Shadow of a Doubt - 2004 12

Magazine Overview

This issue of 'Ideas in Science,' the monthly calendar of the National Capital Area Skeptics (NCAS), dated December 2004, features a public lecture by physicist Robert Ehrlich and a historical piece on a famous hoax.

Featured Lecture: Crazy Ideas in Science

The cover and an accompanying article highlight a lecture by Physicist Robert Ehrlich, a professor of physics at George Mason University. Ehrlich's talk focuses on the significance of 'crazy ideas' in advancing scientific development and provides criteria for distinguishing between more and less promising unconventional concepts. The article details Ehrlich's academic background, including a B.S. in Physics from Brooklyn College (1959) and a Ph.D. in experimental particle physics from Columbia University (1964), where he worked on the 'two neutrino' experiment. His career includes positions at the University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers University, and the State University of New York College at New Paltz. He chaired the physics department at George Mason University from 1976 for 13 years. Ehrlich is an prolific author, with nineteen books and 79 articles to his name, covering areas such as particle physics, physics demonstrations, and nuclear arms control. His most recent book, 'Eight Preposterous Propositions,' was published by Princeton University Press.

The lecture was scheduled for Saturday, December 11, from 2-4 pm at the Montgomery County Library, Bethesda Branch, located at 7400 Arlington Road, Bethesda, Maryland. The venue is noted as being a short walk from the Bethesda Metro station. The event was advertised as free admission and open to everyone, including members and non-members.

Contact information for the National Capital Area Skeptics is provided, including a 24-hour Skeptic Line recording at (301) 587-3827, an email address ([email protected]), and their website (www.ncas.org). NCAS is identified as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting critical thinking and scientific understanding.

Shadow Of A Doubt: Possibly the Greatest April Fools Prank in History

The 'Shadow Of A Doubt' section, dated December 2004, delves into a historical event from the early 1700s. It recounts the elaborate hoax orchestrated by the satirist Jonathan Swift, who used the pseudonyms Isaac Bickerstaff and an unnamed third party.

The prank began with John Partridge, a cobbler and astrologer, who published an almanac in the early 1700s predicting the future and challenging other astrologers. In February 1708, an unknown astrologer named Isaac Bickerstaff published his own almanac, predicting that John Partridge would 'infallibly die upon the 29th of March next, about eleven at Night, of a raging fever.'

Partridge vehemently disagreed with this prediction. However, on March 30th, a third party, writing as if reporting on Partridge's final hours, described his death on March 29th with 'most effecting particulars,' noting the prophecy's accuracy except for the exact hour. The article states that on April 1st, elegies and obituaries for Partridge were circulated, his name was removed from Stationers' Hall, and other actions were taken as if he were deceased.

Partridge was forced to issue a special edition of his almanac to prove he was alive. The article notes that Partridge never fully recovered from the impact of this prediction and the surrounding satirical events. The author of the article explains that both Isaac Bickerstaff and the writer of the letter describing Partridge's death were, in reality, Jonathan Swift. Swift's motivation was to satirize the 'prophetical and conspiratorial nonsense' found in Partridge's almanac.

The article mentions that this account touches only on the main documents and events, with subsequent publications serving as satirical embellishments. It describes the hoax as 'an elaborate and well thought out hoax.' A URL is provided for readers to access a full text of the involved documents: http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/s/s97b/index.html.

Looking for April Fools in December

This section is a call for ideas for a future NCAS event planned for April 1, 2005. The organizers are seeking entertaining ideas for the event, which could potentially span the entire weekend. Suggestions are requested by the end of December to allow adequate time for planning and setup. Ideas can be sent via snail mail to NCAS, PO Box 8428, Silver Spring, MD 20907, or via email to [email protected].

Time to Renew!

This is a reminder for NCAS members to check their mailing labels for their renewal date. Members whose renewal date has passed are asked to send $30 for a single membership or $40 for a two-member household for a one-year renewal to the NCAS address. Failure to renew will result in the member being dropped.

NCAS Information

Contact details for the National Capital Area Skeptics are reiterated, including their postal address (P.O. Box 8428, Silver Spring, Maryland 20907), telephone number (301-587-3827), general email ([email protected]), email for Skeptical Eye submissions ([email protected]), and website (www.ncas.org).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The NCAS publication consistently promotes critical thinking and scientific understanding, as evidenced by its focus on scientific lectures and historical analyses of hoaxes and pseudoscience. The organization actively encourages public engagement through lectures and calls for ideas for future events. The editorial stance is clearly skeptical, aiming to debunk or critically examine claims that lack scientific evidence, as demonstrated by the coverage of Robert Ehrlich's talk on evaluating unconventional scientific ideas and the detailed account of Jonathan Swift's satirical hoax.