Skepticism in the Time of Coronavirus

What are skeptics doing during the outbreak.

Dear skeptical friends,

in accordance with the advisements of the World Health Organization (though we still disagree on CAM issues) and national officials, skeptical organisations across Europe are temporarily closing their doors.

However, please do check out your local organisation’s website – there is enough content to hold you over for at least a month.

If you are interested in knowing updates concerning the virus, check the following websites and remember, WASH YOUR HANDS:

World Health Organization

Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University

Author: Claire Klingenberg
Date: 11th March 2020

The Joy of Skepticism – 18th European Skeptics Congress

Dear skeptical colleagues and friends,

it’s that time again – two years have passed and another congress is coming up!

August 30th – September 1st, Ghent, Belgium
Every other year skeptics from all over Europe come together to meet at the European Skeptics Congress. They listen to talks about a variety of subjects, participate in debates, exchange experiences with colleagues from abroad while having a great time together. This year we are meeting in Ghent, one of the great historical cities of Belgium, home to one of its main universities, with a pre-program ‘Skeptics in the Pub’ event in the center of Brussels. Come and join us for 3-4 days of fun and learning with Edzard Ernst and Kavin Senapathy, and don’t forget to sample Belgium’s fine beers and chocolates while you’re here. All information on www.esc2019.be

Register on our website. Special discounts for members of skeptical organisations and students.

Join the banquet on Saturday night in the company of the finest selection of skeptics in Europe (separate ticket).
Website: https://www.esc2019.be/Mail: esc2019@skepp.beFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/europeanskepticscon/

Author: Claire Klingenberg
Date: 24th July 2019

Skepticism Reloaded

Amardeo Sarma

42 years have passed since the birth of CSICOP, the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, and its magazine Skeptical Inquirer. Soon after, there was a global wave in the spread of skepticism. A great visionary was at the centre of the explosion: Paul Kurtz, who saw skepticism as a global worldwide endeavour. The Australian Skeptics took off in 1980 with Mark Plummer as president. A decade later, in the mid-80s, CSICOP encouraged skeptics all over the world to form their groups. Mark Plummer, then Executive Director of CSICOP, and Wendy Grossman, founder of the magazine The Skeptic in the United Kingdom, toured Europe in this mission resulting in many new groups.

Paul Kurtz also defined skepticism as he saw fit for the movement in his book the New Skepticism. This variant is what we would now call scientific skepticism. It is distinct from the ancient Greek variety of skepticism that denied that we could acquire knowledge and wanted us not to take a stand, to suspend judgment.

Skeptics today do take a stand. They insist on skeptical inquiry, which is at the core of scientific research, as a fundamental and indisposable tool. At the same time, they also acknowledge that the body of science represents reliable knowledge of a real world. More importantly, they stand up and advocate what we know about science and pseudoscience, even when others including friends and colleagues frown on us. Skeptics today are committed to scientific realism.

Initially, the movement focused mainly on fringe science claims ignored by the scientific establishment. A decade ago, Kendrick Frazier, editor of the journal Skeptical Inquirer extended the scope. In the book “Science under Siege: Defending Science, Exposing Pseudoscience”, he put the defence of science itself on the map. Publications and events organised by skeptics had been increasingly taking up anthropogenic global warming, GMOs and the anti-vaccination movement. Conspiracy theories are a recent addition.

With the 21st century of “alternative facts” well underway, new questions have come up.

But the time is ripe for a revitalising vision for the future. In this connection, Marco Kovic has posed questions in a recent blog. Which are issues we need to address?

We do need to begin by framing our cause and our identity as skeptics worldwide. Let us start from the very core.

Continue reading “Skepticism Reloaded”

Author: Amardeo Sarma
Date: 6th March 2018

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The expert team of the Houdini Award conducted preliminary tests of psychics in Russia

The prize named after Harry Houdini, worth one million Russian roubles, is awarded to anyone who will be the first to demonstrate paranormal abilities in a strictly controlled scientific experiment. The Houdini Award Committee consists of experts in the medical, technical, exact and natural sciences, members of the Committee Against Pseudoscience and Falsification of Scientific Research, and magicians.

