Bay Area Skeptics Information Sheet - 1987 10

Magazine Overview

Title: BASIS
Issue: Vol. 6, No. 10
Date: October 1987
Publisher: Bay Area Skeptics
Editor: Kent Harker

This issue of BASIS, the newsletter of the Bay Area Skeptics, features several articles critical of pseudoscientific claims and alleged hoaxes.

Astrologer Trips on BAS

The lead article, "ASTROLOGER TRIPS ON BAS," details how the Bay Area Skeptics network monitors and engages with media appearances promoting the paranormal. It highlights an instance where astrologer Jean Avery appeared on KGO radio's Michael Krasny show and asserted that Michel Gauquelin supported astrology. Robert Steiner, founder and advisor of BAS, wrote a letter to Krasny and Avery challenging this assertion. The article explains Gauquelin's work, particularly his statistical analysis of birth signs and the "Mars Effect," noting that skeptics have long criticized these findings. It emphasizes that Gauquelin was actually an outspoken critic of astrology, and that Avery's claim misrepresented his work by taking one study out of context.

Robert Steiner's letter to Michael Krasny and Jean Avery is published. Steiner expresses his enjoyment of the show but corrects Avery's erroneous assertion about Gauquelin. He explains that he is sending Avery copies of the final two pages of Gauquelin's book, "Dreams and Illusions of Astrology," which he hopes will clarify Gauquelin's actual position. Steiner respectfully suggests Avery send a letter of retraction to Michael Krasny to inform his listeners of her mistake.

The excerpt from Michel Gauquelin's "Dreams and Illusions of Astrology" (pages 157-158) is included. Gauquelin concludes that while astrology is socially and psychologically alive, it often leads to dreams answered by charlatans or the illusions of researchers who are "sincere but not very lucid." He states that astrology's basis is mythological, incompatible with scientific objectivity, and that electronic astrology is a baseless gadget. He views horoscopes as a commercial reality but a scientific illusion.

CSICOP Press Release: MJ-12 Documents Debunked

A press release from CSICOP (Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal) declares that widely publicized "Top secret" documents claiming the U.S. Government recovered a crashed flying saucer and alien bodies near Roswell, N.M., are "clumsy counterfeits." CSICOP UFO investigator Phil Klass conducted research that supports this conclusion.

The MJ-12 documents, released by William Moore, Stanton Friedman, and Jamie Shandera, were claimed to confirm earlier reports of a government saucer recovery. Moore stated that photos of these documents were found on a film roll and that he, Friedman, and Shandera spent over two years authenticating them. Moore publicly stated their opinion that the documents "APPEAR to be genuine."

However, Klass's investigation, which involved combing records at the National Archives and Presidential Libraries, quickly revealed evidence of forgery. Klass challenged Moore's claims by examining authentic documents from the same period. A key document, a memorandum dated July 14, 1954, purportedly from Robert Cutler to General N. Twining about a briefing for President Eisenhower, was found to be a counterfeit. Klass points out that Cutler had departed Washington 11 days earlier and was not present. Further analysis showed the memo lacked a USAF register number, had an incorrect watermark, and was typed as an original rather than a carbon copy, with a security classification that did not exist at the time.

Klass also challenges claims about the authenticity of other documents, including a purported Truman letter creating the MJ-12 group. He notes that while Moore and Shandera claimed to have verified the typing, Klass's examination of authentic Truman letters from 1947 revealed that the purported MJ-12 letter had a different typeface and format, and was likely created by superimposing a spurious message on a photocopy.

Klass invited Moore and his associates to collaborate on identifying the fabricator of the hoax. His detailed report on the counterfeit papers is slated for the Winter edition of "The Skeptical Inquirer."

Ramparts: New Age Junkets and Crystal Power

The "Ramparts" section features various items. One is an advertisement for "Twilight Zone" magazine offering New Age junkets, including a $1777 tour to witness "Quetzalcoatl lore and mystique" and a $2,222 trip to Peru to "Contact with the Star Gods of the Andes." Other tours include an Incan tour for $2,450 and a claim of immortality among psychic energy healers for $2,850.

