Skeptic - 2001 - Vol 14 No 3

Magazine Overview

Title: The Skeptic
Issue: Volume 14 Number 3
Date: Undetermined, but likely 1999 based on context.
Publisher: The Skeptic
Country: United Kingdom

This issue of "The Skeptic" magazine, Volume 14, Number 3, offers a critical examination of various topics, from the ongoing debate surrounding Darwinism and the Intelligent Design movement to the prevalence of pseudoscience in popular media and the debunking of internet hoaxes.

Skeptic in Chains

In her editorial, Wendy M. Grossman reflects on the enduring challenge to Darwinian evolution posed by the Intelligent Design movement, which she likens to rehashing William Paley's arguments for design in a scientific guise. She notes that while skeptics often find themselves repeating the mantra that certain beliefs 'don't work' and go against science, there's a need to address contemporary controversial topics where science and popular opinion intersect, such as global warming and genetically engineered food. Grossman also touches on the cyclical nature of beliefs, suggesting that even skepticism might one day become fashionable. This issue marks her last as overall editor, with Chris French and Kate Holden taking over. She will continue to contribute to the magazine.

Hilary Evans' Paranormal Picture Gallery

This section features an image and a caption discussing the historical event of the Paris Commune in 1871. Following the war with Prussia and German occupation, the Commune's rule in Paris ended with reprisals. The bodies of executed Communards were disposed of in mass graves, leading to the phenomenon of 'feux follets' (will-o'-the-wisps) attributed to the hydrogen from decaying corpses. The caption quotes scientist Camille Flammarion, "Nothing is wasted in Nature." Hilary Evans is identified as co-proprietor of the Mary Evans Picture Library.

Hits and Misses

This section covers several brief items:

• Mind over smell: A study by German and Austrian scientists found that while aromatherapy oils did not affect reaction times in mental tasks, volunteers who rated the oils highly reported a small improvement in reaction times, leading researchers to conclude the effect was "mainly psychological." The researchers intend to test oils on skin next.
• Chinese tea, anyone?: The article discusses the skepticism surrounding alternative medicine, clarifying that "alternative medicine" is not a monolithic entity but rather a spectrum. Herbalism is presented as potentially valuable but carrying risks, similar to conventional medicine. An authentication center at Kew Gardens is mentioned as a measure to ensure correct labeling and prevent fraud in Chinese herbalism.
• Spontaneous Pop-Tart combustion: This piece humorously reports on a New Jersey couple suing Kellogg's and Black & Decker over a fire allegedly caused by a Pop-Tart in a toaster. It references a similar incident in 1995 and Dave Barry's experiment with making Pop-Tarts shoot flames. The author sarcastically suggests aliens might be trying to communicate through spontaneous combustion.
• Celebrity corner: This brief mention notes actress Kate Winslet buying a ghost, contrasting it with other celebrity spending habits and linking it to a haunted house event in Tintagel.

A fool and his stars...

This section discusses the phenomenon of "astroeconomics," where astrological cycles are used to predict financial asset prices. It highlights Henry Weingarten, a financial astrologer managing the New York-based Astrologers fund, who claims to use a combination of technical analysis, fundamental analysis, and astrology. The article lists Weingarten's stock picks for the year, including IBM, General Motors, AT&T, Home Depot, and Microsoft, and expresses interest in measuring their success.

Scandal on the Internet

This piece recounts the debunking of the "ManBeef" website, which claimed to be a "human meat distributor." The site, identified as a hoax due to its lack of ordering information and suspicious domain registration, was eventually confirmed as fake. The article notes that the Urban Legends website (snopes2.com) signed up for membership but never received promised materials. The 16-year-old responsible for the hoax eventually confessed.

Women are NOT from Gullibull

Lucy Sherriff critiques women's magazines for their credulity regarding the paranormal. She notes that while some magazines feature valuable articles on health and safety (e.g., STIs, breast cancer awareness), they also consistently include horoscopes and articles promoting psychics and "psychobabble." Sherriff uses an example of a "psychic" advising readers to see their auras by looking at their reflection in a CD. She argues that this mix of serious and spurious content undermines the credibility of these publications and is insulting to readers.

