REALL News - Vol 04 No 07 - 1996

Magazine Overview

The REALL News, Volume 4 Issue 7, dated July 1996, is a newsletter from The Rational Examination Association of Lincoln Land (REALL). This issue focuses heavily on the 1st World Skeptics Congress held in Buffalo, New York, from June 20-23, 1996, with the theme "Science in the Age of (Mis) Information." The newsletter covers the congress's key events, speakers, and announcements, alongside other skeptical and critical thinking-related topics.

1st World Skeptics Congress

The main article, "Media Council Named at 1st World Skeptics Congress" by Bob Ladendorf, details the gathering of over 1,000 critical thinkers. The congress, sponsored by CSICOP and held at the University of New York at Buffalo and the Center for Inquiry, marked the 20th anniversary of CSICOP's formation. A special awards ceremony featured humanist Steve Allen.

CSICOP and Astronomical Naming

During the awards ceremony, it was announced that an asteroid would be named "Skeptic" in honor of CSICOP's efforts to promote rational inquiry, as the group's name was deemed unpronounceable by the astronomical body responsible for naming. Another asteroid was named for Paul Kurtz, CSICOP's founder and chairman, leading to lighthearted banter about who had the larger asteroid.

Council for Media Integrity

CSICOP announced the formation of a new "Council for Media Integrity" to monitor and respond to media coverage promoting paranormal and pseudoscientific phenomena. Paul Kurtz stated that the media have largely replaced educational institutions as the primary source of information for the public, and that the media's irresponsibility in science and the paranormal is a global issue, particularly in the U.S. He cited examples of "documentaries" that present fringe science as real, and listed programs like "Unsolved Mysteries," "X-Files," "Sightings," "Paranormal Borderlands," and "Poltergeist" as examples of media content that distorts science. The council aims to persuade producers, directors, writers, and the public to make room for scientific methods.

Members of the Coordinating Committee for the council include Paul Kurtz, Joe Nickell (author and CSICOP fellow), Barry Karr (CSICOP executive director), and William Evans (Georgia State University).

The council also complained about the lack of skeptical dissent on talk shows, emphasizing the need to raise the public's scientific literacy for the U.S. to remain competitive globally. They clarified that they do not wish to censor the media but seek balance and an appreciation of the scientific approach. The council plans to use various media, including videos and e-mail, to respond to misinformation.

Congress Themes and Speakers

Recurring themes at the congress included encouraging diplomacy in criticizing paranormal topics and criticizing postmodernist beliefs that deny objective knowledge. Keynote speaker Stephen Jay Gould cautioned against dismissing a scientist's entire work based on errors in one part, using the analogy of not throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Ray Hyman countered Professor Jessica Utts' findings on the statistical significance of paranormal activity, urging a thorough evaluation of her work.

Paul Kurtz criticized postmodernist assertions that science is merely one mythic narrative among others, questioning how critics who rail against science still benefit from its technical applications like antibiotics and computers. He called for a reform of liberal arts and science education.

Leon Lederman, Nobel Laureate in Physics, delivered the conference address, warning of a waxing anti-science movement and urging skeptics to fight irrationalism. He stressed the need for more scientific knowledge and suggested reforms in science education, such as reversing the biology, chemistry, physics sequence in high school.

Awards and Honors

CSICOP's "In Praise of Reason" award was presented to Leon Lederman. Other honorees at the awards banquet included Stephen Jay Gould (Isaac Asimov Award), Dean Edell (Public Education in Science Award), Steve Allen (Distinguished Skeptic Lifetime Achievement Award), James Randi (Distinguished Skeptic Award), Phillip Adams (Responsibility in Journalism Award), and Piero Angela (Responsibility in Journalism Award).

Additional Sessions and Topics

Numerous concurrent sessions covered topics such as UFOlogy, astrology, homeopathy, therapeutic touch, creationism, self-deception, alternative health cures, philosophy, pseudoscience, psychoanalytical theory, critical thinking, spiritualism, and the paranormal in China. The 2nd World Skeptics Congress was announced for June 1998 in Heidelberg, Germany.

Health Professionals Form Therapeutic Touch Study Group

A letter from Linda Rosa, R.N., Corresponding Secretary of the National Therapeutic Touch Study Group (NTTSG), addresses critics of pseudoscience regarding "Therapeutic Touch" (TT), an alternative nursing healing modality. Rosa expresses concern that TT is being promoted as scientifically validated when research is insufficient, and that it may be a way to introduce occult religious viewpoints, specifically Theosophy. She notes that nursing lacks established watchdog groups like those for physicians and dentists, allowing TT to take hold. The NTTSG was formed to confront this "nonsense" and is currently working to expose scientific misconduct in a TT study in Alabama. They are seeking to establish a network of concerned individuals and provide resources for scientific skepticism about TT. The NTTSG address is P.O. Box 7117, Loveland, CO 80537, and their phone number is 970-669-7194.

Editor's and Chairman's Notes

Bob Ladendorf, the editor, reflects on his invigorating experience at the 1st World Skeptics Congress and highlights its results in this issue, promising future discussions on other aspects of the conference. He also apologizes for a printing glitch in the previous issue due to a printer adjustment for a dark tornado photo.

David Bloomberg, the chairman, writes about the "REALLity Check" column, noting that the media's coverage of events like the "Independence Day" movie and Hillary Clinton's alleged communication with the dead highlighted the pervasive influence of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims in popular culture and politics.

Media Blitz and Paranormal Coverage

Bloomberg discusses the media's response to the "Independence Day" movie, which sparked a "media blitz" on extraterrestrials and the paranormal. He notes Newsweek's cover story "America is Hooked on the Paranormal," finding it surprisingly balanced, though critical of some claims. He quotes John Horigian, a paranormal investigator and debunker, who states that the prevalence of such claims suggests a "serious pathology affecting this country."

The article "Is There Anything to It? Evidence, Please." is reviewed, examining evidence for telepathy, psychokinesis, and UFOs. The review concludes that even the "best" evidence suffers from methodological and scientific errors, a point often omitted in media reports.

USA Today's humorous approach to potential alien invasions, suggesting calling 9-1-1, is mentioned, along with the lack of any government plan for such an event. The article touches on the military's denial of alien encounters and quotes scientists from the Planetary Society on the unlikelihood of alien visits.

Recovered Memories and Legal System

The "Forget-Me-Not" section details the case of George Franklin, whose murder conviction based on "recovered memory" testimony was overturned after six years. The issue highlights recent scientific studies attempting to differentiate real from false memories, noting that current methods are limited and that the court system needs to rely on actual evidence rather than solely on "recovered memories" for convictions.

Masthead and REALL Information

The newsletter concludes with masthead information, including the editorial board and board of directors for REALL. The purpose of REALL is stated as the development of rational thinking and the application of the scientific method to claims of the paranormal and fringe-science phenomena. REALL subscribes to the scientific method as the most reliable system for obtaining knowledge and commits to objective, critical inquiry. Membership information and patron acknowledgments are also included.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the critique of pseudoscience and irrationalism, the importance of scientific literacy and critical thinking, and the media's role in disseminating or combating pseudoscientific claims. The editorial stance is clearly pro-science, skeptical of unsubstantiated claims, and critical of media irresponsibility in science reporting. REALL advocates for evidence-based reasoning and the application of the scientific method.