North Texas Skeptic - Vol 11 No 01 - 1997

Magazine Overview

The Newsletter of The North Texas Skeptics, Volume 11 Number 1, published in January 1997, features a cover headline 'The Skeptic' and the newsletter's title. The issue includes articles on the approaching millennium, the legacy of Carl Sagan, and a collection of skeptical quotes.

Not the Millennium

This article by John Blanton addresses the approaching new millennium and the tendency for doomsday predictions to surface during such times. Blanton notes that the 6000th anniversary of the universe, according to Bishop Ussher's calculation, falls on October 23, 1997. He humorously suggests preparing for this event and cautions against the 'crazies' who predict doom, citing an instance where a former Secretary of the Interior allegedly downplayed conservation efforts due to the belief that the end was near.

The article also touches upon unusual financial and insurance schemes, such as an offer to buy a house for $10,000 cash to be delivered after a supposed doomsday, and an underwriter in Great Britain offering coverage for alien abduction and impregnation. Blanton likens these to a 'tax on stupidity,' similar to the lottery.

On a more serious note, the article highlights a positive development in the legal system as reported by the San Jose Mercury News. A federal judge in Oregon ruled that 'junk science' evidence, presented by plaintiffs' lawyers in a case about silicone breast implants causing disease, was inadmissible. The judge appointed a panel of scientists, including an immunologist, rheumatologist, toxicologist, and polymer chemist, to evaluate the evidence, which was found to lack scientific validity.

Furthermore, the newsletter mentions a one-hour ABC program titled 'Junk Science,' moderated by John Stossel, which reportedly presented a direct critique of scientific foolishness in both private and governmental spheres, acknowledging the media's role in sensationalizing conjectures into theories.

Carl Sagan

This section, also by John Blanton, is a tribute to the recently deceased scientist Carl Sagan, who passed away in December at the age of 62 from a bone marrow disease. Blanton emphasizes Sagan's significant role in popularizing science through his television series 'Cosmos' and his extensive writings and lectures. Sagan is described as the best-known scientist in the country for the past 15 years, whose clear statements about the nature of science helped listeners distinguish between science and pseudoscience.

Sagan is portrayed as a 'lightning rod' for science, attracting criticism from the anti-science community. The article provides an example of Cal Thomas challenging Eugenie C. Scott on her views about the spirit world, referencing Sagan's assertion that the cosmos is all there is. Blanton also notes that creationists often react negatively to Sagan due to his naturalistic explanations, which have swayed public opinion against creationism.

Blanton praises Sagan for not taking the 'philosophical easy-out' and for his firm stance against supernatural explanations. A quote from Sagan's book 'Broca's Brain' is included, summarizing his approach: 'An interesting debate has gone on within the committee [CSICOP] between those who think that all doctrines that smell of pseudoscience should be combated and those who think that each issue should be judged on its own merits, but that the burden of proof should fall squarely on those who make the proposals. I find myself very much in the latter camp. I believe that the extraordinary should certainly be pursued. But extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.'

Skeptical Quotes

Compiled by Joe Voelkering, this section presents a collection of quotes from various individuals on the nature of science, knowledge, and skepticism. The quotes include:

• Carl Sagan: "Science . . . looks skeptically at all claims to knowledge, old and new. It teaches not blind obedience to those in authority but to vigorous debate, and in many respects that's the secret of its success."
• Marilyn vos Savant: "I believe that much 'knowledge' is indeed merely 'memory,' and that this is why so many misconceptions persist for such a long time. Because so many people are so thoroughly schooled in the common misconceptions, however, only the most brilliantly skeptical of them will ever discover a mistake. And even then, it will likely be denied for generations to come."
• Jay von Glieker: "Rational skeptics consistently have great confidence in many things to the point they feel entirely comfortable risking everything they value, including their lives, on the validity of those items. They are aware, however, that such level of confidence may not be actually justified and are receptive to additional information on the validity of the contention."
• Leon Lederman: "Of course, it is often much more fun to DISPROVE a theory. As Thomas Huxley wrote, 'The great tragedy of science is the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact.'"
• Steve Allen: "Science deals [with nature], the only reality of which we have any certain knowledge. . . . Those fundamentalist[s] . . . who speak contemptuously of science . . . reveal an astonishing insensitivity to the very world they tell us God created. Granting, then, our prior assumption of a Creator, anyone who criticizes real science is in a direct sense criticizing God."
• J. B. Stratton: "Why do I think the theory of evolution is far more probable than the doctrine of creation? Evolution does not rule out the possibility of an intelligent Creator which should not be ruled out although it implies the Biblical account must be no more than an allegorical version of that event. Further, if there is such an Creator, I'd expect It to be far more intelligent and far more benevolent than to have, in essence, messed up the initial attempt and wiped out all but a single boat-load of critters to get a fresh start."
• Cicero: "The causes of things are more interesting than the things themselves."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards pseudoscience and extraordinary claims, the importance of scientific reasoning and evidence, and the critical examination of popular beliefs surrounding the millennium. The editorial stance, as represented by the articles and quotes, strongly advocates for scientific literacy, critical thinking, and a rational approach to understanding the world, while also acknowledging the passing of a prominent science communicator, Carl Sagan, and his contributions.