungus

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 29 condition that causes her skin to blister and peel." • On Dad's presumably good qualities as a father: Dad had So in addition to whatever a social worker may have two older children other than Jane from a previous marriage, believed about the abuse, we would learn that a psychologist with whom he had no relationship. He "left them $1 in his had a compelling dissenting conclusion. And, importantly, an will," Mom said. alternative explanation existed for the allegedly "burned feet." • On the custody war: "I was broke in every sense of the word. I couldn't defend myself." Indeed, Dad had retained a Mom's Life—Then and Now successful lawyer whereas Mom had to rely in large part on With Dad's last name in hand, we wondered whether we could legal aid. find Mom from information contained in the divorce file. Our • On the allegations of the burned feet: Mom confirmed assistant found Mom and contacted her at her modest home. what was in Dr. S.'s report in the divorce file: Both she and When he explained why he was there, Mom welcomed him, Jane had a bad fungal condition, which leaves scarring that can sobbing her way through his interview, saying, "I never seem like burns. Mom even showed us some remnants of this thought this day would come." The court batde she had had condition on one of her fingers. with Dad over Jane was a "nightmare," she said, "that never • On why she divorced Dad: He would scream at her all ended." The situation devastated her financially and destroyed night long. He drank scotch in the way that most people drink her health. Throughout the years she expressed her grief in water. He'd drink it straight, sometimes finishing off the whole unpolished poetry which she shared with us. bottle. He threw her around. Dad told her if she left him he Mom also described the consequences of Corwin's reappear­ would take Jane away from her and destroy her life. ance in her daughters life. After Dad died in 1994, Mom was • On Dad's honesty: He got money by reporting suppos­ able to renew contact with her daughter, and had had a "very edly stolen or lost jewelry to the insurance company. positive relationship" with her for about fourteen months. It • On the welfare fraud for which she spent two months in ended, she said, when Corwin arrived on the scene. As our jail: Because Dad paid child support so erratically, she never assistant reported: "Dr. Corwin contacted Jane) to 'review' the knew when she would be getting money from him. So Mom old allegations that were made against Mom. . . . Mom said had filled out forms saying Jane's father was not supporting that after Dr. Corwin 'reviewed' the allegations with Jane, she Jane. She neglected to mention a few payments that had been allegedly recovered a memory of Mom bathing her. This mem­ made, and was therefore convicted of welfare fraud. ory made Jane believe that she in fact was molested and abused All in all, a different picture from Corwin's portrayal of the by Mom. After Jane's contact with Dr. Corwin, Mom received credible, kindly dad and the thieving, abusive mom. Why did an angry telephone call from Jane. According to Mom, Jane he not give us Mom's perspective—that Dad was a problem screamed at her in a hostile manner, accusing Mom of molest­ drinker, that he beat her son, that he had cheated an insurance ing her. Jane cut off contact with her mother." company? As we dug into the history of this troubled mar­ Mom's mother's closest friend, whom we'll call Alice, had riage, we found more information that Corwin had omitted in known Mom since she was born, and also had strong views. his case study, all in public records. She was familiar with the custody case, as she had attended When Dad and Mom first separated, Mom was awarded cus­ almost all of the court proceedings and frequently went with tody and support of $200 per month. Just nine months later, Mom to pick up Jane for visitation. Alice described Mom as a Dad asked the court to reduce his child support to $100 per good person and good mother. She talked of the trauma of the month. He also asked for more specific visitation rules. Because custody battle for Mom: "[Dad] had quite a bit of money, and he was in arrears on his child support, she was refusing visita­ he was able to pay for his attorney to continually take Mom to tion, and Dad asked diat Mom be found in contempt of court court." Alice was adamant that "no way did any of the allega­ for denying visitation. She responded by asking for supervised tions occur." Mom, she said, loved Jane and would never have visits between Dad and Jane, claiming that he was "emotionally harmed her in any way; it was Dad who coerced Jane to make unstable and he drinks and uses drugs and alcohol to excess." up the allegations. Alice also reported that Dad tteated Jane's The court reduced child support, designed more specific older brother, "John," badly. visitation for Dad, and found Mom in contempt for not per­ John, now in his thirties, has concurred that in no way did mitting the ordered visitations. But the couple continued to his mother ever abuse Jane. On the contrary, he said, it was his quarrel, in and out of court, over the next years. stepfather who was the abusive one, both to himself and to his One day, when Dad picked up Jane for a visit (she was not mother. John had memories of Dad beating him with a belt that yet four years old), he noticed a problem with her feet and took had metal circles on it, leaving imprints on his skin. John said her to a hospital in his area. The doctor there reportedly found that he was never interviewed by Corwin regarding this matter. what could be construed as "almost completely healed second After reviewing this preliminary information, we contacted degree burns on the plantar feet and palmar left hand." Dad Mom directly. She was eager for us to visit, which we did. She then took Jane to another hospital, and that report too indi­ lives in a town of pickup trucks and soda fountains—an cated that "old burns of both feet and left hand were found." "American Graffiti" sort of place. Mom told us a few things, of Shortly thereafter, the father's attorney put in requests for course from her perspective, that never appeared in any of records from hospitals, the sheriff's department, child protec­ Corwin's accounts of this case: tion agencies, and other institutions relating to "possible child

30 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER abuse incidents relative to" Jane. By this time. Mom's welfare had a heart attack and could not care for her. Her stepmother, difficulties were underway. While she was briefly in jail. Dad long divorced from her father, was out of the picture. got custody, and he was explicitly ordered not to drink while At FosterMom's urging, Jane tried to put the "puzzle pieces" with his daughter. The same order gave Mom's mother, of her past together. They talked about her memory of the Grandma, visitation rights. "burned feet," and at one point even checked out the mom's When Mom was released from jail, she filed for custody of "electric stove" whose coils had allegedly caused the burns; Jane. Grandma signed the following declaration in support: they found it was a gas stove—there were no coils to leave an The primary concern 1 have is for the safety and well being, "imprint." They wondered whether she had perhaps burned both physical and mental, of my granddaughter Jane. Toward her feet when she walked on hot cement in the summer. But this end I wish to advise the Court that Dad is a character of at other times, Jane would come up with "visions." She saw extreme emotional instability. When my daughter and Dad herself standing on the stove, and she would cry. were living together, Dad would regularly assault my grandson, John, who is now age eleven (11). On one occasion in 1977, my grandson was beaten so severely he was Jane began rethinking the subject of sex abuse. unable to remove himself from his bed for an entire day. His entire face was swollen to At first Jane hated her mother, thinking it a pulp and he was unable to move. Although that particular occasion was the had happened. Then she began to have most severe, it was not an isolated incident. It is my belief that Dad has a problem asso­ doubts, wondering whether she could ciated with alcohol which may have resulted in such violent activity. have made it up.

Mom did get custody back. Jane was now almost five years Eventually, FosterMom contacted Mom, and invited her to old, but Dad's efforts to gain custody escalated. A judge found visit. The first meeting, said FosterMom, was "really beauti­ that both parents were concerned about their child, but he was ful." The night after her mother left, Jane said, "I knew she was worried about the apparent findings by an emergency room my mother. It felt so familiar." doctor that there were burns on Jane's palm and fingers of the During this period of Mom's visitations, Jane began left band. Thus, "out of an abundance of caution," the Court rethinking the subject of sex abuse. According to FosterMom, decided to award joint custody, with physical custody with at first Jane hated her mother, thinking it had happened. Then Dad, and "reasonable rights of visitation to (Mom) as the par­ she began to have doubts, wondering whether she could have ties can agree." The Court ended its order by quoting the made it up. Together, FosterMom and Jane explored what Jane words of a clinical psychologist that it is "unfortunate that the remembered. Jane kept worrying. "What if 1 just said it? What child has to bear the effects of this contest." if Dad put me up to it? I said it but did it really happen?" And Even so, the contest was not over. Within a year, Dad was then: "I wouldn't have said it if it didn't happen." claiming that Jane had told him that Mom was abusing her, And then, as Jane was struggling to find out the truth and and Mom was complaining about visitation problems caused beginning to question whether the abuse had even occurred— by Dad. The litigation dragged on and on, and in mid 1984, as her father had repeatedly told her—Corwin entered the pic­ when Jane was five, Corwin entered the case and began his ture. He called FosterMom, saying he was doing research and forensic interviews. He sided with the father's version of wanted to interview Jane again. Jane wanted to do it to learn events, opining that Jane had been physically and sexually more, so FostcrMom took her to the interview. When Corwin abused by Mom. Based on Corwin's report, a child protection showed her the tape of herself at age six, Jane held her head staff worker in [Dadstownl recommended that Jane have no and screamed, "Oh God! She did it! She did it. I can see it. I contact with her mother. Given his belief, it remains a mystery can see it." FosterMom said it broke her heart to watch Jane's why no child abuse charges were filed against Mom. reaction. After that, said FosterMom, she knew for sure, And there matters ended—almost. Dad had succeeded in "beyond a shadow of a doubt." that Jane's mother had abused removing Mom from Jane's life, and she, too exhausted after a her. "That was," she concluded, "an ugly day." five-year battle, gave up her efforts to pursue her rights for vis­ FosterMom heard die phone call that Jane made to Mom after itation. When Jane was nine years old, her father and step­ her interview with Corwin. It was short, cold, and angry. Jane mother divorced and her father had bypass surgery. When Jane called her by her first name (not Mom), and said something like, was about fifteen, Dad fell seriously ill and entered a convales­ "I know mat you molested me." Jane wrote a letter to her mother cent hospital. Jane went into foster care; Dad died a year later. uHat FosterMom had a chance to read: "You did this. Why did you do diis? How could you do that to your little girl?" She would not Jane's Life After Mom Was Gone listen to her mother's protestations that Dad had made it up. Next we interviewed Jane's foster mother, who talked for nearly According to FosterMom, Jane changed dramatically after four hours, of course from her perspective. What follows are her the interview with Corwin. She went into herself. She became recollections as revealed to us. When Jane came to stay widi her, depressed. She started behaving in self-destructive ways, and FosterMom said, Jane was extremely distressed. Her father had soon left FosterMom's home. At our meeting, FosterMom said

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 31 she hadn't spoken to Jane in ten months, ever since Jane called was, did together, was not in vain. ... All that money we put her, angry and belligerent. FosterMom wondered whether Jane in and all the time that we sacrificed, and, [it] was worth it. I'd was suffering because of having seen the tape. Had the do it all over again. All over again." "Corwin tiling" sent her over the edge, or was she unhappy for Of course, a current wife's anger and antipathy toward her some other reason? Was she rejecting FosterMom because of husband's former wife, especially where issues of money and the older woman's strict rules against staying out late and mis­ custody are involved, are quite understandable, and in some behavior, or because she was trying to run away from her own cases justifiable. How, then, should a scientifically minded misery? FosterMom mused: "Would she have been better off investigator assess her testimony in contrast to Mom's not to remember? I don't know." account of events? Which is more credible? In science as in a There was one other person to interview: StepMom, to court of law, both women would be cross-examined, and hear her perspective of the sexual abuse allegations and where supporting or disconfirming evidence would be brought to they came from. Early in the interview, she volunteered that bear. Corwin, of course, accepted StepMom's version of the way that they got Jane away from Mom was "the sexual events relatively uncritically. But here is some evidence that angle." "We proved it," StepMom said. "We saw abuse on her might lead one to question her motives and account of body. We started documenting it." events. Other evidence bears on StepMom's marital history We asked her about the trip she and Dad made to the hos­ or legal troubles—the type of evidence Corwin used to com­ pital in June of 1982 to have Jane's feet checked. StepMom pare relative credibility, however dubious such comparisons said Mom burned Jane's feet because Jane wasn't staying in her on this basis might be: room. Mom had "Johns" over and was getting fed up with • Dad and StepMom married on 12/30/83. the very same Jane. "Jane told us what happened, and we saw the burns," month that Jane would make het first "reports" of sexual abuse StepMom said. "It was with an electric coil. You could see about Mom; the couple separated thtee years and ten months these on die bottom of her feet." When asked why they went later. Jane was only nine. Dad accused StepMom of appropri­ ating valuable items from the house while he was hospitalized to second hospital with Jane that same day, she said, "We for bypass surgery. stopped at two of them. We stopped at 'here' first, then 'there' to get documentation. We wanted to document as much as we • StepMom subsequently married once again. Court docu­ ments reveal a 1991 "Order to Show Cause and Temporary could. We were building a case against this woman. We were Restraining Order" filed against StepMom by her new hus­ going for broke." band. He declared that StepMom had fraudulently claimed StepMom's animosity towards Mom was apparent through­ that he had physically abused her. out the interview. She accused Mom of being a prostitute, of • StepMom had further troubles in the mid-1990s with locking Jane in her bedroom, of leaving her abandoned, and of a misdemeanor arrest for vandalism; the charges were binding the child and placing her feet on the stove. She called brought by a woman, and die case appears to have been Mom a "leech," a woman who always had her hand out. "She dismissed. has a black soul," she said. In sum, we believe that there are ample reasons to doubt StepMom accused Mom of taking soft-porn photos of John whether Jane Doe was physically or sexually abused by her and of Jane, and peddling them. We asked how she found this modier, and to doubt much of the "supporting evidence" used out. "The police found it out," she replied, "and also Jane told to support the abuse hypothesis. Contrary to Corwin's claims, us she was posing with John and that her mother was taking pic­ Jane's reports about her experience at the time were not par­ tures. That's why I say she's a blackened soul." We asked whether ticularly consistent. The argument that Dad had superior cred­ the police ever found die photos. "I'm not sure," she said. ibility over Mom in terms of marital stability, criminal records, She later added that Jane had talked with her about the sex­ and other behavior did not hold up. At least one expert. Dr. ual abuse from ages four to nine. Although Corwin would S., who appears to have done the most thorough investigation, claim that Jane had "repressed" the memory, both FosterMom was unconvinced that abuse had occurred. Finally, there was and StepMom reported to us that Jane did talk about those ample evidence diat Jane talked about die abuse allegations on past experiences frequently. StepMom said: innumerable occasions with several people between the two She always remembered it. But there was just the times that she sessions during which she was videotaped, undermining claims wanted not to talk about it because of what it brought back. We of massive repression or dissociation. talked because we were very close. Her mom would lie to Jane and you know, she would be in the bathtub bathing Jane, but she would tell Jane the reason why she put her lingers up her Acknowledgments vagina was to get her clean.... But the way she did it was hurt­ ful to—very rough. And not just up, but back and forth, back We are enormously grateful to Carol Tavris, so generous of her time and and forth. And 1 said to Dad, I said, "what she's doing basically her talent, a veritable muse. Many other individuals, friends and col­ is getting this child ready to use her later on for sex." leagues, provided valuable insights and editing assistance.

Later in the interview, StepMom said proudly, "I helped get Part 2 will appear in our next issue (July/August 2002), with sec­ Jane for Dad because we were married. I was a much younger tions on "Issues, Questions, and Future Directions" and "The woman. I don't have any bitterness toward Mom, I'm just say­ Ethics of Exploring Jane Doe's Case. "It also will present the refer­ ing, thank God Jane got out. And everything that Dad and I ences for the entire article. Parts I and 2. •

32 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Is the Mars Effect a Social Effect?

A re-analysis of the Gauquelin data suggests that hitherto baffling planetary effects may be simple social effects in disguise. GEOFFREY DEAN

or almost half a century, supporters and critics of the Gauquelins' -like Mars effect have been Flocked in dispute. The effect is hard to study, but it involves a staggering array of puzzles, all seemingly inexplic­ able. To outsiders the dispute has ignored the puzzles and become lost in obscure technicalities. It needs a new approach. In what follows we adopt a social viewpoint and discover that, contrary to what critics thought, planetary effects are to be expected, so their absence would be more sur­ prising than their presence. Along the way the dispute, puz­ zles, and support for astrology disappear. For sociologists the massive Gauquelin database emerges as a valuable new resource. Readers who would like more detail than is possi­ ble here will find it in Dean (2000).

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 33 Figure 1. From a world in the hands of God to a world in the hands of man. From the title page of Hamburgisch verbesserter Christ- und Planetenkalender for 1727, with the English translation imposed by me in Gothic type. On the left, man prays to his heavenly Father, because to love God is all that matters. On the right, beyond the tree of knowl­ edge, man studies nature directly but claims it is only to confirm the glory of God. The ancient worldview on the left, which included the man-macrocosm interplay that was astrology, was beginning to fade but was still held in the times and places of the Gauquelin births. Today It has disappeared, so we are unable to see the significance that plan­ ets once had. From Imhof (1996, 160).

Background The effect had nothing to do with sun signs or other zodi­ acal signs. What mattered was the planet's diurnal (daily) posi­ After forty years of skeptical inves­ tion relative to the horizon— tigations, the most famous in 20 OCTOBER XXXI Days. whether it was rising in the east or astrology, the late Michel THOSE who assert the lunar orb presides culminating overhead. Gauquelin (1991) concluded: O'er humid bodies, and the ocean guides; The effect was later called the "Having collected half a million Whose wares obsequious ebb, or swelling run With the declining or increasing ; Mars effect because Mars was the dates of birth from the most diverse With reason seem her empire to maintain, significant planet for sports people, 1 have been able to observe As mistress of the rivers and the main. champions, who were then the that die majority of die elements in Fasts and »"s T> risesMutua l Asp focus of attention. But depending a horoscope seem not to possess Festivals. Signs. & sets. Si Weather. on the occupation (there were any of the influences which have h. m. 15S.aft.T.: Rem. 8 domin. 7a41 tf in aphelion nine others) it could have been been attributed to them." This Daybr 4 II 9 hips 8 15 Wfather called the Moon, Venus, Jupiter understandably upset astrologers I? sets 4 15 mo. 10 and 8 56 alternately % rises 0 53 mo. or Saturn effect. For more back­ and pleased critics. thighs 9 41 fair and wet 6[Hi I'w i. ends 7 20 12 knees 10 351 ground see Ertel (1992). Here I But two of his findings pleased Faith 13 hams 11 34 * S % will be considering all five effects t morn. astrologers, upset critics, and puz­ S $ rises 6 28 mo. legs Expectsomel p6Sun.alt.Trin. 15 ancles 0 39 hea»y rain: for both eminent professionals zled everyone else. (1) Professional A M St. Deny i 16 feet 1 49 thunder in and ordinary people. people such as scientists tended to 10Tb Oxf.lfCam.T.b\ toes 3 4 *©* Old Mich. Day head 4 21 But haven't independent stud­ be born with a surplus or deficit of 8 *¥ Least twilight 19 race rises some places. ies shown that the Mars effect is certain planets in the areas just Tri. K.Ed.Conf. 20 neck 6a 1 c?0¥ Day deer. 5 51 merely the result of biased statis­ past rise or culmination, but only throat 6 38 vi«0 15A 17Sun.alt.Trin. arms 7 21 Now fair, tics and data selection? So why if the people were eminent and Osets5 49a(t. I 16 M should. 8 II should anyone bother wirii it? If born naturally. (2) Ordinary peo­ Figure 2. Planetary information in the almanac Vox Stellarum 1848. then you can bear with me, the answer ple with such features tended to selling one copy for every six British families and also popular in Paris. should be apparent in due course. pass them on to their children. On the 3rd, 4th, 7th, 16th, respectively Saturn sets, Jupiter rises. Mars rises. Venus sets. Second-last column, moon rises and sets. Until the late Both tendencies were very weak nineteenth century, almanacs were the most widely read literature after the Bible. To sell they had to reflect the prevailing world views. The Puzzles for Astrology and and required large samples for French folklorist Pierre Saintyves (1937) comments: "thanks to almanacs, Science their detection. They had no obvi­ in their 10,000s and hundreds of 10,000s, the {debased) astrological tra­ dition during five centuries never ceased to be received." Ironically the Gauquelin plane­ ous explanation. tary effects arc as puzzling for astrology as they are for science. For science the puzzles Geoffrey Dean is a technical editor in Perth, Western Australia include: Why no link with physical variables such as distance, (Box 466, Subiaco 6008, Western Australia). He has been inves­ why no link with the Sun, why is eminence important, why an tigating astrological claims since 1974. effect only at birth, why contrary to all expectation is the effect

34 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER larger for rounded birth times, and why does it disappear by mothers and midwives. when the birth is induced or surgically assisted? Planetary effects are so tiny that surprisingly little faking For astrology (don't worry if the jargon is beyond you the is needed to explain them—on average just one in thirty puzzles include: Why only diurnal position and not signs or aspects, why traditionally weak positions (cadent houses) and not I began by counting births on days strong ones, why occupation and not char­ acter (a claimed link with character was in said to be significant by European fact an artifact, see Ertel 1993), and why encyclopedias of only five planets? After all, astrologers do not claim that astrology fails to work for Days were preferred if desirable, such half the planets, for signs, for aspects, for as Christian feast days, and avoided if character, or (on Gauquelin's figures) for the 99.994 percent of the population who undesirable, such as witching days, showing are not eminent. that parents were faking birth data to suit beliefs. The above puzzles seem utterly baffling. What could be happening? Why are these planetary effects so inconsistent with both science and astrology? births is enough. This is similar to the influence of astrolog­ As is usual with puzzles, die key lies in asking the right question. ical beliefs on birth planning by modern Asians (Goodkind 1991, Kaku 1975), and considerably less than the one in Could Planetary Effects thirteen observed for Sun sign role-playing (Dean, Mather, be Man-Made? and Kelly 1996). So it should not seem implausible that Look at the Gauquelin births in their social context. Most of Gauquelin's subjects might role-play their planets or adjust the births occurred during the nineteenth and early twentieth their children's birth data. But could such effects be detected centuries in Western Europe, when living conditions were very in the Gauquelin data? different from those today, and when early world views still sur­ Re-analysis of Gauquelin Data vived (figure 1). It was a time 15 fixed 36 lucky when births were reported ver­ 125 Christian days (I st, To find out, I re-analyzed rwo bally to the registry office by the feasts 3rd, 7th) important Gauquelin data sets. (1) parents,' when occupations and 100 The original 15,942 eminent pro­ eminence tended to run in fami­ fessionals spread over ten occupa­ lies," when serious astrology had 75 tions (actors, journalists, military been dead since the 1700s, and men, musicians, painters, physi­ when popular almanacs gave diur­ 50 cians, politicians, scientists, sports nal information for the visible I champions, and writers), whose 10 36 unlucky results were published in 1960. (2) planets (figure 2), that is, rising, 125 witches days (9th, setting and sometimes culminat­ sobbats 3th, last) The 24,948 ordinary people (par­ ing times. Notice how this plane­ 100 ents and children) from the tary information immediately Gauquelins' first lieicdicy study matches the Gauquelin findings.' 75 published in 1966. The eminent In short, what made the professionals were born in Western Gauquelin period different from 50 Europe mostly in 1820-1940, and KK.l.i> was the availability ol diurnal I [MI mi m i are mostly male. The ordinary peo­ Target day with day before and after planetary information, the oppor­ ple were born somewhat later near tunity to adjust birth data without Figure 3. Birth counts on significant days for the Gauquelins' 15.942 emi­ Paris and are 51 percent female. (1) nent professionals adjusted to a mean of 100 percent in each plot. The detection, and the motivation to do parents of future eminent professionals prefer births on Christian feast and (2) led to the Gauquelins' so from family traditions and world days, lucky days, and full moon days. They avoid births on witching days, most successful results, so they are unlucky days, and new moon days. The mean difference from adjacent views. So perhaps fake planetary days is 12 percent. The differences make sense because preferred days the data to look at. I began by effects could arise due to: (1) Role- ore auspicious and therefore desirable, avoided days are inauspicious counting births on days said to be and therefore undesirable. The message is unmistakable—parents are playing. We know what our plane­ faking birth data to suit prevailing beliefs. significant by European encyclope­ tary positions mean and adjust our dias of superstition. behavior to suit. (2) Parental tampering. Parents want the rele­ For eminent professionals the results were revealing. Days vant planet in a position that fits family traditions, so they adjust were preferred if desirable, such as Christian feast days, and our birth time before reporting it to the registry office. (3) avoided if undesirable, such as witching days, showing thai par­ Perinatal control. The same but via control of the birth process ents were faking birth data to suit prevailing beliefs (figure 3).