Trying to Detect God

Dene Bebbington examines the Intelligent Design (ID) movement, which challenges Darwinian evolution. The article explains the core argument of ID, which posits that the complexity of life points to a designer, drawing parallels to William Paley's "argument from design." Bebbington critiques the ID argument, particularly the concept of "Irreducible Complexity" as proposed by Michael Behe, arguing that it relies on personal incredulity and a "God of the Gaps" approach. He also discusses William Dembski's "Explanatory Filter," a method for detecting design, and points out its limitations, especially when the designer is unknown.

Irreducible Complexity

Michael Behe's concept of Irreducible Complexity is explained using the analogy of a mousetrap, where all parts are necessary for function. Behe argues that biological systems exhibiting this property cannot be explained by Darwinian natural selection. Bebbington counters that this argument is based on a lack of current scientific explanation rather than definitive proof of design and that not all designed things are irreducibly complex.

Explanatory Filter

William Dembski's Explanatory Filter is presented as a three-stage process (law, chance, design) to detect design. The article uses the example of Nicholas Caputo, a county clerk accused of rigging ballot order, to illustrate how the filter might identify design. However, Bebbington criticizes the filter for assuming mutual exclusivity between chance, law, and design, and for its potential to overlook unknown causal histories.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of "The Skeptic" consistently champions critical thinking, scientific rationalism, and evidence-based reasoning. The magazine actively debunks pseudoscience, paranormal claims, and hoaxes, while also engaging with complex scientific and social issues like evolution, alternative medicine, and the impact of popular beliefs. The editorial stance is clearly one of skepticism towards unsubstantiated claims and a commitment to promoting a rational understanding of the world. The inclusion of diverse topics, from the philosophical implications of Intelligent Design to the humorous absurdity of internet hoaxes, reflects a broad approach to skeptical inquiry.

Title: The SKEPTIC
Issue: Volume 14 Number 3
Date: March 2001
Publisher: The Skeptic
Country: UK
Language: English

This issue of The Skeptic delves into various topics that challenge conventional wisdom, including intelligent design, historical revisionism (cryptohistory), and the scientific validity of paranormal claims.

Reinventing the Past: The Rise of Cryptohistory

The cover story, "Reinventing the Past," by Rachel Carthy, explores the burgeoning field of cryptohistory, a phenomenon that involves reinterpreting historical narratives, often with political motivations. The article highlights the "New Chronology" theory, developed by Russian mathematicians Anatoly Fomenko and Gleb Nosovski, which posits that historical timelines are significantly misdated, leading to duplicated or conflated historical figures and events. The theory's mathematical basis is acknowledged, but its reliance on selective data and its potential for fostering a Russian-supremacist interpretation are noted. The article also touches upon other forms of historical revisionism, such as those concerning Richard III, Immanuel Velikovsky's theories on ancient Egypt, David Rohl's work in Egyptology, and Heribert Illig's suspected 300-year time-slip in European history. The piece also discusses the broader implications of cryptohistory, linking it to conspiracy theories and the use of history to justify present-day agendas, citing examples like Afrocentric history and Holocaust revisionism. The author emphasizes that while new perspectives can add understanding, the gaps in historical knowledge make it easy to fill with speculation that reinforces pre-existing beliefs.

Intelligent Design: A Flawed Filter?

An article critically examines the concept of intelligent design, particularly focusing on the "explanatory filter" proposed by Dembski. The author argues that the filter's reliability is questionable, as it may produce false negatives and its conclusions are dependent on current knowledge. The article suggests that Dembski's approach attempts to rule out evolution and rule in design, rather than providing a neutral scientific method. The thought experiment involving the sentence "METHINKS IT IS LIKE A WEASEL" illustrates how the filter might misclassify information. The piece also questions the distinction between "apparent" and "actual" specified complexity, suggesting it's a way to circumvent the filter's limitations. The article concludes that intelligent design theory, as presented, is not falsifiable and therefore does not meet scientific criteria, drawing parallels to earlier failed attempts to prove design, such as those by William Paley.