Psychic participating in testing organized by Russian skeptics Continue reading “The expert team of the Houdini Award conducted preliminary tests of psychics in Russia”

Author: Ekaterina Zvereva
Date: 10th January 2017

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Be skeptical of quote memes! A guide

Internet memes have radically changed the way we communicate online, especially on social media. It usually consists of a photo or cartoon with some text making a point. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and may therefore be much more effective at communicating a message than an entire well-reasoned, evidence-based essay (especially when Twitter limits posts to 140 characters).

How to refute creationists’ misconception of the term ‘theory’ with one picture.

Memes can be very witty in explaining something odd about the world in the form of a simple joke, and make people rethink their view of society. But, although they may often contain a kernel of truth, they’re usually inaccurate in detail, and sometimes extremely misleading or just plain wrong. Continue reading “Be skeptical of quote memes! A guide”

Author: Leon Korteweg
Date: 1st November 2016

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We’re gonna die of electromagnetic radiation! Oh wait…

The Stichting Kennisplatform Elektromagnetische Straling (SKES, ‘Knowledge Platform Electomagnetic Radiation Foundation’) has published an alarming press release about a research paper from the German scientific journal Reviews on Environmental Health (Belyaev et al. 2015), assessing potential harm done by electromagnetic fields (EMF). It starts as follows:

Too much exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) from mobile and wireless telephones, WiFi, electric devices, electric cables and other sources at home and in public places, can cause several health complaints, infertility and even cancer or Alzheimer. The best way to treat and prevent these ailments is to reduce exposure to EMF, an international group of scientists concludes.

Continue reading “We’re gonna die of electromagnetic radiation! Oh wait…”

Author: Leon Korteweg
Date: 10th February 2016

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“Let us provide you with a real ESP experience”

“Let us provide you with a real ESP experience” – These were the closing
words of a trailer for the first European Skeptics Podcast (TheESP) done by András G. Pintér, vice president of the Hungarian Skeptic Society and co-host of the new, bi-weekly skeptic show. The first (pilot) episode came out on Wednesday 18th November and is available online on SoundCloud, iTunes and Stitcher.

Continue reading ““Let us provide you with a real ESP experience””

Author: Gábor Hraskó
Date: 21st November 2015

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Hungarian Academy of Sciences statement proposing the same scientific standards for homeopathic drug registration as for normal drugs

Members of the Section of Medical Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (HAS) voted unanimously for supporting the earlier proposal of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The Swedish statement requested that the homeopathic remedies should go through the same efficacy trials as normal drugs should.

Continue reading “Hungarian Academy of Sciences statement proposing the same scientific standards for homeopathic drug registration as for normal drugs”

Author: Gábor Hraskó
Date: 9th November 2015

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Report from the Skepsis Congres on 8 November 2014 in Utrecht, the Netherlands

The Dutch-speaking skeptical landscape

For a bit of context, let me take you on a short tour around the skeptical movement in the Dutch-speaking world. This includes the Netherlands and Flanders (Northern Belgium). In total there are four active organizations; two in the Netherlands and two in Flanders. In the Netherlands the Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij (Society Against Quackery) or VtdK, founded in 1881, is the oldest skeptical organization in the world. The VtdK specifically focuses on fighting harmful or useless (alternative) medicine. The second organization in the Netherlands is Stichting Skepsis (founded in 1987 with the help of Paul Kurtz), which focuses on skepticism in general. In Flanders there is SKEPP (founded in 1990 with the help of James Randi and Skepsis), also focused on skepticism in general. Het Denkgelag, the fourth group, is a recent offshoot from SKEPP (althought they’re not competing, rather completing each other) that was founded in 2012 to hold discussions and lectures aimed at attracting people outside the skeptical community, and stimulating critical thinking. Continue reading “Report from the Skepsis Congres on 8 November 2014 in Utrecht, the Netherlands”

Author: Leon Korteweg
Date: 8th November 2014

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