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 35 The avoidance of witching days is understandable given the indication of greatness in a chosen occupation, it could have massive witch hunts diat for three centuries had terrorized useful consequences. Being suitably destined in the eyes of die Western Europe. The amount of faking varied with the kind of child and others has advantages. The same motivation exists day, but on average it involved about one in twenty-five births. today when hotels omit 13 from floor and room numbers lest So already die faking of days is more than the one in thirty fak­ their occupancy be affected, and when psychologists control for ing of hours needed to explain planetary effects. Note that had the expectations of experimenters. I looked only at sports champions, the sample size might have been too small, and such faking might have been missed. Gender Rules Now hours. Interestingly, mere is a huge drop in the propor­ The results for families showed much the same faking as for pro­ tion of births reported during the midnight hour, but it occurs fessionals, but this time the preferred days were family-related with a distinct gender influence. For exam­ If we can fake an auspicious birth date, or a ple children tended to be born on the same date or weekday as their same-sex parent, planetary indication of greatness in a chosen showing that parents wanted more unifor­ occupation, it could have useful consequences. mity dian was allowed by nature. This may reflect the son of traditions that led to par­ Being suitably destined in the eyes of the ticular weekdays being chosen for events child and others has advantages. such as weddings (Imhof 1996, 125). Gender influences also emerged in the in most sets of historic data and is normally attributed to regis­ planetary effects passed on by parents to their children. trars rounding times away from midnight to make it clear which Regardless of planet, the passing on for same-sex parents was day they belonged to. However, when I plotted planetary effect roughly twice that for opposite-sex parents. That is, sons were against the proportion of midnight births for each professional more like their farhers and daughters were more like their moth­ group, there is a strong negative correlation (figure 4). The ten­ ers, which makes sense. Or as Lady Catherine de Bourgh says in dency to prefer planets goes with the Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice tendency to avoid midnight, which . (1813), "daughters are never of much implies diat faking is common to PA consequence to a father." But it did both. Midnight is of course when • not end there. witches are proverbially active, so par- 0.021 " MU Data from Gauquelin had seen parent-child ents who avoided witching days \ * M&F Gauquelin effects as confirming the reality of plan­ would want to avoid midnight hours (1972:50, etary effects. He had found that fathers as well.' 0.018 (• s\ AC 80-107) and mothers contributed roughly equal The same implication appeared • \> amounts of planetary effect to their when I compared high and low levels Oh P0 children, which suggested a link with genetics. But he did not make same-sex of faking. The mean planetary effect N PH v«i on desirable days (whose births have • and opposite-sex comparisons, and maximum faking) was more than aldiough he was aware of superstitious M •\ twice that on undesirable days (whose 0.012 I- • beliefs such as those favoring even births have minimum faking). The J0 hours over odd hours, he felt they were point is, none of these things should hap­ unlikely to simulate planetary effects. 0.009 SP\ Blur, yes, simulate, no. However, pen if planetary effects were unrelated to \WR social effects. Nor should they happen if r=-0.80 genetics predicts equal contributions planetary effects did not exist. regardless of sex whereas social effects But why fake? If we really believe • predict unequal contributions. So we that certain times are auspicious, we 0.17 Planetary effect 0.30 have the classic situation of two rival can hardly believe that faking will hypotheses. In this case the winner is Figure 4. Proportion of births during the midnight hour (vertical change anything. On the other hand, axis) for Gauquelin's ten professional groups (see text) versus social effects. planetary effect (horizontal axis) calculated as l(0-£)l/E, where O if we do not believe, why bother? We and E are the observed and expected frequencies of births with might of course see faking as merely the most significant planet in the areas just past rise or culmina­ Solving the Puzzles tion. As the proportion of midnight births decreases, implying an helping an imperfect world unfold as increase in faking, the planetary effect increases. The correlation The hitherto baffling puzzles can now is remarkably high (r = -0.80) and highly significant (p • 0.005). be solved. Why do die Gauquelin find­ it should. But look at why we might Gauquelin was unaware of any such connection, so it cannot be want to avoid witching days or mid­ dismissed as data selection or some other bias. ings conflict with astrology? Because night hours. Even if we saw nothing astrology had been effectively dead wrong with a witching time, other people (and the child) might since die 1700s, and all that remained was a debased remnant lim­ disagree, which could have dire consequences. So we fake. ited to planers that could be seen in the sky or read in almanacs. Similarly, if we can fake an auspicious birth date, or a planetary To be seen, planers had to be visibly above the horizon, even

36 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER diough this was traditionally a weak position due to die planetary Conclusion beams being "impaired by die thick and dark exhalations arising The dispute between Gauquelin supporters and critics is easily from the earth's vapours" (Ashmand 1917). In odier words die resolved. Most, perhaps all, of the Mars and other planetary conflict is between astrology and its debased remnant. There is no conflict between its remnant and die Gauquelin findings. effects are merely social effects in disguise. They have been in Similarly the planetary link is with occupation and not character because that The Gauquelins had found a real was the belief in those days.* There is no effect for signs or aspects because in effect but, contrary to what everyone almanacs the link was with seasons or thought, there was no conflict with weather, and in any case the required adjustment (days or weeks) is too great to science and no need for disbelief. be feasible. the data all along. The Gauquelins had found a real effect but, The puzzles for science are solved just as easily. There is no contrary to what everyone thought, there was no conflict with link wirJi physical variables such as distance or gravity because science and no need for disbelief. Both sides can now retire rhey were not part of popular belief. There is no effect for die Sun because its position was relevant only to die seasons and to with honor.' seasonal work on the farm. There is an effect only at birth Some supporters have attributed planetary effects to divine because tliat was die popular belief. Occupation effects are forces, or magnetospheric resonance, or the pineal gland, or strongest where family traditions are strongest, where the match genetic imprinting (see Ertel 1992). But such explanations are between planets and occupation is closest, and where there is clearly premature. Data selection and fraud can be rejected most need to be suitably destined, as in eminent families. Hence because Gauquelin could hardly be selective or fraudulent die importance of eminence. about social effects he was unaware of. Claims by astrologers of support for astrology, where for example planetary effects But why is the planetary effect for precise birth times half are "primary truths about man's relationship to the cosmos" that for birth times rounded to die hour? This is like saying die (Addey 1996), whose explanation "will strain the possibilities more we tune our radio the worse the reception. It is not at all what we expect. No astrologer, no skeptic, not even Gauquelin of mechanism" (Hand 1987), can also be rejected. would have predicted such a result. But faked times do not The existence of social effects in the Gauquelin data makes need to be precise. What matters is die planet's general diurnal it a valuable new resource for sociologists studying the nine­ position, not its exact diurnal position, so the precision to teenth century. It seems unlikely that this data, which took which clocks would normally be read is not needed. Rounded such heroic effort to collect, will ever be equaled. Examples of times are good enough, and as a bonus they do not raise town how quite complex beliefs and family relationships can be hall suspicions like a precise birth time might. In other words explored are given by me in Dean (2000, 33-37). faking increases rounding and also increases planetary effects. Of course the existence of social effects does not deny the In hindsight it seems so simple, so obvious. existence of inadvertent Gauquelin bias8 or of genuine plane­ tary effects. But unless planetary effects can be found under Solving the Disappearing Act conditions where social effects are absent, as when parents are excluded from the birth reporting process and the child is Why do planetary effects disappear when the birth is induced ignorant of its birth planets, we might now reasonably suspend or surgically assisted? Gauquelin (1983) had noted how "the belief. Indeed, it could be argued that Gauquelin''; failure to Mars effect in sports champions born after 1950 tends to dis­ find planetary effects in births recorded after 1950 has already appear." Planetary effects also disappeared for Gauquelins 1984 put this point to the test. heredity study despite its huge sample of nearly 51,000 parents and children. The problem, Gauquelin suggested, arose Acknowledgments because die births were more recent and were therefore subject 1 thank Christopher French, Ivan Kelly, Arthur Mather, David Nias, to medical intervention, which had upset die natural timing of and Rudolf Smit for helpful comments, and Suitbert Ertel for help birth and therefore (in his view) the natural planetary links. But with data and reference material. I am most grateful to the late Michel recent births, unlike early births, needed to be officially docu­ Gauquelin for many discussions and unfailing assistance during the mented with a note from die hospital or midwife, which meant fifteen years of our acquaintance. It was during our discussions in January 1991 that the idea of a new look at social context was bom. an end to faking other than role-playing. Hence the decline in He died four months later, tragically without knowing how it would planetary effects. After all, the idea diat faking is being pre­ turn out. vented is more plausible than the idea diat all hospitals and all midwives are intervening medically in all births. Also, the re- Notes establishment of astrology in the 1930s meant a gradual end to 1. In France after the French Revolution of 1792, and subsequently in the the debased remnant and its match with the Gauquelin find­ oihcr Gauquelin countries, the father of each new child became legally respon­ sible for registering its birth date and time at die neatest town hall. The father ings. Ironically his 1984 study has told us more by its failure had to be accompanied by two friends to confirm diat die child was his, and than it would have by its success. by die child itself. There was no medical certificate as is routine today, and

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 37 most likely the two friends would not have witnessed the actual birth, so the Gauquelin 1984). He published all his data and invited anyone to check his father could easily adjust his report without detection. records, all of which were meticulously organized and freely accessible. In 2. The European family group was more important than the individual, terms of openness he set standards well above those of his opponents. and the inheritance of the family (whether real, as occupation, or symbolic, as names) had to be passed to succeeding generations (Gelis 1991). For example References Imhof (1996, 116) cites a German farm where from the 1550s to the present day all the heads of the household were named Johannes Hooss, made possi­ Addey. J.M. 1996. A New Study of Astrology. London: Urania Trust, page 69. ble by every family having one or more sons named Johannes so that one was Written around 1980. always available to take over when the time came. What endured was the Ashmand. J.M. 1917. Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos. London: Foulsham, page 131. name. What mattered was not the individual life but the collective life, which Bachtold-Staubli, H. (ed.). 1927. Handworterbuch des Deutsche/) Aberglaubens. among other things allowed death to be faced more calmly regardless of when Berlin: De Gruyter. Volume 7, page 564. or where it came. Dean, G. 2000. Attribution: A pervasive new artifact in the Gauquelin data. 3. In his 1869 book Hereditary Genius. Francis Gallon found that great Astrology under Scrutiny 13: 1-72. Nearly 300 references. An extended men produce more great sons than do average men. Based on the work of oth­ abstract and information on how to obtain copies are available on the Web ers, Gauquelin (1976) concluded the same: "In general terms, two-thirds of at www.astrology-and-science.com. famous people originate from five percent of the population comprised pri­ Dean, G„ A. Mather, and I.W Kelly. 1996. Astrology. In G. Stein (ed.), The marily of the wealthiest arid most intellectual people. A professional proclivity Encyclopedia of the Paranormal. Amherst N.Y.: Prometheus Books. 47-99, is transmitted from generation to generation." page 75. 4. People did not need astrology to prompt their intcrcsc in rising and cul­ Ertel, S. 1992. Update on the "Mars Effect." SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 16: 150-160. mination. Rising echoed the rising of the Sun. hence earthly and heavenly Includes a survey of possible physical explanations. 43 references. greatness (light is a frequent biblical metaphor for Jesus). Culmination signi­ . 1993. Why die character trait hypothesis still fails. Correlation 12(1): 2-9. fied something at its highest power, just as "the culmination of our efforts" . 2000. On Geoffrey Dean's erroneous grand notion. Astrology under does today. A planet exactly on the horizon was generally invisible and there­ Scrutiny 13: 73-84. Followed by my reply on pages 85-87. fore without power, despite what astrology said. Just as moving past the rising Gauquelin, M. 1976. Cosmic Influences on Human Behai'ior. London: Futura, point brought planets into prominence, so did moving past the culminating page 60. point. Conflicts of analogy would be out. . 1983. The Truth about Astrology. Oxford: Blackwell, page 176. 5. The midnight hour was universally the witching hour. For example in . 1984. Profession and heredity experiments: Computer re-analysis France it was "the great hour of marvels and rcrrors" (Sebillor 1904), and in and new investigations on the same material. Correlation 4(1): 8-24. Germany "the child that is born, or gives its first cry, in the evil hour [of mid­ -. 1991. Neo-Astrology: A Copernican Revolution. Penguin Arkana, p. 20. night] becomes a witch" (Bachtold-Staubli 1927). More famously in Gauquelin, M., and F. Gauquelin. 1972. Profession-Heredity Results of Series A Shakespeare's Hamlet (1601) it was "the very witching time of night, when &B. Series C, Volume 1. Paris: LERRCP. churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world." It Gclis, J. 1991. History of childbirth: Fertility Pregnancy and Birth in Early seems that people avoided reporting a midnight birth not merely because it Modern Europe. Boston: Northeastern University Press, page 200. First was ambiguous but also because it was connected with witches. published 1984 in French. 6. Planetary themes today tend to focus on character traits. But in those Goodkind, D.M. 1991. Creating new traditions in modern Chinese popula­ days the focus was on occupation. First, it was a dominant pan of family tra­ tions: Aiming for binh in the year of the dragon. Population and dition. Thus a military family would want their new son to be a great soldier Development Review 17: 663-686. rather than, say, a stable extrovert. Second, only occupation could feasibly be Hand, R. 1987. Astrology as a revolutionary science. In AT. Mann (ed.). The shown in woodcuts. So we might expect socially-based planetary effects to be future of Astrology. London: Unwin, page 37. in terms of occupation—and they are. Imhof, A.E. 1996. Lost Worlds: How our European ancestors coped with every­ 7. Ironically End (2000) disagrees. Since the 1980s he has championed day life and why life is so hard today. Charlottesville V.I.: University Press of the reality of planetary effects, so the present findings should be welcome. But Virginia. First published 1984 in German. Ertel dismisses social effects as implausible, so "the challenge of die Gauquelin Kaku, K. 1975. Increased induced abortion rate in 1966: An aspect of anomaly is as alive as ever" (p. 82). Japanese folk superstition. Annals of Human Biology 2: 111-115. 8. Gauquelin himself recognized the possibility of bias, which is why he Saintyves. P. 1937. L'Astrologie Populaire. Paris: Emile Nourry, page 346. A later checked by computer his many tens of thousands of hand calculations scholarly study of lunar beliefs. Reprinted in 1989 by Rocher, Paris. (the indications were unchanged but were somewhat less significant, see Sebillot, P. 1904. Lc Folk-Lm de France. Paris: Guilmoto. Volume I. page 144. D

You can make a lasting impact on the future of skepticism...

when you provide for the Skeptical Inquirer in your will.

CSICOP and the Skeptical Inquirer changed the terms of discussion in fields ranging from pseudoscience and the paranor­ mal to science and educational policy. You can take an enduring step to preserve their vitality when you provide for the Skeptical Inquirer in your will. Your bequest to CSICOP, Inc., will help to provide for the future of skepticism as it helps to keep the Skeptical Inquirer finan­ cially secure. Depending on your tax situation, a charitable bequest to CSICOP may have little impact on the net size of your estate—or may even result in a greater amount being available to your beneficiaries. We would be happy to work with you and your attorney in the development of a will or estate plan that meets your wishes. A variety of arrangements are possible, including: gifts of a fixed amount or a percentage of your estate; living trusts or gift annuities, which provide you with a lifetime income; or a contingent bequest that provides for the Skeptical Inquirer only if your primary beneficiaries do not survive you. For more information, contact Barry Karr, Executive Director of CSICOP, at 716-636-1425. All inquiries are held in the strictest confidence.

38 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Gray Barker's Book of Bunk Mothman, Saucers, and MIB

Those who seek the elusive truth behind the "Men in Black" and "Mothman" myths should know that material touched by Gray Barker's enterprising hand is tainted by self-serving deceit. He launched , joined others' deceptions, and manipulated people's belief. "And I," says our author, "was one of those who helped. " JOHN C. SHERWOOD

n the film of The Mothman Prophecies, a phone rings and I Richard Gere cringes. So does the informed moviegoer. from the 1960s is twisted into fiction for the new millennium, and a questionable account of bizarre events is reshaped into fantasy. I say so because I have a good idea who's making that phone call. I accuse Gray Barker. Only naive audiences believe film dramas show history accurately. Fortunately, the mixed reviews for Sony Pictures' Mothman suggest few moviegoers or critics take its eerie

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 39 story seriously. Still, someone might trust the movie promot­ Albert K. Bender's International Bureau. ers' hints that truth exists out there. If they go searching they'll In 1953 Bender dissolved the fast-growing group, blaming find only more questions. unidentified commands. The puzzled Barker sifted through The curious will find a new mass-market paperback edition Bender's story and similar talcs, producing one of UFOIogy's of John A. Keel's The Mothman Prophecies, labeled by UFO classics, They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers (Barker writer Jacques Vallee as "significant" and "intriguing" (Hynek 1956). Barker's prose gave Bender's story sufficient credibility and Vallee 1975) and cited by in Alien Dawn to sustain an urban legend: Strange aircraft are observed, but, (Wilson 1998). In its pages: after black-clad men step from their huge auto, the witnesses • There's no sign of Gere's character, the fictional tor­ clam up. In the 1980s Lowell Cunningham turned the tales mented widower "John Klein" invented by screenwriter into comic-book fiction, thus inspiring the Men in Black Richard Hatem. Instead, the real-life Keel relates a series of movies (Westcott 1993). weird anecdotal accounts sustained gleefully ever since by My involvement in all this began in early 1967 when I sent monster-hunters, UFO cultists, and West Virginia's tourism to Barker's Saucerian Publications my juvenile chronicle of industry (Rife 1995). Michigan's 1966 UFO flurry, which Barker gave the fanciful • The mind-reading entity Indrid Cold evaporates into a yet saleable title Flying Saucers Are Watching You. As it was fog of hearsay. printed, the Michigan "flap" seeped across Ohio into West • The researcher played by Alan Bates morphs into Gray Virginia, where began an eighteen-month series of reports of a Barker, whose influence on Keel's book flying creature popularly dubbed was palpably self-serving—and docu- "Mothman." mentable. Then came tragedy. The 700-foot Barker sure is having a great year. Silver Bridge at Point Pleasant, West Columbia Pictures' sequel to its 1997 Virginia, collapsed during rush hour movie Men in Black—stepchild of December 15, 1967 (the film of The Barker's 1956 book They Knew Too Mothman Prophecies moves the event to Much About Flying Saucers—will treat Christmas Eve in the present day). moviegoers again to Barker's alien Some area residents saw a link between spawn. But those who seek the elusive the catastrophe, which took forty-five truth behind the Men in Black and lives, and the apparitions. It was a Mothman myths should be reminded notion Barker would borrow and Keel that material touched by Barker's enter­ would reiterate. prising hand is tainted by deceit. Soon after, I committed my only journalistic crime. Encouraged by Gray Barker Barker, I wrote two articles for Barker's Barker was a theatrical film booker and Saucer News "exposing" time-traveling educational-materials distributor based UFOnauts, using the pseudonym Dr. in Clarksburg, West Virginia. For three Gray Baker in one of his favored poses, from the 1950s. Richard H. Pratt. When Barker Reproduced with permission from Clarksburg-Harrison decades his sideline as a UFO Public Library. reprinted the hoax in 1983, I remained writer/publisher generated extra income silent. On Barker's death I considered and self-satisfaction. The U.S. Government's bibliography of the joke over, but guilt revived a decade later with Men in UFO publications reflected Barker's high status among the fly­ Black's release. ing-saucer faithful, as he's among the handful of authors cited I exorcised this personal demon by writing "Gray Barker: more than a dozen times (Catoe 1969). My Friend, the -Maker" for the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Here's the dark side: Until Barker's death in 1984 at age 59, (Sherwood 1998). A former acquaintance soon reintroduced he hawked his books and magazines by embellishing stories and himself. James W Moseley, Barker's friend since 1954 and encouraging others to fabricate more. He launched hoaxes, Saucer News' first publisher, said Barker's death had unlocked joined odiers' deceptions, and manipulated people's beliefs. his own lips: "The public has die right to know how many And I was one of those who helped. UFO hoaxes there are, how easy they are to perpetrate, and Barker's UFO fame began in 1952 witJi reports of a space­ what this shows about die gullibility of die UFO field" ship-riding creature at Flatwoods, West Virginia. Barker's inter­ (Moseley 2001). In early 1985, Moseley had begun a series of views with witnesses, written in faux objective style, appeared revelations about Barker in a newsletter, Saucer Smear. (A book in Fate (Barker 1953). He soon became chief investigator for by Moseley and Karl T Pflock, Shockingly Close to the Truth!, has just been published by Prometheus Books.) John C. Sherwood of Pennsylvania, a reporter and editor for Gannett "[Barker] pretty much took all of as a joke," Co. newspapers for twenty-eight years, has written Moseley told me. "I did also, on one level, but I always interactive mysteries and books on . Contact him atjesherwood believed there was something real going on, behind all the @kennett.net or MysteryVisits.com. nonsense, and I still do."

40 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Barker died after "the more or less simultaneous failure of Joe Nickell, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, March/April 2002], yet it various organs, due most probably to AIDS (though it was can be shown that Barker's cavalier influence undermined not diagnosed as such in those days)" (Moseley 1998). The Keel's account. What's disturbing is how poised Keel appears suspicion is restated in filmmaker Ralph Coon's documen­ to have been for the deceptive antics of Barker and others tary about Barker, Whispers from Space. The film depicts interested in perpetuating a mythology of weirdness. Barker as a closeted gay man who adored movies and fan­ In The Mothman Prophecies, Keel painted Barker in guard­ tasy, dressed as monsters and spacemen to scare kids, held edly flattering terms: "The diehard fanatics who dominated fans at a distance, boozed heavily, and sold books chiefly to help his family. Barker's sister Blanch quoted him as having justified his UFO interest finan­ cially: "There's good money in it," he'd told Barker hawked his books and magazines by her. Moseley said Barker actually "did not embellishing stories and encouraging others to believe in UFOs as an objective entity" but wanted "to please his audience" and tried fabricate more. He launched hoaxes, joined others' "to keep the UFO field alive during slack deceptions, and manipulated people's beliefs. periods" (Coon 1995). Surreptitiously, Moseley and Barker had obtained blank U.S. State Depart­ ment stationery. After "we had a bit to drink" in 1957, they con­ sauceriana during die early years cocted a message to "" p OCMOTMCMT OF »T*T« were a humorless lot and Gray's , whose book mischievous wit baffled and Flying Saucers Have Landed had v. enraged them. At times it baffled trot. George Aduskl related chats with Christ-like .itar Rout*. me, too. This towering bear of a Tallty Center extraterrestrials. Adamski thus California man was very hard to 'read.' But received an official-looking let­ Kj Dear Professor t his investigations were always For the tine being. let us consider this • personal lottar ter from "R. E. Straith" aiming and rot to be construed as an official con—ml cation of the thorough and uncompromising" Department. I speak on behalf of only a part of our poople here In regard to the essstroveralal natter or the 070. bat I to "encourage your work" (Coon sl;ht *Id that ay group has been outspoken In Its crlilclsst (Keel 1975). 1995, Moseley 1998). Much of of off telal policy. In private, however, Keel We bsjfi also criticised the self-assueed role of our Air farce Barker's book on Adamski In usurping the role of chief Investigating sjtsney on the CTO. regarded Barker and Moseley as lour own experiences will l"ad you to too- already that the Department has done Its own research v.l has been able to arrive focused on the letter as "one of at a number of sound conclusions. It will no doubt please you inept investigators and hoaxsters, to know that tne Department has on file a jreat deal of coo- the great unsolved mysteries of rimatory evidence bearing out your own Plains, which, as both an attitude substantiated by die or us oust realise, are controversial, -nd have been dispute* the UFO field" (Barker 1967). -enerally. men's correspondence filed at While certainly the Department cannot publicly confirm yosof About 1966, Barker helped experiences, it can, I believe, with -rcpriety, encourage your Clarksburg-Harrison Public worn and y-ur cansunicetion cf what you slnec-ely believe shesOd Moseley create the "Lost Creek, be told to our *Qorlcan public. Library in West Virginia. In the event you ere In Washington, X do hope that you will West Virginia, UFO film." A stop by for an lnTorwal tali. 1 expect to bei away fromn 'Waahlngte" a Keel's insight into Barker durinc the aost of february, but should r.turn by the last week hamburger-sized ceramic chunk In that aonth. began with events surrounding resembling saucers Adamski Sincerely, the Congress of Scientific UFO- claimed he'd ridden was dangied iogists in June i 967. Moseley had from a pole and filmed against EC organized the New York event, the sky. During college lectures, EXHIBIT I including Barker among UFO Moseley presented the film as celebrities he'd booked. Keel was authentic (Coon 1995, Moseley • to be honored as "UFOIogist of 1995, Moseley 2001). A copy of the fraudulent •Straith Letter" to George Adamski. created by the year." Barker's jaundiced view Barker and Moseley. of the event emerged in a letter to and Mothman me. Punning on Adamski's title, he suggested another name: Now enters John Keel, a New York freelance writer and Fortean "Lying Saucerers Have Banded" (Barker 1967). Indeed, the expert who still writes for Fate (not to be confused with the lies soon began. made-up Washington Post reporter portrayed in the Mothman Keel recorded a phone call June 11 "from a middle-aged film). Keel had gained attention for his articles in Science woman who said she was Princess Moon Owl. . . . [who] Digest, Saga, True, and Playboy, and a book about Eastern mys­ sounded like a man faking an Aunt Jemima accent. . . . [After tics, Jadoo (1957). He'd even invented the abbreviation the tape aired on WBAB radio,] Long Island's lunatic fringe "M.I.B.," shorthand glorified by Men in Black in 1997. went wild with joy. At last a genuine space person was in their A critical survey of the 1966-67 Mothman reports is midst. . . . The most suspicious things of all were her transpar­ beyond this articles scope [but see "'Mothman' Solved!'" by ent references to a major UFO convention scheduled to be

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 41 held that June 24 in New York's Hotel Commodore. James Gray, give him the whole story and try to determine if he is Moseley . . . was staging press conferences and radio and tele­ involved in any way. I don't think he is.. . . If, by any chance, vision appearances to promote his investment. Princess Moon any of your cronies are planting occasional hoax calls ... get Owl seemed to fit too neatly into the publicity campaign" them to stop it. They will be needlessly involving themselves (Keel 1975). Moseley has denied initiating these calls, insisting in a situation that could cost them their sanity or even their the publicity would have helped others also (Moseley 2001). lives (Keel 1967)." Whoever actually began these calls, though, established a pat­ This letter is still in Barker's files, indicating Moseley had tern on which Barker would build. shared it. The "attached material" was a four-page account of the July 14 call. In this version, the "wife" was "Mrs. Gray Mysterious Phone Calls Baker" in every reference. Why she became "Barker" eight Keel wrote in Mothman that, three weeks after the "congress," years later in Mothman is unknown—despite attempts to obtain clarification from Keel. At 1 A.M. on the morning of Friday, July 14, 1967, I received a call from a man who identified himself as Gray Barker from Keel asked Barker August 18: "Gray, can you account for West Virginia. The voice sounded where you were and what you were exactly like Gray's softly accented doing at the time I received that mellifluous own, but he addressed odd phone call. . . ? Do you sup­ me as if I were a total stranger and pose that there's any chance that carefully called me "Mr. Keel." . . . [H]e had just heard about a case you could have made that call which he thought I should look without conscious knowledge of into. It was, he said, similar to the doing so?" (Keel 1967) Derenstein case. Gray and I had Barker told Keel September 23 visited Woodrow Derenbergcr together so I knew this was not the he'd been in his apartment July 14: kind of mistake he would make. ... "The weird thing, is, though, that I had received a number of my telephone bill does show a reports from people in the New dialed call to you on the 14th (See York area who had been receiving [photo]stat of phone bill). A local nuisance calls from a woman who identified herself as "Mrs. Gray hoaxter [sic] could very easily call Barker." I knew that Gray was not up person to person and give my married but when I mentioned number to the operator, but this these calls to this "Gray Barker" he would be difficult or impossible to paused for a moment and then said, "No, Mrs. Barker hasn't been dial. This has me almost believing calling anybody up there." . . . that I did make the call! I just don't "Gray" sounded like a man get drunk enough to not remem­ under duress ... as though some­ ber having made calls. . . . Maybe one was holding a gun to his head. you can figure this one out. I can't" I tricked him several times with (Barker 1967). different meaningless references and by the time I hung up I was James W. Moseley (left) with David Houchin. historian in charge of the Barker had been in Clarksburg definitely convinced that this man Barker Collection and other materials relating to West Virginian at the time of the call, so Keel authors. Photo by John C Sherwood. was not the real Gray Barker.... would have called him there next The next day I called Gray long distance and he denied hav­ day. But only if The Mothman Prophecies is accurate. The ing placed the call, naturally (Keel 1975). book's scenario leaves no cause for Keel's August 18 request. In April 2001, Moseley insisted he'd had no prior knowl­ None of Barker's letters reminds Keel they'd spoken again a edge of the call, but added, "Knowing Gray, he was probably few hours later. Keel's own initial account mentions no follow- drunk" (Moseley 2001). up. Thus The Mothman Prophecies takes on the feel of a misre- Perhaps trying to provoke a confession, Keel told Moseley membered diary. three days after the call that "these calls are part of a pattern Keel told Barker October 7, "threatening phone calls were which has been carefully planned by an individual or a group of made to an individual on Long Island in your name. This indi­ individuals. Their eventual aim is to discredit my research or to vidual (I must withhold the name because he is in grave danger) involve me in some kind of a 'frame up.' . .. Extensive and received a visit from the MIB. . . . Gray, this is an extremely seri­ detailed records of my current research, giving names, dates, ous business and these people play for keeps. I know for a fact etc., have been stored in a safe place and trusted friends have that the MIB are active in West Virginia and have been seen sev­ access to those records. Should I be arrested, murdered, or dis­ eral times in a large black car bearing Pennsylvania license plates. appear, these records should immediately be examined and So watch your ass down there" (Keel 1967). placed in the hands of a competent lawyer." Barker responded by blaming hoaxsters. Keel's next three Keel added: "Please file the attached material in a safe place. letters came at two-day intervals, decrying Moseley's "trick­ If anything should happen to me, then print it. When you see ery" and "unsavory techniques," the use of which "merely

