Cincinnati Skeptic - Vol 04 No 04 - 1995

Magazine Overview

Title: Cincinnati Skeptic
Issue: Vol. 4, No. 4
Date: April, 1995
Publisher: The Association for Rational Thought

This issue of the Cincinnati Skeptic, a newsletter from The Association for Rational Thought, focuses on critical examination of various topics, including a true crime story with cultural implications, a physicist's speculative cosmological theory, and a critique of historical education.

Book Review: The Broken Circle: A True Story of Murder and Magic in Indian Country

The issue opens with a review of Rodney Barker's book, 'The Broken Circle: A True Story of Murder and Magic in Indian Country.' The review highlights the murder of three Navajo men by white teenagers in Farmington, New Mexico, in the summer of 1974. The author notes the town's racist atmosphere, comparing it to the Jim Crow South, where 'rolling' (mugging) Indian men was considered a sport by some white teenagers. The murders escalated into torture and death over two successive weekends. The review points out the inadequate punishment of the murderers, who were treated as juveniles and served only two years. This led to protests by the Navajo against the town's establishment. The review also delves into the book's exploration of Navajo magic and witchcraft, noting that Navajo religion does not require forgiveness of enemies and that the universe is seen as alive with spiritual power. The 'Blackening Ceremony' is mentioned as a Navajo ritual believed to have restored harmony after the murders. The city police, sheriff, and FBI dismissed the witchcraft claims as 'mumbo-jumbo.' The reviewer contrasts this with the Christian emphasis on forgiveness, suggesting that the Navajo belief system, including witchcraft, is an intricate part of their worldview and not easily dismissed as superstition.

Book Review: The Physics of Immortality

The second major review covers Frank J. Tipler's book, 'The Physics of Immortality: Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead.' Tipler, a physicist, attempts to prove the existence of God, heaven, and eternal life through physics. His theory, the 'Omega Point Theory,' suggests that the universe will collapse into a single point (the Omega Point), which is Tipler's concept of God. The theory predicts that life will continue until the end of time, with humans being resurrected as virtual computers within a universal computer. The reviewer notes that Tipler's prediction for the mass of the top quark was verified. The theory relies on the Anthropic Principle, suggesting that life must take over the universe to ensure its own survival and to control the collapse into the Omega Point. Tipler proposes that machines like von Neumann machines could explore and eventually convert the universe into a giant computer. The reviewer expresses skepticism about Tipler's elaborate scenario, calling it an 'elaborate joke' and questioning the plausibility of the required cooperation and the idea of the universe being a person. The reviewer concludes that Tipler has wasted considerable talent on this irrational, though understandable, belief.

Book Review: Lies My Teacher Told Me

The third book review is of James W. Loewen's 'Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Got Wrong.' The reviewer, Andrew W. Jergens, highlights Loewen's critique of twelve American history textbooks. Loewen argues that these texts are driven more by the need to inspire patriotism and provide role models than by historical accuracy. Examples include the portrayal of Woodrow Wilson as a great statesman without mentioning his white supremacist views and the ordering of racial segregation in the federal government. The review also discusses the Eurocentric view of early American history, ignoring contributions from non-English Europeans and people of color, and presenting America solely as a 'land of opportunity' without acknowledging social and economic inequities. Loewen suggests this leads to a narrow view of history that denies students an accurate perspective and a sense of belonging. The reviewer encourages readers to think critically about Loewen's claims, noting that while the book is well-documented, not all end notes are supporting references.

Research Update: Who's Buried in Alexander's Tomb?

This section reports on the announcement by archaeologist Liana Souvaltzi of the discovery of Alexander the Great's tomb near Siwa, Egypt. However, subsequent inspection by Greek archaeologists, including George Thomas and Dr. Yanni Tzedakis, cast doubt on her claims. The Greek team stated the site was not clearly a tomb, not in the Macedonian style, and dated from Roman times, centuries after Alexander. They also disputed Souvaltzi's claims about inscriptions on tablets allegedly confirming Alexander's burial and Ptolemy I's confirmation. Souvaltzi's lack of cooperation with the Greek team and her claim of receiving 'mystical guidance' further fueled skepticism. The article notes that leading Greek and Egyptian archaeologists had previously doubted her claims.

Skeptical Blurbs

Andrew O. Lutes, an A.R.T. member, has produced a batch of 'skeptical blurbs' designed to counter credulous reporting on paranormal or fringe science topics in local media. The program relies on members to identify such instances and provide factual summaries. The article encourages members to contribute by writing explanations of phenomena for the program.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards pseudoscientific claims, critical analysis of popular beliefs and theories, and a focus on historical accuracy and rational thought. The editorial stance is clearly one of promoting critical thinking and debunking unsubstantiated claims, whether they stem from fringe science, speculative physics, or biased historical narratives. The publication aims to provide a rational counterpoint to what it perceives as widespread acceptance of nonsense and superstition.