Shadow of a Doubt - 2005 01

Magazine Overview

Title: Shadow Of A Doubt
Issue: JANUARY 2005
Publisher: National Capital Area Skeptics (NCAS)
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of the National Capital Area Skeptics' monthly calendar, 'Shadow Of A Doubt', for January 2005, focuses on upcoming events and lectures designed to promote critical thinking and scientific understanding.

Featured Articles and Events

Michael Servetus: Death by Fire!

The cover story highlights a public lecture by NCAS Director Neil Inglis on January 8th, from 2-4 PM, at the Montgomery County Library in Bethesda, Maryland. The lecture will explore the life and career of Michael Servetus (aka Michel de Villeneuve), a figure from the history of the Reformation. Servetus, a physician renowned for his pioneering medical research, also pursued theology. In 1553, he was burned at the stake as a heretic for challenging both Catholic and early Protestant orthodoxy. The lecture promises to delve into the paradox of a respected scientist engaging in sectarian fanaticism, tracing Servetus's life from Spain to Switzerland, with stops in Paris and Lyon, and an unexpected detour via Chicago.

Neil Inglis, an NCAS Director since 1988, is also a translator/reviser for an international organization. He is intrigued by religious controversy and serves as the chief book reviewer for the Tyndale Society Journal, a publication celebrating William Tyndale, the first English translator of the Bible who also met his death in the flames. Inglis, despite his interests, remains a skeptic.

Tired of Reading About Intelligent Design? Then Get a Bang Out of the . . . "Big Bang: What It Was and Why We Believe It Happened"

This event, presented by the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program, will take place on Wednesday, January 19, at 6:30 PM in the Ring Auditorium at the Hirshorn Museum in Washington, D.C. Physicist Simon Singh, known for making complex ideas accessible, will explain the Big Bang Theory and the scientific basis for believing it describes the origin of the universe. The talk will also cover the history of scientists who challenged the idea of an eternal cosmos, discuss problems with the Big Bang Theory, potential endings for the universe, and the process by which scientific ideas are developed, tested, and eventually overturn established models. Simon Singh is a former BBC producer and author of 'Fermat's Enigma' and 'The Code Book'. His new book, 'Big Bang' (HarperCollins), will be available for signing.

Tickets are priced at $15 for General Admission, $12 for RAP Members, and $11 for Senior Members. The contact number for tickets is 202-252-0012.

Presenting the UK's Darren Brown

Derren Brown is described as a unique force in illusion, capable of predicting and controlling human behavior through a mixture of applied psychology, magic, misdirection, and showmanship. The article encourages readers to visit his website at http://www.derrenbrown.co.uk/home.asp and view video clips of his shows on Channel 4's website, specifically mentioning http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/M/mindcontrol/video/index.html and http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/M/mindcontrol/reading_minds/index.html#.

Membership and Contact Information

Time to Renew!

Readers are prompted to check their mailing labels for their renewal date. To renew a 1-year membership, individuals should send $30, and $40 for 2-member households, to the NCAS address: P.O. Box 8428, Silver Spring, Maryland 20907. Failure to renew will result in being dropped as a member.

• NCAS Information:
• Telephone: 301-587-3827
• Email: [email protected]
• Skeptical Eye submission: [email protected]
• Website: http://www.ncas.org/

NCAS is identified as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting critical thinking and scientific understanding.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the promotion of skepticism, critical thinking, and scientific understanding. The NCAS positions itself as an organization that encourages rational inquiry into historical events, scientific theories, and phenomena often associated with the unexplained. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of evidence-based reasoning and a skeptical approach to claims that lack scientific support, as evidenced by the focus on figures like Michael Servetus and the Big Bang Theory, and the introduction to the psychological aspects of illusionism presented by Derren Brown.