42 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER muddies your reputation and adds to the confusion." Keel Mixing Fact and Fiction wrote October 24: "In 1968, there will be ten male births to Keel and Barker now toyed with collaboration on a Mothman every female. This trend spells genocide within two genera­ book. Barker, who had done little firsthand research, accepted tions. In addition, there has been a sharp increase in fluoride Keel's offer to share notes. Barker then wrote rough chapters, poisonings. . . . Thousands of 'silent ' are being which he sent to me. After my favorable review, he sent his suckered into the biggest con game in history" (Barker and Keel 1967). In a disturbingly manipulative response October 29, Barker recalled Barker said of his Mothman book: [Y]our remark that you felt that the MIB, I have deliberately stuck in fictional etc., might be programmed robots or androids of some sort—or beings under chapters based roughly on remote electronic control. I hesitate to go into this, for there is always the possibility that you cases I had heard about." yourself may be consciously or subconsciously serving these forces. There is a method which I have used which have kept me relatively unbothered by the MIB syndrome... . These methods, by which so far both rhanks and added, "I have deliberately stuck in fictional chap­ myself and JWM [Moseley] have not been really "bothered," ters based roughly on cases I had heard about. Throughout the have something to do with our behavior over the past few fictional chapters is an undertone which explains the sightings months.. . . [T)his "method" has something to do with upset­ from a psychological viewpoint, diough this is never stated" ting the modis [sic\ operandi (sp?) of a "program," whether it be (Barker and Sherwood 1968). on a computer or whatever.... I was convinced that you would be the next victim of a Barker sent Keel a rough chapter describing Keel's first "shush-up." But due to infor­ foray into West Virginia. mation reaching me since Keel objected to "being that time, I believe you are turned into some kind [of] finding the ways and means of resisting such an eventual­ 'mysterious' character'" and ity (Barker 1967). provided a rewrite (Barker and Keel 1968). Keel re­ Keel resisted the bait, called this episode in one of replying November 2: "I his first messages to me in early 2001: Barker's books regard the letter as another had been laced with fiction, hoax. . . . Did you expect me he said. He'd been appalled to believe that you and Jim by Barker's proposed chapter were undercover agents? Let's about him and his rewritten stop all this happy horseshit" version probably was the fin­ (Keel 1967). ished book's only honest seg­ Moseley, then Saucer A display case in the Gray Barker Collection exhibits copies of Barker's magazine. The ment. He'd written The News owner, in November Saucerian. as well as the ceramic UFO model used in the fraudulent "Lost Creek UFO" film created by Barker and Moseley. The plastic model in the background was used to Mothman Prophecies to clear distributed Barkers version recreate the film in Ralph Coon's documentary Whispers from Space. the record (Keel 2001). of the July call, in which On March 15, 1969, a rift opened with Keel's letter refer­ Barker denied responsibility and repeated the android hokum: encing a "Mothman Convention" Barker had held the previ­ "If the reader is ever confronted by one of these strange peo­ ous Labor Day at Point Pleasant, West Virginia: ple .. . Don't respond in fear. Most important, make some sort of joke! . . . If you throw off their programing [sic], they will It is absolutely inexcusable that none of you bothered to inter­ be 'short-circuited,' so to speak, and will probably run scream­ view a single witness. .. . Instead, you, Moseley, .. . et al. ing into die night or fade out like a motion picture would do" engaged in a typical buffery "investigation." You went down (Moseley and Barker 1967). there and looked at the sky two years after the main incidents Recalling diis episode, Moseley wrote to me, "Gray was had occurred. This was tourism, not investigation. Gray.... delighted that Keel was reporting all sorts of persecutions' and I made every effort to cooperate with you characters and devoted a lot of valuable time to writing for the various fan paranoia" (Moseley 2001). magazines. I have been repaid hy groundless gossip, rumors, Keel now suspected Moseley had made hoax calls to UFO and maniacal nonsense. You and Moseley are directly respon­ enthusiasts in Florida and Texas. He urged Barker to "hammer sible for much of it. It is litde wonder that the subject has some sense into Moseley" (Keel 1968). But Barker was a bad acquired such a disreputable . I don't pretend to under­ stand your motivations but I do wish you would adopt a more choice for this honest task. About that same time he was urg­ mature approach to the situation (Keel 1969). ing me to write "a spellbinder article by Dr. Pratt. . . . We probably could fool the [1968 UFO] Congress on this too" Apparently abashed. Barker no longer sought Keel's help. (Barker 1968). The Silver Bridge ended up on a private press and focused on

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 43 UFO is a bucket of shit Its followers Perverts Monomaniacs Dipsomaniacs Artists of the fast buck. . . . And 1 sit here, writing. While the shit drips down my Face in great rivulets. I wonder whether Gray carried this hint of remorse to his grave. Maybe he consoled himself with the fun he'd had chas­ ing monsters and goading others to pursue his creations. Sure, today's moviegoers will enjoy his otherworldy offspring. But those who hunt for any truth about them will find the path lit­ tered with deceitful diversions and fraudulent road signs plas­

Richard Gere in the 2002 film The Mothman Prophecies. tered with his fingerprints.

Acknowledgments few cases. In it, the phone call to Keel went ignored—a remarkable omission unless Barker knew it wasn't inexplicable. Thanks go to David Houchin, historian and genealogist who supervises In 1970, Barker wrote to me, "the kookie books are about the Gray Barker Collection at Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library, all that I can sell these days. ... I lost the 'sensible' subscribers Clarksburg, West Virginia; James W. Moseley for his aid and candor; Ralph Coon for his invaluable film; Don Roberts of Vinita, Okla., for to SN [Saucer News] long ago, so I get a kick out of letting it information on Lowell Cunningham; Karl T. Pflock for his corrections; reflect the utter mental illness of the field." Barker soon sent and my wife, Katari Brown, for her flattery and love. a copy of Bridge to me. Keel, however, didn't get one. In fact, Keel waited three years before requesting a copy (Keel 1973). References After the book arrived Keel told Barker, "1 may quote a few Barker, Gray. 1953. The monster and ihc saucer. Fate January: 12-17. lines in my new opus and spread your fame" (Keel 1974). . 1956. They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers. New York: Uni­ In The Mothman Prophecies Keel summarized Barker's work versity Books. and presented him as a "player." But Barker's own book went . 1966-83. Correspondence wich James W. Moseley, John A. Keel, John C Sherwood, ct al. Gray Barker Collection, Clarksburg-Harrison unmentioned. Barker didn't complain. Their correspondence Public Library. Clarksburg, West Virginia. over the next decade was cordial. Before Barker died Keel even . 1967. Gray Barker's Book of Adamski. Clarksburg, West Virginia: sent a get-well card. Saucerian Publications. . 1970. The Silver Bridge. Clarksburg, West Virginia: Saucerian Books. The more intriguing of the two books is Mothman, which . 1983. M1B: The Secret Terror Among Us. Jane Lew, West Virginia: goes far beyond Barker's treatment of the anecdotal accounts. Press. Keel perceived a "large and well-financed organization" involv­ Catoe, Lynn E. 1969. UFOs and Related Subjects: An Annotated Bibliography. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office ing "ultraterrestrials" manipulating humanity's perceptions and Coon, Ralph. 1995. Whispers from Space. Videoactive Releasing. [Whispers behavior. He outlined ominous activity ranging over decades, from Space is available from The Picture Palace, Box 281, Caldwell, New tied to political assassination and fostering "the worldwide Jersey 07006, or may be ordered at http://155.212.16.51/picpal/ ohsyn.html.] spread of the UFO belief and its accompanying disease" among Hynek, J. Allen and Jacques Vallee. 1975. The Edge of Reality. Chicago: Henry a confederacy of duped contactees: "In their meetings with the Regnery Co. entities they are served up platters of propaganda along with Keel, John A. 1966-83. Correspondence with Gray Barker. James Moseley. ct al. Gray Barker Collection, Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library. rumors and nonsense which they accept and repeat as fact" Clarksburg, West Virginia. (Keel 1975). . 1975. The Mothman Prophecies. New York: New American Library. After initial e-mail exchanges in early 2001, I approached . 2001. Correspondence with John C. Sherwood. Privately owned. Moseley. James W. 1995. Saucer Smear. Volume 42, No. 2 (Feb. 10. 1995) and Keel repeatedly to (a) clarify whether he still held such opin­ No. 4 (April 15, 1995); online at http://www.mcs.com/-kvg/smear/ ions, (b) resolve the contradictions between his book and his v42/ss950210.htm and http://www.mcs.nci/-kvg/smear/v42/ss950415. him#barkcr, respectively. letters, and (c) determine whether he still believed someone . 1998-2001. Correspondence with John C. Sherwood. other than Barker made the July 1967 phone call. Keel replied . 2001. Interview by John C. Sherwood. Clarksburg, West Virginia. that eye surgery kept him from reading my questions. Over April 28. Moseley, James W, and Gray Barker. 1967. Non-Scheduled Newsletter #29. subsequent months my questions were surface-mailed twice Saucer News Fort Lee, New Jersey: Nov. 10. and e-mailed twice more. No answers have been received. Rife. Phil. 1995. West Virginia's Strangest Visitors. Wonderful West Virginia A year before Barker died he squeezed more cash from an Vol. 58, No. 12. West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, Charleston. West Virginia: February. old hoax, restating my "Pratt" nonsense in M.I.B.: The Secret Sherwood, John. 1967. Flying Saucers Are Watching You. Clarksburg, West Terror Among Us. Unsolicited, he sent me a copy. As I scan it Virginia: Saucerian Publications. today, I'm reminded of a poem Moseley passed on to me . 1998. Gray Barken My friend, die myth-maker. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 22(3): 37-39. (Coon 1995, Moseley 2001), with the explanation that Barker Westcott, Scon. 1993. Back in black. Comics Scene. New York: No. 33, May. had written it in the late 1950s: Wilson, Colin. 1998. Alien Dawn. New York: Fromm International.

44 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER The King of Quacks: Albert Abrams, M.D.

One of the greatest quacks of all time was Albert Abrams, M.D. Abrams earned the dubious distinction of "the dean of twentieth century charlatans" by the American Medical Association. J.D. HAINES, M.D.

he physician is the most convincing of all quacks. He has both the knowledge and the authority to pro­ Tmote his claims, no matter how outlandish. In the history of physician-quacks, the undisputed king is Dr. Albert Abrams. This Stanford professor was given the dubi­ ous distinction as the "dean of twentieth century charla­ tans," according to the American Medical Association in 1924 (Cramp 1936). Quack is short for quacksalver, which means one who "quacks," or makes a loud noise, about a remedy, such as a salve (Randi 1995). The requirements for a convincing quack are threefold. First, he must pretend to have knowl­ edge of some remarkable medical remedy. Second, he must

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 45 be a convincing liar. And finally, he must have a gullible vic­ (Splanchnic Neurasthenia) in 1904, Diseases of the Lungs in tim. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "There are no greater 1905, and Man and His Poisons in 1906. liars in the world than quacks—except for their patients" In The Blues, he set forth his theory that neurasthenia (sim­ (Randi 1995). ilar to nervous exhaustion) resulted in part from stagnation of Even though history has revealed multitudes of charlatans, the blood in the abdominal veins. Treatment consisted of phys­ their victims often remain their most ardent supporters. Hope, ical exercise to strengthen the abdominal muscles. He also and the desire to believe, are powerful forces that quacks introduced an apparatus of his own design to accomplish the strengthening. Man and His Poisons con­ Abrams claimed he could revolutionize tained one of the first electrical devices designed by Abrams to be used in treatment. the field of diagnostics. The system But his true break with conventional worked like this: a drop of blood on a medicine occurred in 1910 with the publi­ cation of Spondylotherapy. He claimed to be piece of paper, a piece of preserved able to diagnose and cure disease by a tissue or even a handwriting steady, rapid percussing of the spine. The California Medical Society declared the sample, or photograph from the diseased technique "a hybrid of up-stage osteopathy person was all that was needed and " (Cramp 1936). A review of the technique was critical, to yield a diagnosis but Abrams cleverly twisted the wording to make it an endorsement, which he then fea­ exploit to great advantage. While many today laugh at those tured in advertising. The book was popular with the public, who fell victim to Dr. Abrams's ridiculous methods and treat­ rapidly selling through five printings. Abrams embarked on a ments, the spirit of his work is still alive and well. The story of lecture tour, charging $200 to teach spondylotherapy to any­ how Abrams achieved the title of the dean of American quack­ one willing to pay the fee. ery is a fascinating tale. Several years later, Dr. Morris Fishbein Abrams began his career in the con­ of the American Medical Association ventional way, obtaining a medical degree wrote, "Apparently having percussed the at the early age of twenty from the back to the fullest extent of what it would University of Heidelburg in 1882. He yield monetarily. Dr. Albert Abrams pursued postgraduate studies in Berlin, turned the patient over and began to per­ Paris, Vienna, and London before return­ cuss the abdomen" (Fishbein 1927). His ing to his native San Francisco. new system, however, was much more Little is known of his childhood, how­ complex and capitalized on Americas fas­ ever E.W. Page wrote in 1939 that cination with radio and the invention of Abrams's parents instilled in him a desire new gadgets. to dominate others by intellectual Electricity had provided a tremendous achievement. Abrams came to feel that boost to . In the early twentieth that he was destined to become a sage, or century, America became hooked on even a prophet, and to possess both radio. Abrams pronounced, "The spirit of wealth and power (Bailey 1978). the age is radio, and we can use radio in In 1893 Abrams accepted die position Albert Abrams diagnosis" (Abrams 1925). In 1917 of Professor of Pathology at Cooper Abrams published his electronic theory of Medical College, the predecessor of Stanford University. Early diseases, called "Electronic Reactions of Abrams," or E.R.A., in his career, he began writing and publishing on a wide range inaugurating one of the most famous cults of all time. of medical subjects, including textbooks on clinical diagnosis E.R.A. proposed that the human body possessed a character­ and cardiology. He also published several collections of essays istic rate of electronic vibration in health and disease. By mea­ containing references to quackery. suring altered vibratory rates, the type, severity, and location of By 1900, Abrams began to turn increasingly from main­ any disease could be determined. These vibratory rates were mea­ stream medicine to more eccentric beliefs. In rapid succession, sured by an instrument invented by Abrams, the dynamizer. he published Nervous Breakdown in 1901, The Blues By linking the dynamizer to a series of other machines, Abrams claimed he could harness the new force, which would J.D. Haines. M.D.. is a board-certified family practitioner in pri­ revolutionize the field of diagnostics. The system worked like vate practice in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He is a clinical associate this: a drop of blood on a piece of paper, a piece of preserved professor of family and preventive medicine at the University of tissue or even a handwriting sample, or photograph from the Oklahoma College of Medicine. diseased person was all that was needed to yield a diagnosis.

46 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Each of these samples supposedly possessed the vibratory rate meant no more in medical research than Jack Dempsey's of the diseased person. would mean on a thesis dealing with the fourth dimension or The sample was place in the dynamizer, causing emanations to Babe Ruth's on the mathematical theory of invariance" pass through a series of machines; a rheostat dynamizer, a vibra­ {Scientific American 1929). tory rate rheostat, a strain rate rheostat, a measuring rheostat, and Sinclair, who also believed in and other paranor­ finally a proximal electrode. The proximal electrode was con­ mal phenomena, added E.R.A. to a long succession of fads to nected to the forehead of a healthy subject, called a reagent, who which he gave his outspoken allegiance. was usually an employee of the laboratory. Abrams insisted in special conditions to ensure the accuracy of the testing. It was Physicist Robert Millikan said, 'They are necessary that the room be darkened during the kind of devices a ten-year-old testing. It was also imperative that the reagent be facing west, with his feet resting would build to fool an eight-year-old." on ground plates and his arms held out to his side to prevent "shorting out." The reagent also had to be first treated with a horseshoe magnet to remove any extraneous vibrations. The apparatus could be adjusted to various settings corre­ sponding to different diseases. At each setting, the Abrams practitioner would percuss the reagent's abdomen to determine the areas of dullness. By changes in the areas of dullness at dif­ ferent settings, the diagnostician could deduce the diseases Cancer Tuberculosis Streptococcus affecting the person who provided the sample (Bailey 1978). Some of the most frequent diseases diagnosed were syphilis v •-- (euphemistically called diminished resistance), tuberculosis, and cancer. Many apparently healthy persons were commonly found to have multiple serious ailments. But fortunately for V* them, the amazing Dr. Abrams had devised a new instrument Malaria Pneumococcus Bacillus coli that could provide a cure, the oscilloclast.

The oscilloclast was simply set to the vibratory rate of the Examples of diagnoses that Albert Abrams would provide to his patients. disease to be treated, and a cure would result. The treatment was likened to shattering a wine glass by sound vibrations While Abrams sold his diagnostic devices, he would only (Bailey 1978). lease the oscilloclast. In addition to paying a healthy fee ($200 E.R.A. was reportedly so sensitive that it not only diagnosed to $250 initially, then $5 per month), the lessee had to agree the specific disease, but also the location within the body. The sex by contract never to open the apparatus, which was hermeti­ of the patient could be determined, and if female, whether or not cally sealed. Some did, however, and found a weird jumble of the patient was pregnant. Most remarkably, ohmmeters, rheostats, condensers, and the individuals religion could be detected other parts wired together in an incom­ according to areas of abdominal dullness to prehensible manner. percussion. In the September 1922 issue of Physicist Robert Millikan said, "They his journal, Physico-Clinical Medicine, are the kind of devices a ten-year-old Abrams printed a chart showing character­ would build to fool an eight-year-old" istic areas of abdominal dullness for (Young 1967). Physician Walter Alvarez Catholics, Seventh Day Adventists, tracked down the electrician who was Theosophists, Jews, Protestants, and producing the oscilloclasts. The electri­ Methodists. cian shamefully admitted that he was The popularity of E.R.A. was greatly "prostituting" himself, but said the pay enhanced by a series of articles in Pearson's was irresistible. Dr. Abrams placed a drop of blood from one of his Magazine. Well-known author Upton patients into a "dynamizer" to determine the As the popularity of Abrams's method Sinclair became an ardent advocate of vibration frequency of the afflicting disease, and increased, practitioners from all over the then used an "ocilloclast" to duplicate those vibra­ E.R.A. after visiting Abrams's laboratory tions in order to neutralize that disease. country flocked to San Francisco to learn in San Francisco. Sinclair, a socialist and from the master. A four-week course in dreamer, was fascinated by Abrams's techniques and easily electronic medicine cost $200. A past president of the British duped. Scientific American wrote of Sinclair's recommenda­ Medical Association, Sir James Barr, was recruited on the con­ tions: "His name carried a brilliant and convincing story to the tinent to help spread the word. E.R.A. even achieved legal masses, who quite overlooked the fact that Sinclair's name standing when a judge accepted Abramss opinion in a paternity

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 47 suit based on the "electronic vibrations" of the alleged father's on a sort of toilet throne, his bare back resting against a metal blood sample. plate, his scrotum suspended in a whirling pool. The plate and pool were linked by wire to a battery. No frightened sufferer It is estimated that 4.000 electronic machines "authorized could question the rigor of the therapy (Young 1967). by Abrams" were manufactured. By mid-1923, more than 3,500 machines were in operation. According to one estimate, Quacks had good success in promoting their devices as drug- lessees found the Abrams machines a gold mine, bringing in less forms of therapy. The public was well aware of the many from $1,000 to $2,000 per week (Holbrook 1959). side effects, sometimes fatal, due to some pharmaceuticals. In E.R.A.'S tide of popularity prompted the American Medical his book The Golden Age of Quackery, Stewart Holbrook Association and the journal Scientific American to initiate inves­ summed up the history of device quackery as follows: tigations. The Associations journal concluded, "The absurdity One would like to know what became of all that imposing of the E.R.A. was demonstrated at various times by sending mass of machinery. I like to think that, somewhere or other, in some of Abrams's disciples specimens of blood purported to be the attic of a house that has belonged to four or five genera­ from patients who were ill but were actually taken from ani­ tions of a dedicated faddist family, there is grouped a now dusty and rusting display of the mechanical nostrums which, mals" (Holbrook 1959). One blood sample from a sheep was periodically over the years, have brought temporary comfort diagnosed as hereditary syphilis and an E.R.A. practitioner and hope to their users. wrote back offering a cure for $250 (Holbrook 1959). In this museum of obsolete therapy the oldest exhibit Another sample of sheep's blood accompanied by the his­ would of course be a pair of Dr. Perkins's Metallic Tractors; tory of a fifteen-year-old boy revealed a diagnosis of congeni­ and surely one of Dr. Raphael's Famous Electro-magnetic Chain:,, "endorsed by Prince Albert of England." There must tal syphilis, metastatic carcinoma of the left lung and pancreas, be a collection of the patented works of Dr. Hercules Sanche, Neisserian infection, and tuberculosis of the genitourinary the Discoverer of the laws of the Spontaneous Cures of tract. A cure was offered for $250 (Bailey 1978). Disease, which began with his basic Oxydonor, and flowered Drops of chicken blood and even red ink were submitted to into the elaborate attachments known as the Animator, the Novora, the Binora and the Vocorbis. There would have to be Abrams's practitioners, revealing seemingly terminal diag­ a copy of Dr. Charles A. Tyrell's J.B.L. Cascade, The Internal noses, yet the prognosis was always favorable, if treated with Bath of the Continuous Good Health; and perhaps several the amazing oscilloclast and the accompanying $250 fee. unmentionable devices, patented or otherwise, which had Scientific American embarked on an ambitious campaign come in Plain Sealed Wrappers from mail-order houses with names like the Ponce de Leon Appliance Company. against E.R.A., resulting in a series of twelve articles from October 1923 to September 1924. Scientific American con­ Then within reach of an electric socket would stand the wonderful showcase of Dr. Abrams, a complete Electronic cluded that E.R.A. was the work of a mastermind, writing, "It Assembly, its levers, buttons, and flashing lights reminding is far more intricate and ironclad than medical fads of the past. one today less of therapy than of a small size computer ..." It deals with a new form of energy . . ." (Scientific American (Holbrook 1959). 1929). And, "At best it is an illusion; at worst it is a colossal Even with such colossal frauds as E.R.A., the public con­ fraud" (Scientific American 1929). tinues to fall prey to new forms of quackery. Magician and Writer David M. Barley explained the E.R.A. phenome­ debunker has said that the climate for quacks has non, "Indeed radio was new and poorly understood by the never been better in the United States. "Political and legal con­ public. The prospect of using it to diagnose and cure disease in siderations," says Randi, "have prevented open discussion or an easy and painless way, without the use of unpleasant drugs even questioning of procedures that are clearly without merit. or surgery, must have seemed attractive to a gullible public" The highly litigious nature of American society has effectively (Bailey 1978). provided the quacks with protection, and the public suffers Another article said that Abrams's machines had "forced the because it cannot afford to defend itself and politicians for chiropractors to bring out their piece of mechanical hocum, censure" (Randi 1995). the Neurocalometer, in order to meet the competition of the As the old saying goes, if it sounds to good to be true, it osteopaths with their Oscilloclasts and other Abrams magic probably is. boxes" (Cramp 1936). Dr. Abrams died suddenly from pneumonia at age sixty in References 1924, just as serious doubts about his methods were becoming Abrams, Albert. 1925. Cited inside front arm. Journal of Electronic Medicine, widespread. At the time of his death, Abrams's estate January. amounted to over $2 million, a testament to the gullibility of Bailey, D.M. 1978. The rise and fall of Albert Abrams, AM, MD, FRMS. journal of the Oklahoma State Medical Association 71: 15—20. the public and the greed of those who should have known bet­ Cramp. A J. 1936. Nostrums and Quackery and Pseudo-Medicine. Chicago: ter. James Young said this about the gadget boom in quackery: Press of the AMA. 112. Fishbein, M. 1927. The New Medical Follies. New York: Boni and Livcright. Device quackery preyed upon the same widespread credulity, 101. fear, and desperation which permitted all other forms of Holbrook. S.H. 1959. The Golden Age of Quackery. New York: MacMillan quackery to flourish. Gadgets could possess certain kinds of Co.. 132. persuasiveness denied to drugs. One was the power to shock. Randi, J. 1995. An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the A New York "clinic" early in this century treated young men and Supernatural New York: St. Martin's Press, 196. who were led to believe they might be suffering from syphilis The editors. 1929. Scientific American, 131. 96. or the dire consequences of self-abuse. The patient sat naked Young, J.H. 1967. The Medical Messiahs. Princeton: Princeton Univcraty Press. D

