Gardner on Induction Voodoo in New Orleans • 10th European Skeptics Congress Skeptical Inquirer THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE , AND REASON Volume 26, No. 1 • January/Febnaai Mark Twain Debunks Phrenology //_ Myths of Murder and Multiple Regression rymos, lawns- S A University's Struggle with Chiropractic Education, Scientific j Knowledge, and Paranormal Belief Three Skeptics' Debate Tools PHFtENQUX Geology Curriculum Confronts Creationism SPECIAL REPORT: Disney Finds Atlantis Atlantis Behind the Myth Published by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Pa 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 Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, State University of New York at Buffalo Barry Karr, Executive Director Joe Nicked. Research Fellow Massimo Polidoro, Research Fellow Richard Wiseman, Research Fellow Lee Nisbet. Special Projects Director FELLOWS James E. Alcock,* psychologist, York Univ., Susan Haack, Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts Loren Pankratz, psychologist Oregon Health Toronto and Sciences, prof, of philosophy. University Sciences Univ. Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Albany, of Miami John Paulos, mathematician. Temple Univ. Oregon C E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist, MIT Marcia Angell. M.D., former editor-in-chief. Al Hibbs, scientist. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Massimo Polidoro, science writer, author, Douglas Hofstadter. professor of human under­ New England Journal of Medicine executive director CICAP Italy Robert A. Baker, psychologist. Univ. of standing and cognitive science, Indiana Univ. 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French Henri Broch, physicist, Univ. of Nice, France Observatory Physics Association Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, professor Paul Kurtz,* ciairman. CSICOP Eugenie Scott physical anthropologist, execu­ emeritus of English, Univ. of Utah Lawrence Kusche, science writer tive director, National Center for Science Vern Bullough, professor of history. California Leon Lederman, emeritus director, Fermilab; Education State Univ. at Northridge Nobel laureate in physics Thomas A. Sebeok, anthropologist, Mario Bungs, philosopher, McGill University Scott Lilienfeld, psychologist, Emory Univ. linguist, Indiana Univ. John R, Cole, anthropologist, editor, National Lin Zixin, former editor. Science and Robert Sheaffer, science writer Center for Science Education Technology Daily (China) Elie A. Shneour, biochemist, author, Frederick Crews, literary and cultural critic, Jere Lipps, Museum of Paleontology, Univ. of professor emeritus of English, Univ. of director, Biosystems Research Institute. California, Berkeley California. Berkeley La Jolla. Calif. Elizabeth Loftus, professor of psychology, F. H. C. Crick, biophysicist, Salk Inst, for Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Terrey Univ. of Washington Biological Studies. La Jolla. Calif; Nobel Prize Hills, N.S.W., Australia Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, laureate Robert Steiner, magician, author, AeroVironment. Inc., Monrovia. Calif. Richard Dawkins. zoologist. Oxford Univ. El Cerrito. Calif. John Maddox, editor emeritus of Nature Cornells de Jager, professor of astrophysics. Jill Cornell Tarter, astronomer, SETI Institute. David Marks, psychologist City University. London. Univ. of Utrecht, the Netherlands Mountain View, Calif. Walter C. McCrone, microscopist, McCrone Paul Edwards, philosopher, editor. Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Research Institute Encyclopedia of Philosophy Angeles. Calif. Mario Mendez-Acosta. journalist and Kenneth Feder, professor of anthropology, David Thomas, physicist and mathematician, Central Connecticut State Univ. science writer, Mexico City, Mexico Peralta, New Mexico Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., U.K. Marvin Minsky, professor of media arts and Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy, Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer. Foothill College, sciences, M.IT. Univ. of Southern California Los Altos Hills, Calif. David Morrison, space scientist, NASA Ames Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and direc­ Kendrick Frazier,* science writer, editor, Research Center tor, Hayden Planetarium, New York City SKEPTKAI INQUIRER Richard A. Muller, professor of physics. Univ. Yves Galifret, vice-president, Affiliated of Calif.. Berkeley Marilyn vos Savant Parade magazine con­ Organizations: France H. 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Or you may send a fax request to the editor. 14226-0703- Skeptical Inquirer COLUMNS EDITOR'S NOTE 4 January/February 2002 • VOL. 26, NO. 1 NEWS AND COMMENT Astrology Teaching May Enter Universities in India / Poptronics' ARTICLES Readers Say Thumbs Down' to Pseudoscience / What's New? 19 Myths of Murder and Four More Reports from the Weird Science Front / John Multiple Regression Edward's Televised Tragedy Seance Scrapped 5 Econometric modeling has failed as a method of resolving CONFERENCE REPORT controversies about issues such as gun control, capital 10th European Skeptics Congress: Rise and Development of punishment, and homicide rates. The continued use of Paranormal Beliefs in Eastern Europe models that have no demonstrated predictive ability is a MARTIN MAHNER 8 form of junk science. TED GOERTZEL NOTES OF A FRINGE-WATCHER Some Thoughts About Induction 24 Education, Scientific Knowledge, MARTIN GARDNER 12 and Belief in the Paranormal INVESTIGATIVE