Skeptical Eye - Vol 04 No 2 - 1990

Magazine Overview

This special conference issue of the National Capital Area Skeptical Eye, dated Spring 1990, Volume 4, Number 2, focuses on the 1990 CSICOP Conference held in Washington D.C. The magazine highlights the critical importance of scientific literacy and critical thinking in American society, addressing concerns about the decline of science education and the prevalence of pseudoscience.

Key Themes and Articles

Scientific Literacy Called National Imperative

Paul Kurtz, chairman of CSICOP, opened the conference by declaring that "Critical thinking is critical to the national interest and national security." He lamented the inadequate teaching of science in American schools, leading to a public inability to distinguish between science and pseudoscience, astronomy and astrology, and scientific medicine and holistic medicine. Kurtz criticized media balance and public figures consulting astrologers, urging that "Critical thinking must be higher on the agenda of American education."

Michael Zimmerman, a biology professor, presented data from a study showing widespread scientific illiteracy among elected officials, with nearly 40 percent not disagreeing strongly with creation science and 80 percent of Ohio legislators holding similar views. His poll revealed that many officials failed to disagree strongly with ideas like dinosaurs coexisting with humans, the Earth being less than 20,000 years old, aliens building monuments, communication with the dead, psychic prediction, and the accuracy of astrology.

Annual Conference Comes to Capital for First Time

Stephen R. Dujack reported on the 1990 CSICOP Conference, noting it was the first time it was held in the nation's capital. The conference concentrated on "Critical Thinking and Scientific Literacy," addressing issues from declining science education to public understanding of topics like evolution and global warming. Dujack lamented the lack of media coverage, with only a handful of newspapers, notably excluding The Washington Post, choosing to cover the event. Despite the presence of notable figures like Paul MacCready and James Paulos, and a talk by Robert Jahn on paranormal phenomena, the public remained largely unaware.

President's Column

NCAS President Chip Denman thanked the many members who contributed to the success of the conference, highlighting efforts in registration, managing the NCAS booth, arranging technical support with Penn & Teller, and ensuring smooth session operations. He singled out Gary Stone for his significant effort in presenting a positive image for NCAS.

Conference, from page 1

This section reiterates the importance of scientific literacy for addressing critical issues and notes that NCAS members were busy running events. It presents this special issue as a way to fill in the gaps for those who couldn't attend, emphasizing that "reason was in the ascendant."

The Quandary of Research on Animals

Neil L. Inglis discussed the session on animal rights, featuring Donald J. Barnes of the Anti-Vivisection Society, who argued against animal experiments and the use of the word "meat." Richard L. Melvin, a physiology professor, countered that refraining from animal research is immoral, citing its role in eradicating diseases. Randall Lockwood of the Humane Society advocated for a "Three Rs" approach: Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction of animals in research. The article also touched upon the strict regulatory system governing animal research and the inconsistencies in the animal rights movement.

Hyman Wins Debate by Default

Ray Hyman, a CSICOP Fellow, debated Claiborne Pell, who did not appear. Hyman discussed his experiences chairing a National Research Council subcommittee on parapsychological research, concluding that 130 years of research into the paranormal had failed to produce verifiable results. He noted that many in government and intelligence communities believe in psi, despite a lack of evidence, and are concerned about Soviet "psychotronic weapons."

Klass Gives Classic Exposé

Philip J. Klass presented a history of UFO sightings, critiquing the Project Blue Book study and the subsequent rise of UFOlogy. He debunked the Roswell incident and criticized modern pro-UFO groups for abandoning earlier cautions. Klass also analyzed the "Gulf Breeze Sighting" book, exposing the photos as faked double exposures and questioning the credibility of the witness's claims.

Jahn Only Anomaly at Conference

Victor Stenger asserted that there were no anomalies in science, but Robert Jahn, dean emeritus of Princeton's School of Engineering, presented evidence supporting paranormal phenomena, specifically psychokinesis and remote viewing. Jahn's experiments used a sophisticated device and rigorous protocols, but he acknowledged that results had not been replicated due to equipment cost. He has made efforts to avoid pitfalls of previous parapsychological research.

Critical Thinking Critical to Education

A panel chaired by Paul MacCready concluded that the American educational system is not teaching critical thinking skills. Anton Lawson presented a method for teaching scientific reasoning to children using a puzzle-like approach. Richard Schrock warned against "premature speculation" in critical thinking courses and advocated for moving students from textbooks to the real world.

AU President Declares Future Belongs to Teachers

Richard Berendzen, outgoing American University President, stated that the U.S. is "a nation at risk" due to poor education, citing high dropout rates, illiteracy, and teen pregnancy. He criticized the educational system's agrarian calendar and scientific illiteracy, noting public beliefs about the Earth's orbit and the sun. Berendzen also faulted the media for failing to educate the public and criticized the Time-Life series on the occult.

Piell Sounds Appeal for Sputnik-era Science Education Effort

Keynote speaker Gerard Piel called for a Sputnik-era effort in science education. He criticized the U.S. for prioritizing military research and technological improbabilities over science education. Piel highlighted the poor state of science teaching in American high schools and the need to "liberate the teaching of science and mathematics."

The Star in the White House

Lee J. Rickard discussed a session on "Astronomy and Pseudoscience," featuring Andrew Fraknoi's review of "What Joan Said," the memoir of Nancy Reagan's astrologer. Fraknoi presented "Ten Most Embarassing Questions for believers in astrology," challenging the validity of sun signs, birth time versus conception, the womb's protective properties, astrologers' wealth, the accuracy of early horoscopes, and the lack of confirmation in empirical tests. David Morrison discussed "Cosmic Catastrophes," focusing on impact hypotheses like the Alvarez theory for mass extinctions.

