North Texas Skeptic - Vol 02 No 02 - 1988

Magazine Overview

Title: The Skeptic
Publisher: The North Texas Skeptics
Issue Date: March/April 1988
Document Type: Newsletter

NTS News

The newsletter begins by announcing the election results for the new board of The North Texas Skeptics. John Thomas has been elected Chair, Mel Zemek is the Co-chair, Eddie Vela is the Secretary-Treasurer, and Tony Dousette will serve as the newsletter editor, production, and liaison. The organization anticipates an active year and notes that John Thomas has already initiated a confrontation with the Cystic Fibrosis Psychic Fair. The NTS has also been actively engaging with local media, sending letters to The Dallas Morning News, The Dallas Times-Herald, and The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. These letters request that newspapers include a disclaimer on their astrology columns, asserting that such forecasts should be considered for entertainment only and lack a reliable scientific basis. The NTS plans to publish any responses received from these newspapers in the next issue.

The publication also announces a shift in its schedule, moving from a quarterly to a bimonthly publication. To sustain this new schedule, the newsletter appeals for reader support in the form of articles, book reviews, and letters. They are particularly interested in hearing about encounters with practitioners of the 'irrational arts.' The editors mention that an article is already prepared for the May/June issue but emphasize the need for more contributions to continue publishing bimonthly.

NTS Goes to the Fair

This section details the North Texas Skeptics' involvement with a psychic fair sponsored by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. After NTS raised concerns about the propriety of this sponsorship, Martha Edens, the local chapter's executive director, announced the cancellation of a planned psychic fair in Denton and stated that the Foundation would no longer sponsor such events. She also noted that the fair had not raised the expected amount of money.

The NTS attended the fair held on January 3rd at the Doubletree Inn in Dallas. The event featured approximately thirty psychics, astrologers, graphologists, and card readers, along with dealers in metaphysical books and crystal objects. Some books on display promoted metaphysical causes and healing methods for conditions like Cystic Fibrosis, such as Louise L. Hay's "Heal Your Body" and Katarina Raphael's "Crystal Healing."

Carol Belt, a director of the Tarrant County branch, stated that the Foundation's name and logo were used, and promotional material indicated the fair was "presented" by the Foundation. Belt defended the sponsorship as a fundraising effort, but it appeared that fair receipts were split evenly between the Foundation and the psychics, despite a handout claiming all proceeds went directly to Cystic Fibrosis Research. Belt admitted that psychics were selected based on their perceived ability rather than tested accuracy and expressed surprise when asked about the Hay book.

Further investigation involved contacting Dr. Robert Kramer, a medical consultant for the Foundation and a professor of pediatric medicine. Dr. Kramer expressed shock at the Foundation's sponsorship of a psychic fair, calling it "a giant step backward" and a conflict with the Foundation's scientific mission. He stated that if claims like those in the Hay book were true, his medical training would be rendered "all wrong" and pledged to oppose such activities to the local foundation leadership.

Contact with the Foundation's national office revealed a similar disconnect. Mr. Rich Mattingly, vice-president for field operations, initially saw no reason to disassociate from a group based on beliefs, as long as they were legal and ethical. However, after learning of Dr. Kramer's opposition, Mattingly shifted his stance, stating he would not want to lend the Foundation's credibility to pseudoscience.

Ms. Edens, after conferring with Dr. Kramer, clarified that she had approved the fairs believing they were for entertainment only and stated she does not believe in psychics or astrologers. She noted that while fundraising staff may lack scientific training, volunteers receive orientation on cystic fibrosis, and paid staff receive annual training. NTS has formally written to the national headquarters, urging them to cease sponsoring psychic fairs due to their promotion of pseudoscience and undermining of a rational, scientific approach.

Oops!

This section offers an apology to Mark Meyer for failing to credit him for designing the NTS logo in the previous issue. It also introduces a locally published newsletter called "On T.O.P." (On Those Opposed to Pseudoscience), edited by Dr. Raymond A. Eve of UTA. This newsletter aims to connect academics, administrators, and policymakers interested in pseudoscience. Interested parties are directed to contact Dr. Eve at The Department of Sociology, Anthropology Social Work Box 19599, 285 University Hall, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76819.

Meeting Schedule

The newsletter lists upcoming meetings for the North Texas Skeptics:

• March 28: Dr. Arthur Babick will speak on "Researching with Psychics," discussing his work with the North Texas Parapsychology Association.
• April 17: Dr. Harry Reeder, a philosophy professor at UTA, will discuss critical thinking and argument analysis, exploring whether these skills can be learned.
• May 22: Hope Evans of the Cult Awareness Council will speak on "Cults in America," focusing on their destructive aspects and exploitation of skepticism.

All meetings are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Room 101, University Hall, University of Texas at Arlington (Corner of Cooper and Campus Drive).

Questions Raised by the Psychic Fair

This editorial, attributed to John Thomas, delves deeper into the issues surrounding the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's psychic fair. It questions why dedicated individuals involved in fundraising failed to recognize the conflict between the beliefs promoted at the fair and the Foundation's research philosophy. It also questions why a national vice-president declined to comment on astrological or psychic claims and why the Foundation's fundraising staff, despite being informed about cystic fibrosis research, did not apply this knowledge to evaluate competing health claims. The author posits that the core problem is a widespread lack of understanding of how science works, including the scientific method and its role in generating reliable, public knowledge. The editorial highlights common cognitive biases, such as generalizing from personal experience, accepting the first plausible explanation, poor probability estimation, and a bias against chance. It also notes how social and cultural influences, as well as the desire for excitement or control, can make pseudoscience beliefs attractive. The piece criticizes the media's tendency to uncritically accept and sensationalize pseudoscience claims, often failing to provide follow-up on debunking efforts. It concludes that while teaching scientific content is important, it is insufficient without an understanding of the scientific method and critical thinking, which are essential for evaluating competing claims and reaching sound conclusions.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards pseudoscience, the importance of critical thinking, and media accountability. The North Texas Skeptics actively challenge organizations that lend credibility to unscientific practices, particularly when those practices are linked to charitable causes. The editorial stance is clearly pro-science, advocating for the scientific method as the most reliable means of understanding the world and for educating the public to discern between scientific evidence and unsubstantiated claims. The newsletter also emphasizes the role of media in either promoting or debunking such claims and calls for greater accuracy and context in reporting.