SKEPTICI S M . SCIENCE . SOCIETY Vol. 30, No 3. September 2010 tics kep eak S p S AUTISM, CULTS young SKEPTICS & the right approach FAITH HEALING j GALILEO j ASTROLOGY Australian Skeptics . www.skeptics.com.au Skeptic_Cover_Sep10.indd 1 3/9/10 9:45:40 AM The Skeptic September 10 Skeptical Groups in Australia Australian Skeptics Inc – Eran Segev Queensland Skeptics Association Inc – Bob Bruce www.skeptics.com.au PO Box 1388 Coorparoo DC 4151 PO Box 20, Beecroft, NSW 2119 Tel: (07) 3255 0499 Mob: 0419 778 308 [email protected] Tel: 02 8094 1894; Mob: 0432 713 195; Fax: (02) 8088 4735 Hear Bob on 4BC Paranormal Panel - 9-10pm Tuesdays [email protected] Sydney Skeptics in the Pub – 6pm first Thursday of each Meeting with guest speaker on the last Monday of every month month at the City Hotel, corner of Kent & King Streets at the Red Brick Hotel, 81 Annerly Road, South Brisbane. Dinner in the city (meeting upstairs) from 6pm, speaker at 7.30pm. See our web site for details: www.qldskeptics.com Dinner meetings are held on a regular basis in Chatswood Next dinner: Sept 25 - guest speaker business analyst John Smyrk. Bookings online or contact [email protected] Canberra Skeptics – Michael O’Rourke & Pierre Le Count PO Box 555, Civic Square, ACT 2608 Tel: (02) 6121 4483 [email protected] (general inquiries), Hunter Skeptics Inc – John Turner [email protected] (Canberra Skeptics in the Pub). Tel: (02) 4959 6286 [email protected] Monthly talks usually take place on the 13th of each month at We produce a 4-page e-newsletter six times a year; contact the the Innovations Theatre at the ANU. Dates and topics are subject newsletter editor ([email protected]) to add your to change. Canberra Skeptics in the Pub gather from time to email address to receive the e-newsletter. time at King O’Malleys Pub in Civic. For up-to-date details, visit our web site at: http://finch.customer.netspace.net.au/skeptics/ Meetings are held upstairs at The Cricketers Arms Hotel, Cooks Hill on the first Monday of each even-numbered month, commencing 7.00pm, with a guest speaker on an interesting topic. Skeptics SA – Laurie Eddie 52B Miller St Unley, SA 5061 Tel: (08) 8272 5881 [email protected] Australian Skeptics (Vic) Inc – Terry Kelly GPO Box 5166, Melbourne VIC 3001 Thinking and Drinking - Skeptics in the Pub, on the third Friday Tel: 1 800 666 996 [email protected] of every month. Contact [email protected] www.meetup.com/Thinking-and-Drinking-Skeptics-in-the-Pub/ Skeptics’ Café – Third Monday of every month, with guest calendar/10205558 or http://tinyurl.com/loqdrt speaker. La Notte, 140 Lygon St. Meal from 6pm, speaker at 8pm sharp. More details on our web site www.skeptics.com.au/vic WA Skeptics – Dr John Happs PO Box 466, Subiaco, WA 6904 Tel: (08) 9448 8458 [email protected] Borderline Skeptics – Russell Kelly All meetings start at 7:30 pm at Grace Vaughan House, PO Box 17, Mitta Mitta, Victoria 3701 227 Stubbs Terrace, Shenton Park Tel: (02) 6072 3632 [email protected] Further details of all our meetings and speakers are on our website at www.undeceivingourselves.com Meetings are held quarterly on second Tuesday at Albury/ Wodonga on pre-announced dates and venues. Australian Skeptics in Tasmania – Leyon Parker PO Box 582, North Hobart TAS 7002 Gold Coast Skeptics – Lilian Derrick Tel: 03 6238 2834 BH, 0418 128713 [email protected] PO Box 8348, GCMC Bundall, QLD 9726 Skeptics in the Pub - 2nd Thursday each month, 6.30pm, Prince Tel: (07) 5593 1882; Fax: (07) 5593 2776 of Wales Hotel, Battery Point [email protected] Contact Lilian to find out news of more events. Darwin Skeptics – Brian de Kretser Tel: (08) 8927 4533 [email protected] Volume 30 • No 3 • September 10 Contents re PO rt S Aust Skeptics at TAM8 6 Richard Saunders AVN’s annus horibilis 8 8 Tim Mendham 6 FEATURES Education on cults 11 Michael Wolloghan Pugliucci interview 14 Richard Saunders 18 22 Young Aussie Skeptics 16 Richard Hughes Critical thinking 18 14 Peter Ellerton 11 Autism Debate 22 Eran Segev & Bob Buckley art ICL es 30 Belief in astrology 30 Caitlin Brain & Krissy Wilson The church & Galileo 34 Helen Lawrence Experiencing faith healing 36 34 Peter Ellerton 36 FO ru M 58 Sucrose debate 48 Forbes-Ewan, Gillespie et al Big Bang 54 54 Various authors Climate economics 56 Mark Lawson Solar energy economics 58 Tony Heyes 48 REGU L ARS Editorial 4 Around the Traps 5 Puzzles page 21 43 What goes around 28 Book reviews 40 Astrology column 60 Letters 61 40 EDITORIAL From the Editor I can hear you … any years ago (more than twenty, dissemination than they deserve, if they Mto be approximately exact) I used deserve anything at all. to edit a magazine called The Skeptic. But there is very much a positive You may have heard of it. In those days, side that should outweigh the negative the magazine was the prime source of implications. And that is that skepticism ISSN 0726-9897 information to the body of Skeptics is no