Crank Dot Net | skepticism

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Guardian Unlimited: Bad Science 2005 Oct 07
... resources . skepticism ...: Ben Goldacre's excellent column on bad science.
Center for Inquiry International 2004 Feb 26
... skepticism ...: "The Center for Inquiry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with two affiliate organizations: the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), which encourages critical investigation of paranormal and fringe-science claims from a responsible, scientific point of view and disseminates factual information about the results of such inquiry to the scientific community, the media, and the public; and the Council for Secular Humanism, which promotes and explores philosophical naturalism and secular values, and defends the interests of the non-religious. The Center for Inquiry is the home of Skeptical Inquirer, Free Inquiry, and Philo among numerous other publications. It is an anchor point to scores of local and regional skeptic groups and humanist groups across the United States and throughout the world. From CFI, scientists, philosophers, media professionals and members of the public obtain objective information about fringe science, paranormal, and supernatural claims. Newsletters, a variety of online services, and international programs of adult education in science and philosophy are among the other activities based at the Center."
Center for Inquiry-West 2004 Feb 26
... skepticism ...: "'To promote and defend reason, science, and freedom of inquiry in all areas of human endeavor.'"
Pen & Teller: Bullshit! 2003 Aug 03
... skepticism . resources ...: "Whether demonstrating how history's most perplexing magic acts are performed in their sell-out Las Vegas show and TV specials, or producing their own series that pulls the wool off the public's eyes, Penn & Teller's mission is to expose the truth to an otherwise desperate and gullible public. In Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, the crusaders utilize principles of magic and trickery, as well as good old fashioned 'hidden camera' sting operations, to smoke out these nonsense peddlers and reveal how they operate. They also call upon the scientific community for back-up. Penn & Teller have discovered that the evidence debunking bogus operatives exists in countless books, scientific papers and government-sponsored exposes -- research that nobody else has presented to the public with such zeal, passion, and conviction. As our increasingly anti-intellectual, anti-science culture moves on each day to new crackpot subject matters, Penn & Teller are there to aggressively shoot down whack-jobs and fuzzy thinkers, no matter where they originate."
Skeptics Canada 2003 Jun 19
... skepticism ...: "Skeptics promote critical thinking and the scientific method to address all beliefs or practices, from the mundane to the profound. We ask: What is the evidence? We examine extraordinary claims with an open mind, but we expose claims for which the evidence is lacking or false."
WebRing: Anti-Quackery Ring 2003 Mar 10
... resources . skepticism ...: "This ring is for sites that combat and debunk health-related frauds, myths, fads, and fallacies, and are more interested in real, objective, scientific proof, than in the speculative, subjective, and unproven theories and anecdotes of so-called Alternative Medicine. If you are sympathetic to the aims of the National Council Against Health Fraud, and you consider Quackwatch to be a reliable source of anti-quackery information, then this ring may be just what you're looking for."
In Praise of Close-Mindedness 2002 Nov 16
... skepticism ...: "After all, how can you accurately judge a person's ideas unless you hear their entire line of reasoning? Didn't everyone call Einstein crazy? Don't you risk missing out on a superior and revolutionary way of thinking? It's best, it might seem, to simply hear them out before passing judgment. My friends, do not fall into this trap. These people are not latter-day Einsteins. They are the slobbering, gibbering cretins you believe them to be. Do not be tricked into equating unbiased thinking with uncritical thinking. Do not be ashamed of dismissing them out of hand. No! Break free of the chains of open-mindedness! Throw down the shackles of undiscriminating tolerance! Refuse to endure another instant of sanity-eroding idiocy!"
Bob Lazar 2002 Oct 04
... UFOlogy . skepticism ...: "Claims to have worked with alien craft at 'Area S-4' in Nevada ... Lazar offers an interesting, intelligent, unverifiable story surrounded by lies ... Bob Lazar claims to have worked with alien spacecraft at a secret U.S. Government facility at Papoose Lake, about 80 miles north of Las Vegas. Lazar intially made his claims on a local Las Vegas television station in Nov. 1989. He says he worked at a facility called 'Area S-4' at Papoose Dry Lake, south of the known government air base at Area 51, in late 1988 and early 1989. There he says he saw nine flying saucers housed in hangars built into a hillside. Lazar says he had hands-on experience with one of the craft and he can describe its propulsion system in detail. Lazar says he read briefing papers about the alien presence but that he saw no aliens himself (aside from a fleeting glimpse of a small figure through a window at the facility). The core story is, almost by definition, unverifiable, since no one can go to Papoose Lake to check it out. The only thing we can investigate are the claims that surround it. If Lazar does not tell the truth about the things we can verify, how can we trust the things we can't verify?"
