'Causes' Claims ID's Wedge Strategy: an Update Stephen

'Causes' Claims ID's Wedge Strategy: an Update Stephen

SI D09 J10 Cover V1 11/12/09 11:13 AM Page 1 GARDNER ON THOMAS GOLD | NICKELL ON BROWN’S LOST SYMBOL | SHROUD OF TURIN DUPLICATED THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE AND REASON Volume 34, No. 1 • January / February 2010 • INTRODUCTORY PRICE U.S. and Canada $4.95 How Parapsychologists Nullify Null Results Fringe Medicine’s ‘Causes’ Claims ID’s Wedge Strategy: An Update Stephen Fry Interview: Last Chance to Think Coral Castle: Fact and Folklore Published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry SI Jan Feb 2010 pgs 11/12/09 10:05 AM Page 2 Committee for Skeptical Inquiry FORMERLY THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL (CSICOP) AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY/TRANSNATIONAL An International Organization Paul Kurtz, Founder and Chairman Emeritus Richard Wiseman, Research Fellow Richard Schroeder, Chairman Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow Ronald A. Lindsay, President and CEO Massimo Polidoro, Research Fellow Barry Karr, Executive Director Fellows James E. Alcock, psychologist, York Univ., Toronto David J. Helfand, professor of astronomy, Robert L. Park, professor of physics, Univ. of Maryland Marcia Angell, M.D., former editor-in-chief, New Columbia Univ. John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ. England Journal of Medicine Douglas R. Hofstadter, professor of human under- Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist, Harvard Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, author, standing and cognitive science, Indiana Univ. Massimo Polidoro, science writer, author, consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics executive director CICAP, Italy Willem Betz, professor of medicine, Univ. of and professor of history of science, Harvard Univ. Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ. of Chicago Brussels Ray Hyman, psychologist, Univ. of Oregon Wallace Sampson, M.D., clinical professor of Irving Biederman, psychologist, Univ. of Southern Leon Jaroff, sciences editor emeritus, Time medicine, Stanford Univ., editor, Scientific California Sergei Kapitza, former editor, Russian edition, Review of Alternative Medicine Scientific American Susan Blackmore, Visiting Lecturer, Univ. of the Amardeo Sarma*, senior manager, NEC Europe West of England, Bristol Lawrence M. Krauss, author, Foundation Ltd.; chairman, GWUP, Germany. Henri Broch, physicist, Univ. of Nice, France Professor in the School of Earth and Space Evry Schatzman, former president, French Physics Jan Harold Brunvand, folklorist, professor Exploration and Physics Department, and Association emeritus of English, Univ. of Utah Inaugural Director of the Origins Initiative at Eugenie Scott, physical anthropologist, executive Mario Bunge, philosopher, McGill University Arizona State University director, National Center for Science Education Sean B. Carroll, professor of molecular genetics, Harry Kroto, professor of chemistry and bio- Robert Sheaffer, science writer Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison chemistry, Florida State University; Nobel Elie A. Shneour, biochemist, author, president and John R. Cole, anthropologist, editor, National laureate research director, Biosystems Research Institute, Center for Science Education Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer, director, Griffith La Jolla, Calif. Frederick Crews, literary and cultural critic, Observatory professor emeritus of English, Univ. of Paul Kurtz,* professor emeritus of philosophy, Dick Smith, film producer, publisher, Terrey Hills, California, Berkeley SUNY at Buffalo N.S.W., Australia Richard Dawkins, zoologist, Oxford Univ. Lawrence Kusche, science writer Robert Steiner, magician, author, El Cerrito, Calif. Geoffrey Dean, technical editor, Perth, Australia Leon Lederman, emeritus director, Fermilab; Victor J. Stenger, emeritus professor of physics Cornelis de Jager, professor of astrophysics, Univ. Nobel laureate in physics and astronomy, Univ. of Hawaii; adjunct of Utrecht, the Netherlands Scott Lilienfeld, psychologist, Emory Univ. professor of philosophy, Univ. of Colorado Daniel C. Dennett, university professor and Aus- Lin Zixin, former editor, Science and Technology Jill Cornell Tarter, astronomer, SETI Institute, tin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy, director Daily (China) Mountain View, Calif. of Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts Univ. Jere Lipps, Museum of Paleontology, Univ. of Carol Tavris, psychologist and author, Los