The Association For Rational Thought News

Magazine Overview

The Association For Rational Thought News, Vol. 1, No. 7, published in April 1992, is a newsletter from an organization dedicated to promoting clear thinking and the scientific investigation of paranormal and pseudo-scientific claims. The publication encourages public engagement and membership.

First Annual Meeting Announcement

The newsletter announces the First Annual Meeting of the Association for Rational Thought (ART), scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 1992, at 10:00 AM at the Greenwich Tavern and Restaurant in Cincinnati. This meeting was rescheduled from April 18th to avoid conflict with the CSICOP Seminar. The agenda includes a business meeting to elect officers, opportunities to volunteer for ART committees, and a presentation by Oran Dent, a psychologist and stage magician, titled 'Similarities Between Military Deception and Stage Magic.' Members are encouraged to attend, vote, and meet the new officers. A luncheon will follow the meeting, with officers planning for ART's second year.

March Meeting Recap: Robert Baker on Ghosts

The March meeting featured a lecture by Robert A. Baker, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Kentucky and a CSICOP Fellow. Baker, an author known for his work on hypnosis and memory, discussed the belief in ghosts. He explained that this belief stems from an overwhelming desire to believe in life after death and a lack of understanding of normal brain functions. Baker argued that the commercial media exploits fears, particularly the fear of death, to promote superstitious beliefs. He described common phenomena, like spectral figures seen upon waking, as effects of normal brain processes, which can be mistaken for ghosts by those unfamiliar with psychology. Baker also recounted an incident in Ohio where teenagers' sightings of a 'ghost' led to police intervention and the shooting of the apparition.

ART Committees and Volunteer Opportunities

The newsletter outlines the significant task facing ART in combating pseudoscience and gullibility in the media and general population. It calls for volunteers to join one of its committees:

• Program Committee: Plans and arranges membership meetings, including finding suitable venues and planning programs.
• Publicity Committee: Maintains mailing lists, notifies members of meetings, and handles publicity to the media. Requires someone with computer skills and creativity.
• Scientific and Technical Consulting Committee: Organizes a pool of experts to support ART's educational and scientific goals, connecting them with media, law enforcement, and others needing expert information.
• Investigations Committee: Supervises investigations of paranormal events, involving visiting sites, interviewing witnesses, and conveying scientific perspectives to the public.
• Membership Committee: Focuses on increasing ART's membership and building a network of supportive rational thinkers.
• Telephone Tree Committee: Acts as a communication network for rapid information distribution during paranormal emergencies.
• Newsletter Committee: Involves reviewing books, writing opinions for publication, and assisting with the production of the newsletter.

Calendar of Events

• April 25, 1992: First Annual Meeting, election of officers, and presentation by Oran Dent at Greenwich Tavern and Restaurant, Cincinnati.
• May 16, 1992: Keith Brabender will present on 'Art's Perception of Science' at Greenwich Tavern and Restaurant, Cincinnati.
• October 17, 1992: Topic and location to be announced in the next ART News.

CSICOP Seminar Information

Information is provided about the CSICOP Seminar, 'Magic for Skeptics: Trickery and the Paranormal,' taking place in Lexington, Kentucky, from April 17-19, 1992. Lecturers include Joe Nickell and Robert A. Baker. The seminar will cover the history of magic, its association with the paranormal, magic tricks, perception, and mentalism.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently promotes a skeptical and rational approach to claims of the paranormal. It emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, scientific investigation, and debunking pseudoscience. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of evidence-based reasoning and against superstition and credulity, as exemplified by the focus on ART's mission and the content of the lectures and committee activities.