WebRing: Anti-Quackery Ring 2002 Oct 04
... skepticism . medicine ...: "For sites whose purpose it is to combat health-related frauds, myths, fads, and fallacies, and which are more concerned with scientific proof than the unproven anecdotes of so-Called 'Alternative Medicine' (sCAM)."
Zetetica 2002 Sep 19
... skepticism ...: "Welcome to the Net's Premier Discussion Community for Realists, Skeptics, and Freethinkers"
Bad Astronomy: The Planet X Saga 2002 Aug 17
... Planet X . astronomy . skepticism ...: "Doomsayers seem to pop up every few years. Last time, it was the alignment of the planets that somehow managed not to destroy the Earth in May 2000. Now, we have Planet X. A few people are claiming that a heretofore unknown planet in our solar system is on a very long, elliptical orbit. In May 2003, it will pass close enough to the Earth to affect it in some way, causing it to flip over (what many call a 'pole shift') and spur many other huge disasters. The end result will be the deaths of many billions of people. There are a large number of web pages, chat rooms and books about Planet X and its horrible affects on the Earth. So the question is, does this planet exist, and will it come by in May 2003 and cause all this horror? No, and no."
Does the Gyroscopic Inertial Thruster Work? 2002 Aug 15
... physics . star drives . technology . skepticism ...: "This page contains a report on an experiment completed in November, 2001 which attempted to reproduce the results as seen by Britt Beaubian in his recreation of David Cowlishaw's GIT. Britt Beaubian's experiment consisted of putting a GIT on its side on a cookie sheet or 'rectangular cake pan' [Update May 4th, 2002] which was then put afloat in a bathtub. When the GIT was turned on, it moved forward and even after a backward impulse, it slowed to a stop and continued forward. You can find the videos on Britt's website. This experimenter believes that Britt Beaubian's results were the most compelling to date and it was hoped they could be reproduced, which they were. However, the conclusion is that the uni-directional movement was a result of wave action, clearly visible in Britt's video and the results here, and not an anomalous property of the GIT."
A Critique of "Was It Only a Paper Moon?" 2002 May 13
... Apollo program . skepticism ...: "This section contains a detailed critique of the video, Was it Only a Paper Moon? The time reference is the point in the video where Mr. Collier makes a statement that I will reply to. The observation is the statement that Mr. Collier makes, and the replies are my response to the observations." Courtesy of the Wayback Machine.
Are Apollo Moon Photos Fake? 2002 Apr 21
... Apollo program . skepticism ...: "The program Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on The Moon? seen on FOX television network advanced the claim that NASA's Apollo Moon missions were a giant hoax. The claim was largely supported by alleged 'anomalies' in Apollo photos. David Percy, an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society, told FOX: 'Our research suggests that images of the Apollo landings are not a true and accurate record. In our view the Apollo pictures were faked. Many of the images are replete with inconsistencies and anomalies.' Are Percy and other Apollo skeptics correct? Let's examine their claims."
The Space Page: Apollo "Hoax" 2002 Apr 03
... Apollo program . skepticism ...: "I'm no rocket scientist, but I know stupidity when I see it, and I saw a lot of it when I investigated the alleged hoaxing of the Apollo Lunar landings that occurred between 1969 and 1972. It never ceases to amaze me just how credulous some people can be. The whole Apollo Conspiracy theory has been around for years, and I hadn't given much thought to it, I'd heard some of the 'classic' arguments (e.g., no stars in photographs, flag waving in a windless environment) and not given them too much thought, the reasons for these 'anomalies' are quite straight forward, and could be answerd by anyone with a basic secondary school education. Or so i thought. It hadn't occurred to me that people take this stuff seriously. My apathy began to diminish when I became aware of a number of rather cranky websites sites on the Internet purporting to have 'incontrovertible evidence' that Apollo was faked. These sites show no such thing, other than the lack of critical thinking skills there seem to be in the world. I feel a mixture of amusement and dismay when I read some of these pages, but I feel rather angry when people try to make a living out of conning people. For this is what I believe some Hoax Believers (HBs) are doing. Many people have comprehensively debunked the arguments these people are putting forward, and yet they still peddle their nonsense books and videos. I think this is dishonest, to put it mildly."
Contrails 2001 Dec 29
... chemtrails . skepticism ...: An actual page about real contrails.