Angeles, Calif. Ann Druyan, writer and producer, and CEO, California, Berkeley David Thomas, physicist and mathematician, Cosmos Studios, Ithaca, New York Elizabeth Loftus, professor of psychology, Univ. of Peralta, New Mexico Kenneth Feder, professor of anthropology, California, Irvine Stephen Toulmin, professor of philosophy, Univ. of Central Connecticut State Univ. David Marks, psychologist, City University, London Southern California Antony Flew, philosopher, Reading Univ., U.K. Mario Mendez-Acosta, journalist and Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and director, Barbara Forrest, professor of philosophy, science writer, Mexico City, Mexico Hayden Planetarium, New York City Southeastern Louisiana Univ. Marvin Minsky, professor of media arts and Marilyn vos Savant, Parade magazine Andrew Fraknoi, astronomer, Foothill College, Los sciences, M.I.T. contributing editor Altos Hills, Calif. David Morrison, space scientist, NASA Ames Steven Weinberg, professor of physics and Research Center Kendrick Frazier*, science writer, editor, SKEPTICAL astronomy, Univ. of Texas at Austin; INQUIRER Richard A. Muller, professor of physics, Univ. of Nobel laureate Calif., Berkeley Yves Galifret, executive secretary, l’Union E.O. Wilson, university professor emeritus, Joe Nickell, senior research fellow, CSI Rationaliste Harvard University Lee Nisbet, philosopher, Medaille College Martin Gardner, author, critic Richard Wiseman, psychologist, University of Bill Nye, science educator and television host, Murray Gell-Mann, professor of physics, Santa Fe Hertfordshire Nye Labs Institute; Nobel laureate Benjamin Wolozin*, professor, department of phar- James E. Oberg, science writer Thomas Gilovich, psychologist, Cornell Univ. macology, Boston University School of Medicine Irmgard Oepen, professor of medicine (retired), Susan Haack, Cooper Senior Scholar in Arts Marvin Zelen, statistician, Harvard Univ. and Sciences, professor of philosophy and Marburg, Germany professor of Law, University of Miami Loren Pankratz, psychologist, Oregon Health * Member, CSI Executive Council C.E.M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales Sciences Univ. (Affiliations given for identification only.) Visit the CSI Web site at www.csicop.org The SKEPTICAL INQUIRER (ISSN 0194-6730) is published bimonthly by the Committee for and submittal requirements. It is on our Web site at www.csicop.org/si/guide-for-authors.html and on Skeptical Inquiry, 3965 Rensch Road, Amherst, NY 14228. Printed in U.S.A. Periodicals postage page 56 of the March/April 2008 issue. Or you may send a fax request to the editor. paid at Buffalo, NY, and at additional mailing offices. 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Inquiries from the media and the public about the work of the Committee should be made to Subscriptions and changes of address should be addressed to: SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, P.O. Box 703, Barry Karr, Executive Director, CSI, P.O. Box 703, Amherst, NY 14226-0703. Tel.: 716-636- Amherst, NY 14226-0703. Or call toll-free 1-800-634-1610 (outside the U.S. call 716-636-1425). 1425. Fax: 716-636-1733. Old address as well as new are necessary for change of subscriber’s address, with six weeks advance no- Manuscripts, letters, books for review, and editorial inquiries should be addressed to Kendrick Fra- tice. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER subscribers may not speak on behalf of CSI or the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER. zier, Editor, SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, 944 Deer Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122. Fax: 505-828- Postmaster: Send changes of address to SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, P.O. Box 703, Amherst, NY 2080. Before submitting any manuscript, please consult our Guide for Authors for format, references, 14226-0703. SI Jan Feb 2010 pgs 11/12/09 10:06 AM Page 3 Skeptical Inquirer January / February 2010 • Vol. 34, No. 1 ARTICLES CONFERENCE REPORT 25 The War on Cancer: A Progress 8 CSI’s ‘UFOs: The Space-Age Report for Skeptics Mythology’ Although there has been some progress in the war on DAVE THOMAS cancer initiated by President Nixon in 1971, the gains have been limited. COLUMNS REYNOLD SPECTOR EDITOR’S NOTE COMMENT: AN ONCOLOGIST’S VIEW The Scourge of Cancer . 4 FROM THE TRENCHES NEWS AND COMMENT FA-CHYI LEE Notes on the News: Deception, Notoriety, and Credulity in Our Infotainment Age / Cryptozoology Museum Opens in Maine / Chupacabra Part of Creationist Exhibit . 5 33

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