Philosopher's Corner: Applied Philosophy and London Underground

Julian Baggini, in his "Philosopher's Corner," expresses skepticism about the practical usefulness of philosophy in everyday life, citing Alain de Botton and Anthony Grayling as examples of overstating its applicability. He recounts a personal experience with London Underground's penalty fare system, where a genuine mistake on his part was met with rigid adherence to rules and a lack of discretion. Baggini's attempt to use rational arguments and analogies to resolve the issue was unsuccessful. He concludes with two lessons: to avoid being caught in such situations and to not expect intelligent arguments to sway those in public service. However, he ends on a slightly hopeful note, mentioning that London Underground has since scrapped the penalty fare system, suggesting that common sense can eventually prevail.

Medium Rare: Skepticism Towards Paranormal Claims

Steve Donnelly reviews experiments that reportedly showed "startling evidence" of paranormal talents in spirit mediums, as reported in the UK media. He critically analyzes a study led by Professor Gary Schwartz, highlighting its methodological flaws. Donnelly points out the lack of proper controls, the subjective scoring system, and the potential for auditory cues to influence the results, making the claimed "83 percent accuracy" unreliable. He contrasts this with the control group's performance and quotes James Randi's skepticism regarding the study's methodology, particularly the absence of a double-blind experiment. Donnelly concludes that the experiments, despite media hype, do not provide sound evidence for paranormal abilities.

Reviews

Mind Matters: Consciousness: How Matter Becomes Imagination

This review discusses the book by Gerald Edelman and Giulio Tononi, which offers a new perspective on consciousness. The authors propose a selectionist theory of brain function, "Neural Darwinism," suggesting that consciousness arises from the dynamic interactions within large populations of neurons, rather than specific neurons or brain areas. The theory is described as testable and avoids the pitfalls of "Cartesian Theatre" concepts.

Lizard Point: Children of the Matrix

Susan Blackmore reviews David Icke's book, "Children of the Matrix." Blackmore describes the book as the "Holy Grail for conspiracy theorists," presenting a TOE (Theory of Everything) that posits aliens and human-alien hybrids have controlled the world for thousands of years. While acknowledging the book's comprehensive scope in weaving together various conspiracy narratives, Blackmore unequivocally dismisses its content as "complete baloney," though she notes its structure makes it difficult to read.

Skeptical Stats

A compilation of "Skeptical Stats" presents a collection of diverse and often surprising statistics on various topics, ranging from the number of speed cameras on a UK road to the cost of earrings, layoffs in the US tech sector, HIV infection rates in India, and the sales of Chinese herbal remedies. The statistics are sourced from a variety of publications and websites.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of The Skeptic revolve around critical thinking, scientific methodology, and skepticism towards extraordinary claims. The magazine consistently adopts a skeptical stance, scrutinizing evidence, questioning assumptions, and highlighting flaws in arguments, whether they pertain to intelligent design, historical revisionism, or paranormal phenomena. The editorial stance champions empirical evidence, falsifiability, and rigorous scientific inquiry as the most reliable means of understanding the world, while cautioning against pseudoscientific theories and unsubstantiated claims that often appeal to emotion or pre-existing biases.

The Skeptic, Volume 14, Issue 3, published quarterly, features a range of book reviews and reader contributions. The cover art depicts a stylized brain with a question mark, reflecting the issue's exploration of consciousness and the mind.

Book Reviews

RENAISSANCE MAN: The Queen's Conjuror: The Science and Magic of Dr Dee by Benjamin Woolley

Reviewed by John Gillies, this book is described as a fascinating introduction to the life of Dr John Dee, a scholar, mathematician, magician, spy, and advisor who lived during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth I. The review highlights Dee's dependence on 'skryers' (spirit mediums) like Edward Kelly, who famously persuaded Dee to engage in wife-swapping. The book is praised for its scholarly reference value and insight into the intrigues of the age, with extensive notes, bibliography, and index.