Piper Anonymous 2001 Oct 14
... skepticism . Apollo program ...: "Many organizations have been created to help those are recovering from destructive addictions. There are associations for alcoholics, overeaters, and shopaholics. Now there is also a place to go for those who wish to stop replying to inane webboard posts, especially those regarding NASA's alleged fakery of the Apollo lunar missions. Named in honour of a frequent poster to the Bad Astronomy webboard, Piper Anonymous seeks to help those whose health, sanity, and ability to reason clearly has been compromised by overexposure to hoax believer propaganda. 'Piper' addiction frequently takes the form of the inability to resist responding to inflamatory postings regarding alleged 'mini-anomalies' on the surface of the moon (or other planet). Piper Anonymous seeks to provide a release valve or three for the excess energies of intelligent posters."
Ratbags on the Net 2001 Oct 09
... skepticism . resources ...: "Welcome to Ratbags.Com, the home of the mad and the bad on the 'net. The three Ratbag Projects at the moment are 'Quintessence of the Loon,' 'The Millenium Project,' and 'Full Canvas Jacket' but we will have more craziness, weirdness and wickedness here from time to time. You can read about the people who bring you this site by clicking here."
The Millenium Project 2001 Oct 09
... skepticism . resources ...: "We all know that millennium comes from the Latin words mille and annus and means a thousand years. The word millenium [sic] comes from the Latin words mille and anus and means something else. This web site is devoted to the millenium of sites which don't deserve a place on the Web. We are not putting them on a pedestal -- we are offering them a stool."
No Answers in Genesis! 2001 Oct 09
... Scientific Creationism . evolution . skepticism ...: "Creationism is not the alternative to evolution -- ignorance is."
MLMSurvivor.com 2001 Oct 09
... skepticism . consumer advocacy ...: "This site exists to provide factual information for prospective and current MLM distributors. This includes Amway, and now Quixtar among others. People deserve a chance to get all the facts before they spend their time and their money. Amway and Quixtar, and their IBOs are all out there telling prospects the information they want them to have. I am one person trying to get them the rest of the story. Do I present accurate information? Yes, to the very best of my ability. Do I check and double check sources? Yes -- or if not, I let you know the source is unverified. Is it always timely? No, because I'm just one person and this is a spare-time effort. Do I make corrections if I find errors? Absolutely. Will I tell you Amway's (or Quixtar's, Excel's, or Trek Alliance's) side of the story? No. Why should I? They've got their own sites."
Men on the Moon as a Matter of Fact 2001 Oct 05
... Apollo program . skepticism ...: "I wasn't surprised when the Fox television network aired a program earlier this year alleging that NASA faked the Apollo Moon missions that took place from 1968 to 1972. This particular conspiracy theory has been around as long as the Apollo program itself, but has had its life breathed anew thanks to this absurd television show. The conspiracy theorists say they have proof for their beliefs. But their claims reveal tremendous ignorance of science, from the basic principles of photography to geology and physics ..."
What's up with the "Bible Code"? 2001 Oct 05
... Bible codes . skepticism ...: "The Bible Code was a book written by Michael Drosnin in 1997, received enormous publicity, and was a (ahem) nine days' wonder. The idea is that there are hidden messages in the Hebrew text of the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible), predictions of the future, that can only be unearthed by computers. I want to stress at the outset that I have not read the book, on principle. I think it is laughable, and I do not want to be supportive of it in any way, like by paying money for a copy."
A Skeptical Scrutiny of the Works and Theories of Wilhelm Reich 2001 Oct 05
... technology . medicine . skepticism ...: "An orgone accumulator, or ORAC, is a box with organic material lining the outside of its walls and metallic material lining the insides of its walls. Popularly, such a device was sometimes referred to as simply an 'orgone box.' Reich believed that orgone energy was attracted and absorbed by organic material, but attracted and immediately re-radiated by metallic material, and that therefore a box constructed with an outer organic shell and an inner metallic shell would absorb atmospheric orgone energy and concentrate, or 'accumulate,' this absorbed orgone energy in its interior."
The Debunker's Domain 2001 Oct 05
... skepticism ...: "Hello, this is Robert Sheaffer. I'm an author, a free-lance writer, and skeptical investigator of all manner of bogus claims. In real life, I'm a data communications engineer in the Silicon Valley. I have been a fellow of CSICOP -- the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal -- since 1977. I have been a regular contributor and columnist for their magazine, The Skeptical Inquirer, since its second issue of publication (Spring/Summer, 1977). I have also been a member of Mensa for over ten years. I'm an equal-opportunity debunker, refuting whatever nonsense, in my judgment, stands in the greatest need of refuting, no matter from what source it may come, no matter how privileged, esteemed, or sacrosanct. Sacred cows, after all, make the best hamburger."
