North Texas Skeptic - Vol 15 No 09 - 2001

Magazine Overview

Title: The North Texas Skeptic
Issue: Volume 15 Number 9
Date: September 2001
Publisher: The North Texas Skeptics
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of The North Texas Skeptic delves into various topics related to skepticism, health, science, and pseudoscience, featuring articles that critically examine claims and practices that lack scientific evidence.

(If Quackery Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right

This lead article, by John Blanton and Daniel Barnett, focuses on Stephen Barrett, MD, a prominent figure in combating health fraud. Barrett, vice-president of the National Council Against Health Fraud and founder of the Quackwatch Web site, has faced criticism from the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) industry. The article discusses an interview Barrett gave to The Dallas Morning News, where he highlighted how medical quacks target desperate patients with worthless 'cures' for diseases like cancer and multiple sclerosis. Barrett asserts that science is a rational process capable of addressing questions of safety and efficacy, contrary to the quacks' claims that science lacks all the answers.

The article then addresses a rebuttal to Barrett by Candace Talmadge of Lancaster. Although her letter was not published in the print edition of The Dallas Morning News, it appeared as a Cyberletter. Talmadge, who encountered Barrett through CAM news groups, argued that science is a belief system akin to religion, with objective reality being a tenet of faith. She told Barrett to 'butt out,' stating she did not want or need his protection against quackery.

The authors investigate Talmadge's background, discovering she is more involved in alternative medicine than her letter suggested. She is a co-founder of the Lancaster-based Sattva Institute, which offers classes and therapies aimed at integrating analytical and creative aspects and developing psychic senses, described as a money-making enterprise with a heavy dose of alternative psychotherapy. Talmadge is also a Sunan therapist, trained to liberate individuals from self-judgment by channeling 'guides' (angels) for information. Beyond her metaphysical healing pursuits, Talmadge is a public relations strategist for Cooksey Communications, Inc. and an associate for PRTek, with a writing career spanning Forbes, Adweek, the New York Times, and the Dallas Times Herald, managing publicity campaigns.

The article concludes by questioning Talmadge's motives, suggesting that her 'righteous indignation' might be linked to monetary interests. It draws a parallel to journalist Samuel Hopkins Adams's historical fight against quack medicines in the early 20th century, noting that despite advancements, many still profit from promoting fraudulent medical therapies. The piece emphasizes the importance of patient trust in doctors and the need for prescriptions to be based on efficacy, not financial gain or trends.

Accreditation Commission Approves Astrology School

This section reports on the Astrological Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona, receiving nationwide accreditation from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Joyce Jensen, the institute's founder, expressed elation, while science organizations like the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) view it as a detriment to higher education's integrity.

The Astrological Institute offers degrees in astrology, a practice based on the belief that celestial positions affect human lives. Andrew Fraknoi, a CSICOP fellow and astronomy chair at Foothill College, states that despite claims, astrology has consistently failed rigorous scientific testing and lacks evidence of efficacy. Judith Eaton of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation clarified that the accreditation signifies the school fulfills its promises to students, not that astrology itself is validated.

Scientists like Dr. Fraknoi dispute this distinction, arguing that accrediting a technique with no demonstrable basis in fact undermines the purpose of accreditation. He uses the analogy of accrediting a school that teaches flying off cliffs without equipment. Joyce Jensen, in an interview with NPR's Robert Siegel, believes the accreditation lends credibility to astrology by demonstrating the school's ability to provide a program leading to employment, thus elevating astrology to the level of other vocational programs.

This accreditation allows the Astrological Institute to seek federal financial aid and grants for its students. The article notes that astrologers typically charge between $100 and $150 per visit, and by seeking vocational accreditation, the institute shifts the focus from the validity of astrology to the qualifications of the astrologer.

The Bit and the Pendulum

Authored by John Blanton, this section reviews Tom Siegfried's book, "The Bit And The Pendulum; From Quantum Computing To M Theory—The New Physics of Information." Siegfried, science editor for The Dallas Morning News, is lauded for his work in science journalism.

The review traces the history of technology, from the clock in medieval Europe to the computer as the modern 'community campfire,' suggesting that 'the bit has superseded the pendulum.' It highlights how technology has shaped civilization, with the mechanical clock introducing a perspective of cause and effect, later solidified by Newton. The Industrial Revolution, driven by concepts of energy, laid foundations for modern society, while James Clerk Maxwell's work defined the limitations of energy and the quantification of information.

The article posits that information has now succeeded energy, with physicist John A. Wheeler quoted as saying, "Everything is Information." Wheeler's concept of a black hole, which records all incoming information as a surface of ones and zeroes, illustrates this idea. Information is presented as a physical entity, fundamental to reality, even in cosmology, where it relates to the origin of space, time, and matter.

The review touches upon the question of whether the brain is a computer, referencing Roger Penrose's "The Emperor's New Mind" and his ideas about special properties of living thought processes that may not be replicable by mechanical computers. The Chinese room experiment is discussed as a test for computer thinking capabilities.

Physicist Frank Tipler's "The Physics of Immortality" is mentioned for its proposal of scientifically proving God's existence, linking resurrection to the universe's computer capacity. The Anthropic Cosmological Principle, which suggests intelligent observers determine the universe's structure, is also explored, with a radical version asserting that intelligent information-processing must come into existence and never die out.

The review concludes by noting that Siegfried's book covers numerous complex topics, making it difficult to summarize, and encourages readers to experience it directly.

What's New

This column by Robert Park presents brief news items of interest:

• Astrology: Kepler College in Seattle and The Astrological Institute in Scottsdale have received accreditation, raising concerns about the validation of astrology as a field of study. A horoscope from The Washington Post cryptically warns of deception.
• Acupuncture: A British study found acupuncture to be safe and effective for relieving nausea, although nausea was also noted as the most common side effect.
• The August effect: The article humorously notes the massive media coverage of the Power Ball lottery, suggesting that players might as well send their dollar to the Skeptics, as the odds of winning are virtually the same.

Skeptical Ink

This section features a cartoon by Prasad Golla and John Blanton, satirizing homeopathic weight loss products. The cartoon depicts two individuals discussing their results from a "Lossopathic" weight loss medicine with "No Side Effects," with one losing ten pounds and the other twelve pounds and ten shillings.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the critical examination of pseudoscientific claims, particularly in health and alternative medicine, and the importance of scientific rigor and evidence-based reasoning. The North Texas Skeptics maintain a stance that challenges unsubstantiated beliefs and practices, advocating for critical thinking and a skeptical approach to extraordinary claims. The magazine highlights the financial and societal implications of the proliferation of unproven therapies and the potential for exploitation. There is also an underlying theme of exploring the boundaries of science, information, and consciousness, as seen in the review of Tom Siegfried's book.