Another item discusses the proliferation of crystal power claims. John Taube clipped an article from the "Chronicle" about crystal nonsense, referencing a previous article in "BASIS" by Lawrence Jerome. The article notes that crystals are alleged to resolve marital conflict and cure AIDS. A quote from an insurance broker mentions using a quartz crystal as a "meditation partner." Other claims include crystals improving car mileage or reducing electric bills. Forbes magazine reported that consumers spend $100 million on crystals, which shop owners see as proof of their efficacy.

Dr. Lionel Weiss, a professor of crystallography, is quoted as saying that crystal belief is "more religious than scientific; a matter of faith." John Taube warned in a letter to the editor that women might claim to get pregnant from crystals, and suggested they contact BAS to see if crystals could pay their $11,000 challenge money.

Editor's Corner: Creationism and Modern Physics

The "Editor's Corner" discusses the appeal of the "good 'ol days" and the notion that ancient knowledge is inherently true, using astrology as an example. It then delves into the creationist movement's opposition to modern science, particularly quantum physics and relativity.

The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) is mentioned for establishing the Thomas G. Barnes Institute of Physics, aiming to promote research supporting a return to classical physics. The article suggests that creationists are upset by modern physics because it challenges their worldview.

Relativism, as proposed by Einstein, is seen as a threat because it suggests no absolute frame of reference, which conflicts with fundamentalist theology's need for a divine center or anchor for the universe. The article notes that creationists, particularly strict constructionists, believe in a predetermined universe where every event is accountable to God.

Robert Gentry's book "Creation's Tiny Mystery" is cited for an alleged proposal of a universe center 100,000 light years from Earth, which he posits as God's dwelling place. The article criticizes this as a supernatural conjecture that "does violence to science."

Furthermore, creationists are said to have issues with quantum mechanics and the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which they derisively call the "Heisenberg Unknowable Principle." This principle's assertion that certain information is inherently unknowable at the sub-atomic level contradicts the creationist belief in a precisely determined universe.

The article concludes by stating that creationists often rely on doctrinaire, literal interpretations of the Bible and that their militant stance poses a threat to science education, despite recent setbacks. It calls for awareness to counter those who seek to halt the growth of knowledge.

Memes: Mental Parasites

This article by H. Keith Henson discusses the concept of memes as replicating information patterns that infest humans and communication channels, forming a "memetic ecosystem" or culture. Similar to viruses infecting cells, memes can grow or die out.

While most memes are harmless, some are deadly, and the article proposes that susceptibility to religious and parapsychological nonsense is a side effect of evolved mental structures. Michael Gazzaniga's concept of the "interpreter" or "inference engine" module in the brain is presented as a mechanism that, when observed failing in split-brain patients, reveals how it operates and potentially creates a supportive environment for harmful memes.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of BASIS are skepticism towards paranormal claims, the debunking of alleged hoaxes, and a critical examination of pseudoscientific beliefs. The newsletter consistently promotes scientific reasoning and evidence-based analysis, contrasting it with faith-based or unsubstantiated claims. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of critical thinking and the scientific method, actively challenging claims made by astrologers, proponents of UFO cover-ups, and creationists. The publication aims to educate its readers about the flaws in these belief systems and to encourage a more rational approach to understanding the world.

This issue of "BASIS," the monthly publication of the Bay Area Skeptics, dated October 1987, delves into several topics related to critical thinking, cognitive biases, and the examination of extraordinary claims. The publication features articles that analyze human susceptibility to misinformation, discuss specific cases of alleged paranormal phenomena, and explore the principles of scientific inquiry.

Memetics and Cognitive Biases

The lead article introduces the concept of 'memetics,' framing it as a way to understand how ideas and beliefs spread like infectious agents. It posits that social and political movements, as well as cults, can be viewed as side effects of 'memetic epidemics.' The article draws parallels between the spread of memes and the spread of germs, suggesting that susceptibility to certain beliefs, such as those in astrology or faith healing, is a critical factor in human behavior. The author discusses how the human brain's 'inference engine' is prone to finding causal relationships, even when they don't exist, and how this can lead to the acceptance of 'shaky theories.' This engine is too simple to recognize when it lacks data and cannot communicate this deficiency to conscious modules. The article also touches upon the susceptibility to 'infectious nonsense' and how even skeptics can be fooled, emphasizing the importance of tools like the scientific method to weed out non-reality beliefs.