Moon Base Clavius 2001 Oct 05
... Apollo program . skepticism ...: "Moon Base Clavius is an organization of amateur and professional engineers, scientists, and astronauts devoted to the Apollo program and its manned exploration of the moon. Our special mission is to debunk the so-called conspiracy theories that state such a landing may never have occurred."
In the Hall of Ma'At 2001 Aug 11
... skepticism . archaeology . Egyptology . history ...: "To the ancient Egyptians ma'at was a concept of truth, justice and balance. This web site is put forth in that spirit. The aim of this site is to provide a well reasoned case for the mainstream version of ancient history. We will present articles that validate our true heritage and that dispute the proposals used to support the belief in a lost civilization that seeded the familiar ancient cultures of the world. ... History cannot be written on the basis of possibilities supported by evidence that may, or may not, turn up at some future time; rather, we are convinced that it must be based on material which is present, checkable, and verifiable or falsifiable. It is therefore essential that people seeking to challenge mainstream theories provide verifiable scientific evidence in support of their claim."
The Holocaust History Project 2001 Jun 10
... Holocaust deniers . skepticism ...: "... is a free archive of documents, photographs, recordings, and essays regarding the Holocaust, including direct refutation of Holocaust-denial."
Holocaust Denial on Trial 2001 Jun 10
... Holocaust deniers . skepticism . legal ...: "David Irving, a British Holocaust denier, sued American professor Deborah Lipstadt and her British publisher, Penguin Books, for libel in a 2000 London trial that made headlines around the world. Despite England's draconian libel laws, Lipstadt and Penguin not only won resoundingly, but also exposed the inner workings of the deniers, who distort 20th century history in order to promote 21st century antisemitism and white supremacy. This site is built around the defense's groundbreaking research, the riveting trial-room testimony, and the judge's historic opinion which found Irving to be a 'right-wing pro-Nazi polemicist' who 'deliberately misrepresented and manipulated historical evidence."
The Skeptic Annotated Bibliography 2001 Mar 31
... skepticism . resources ...: "An annotated listing of books and other resources relevant to paranormal and fringe science topics, mainly from a skeptical point of view. Helpful for exploring weirdness without necessarily accepting paranormal beliefs."
Tim Kammer's SkepticRadio.com 2001 Mar 31
... skepticism ...: "SkepticRadio.com is live Wednesdays 10 pm to 11 pm Pacific time."
Non-Faked Moon Landings 2001 Mar 31
... Apollo program . conspiracy . skepticism ...: "This web page is based on a typical 'The Moon Shots Were Faked' web page authored by Kevin Overstreet (his version last updated 1999 Jan 26). His original text when used is primarily in white except for any links and some red highlights. My comments will be found in this color."
Some scientifically inaccurate claims concerning cosmology and relativity 2001 Mar 03
... relativity . skepticism ...: "In this page, I offer links to rebuttals by qualified scientists of some of the more common scientifically inaccurate claims made in ... many mass-market books, various personal web pages, many Usenet discussions, a very small number of flagrantly erroneous preprints posted to the LANL server, (lamentably) in a very small number (inadequately refereed) published scientific papers."
Australian Skeptics 2001 Mar 03
... skepticism ...: "... is a group that investigates the paranormal and pseudo-science from a responsible scientific viewpoint. Most people are familiar with the more popular skeptical subjects that we deal with such as Astrology, Fortune Telling, UFOs and Crop Circles. Did you know that we also investigate topics like Fundamentalism, Feng Shui, Subluxations and Vitamin Supplements? A list of all the major topics that we investigate can be found in our page titled The Skeptical Links Project. Test your skeptical knowledge and see how many of the topics on the list are unfamiliar to you. If you've never heard of the skeptics before, you should also take time to read The Aims of The Australian Skeptics page."
Critical Thinking in Biology: Case Problems 2001 Mar 03
... biology . skepticism ...: "Biology education has been criticized for emphasizing mindless memorization over analytical and creative science. This page illustrates how CASE PROBLEMS can inspire students in an introductory college biology course to develop scientific reasoning skills."
Bad Astronomy: Fox TV and the Apollo Moon Hoax 2001 Feb 21
... Apollo program . skepticism ...: Phil Plait's excellent review and resource on the 2001 Feb FOX TV show, "Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon?"
Charlatans and Egyptology 2001 Jan 21
... Egyptology . skepticism ...: "One of the major drawbacks Egyptology has had since it started its auspicious existence as a science in 1831, when J.F. Champollion was appointed the first professor of this discipline at the Collège de France, shortly before he died, has been the periodical appearance of charlatans of one or other kind who trying to attract attention to themselves (and perhaps make some money as well), inflict on the public all sorts of strange ideas, which sadly appeal to people's imagination much more than the sober conclusions of serious scholars."
