Phactum - 2007 04 - April

Magazine Overview

Title: Phactum
Issue: April 2007
Publisher: Philadelphia Association for Critical Thinking
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of Phactum, the newsletter of the Philadelphia Association for Critical Thinking, covers a range of topics from upcoming events and scientific discoveries to societal issues and critiques of pseudoscientific claims.

Key Events and Announcements

The newsletter details several upcoming PhACT events. On April 21, 2007, PhACT hosted a luncheon in honor of Dr. Ted Daeschler, a scientist from the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Dr. Daeschler was to present his findings from Ellesmere Island, Canada, where he and his team discovered "Tiktaalik rosea," a fossilized transition species bridging the gap between fish and air-breathing land animals. The event was scheduled for 12:30 PM at the Pike Restaurant near Ambler, PA. Information about this event was also featured on page 3, emphasizing its suitability for adults and children.

Another event mentioned is the Annual PhACT Picnic on June 23, 2007, at Mondauk Commons Park in North Wales, PA, which is free for members and their guests.

The "PhACT Calendar" on page 2 lists various other events of interest to the skeptical and scientific community. These include lectures at the Wagner Free Institute of Science, a Peterson Lecture at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology on "The Odds are Against Us: The Gambling Itch from Prehistory to Philadelphia," an exhibition at the same museum on "Amarna, Ancient Egypt's Place in the Sun," and a "Year of Egypt: Hollywood on the Nile Free Film Series." Additionally, a lecture by John Haught on "Darwin and Christ: Toward a Theology of Evolution" was scheduled for April 25, 2007, at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. The Franklin Institute was hosting an exhibition on "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs." The Wilma Theater was hosting panel discussions related to Bertolt Brecht's "The Life of Galileo."

Articles and Commentary

The Gods Must Have Been Angry with PhACT

This opening section recounts a series of unfortunate events that befell PhACT on March 17, including a faculty and staff strike at the Community College of Philadelphia, an ice storm, and Dave Leiter experiencing back spasms. A planned lecture by Dr. Paul A. Offit had to be canceled. The newsletter humorously notes that Dr. Offit might be the first speaker in the PhACT 2007/2008 lecture series, focusing on Vaccine Safety.

Antievolution Measures Dead in New Mexico

This article reports that four antievolution measures in the New Mexico legislature did not pass by the end of the legislative session on March 17, 2007. The measures, including House Joint Memorial 14 and House Bill 506, aimed to allow teachers to "objectively inform students of scientific information relevant to the strengths and weaknesses" of theories of biological origins and to let students "reach their own conclusions." The Albuquerque Journal is cited as reporting that the vote was a signal the effort to inject intelligent design teaching into classrooms "wouldn't get far." The article also references an op-ed by Dave Thomas in the Albuquerque Tribune criticizing these measures.

Global Warming—1 and Global Warming—2

These two sections discuss the topic of Global Warming. Vice President Gore testified before Congress, emphasizing the human activity driving the warming trend. Dr. Bjorn Lomborg, an economist, also testified, agreeing that the trend is likely man-made but advocating for a greater emphasis on scientific research for reduction strategies, arguing it would be less costly and allow resources for other global problems like malaria and AIDS. The author contrasts Gore's approach as potentially encouraging hysteria with Lomborg's call for "Critical Thinking."

Global Warming—2 delves into the energy costs and carbon dioxide emissions associated with gasoline and ethanol. Citing an article from The Valley News, it states that burning gasoline produces about 20 pounds of CO2 per gallon, while ethanol also contributes a similar amount. However, the energy required to produce ethanol is significantly higher than for gasoline, making ethanol a less efficient choice for atmospheric carbon reduction.

APA Opposes Teaching "Intelligent Design" as Science

This section details a resolution adopted by the Council of Representatives of the American Psychological Association (APA) on March 1, 2007. The APA opposes the teaching of intelligent design as a scientific theory, asserting that it undermines science education and literacy. The resolution reaffirms a 1982 stance against creationism and states that intelligent design lacks scientific methods or evidence. The APA emphasizes that this stance does not question intelligent design as a religious philosophy but asserts its lack of scientific basis.

Jurassic Crocodile Unearthed in Oregon

This brief report, attributed to Jeanna Bryner of LiveScience, describes the discovery of an ancient amphibious reptile fossil in Oregon. The creature, with a crocodile's body and fish's tail, is believed to have been transported by geologic processes. Scientists think it's a new species within the genus Thalattosuchia, dating back 142 to 208 million years ago, representing an early milestone in reptile evolution.

Managed Care Network Excludes Implausible Methods

This article, purloined from Dr. Stephen Barrett's Consumer Health Watch Newsletter, discusses American Specialty Health, Inc. (ASH), which published clinical practice guidelines for 81 complementary techniques. The report indicates that 68 of these methods are not covered, and 67 are classified as experimental or investigational. The article highlights that many implausible practices, like applied kinesiology, are widely used, yet chiropractic organizations rarely criticize them, and managed care companies seldom use them as exclusion criteria.

Various Ruminations

Collected and written by Ray Haupt, this section explores the meaning of "critical thinking" versus "skepticism." It presents dictionary definitions of "skeptic" from Webster's 1828 and "critical thinking" from Encarta, suggesting a preference for the latter due to its less negative connotations. The editor invites readers to share their opinions on the matter.

Letters

Eric Hamell from Philadelphia writes a letter responding to an article on "No Touch" chiropractic, defending the skill involved in exotic dancing and urging the publication to apply skepticism to social stereotypes.

Strange Places - The Ghostly Lady in White at Jarrettown

This article by Eric Krieg explores the allegedly haunted Jarrettown Hotel. It recounts local legends of a ghostly woman in white, mentioning a tornado in the 1800s that may have caused servant deaths. The author notes that while some visitors have reported seeing a woman in white, the hauntings groups have not reported any activity. The article also touches on the area's history and its proximity to a planned PhACT picnic location.

A Few Snippets

This section includes several short, notable quotes:

• Journalist Noam Cohen on the anger of Wikipedia editors after the unmasking of 'Essjay'.
• David Fridley on China's potential to overtake the US in greenhouse gas emissions.
• Colin Blakemore on the importance of science being independent of government needs, following UK research funding cuts.

Mark Twain, on Science

A quote from Mark Twain is featured on the back page, emphasizing the egalitarian and republic-like nature of science, where all citizens are considered equals.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Phactum revolve around the promotion of critical thinking and skepticism, the examination of scientific claims versus pseudoscience, and commentary on current events with a scientific or rational perspective. The editorial stance, as expressed by editor Ray Haupt, is to encourage reasoned discourse, constructive criticism, and a balanced approach to complex issues like global warming. The publication aims to provide a platform for expressing opinions on various matters, while generally avoiding partisanship in politics and religion, and encourages readers to engage with the content and contribute their own thoughts.