Hyman, from page 4

This section continues Hyman's discussion on paranormal phenomena, noting that many government branches are involved in supporting such research, often driven by pressure from Congress. He reiterated that 130 years of research have yielded no verifiable results and criticized the government for relying on "compelling personal experiences" rather than scientific evidence.

Literacy, from page 1

This section continues the discussion on scientific illiteracy, noting its prevalence among newspaper editors and school board presidents. John Paulos illustrated "Innumeracy" with examples like the daily death toll of smoking being equivalent to three jumbo jets crashing, and the "Teane Dixon Effect" where people remember predictions that come true. He also provided examples of how little people comprehend numerical measurements.

Klass, from page 4

This section continues Philip Klass's critique of UFOlogy, specifically debunking photos from the "Gulf Breeze Sighting" book as double exposures and questioning the witness's account. He noted that Ed Walters, the witness, had a prior prison record for forgery.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the critical need for scientific literacy and critical thinking in the United States, the pervasive influence of pseudoscience in media and public policy, and the importance of rigorous scientific investigation. The NCAS Skeptical Eye, through its coverage of the CSICOP Conference, clearly advocates for a science-based approach to understanding the world and for challenging unsubstantiated claims and beliefs. The editorial stance is one of promoting skepticism, evidence-based reasoning, and sound science education.

Title: The Skeptical Eye
Issue: Volume 2, Number 3
Date: 1990
Publisher: NCAS (National Capital Area Skeptics)
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of The Skeptical Eye delves into critical thinking in science education, the role of skepticism in addressing pseudoscience, and reports on research into paranormal phenomena.

Critical Thinking in Education

Schrock critiques biology texts that, in an effort to foster critical thinking, provide incorrect answers. He argues this is more dangerous than simply presenting false facts, as students may internalize the wrong conclusions and believe they have solved problems incorrectly. He cites examples where texts lead students to erroneous deductions, such as the reason humans lack exoskeletons. Schrock contrasts this with a positive example where students are asked to determine if a finger is relaxed or curved, encouraging direct observation and experimentation, akin to lab work.

'Science Guy' Lightens up Audience

Steve Nye, the Emmy Award-winning "Science Guy," addressed the audience at the closing event of the 1990 conference, offering comic relief while delivering a serious message about scientific literacy. Nye emphasized that the fight against pseudoscience requires a balanced approach, not aggressive tactics. He used humor, including jokes about being an engineer and observations about his home state of Washington, to connect with the audience. Nye stressed the importance of fostering excitement about science in children and noted that they tend to resonate with "pure science." He suggested that it is better to have a nation of critical thinkers than "crazy people," but cautioned that accusing people of being irrational can alienate them.

Astrology and Media Interpretation

The article "Astrology, from page 7" discusses the resistance of some mainstream scientists, particularly geologists, to the idea of catastrophic impacts, attributing it partly to the difficulty of conceptualizing random events versus uniform processes. It also touches upon the association of catastrophic hypotheses with pseudoscientific ideas, such as those of Immanuel Velikovsky. The piece highlights a concerning example of media misinterpretation, where an Associated Press story claimed NASA satellite measurements found no evidence for global warming, despite NASA's press release and researchers' statements that the measurements were not related to that specific question. This erroneous interpretation was widely published, with some outlets even suggesting NASA had "refuted" global warming theory.

Atmospheric Phenomena and UFOs

Bernard Leikind presented a slide show on atmospheric optical phenomena, including rainbows, glories, and mirages. The article suggests that descriptions of mystical experiences, such as Ezekiel's vision, could be interpreted as prescientific reports of such phenomena. A key point emphasized is the plausible identification of UFO stimuli with atmospheric phenomena that have become more commonly observed with the advent of flight. The "Foo Fighters" reported by World War II pilots are cited as an example, bearing similarity to the "subsun"—a reflection of the sun in ice crystals within clouds, which is now commonly seen from above clouds. This connection suggests that many UFO sightings might be misidentified natural atmospheric events.

Research into Psychokinesis

The section "Jahn, from page 4" details experiments conducted by a researcher named Jahn, who investigates subjects' ability to influence machines to generate specific numbers. In one experiment, subjects attempted to influence a machine to produce numbers higher or lower than expected, or to establish a "base line." Jahn claims that some subjects, some of the time, can achieve results above chance, describing the effect as "operator specific." He conducted 50,000 trials with 20 operators. Another experiment involved marbles falling through a device, where subjects were asked to influence the distribution of marbles. Jahn concluded that "common people using common pieces of equipment-can produce marginal but statistically significant and replicable effects: one bit per 1000." He suggests that this marginal effect could have implications for engineering equipment, requiring a redefinition of replicability to include the influence of the person on the experiment.

Membership/Renewal Form

The issue includes a membership and renewal form for NCAS, inviting readers to support the exploration of paranormal and fringe-science claims. Members receive a subscription to The Skeptical Eye. The form allows members to indicate areas of interest, including Astrology, Education, Fringe Medicine, UFOs, Communications, Creationism, and Other.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Skeptical Eye consistently promotes scientific literacy and critical thinking. The editorial stance is clearly skeptical of pseudoscientific claims, advocating for evidence-based reasoning and the debunking of paranormal phenomena through scientific investigation. The magazine aims to provide factual information to the scientific community and the public, encouraging a rational approach to understanding the world. There is a recurring theme of distinguishing between genuine scientific inquiry and unsubstantiated claims, often by reinterpreting unusual phenomena through known scientific principles.