longer a secret, but a growing Quarterly Organ of in Australia about the views, news and movement that encompasses all ages and Australian Skeptics Inc evidence under discussion by members. all manners of communication. There is a (ABN 90 613 095 379) There was also an annual convention boldness and vivacity – not to mention a Editor – still a regular event after 30 years – and large dose of excitement, enthusiasm and Tim Mendham the occasional get-together over food, beer humour – about current activity. And or whatever. long may it continue. Editorial Board Other than that, there was not a lot There are examples of Skeptics Steve Roberts to bring Skeptics together to keep them proclaiming their views in this issue, as Barry Williams informed and to allow the sharing of there always have been. But the breadth Krissy Wilson opinions and findings. and depth of views that continue Michael Wolloghan To be truthful, these limitations to today are as considered as they are communication meant that the skeptical encompassing and should be encouraged. Design Services message was not readily heard or With that in mind, I welcome Nova Consulting P/L understood, and was regarded in some contributions from all corners, and for All correspondence to: circles as a ‘dirty little secret’ that dare not all segments of the magazine – articles, Australian Skeptics Inc speak its name. news items, forums, letters and reviews. PO Box 20 In the years since then, largely The Skeptic thrives on diversity and while Beecroft NSW 2119 thanks to the development of a range of we would steer clear of the intemperate, Australia technologies, Skeptics have enjoyed far vindictive and misinforming, we do greater and more rapid dissemination of work according to the philosophy of Contact details information, which has given them the “vive la difference”. There are – and Tel: +61 (0)2 8094 1894 capability (“empowerment” is the word should be – items which for one reason Mob: +61 (0)432 713 195 used in recent years) to promulgate their or another rouse endorsement or, equally, Fax: +61 (0)2 8088 4735 views widely. irritation. Such views encourage debate, [email protected] This is not to say that this magazine and preferably informed debate, which www.skeptics.com.au no longer holds a significant role in the is the stuff of the scientific method. Yes, Skeptical world. It most certainly does, there will be the occasional misinformed The Skeptic is published four times and it remains – whether in digital or or even silly contribution, at least in per year by Australian Skeptics Inc. hard copy format – the prime source of some people’s eyes. There’s nothing Views and opinions expressed in articles evidence-based discourse and discussion wrong with that as long as the response and letters in The Skeptic are those of on the many and varied issues that (and you can believe me there will a the authors, and are not necessarily Skeptics concern themselves with. response) is concerned with well-meant those of Australian Skeptics Inc. But a considerable outcome of the and sometimes good-humoured debate, Articles may be reprinted with rise in varied technologies – the internet, discussion and correction. permission and with due acknowledge- websites, email, SMS, Twitter, Facebook, I look forward to hearing from you. ment to The Skeptic. All effort is made to YouTube, blogs, podcasts and vodcasts, ensure correct acknowledgement of all and there are bound to be others I’ve - Tim Mendham, editor contributions. We are happy to update missed – is that more people have credit when so informed. delivered more information to a broader PS: A hearty thanks to Steve Roberts for his Editorial submission deadlines audience than ever before. behind-the-scenes contribution to this issue. October 15, 2010 This, of course, can lead to problems. Despite being in Sweden, enjoying meatballs January 15, 2011 Intemperate statements, vindictive and filbunke, he added an oversight that April 15, 2011 invective and downright misinformation was both valuable and valued, not to July 15, 2011 are given more credence and mention extremely prompt. 4 N E WS The Skeptic September 10 Around the traps ... Global views Yamaguchi Prefecture last year, after a on homeopathy midwife gave the baby a homeopathic remedy instead of a vitamin K2 SKEPTICS There have been mixed reactions to injection. Change OF ADDRESS homeopathy recently, particularly following the UK House of Commons Subscribers, contributors Science & Technology Committee Evolution for schools statement which, according the British and members should Medical Journal, concludes that In an effort to promote note that the address “homeopathy is a placebo treatment an understanding of the that deceives patients and could principles of evolution for correspondence with therefore damage the implicit trust among students, the Australian Skeptics Inc between doctor and patient”.