Memes are described as 'infecting-agents' that can induce concerted action, with social movements and cults being examples. The conflict between the Soviet empire and Western culture is framed as a conflict for 'meme turf' between communism and Western tolerance. Historical events like World War II and the genocide in Kampuchea are analyzed through this memetic lens. The article notes that selection against harmful memes can be slow, with some evolving into 'helpful symbionts,' likening the progression of cults to mainstream religions. The development of 'cultural immune systems,' such as the backlash against the cultural revolution in China, is seen as a faster process, with CSICOP being considered an element of such a system.

Skepticism itself is presented as a challenge, with the need to confront 'stupid' behavior in people who should know better. Memetics may offer a way to view susceptibility to memes as a parameter distinct from intelligence, akin to bad luck like catching a cold. The article concludes by suggesting that a rational understanding of how people are 'parasitized by magical beliefs' might decrease the number of infected individuals, potentially developing immunity through education, analogous to how germ theory improved public health practices.

Editor's Retraction and Apology

An "Editor's retraction and apology" section addresses an error in a previous September article on logic. The editor had suggested readers send in papers for grading on a statement about statistical anomalies and psi. BAS advisor Robert Steiner pointed out an error in the editor's assertion that 'If the premise is false and the argument ironclad, the falsity of the conclusion is guaranteed.' The editor corrects this, stating that if one begins with a false premise, anything is possible. The apology is extended to the readers, and Steiner is commended for his astuteness.

Skeptics in the News

This section highlights the activities of Bay Area Skeptics (BAS) members. Shawn Carlson, a BAS board member, has gained attention for his work on the 'weeping icon phenomenon,' where statues or paintings are believed to shed tears. Carlson, using his physics background, has created his own weeping pictures, including a copy of the Mona Lisa that can 'sob away for months.' The article notes that while Carlson doesn't suggest the Virgin Mary icon in Chicago is fake, he implies that common sense dictates ruling out material origins before accepting supernatural explanations, and that religious officials have refused to allow testing.

Robert Sheaffer, past Chair of BAS and a UFO expert, appeared on a local news program to discuss UFOs. He debated Dr. James Harder, a U.C. Berkeley physicist who advocates for the 'extraterrestrial hypothesis.' Sheaffer countered Harder's claims by questioning why such overwhelming evidence isn't accepted by the broader scientific community and emphasized the subjective nature of perception and recall in UFO sightings. A viewer's letter describing a spherical UFO with rings entering the water near Mt. Tamalpias was presented. Sheaffer critically analyzed this report, pointing out the lack of corroboration from other witnesses or surveillance systems, despite the alleged event occurring in a populated area during daylight.

Harder's assertion of a government cover-up to protect society from fear of invasion was met with Sheaffer's characteristic aplomb, asking to be informed if such a payroll existed, as he was working on a shoestring. The section concludes by congratulating Robert and Shawn for their expertise and articulation in the Bay Area.

New Booklet and Science Rejection

Information is provided about a new booklet titled "The Other Quote Book," which is presented as a response to a creationist publication. The article explains that creationists often take evolutionary writings out of context to argue that evolution is in disarray. The booklet can be obtained from Dr. A. G. Wheeler at the University of Queensland, Australia, for $9.00.

The final section, "How Science Rejects a Theory," announces that astronomer Norm Sperling will address the October meeting of BAS. The discussion will cover how science proposes and rejects candidate paradigms, using examples like Darwinian evolution, Newtonian mechanics, and Einsteinian relativity, contrasting them with hypotheses that are falsified by new data, such as Lockyer's meteoric hypothesis. The talk will delve into the history and philosophy of science, belief, pseudoscience, and human attitudes.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of BASIS are the critical examination of claims, the understanding of cognitive biases that lead to irrational beliefs, and the promotion of skepticism. The publication consistently advocates for the scientific method as a tool to discern reality from pseudoscience. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of rational inquiry, evidence-based reasoning, and the debunking of unsubstantiated claims, while also acknowledging the complexities of human perception and belief formation. The articles aim to educate readers on how to approach extraordinary claims with a critical and skeptical mindset.