A Field Guide to Critical Thinking 2001 Jan 21
... skepticism ...: "Most of the freshman and sophomore students in my classes simply do not know how to draw reasonable conclusions from the evidence. At most, they've been taught in high school what to think; few of them know how to think."
Characterization of Quack Theories 2001 Jan 14
... skepticism . medicine . frauds ...: "In this article, I will first list some of these evidential flaws and then discuss errors in relating evidence to theory. Of necessity, this is a short list that omits most such problems. It is largely biased by what I have seen in newsgroup discussions. (A true survey would require a book, of the order that David Fischer wrote for historians.) Finally, I will discuss when mere mistakes (which plague every research direction) turn into quackery."
The Quack Files 2001 Jan 14
... skepticism . medicine . frauds ...: "The purpose of this web site is to provide links and information, stimulate debate and exchange ideas regarding healthcare, health fraud, quackery, alternative medicine, metaphysics, religion, etc. I hope that you will be able to find something of interest here. If you're seeking a comprehensive, well-balanced presentation of all sides of an issue, you'll possibly be disappointed. The believ-ers, quacks, salesmen and the sincerely deceived are already out there with their message. Their side of the story is easy to find."
Pseudoscience, Paranormal Phenomena, Skepticism 2000 Dec 30
... science . paranormal . skepticism ...: "Resources for Selected Areas of Pseudoscience and Paranormal Phenomena, and for Skeptical Perspective ... Note: This page includes links to documents by promoters and advocates, as well as by skeptics and critics."
The New England Skeptical Society 2000 Dec 30
... skepticism ...: "An organization dedicated to the promotion of science and reason, the investigation of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims, especially within New England, improved standards of education for science and critical thinking skills, and lobbying for rational law making."
Quatloos! 2000 Dec 03
... frauds . skepticism ...: "One of the biggest risks you face is that of fraud, usually through some investment scheme. But you can also be defrauded by seemingly legitimate planning, which turns out to lack substance. This website seeks to educate you about certain types of financial frauds, how these deals really work, and how you can manage your risk of financial fraud."
Philadephia Association for Critical Thinking 2000 Nov 18
... skepticism ...: "We ask: What is the evidence? What can one reasonably deduce from that evidence? Do we need to suppose paranormal powers were involved? Could there be a simpler explanation? Could this have happened by chance? Can we do an experiment to test this? Whose story can we trust? Is this a hoax? What are the facts? We are the Philadelphia Association for Critical Thinking (PhACT). We love tough questions but we maintain that there is only one way to find trustworthy answers; to use reason and experiment. We reject: wishful thinking, anecdotes, revelation, unsupported authority and 'everybody knows.' We ask only, 'What are the facts and what can we deduce from them?' Of course we don't know all the answers; nobody does, whatever they may claim. There are many questions which cannot be answered now and some which may never be answered. Our difference? Critical thinkers don't invent answers when there are none. We are not afraid to admit we don't know. We would rather suspend judgment than mislead ourselves and others. PhACT encourages people to think critically about their beliefs and about the validity of the information presented to them."
Eric's Page Examining: The amazing claims of Dennis Lee of Better World Technology 2000 Nov 18
... skepticism . technology ...: "On September 23 1996, 3 other engineers and I went to hear him speak for 5 hours at the Philly Core States Center (it cost him somewhere around 000 to put on that show). It reminded me of shoppers home network, professional wrestling and Jim Baker. Among the many things we think deserve further skepticism are: ..."
The Laws of Nature: A Skeptic's Guide 2000 Oct 14
... physics . skepticism ...: "Awareness of the fundamental laws of nature is essential to any skeptical endeavor. These principles are presented so they can be understood, and explained to others, without assuming specialized prior knowledge."
Activities with Astrology: Your Astrology Defense Kit 2000 Aug 30
... skepticism . astrology ...: "It happens to all of us -- astronomers, amateurs, and teachers. We tell someone about our interest in the heavens and quickly get drawn into a debate about astrology. For many of us it's hard to know how to respond politely to someone who takes this ancient superstition seriously. The revelation that daily schedules in the Reagan White House were arranged and rearranged based on the predictions of a San Francisco astrologer focused new attention on astrology's widespread public acceptance. More than ever, we are likely to face questions about astrology, especially among young people. So here is a quick guide to some of the responses you can make to astrologers' claims."