48 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS

Living Legends

BENJAMIN RADFORD

Aliens, Ghosts, and Cults: Legends We Live. By Bill Ellis. University of Mississippi Press: Mississippi, 2001. ISBN 1-57806-325-6. 272 pp. Hardcover, $38.

liens, Ghosts, and Cults, by Bill In the third chapter, Ellis points out lights are out. If they did, the helpful Ellis, reminds us that legends that though many people tend to think motorist would be followed to his or her A surround us, and much of the of urban (or, as Ellis prefers, "contempo­ destination and killed as part of a gang time we don't even know it. Ellis should rary") legends as fairly recent, they can initiation. This version of the story know; he's an associate professor of be quite old. One example is "The Gang began circulating in the early 1990s, but English and American Studies at Initiation," the subject of Jan Harold Ellis traces variants of this legend back Pennsylvania State University. The book Brunvands March/April 1995 to 63 B.C., having been around in is divided into three parts. The first dis­ ancient Rome. Only back men it was cusses the characteristics of legends: what Christians who were the "gang," and the makes a legend, when a legend is consid­ initiations were ritualized child sacri­ ered traditional or contemporary, and the ALIENS, fices. These motifs linger to this day in different ways one can approach and ana­ legends surrounding satanic cults. Ellis's lyze legends. The second section, titled discussion is lucid and fascinating. "Life as Legend," examines a ghost seen GHOSTS Richard Dawkins's concept of memes at a Pizza Hut (!), a variant of the "van­ comes up, and, though intrigued by the ishing hitchhiker" urban legend, and theory, Ellis chides Dawkins for not con­ accounts of alien abductions as legend. sulting folklorists in the development of "Legend as Life," die third and most fas­ his ideas. A chain letter Dawkins sees as cinating section, discusses how people CULTS an example of a "mind virus" Ellis regards engage in ostension, die acting out of leg­ instead as a legend. He writes, "I will ends. This includes playacting horror from this point on call 'memes' by their campfire stories, ritualized teenage rite- proper name, which is folklore, and of-passage trips to "haunted" sites, and, LEGENDS 'mind viruses' by the more objective and Ellis claims, even murder. academically established name, which is The first quarter of the book is at times VEUVE 'contemporary legend'" (83). technical and somewhat academic, as Ellis Some or Ellis's analyses, though thor­ explores die finer points of legendmaking ough, seem a little muddled and some­ and narrative. Discussions of narrative Bill Ellis what belabored. The eight pages he structural theories and folkloric terms devotes to a transcription of an inter­ such as metonym and sjuzhet are unlikely view with a former manager of a sup­ to open many doors to those not familiar SKEPTICAL INQUIRER article "Lights posedly haunted Pizza Hut, for example, with folklore. Yet readers who allow Out: A Faxlore Phenomenon." In this seems excessive. I understand the need themselves to be put off by the technical legend, innocent people are killed as to read the comments in their proper discussions will miss a good book. part of a horrific gang initiation (usually narrative context, but it might have read by a group of social outcasts). In the better had it been presented as an Benjamin Radford is Managing Editor of "Lights Out!" version, motorists were appendix. the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. warned not to flash other cars whose In chapter eight, "The Varieties of

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 49 BOOK REVIEWS

Alien Experience," Ellis examines the The reviews, say Ellis, miss the point The Satanic abuse witch trials of the case of Whitley Strieber, a novelist who because they "claim that Communion 1990s resulted in dozens of innocent claimed to have had contact widi aliens. describes Strieber's contact widi aliens. It people being falsely accused of child Strieber wrote about them in his 1987 does not. The book in fact is ... an abuse. Although cases of "true" best seller. Communion, and Ellis exam­ attempt to 'tell' an ungrammatical experi­ satanism are virtually nonexistent, there ines the text from a folkloric perspective. ence, an experience for which there is a have been some cases of self-styled Writes Ellis, "(lit is difficult to see limited cultural belief language" (143). satanists (the kind we in high school Strieber's account for exactly what it is, Ellis makes an important and interesting termed "posers") who adopt gothic because many readers see the details he point, that "Legends, whatever else they clothes and listen to various heavy represents in the light of their own are, are accounts of ambiguous experi­ metal bands (many with commercial­ belief-languages" (142). He criticizes ence, events that normal 'factual' concepts ized satanism such as Iron Maiden, several reviews of Strieber's book, includ­ cannot contain." Strieber may have had Marilyn Manson, and Slayer). On a few ing one in the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER by some undescribable, subjectively real occasions (usually fueled by alcohol or Ernest Taves (12[1] Fall 1987), in which experience, and the closest he could come other drugs) they have killed others or he claims Taves dismisses Strieber as to describing it was using "belief lan­ sacrificed animals, and Ellis states that "cither mentally ill or he is consciously guage" borrowed from UFO/alien milieu. such actions "were guided by legendary perpetrating a hoax" (143). It may be true that Strieber did not accounts of devil worship." That is, A reading of the original review, how­ settle on alien contact as the only possi­ they take their cues from popular ideas ever, tells a somewhat different story. ble interpretation of his experiences, but of what satanic cultists do, then follow Taves does not write that Strieber is either Ellis can hardly fault skeptical reviewers that. In this way the legends are acted hoaxing or mentally ill. He writes that for latching onto the UFO interpreta­ out and thus come full circle. "we need to consider the possibility that tion when Strieber and UFO buffs heav­ The book also highlights the dangers the book is a hoax" (an appropriate and ily emphasized that angle. of the many self-styled experts on cults logical possibility given the book's fantas­ Ellis's third section on legend as life is and satanism who give presentations to tic story), and in fact Taves finishes his the most valuable and interesting part of law enforcement groups and the public. review with four hypotheses regarding the book. It is an outstanding analysis of Despite the fact that they frequently Communion, die first two of which con­ how people can draw elements from the have little or no training in folklore or clude that "Strieber's experiences are narratives and legends in their commu­ anthropology, these experts tell people 'real.'" He does not favor them, but he nities and act them out. This is the case what signs indicate that a satanic group does offer them to readers as possibilities. of ostension, which "is present whenever is active in their community. Such This flies in the face of Ellis's depiction someone creates such 'found narrative' "signs of involvement" might include of dogmatic skeptics who reject Strieber's out of real life or whenever someone cre­ common objects such as fantasy or role- narrative out of hand as a lie or delusion. ates a stir by manufacturing evidence for playing games, "occult books," black The real difference here is that Ellis is legendary events" (161). One example is clothes, or symbolic jewelry such as a folklorist, and Taves a psychiatrist. the case of Ronald Clark O'Bryan, the pentagrams. This can in turn create or These are different approaches, with dif­ Texan who poisoned his son for insur­ foment hysteria and panic over a non­ ferent standards of evidence. As Ellis ance money on Halloween and tried to existent threat. himself notes (quoting a colleague), use the legend of poisoned Halloween Aliens, Ghosts, and Cults is an impor­ "The folklore scholar is fortunate inas­ candy to cover up his crime. In another tant book because it shows how legends much as he need not concern himself case, a woman who had drowned and are not just musty old stories told with the question of the existence or dismembered her infant son initially around campfires, but narratives and nonexistence of paranormal phenom­ claimed that two men had kidnapped beliefs that actively shape the way we ena." From a folkloric point of view, her child from a shopping center, a com­ live and the world we encounter. urban legends are descriptive narratives mon urban legend. Legends are like intangible and subtle and as such are neidner correct nor Many of the cases Ellis cites are said to architects of our personal and collective incorrect. But at the point in which the be related to devil worship. It is not sur­ views of the world. If you have for­ legends (e.g., Strieber's claims) make prising that the specter of satanism would warded chain e-mail warnings, worried verifiable, real-world claims, the skeptic feature prominently, first because as a over a mad slasher in a mall parking lot, is justified in taking the claims literally symbol of "ultimate evil" it is invoked in or been spooked by "true" campfire sto­ and investigating whether they occurred many legends, and second because the ries, legends have touched your life. Yet or not. Without proof, concluding that topic is one of Ellis's specialties; in 2000 you are one of the lucky ones; other peo­ Striebers experiences were "subjectively he published Raising the Devil: Satanism. ple have spent years in jail largely due to real" is fine, but it leads nowhere. New , and the Media. the power of urban legends.

50 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER BOOK REVIEWS

Green Men." Morrison, one of Carl Autobiographies and Sagan's first doctoral students, reviews the Velikovsky affair, (i.e., Other Musings from the evidence for and against the effects of meteor and comet collisions), evidence World's Leading Skeptics for and against other intelligent life- ROBERT A. BAKER forms in outer space, and creationism's ignorance and silliness. This section also Skeptical Odysseys: Personal Accounts by the World's Leading includes Neil DeGrasse Tyson's "Certain Paranormal Inquirers. Edited by Paul Kurtz. Prometheus Uncertainties," a detailed discussion of Books, Amherst, N.Y. 2001. 400 pp. ISBN 1-57392-884-4 the difficulties scientists have in present­ Cloth, $27. ing and explaining scientific facts to the scientifically naive. ooking for ways to celebrate the Director, provides an entertaining essay Section V, devoted entirely to astrol­ twenty-fifth anniversary of the on the problems and pleasures of orga­ ogy, includes Geoffrey Dean's and Ivan LCommittee for the Scientific nizing, staffing, and managing hundreds Kelly's "Does Astrology Work?," a Investigation of Claims of the Para­ of workshops, conferences, and semi­ review of astrology and skepticism from normal (CSICOP), founder Paul Kurtz nars. CSICOP Fellow and council 1975 to 2000, as well as Jean-Claude decided to publish a commemorative member James Alcock provides an Pecker's essay of the unending battle sci­ volume made up of autobiographical overview of the current state of psi ence has waged with this pseudoscience. statements and original contributions by research as well as accounts of his per­ Popular investigations. Section VI, a selected few of the world's major skep­ sonal struggles with . Lee includes CSICOP's Senior Investigator tics. The result, Skeptical Odysseys, is a Nisbet, in his recall of the origins and Joe Nickell's amusing and adventure- book that anyone having a serious inter­ evolution of CSICOP, stresses that sci­ filled autobiography and magician and est in either CSICOP or paranormal ence is too important to be left to scien­ entertainer Henry Gordon's "Diary of a claims will be interested in. The book tists and shows us just how important a Canadian Debunker." Gordon's en­ offers insights, illuminations, and auto­ role skeptics play in science education. counters with some of the world's best- biographical statements from thirty- Editor Kurtz finishes the section with known psychics and true-believers make seven well-known scientists and para­ his own autobiography and his personal skeptics want to cheer. normal investigators. involvement in a number of CSICOP's Section VII, on Creationism, is a Editor Kurtz asked each contributor major attacks and campaigns. superb account by Eugenie Scott of her to look back over die past twenty-five Section II of Odysseys is devoted to long and successful battle with religious years of his or her investigatory efforts at parapsychology and includes Susan fundamentalists to protect and defend exploring the paranormal and then to Blackmore's review of the sorry state of the teaching of evolution as well as to review and summarize what he or she psychic research and a personal expose the flaws and of their learned. Few restrictions were placed on account of why she has given up on pseudoscience. Section VIII, devoted cither content or length; this air of free­ ever finding anything worthwhile in to Alternative Medicine, contains dom results in a most informal and the pursuit of psi. Leon Jaroff, a Wallace Sampson's sobering summary enjoyable cornucopia of recent skeptical CSICOP Fellow and Time science edi­ of how a host of medical pseudo- history and the men and women who tor, provides a memorable account of sciences managed to gain public accep­ made it. his experiences with , and tance and support when it is crystal Section I, Twenty-Five Years of CSI­ Barry Beyerstein offers his personal clear they do not deserve it. Section IX, COP, is headed by Kendrick Frazier's history as well as a detailed account of Skepticism Around the World, has story of his personal experiences and the legitimate psychology's struggles with contributions from the Netherlands, challenges he faced as editor of the parapsychology and New Age charla­ Italy, Mexico, Russia, India, and Spain. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER for the past quarter tans. The third section of the book is Each of these short entries convinc­ of a century. Frazier's views on the role devoted to UFOs and includes excel­ ingly demonstrates that the skeptical of SI in educating a scientifically illiter­ lent essays by Phil Klass, Robert cause is alive and well, not only here ate public are inspirational and memo­ Sheaffer, Gary Posner, and Bill Nye. but around the world. rable. Barry Karr, CSICOP's Executive Section IV, concerned with Astron­ Section X, titled Some Personal omy and the Space Age, offers us David Reflections, consists of intriguing com­ Robert Baker is professor emeritus in psy­ Morrison's brilliant essay "Killer ments by distinguished sexologist Vern chology University of Kentucky, Lexington. Comets, Pseudocosmogony, and Little Bulloughs, , editor of

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/lune 2002 51 MAY/JUNE 1999 (vol. 23. no. 3): Special Section: Urban legends. The snuff film. Strne / Bitter harvest: The FILL IN THE GAPS IN YOUR organ-snatching urban legends. Radford I Bigfoot's screen test. Daegling and Schmitt I Tracking Bigfool on the Internet. Zuefle I Statement analysis. Shearer 1 NAGPRA, science, and the demon-haunted world, Skeptical Inquirer COLLECTION Clark I Urine therapy, Gardner. • 15% discount on orders of $100 or more • MARCH/APRIL 1999 (vol. 23. no. 2): Special Report: The ten-percent myth. Radford I Superstition and the • $6.25 a copy. Vols. 1-18 ($5.00 Vols. 19-25). To order, use reply card insert • regression effect, Kruger. Savitsky, and Gihvich I Psychology of the seance, Wiseman I and MARCH/APRIL 2002 (vol. 26, no. 2): Special Reports: of skepticism, Friedberg I Worlds in collision: Where archaeology, van Leusen I Hidden messages in DNA?, Bioterror ;m and alternative medicine, Atwood / reality meets the paranormal, Radford I Why bad Larhammar and Chatzidimitriou I The real Chief 'Mothma • solvedl Nickell I Bigfoot at fifty, Radford I beliefs don't die, Lester I Supernatural power and cul­ Seattle was not a spiritual ecologist. Abruzzi I Joint pain and weather. Quick I , zone therapy, it hobbled, Daegling I Pseudohistory in tural evolution, Layng I The brutality of Dr. Cripplefo and . Gardner. ancient c , Carrier I Ai science and religion com- Bettelheim, Gardner. patible?. Kurtz I The emptii ?ss of holism, Ruscio I SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2000 (vol. 24. no. 5): Voodoo sci­ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1999 (vol. 23, no. 1): Special Undert ong the spirits Nickell. ence and the belief gene. Park I Rogerian Nursing Report: Armageddon and the prophets of doomsday. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2002 (l I. 26. no. 1): Myths of Theory. Raskil I / Sun sign columns. Dea and Math Fears of the apocalypse. Kurtz / The Bible and the murder and multiple regressii i. Goertzel I Education. The psychic staring effect. Marks and Colwell I prophets of doom. Larue I Science and pseudoscience scientific knowledge, and belief in thi paranormal. Management of positive and negative responses in a in Russia. Kapitza I Testing dowsing: The failure of the Goode / A university's struggle with chi­ spiritualist medium consultation, Munich experiments. Enright I A fallibilist among the ropractic, DeRobertisI Snaring the Fow­ Greasley I The laws of r lature: A skeptic's cynics. Haack / The internet: A world brain?, Gardner. ler: Mark Twain debunks , guide. Pazameta t Speci al Report: Oi NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1998 (vol. 22. no. 6): Gaps in lopez / Three skeptics' debate tools cones and candles, Kaushall and Kaushall examined, Caso / Mickey Mouse discov­ the fossil record: A case study. Thomas I The Martian I Little Red Riding Hood. Gardner. Panic sixty years later Bartholomew I The perils of ers the 'real' Atlantis, Hardersen I JULY/AUGUST 2000 (vol. 24. 4): post-hockery. Ruscio I May the force be wilh you. Atlantis behind the myth, Christopher I : Can w (ally Krauss / The Mead-Freeman controversy: A fresh look: 10th European Skeptics Congress tap our problems away?. GaudU and Much ado about nothing The 'Fateful Hoaxing' of report, Mahner I Voodoo in New Herbert I Absolute skepticism uals Margaret Mead. Cdte / Margaret Mead. Derek Orleans. Nickell I Some thoughts on dogmatism, Bunge I Did a close induction. Gardner. Freeman, and the issue of evolution, Shankman I encounter of the third kind occur on a Second World Skeptics Congress: Science and reason, Japanese beach in 1803?. Tanaka I NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2001 (vol. 25. foibles and fallacies, and doomsdays / Science and the Rethinking the dancing mania. Barth­ unknowable, Gardner. no. 6): A critique of Schwartz et al.'s olomew I Has science education after-death communication studies. become an enemy of scientific rational­ SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1998 (vol. 22, no. 5): Special Wiseman and O'Keeffe I Magical think­ ity?. Edel Krakatene: Explosive pseudo- Section: What are the chances?, Coincidences: ing in complementary and alternative science from the Czech Academy of sci- Remarkable or random?. Martin I : Comes medicine. Stevens / Educational mal­ a / and Krishnamurti, the revolution, Dudley I Calculated risks, Cole I How to practice, Moore I Philosophers and psychics. The Sid study weird things, Trocco I Why would people not Vandy episode. Oldlieldl CSICOP 2Sth Ai iniversary sec- Gardner. believe weird things?. Anderson I Starkle, starkle. lit­ tion: The jrigins and evolution of CSICOP, Nisbet I tle twink, Hayes / Of planets and cognitions: The use MAY/JUNE 2000 (vol. 24, no. 3): Special Report: The of deductive inference in the natural sciences and psy­ Never a di I moment. Karr/: Hustling the new bogus MJ-12 documents. Klass I Mass delusions bereaved, Nickell I Ernest Hemingway and Jane. chology, Schlinger Jr. I What's going on at Tempie and hysterias of the past millennium. Bartholomew University?. Gardner. going Gardner. and Goode I Doomsday fears at RHIC, Guiterrez I Save SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2001 (vol. 25. no. 5): Special our science: The struggle for rationality at a French JULY/AUGUST 1998 (vol. 22, f IO. 4): Speci. il Report: Issue: Science and Religion 2001. Holy wars. Tyson I university, fl'och / Paraneuroscience?. Kirkland I Mars Global Surveyor photogi aphs Face >n Mars', The dangerous quest for cooperation between science Bohm's guided wave theory, Gardner. Morrison I Magnetic therapy: Plau ible i ttraction, and religion. Pandian I Design yes. intelligent no. MARCH/APftll 2000 (vol 24. no. 2): Risky business: Livingston I Biomagnetic pseudoscience and nonsense Pigliucci I A way of life for agnostics?. Lovelock I Vividness, availability, and the media paradox, Ruscio I claims. Sabadell I Catching up with eighteenth century so ligion. and the Galileo affair. Moy I The god Physics and the paranormal, 1 Hooft I Efficacy of science in the evaluation of . Ball and Alexander I Paranormal depictions in the media: ig bodies. Stenger I The ations hip betwi prayer. Tessman and Tessman I Can we tell if someone of (all, How do they affect what people believe?. Sparks I paran. beliefs and religiou bcli. jfs. Sparks t is staring at us?. Baker I Assessing the quality of med­ Scieno and religion in an impersoi al universe, Young ical Web sites. Levi I The demon-haunted sentence, Planting a seed f doubt. Shneourl Essiac: The not-so- / Arthi C. Clarke's Credo.' Clark I A designer uni- Byrne and Normand /Mad messiahs, Gardner. remarkable car er remedy. McCuIcheon / Near-Earth objects: Monsle i of Doom?, Gardner. verse? Weinberg I An evolution iry-genetic wager. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2000 (vol. 24, no. 1): Special Anise I Shroud ifTu rin scandals. I ckell I Multiverses Report: The ten outstanding skeptics of the twentieth MAY/JUNE 1998 (' I 22. no. 3): Special Sectic i:The and blackberrii , Gd •dner. century / Two paranormalisms or two Aliein s Files. Abduction by aliens c sleep JULY/AUGUST 2001 (vol. 25. no. 4): Confronting vet­ and a half?, Goode / paralysis?, Blackmore I Before Roswell : erinary medical nonsense. Imrie I Junk science and the Polidoro I The pseudosc The meaning behind the crashed-UFO myth. Bartholomew I Case closed: law. Dodes I ChevreuPs report on the mysterious oscil­ therapy, Allen I Conf essii Reflections on the 1997 Air Force lations of the hand-held pendulum. Spitz and graphologist, Tripician Coming of Jesus, Gardnt Roswell report. Gildenberg and Thomas Marcuard I CSICOP 25th Anniversary section: A quar­ I Gray Barker: My friend, the myth- ter-century of skeptical inquiry. Paul Kurtz I Thoughts NOVEMBER/DECEMBER maker, Sherwood I A skeptic living in on science and skepticism in the twenty-first century, no. 6): The Universe a Roswell, Churchill I Zero-point Kendrick Frazier I Proper criticism, Ray Hyman I The Davidson I The millennit and Harold Puthoff, Gardner. "9y lighter side of skepticism. Pudim I A skeptical ook at tagion. Lynch I Debunking Karl Popper, Gardner. : A response to astro MARCH/APRIL 1998 (v.ol . 22. 2). Kelly I The physics behind four amaz MAY/JUNE 2001 (vol. 25. no. 3): The shrinking file- Special Report: The price of bad memo­ demonstrations, Willey I Anothe ries, Loftus I Science, delusion, and the drawer. Stokes / The Pokemon Panic of 1997. Radford effect put to rest. Sweet I Special Report: I The Antinous Prophecies, Pickover I Common myths appetite for wonder. Dawkins / A mind at Blooming shroud claims, Wcfcefi / The play: An interview with Martin Gardner, of children's behavior. Fiorello I Bertrand Russell and star of Bethlehem, Gardner. critical receptiveness, Hare I CSICOP 25th Anniversary frazier / Houdini and Conan Doyle: The section: From the editor's seat: 25 years of scierce and SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1999 (vol. 23. no. 5): Special story of a strange friendship. Polidoro I Spontaneous skepticism, Kendrick Frazier I Science vs. pseudo- Report: Flashl Fox news reports aliens may have built human combustion: Thoughts of a forensic biologist, science, nonscience. and nonsense, James Alcock I CSI­ the . Carrier I Where do we come from?, Benecke I Did Adam and Eve have navels?. Gardner. COP timeline / Primal scream: A persistent New Age Pigliucci I Profits and prophecy. Wise I Projective mea­ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1998 (vol. 22. no. 1): Testing new therapy, Gardner. sures of personality and psychopathology: How well claims of dermo-optical perception, Benski and CRSSA do they work?, Lilienfeld I Wha every skeptic ought Scientists I Magnetic water and fuel treatment. Powell MARCH/APRIL 2001 (vol. 25. no. 2): Darwin in mind. to know about subliminal persu ision, Epley. Savitsky, I Dowsing the Rollrights. Hancock I Anomalous gold. Edis I A bit confused. Roche I What can the paranor­ and Kachelski I Carlos Castar eda and New Age Brower I Open minds and the argument from igno­ mal teach us about consciousness?. Blackmore I anthropology. Gardner. rance. Adlerl 200% probability and beyond: The com­ Spontaneous human confabulation. Nienhuys I Italy's pelling nature of extraordinary claims in the absence version of Harry Houdini. Nisbet IA psychological case JULY/AUGUST 1999 (vol. 23. no. 4): Special Issue: of alternative explanations. McDonald I Psychic of 'demon' and 'alien' visitation. Reisner I Distant Science and Religion. Conflict or Conciliation? exploitation, Wiseman and Greening / Is cannibalism a Celebrating creation. Raymo I Should skeptical inquiry healing and Elizabeth Targ. Gardner. myth?, Gardner. be applied to religion?, Kurtz I The 'Science and JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2001 (vol. 25. no. 1): Special Religion' movement. Scott I Science and the versus of NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1997 (vol. 21. no 6): The Mars Section: Issues in Alternative Medicine: Medicine wars, religion, Palevitz I Science vs. religion. Pazameta I effect in retrospect. Nienhuys I Hidden messages and Seidman I Herbal medicines and dietary supplements, Anthropic design. Stenger / Scientific skepticism. CSI­ the Bible code, Thomas I Science, scientism, and anti- Allen I Psychoactive herbal medications. Spinella I COP. and the local groups. Novella and Bloomberg I science in the age of preposterism. Haack I The Chiropractic. Homola I Damaged goods? Science and Two mind-sets. Allen I God is dead, after the weather Elemental Man: An interview with Glenn T. Seaborg / child sexual abuse. Hagen / Special Report: Science and sports. Reiss I Whence religious belief?. Pinker I Men in Black and Contacr. Night and day. Summer I indicators 2000 / Facilitated communication. Gardner. Non-overlapping magisteria, Gould /You can't have it Intelligent design and Phillip Johnson, Gardner. both ways: Irreconcilable differences?. Dawkins I The NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2000 (vol. 24. no. 6): The face concerns of science, Mayr I The religious views of behind the Face on Mars. Posner I The new paranat- Stephen Gould and Charles Darwin. Gardner. For a complete listing of our back issues, call 800-634- ural paradigm, Kurtz I Francis Bacon and the true ends 1610, or see http://www.csicop.org/si/back-issues.ritrnl. BOOK REVIEWS