POP-UP TOSH: ParaScience Pack: An Interactive Exploration of Your Psi Powers by Uri Geller and Ron van der Meer

Reviewed by Frank Chambers, this book is presented as a bizarre and fascinating introduction to parascience, complete with dowsing rods and a scrying disk. It offers instructions on seeing one's aura and quizzes to determine psychic ability or alien abduction experiences. The reviewer, a skeptic, found himself not psychic and not abducted, but admired the depth of research and clear presentation of subjects like faith healing, spiritualism, and astrology. The book is also noted for its beautiful pop-up paper sculptures.

POWER LEAVES: Seeds of Change: Six Plants that Changed the World by Henry Hobhouse

Reviewed by Barry Stuttard, this book examines the sociological impact of six plants: quinine, sugar, tea, cotton, potato, and coca. The review notes the book's emphasis on the broader societal effects, particularly the link to slavery and serfdom. It also touches on the mixed good and evil aspects, such as the use of coca leaves for altitude sickness among Peruvian miners. The book quantifies economic parameters like slave lives per ton of silver and highlights human benefits from quinine, while also noting the exploitation and adulteration that occurred.

ECTOPLASM AND FASCINATION: Hellish Nell: Last of Britain's Witches by Malcolm Gaskill

Reviewed by Chris Willis, this book details the 1944 trial of Helen Duncan, a Scottish spiritualist convicted under the Witchcraft Act of 1735 for allegedly divulging secret military information. The review describes the trial as a 'cause célèbre' and notes how Duncan's defence counsel's attempt to prove her mediumship backfired, boring the jury. Gaskill's account is praised as admirably non-judgemental, detailing Duncan's life, her reliance on séances for income, and the materialisation of spirits from 'ectoplasm'.

THEORIES OF EVERYTHING: Lucifer's Legacy by Frank Close

Reviewed by Toby Murcott, this book is described as a history of particle physics and a description of symmetry and asymmetry in the universe. It originates from the author's observation of a headless devil statue in Paris. The review highlights Close's accessible writing style, metaphor usage, and clear explanation of difficult concepts like the unification of forces. The reviewer notes minor errors in biological asymmetry descriptions but recommends the book for those interested in modern physics.

HEADSTUFF: The Private Life of the Brain by Susan Greenfield

Reviewed by Willem Betz, this book by neuroscientist Susan Greenfield explores the workings of the human brain, from adult to child, junkie, and depressed states. It addresses questions about consciousness, mind, reason, and the balance between feelings and mind. The review notes the book's exploration of pleasure, addiction, instinct, schizophrenia, and the relationship between fear and pain. It is described as brilliantly written, thought-provoking, and warmly recommended, though not easy to read.

THE END OF SCIENCE: Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Direction: Where Real Science Ends... and Pseudoscience Begins by Charles M. Wynn and Arthur W. Wiggins

Reviewed by Wolf Roder, this book aims to provide guidelines for laypeople to distinguish science from pseudoscience. It explains the scientific method and contrasts it with subjective measurements, appeals to emotion, and unfalsifiable hypotheses. The review notes the authors' identification of 'five biggest ideas of pseudoscience' (UFOs, body/soul detachability, astrology, creationism, psi) and critiques some of their arguments, such as the Newton's law example and the attack on 'scientific creationism'. The book is found readable and likeable, but less persuasive than it could be.

ANECDOTAL AMAZEMENT: Time Storms: Amazing Evidence for Time Warps, Space Rifts and Time Travel by Jenny Randles

Reviewed by David Langford, this book is critiqued for its vague introductory story and lack of specific evidence. The review questions the accuracy of memory in such accounts and notes the book's reliance on UFO publications and archives. Part two discusses quantum physics and chaos theory in relation to time travel, but the reviewer remains unconvinced, stating, "Perhaps, maybe, it could, it might if I wish it to be... 'conclusions must be tentative.'" The reviewer concludes, "I could be I don't believe a word she says."