MGS Face Image in a Different Light 2000 Aug 19
... Martians . skepticism ...: "Tom Van Flandern has posted a rectified version of the Mars Global Surveyor 'Face' image ... This version was constructed by Mark Kelly, a computer graphics specialist. ... If Kelly's reconstruction is accurate, it seems there can be little doubt that this landform is an intentional representation of a face, although perhaps a humanoid rather than strictly human face. But how accurate is it? This article addresses that question with a comparison of his reconstruction with the two Viking images taken by the Viking Mars orbiter in 1976."
Outrageous Online Uncle Al 2000 Aug 13
... chemistry . physics . megalomaniacs . skepticism ...: "If it is found that any extant entity or collection of entities maintains an uncomfortable congruence to the caricatures and ridiculous comedic exaggerations contained herein, the author offers his apologies and condolences ... and if you are still pissed off, you are invited to go pound sand up your ass. Conciliation has its limits."
Anomalous Dispersion, not Faster than Light 2000 Jul 27
... relativity . quantum mechanics . skepticism ...: An analysis of the recent experiments by Wung, Kuzmich, and Dogariu indicating that in fact no faster-than-light travel is taking place, as is claimed.
Dingle so-called-paradox 2000 Jul 27
... relativity . skepticism ...: "One of the fundamental puzzlers about special relativity, is the 'dingle paradox,' named in honor of one of its earliest and most persistent advocates, who thought it proved SR flawed. In essence, it is the puzzle of how two clocks in relative motion can each be slower than the other without a 'prefered reference frame' to act as a tie-breaker."
Astronomical Pseudoscience: A Skeptic's Resource List 2000 Jul 19
... skepticism . astronomy ...: "This is a selected list of resources for those who want to examine with a skeptical eye some of the claims at the fringes of science that seem connected to astronomy. The last section includes some general books that deal with a broader range of pseudo-scientific topics. Instructors can use the enormous media and student interest in some of these topics as a way of generating discussion and thought about what constitutes science and about how the scientific method allows us to test hypotheses and determine whether nature really works in the way they claim."
James Randi Educational Foundation 2000 Jul 13
... science . paranormal . supernatural . skepticism ...: "An educational resource on the paranormal, pseudoscientific, and the supernatural."
Carl Sagan's Baloney Detection Kit 2000 Jul 13
... skepticism ...: "Based on the book The demon haunted world: Science as a candle in the dark published by Headline, 1996. The following are suggested as tools for testing arguments and detecting fallacious or fraudulent arguments: ..."
Internet Hoaxes 2000 Jul 13
... skepticism . hoaxes ...: "The Internet is constantly being flooded with information about computer viruses and Trojans. However, interspersed among real virus notices are computer virus hoaxes. While these hoaxes do not infect systems, they are still time consuming and costly to handle. At CIAC, we find that we are spending much more time debunking hoaxes than handling real virus incidents. This page describes only a small number of the hoax warnings that are found on the Internet today."
Circle Makers 2000 Jun 16
... crop circles . skepticism ...: "Home of England's crop circle makers."
The Nizkor Project 2000 Jun 16
... Holocaust deniers . skepticism ...: "Dedicated to the millions of Holocaust victims who suffered and died at the hands of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime."
Quackwatch 2000 May 13
... skepticism . medicine . frauds ...: "... is a nonprofit corporation whose purpose is to combat health-related frauds, myths, fads, and fallacies. Its primary focus is on quackery-related information that is difficult or impossible to get elsewhere."
Antidote to Velikovskian Delusions 2000 May 13
... Velikovsky . skepticism . catastrophism ...: "Mr. Cochrane presents his case for Velikovsky's genius. Velikovsky was a brilliant man whose speculations, unfortunately, were invalidated by his assumptions about his source materials. However, he was no scientist. According to Lloyd Motz, whose advice Velikovsky often sought, 'Velikovsky's credentials were not those of a scientist ... he had only the vaguest understanding of such basic physical principles as conservation of angular momentum, gravity, and entropy.'"
Top Ten Reasons Why Velikovsky Is Wrong About Worlds In Collision 2000 May 13
... Velikovsky . skepticism . catastrophism ...: "This Top Ten list is based on 30 years exposure to Velikovsky's ideas which includes eight years as an insider at the Velikovsky journal Kronos, Confidant to Velikovsky, invited 'Devil's Advocate' at Aeon, and 13 years as a turncoat/critic interacting with Velikovsky's defenders and/or successors at conferences, in private, and in Usenet and list-serve forums. I apologize for the stridency in what follows, but I continue to be passionate about the issues involved. I hope the tone of what I say does not obscure the accuracy of my analysis."