Skeptic, the late TV star and author days and the place of religion in the Rodney Castleden should be on every Steve Allen, and CSICOP Fellow and scheme of things. Particle physicist skeptic's bookshelf as well. Bin the Council Member Bela Scheiber. All Stenger's "Skepticism About Religion" newly published The Atlantis Syndrome four of these essays have important is aptly titled and covers the topic suc­ by Paul Jordan belongs in that special messages for skeptics. Bullough's com­ cinctly and well. Every skeptic familiar place on the bookshelf reserved for ments about nurses and nursing, with Thomas's earlier detective work on works that represent an authoritative Shermer's clashes with organized reli­ Drosnin's The Bible Code will also enjoy treatment of a topic. Jordan has pro­ gion, and Allen's incisive attack on reli­ this follow-up: "Beyond The Bible duced a book that is so well-written, so gious dogma should be read and Code: Hidden Messages Everywhere." thorough, so engaging, inclusive, and remembered. Memorable also is Finally, Section XII traces the men­ unflinching, I'm just not sure anything Scheiber's disturbing review ot how and tal progress of yours truly from my more need be written about Atlantis. It why many American corporations early days as a skeptic to a concerned truly is that good and the marketing bought into the New Age nonsense. humanist. It also provides me with an cliche applies quite well here: if you read Section XI, Religion, is distinguished opportunity to thank Paul Kurtz for his one book on the lost continent of by the work of CSICOP co-founder leadership and for Skeptical Odysseys Atlantis, it should be Paul Jordan's The Martin Gardner, physicist Victor which is, indeed, a fitting and most cre­ Atlantis Syndrome. Stenger, philosopher Antony Flew, and ative commemoration of CSICOP's One of my own major annoyances CSICOP Fellow Dave Thomas. twenty-five successful years. Let us with people who have questioned me Gardner gives insightful observations hope the next twenty-five will be about the lost continent is their nearly and comments about CSICOP's early equally successful. universal error in assuming that the Atlantis described by Plato was a "per­ fect society." So, the argument goes, Diagnosing the Atlantis wouldn't it be wonderful if such a soci­ ety actually existed, especially at a time- Syndrome so deeply embedded in antiquity? The assumption behind this question is a KEN FEDER clear indication that, though they may The Atlantis Syndrome. By Paul Jordan. Sutton Publishing, be mightily interested in Atlantis, they Thrupp, United Kingdom, 2001. ISBN 0-7509-2597-3. have not availed themselves of the 308 pages. Hardcover, $29.95. works in which Atlantis was introduced to the world; the Timaeus and, espe­ cially, the Critias dialogues of Plato. Jordan, of course, summarizes the s can be seen in the Skeptic- Triangle, it buries it in a way that leaves Atlantean dialogues, but he does much Annotated Bibliography (www. the rational reader concluding: "Case more than merely disabuse actual and .csicop.org/bibliography/home. closed!" In this same category I would A potential Atlantisologists of their cgi), plenty of terrific books have been place Joe Nickell's Inquest on the Shroud notions of Atlantean perfection published in which a skeptical approach of Turin (1987) and James Randi s The (ancient Athens, not Atlantis, is the is applied to a particular paranormal Mask of Nostradamus (1993). These are model society in Critias, exemplifying claim or "alternative" perspective of not simply wonderful and useful books; the workings of a perfect polity as human history. These works are all quite they represent what amounts to the detailed in The Republic). Jordan per­ useful and a few of them even rise to the "final word" on their respective topics. forms the vital task of placing the level of "definitive statement" on a par­ Now, thanks to author Paul Jordan, I Critias dialogue in historical and philo­ ticular topic. In my own personal pan­ need to make room on my bookshelf for sophical context. Jordan makes Plato's theon of quintessential skepticism, I another such definitive work. purpose clear, and it is not in conveying reserve a place for Lawrence Kusche's To be sure, there are many valuable a true history of the world. The Mystery Solved books on the topic of the lost continent (1995). That work does not simply of Atlantis. Skeptics interested in Too often, diose who present alterna­ debunk the myth of the Bermuda Atlantis arc obliged to seek out L. tive histories are criticized narrowly, and Sprague de Camp's classic work. Lost the sometimes breathtaking, indirect Ken Feder is a professor of anthropology at Continents: The Atlantis Theme in implications of their claims are not suffi­ Central Connecticut State University New History Science and Literature (1970). ciently addressed by skeptics. Jordan Britain, Connecticut. He is a CSICOP Imagining Atlantis (1998) by Richard does not let the alternative historians Fellow. Ellis and Atlantis Destroyed (1998) by slide by here. A major element in

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/)une 2002 53 BOOK REVIEWS

Jordan's skeptical response to those who ical data. For a new piece of that puzzle achievements the archaeological record would have us believe not only that to cause us to discard or reconfigure the rather directly indicates they were capa­ Atlantis was a historical entity, but that existing mosaic, the evidence for its ble of, and so an external source is it inspired the development of later civi­ validity must be overwhelming. Jordan searched for. Atlantis, or something lizations, is supported in Chapter 6 shows absolutely that the evidence for a that sounds very suspiciously like ("Out of Africa") and Chapter 7 ("Into real Atlantis is decidedly underwhelming. Atlantis, becomes that source for far History"). These chapters are not about Plato's story of Atlantis takes on the too many writers. Jordan disposes of Atlantis, per se, but about what we know characteristics of a Rorschach test, with their arguments with great aplomb. regarding human prehistory and ancient readers encountering whatever they In The Atlantis Syndrome, Paul history. As summarized by Jordan, it is were hoping to find. A major part of Jordan provides the reader with a defin­ clear that we know quite a bit, but little Jordan's book focuses on the mental itive treatment of Atlantis in its many of what we know from a vast and diverse gymnastics some authors have exercised incarnations and contexts. I believe array of evidentiary sources can be true if in an attempt to show that Atlantis Plato's best known student, Aristotle, the Atlantis story is true. This is a vital was real (located in every imaginable got it exactly right when, referring to and too often glossed-over point; alter­ spot on Earth), and also a cultural font, Atlantis he commented, "He who native views of the human past should a surprisingly ancient lost civilization invented it also destroyed it" (as cited in not be examined in isolation, as free­ that inspired all of the known complex de Camp 1970:17). In The Atlantis standing stories. They must be viewed in societies of the ancient world. Some Syndrome, Paul Jordan destroys the context. Every new piece in the puzzle of writers simply cannot accept the real­ myth that Atlantis was a real place with human history must fit into the existing ity that ancient Egyptians, Mesopo- an enormous impact on the ancient mosaic that is already strongly supported tamians, the Maya, or Inca were world. Make room on your skeptic's by geological, archaeological, and histor­ responsible for the technological bookshelf. Case closed. SCIENCE BEST SELLERS Top Ten Best Sellers in New York

Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side The Future of Life of the Ail-American Meal E.O. Wilson 1 Eric Schlosser 6 Knopf Houghton Mifflin Co. Salt: A Beautiful Mind: The Life of A World History Mathematical Genius and Nobel 7 Mark Kurlansky 2 Laureate John Nash Walker & Co. Sylvia Nasar Touchstone Books Uncle Tungsten: The Universe in a Nutshell 8 Memories of a Stephen Hawking Chemical Boyhood 3 Bantam Doubleday Oliver W. Sacks Knopf The Skeptical Environmentalist: 4 Measuring the Real State of Taking Charge of the World Bjorn Lomborg Your Fertility Cambridge University Press Toni Weschler Quill Power to the Patient: The Treatments to Insist on When You're Sick Genome Isadore Rosenfeld Matt Ridley 10 HarperCollins Warner Books

By arrangement with Amazon.com, March 2001.

54 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER NEW BOOKS

Listing does not preclude future review. Subsequent chapters treat diesc questions: "Because drat is die way our and misleading claims about vitamins, min­ minds were prepared by evolution." Boyer Apart from Freud: erals, ergogenic supplements, herbal sup­ explores die details and ramifications, based on Notes for a Rational plements, fitness equipment, apparel, "pro­ findings in psychology, anthropology, cognitive Psychoanalysis. fessional" advice, weight loss, aging, and science, and other fields. Jonathan Cohen. and puffery about licenses, registra­ City Lights Publishers, tions, and certifications. WlmtAre the Odds' The 261 Columbus Ave., • ©•• Chances of Extraordinary San Francisco, CA The Mind Made Flesh: Frontiers of Events in Everyday Life. 94133. 2001. ISBN 0- Psychology and Evolution. Nicholas Hum­ f\ Jefferson Hane Weaver. 87286-378-6. 239 pp. phrey. Oxford University Press. 2002. 386 K 1 Prometheus Books, 59 $18.95, softcover. A pp., softcover. A volume of essays, lectures, Jt Mk |ohn Glenn Drive, Am practicing analyst frustrated with the fact journal entries, and articles centered on IM herst, NY that, in his words, psychoanalysis generally Humphrey's interests in evolutionary psy­ ML... 2(1(11. ISBN 1-57392- fails in its basic task of curing neurosis, chology, "which has emerged as the most fer­ 933-6. 250 pp. $21, soft- undertakes an investigation exposing Freud's tile field of all psychology." They all concern cover. A book Weaver wrote primarily to "specious background assumptions" in biol­ the uneasy relation between minds and bod­ entertain and inform readers about the ogy, sociology, anthropology, linguistics, and ies and, notes Humphrey, they all take issue odds that certain events will occur. It was moral and social philosophy. Cohen aug­ with received ideas. The book is organized motivated, he says, by a desire to provide a ments his critique with suggestions for creat­ into sections on selves, feelings, discoveries, lighthearted treatment of the subject matter ing an alternative practice that challenges pretenses, and seductions. because mathematics in general and statis­ authoritarian traditions and fosters individ­ tics in particular have very poor images, ual freedom and responsible action. The Paradox of God despite the crucial importance of these and the Science of fields in our modern technological society. There are chapters on romance, sex, disas­ Demons of die Modern Omniscience. Clifford ters, striking it rich, workplace dangers, World. Malcolm McGrath. A. Pickover. Palgrave being audited, getting into an Ivy League Prometheus Books, 59 Global Publishing at school, and becoming a film star, rock star, John Glenn Drive, Am­ St. Martin's Press, 175 or best-selling author. herst, NY 14228-2197. Fifth Ave., New York, 2002. ISBN 1-57392- NY 10010-7848. 935-2. 290 pp. $32, 2002. ISBN 0-312- Damned Lies and hardcover. A study of 29411-5. 262 pp. Statistics: Untangling modern demonology, $26.95, hardcover. A book about what Numbers from the the still-persisting fear among many that on Pickover calls the science of omniscience. It's Media, Politicians, and the edges of our reality there is a world of an examination of omniscience and religious Activists. Joel Best. demons trying to break in and wreak havoc paradoxes. Pickover's personal approach is University of California and that there are people—witches, or in not systematic or comprehensive but instead gTATJSJP Press, 2120 Berkeley their modern variant, Satanists—who try to touches on topics that interest him person­ Way, Berkeley, CA make contact with these demons and make ally and that he hopes will enlighten and yOEt BEST 94720. 2001. ISBN: 0- use of their magical powers. McGrath exam­ entertain. Lively, illustrated chapters treat 52021-978-3. 196 pp. $19.95, hardcover. ines the history and psychological sources of the paradoxes of Newcomb, Eden, Best casts a skeptical eye on the statistical such fear. He includes chapters on the ori­ Bodhisattva, Pascal's Wager, Godel's proof of claims of the media, politicians, and gins of the great witch-hunt, die lecovefcu God, and many other puzzles and paradoxes. activists, who frequently exaggerate the memory movement, the false memory severity of die social problems they arc cam­ machine, children and Satanists, dreams and paigning against. Drawing on examples such Religion Explained: 77je madness, the road from fantasy to reality, as estimates of the numbers of homeless, Evolutionary Origins of and alien abductions. annual anorexia deaths, and how many peo­ Religious Thouglit Pascal ple attended the Million Man March, Best Boyer. Basic Books, 10 explains how valid statistics can be misun­ Don't Get Duped! A Consumer's Guide to East 53rd Street, New York, derstood and transformed into grossly inac­ Health and Fitness. Dr. Larry M. Forness. NY 10022-5299. 2001. curate factoids through innumeracy, deceit, Prometheus Books, 59 John Glenn Drive, ISBN 0-465-00695-7. 375 and accident. Best suggests adopting neither Amherst, NY 14228-2197. 2001. ISBN 1- pp. $27.50, hardcover. a cynical nor a naive approach to statistical 57392-922-0. 350 pp. $21, softcover. The Why does religion matter claims, but a skeptical one informed by founder of the National Center for Sports so much in peoples lives? Why arc mere several knowledge of how statistics are generated Medicine provides a lively consumer guide religions instead of just one? Why are there and how they can be biased. A fine compan­ to misleading claims and incorrect informa­ churches and religious institutions? Why does ion to John Allen Paulos's books such as tion in the health and fitness fields. religion persist? Boyer, a professor at Wash­ Innumeracy and A Mathematician Reads the Opening chapters treat how and why you ington University, St. Louis, says die intellectual Newspaper. get duped, the scientific method and its tools for dunking about diese problems finally ability to prove what is the truth, and how exist. They arc provided by theories and research you can measure claims and results. in evolutionary biology. The short answer to all —Kendrick Frazier

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 55 Schedule of Events

(THURSDAY7JUNE 20 ) Registration 6:00-7:30 pm Paul Kurtz, Chairman. CSICOP Welcoming Remarks

DONT GET TAKEN 7:30-10:00 pm

• Paul Kurtz, Moderator • Richard Lead, treasurer of the NSW (Australian) Skeptics • Richard Schroeder, CFP. Executive Vice President. Schroeder. Braxton & Vogt. 2 D D 2, Inc.. Amherst. NY • Robert Steiner, speaker, expert, author in the fields of magic, confidence games, and psychic investigations Fourth • Ray Hyman, Professor of Psychology-Emeritus, University of Oregon (FRIDAY, JUNE 21 ) World Registration 7:30-9:00 am EVOLUTION AND Skeptics INTELLIGENT DESIGN 9:00 am-12:00 pm • , Moderator, Associate Professor of botany at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville Conference • William Dembski, Associate research professor in the conceptual foundations of science at Baylor University and a senior fellow with Discovery Institute's Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture • Wesley Elsberry, graduate student at Texas ASM University researching Prospects for bisonar sound production and bioenergetics in bottlenose dolphins • Kenneth Miller, Professor of biology at Brown University Skepticism • Paul Nelson, Editor o( the journal Origins S Design SPECIAL LUNCHEON ADDRESS 12:00-2:00 pm The Next • Harlan Ellison, World-famous author of 75 books. He is waiting for the Guinness Book of World Records to confirm his title as the "Biggest Pain in the Ass in Twenty-Five Years the Western Hemisphere."

Concurrent Session June 20-23,2002 FRINGE 2:00-5:00 pm • Scott Lilienfeld, Moderator. Emory University. Department of Psychology • Gina Green, Director of Research, New England Center for Children • Steven Jay Lynn, State University of New York. Binghamton. Psychology Dept. • Jean Mercer, Ph.D.. Richard Stockton State College. Department of Psychology Burbank, California • Carol Tavris, social psychologist and writer Concurrent Session LOOK 200-500 pm at the Hilton, Burbank Airport •James McGaha, Moderator. Major, USAF Retired. Director. Grasslands Observatory and Convention Center • Alan Harris, Senior Research Scientist in the Earth and Space Sciences Division, JPL • Tod Lauer, Kitt Peak National Observatory Sponsored by the Committee for the Scientific • David Morrison, Senior Scientist at the NASA Astrobiology Institute Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal KEYNOTE ADDRESS 800-1000 pm • Marvin Minsky, Toshiba Professor of Media Arts and Sciences, and Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, at the Massachusetts Institute of he Fourth World Skeptics Conference, sponsored by the Com­ Technology mittee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Para­ T normal (CSICOP) is to be held at the Hilton, Burbank Airport (SATURDAY, JUNE 22 ) and Convention Center, Burbank, California, June 20-23, 2002. Our intent is to bring together the leading lights in the skeptical Registration 8:30-9:00 am movement and we are eager to have you be part of this event. The URBAN LEGENDS 9:00 am-12:00 pm overall theme is "Prospects for Skepticism: The Next Twenty-Five Years." We not only want to examine issues that are important • Benjamin Radford, Moderator. Skeptical Inquirer magazine • Jan Brunvand, Professor Emeritus. Department of English. University of Utah, today, but also try and focus on topics that will influence science author. Encyclopedia ol Urban Legends. The Vanishing Hitchhiker. The Truth Never and skepticism in the future. Thus, we are planning sessions on Stands in the Way ol a Good Story and Too Good to Be True alternative medicine, unsubstantiated psychotherapies, confidence • David Mikkelson, Creator, director .com and financial scams, intelligent design and attacks on evolution, • Barbara Mikkelson, Creator, directorsnopes.com education and young skeptics, urban legends, a meeting of local • Timothy Tangherlini, folklore instructor at UCLA, where he holds a joint appoint­ skeptical organizations, and other topics. ment in the Scandinavian Section and the Dept of East Asian Languages and Cultures NATIONAL MEDIA CENTER-LOS ANGELES AWARDS BANQUET 7:00-10:00 pm LUNCHEON 12:00-2:00 pm • Paul Kurtz, Host. CSICOP Chairman CFI WEST VIDEO • Gabe Kaplan, Comedian. TV personality, star Welcome Back Kotter • Harlan Ellison, World-famous author of 75 books. He is waiting for the * James Underdown, Executive Director. CFI West Guinness Book of World Records to confirm his title as the "Biggest Pain in the Ass in • Vera Bullough, Distinguished Professor. University of Southern California the Western Hemisphere." • Marvin Minsky, Toshiba Professor of Media Arts and Sciences, and Professor of Concurrent Session Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology MEDICAL CLAIMS 2:00-5:00 pm • Marcia Angell, Senior Lecturer. Dept. of Social Medicine. Harvard Medical School; former Editor-in-Chief. New England Journal of Medicine • Wallace Sampson, Moderator, formerly the Associate Chief of Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, and a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. Editor, The Scientilic(SUNDAY , JUNE 23 Review of Alternative Medicine 3 • Stephen Barrett, Retired psychiatrist, has achieved national renown as an Concurrent Session author, editor, and consumer advocate. Board Chairman, EDUCATING OUR FUTURE 9:00 am-12:00 pm • Willem Betz, Professor in General Practice Medicine at the University of Brussels VUB, Head of Chair and Director and of the Academic Centre for Training of • Amanda Chesworth, Moderator, program director of the Young Skeptics, spe­ General Practitioners (University of Brussels, VUB) cializing in educational materials and activities for children • Steve Novella, assistant professor of neurology at Yale University School of • Don Hockenbury, Assistant Professor of psychology at Tulsa Community College Medicine. Co-founder and president of the New England Skeptical Society (NESS). Editor, • Sandra Hockenbury, science writer who specializes in psychology New England Journal of Skepticism • Diane Swanson, award-winning author of over forty books, specializing in nat­ • Marcia Angell, Senior Lecturer. Dept. of Social Medicine. Harvard Medical ural history and science, including Nibbling on Einstein's Brain School: former Editor-in-Chief. New England Journal of Medicine • Charles Wynn, Professor of chemistry at Eastern Connecticut State University Concurrent Session Concurrent Session THE INVESTIGATORS 2:00-5:00 pm PARANORMAL AROUND • Joe Nickell, Moderator, Senior Research Fellow, CSICOP THE WORLD 9:00-12:00 pm * Jan Willem Nienhuys, Department of Mathematics and Computing Science, • Amardeo Sarma, Moderator, GWUP (Germany) Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands) • Shen Zhenyu, Research Fellow at the China Institute for Popularization of * Massimo Polidoro, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Italian Science and Technology (China) Committee for the Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. He holds a degree in psy­ • Lin Zixin, Former Editor, Science and Technology Daily. (China) chology from the University of Padua. • Sanal Edamaruku, Chairman of the Indian Rationalists Association (India) • Richard Wiseman, Director, Perrott Warrick Research Unit at the University of • Manuel Abraham Paz y Mino, Editor, Neo-Skepsis [Pem) Hertfordshire, England • Alejandro J. Borgo, Founding Member of CAIRP, Argentina Skeptics Organization (Argentina) PRE-BANQUET SOCIAL HOUR 6:00-7:00 pm • Sami Rozenbaum (Venezuela) (cash bar) • Mario Mendez-Acosta (Mexico)

Conference Information

Accommodations: Hilton, Burbank Airport & Convention Center, If you have any questions about the program or the arrangements call 2500 Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505 (818) 843-6000 or write Barry Karr at CSICOP, PO Box 703, Amherst, NY 14226; (716) Standard Guest Room @$89.00 +10% tax/night 636-1425 ext. 217, or by e-mail at: [email protected]. Junior Suite Guest Rooms ©$127.00 +10% tax/night Additional Person Charge S20.00 per person Media Representatives should contact Kevin Christopher at CSICOP, Parking @ $6.50 + 10% city tax/cab P0 Box 703, Amherst, NY 14226 (716) 636-1425 ext. 224 or by e-mail at: [email protected]. There is an airport shuttle that runs from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm Hosted by: The Center for Inquiry West, 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Discount airline rates can be obtained by calling the Hollywood. CA 900?7 (3731 666-9797. CSICOP travel agent Jacque Vernen, Stovroff & Taylor Travel, at (716) 631-4022, ext. 212 or Opinions expressed at this conference are those of the individual (800) 543-8616 ext. 212. speakers and do not necessarily represent the views of CSICOP.

YES, I (we) plan to attend the 2002 World Skeptics Conference in Burbank, California. Register your seat early for the Fourth World Skeptics Conference. Preregistration is advised. Registration does not include meals or accommodations. Make checks payable to CSICOP and return this coupon to: 0*£* l^(^^V% CSICOP Conference, P.O. Box 703, Amherst, NY 14226 • (716) 636-1425 ext. 200 • Fax (716) 636-1733 W2)IV^#P

Namelsl. Address

City . Slate_ ZIP

Phone . E-mail

• $159 registration for person(s), includes Keynote Address $_ • $75 Student registration for student(s), send photocopy of student I.D %_ • $25 Friday Luncheon (optional) for person(s) %_ • $15 nonregistrant ticketlsl to Keynote Address on Friday night for person(s) S_ • $25 Saturday Luncheon (optional) for person(s) S_ • $35 Saturday Awards Banquet (optional) for person(s) $_

Chargemy DVISA DMasterCard DAMEX • Check Enclosed T0TALS_

Acct. # Exp. Signature For credit card orders only. The Logic That Dare Not Speak Its Name

RALPH ESTLING

roposition: There are eleven lep­ For this is the logic that dare not all, proclaim with total aplomb, What a rechauns colored green with purple speak its name, the logic that says, I thoroughly rational boy, or girl, am I. P polka dots dancing away here in believe in something completely incred­ It will not wash. It will not even rinse my study. They are all undetectable by ible, unprovable, irrational, and with no lightly. any means whatsoever. You don't believe evidence to support it, but never mind Reason follows rather stricter rules. me? Very well then. Prove me wrong. all that. Just show me where I'm wrong. Among other things, it demands that You have probably come across this Prove that my (fill in favorite belief sys­ the proposer of a new (or as in the case sort of "logic" before (yes, I'm afraid tem) doesn't exist! of our "logicians," very, very old) logic must have those alerting quotation People are a funny lot. They spend hypothesis is the one who must supply marks around it), though the chances half their lives telling everyone who'll evidence lor it, not that his doubters are that rather than multicolored lep­ listen how reasonable they, the must supply evidence against it— rechauns it was ESP, UFOs, the Tooth spokespersons of unreason are, and the though of course if they can so much Fairy, the Great Pumpkin, little silvery other, and more energetic half, describ­ the better—the point being they are men with big funny eyes from the planet ing in minute detail what God's opinion not obliged to. Onus of proof is always Koozbane, ghosts, goblins, angels, on genetically modified tomatoes is. on the initiator, the originator, the demons, gods, and a thousand other Their approach is too desperately self- proud papa. For (important point so things like them. You find it all very assured to be entertaining (for such read carefully) it is not necessarily the time-wasting and silly? Well, two of the screeching certainty is a sure sign of idea itself that is under assault, but the twentieth century's greatest professional inner insecurity), nor are they inclined evidence presented in its behalf. It is thinkers, Bertrand Russell and Ludwig to regard such a triviality as plausibility this evidence, observational, experi­ Wittgenstein, hotly debated the exact to be a consideration. mental, mathematical, or analytic, that same proposition I mention in my What they are good at is picking must undergo the test of validation. If opening paragraph, except that it was an logic up by its tail and whirling it no evidence is presented, then no test undetectable tiger that was in Russell's around in circles, ignoring its protesting can be performed, and the hypothesis is study, rather than my leprechauns. screams and caterwauls. Since it is not still-born. This does not prove the They argued all day and for several possible for you to produce overriding hypothesis false, but it does prove it days afterwards over the question of evidence that my undetectable lep­ unworthy of further consideration, whether such a statement—"There is a rechauns, or tiger, or god, do not exist, I time, and effort. totally undetectable tiger here in the am free to insist that they do (Strong Scientists are rather prone to make study"—was logically and linguistically Wooly-Minded Assertion) or at least this sort of dismissal and nonscientists valid or flawed, Russell insisting it that they might (Mild Wooly-Minded often get quite worked up about it. After wasn't valid, Wittgenstein maintaining Assertion). Having no acquaintance all, no one has conclusively shown that oh yes, it was. No, I don't know who won with the rules governing logical, deduc­ cold fusion cannot occur! Quite so, and the argument and if you do happen to tive thinking and analysis, they feel free also quite beside the point. For what sci­ know, please don't write in and tell me. to use them any way they like, stand entists are saying is not that they are them on their heads, spin them around, totally and absolutely convinced that it Our frequent columnist Ralph Estling turn them inside-out, back to front, tie can't happen, they are only totally and writes from Ilminster, Somerset, England. them up into a pretzel, and, through it absolutely convinced that no sure and

58 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER FORUM telling evidence for its occurrence has some philosophers and historians of sci­ 1912. Logic? There is another name for been produced so far. ence to exclaim. See how wrong scien­ it but it cannot be printed in a publica­ Another example: Lots of people, tists can be! See how quick they are to tion that may fall into the hands of including several who ought to know dismiss a correct hypothesis out of hand! women, children, servants, and persons better, point to the case of Alfred Lothar Let it, as mother used to say (about all of high moral certitude and rather lower Wegener. In 1912 Wegener proposed the sorts of things), be a lesson! mental prowess. notion of continental drift. He noticed, But of course, the scientists who Nor should it fall into the hands of as thousands had before him, that South refused to accept Wegener's continental people who think that logic is their America and Africa could fit together drift hypothesis in 1912 and up to about slave, to do with as they will, rather than rather well if you nudged them a bit and 1950 were entirely right to do so. There their master, a fair but inflexible master he suggested that they once had been so was no compelling evidence for it, only who docs not forget or forgive imbecil­ fitted, that land masses break up and some reasonable indications. Fifty or so ity by those who are by no means imbe­ bump together, floating around on the years on, from 1912, there was. So scien­ cile and therefore should know better surface of the Earth like scum on boiling tists changed their minds. It was not the and can offer no excuse, those of us like cabbage soup. The trouble was, he could idea itself that was under fire in 1912, it Dostoyevsky's Grand Inquisitor who, think of no driving force that would cre­ was the total lack of proof for it. Proof recognizing the returned Christ preach­ ate such motion. His hypodiesis was dis­ obtained, opinion altered. Where is the ing love, kindness, and gentleness, con­ missed by almost all geologists of the moral crime, where is the folly, where is demns him to the stake as a disturbing, day. Forty and more years later, evidence the sin of pride, where the false, unjusti­ disconcerting influence on society, one began to emerge that indicated a cause fied conclusion drawn by foolish, arro­ to be removed quickly at all cost, all for such movements of the Earth's crust gant men? It is with those philosophers with an insane logic that leads and the idea of plate tectonics was born, and historians of science, those "logi­ ineluctably to its logically insane, consis­ gained converts as the evidence accumu­ cians" in quotation marks, who say evi­ tent conclusion. lated, and, as more proof piled up, dence produced between 1950 and 1970 became a standard theory. This caused should have convinced scientists in But then, no one expects the Spanish Inquisition.