DEFINING HUMANS: Man, Beast and Zombie: What science can and cannot tell us about human nature by Kenen Malik

Reviewed by Paul Taylor, this book is described as a bold and wide-ranging attempt to discuss how contemporary scientists and philosophers tackle questions about human nature. Malik examines arguments from sociobiology, evolutionary psychology, and artificial intelligence. The review praises Malik's ability to condense complex scientific ideas, place them in social and political context, and offer thoughtful commentary. The notes and references are comprehensive, and the bibliography is described as daunting.

BRAINS FOR BEGINNERS: Mapping the Mind by Rita Carter

Reviewed by Mike Hutton, this book is highly recommended as a non-technical guide to brain research, featuring clear illustrations and brain-scan images. It is contrasted favourably with Susan Greenfield's 'The Human Brain: A Guided Tour', which is described as devoid of illustrations and less lucid. The book is seen as a useful resource for arguments against dualist or mystical accounts of the mind, concluding that actions follow from perceptions, which are constructed by brain activity dictated by neuronal structure formed by genes and environment, with no sign of external influence.

NO REMAINS: Gods of the New Millennium: Scientific Proof of Flesh & Blood Gods by Alan F Alford

Reviewed by Wolf Roder, this book proposes that ancient gods were ancient astronauts and humans were a genetic modification of Homo erectus. The reviewer criticizes Alford's reliance on translations and his interpretation of mythology. The book's timeline of a technologically advanced civilization is questioned, and the lack of unambiguous remains is noted. The reviewer also points out that Alford, in a foreword to the reprint, no longer fully believes his original claims, having taken a "dramatic U-turn."

Letters

More on Foo fighters by Steuart Campbell

David Hambling responds to Steuart Campbell's skepticism about ball lightning accounting for some 'foo fighter' sightings. Hambling argues that ball lightning was responsible for closer encounters and that artificial ball lightning, caused by radar beams, is a plausible explanation. He notes that ball lightning is now firmly established, with documented effects on electrical equipment. Hambling views the acceptance of ball lightning by science as an example of its flexibility and open-mindedness, suggesting that other phenomena are not accepted because the evidence is failing, not science.

Searching for rural skeptics by Norman Paulmore

Norman Paulmore writes about the challenges of being a skeptic in rural areas, contrasting it with urban skepticism. He describes encountering crystal-gazers, psychic counselors, and tarot dowsers, and laments the lack of skeptical resources in local libraries. He appeals for other rural skeptics to share their experiences.

Blind leading blind

James Voller critiques the use of Montague Summers' work in an article about Florence Cook, describing Summers as credulous and his books as containing dubious scholarship. Voller argues that quoting Summers ill becomes The Skeptic.

Rationally mystic by Elsie Karbacz

David Kay responds to Elsie Karbacz's argument that belief in God is a matter of faith. Kay defines faith as trust in what one has decided to be true, not a means of deciding truth. He criticizes materialists for not understanding the philosophical explanation for mysticism, which posits consciousness as the only known entity. Kay argues that anti-rationalism encourages violence and that rational mystics should join with atheists against anti-rationalism. He also critiques Nick Rose's explanation of sleep paralysis, stating it doesn't account for the sense of weight or evil presence, and notes that those who believe in the occult are reluctant to admit it can be abused.

The Skeptic Library Scheme

Dr Richard Wiseman details the success of The Skeptic Library Scheme, which aimed to get the magazine into local libraries. Through reader sponsorship, nearly 200 libraries across the UK received subscriptions, increasing access to skeptical literature. Wiseman notes that while The Skeptic is now displayed, his local library still lacks good books on poker.

Back Issues

A list of available back issues of The Skeptic is provided, covering volumes from 1987 to 2001, with details of their contents. Discounts are offered for purchasing multiple back issues.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Skeptic consistently promotes a rational, evidence-based approach to phenomena, critically examining claims of pseudoscience, the paranormal, and unconventional theories. The magazine reviews books that either support or challenge skeptical viewpoints, often highlighting flawed methodologies, lack of evidence, or logical fallacies in pseudoscientific arguments. There is a clear editorial stance against irrationalism and a commitment to making scientific and skeptical perspectives more accessible to the public, as demonstrated by the Library Scheme. The letters section provides a platform for readers to engage with these themes, offering diverse opinions and critiques.