The "Face on Mars" 2000 Apr 10
... Martians . skepticism ...: "Subsequent to this release, some people have argued, mostly in the lay literature, that the face-like hill is artificially shaped. Although their argument has been expanded to a host of nearby features, none commands public interest like the 'Face.' This page will provide interested persons with both the raw Viking images, transformed to GIF format, and a brief tutorial (with examples) of image processing techniques applied to create 'better looking' images."
Astrology, Psychic Stuff, and Skepticism 2000 Mar 24
... astrology . psychic phenomena . astronomy . religion . skepticism ...: "I am not a believer in astrology. I am interested in the history of astrology because of its importance to astronomy and religion. Objects and events in the sky have long been important to humans. I am fascinated by the possibility that catastrophic events with an astronomical origin have played a crucial role over the last few millenia in the development of human culture."
Closeminded Science 2000 Mar 21
... science . skepticism ...: "Skepticism is a primary tool of science. It would be hypocritical to never direct a skeptical eye towards scientific skepticism itself. If the existence of our own imperfections and errors is denied, then they are free to grow without limit, and skepticism is not immune to this problem. Unbridled gullibility can destroy science, but unbridled skepticism is no less a threat because it brings both the excessive preservation of the status quo and the supression of unconventional ideas. Better to take a middle road between total close-mindedness and total gullibility. Practice pragmatism, pursue humility, and maintain a clear, honest, and continuing view of ourselves and the less noble of our own behaviors."
The Annotated Pink Swastika 2000 Mar 11
... Holocaust deniers . conspiracy . skepticism . history ...: "... belongs to the Crypto History genre. It claims to reveal connections of people and groups explaining the course of events that have been neglected by or even covered up by establishment historians. ... The Pink Swastika attempts to show that Hitler's Nazism and the Jewish Holocaust are the work of homosexuals, and that the Nazi work is being continued by homosexuals in the United States. In both cases it is necessary for the author to establish linkages."
Conduct, Misconduct, and Cargo Cult Science 2000 Feb 25
... science . skepticism ...: "I will elaborate some principles of ethical conduct in science that correspond to Richard Feynman's well-known precepts of 'utter honesty' and 'leaning over backwards' in all aspects of scientific work. These principles have recently been called into question by certain individuals who allege that such rules are based on a misunderstanding of 'how science actually works' and are therefore potentially 'damaging to the scientific enterprise.' In addition to examining critically the general basis for these allegations, I will discuss the particular relevance of Feynman's ideals to the field of computer simulation; and I will emphasize the need for meticulous validation of simulation models together with exact reproducibility and unimpeachable analysis of experiments performed with those models. Finally I will discuss the ethical dilemmas inherent in the peer review system, and I will offer some concrete suggestions for improving the process of refereeing primary journal articles."
Practical Skepticism 1999 Dec 05
... skepticism ...: "Skepticism or debunking often receives the bad rap reserved for activities -- like garbage disposal -- that absolutely must be done for a safe and sane life, but seem either unglamorous or unworthy of overt celebration. Yet the activity has a noble tradition, from the Greek coinage of skepticism (a word meaning thoughtful) to Carl Sagan's last book, The Demon-Haunted World."
Minds in Ablation 1999 Dec 05
... Velikovsky . catastrophism . paleontology . skepticism ...: "In Minds in Ablation, Sean Mewhinney summarizes why he believes the physical evidence provided by paleoclimatic data, especially ice cores, demonstrates that global catastrophes of the type envisioned by Immanuel Velikovsky and others 'could not have happened within the past many thousands of years,' and refutes the defense of Velikovsky's scenario attempted by Charles Ginenthal in his ice core evidence."
Skeptical Information Links 1999 Nov 25
... resources . skepticism ...: ... is Jim Lippard's organized hierarchy of skeptical resources.
Scientific skepticism, UFOs and the flying saucer myth 1999 Nov 25
... skepticism . UFOlogy . extraterrestrials ...: "Extraordinary claims that are testable ought to be tested and that is the basis for scientific skepticism: extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence. A personal interest of mine is an attempt to understand the notion that some UFOs are actually alien space ships. It seems to me then that one ought to be able to find some physical evidence that aliens are visiting the Earth -- and yet, apparently, there is none, nothing alien."
Skeptical References 1999 Oct 05
... skepticism ...: "These references have been compiled by Lewis Jones in the United Kingdom and posted with his permission and with the approval of Skeptical Inquirer."
Ask the Space Scientist 1999 Aug 28
... astronomy . space exploration . skepticism ...: "... makes a space scientist available to answer general questions from the public, and archives all of the questions and answers that have been asked so far."