Laughter: The Real Ageless, Timeless Medicine

J.D. HAINES, M.D.

f you've been living in a cave the last Our government, in its infinite wisdom, several years, you might be surprised has enshrined alternative medicine by Iat how respectable the field of alter­ creating a special office at the National native medicine has become. Remember Institutes of Health. when alternative medicine was just a One of the most visi­ polite term for quackery? Well, no more. ble advocates of alterna­ tive medicine and spiri­ J.D. Haines, M.D., still grinning, is a tual healing is Dr. board-certified family practitioner in pri­ , author vate practice in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He of over twenty best selling is a clinical associate professor of family books. Ageless Body, Timeless and preventative medicine at the Uni­ Mind: The Quantum Alternative to versity of Oklahoma College of Medicine. Growing Old and

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 59 FORUM

occupied positions on the New York Chopra to convey the impression that the main character in the 1968 Peter Times bestseller list for years. The books ayurvedic medicine has somehow been Sellers movie The Party. promise that illness and the aging validated by modern science. We can­ In the movie, Sellers, plays Hrundi V. process can be banished by the power of not help but notice, however, that the Bakshi, an Indian actor who is invited to the mind, with the help of Ayurveda, a author of Ageless Body shows unmistak­ a Hollywood movie mogul's party by 6,000-year-old Indian healing system. able signs of growing old right along mistake. Chopra's voice is a reincarna­ For example, Chopra explains the with the rest of us." tion of Seller's character. The Party is a occasional spontaneous remission from Chopra has enjoyed phenomenal hilarious movie, one of Seller's master­ cancer as due to a "jump to a new level success, "writing about things that peo­ pieces, and one I've enjoyed many times. of consciousness that prohibits the exis­ ple are already interested in." The public I simply could not concentrate on tence of cancer . . . this is a quantum is naturally receptive to Chopra's age Chopra's message as scenes from The jump from one level of functioning to a reversal claims, which state that aging Party replayed in my head. The bum­ higher level." Physicists, however, can be influenced in the reverse direc­ bling Bakshi with his silly grin kept remain puzzled about how quantum tion through exercise, meditation, and intruding into my consciousness. I was mechanics relates to cancer. removal of toxins from the body. soon grinning from ear to ear. The But the American public prefers Chopra is banking on the continual tapes were having an unintended Chopra's message because they have growth of alternative medicine as the positive effect. come to believe that we live in a universe baby boomers move further into middle For Peter Sellers fans, you may want where anything is possible. Newsweek age and develop more health problems. to consider buying copies of Chopra's crowned Chopra as "the hardest-work­ So in the spirit of open-mindedness books rather than the tapes. Or better ing guru in show business" several years (and also because I recently turned yet, rent a copy of The Party. If laughter ago when his enterprises reached $15 forty-five), I decided to give Dr. Chopra is the best medicine, this movie should million per year in revenue. His fifty lec­ a try. I ordered some of Chopra's audio­ make you feel much better. tures a year to thousands of believers tapes and prepared myself for a I think that Dr. Chopra would command a fee of $25,000 each. mind/spirit altering experience. approve, since he advises people to "fol­ Chopra writes, "The physical world, But an unexpected complication im­ low your bliss." Peter Sellers, who was a including our bodies, is a response of mediately arose. Chopra himsell is the guru of comedy, can certainly provide the observer . . . beliefs. Thoughts, and narrator on the tapes and I could not many hours of bliss. Plus, you don't even emotions create the chemical reactions overcome the distraction of his Indian have to learn how to meditate or swear that uphold life in every cell." In his accent. I'm sure my Okie drawl sounds off cheeseburgers. And a buck or two at book , Robert Park coun­ equally distracting to Chopra. Unfor­ the video store is a real bargain for a ters, "Quantum theory is invoked by tunately, Dr. Chopra sounds identical to transcendental experience.

2002 SKEPTICS TOOLBOX UNIVERSITY OF OREGON AT EUGENE HOW TO BE A "WHYS" SKEPTIC August 15-18

This workshop will focus on getting the skeptic's message across, helping the participants to better debate and convey what skepticism is about. A more important goal, however, is to help the participants better articulate and clarify for themselves why they are skeptics, why skepticism matters, why should anyone listen to us, and similar issues. We all have relatively vague answers to these questions. By attempting to explain and articulate our vague ideas to others, we help make them more explicit and clearer to ourselves. In addition to presentations by the fac­ ulty, the participants will be divided into teams. The teams will be given assignments to role play skeptics and believers debating paranormal claims. For example, in the past year Randi debated two mediums on two programs of Larry King Live. How could he have communicated his position better? With benefits of hindsight and role play­ ing such encounters, can we devise better strategies to win the public relations battle?

For more information call Barry Karr at (716) 636-1425 ext. 217 • E-mail: [email protected]

60 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Many Worlds? A Response to Bryce DeWitt's 'Comments ...'

MARTIN GARDNER

was puzzled by Bryce DeWitt's com­ find pure squares and triangles anywhere vinced, the odier worlds of die MWI ments (SI, Follow-Up, March/April in the cosmos. "Is there any difference," may become observable! Clearly he I2002) as well as honored that he DeWitt asks, between things "physically believes that diese worlds are "out diere" would take seriously my column on real" and "abstractions such as numbers and just as "real" as die universe we know. "Multiverses and Blackberries" (Septem­ and triangles"? DeWitt counters my objection that ber/October 2001). I know he read my It is hard to believe a physicist could die MWI violates Occam's razor by column at least once because it so infu­ ask such a question. There is an enor­ arguing diat it also uses the razor to cut riated him, but did he read it again mous difference. Ten "exists" only as an down the number of concepts needed to before he put forth his animadversions? abstraction. But ten pebbles and ten talk about quantum mechanics. Did he For example, he calls attention to the cows are "real" in an obviously different forget that I said precisely this? I fact that diree famous physicists, Steven Weinberg, Murray Gell-Mann, and Stephen Hawking, support the many There is a vast difference between the concept of a worlds interpretation (MW1) of quan­ tum mechanics. Did DeWitt forget that perfect triangle and crude models cut from I wrote: "This view [is] widely defended cardboard or drawn on paper. by such eminent physicists as Murray Gell-Mann, Stephen Hawking, and Steven Weinberg"? sense. There is a vast difference between devoted a paragraph to how the MWI In what way do they defend it? The die concept of a perfect triangle and eliminates diorny paradoxes such the main point of my discussion of the crude models cut from cardboard or paradox of Schrodinger's notorious cat. I MWI (only part of a column on multi- drawn on paper. explained how the MWI eliminates die verses in general) is diat die MWI has B. The countless worlds of the MWI "measurement problem" by doing away two widely different interpretations, are every bit as physically "real" as die widi Bohr's "collapse of die wave func­ A and B. world we are now in. Although they are tion" by substituting a single wave func­ A. The myriads of odier worlds are theoretical concepts, they are, like num­ tion for the entire universe; one that not real in the same way as our world is bers, modeled by physically real entities evolves deterministically and never col­ real. They are abstract concepts in die such as billions of universes. This is die lapses. However, for such simplifica­ MWI's language. This is die interpreta­ minority view held by such MWI tions, I maintained, the MWI pays an tion favored by Weinberg and Hawking. experts as David Deutsch, from whose incredible price. (I'm not sure of Gell-Mann's current work I quoted, and by DeWitt himself. One furdier point. Although DeWitt belief.) Indeed, Hawking once said that DeWitt admits that these other admits that die MWI is strictly deter­ die MWI is "trivially true." It is true in a worlds are not now observable. But diis is ministic, he thinks I "blundered" again way similar to die way die Pythagorean also die case, he writes, widi planets in by saying diat diis forbids free will. On dieorem is true even diough you'll not distant galaxies. We believe diey are there this metaphysical question, I agree with even though we can't see diem. Many William James and many contemporary Martin Gardner's most recent collection of physicists, he correctly adds (Mach for thinkers diat free will and determinism his SKEPTICAL INQUIRER columns is Did one) denied die reality of atoms. Now we are incompatible. Interested readers can Adam and Eve Have Navels? (WW "see" diem widi die aid of powerful check die chapter on free will in my Norton, 2000). instruments. Some day, DeWitt is con­ Whys of a Philosopher Scrivener. •

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 61 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

Magnetic Mountains

MARK BENECKE

would like to ask the readers of the materials, however, did roll or flow in a Guss Wilder, Fall 1991. Further research on allegedly magnetic moun­ SKEPTICAL INQUIRER for support in seemingly upward direction. tains including experimental data is From scientists in Canada, Thailand, Ian ongoing study. performed by Mark Benecke is in During a research stay with the and elsewhere I learned that "magnetic press with the German Skeptiker. University of the Philippines, Los mountains" exist in several countries, Banos, I got a chance to visit a so-called and that accounts of them might exist magnetic mountain. Magnetic moun­ in popular science literature. Since none tains are geological structures with some of the tourist departments that I con­ slope (strictly speaking, a slope—or a tacted until now cooperated in this mat­ height—not necessarily counting for a ter, I would like to ask the readers of the mountain but for a hill) that allow every SKEPTICAL INQUIRER to report cases of rolling or flowing object or substance to magnetic mountains that they have appear to roll or flow uphill. either observed themselves, or of which In 1997, I carried out preliminary they got to know by any other means. experiments concerning magnetic fields, Every piece of information, no matter hidden iron, etc. on a magnetic moun­ how small, will be appreciated. I would tain near Los Banos leading to the (obvi­ also like to encourage national and local ous) result that most likely an optical illu­ skeptical organizations to spread the sion caused the allegedly magnetic effect request amongst their communities. (figure 1). However, it was startling to We are currently planning a proper observe that even on photographs the geological survey of as many magnetic optical illusion remains relatively intact mountains as possible. If there is any­ (see figures 2 and 3). As one can see, an thing you can contribute, please let me upward slope that goes actually down­ know at [email protected], or at Once a tourist spot, now forgotten: a magnetic hill ir wards, and a downward slope that goes the following postal address: Mark the Phillipines. actually upwards seem to be clearly visi­ Benecke, Int. Forensic Res. & ble on the pictures. Obviously, die lack of Consulting 250411 Pastfach, 50520 right-angled structures plus the bend of Cologne, Germany. die street itself make it impossible to Editor's Note: We're glad to publish identify the optical illusion. the query, but we'd be willing to bet A theory brought forward by a stu­ that this "magnetic mountain" is indeed an optical illusion. For dent was that a strong magnetic field SKEPTICAL INQUIRER articles on might be die force that pushes the mate­ related matters see the short section rials (usually cars of local tourists) uphill. "Magnetic Hill" in "Canada's Such a strong magnetic field seems Mysterious Maritimes," by Joe Even water seems to flow upwards. Nickell, January/February 2000 (also unlikely, and amongst the materials the letter and reply in May/June 2000 tested by us on die Los Banos hill were issue, p. 68); "Believing What We glass marbles of around 1 cm diameter, See, Hear, and Touch: Delights and empty plastic botdes, and water that was Dangers of Sensory Illusions," by Raincr Wolf, May/June 1996: "It's All poured out, all of them known to be not an Illusion! And Here's How It's magnetic under normal conditions. All Done," by Ray Hyman, and "Explanation of the Impossible Box Mark Benecke, Ph.D., is a forensic biologist and the Plank Illusion," by Jerry Andrus, both Spring 1994; and and criminalist and a scientific consultant fir "Spook Hill: Angular Illusion," by the GWUP and r/vSkeptiker magazine. A car (parking gear) slowly rolling "upwards."

62 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Econometric Modeling and sampling, measurement reliability and valid­ are always hidden to the observer. The rela­ ity, mathematical assumptions). Indeed, tionship between causes and correlations is Multiple Regression there were sufficient methodological pretty much the same: phenomena and forces While Ted Goertzel's article "Myths of grounds to question the validity of the in the world that are causally connected gen­ Murder and Multiple Regression" (January/ results in each of the four cited examples. erate shadows in the form of correlations. February 2002) raises a number of impor­ Rather than blaming a statistical tool, the Since many different objects can cast what tant issues, 1 fear that its treatment of them researchers themselves must be held account­ appears to be the same shadow, it is difficult does more harm than good. In addition to able for their oversights (not to mention the to go from correlations to the underlying cau­ terminological difficulties ("econometric editors and reviewers at journals that pub­ sation. This is what philosophers often refer modeling," "structural equation modeling," lished their work; those who trust Internet to as the problem of "underdetermination of "path analysis," and "multiple regression" are sources that lack rigorous peer review always theories by the data." do so at their own peril). not synonymous!), Goertzel's article falsely Now, as Shipley points out and Goertzel implies that modern quantitative data analy­ A substantial research literature demon­ neglects to, some statistical analyses are bet­ sis (much or all of which he seems to equate strates the superiority of statistical decision ter than others at establishing a connection with multiple regression) is simply an "arbi­ making over unaided clinical judgment. between shadows and objects. Multiple trary" game with little connection to reality. Although statistical predictions are far from regression—criticized by Goertzel—is indeed one of the worst approaches. But To put it bluntly, it is simply wortruc that perfect, their empirical accuracy routinely other techniques casually mentioned in the competent data analysts "can achieve any exceeds that of experts in many professions SI article, such as structural equation model­ results they want without violating the rules (e.g., medical/psychological diagnosis, parole ing, can actually be used to unveil some of of regression analysis in any way," as many hearings, college/graduate admissions, per­ the correspondences between correlations social science articles amply attest. Indeed, sonnel decisions), often by a substantial mar­ and their underlying causes, if used properly the highly restrictive "rules" of OLS render it gin. Despite this impressive track record, and with carefully collected data. inappropriate for many problems, often there remains a preference for using one's head to integrate information. Significant prompting conscientious researchers to While not disagreeing with the spirit of improvements in accuracy and efficiency may employ alternative approaches. The charge Goertzel's article, 1 fear that most readers will remain unrealized until more people over­ that such modeling is instead motivated by come away with the impression that statistics come their general distrust of statistical pre­ some sort of "statistical one-upmanship" is is, as Mark Twain put it, "one damn lie after dictions and embrace them in areas where nonsense. Rather, researchers are responding another." That would be a disservice to sci­ they have demonstrable predictive utility. to the need to use more sophisticated tech­ ence and critical thinking. niques (e.g., multivariate time series meth­ ods) in order to address questions such as John Ruscio Massimo Pigliucci causality (which, Goertzel correctly notes, Department of Psychology Association Professor of Ecology cannot be directly inferred from multiple Elizabethtown College & Evolutionary Biology regression). Elizabeth town, Pennsylvania University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Blind reliance on multiple regression per se is certainly foolish, but poorly aimed crit­ While I appreciate Ted Goertzel's skeptical icisms such as those in "Myths of Murder outlook toward the misuse of statistical Ted Goertzel's article on econometric (and and Multiple Regression" do little to help techniques and its potentially dangerous other types of mathematical) modeling was matters. In my opinion, Goertzel's time outcomes in terms of social policy, I would interesting, internally consistent, but also might be better spent promoting the use of flawed in its basic analytical assumptions robustness testing, repeated subset cross- like to strike a chord of balance concerning and, therefore, in the conclusions reached. validation, and other well-known srrarepies statistical analyses in the social (and other) His thesis that it is "iunk science" to use for assessing expected predictive power on sciences. models "with no demonstrated predictive the basis of limited data. Goertzel repeats the statistician's mantra that "correlation is not causation," but this capability" to deal with complex social issues misses the intent, and thus the value of the Garter T. Butts phrase is often interpreted to mean that there work that he so severely criticizes. Department of Social and is no relationship whatsoever between causa­ Decision Sciences tion and cnrrelarion. If that were true, not As a sociologist, he is surely aware that we Carnegie Mellon University only the social sciences, but also much of do not now have the capability to identify Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania biology, geology, chemistry, and physics— and quantify all the factors that affect such not to mention statistics itself—should go complex systems. the way of the phlogiston. Indeed, there is not real evidence to sup­ Though I share many of Goertzel's concerns As Bill Shipley has nicely pointed out in port the proposition that these systems can and applaud his call for truly predictive tests, his book Cause and Correlation in Biology ever be accurately represented by predictive I believe that his basic criticism may have (Cambridge 2000) a better way to think of models. Nonetheless, we still must deal with been misdirected and that statistical predic­ the problem is by using a metaphor based on these situations. tions are in fact underutilized in many wayang kulit. In this form of oriental art, These models are an attempt to develop important decision-making contexts. objects are used to cast a shadow on a screen an explicit description (theory) of at least Any statistical procedure can be misused and the spectator only sees the shadows, some of the factors critical to the operation or abused, and results must be interpreted in interpreting them according to the context of of a specific system (question) and how they light of methodology (e.g., research design. the play. The real objects causing the shadows interact to effect what happens. The result

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 63 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

is an analytical tool for continued study and Good statistical analysis is very difficult. where the homicide problem was not acute." research, not a predictive model. The the­ That should have been Goertzel's explicit Politically incorrect science is not at all ory is presented in sufficient detail so that and implicit point. the same thing as junk science. other investigators have the opportunity to If SKEPTICAL INQUIRER is pan of the group Denzel L. Dyer further pursue the question. When the of media believing Bradyites correct and NRA Rancho Palos Verdes, California model (theory) is modified and run again, wrong without rigorous study of conflicting and a new result obtained, we learn more data, I will cancel my subscription. Skeptical about the identified factors and their inter­ means skeptical, no matter who! Ted Goertzel's article unwittingly serves as a actions. The charge that these model exer­ Sam Brunstein good example of how ideology may bias cises are not real science and that there is Burbank, California one's judgment. "little or no progress" made is not justified Take Goertzel's "Myth One": If John when viewed from this perspective. Those Lott's finding, that "right to carry" gun laws doing this work are following true scientific The question of gun control is intensely lower rates of violent crime, were merely an principles: they establish a theory which artifact of how he chose to analyze the data, political, and statements on one side should can be tested by others, and which can be then opponents of gun ownership should be be viewed just as skeptically as those on the used to identify valuable questions for fur­ able to use the same data to show such laws other side. ther research. cause higher crime rates. According to Goertzel cites objections by Zimring and Unfortunately, model results arc often Goertzel, however, Lott's opponents had to Hawkins to the work of I.ott. It would be used by partisan advocates to advance their remove the entire state of Florida from the appropriate to note that Zimring and data; and this did not reverse Lott's findings, particular ideology. Often they do not really Hawkins have long preached essentially pro­ understand the work they are quoting, and but merely resulted in "no detectable impact hibitionist firearms control, and can hardly ... on the rate of murder and rape." As gun- misuse the results terribly. This is, I believe, be considered as neutral observers. They seem where the junk science comes in. Wc must control advocates had earlier predicted bod­ to me to be religiously defending doctrine ies piling up in the streets, clearly Lott's find­ distinguish between those who are trying to against observation. Lott, on the other hand, ings have proven robust enough to turn the understand complex social issues and how had apparently not previously been involved debate around, if not to end it. we might deal with them, and others who in the gun control controversy at all. That is seek only to advance a particular viewpoint consistent with his own statement that he "Myth Three": Goertzel attacks Isaac that they have taken on faith alone. This is became interested only because of questions Ehrlich's famous research on American exe­ an area that has not been covered in SI, and from a student in one of his classes. cutions and murder deterrence. He does not one that, perhaps, should be. It would be Goertzel quotes Zimring and Hawkins as mention the recent research on British exe­ interesting to have another article from Mr. saying that "a determined econometrician cutions that produced almost exactly the Goertzel written from this perspective. can produce a treatment of the same histori­ same result: an execution deters eight or more murders. Robert L. Folstein cal periods with different models and oppo­ Germantown, Maryland site effects." He then refers to a report by Goertzel urges us to demand that models Black and Nagin, whom he considers those demonstrate their predictive ability; but he determined econometricians: "... if they never mentions the inverse correlation between U.S. executions and murders in the 1 would have been more impressed if Goertzel changed the statistical model a little bit, or second half of the twentieth century: as exe­ had included faulty research used by the anti- applied it to different segments of the data, cutions were reduced to zero, the murder gun "Brady Bunch" instead of only dogma of Lott and Mustard's findings disappeared." rate soared; as executions resumed, the mur­ the National Rifle Association. An "econo­ However, the little bit of change amounted der rate fell. Capital punishment opponents metric analysis" (often quoted by Bradyites) to deletion of most of the data. (Florida and had once predicted the opposite: banning of homicides in Seattle and Vancouver claims all counties with less than 100,000 popula­ executions was supposed to teach criminals that gun control caused Vancouver's lower tion, or about 85% of all United States respect for human life, by example! But once homicide rate because the two arc demo- counties). That left a relatively small sample again the debate has been turned around, graphically similar. Even though the latter has loaded with heavily populated areas with and capital punishment opponents are left few blacks or Hispanics, Seattle whites have a high crime and very few shall-issue laws. insisting, merely, thai there is "no demon­ lower homicide rate than Vancouver whites, Even then, they did not report a harmful strable effect." and the difference in homicide rates is effect of "shall issue" laws, but only that the sttongly correlated to Seattle's black and reduction in crime was not statistically sig­ Hispanic population! nificant for the relatively few counties, with Taras Wolansky relatively little variation in shall-issue laws, Kerhonkson, New York Is multiple regression difficult to use cor­ on which they report. rectly? And how! Lott controlled for hun­ dreds of variables and concluded a change of Goertzel says that Lott's analysis is Professor Goertzel's expose^ of some arcane a few percentage points. How about sensitiv­ unsuitable because, in covering all the coun­ statistical methods appears to be left-wing ity analysis for the controlled variables? Is the ties in the United States, it includes large politics crossdressing as analysis of econo­ result believable without knowing that a cities which do not have "shall issue" laws metric modeling and multiple regression. minor error in a controlled variable could and which do have particularly high inci­ For example, in Lott and Mustard's book make the result vastly different? Or is that dences of murder. In the next paragraph he More Guns, Lea Crime, straightforward data Lott's incomprehensible complexity? Is directly contradicts that, saying that Lott indicate, even without any fancy statistical Goertzel possibly not competent to criticize? "simply had no data for the major cities footwork, that laws passed allowing honest

64 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

citizens to arm themselves against criminals Murray. It used multiple regression to make the death penalty per se. The problems with reduces crime. No great surprise there, arguments about the causes of the black-white Seattle/Vancouver study Sam Brunstein men­ except that this common-sense finding test score gap. Clark Glymour, a distinguished tions were not with multiple regression but a demolishes the implied presumptions of fer­ philosopher of science, observed that "the failure to consider the importance of race in vid gun control advocates. unstated problem for many commentators is explaining the different trends in the cities. In the U.S., most states, admittedly not how to reject the particular conclusions of The Rather than focusing on one causal variable, it the most populous nor liberal ones, have Bell Curve without also rejecting the larger is better to focus on a dependent variable, such passed these shall-carry laws in order to per­ enterprises of statistical social science. . . ." It as homicide rates, and then examine all the fac­ mit ordinary citizens, without criminal can't be done, except by rejecting multiple tors that may explain the trend There are records or mental problems, to carry con­ regression as a means of proving causal argu­ many factors that explain the trends in homi­ cealed guns. These laws, even as Goertzel ments. Herrnstein and Murray's multiple cide rates in the United States in the second allows, have been shown to be beneficial and regression modeling techniques are just as good half of the twentieth century better than the to have saved lives and prevented robberies, as those used by other researchers who reach correlations with execution rates that Taras rapes, and other acts of violence by the thou­ opposite conclusions. Anyone wanting a more Wolansky points to. sands, where they have been enacted. technical, philosophical explanation of why multiple regression cannot answer this kind of Harry Incho is right about the number of One would think even Goertzel and gun- question should read Glymour s chapter "Social counties in the United States. Lott had 50,076 control advocates would find this virtuous Statistics and Genuine Inquiry" in county level measurements, counting each year's correlation intriguing and wonder if the Intelligence, Genes, and Success: Scientists data as a separate measurement. Denzel Dyer same principle would work in populous Respond to The Bell Curve published by misunderstood my argument; my point was states, instead of making complaints about Springer in 1997. that Lott had no data on his causal variable— exotic statistics. The fact that they do not shall-issue laws—for the major cities. He nev­ might make one suspect them of ideological Another example of a faulty model was the ertheless threw them into the multiple regres­ junk analysis. Urban Institute's prediction that a million sion calculations, which distorted his results. If children "might" be thrown into poverty by the he had left the large cities out it would have Don Vandervelde 1996 welfare reform. This kind of junk science been better. Gig Harbor, Washington undermines public confidence in social science Finally, I like Robert Folstein's suggestion altogether. The important thing is not the par­ that I write an article on how to distinguish ticular technique, it is whether the models have honest attempts at untangling difficult issues I have enjoyed die latest issue of your fine demonstrated predictive validity. There are. as from one-sided advocacy research. I do not magazine, but noted an error in die article Carter Butts states, technical differences share his optimism about the usefulness of com­ "Myths of Murder and Multiple Regression on between modeling techniques. But these are not plex modeling infields where there is not suffi­ page 20. The statement: "Lott had collected relevant to the points I was making in my arti­ cient data for predictive testing. But I would data for each of America's 50,056 counties for cle. My advice to statistical modelers is simple: welcome examples of studies where it has been each year from 1977 to 1992" is grossly inac­ no more training and testing on the same helpful, as well as of cases where it has been curate. There were only 3,076 counties in data! misused. Send your examples to me at America at diat time, counting the Judicial goertzel@camden. rutgers. edu. Districts in Alaska, Parishes in Louisiana and / agree with Massimo Pigliucci and Robert counties of die Islands of Hawaii. A new Folstein that statistical modeling has its uses, county has been added by Colorado recendy and that much of the problem is the misuse of to make the current total 3,077. results by advocates. But it is not only journal­ ists and activists who misuse the results. The Three Skeptics Debate Tools Harry H. Incho Urban Institute actively promoted its predic­ Medina, New York tions in an attempt to stop welfare reform. I enjoyed Alvaro Caso's "Three Skeptic's Publishing a book with the title More Guns, Debate Tools Examined" (January/February Ted Goertzel replies: Less Crime based on the data John Lott had 2002). His discussions of Occam's razor, the was simply irresponsible. Don Vandervelde's burden of proof, and Sagan's balance were hunch is understandable based on the analyses John Ruscio is correct that statistical predictions provocative and well reasoned. I'd like to Lott published, but he is factually wrong: crime are often superior to clinical judgments, for rea­ offer another way of articulating the value of did not go down in the counties that passed sons that he explained quite well in his own Occam's razor that may help illuminate Mr. shall-carry laws. But you would never know Caso's argument. article on "The Emptiness of Holism" in the this from reading Lott's book. I know it because March/April SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. The key I got a copy of Lott's data set and did a number Assumptions are based on what we do word here is prediction. I'm entirely in favor of of county-by-county trend analyses myself not know. If we have a theory with no statistical models that predict trends in data, There was no room for these graphs in the short assumptions, then it is based solely on what other than the data used to build the models. paper I published in the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, we know. If it is logically constructed, then it The techniques suggested by Carter Butts may but they are available in a longer paper avail­ should be reliable—as long as what we know be useful for developing good predictive models. able for download on my Web site: continues to hold true. What should we do can get them to work, more power to him. http://goertzel.org/ted There is also a discussion if we have no such explanation? My quarrel is with using multiple regression to of the Urban Institute study on the Web site. Each assumption can be either right or "prove" causal arguments. This has done a lot wrong. With every assumption we add we of harm, beyond the examples I cited in my There are many other articles I might have increase our chances of guessing wrong. If paper. A good example is the very controversial reviewed. My focus was on the misuse of mul­ we prefer to play the odds, then we would book The Bell Curve by Herrnstein and tiple regression modeling, not on gun control or choose the explanation with fewest

