HOAXES, MYTHS & MANIAS CONFERENCE CREATIONIST FRAUD STIGMATA CLAIMS THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE AND REASON Volume 28, No. 2 • March / April 2004 ScienceT & Religion 2004 Turmoil and Tensions 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 Nickel), Senior Research Fellow Massimo Polidoro, Research Fellow Richard Wiseman, Research Fellow Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director FELLOWS James E. Alcock,* psychologist, York Univ., Toronto Saul Green, Ph.D., biochemist president of ZOL Irmgard Oepen, professor of medicine (retired), Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Albany, Consultants, New York. NY Marburg, Germany Oregon Susan Haack. Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts Loren Pankratz, psychologist Oregon Health Marcia Angell, M.D., former editor-in-chief, New and Sciences, prof, of philosophy. University Sciences Univ. England Journal of Medicine of Miami John Paulos, mathematician. Temple Univ. Robert A. Baker, psychologist. Univ. of Kentucky C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist. MIT Stephen Barrett M.D.. psychiatrist, author. Douglas Hofstadter, professor of human Massimo Polidoro. science writer, author, consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. understanding and cognitive science, executive director CICAP, Italy Barry Beyerstein,* biopsychologist Simon Fraser Indiana Univ. Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of Chicago Univ.. Vancouver. B.C.. Canada Gerald Holton. Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics Wallace Sampson, M.D.. clinical professor of Irving Biederman, psychologist. Univ. of Southern and professor of history of science, Harvard Univ. medicine, Stanford Univ., editor. Scientific California Ray Hyman," psychologist Univ. of Oregon Review of Alternative Medicine Susan Blackmore. Visiting Lecturer, Univ. of the Leon Jaroff, sciences editor emeritus. Time Amardeo Sarma. manger NEC Europe Ltd., West of England, Bristol Sergei Kapitza, former editor, Russian edition, executive director, GWUP, Germany. Henri Broch. physicist, Univ. of Nice, France Scientific American Evry Schatzman, former president, French Physics Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, professor Philip J. Klass, aerospace writer, engineer Association emeritus of English, Univ. of Utah Lawrence M. Krauss, author and professor of Eugenie Scott physical anthropologist, executive Vern Bullough, professor of history, California physics and astronomy, Case Western Reserve director. National Center for Science Education State Univ. at Northridge University Robert Sheaffer, science writer Mario Bunge. philosopher. McGill University Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director, Griffith Elie A. Shneour, biochemist, author, John R. Cole, anthropologist, editor, National Observatory director, Biosystems Research Institute, Center for Science Education Paul Kurtz,* chairman. Center for Inquiry La Jolla, Calif. Frederick Crews, literary and cultural critic. Lawrence Kusche, science writer Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Terrey Hills, professor emeritus of English, Univ. of Leon Lederman. emeritus director, Fermilab; N.S.W., Australia California, Berkeley Nobel laureate in physics Robert Steiner, magician, author. El Cerrito, Calif. F. H. C. Crick, biophysicist. Salk Inst for Biological Scott Lilienfeld. psychologist. Emory Univ. Victor J. Stenger. emeritus professor of physics Studies, La Jolla, Calif; Nobel laureate Lin Zixin, former editor. Science and Technology and astronomy, Univ. of Hawaii; adjunct Richard Dawkins. zoologist, Oxford Univ. Daily (China) professor of philosophy, Univ. of Colorado Geoffrey Dean, technical editor, Perth, Australia Jere Lipps. Museum of Paleontology. Univ. of Jill Cornell Tarter, astronomer, SETI Institute. Daniel C. Dennett, University Professor and Austin California, Berkeley Mountain View, Calif. B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy. Director of Elizabeth Loftus, professor of psychology, Univ. of Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Angeles, the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts Uni­ California, Irvine Calif. versity David Thomas, physicist and mathematician, Cornelis de Jager, professor of astrophysics, Univ. Paul MacCready, scientist/engineer, Peralta, New Mexico of Utrecht, the Netherlands AeroVironment, Inc., Monrovia, Calif. Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy. Univ. of Paul Edwards, philosopher, editor. Encyclopedia John Maddox. editor emeritus of Nature Southern California of Philosophy David Marks, psychologist Oty University, London Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and director, Kenneth Feder, professor of anthropology. Mario Mendez-Acosta, journalist and Hayden Planetarium, New York City Central Connecticut State Univ. science writer, Mexico City. Mexico Marilyn vos Savant Parade magazine Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ.. U.K. Marvin Minsky, professor of media arts and contributing editor Andrew Fraknoi. astronomer. Foothill College, Los sciences, M.I.T. Steven Weinberg, professor of physics and Altos Hills, Calif. David Morrison, space scientist. NASA Ames astronomy, Univ. of Texas at Austin; Kendrick Frazier. science writer, editor, SKEOTICAI Research Center Nobel laureate INQUIRER Richard A. Muller. professor of physics, Univ. of E.O. Wilson, University Professor Emeritus, Yves Galifret vice-president Affiliated Calif., Berkeley Harvard University Organizations: France H. Narasimhaiah. physicist, president Bangalore Martin Gardner, author, critic Science Forum, India Richard Wiseman, psychologist. University of Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics. Santa Fe Joe Nickell.* senior research fellow, CSICOP Hertfordshire Marvin Zelen, statistician. Harvard Univ. Institute; Nobel laureate Lee Nisbet philosopher, Medaille College Thomas Gilovich. psychologist. Cornell Univ. Bin Nye. science educator and television host Nye Labs * Member, CSICOP Executive Council Henry Gordon, magician, columnist Toronto James E. Oberg. science writer (Affiliations given for identification only.) • • • Visit the CSICOP Web site at http://www.csicop.org • • • The SkfrncAl INQHREK (ISSN 0194-6730) is published bimonthly by the Committer for the and on pagc63of the September/October 2003 issue. Or you man'send a fax request to thceditot. Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. 1310 Sweet Home Rd_. Amherst, NY Articlcs. reports, reviews, and letters published in the SKETHCM. ISIJCIRER represent the 14228. Printed in U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at Buffalo. NY. and at additional mailing of­ views and work of individual authors. 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It is on our Web she at hn^J/www.cs»cop.org/si/guide-fbr-auuSorLhtml l4226-0~03- Skeptical Inquirer ALBUQUERQUE CONFERENCE SECTION In Praise of Ray Hyman March / April 2004 • VOL. 28, NO. 2 JAMES ALCOCK From Internet Scams to Urban SPECIAL ISSUE Legends, Planet (hoa)X to the Bible Code: Hoaxes, Myths SCIENCE AND RELIGION 2004 and Manias TURMOIL AND TENSIONS KENDRICK FRAZIER ARTICLES COLUMNS 25 Why is Religion Natural? EDITOR'S NOTE PASCAL BOYER Science & Religion 2004: Turmoil and Tensions 4 32 Skeptical Inquiry and Religion NEWS AND COMMENT Herbal Update: Echinacea Shown Ineffective, Ephedra to Be PAUL KURTZ Banned by FDA / Canadian Defendants Victorious in Ritual Abuse Case / Hampton Court Photo: Ghost or Guest? 12 35 Exorcising All the Ghosts TANER EDIS CENTER FOR INQUIRY NEWS New Year's Message: We Welcome 2004 39 The Roles of Religion, Spirituality, PAUL KURTZ 14 and Genetics in Paranormal Beliefs INVESTIGATIVE FILES JAMES E. KENNEDY The Stigmata of Lilian Bernas JOE NICKELL 17 43 Development of Beliefs in THINKING ABOUT SCIENCE Paranormal and Supernatural Darwin Against the Philosophers MASSIMO PIGLIUCCI 20 Phenomena