Egyptians, Dogons and Sirius: A summary 1999 Aug 28
... Egyptology . anthropology . skepticism ...: "... is a brief summary of the claims and evidence surrounding the suggestion that the Dogons -- an aboriginal tribe -- have had contact with extraterrestrials from Sirius, based on some peculiar knowledge they reportedly have about that star system."
Carboniferous human bones -- an evaluation 1999 May 27
... archaeology . evolution . paleontology . skepticism ...: "This document evaluates some of the claims of 'human bones in Carboniferous-age rocks' in eastern Pennsylvania, as presented by Ted Holden and initially discovered and interpreted by Ed Conrad. Ted and Ed have graciously provided specimens of their material for analysis, and the results are presented here."
alt.folklore.urban FAQ 1999 May 27
... urban legends . skepticism ...: "... is the official FAQ for alt.folklore.urban."
Bad Science 1999 May 27
... science . skepticism ...: "This page is ... an attempt to sensitize teachers and students to examples of the bad science often taught in schools, universities, and offered in popular articles and even textbooks. Here, I explain what I mean by bad science and provide pointers to specialized pages on bad science within various disciplines."
Crank menagerie 1999 May 27
... resources . crankology . skepticism ...: "The pages collected here showcase the wide variety of strange beliefs on the Web. I assembled this list to highlight areas where I think some skeptical thinking is sorely needed. That's just what I think, but you can certainly have a look and decide for yourself!"
Donald Simanek's Page 1999 May 27
... resources . science . urban legends . crankology . skepticism ...: "... is an extensive collection of links on skepticism, critiques of science, urban legends, crankism, mistakes in science, as well as a variety of others, usually with a short description of each entry."
Operation Clambake: The Fight Against Scientology on the Net 1999 May 27
... Church of Scientology . religion . cults . skepticism ...: "What I have against the Church of Scientology is its deceitfulness, its lack of compassion for its members (especially the hard-working staff), its aggressive hard sell, its arrogance, its attack on free speech, its litigiousness, its harassment of its critics, its lack of concern for families, its gross neglect and abuse of children, etc."
sci.skeptic newsgroup 1999 May 27
... skepticism ...: ... is the place on Usenet for finding information about skeptics and skepticism.
The Skeptics Society and Skeptic Magazine 1999 May 27
... skepticism . periodicals ...: "Welcome to skepticism.com, the official website of the Skeptics Society. Our award-winning site is your pathway to critical thinking, where everything must pass under the magnifying glass of scrutiny."
The Skepticism's Dictionary 1999 May 27
... skepticism . occult . paranormal . supernatural . science ...: "... well over [300] skeptical definitions and essays on occult, paranormal, supernatural and pseudoscientific ideas and practices with references to the best skeptical literature ..."
The Straight Dope 1999 May 27
... skepticism ...: "Hello and welcome to the official Internet home of Cecil Adams, World's Smartest Human Being, and his famous syndicated column The Straight Dope. Here you will find all manner of things relating to the column and the vast Straight Dope media empire."
Blue Fire 1999 May 27
... UFOlogy . Area 51 . conspiracy . skepticism ...: "The original purpose of this site, was to provide some solid information and fact to others interested in Area 51 and associated legends. ... Here you will find an array of information ranging from quality, attributed stuff, all the way to wild-ass rumors, clearly identified as such."
Fraudulent use of an IfA/UH picture 1999 May 27
... UFOlogy . astronomy . skepticism ...: "On January 15, 1997, a new 'secret UFO picture' was posted on Art Bell's and Whitley Strieber's Web sites, after being announced for several days. ... We have identified that image as being a fake based on an image obtained by an astronomer of the Institute for Astronomy ..."
Abductions and Birth Memories 1999 May 27
... UFOlogy . extraterrestrials . alien abductions . skepticism ...: "Thesis: Alien abductions are archetypal fantasies involving belief or deception, in which the subject's birth memories play a central role."
Errors in some popular attacks on the Big Bang 1999 May 27
... cosmology . Big Bang . skepticism ...: "... is Ed Wright's invaluable page detailing the errors in several popular arguments against the Big Bang, including Eric Lerner's arguments from The Big Bang Never Happened."
Bad Astronomy 1999 May 27
... astronomy . skepticism ...: "I have been delighted to find that most people are very curious about the night (and day!) sky, but unfortunately a lot of misinformation is spread about astronomy. Sometimes this information is just plain silly, but many times it makes just enough sense that people believe it. ... I feel obliged to right these wrongs when I can. The Bad Astronomy web pages are devoted to airing out myths and misconceptions in astronomy and related topics."