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 65 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

assumptions. However, as every gambler variables will yield a greater product, i.e., needs such criteria to challenge parapsychol­ knows, sometimes the long shot wins, just overall probability. ogy, creation science, etc. Here is my effort: not usually. Bui what if all of our available- And if we are somehow able to transcend For a new theory to be seriously consid­ explanations are wrong? We won't know our ignorance and assign probability values ered by the scientific community, those who until we can—and are willing to—test our to a theory's independent "elements," then propose it should present appropriate sup­ assumptions. If wc start with the one with we should also be able to compute its overall port for it. Support for a theory depends on: the fewest assumptions, then the sooner we probability of being true. 1) the quality of evidence consistent with can reach a resolution. Either ihe explana­ Of course, if it turned out that two com­ the theory; tion will be vindicated, or wc will make peting theories wound up having the same 2) the ability to address evidence sup­ discoveries that not only invalidate it, but probability value, I would still prefer the porting conflicting theories; and that may lead to a new, less assumptive the­ simpler one. Everyone knows a simpler the­ 3) the questions left unanswered by the ory that is preferred to the others, some of ory is more beautiful, right? theory. which may also have been disproved in the Sagan's requirement for extraordinary Ron Darian process. That is how economy leads us to claims is buried in (2) above: the more con­ Los Angeles, California Occam's razor. We reduce the number of flicting theories and the better the evidence things we must find out in order to reach supporting them, the bigger the task. reliable conclusions. If an assumption can­ Einstein, facing two centuries of solid evi­ Alvaro Caso discusses the import of Occam's not be tested, then it should be ignored if dence, made a most extraordinary claim, but razor, but misses an very important poinc. If we want to rely on knowledge. it is agreed that one of the greatest attributes he was able to deal with the evidence simply It is worth noting how Occam's razor has of science is testability through prediction by showing that measurements theretofor had served us. The razor does not settle the ques­ (see Goertzel's article in the same issue), the not been accurate enough to reveal the error. tion of whether or not God exists, but it does application of Occam's razor often makes Don Keith tell us how to proceed. Since God's existence such testing possible. is an assumption, we should proceed with Waterloo, Ontario The simplification of models may or may our inquiries without relying on die assump­ Canada noi be "correct," but such models are more tion of his existence or assumptions of his likely to be testable than those based upon nature or actions. Such assumptions would unnecessary complications. This holds for only impede us by limiting our considera­ the assertion that cosmic voyagers had land­ In his article "Three Skeptics' Debate Tools tions. Without the razor we would not have ing sites in ihe Andes and for the more usual Examined" Alvaro Caso referred to Carl our science, and we would be stuck with the research situations where collected data con­ Sagan's oft-quoted statement about extraor­ belief that Earth is the center of the universe tains random or systematic errors. If we are dinary claims as "Sagan's Balance." It is time- and that the Sun revolves around us. allowed to posit space travelers as an expla­ to set the historical record straight. While- Accepting assumptions stops the acquisition nation of piles of rocks, or if we ignore the packaged the concept for easy of knowledge. assumption in model building that we consumption, he did not invent it. If we are almost always commit measurement errors to elevate the prescription to the level of a Wayne J. Grabert in our research which should be "simplified canon of science by giving it a formal name, Chatsworth, California out," our models are often untestable. then precedence for the naming honor rightly belongs to Thomas Jefferson. Fred L. Prince The year was 1805 and Jefferson was well It seems to me that Alvaro Caso misses the Associate Professor, Science into his second term as President of the point in trying to provide a logical justifica­ Education United States. Jefferson had always been on tion for the use of Occam's razor. College of Education the cutting edge of the scientific debates of his I brazenly suggest the only possible justi­ University of South Florida era, and not even the pressures of high office fication is as follows: The simpler theory is to Tampa, Florida could keep this devoted amateur scientist be preferred solely because, all other things from participating in them. A letter he being equal, it has a greater chance of being received in October brought him into one of true . . . because it contains fewer "elements" I enjoyed the arricle on the basic tools of sci­ the most contentious issues of his day—the (constructs, definitions, causal relationships, ence by Alvaro Caso, but I think this entire origin of meteorites. News that French scien­ what have you) all of which must be "true" in subject could be treated more accurately by tists had proven that stones had actually fallen order that the theory as a whole be true. In avoiding the word "proof" altogether. Proof out of the atmosphere had only recently other words, there is less that can "go wrong" is a mathematical concept and has no place reached the United States and no one knew with a simpler theory. in science, where all theories are tentative. where they came from. In October, Andrew Ellicott, a skilled astronomer and member of If we could somehow "break down" the Caso recognizes this himself when he states the American Philosophical Society, postu­ theory in question by separating out its inde­ that "proofs are never 100 percent certain" lated in a letter to Jefferson that these rocks pendent variables in the manner of the and "certainty is unattainable." It should be might somehow be manufactured by famous Drake equation (which yields the obvious that if a theory isn't certain then it unknown chemical processes taking place number of intelligent and communicative- hasn't been proved. high up in the atmosphere. In his response to civilizations in the universe), then it is clear If these three tools are restated to shift Ellicott, the President admitted that he could that, since wc are ignorant regarding what emphasis from proof to evidence, they can not prove that the theory violated the laws of probability values to assign to each element, serve as a cohesive set of criteria for the con­ nature. However, he nevertheless rejected the expression with the fewer number of duct of scientific investigation. Science badly

66 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Ellicott's thesis saying that it was "so much religious belief and education are inversely Bible. His skeptical writings were collected unlike any operation of nature we have ever correlated with each other. There might be an and organized by Howard Baetzhold and seen it requires testimony proportionately alternative explanation fot these phenomena, Joseph McCullough and published in The strong" (American Science in the Age of which was not discussed in those articles. Bible According to Mark Twain (Simon & Jefferson, John C. Green, The Iowa State Traditional religion is as opposed to the Schuster, 1996). I enjoyed immensely yout University Press, 1984, p. 149-150). "So New Age as skeptics are, but for a different articles on religion that centeted on the much unlike any operation of nature we have reason: the fear of losing followers to a com­ theme of science and religion. I like the fact ever seen" is exactly what Sagan meant by peting religion. The New Age is, after all, that SKEPTICAL INQUIRER stands up to the "extraordinary claims" and emphasizing die essentially a religion, where "cosmic very pernicious superstition spiritualism in need for "proportionately strong" testimony is consciousness" replaces God, its many guises, though mote should be writ­ deafly the equivalent to Sagan's "requires replaces heaven and hell, aliens replace angels, ten on religion. extraordinary evidence." etc. To avoid losing converts, many funda­ 1 have a Web site which contains a smat­ To be sure, Sagan stated the idea mote ele­ mentalists condemn New Age beliefs—not as tering of articles I've collected on the histor­ gantly and he popularized it. But neither jus­ false or silly, but as heresies, evil temptations, ical foundation of religion, and other articles tify giving Sagan credit for the idea's inven­ literally the cteation of the devil. of interests to skeptics. There is a gem on tion. Sagan's maxim is clearly just a rephras­ It might be that the deeply teligious dis­ New Age beliefs, published in 1979. The ing of what Jefferson understood and wrote believe in the paranormal not so much address is http://jeromekahn 123.tripod, down almost 200 years ago. So, unless some­ because it is wrong, but simply because they com/enlightenment/. one can find an even earlier attribution, the renounce the devil and all his works— statement about extraordinary claims requir­ including the New Age. Jerry Kahn ing extraordinary evidence should rightly be [email protected] named "Jefferson's Balance." Avital Pilpel New York, New York Shawn Carlson On my magic forum, there is presently a Executive Director long-running thread on the subject of the Society of Amateur Scientists Erich Goode stated: "I asked my respondents "Torn and Restored Newspaper." This led to which planet is closest to (Mercury) and someone quoting a well-respected memory which one is farthest from (Pluto) the expert and playing-card magician as saying, I just read Alvaro Caso's interesting and use­ Sun. . .." The conclusion (Pluto) would have "I wouldn't want to hang around with the ful article. I agree that skeptical arguments been incorrect between 1979 and 1999. people who really believe I can restore the arc sometimes used glibly, without real Pluto, which has the gteatest orbital eccentric­ paper." What this ultimately and more understanding. ity of any of the Solar System planets, was generically implies is that he wouldn't want to associate with people who really believe in However, 1 want to correct an error in during those years at perihelion and actually magic, for a belief in real magic is a form of physics (which is not central to Caso's argu­ closer than Neptune to the Sun. Under those psychosis! ment). Einstein's theory of gravity does not circumstances, the correct answer would have been "Neptune" and not "Pluto." have action at a distance. In general relativity And yet... as hard-core atheist and bril­ gravitational effects propagate at the speed of Sorry. Sometimes very intelligent, edu­ liant literary wit Mark Twain observed wirh light, as do electromagnetic effects. The cated people are unaware of obscure infor- regard to teligionists: resulting causal structure is said to be "local" marion such as this, and can be in error. Of "You believe in a book that has talking to distinguish it from "action at a distance." course, if the question had been asked before animals, wizards, witches, demons, sticks The postulated existence of the graviton is an 1979, or after 1999, then "Pluto," indeed, turning into snakes, burning bushes, food attempt to reconcile general relativity with would have been the correct answer. falling from the sky, people walking on quantum mechanics. 1 his is an entirely dif­ For your further information, the water, and ail sorts of magical, absurd and ferent matter. International Astronomical Union (IAU) primirive stories, and you say that we arc the considers Pluto as the largest "Trans- ones that need help?" Jon Thaler Neptunian Object" (TNO), in addition to Physics Department its being a "planet." If Pluto ever loses its des­ Larry Thornton, magician University of Illinois at ignation of "planet," then Neptune will def­ Calgary, Alberta Urbana-Champagne initely become the farthest planet in the Canada Urbana, Illinois Solar System and the number of planets will go back to eight. Atlantis Myth Belief in Paranormal vs. Lorna J. Simmons Westland, Michigan Religious Belief I agree with Kevin Christopher in "Atlantis Behind the Myth: No Way, No How, No Erich Goode (January/February 2002) and Where" (January/February 2002) that Plato's Glenn Sparks (September/October 2001) Mark Twain's Skepticism Atlantis story is a noble lie. This exemplary make an interesting point—that belief in the tale was meant to contrast the decadent, paranormal is not necessarily, as most skeptics Your January/February 2002 issue has Mark imperialistic Atlanteans with their main think, inversely correlated with eithet educa­ Twain on the cover. He was not just a skep­ opponent, the virtuous Athenians of the dis­ tion or religious belief. On the other hand, tic about phrenology, but also about the tant past....

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 67 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

I also agree with the writer that the trans­ retreated, so that what was once land is now clearly intended to force the rest of biology mission of the tale to Critias during the sea. Those of the inhabitants who were to take systematics (formerly more com­ Apatouria festival is indeed telling, but not unable to escape in time by running up to monly called "taxonomy" and now com­ because of its educational context. The the high ground were lost in the flood. An monly considered part of "biodiversity stud­ Apatouria was the festival where a boy inundation of the same kind took place at ies") seriously as a scientific enterprise. Since entered a brotherhood which was a step to Atalanta, the island off the coast of systematics has strong intellectual ties to becoming an Athenian citizen. The festival Opuntian Locris; here part of the Athenian both ecology and paleontology, these fields was associated with the single combat fortifications were swept away and one out were also caught up in the "we-can-prove- between the Athenian general Melanthus of two ships that were drawn up on the we're-scientists-too!" frame of mind. For and the Boeotian King Xanthus which was beach were broken to pieces." many of us who were trained in this heady won by the former with help of a trick by the These Greek historians, who were in the period, I suspect it is now hard to think of god Dionysus. The festival concerns a decep­ best position to confirm Plato's story, fail to admitting the inductive nature of science as tion as does the noble lie of the Atlantis story do so. Instead, Thucydides offers a suspi­ anything other than a step backward, sadly which was why Plato chose that specific fes­ ciously similar story about an island with a enough. This whole mess was explained to tival for the setting where Critias heard the suspiciously similar name. From the histori­ me in my student days as a response, by sys­ tale. It may also be relevant that the Greek cal account, it seems likely that the original tematists and ecologists, to being bullied by word apate means cheating, trickery, fraud, "Atlantis" was nothing more than a small those with the luxury of controlled experi­ guile, deceit, cunning, craft; a stratagem in Athenian-owned island which was flooded, ments and relatively uncomplicated subjects war. Setting the context for such a story dur­ according to Thucydides. in rhe year 427 to study. ing the Apatouria festival would be like B.C. The great lost continent "beyond the John Acorn telling a wild tale today on April Fool's Day. Pillars of Hercules" which is supposed to Fulmonton, Alberta have sunk 9,000 years before surely falls in Donald F. Nigroni Canada the category of a "tall tale." Glenolden, Pennsylvania Forrest Johnson Eugene, Oregon Scientists and Magic The evidence of Greek historians casts doubt on the story of Atlantis: Your mention of Uri Geller in the Herodotus, who visited Egypt before Strict Popperians? January/February 2001 issue (James E. Plato was born, repeats many stories he had Alcock review of The Psychology of the apparently heard from the priests but says Twenty-one years ago, I sat in an undergrad­ Psychic) brought to mind two events that nothing about Atlantis. According to uate paleontology lecture, listening to a took place in the 1970s. At that time, in an Herodotus (Book II), the Egyptians once Popperian explanation of the scientific effort to gain recognition from the scientific considered themselves the oldest people in method. At the conclusion, I asked the community, Geller offered to present a the world, but later conceded this distinction instructor, Richard C. Fox, why hypo- demonstration of his supernatural powers to to the Phrygians. If they knew of any civi­ thetico-deductivism wasn't obviously reduc­ the senior technical staff of the well-regarded lization 9,000 years old, they didn't mention ible to induction, and spent the next forty CBS Laboratories, known locally in it to Herodotus. minutes in an intense debate, forcing my Stamford, Connecticut, as The Labs. Thucydides, writing circa 400 B.C., said, classmates to miss half of their lunch hour I was a magic performer then, and hap­ "Though I have found it impossible, because (since walking out on Professor Fox was pened to know the president of The l.abs. of the remoteness of time, to acquire a really never a good idea). Since then, I have slowly He asked me to attend the Geller demon­ precise knowledge of the distant past or even come to the realization that staunch stration, which I agreed to do as long as I was of the history preceding our own period, yet, Popperianism is no longer widely accepted not identified as a magician. Geller put on a after looking back into it as far as I can, all among either scientists or philosophers, and mundane magic show to a dozen top scien­ the evidence leads me to conclude that these was delighted to read Martin Gardner's tists and engineers seated around a table. His periods were not great periods either in war­ excellent summary of this subject, and of the audience was quite impressed with his per­ fare or in anything else" (1,1). Though an constraints posed by induction (July/August formance. Athenian and a contemporary of Plato, he 2001 and January/February 2002). After Geller left, I explained to some of had obviously never heard of Atlantis or else Yet I still encounter strict Popperians die audience how Geller had done most of gave the story no credence. among ecologists, paleobiologists, and sys­ his tricks. For example, the elementary trick Thucydides does mention (11,32) an tematic biologists, leading me to think that of divining the picture one of the scientists island called Atalanta, "lying off die coast of these fields may be a last holdout for the had just drawn with his hand covering the Opuntian I-ocris," which was uninhabited hypothetico-deductive approach. It did not drawing seemed extrasensory to the subject. until the Athenians built a fort there in 431 surprise me that J. David Archibald, a This supposed feat was accomplished simply B.C. Later (111,89), "during this same period prominent paleobiologist, rose to Popper's by pencil reading; that is, observing the tra­ when earthquakes were happening so fre­ defense in the letters column of your verse of the eraser end of the pencil. The quently, at Orobiae in Euboea the sea sub­ November/December issue. It is my impres­ man who drew the picture felt disappointed sided from what was then the shore and sion diat systematists in particular became when he learned my explanation because to afterwards swept up again in a huge wave, strongly attached to Popperian criteria as him paranormal powers seemed, well, at least which covered part of the city and left some part of the dadistic revolution—an event possible. (Geller's misdirection at the of it still under water when the wave that took place mostly in the 1970s and was moment of spoon bending was superb.)

68 May/June 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A few weeks later, I gave a short magic are promulgated "to help mankind live in In response to my article on the impersonality performance at a private party. One of my peace and harmonious brotherhood." These of the universe, Roger Sawtelle asks, "What favorite tricks was a novel version of the ring- rather condescending comments miss the do you say when scientists find that the uni­ through-string effect, a trick so clever that central point of religious propositions—diat verse is one big crap shoot?" Apparently he another magician once offered me $50 to tell point being that religion thinks of itself as takes diat finding as a fact, so my answer is him how to do it. After the show, I overheard providing an accurate description of reality. that you deal with it. A religious belief that a lively discussion between two physicists The "group" or "harmonious brotherhood" docs not deal with such an important fact is and an engineer speculating on my method. created by this description is of secondary either irrelevant or flatly wrong. They were fruitlessly fooling around with a importance—it is not the primary point of Further, I do not claim diat Sawtelle's three ring and string. Words like topological inver­ religion. Of course, the reality that religion questions are precluded. Questions are never sion were bandied about. At no time did describes is not physical, which moves the precluded, though sometimes the answer we they recognize that the solution was outside description outside of the realm of physical want is precluded. For die record, here are my the realm of the physical sciences. science. If one makes die objection, "Well, short answers to Sawtelle's questions: the physical realm described by science is the My take on all this was that many scien­ What is the meaning of life? Whatever only realm there is," that is a philosophical tists are no more likely to understand trick­ meaning we give it. Why be good? Because assertion, not a scientific one. One might ery or to hold truly skeptical beliefs than we should not unnecessarily harm other peo­ even think of it as a tenet of dogma. . . . most folks. ple and because society cannot function if we At any rate, I picked up the magazine to are not good. Is life ultimately fair? No. Al Forman gain some insight on the latest attacks on tra­ These questions are not "foolish or unim­ Palm City, Florida ditional Christian teachings. It seems I portant or wirhout meaning," and I never shouldn't have worried. The attacks seemed implied they were. for the most part to be attacks on straw men, "Is there a God?" is a question of a dif­ Science and Religion not on the actual teachings themselves. ferent son, since the existence or nonexis­ Readers Forum tence of a God is a matter of fact, and I think that the answer to that question is "No." I I was disappointed in some of the reactions Craig Payne amplify my answers in my book and in a in Readers Forum. Some of the respondents Humanities Dept. forthcoming article, "How To fie Religious forgot that SKEPTICAL INQUIRER has a sub­ Indian Hills Community Without Believing in God" (Free Inquiry, title of "The Magazine for Science and College Summer 2002). Reason." It is clear to me that where religion Ottumwa, Iowa Perhaps Sawtelle's discomfiture is not is concerned, some that would otherwise be with the questions, but widi the fact diat my rigorous in applying skepticism lose their nontheistic answers are not satisfying to him. way. Unemotional skeptical rigor applies to People who regard the Gaia concept as a the­ claims of religion just as it does to any other Matt Young ory (Readers Forum on Science and Boulder, Colorado claims. Faith dogma and the awesome Religion) are likely to dismiss it as "fuzzy majesty of the universe must not shield reli­ metaphysical nonsense" because it makes no gion against die application of skepticism. specific predictions. However, to treat Gaia The notion is irreconcilable to basic skeptic as a theory is to misunderstand its role in sci­ tenets. Those who allow emotions generated ence. The proper (because useful) role of by religion to cloud issues and erect barriers Gaia is as a heuristic, a suggested approach The letters column is a to scrutiny are not skeptics. for thought. For science, it suggests, "Some forum for views on matters If ir helps, I'll he glad ro sign up for a aspects of Earths state may not be the his­ torical accidents they seem, but rather may raised in previous issues. double subscription to cover the loss of your be controlled by subde long-term feedback Letters should be no more reader from Atlanta, Georgia. systems. Look for them, and you'll discover than 225 words. Due to the Guy Hartman something interesting." For policymaking, it volume of letters not all can Waldorf, Maryland warns, "If humans push Earth's environment be published. Address let­ beyond the range where the current feedback ters to Letters to the Editor, systems function, things might change dras­ SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. Send by Based on the first couple of pages of the tically—so watch out!" mail to 944 Deer Dr. NE, Readers Forum section in your January/ Gaia considered as a specific testable sci­ Albuquerque, NM 87122; by February issue (the first couple of pages were entific theory is vacuous, but Gaia as a pro­ as much as I could read), some of your read­ fax to 505-828-2080; or by gram for discovering testable scientific theo­ e-mail to [email protected] ers seem to labor under serious misapprehen­ ries could be quite productive, and Gaia as a (include name and address). sions of traditional theistic religious teach­ caution to policymakers might help convince ings, specifically in the Christian religion. them to prevent disaster. Of course, taking a For example, one reader writes that sci­ quasireligious approach to the Gaia concept ence is "a method of discovery," while "reli­ obscures its scientific and practical aspects. gion is belonging to a group. That is it in a nutshell." Another writer makes a similar Richard Stallman statement, that "die rules of religious faith" Cambridge, Massachusetts

