The Newsletter of The North Texas Skeptics

Magazine Overview

This issue of "The Newsletter of The North Texas Skeptics" from January/February 1990, Volume 4 Number 1, features a cover headline "Only a theory" and explores various topics through a skeptical lens. The newsletter is published by The North Texas Skeptics and its website is ntskeptics.org.

Only a theory: Evolution in Texas Textbooks, New Requirements, and a Bit of History (Part 1)

This article by Scott Faust details the long-standing controversy surrounding the teaching of evolution in Texas textbooks. It begins by referencing William Jennings Bryan's anti-evolution activism in the early 20th century, which led to legislative actions and a decline in the treatment of evolution in textbooks until the post-Sputnik era. The movement revived and has spanned over two decades. Faust outlines three main strategies employed by anti-evolutionists: exclusion of evolution, counterposing it with "creation science," and the "only a theory" approach, which aims to demean evolution by emphasizing its theoretical status. The article discusses Texas's history with regulating evolution in textbooks, including a 1974 rule that required evolution to be presented as one of several explanations for human origins. This rule was later deemed unconstitutional by Attorney General Mattox. In 1984, the State Board of Education (SBE) abolished the rule, replacing it with a more general requirement for objective presentation of theories. The article then introduces Proclamation 66, the latest State Board of Education guidelines for textbook adoption, which includes evolution in content requirements for biology and elementary science. The author notes that the mere mention of evolution in a Texas proclamation was unprecedented.

The article highlights the public hearing for Proclamation 66, where some individuals expressed strong opposition to teaching evolution, linking it to moral degradation and crime. Conversely, supporters of the proclamation included scientists and educators. The article also discusses the influential role of textbook reformers Mel and Norma Gabler, who have campaigned against the inclusion of evolution in textbooks since the 1960s. The Gablers advocated for changing "theory of evolution" to "theories of evolution" to suggest multiple, contradictory theories and sought to present equal evidence for and against evolution, which Faust argues is a misrepresentation of scientific methodology. Anti-evolutionists are described as well-networked, inundating SBE members with letters and phone calls.

Touching for scrofula

By John A. Thomas, this article examines historical irrational beliefs and practices, using the New Age movement as a contemporary example. It recounts the 17th-century practice of "touching for scrofula" by English monarchs, particularly William of Orange and Charles II. This ceremony, sanctioned by ecclesiastical authority, involved the king touching individuals with scrofula, who were then expected to be cured. Thomas illustrates how even respected figures, including royal surgeons, believed in the king's miraculous power, attributing cures to divine intervention and failures to a lack of faith. He notes that this practice persisted for centuries, with Charles II reportedly touching nearly a hundred thousand people during his reign. The article suggests that the widespread belief in such practices, even among educated individuals, highlights the persistence of irrationality and the human tendency to seek preternatural cures for suffering.

New age or old nonsense?

Written by Keith Parsons, this article explores the New Age movement, questioning its purported status as a new world-view. Parsons defines a world-view as a set of fundamental concepts that shape our perception of reality, noting that reality is always mediated by language and concepts. He argues that civilizations undergo world-view changes, such as the shift from an Aristotelian to a mechanistic view. Parsons acknowledges the significance of the New Age movement's proposal for a new world-view but urges serious consideration, not distraction by elements like trance channellers. He explains that New Agers believe the current scientific world-view is bankrupt, leading to problems like environmental destruction and fear of nuclear annihilation. They advocate for a world-view emphasizing holism, relativism, metaphysical idealism, and mysticism, in contrast to the mechanistic, reductionistic, and deterministic views inherited from modern science.

Parsons dissects the concept of "holism," contrasting it with "reductionism." He agrees that understanding something requires considering the relationships and interactions of its parts, not just the parts themselves. However, he questions whether the New Age interpretation of holism, particularly in medicine, goes beyond this basic principle. He suggests that if holism means treating patients as whole persons with mental, emotional, and spiritual needs, it is sound advice. But if it implies something more revolutionary, it needs clearer definition. He concludes that the New Age call for a holistic approach, especially in medicine, is either obviously true and requires no major scientific overhaul, or it is unclear.

Meeting notes

This section summarizes two recent meetings of The North Texas Skeptics. The November meeting featured Dr. Laura Millicovsky, a psychiatrist specializing in adolescent psychiatry, who discussed the New Age movement. Inspired by her clients' belief systems, she studied the philosophical foundations of New Age thinking, using Willis Harman's "Global Mind Change" as a paradigm. Harman rejects materialistic monism and dualism in favor of "transcendental monism," where mind gives rise to matter, and an overall mind "dreams" the physical world. Millicovsky also drew from the "Seth" materials of channeler Jane Roberts, highlighting beliefs such as creating one's own reality, being multi-dimensional beings, and the reliability of intuitive sense. While acknowledging that these beliefs can empower individuals, she also noted the potential dark side of subjectivity and the abandonment of reason, though she sees potential therapeutic applications.

The December meeting featured Dr. David Dunn of the University of Texas at Dallas, who spoke about his encounters with creation "scientists." Dunn recounted his experience in the early 1960s testifying against a Louisiana creation-science law, which was eventually declared unconstitutional. He described how creationist experts, under deposition, admitted their beliefs were founded on religious belief rather than data, and that creation science was an attempt to support a religious position. Dunn believes that creationists may shift to terms like "intelligent design" for future challenges. The article notes that the US Supreme Court upheld the judgment declaring the Louisiana law unconstitutional.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the ongoing debate between creationism and evolution, particularly within the context of public education in Texas, and a critical examination of the New Age movement's philosophical underpinnings. The newsletter consistently adopts a skeptical and rationalist stance, advocating for scientific inquiry and evidence-based reasoning. It critiques pseudoscientific claims and irrational beliefs, whether historical or contemporary, and highlights the importance of distinguishing between scientific theory and dogma. The editorial stance clearly favors scientific understanding and challenges attempts to inject religious or unsubstantiated beliefs into science education and public discourse.