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2002 69 THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY-INTERNATIONAL (ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO) AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Network of Affiliated Organizations International AUSTRALIA. Canberra Skeptics. Canberra P.O. Box 8113. Beijing China. Hong Kong KAZAKHSTAN. Kazakhstan Commission for Australia. Peter Barrett, President. PO Box 555. Skeptics, Hong Kong. Brad Collins. P.O. Box the Investigation of the Anomalous Civic Square ACT 2608 Australia. Australian 1010. Shatin Central Post Office. Shatin NT China. Phenomena (KCIAP) Kazakhstan. Dr. Sergey Skeptics Inc., Australia. Barry Williams. COSTA RICA. Iniciativa para la Promotion del Efimov, Scientific Secretary. E-mail: efime Executive Officer. Tel. 61-2-9417-2071; e-mail: Pensamiento Crftico (IPPEC) San Jose. Victor afi.south-capital.kz. Astrophysical Institute skepticsekasm.com.au. PO Box 268, Roseville Quiros V. Tel.: 506 275 43 52; e-mail: victorcr Kamenskoye Plato Alma-Ata. 480020 Republic NSW 2069 Australia, www.skeptics.com.au. eracsa.co.cr. A.P. 1513-1002 Paseo de los of Kazakhstan. Committee for the Scien­ —Hunter Region Estudiantes San Jose, Costa Rica. http7/webs. tific Expertise of Claims of the Paranormal Newcastle/Hunter Valley. Dr. Colin Keay, demasiado.com/vicf. (CSECOP). President. Tel.: 61-2-49689666; e-mail: CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Sisyfos Czech Skeptics KOREA. Korea PseudoScience Awareness bolideShunterlink.net au. PO Box 166. Waratah Club. Czech Republic. Ms. Ing. Olga Kracikova. (KOPSA) Korea. Dr. Gun-ll Kang, Director. Tel.: NSW 2298 Australia Darwin Skeptics, Secretary. Tel.: 420-2-24826691; e-mail: 82-2-393-2734; e-mail: KOPSAechollian.net. Northern Territory, Australia. Simon Potter, olgakracikovaeemail.cz. Hastalska 27 Praha 1 187-11 Bukahyun-dong, Sudaemun-ku, Seoul Secretary. Tel.; 61-8-8932-7552; e-mail: dwnskep- 110 00 Czech Republic, www.fi.muni.cz/sisyfos/ 120-190 Korea www.kopsa.or.kr. tic9ais.net.au. PO Box 809, Sanderson NT 0812 (in Czech). MALTA. Society for Investigating the Australia. Gold Coast Skeptics, Queensland. DENMARK. Skeptica: Association of Credibility of Extraordinary Claims (SICEC) Australia. Ulian Derrick. Secretary. Tel.: 61-7- Independent Danish Skeptics, Denmark. Malta Vanni Pule. Chairman Tel : 356-381994; 5593-1882; e-mail: Imderricketelstra.easymail. Willy Wegner. Tel.: 45-75-64-84-02; e-mail: e-mail: pulevanevol.net.mt. P.O. Box 31, com.au. PO Box 8348, GCMC Bundall QLD 4217 skepticaeskeptica.dk. Vibevej 7 A DK 8700 Hamrun. Malta. Australia. Queensland Skeptics Assoc. Inc. Horsens, Denmark, www.skeptica.dk. MEXICO. Mexican Association for Skeptical Re­ (Qskeptics) Queensland. Bob Bruce, President. ECUADOR. Pablo Cevallos Estarellas. Apartado 09- search (SOMIE) Mexico. Mario Mendez-Acosta, Tel.: 61-7-3255-0499; e-mail: [email protected]. 01-5603 Guayaquil. Ecuador. Apartado Postal 19-546 D.F. 03900 Mexico. PO Box 6454, Fairview Gardens QLD 4103 Australia. South Australia Skeptics (SAS) ESTONIA Horisont. Indrek Rohtmets. EE 0102 NETHERLANDS. , Netherlands. South Australia. Mr. Laurie Eddie. Secretary. Tel.: Tallinn. Narva mnt. 5. , Secretary. Tel.: 31-50-3129893; 61-8-8272-5881; e-mail: allangetxc.net.au. PO FINLAND. SKEPSIS. Finland. Jukka Hakkinen. PO e-mail: skepsisewxs.nl. Westerkade 20, 9718 AS Box 377, Rundle Mall SA 5000 Australia. Box 483, Helsinki 00101 Finland. Groningen, Netherlands, www.skepsis.nl. Australian Skeptics in Tasmania Inc.. FRANCE. AFIS. AFIS (Association Francaise pour NEW ZEALAND. New Zealand Skeptics. New Tasmania, Australia. Fred Thornett. Secretary. I'lnformation Scientifique) France. Jean Zealand, Vicki Hyde, Chair. Tel.: 64-3-384-5136; Tel.: 61-3-6234-1458; e-mail: fredthornettehot- Bricmont, President. 14 rue de I'Ecole e-mail: VickiBspis.co.nz. PO Box 29-492, Christ- mail.com. PO Box 582. North Hobart TA5 7000 Polytechnique F-75005 Paris. France. Cercle church, New Zealand, www.skeptics.org.nz. Australia. Australian Skeptics—Victorian Zetetique. France. Paul-Eric Blanrue. 12 rue; NIGERIA. Nigerian Skeptics Society, Nigeria. Leo Branch Victoria. Grant Stevenson, President. Tel.: David Deitz. F-57000 Metz, France. Igwe, Convenor. E-mail: dpceskannet.com.ng. 61-3-9531-9905; e-mail: contacteskeptics.com.au. Laboratoire de Zetetique (laboratory). PO Box 25269, Mapo Ibadan Oyo State. Nigeria. GPO Box 5166AA Melbourne VIC 3001 Australia. Professeur Henri Broch. Tel.: 33-0492076312; e- NORWAY. SKEPSIS. Norway St. Olavsgt. 27 N-0166 www.skeptics.com.au WA Skeptics, Western mail: brocheunice.fr. Universite de Nice-Sophia Oslo, Norway. Australia. Dr. John Happs. President. Tel.: 61-8- Antipolis Faculte des Sciences F-06108 Nice PERU. Comite de Investigaciones de lo Para­ 9448-8458; e-mail: wa.skepticsdaustraliamail. Cedex 2 France, www.unice.fr/zetetique/. normal lo Seudocientifico y lo Irracional com. PO Box 899. Morley, WA 6062 Australia. GERMANY. Gesellschaft zur wissenschaft CIPSI-PERU. Lima, Peru. Manuel Abraham lichen Unterrsuchung von Parawissen- Paz-y-Mino. Tel.: +51-1-9215741; e-mail: cip- BELGIUM. Comite Beige Pour ^Investigation schaften (GWUP) Germany. Amardeo Sarma, siperueyahoo.com. El Corregidor 318 Rimac. Scientifique des Phenomenes Reputes Chairman. Tel.: 49-6154-695023. E-mail: Lima 25 Peru, www.geocities.com/cipsiperu. Pananormaux Comite Para, Belgium. J. infoegwup.org. Arheilger Weg 11 D-64380 POLAND. Polish Skeptics. Poland. Adam Dommanget. President of the Committee. E- Rossdorf, Germany, www.gwup.org. European Pietrasiewicz. E-mail: redaktoreiname.com. mail: omer.nyseoma.be. Observatoire Royal Council of Skeptical Organizations (ECSO) www.biuletynsceptyczny.z.pl. Belgique 3. ave. Circulaire B 1180. Brussels. Europe. Dr. Martin Manner. Tel.: 49-6154- PORTUGAL. Assotiacao Cepticos de Portugal Belgium, www.comitepara.be. Studiekring 695023; e-mail: infoeecso.org. Arheilger Weg (CEPO) Portugal. Ludwig Krippahl. E-mail: voor Kritische Evaluatie van Pseudoweten- 11 64380 Rossdorf, Germany, www.ecso.org/. cepoeinteracesso.pt. Apartado 334 2676-901 schap en Paranormale beweringen (SKEPP) HUNGARY. Tenyeket Tisztelk Tarsasaga TTT Odivelas. Portugal, http://cepo.interacesso.pt. Belgium. Prof. Dr. W. Betz. Tel.: 32-2-477-43-11; Hungary. Prof. Gyula Bencze. Tel.: 36-1-392-2728; RUSSIA. Dr. Valerii A. Kuvakin. Tel.: 95-718-2178; e-mail: skepp8skepp.be Laarbeeklaan. 103 e-mail: gbenczeermki.kfki.hu. c/o Termiszet e-mail: V.KUVAKIN6MTU-NET.RU. Vorob'evy B-1090 Brussels, Belgium, www..be. Vilaga, PO Box 246 H-1444 Budapest 8 Hungary. Gory. Moscow State University. Phil. Dept. BRAZIL. OPCAO RACIONAL. Brazil. Luis Fernando INDIA. Atheist Centre. Dr. Vijayam. Executive Moscow 119899 Russia, http://log.philos.msu. Gutman. Tel.: 55-21-548-2476; e-mail: fernan- Director. Benz Circle. Vijayawada 520 010. ru/rhs/index/htm. dogutmanehotmail.com. Rua Santa Clara. 431 Andhra Pradesh. India. Tel.: 91 866 472330; Fax: SLOVAK REPUBLIC (SACT). Slovak Republic. Igor Bloco 5. Apt. 803. Copacabana-Rio de Janeiro 91 866 473433. E-mail: atheistevsnl.com. Kapisinsky Pavla Horova, 10 Bratislava 841 07 22041-010 Brazil, www.opcaoracional.com.br. Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Slovak Republic. BULGARIA. Bulgarian Skeptics, Bulgaria. Dr. Samiti (MANS) states of Maharashtra & Goa. Dr. SOUTH AFRICA. Marian Laserson. P.O. Box 46212, Vladimir Daskalov. E-mail: egosheveeinet.bg. Narendra Dabholkar, Executive President. Tel.: Orange Grove 2119 South Africa. SOCRATES. Krakra 22 BG-1504 Sofia, Bulgaria. 91-2162-32333; e-mail: ndabholkar@hotmail. South Africa. Cape Skeptics, Cape Town. Dr. CANADA. Alberta Skeptics, Alberta. Greg Hart. com. 155. Sadashiv Peth Satara 415001 India. Leon Retief. Tel.: 27-21-9131434; e-mail: Chairman. Tel.: 403-215-1440; e-mail: hartg www.antisuperstition.com. Indian Rationalist leonreiafrica.com. 5N Agapanthus Avenue. ehumaneffort.com. PO Box 5571. Station Association, India. Sanal Edamaruku. E-mail: Welgedacht Bellville 7530 South Africa. edamarukuevsnl.com or IRAerationalist 'A'. Calgary, Alberta T2H 1X9 Canada. SPAIN. El Investigador Esceptico. Spain. Felix international.net. 779. Pocket 5, Mayur Vlhar 1, http://abskeptics.homestead.com. Alberta Ares de Bias Gamez/Ares/Martinez. P.O. Box 904, New Delhi 110 091 India. Dravidar Kazhagam, Skeptics, British Columbia Skeptics. BC and Donostia-San Sebastian 20080 Spain. ARP- southern India. K. Veeramani, Secretary General. Alberta. Lee Moller. Tel. 604-929-6299; e-mail: Sociedad para el Avance del Pensamiento Tel.: 9144-5386555; e-mail: periyarevsnl.com. leemollerehome.com. 1188 Beaufort Road, N. Crftico ARP-SAPC Spain. Sergio Lopez. Periyar Thidal. 50. E.F.K. Sampath Road Vepery. Vancouver. BC V7G 1R7 Canada. Ontario Borgonoz. Tel.: 34-933-010220; e-mail: arpearp- Chennai Tamil Nadu 600 007 India. Skeptics, Ontario, Canada. Eric McMillan. sapc.org. Apartado de Correos, 310 www.Periyar.org. Indian CSICOP. India. B. Chair. Tel.: 416-425-2451, e-mail: ericewe-com- E-08860 Castelldefels, Spain, www.arp-sapc.org. Premanand, Convenor. Tel.: 091-0422-872423; e- pute.com. P.O. Box 53003. 10 Royal Orchard SWEDEN. Swedish Skeptics. Sweden. Dan Blvd., Thornhill, ON L3T 7R9 Canada. mail: dayaminiemd4.vsnl.net.in. 11/7 Chettipa- layam Road Podanur Tamilnadu 641 023 India. Larhammar, professor chairperson. Tel.: 46-18- www.astro.yorku.ca/-mmdr/oskeptics.html. 4714173; e-mail: vetfolkephysto.se. Medical Toronto Skeptical Inquirers (TSI) Toronto. ITALY. Comitato Italiano per il Controllo delle Pharmacology BMC. 8ox 593. Uppsala 751 24 Henry Gordon, President. Tel.: 905-771-1615; e- Sweden, www.physto.se/-vetfolk/index.html. mail: henry_gordonehotmail.com. 343 Clark Affermazioni sul Paranormale (CICAP) Italy. Ave.. W.. Suite 1009, Thornhill, ON L4J 7KS Massimo Polidoro, Executive Director. Tel.: 39- TAIWAN. Taiwan Skeptics. Taiwan. Tim Holmes. Canada. Ottawa Skeptics. Ottawa. Ontario. 049 686870; c mail: polidoroScicap.org. P.O. PO Box 19S. Tanzu, Taiwan Perspective. Greg Singer. E-mail: skepticeottawa.com. PO Box 1117 35100 Padova. Italy, www..org. UNITED KINGDOM. The Skeptic Magazine, United Box 1237, Station B. Ottawa, Ontario KIP 5R3 JAPAN. Japan Anti-Pseudoscience Activities Net­ Kingdom. Toby Howard. E-mail: tobyecs.man. Canada.www.admissions.carleton.ca/-addalby/ work (JAPAN) Japan. Ryutarou Minakami. chair­ ac.uk. P.O. Box 475 Manchester M60 2TH cats/skeptic.html. Sceptiques du Quebec. person. E-mail: skepticee-mail.ne.jp. c/o Ohta United Kingdom. Quebec. Alan Bonnier. Tel.: 514-990-8099. CP. Publishing Company. Epcot Bid. IF, 22, Arakicho. VENEZUELA. La Asociacion Racional y Esceptica de 202. Succ. Beaubien Montreal. Quebec H2G 3C9 Shinjuku-ku Tokyo 160-8571 Japan, japan Venezuela (A.R.E.V.), Guido David Nunez Canada, www.sceptiques.qc.ca. Skeptics. Japan. Dr. Jun Jugaku. E-mail: Mujica. 10th Street. 13th av. corner. Mini centro [email protected]. Japan Skeptics, Business comercial Oasis. Valera. Trujillo state, CHINA. China Association for Science and Tech­ Center for Academic Societies. Japan 5-16-9 Honk- Venezuela. Web site: www.geocities.com/escep nology. China. Shen Zhenyu Research Center. omagome. Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-8622 Japan. ticosvenezuela. e-mail: arlongehcrc.org. 2277 Winding Woods NORTH CAROLINA. Carolina Skeptics North United States Dr., Tucker, GA 30084 US. Carolina. Eric Carlson. President. Tel.: 336-758- IOWA. Central Iowa Skeptics (CIS) Central Iowa, 4994; e-mail: ecarlsonewfu.edu. Physics ALABAMA. Alabama Skeptics, Alabama. Emory Rob Beeston. Tel.: 515-285-0622; e-mail: ciskep- Department, Wake Forest University, Winston- Kimbrough. Tel.: 205-759-2624. 3550 Water­ ticsehotmail.com. 5602 SW 2nd St. Des Moines, Salem, NC 27109 US. www.carolinaskeptics.org. melon Road. Apt. 28A, Northport. AL 35476 US. IA 50315 US. www.skepticweb.com. OHIO. Central Ohioans for Rational Inquiry Skeptics-Freethought Forum of Alabama ILLINOIS. Rational Examination Association of (CORI) Central Ohio. Charlie Hazlett. President. Richard G. Davis. Tel. 256-751-4447; e-mail Lincoln Land (REALL) Illinois. David RRBama66ehotmail.com. Tel.: 614-878-2742; e-mail: charlieehazlett.net. Bloomberg, Chairman. Tel.: 217-726-5354; PO Box 282069, Columbus OH 43228 US. South ARIZONA. Tucson Skeptics Inc. Tucson. AZ. James e-mail, chairmanereall.org. PO Box 20302. Springfield. IL 62708 US. www.reall.org. Shore Skeptics (SSS) Cleveland and counties. McGaha. E-mail: JMCGAHAePimaCC.Pima.EDU. Jim Kutz. Tel.: 440 942-5543; e-mail: jimkutz 5100 N. Sabino Foothills Dr.. Tucson. AZ 85715 US KENTUCKY. Kentucky Assn. of Science Phoenix Skeptics. Phoenix. AZ. Michael Stack- Educators and Skeptics (KASES) Kentucky. eearthlink.net. PO Box 5083. Cleveland, OH pole. P.O. Box 60333. Phoenix. AZ 85082 US. Prof. Robert Baker. 3495 Castleton Way. North 44101 US. www.southshoreskeptics.orq/. Association for Rational Thought (ART) CALIFORNIA. Sacramento Organization for Lexington, KY 40502 US. Contact Fred Bach at Rational Thinking (SORT) Sacramento. CA. Ray e-mail: fredwbacheyahoo.com. Cincinnati. Roy Auerbach, president. Tel: 513- Spangenburg. co-founder. Tel.: 916-978-0321; e- LOUISIANA. Baton Rouge Proponents of Rational 731-2774, e-mail: raaecinci.rr.com. PO Box mail: kitrayequiknet.com. PO Box 2147, Inquiry and Scientific Methods (BR-PRISM) 12896, Cincinnati, OH 45212 US. www.cincinnati Carmichael, CA 95609-2147 US. www.quiknet Louisiana. Marqe Schroth. Tel.. 225-766-4747 425 skeptics.org. Com/-kitray/index1.html. Bay Area Skeptics Carriage Way, Baton Rouge. LA 70808 US. OREGON. Oregonians for Rationality (04R) (BAS) San Francisco—Bay Area. Tully McCarroll. MICHIGAN. Great Lakes Skeptics (GLS) SE Oregon. Dave Chapman, President. Tel.: 503 292- Chair Tel.: 415 927-1548; e-mail: tullyann©pac- Michigan. Lorna J. Simmons, Contact person. Tel.: 2146; e-mail: dchapmaneiccom.com. 7555 Spring bell.net. PO 8ox 2443 Castro Valley, CA 94546- 734-525-5731; e-mail: Skeptic3ieaol.com. 31710 Valley Rd. NW. Salem, OR 97304 US. www.o4r.org. 0443 US. www.BASkeptics.org. Sacramento Cowan Road, Apt. 103, Westland, Ml 48185-2366 Skeptics Society, Sacramento. Terry Sandbek, PENNSYLVANIA. Paranormal Investigating US. Tri-Cities Skeptics, Michigan. Gary Barker. Committee of Pittsburgh (PICP) Pittsburgh President. Tel.: 916-489-1774; e-mail: tsand- Tel.: 517-799-4502; e-mail: barkergesvol.org. bekeispchannel com. 4300 Auburn Blvd, Ste 206 3596 Butternut St., Saginaw, Ml 48604 US. PA. Richard Busch. chairman. Tel.: 412-366- Sacramento, CA 95841 US. httpy/my.ispchan- 1000; e-mail: mindfuietelerama.com. 8209 nel.com/-tsandbek/Skeptics/skeptics.htm. San MINNESOTA. St. Kloud Extraordinary Claim Thompson Run Rd.. Pittsburgh, PA 15237 US. Diego Association for Rational Inquiry Psychic Teaching Investigating Community Philadelphia Association for Critical (SDARI) San Diego. CA. county. Keith Taylor, (SKEPTIC) St Cloud, Minnesota, lerry Mertens. Tel.. 320-255-2138; e-mail: gmertensestcloud Thinking (PhACT), much of Pennsylvania. Eric President. Tel.: 619-220-1045; e-mail: krtay- Krieg, President. Tel.: 215-885-2089; e-mail: lorxyzeaol.com. 945 4th Ave. San Diego, CA state.edu. Jerry Mertens. Psychology Depart­ ment, 720 4th Ave. S, St. Cloud State University, eric©phan.org. PO Box 1131. North Wales, PA 92101US.http://members.tripod.com/sdanweb/h 19454 US. www.phaa.org/phact. ome.html. St. Cloud, MN 56301 US. MISSOURI. Gateway Skeptics. Missouri. Steve TENNESEE. Rationalists of East Tennessee. East COLORADO. Rocky Mountain Skeptics (RMS) Best, 6943 Amherst Ave., University City, MO Tennessee. Carl Ledenbecker. Tel.: 865-982- Colo., Wyo., Utah, Mont. Bela Scheiber. Pres­ 63130 US. Kansas City Committee for 8687; e-mail: Aletall©aol.com. 2123 Stony- ident. Tel.: 303-444-7537; e-mail: rmscentraie Skeptical Inquiry. Missouri. Verle Muhrer. brook Rd.. Louisville. TN 37777 US. mindspring.com. PO Box 7277, Boulder, CO United Labor Bldq . 6301 Rockhill Road. Suite TEXAS. North Texas Skeptics NTS Dallas/Ft 80306 US. http://bcn.boulder.co.us/community/ 412 Kansas City, MO 64131 US. Worth area, John Blanton, Secretary. Tel.: 972- rms. NEBRASKA. REASON (Rationalists, Empiracists 306-3187; e-mail: skeptic6ntskeptics.org. PO CONNECTICUT. New England Skeptical Society and Skeptics of Nebraska), Chris Peters, PO Box 111794. Carrollton, TX 75011-1794 US. (NESS) New England. MD. Box 24358, Omaha, NE 68134; e-mail: rea- www.ntskeptics.org. President. Tel.: 203-281-6277; e-mail: board sonOiehotmail.com; Web page: www.rea- VIRGINIA. Science & Reason. Hampton Rds.. ©theness.com. PO Box 185526, Hamden, CT son.ws. Virginia. Lawrence Weinstein. Old Dominion 06518-5526 US. www.theness.com. NEW MEXICO. New Mexicans for Science and Univ.-Physics Dept.. Norfolk, VA 23529 US. D.C./MARYLAND. National Capital Area Reason (NMSR) New Mexico. David E. Thomas, WASHINGTON. Society for Sensible Explanations, Skeptics NCAS. Maryland. DC, Virginia. D.W. President. Tel.: 505-869-9250; e-mail: det© Western Washington. Tad Cook. Secretary. E-mail: "Chip" Denman. Tel.: 301-587-3827. e-mail: rt66.com. PO Box 1017. Peralta. NM 87042 US. ncasencas.org. PO Box 8428. Silver Spring, MD www.nmsr.org. k7vwearrl.net. PO Box 45792, Seattle, WA 98145- 0792 US http://5e3ttleskeptics.org. 20907-8428 US. http://Www.ncas.org. NEW YORK. New York Area Skeptics (NYASk) FLORIDA. Tampa Bay Skeptics (TBS)Tampa Bay, metropolitan NY area. Ted W. Debiak, Florida. Gary Posner. Executive Director. Tel.: President. Tel.: 516-735-8739; e-mail: The organizations listed above have aims similar 813-584-0603; e-mail: tbskepeaol.com. 5319 info©nyask.com. 57 South Windhorst Ave.. to those of CSICOP but are independent and Archstone Dr. #102, Tampa. FL 33634 US. Bethpacje, NY 11714-4931 US.www.nyask.com. autonomous. Representatives of these organiza­ http://members.aol.com/tbskep. Inquiring Skeptics of Upper New York tions cannot speak on behalf of the CSICOP. GEORGIA. Georgia Skeptics (GS) Georgia. (ISUNY) Upper New York. Michael Sofka, 8 Please send updates to Bela Scheiber. PO Box Rebecca Long, President. Tel.: 770-493-6857; Providence St., Albany, NY 12203 US. 4482, Boulder, CO 80306.

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS

George Agogino, Dept. of Anthropology, Eastern New Laune Ciodfrey, anthropologist. University of Massachusetts James Pomerarrtz, ProvosL and professor of cognitive and Mexico University Gerald Gokfin, mathematician, Rutgers University, New Jersey linguistic sciences. Brown Univ. Gary Bauslaugh. educational consultant. Center for Donald Goldsmith, astronomer; president. Interstellar Media Gary P. Posner, M.D.. Tampa, Fla. Curriculum. Transfer and Technology, victoria, B.C. Canada , astronomer. Southwest Institute for Space Daisie Radner, professor of philosophy, SUNY, Buffalo Richard E. Berendzen, astronomer. Washington, D.C. Research, Alamogordo, New Mexico Michael Radner, professor of philosophy, McMaster Martin Bridgstock, lecturer. School of Science, Griffith Clyde F. Herreid. professor of biology. SUNY, Buffalo University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada University, Brisbane. Australia Terence M. Mines, professor of psychology, Pace Robert H. Romer, professor of physics, Amherst College Richard Busch. magician/mentalisL Pittsburgh, Penn. University, Pleasantville, N.Y. Karl Sabbagh, journalist Richmond. Surrey. England Shawn Carlson. Society for Amateur Scientists. East Michael Hutchinson, author; Sttmcu INOUHSB represen­ Robert J. Samp, assistant professor of education and Greenwich, CT tative. Europe medicine. University of Wisconsin-Madison Roger B. Culver, professor of astronomy, Colorado Stale Univ. Philip A lama, asset professor of astronomy. Univ. of Virginia Steven D. Schafersman, asst. professor of geology, Felix Ares de Bias, professor of computer science. William Jarvis, professor of health promotion and public Miami Univ., Ohio University of 8asque, San Sebastian, Spain health, Loma Linda University, School of Public Health Beta Scheiber,* systems analyst Boulder, Colo Micnaei K. Dennett writer, investigator, Federai Way, i. W. Keily, piolessoi u! M>»^""~a»- Unfaerslty of Chris Scott statistician, London. England Washington Saskatchewan Stuart D. Scott Jr., associate professor of anthropology, Sid Deutsch, consultant, Sarasota, Fla. Richard H. Lange, M.D., Mohawk Valley Physician Health J. Dommanget. astronomer. Royale Observatory, Plan. Schenectady, N.Y. SUNY, Buffalo Erwin M. Segal, professor of psychology, SUNY, 8uffalo Gerald A. Larue, professor of biblical history and archae­ Brussels, Belgium Carla Selby, anthropologist/archaeologist Nahum J. Duker, assistant professor of pathology. ology, University of So. California. Steven N. Shore, professor and chair. Dept. of Physics and Temple University William M. London, consumer advocate. Fort Lee. New Jersey Barbara Eisenstadt psychologist, educator, clinician, East Rebecca Long, nuclear engineer, president of Georgia Astronomy, Indiana Univ. South Bend Grcenbush, N.Y. Council Against Health Fraud, Atlanta. Ga Waclaw Szybalski, professor, McArdle Laboratory, William Evans, professor of communication, Georgia Thomas R. McDonough, lecturer in engineering. Caltech, University ol Wisconsin-Madison State University and 5ET1 Coordinator of the Planetary Society Ernest H. Taves, psychoanalyst. Cambridge, Mass. John F. Fischer, forensic analyst Orlando, Fla. James E. McGaha. Major, USAF; pilot Sarah G. Thomason. professor of linguistics, University of Robert E. Funk, anthropologist. New York State Museum Joel A. Moskowitz, director of medical psychiatry, Pittsburgh & Science Service Calabasas Mental Health Services, Los Angeles. Tim Trachet journalist and science writer, honorary chair­ Eileen Gambrill, professor of social welfare. University of Jan Willem Nienhuys. mathematician, Univ. of man of SKEPP, Belgium California at Berkeley Eindhoven, the Netherlands Sylvio Garattini, director. Mario Negri Pharmacology John W. Patterson, professor of materials science and 'Member, CSICOP Executive Council Institute. Milan. Italy engineering, Iowa State University "Associate Member, CSICOP Executive Council

METRO NEW YORK PERU CENTERS FOR INQUIRY Walnut and Green, 89 Walnut Street D. Casanova 430, Lima 14, Peru www.centerforinquiry.net Montclair. NJ 07042 Tel.: (973) 655-9556 EUROPE INTERNATIONAL Dr. Martin Mahner P.O. Box 703 Arheilger Weg 11, D-64380 Rossdorf. Germany Amherst. NY 14226 FRANCE Tel.:+49 6154 695023 Tel.: (716) 636-1425 Prof. Henri Broch, Universite of Nice MOSCOW WEST Faculte des Sciences Professor Valerii A. Kuvakin 4773 Hollywood Blvd. Pare Valrose. 06108 119899 Russia. Moscow, Vorobevy Gory. Los Angeles. CA 90027 Nice cedex 2. France Moscow State University, Tel.: (323) 666-9797 www.unice.fr/zetetics/ Philosophy Department