May 13 - The Great Australian Psychic Prediction Project

 Presented by Rob Palmer, "Skeptical Inquirer" Columnist

Saturday, May 13, 2023, 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Central Library
Barbara M. Donnellan Auditorium
1015 North Quincy Street
Arlington, VA
(Virginia Square-GMU Metro station)
FREE admission – Everyone welcome, members and non-members

The speaker will be joining us virtually.  This event will also be live-streamed at https://youtube.com/live/dR3PtgRl-vM?feature=share

In 2021, "The Skeptic Zone" producer and CSI Fellow Richard Saunders completed his 12-year project dubbed the Great Australian Psychic Prediction Project (GAPPP) – an analysis of almost 4,000 published paranormal predictions made by over 200 people claiming paranormal powers in Australia. 

The scoring of the predictions was performed by an international team of volunteers of which Rob Palmer was a member. In this presentation, an expanded version of the talk given at CSICon 2022, Rob will share details and the results of this unique investigation into the precision (or lack thereof) of the published predictions of prominent, public, paranormal practitioners.

Rob Palmer is a retired aerospace engineer. He has been a spacecraft designer, spacecraft tester, computer programmer, and software systems engineer. Rob became a skeptical activist in 2016 upon joining the Guerrilla Skeptics on Wikipedia team, and in 2018 became a columnist for "Skeptical Inquirer." To date he has had over 70 articles published by "Skeptical Inquirer" as well as in other publications, and the Wikipedia articles he’s written have garnered over 13 million pageviews.

Rob writes about contemporary skeptical issues and has interviewed individuals as diverse as scientists Neil deGrasse Tyson, Richard Dawkins, and Robert Bartholomew, Penn Jillette, Ann Druyan (producer and writer for the modern Cosmos series), Seth Andrews (host of "The Thinking Atheist" podcast), and John de Lancie (Star Trek’s Q).

Rob is registered with the Center for Inquiry’s Speakers Bureau and has given presentations for various skeptic and humanist groups and conventions, including: We Can Reason, Dragon Con, and three times at CSICon (the annual science and skepticism conference in Las Vegas). His topics have included: Critical Thinking, the Wikipedia editing project he volunteers for (GSoW), the harm in believing in psychics and mediums, and the Great Australian Psychic Prediction Project. He has been interviewed about these subjects on various podcasts and YouTube shows, including "The Skeptic Zone," "Big Picture Science", "Be Rationable," "The Phil Ferguson Show", "Banachek’s Brain,"" 502 Conversations," Recovering from Religion, Point of Inquiry, and "The Thinking Atheist."

All of Rob’s skeptical work can be found at: https://linktr.ee/thewellknownskeptic.

Shadow of a Doubt - March 2023

 

• March NCAS lecture- How to talk to a science denier, presented by Lee McIntyre, Ph.D.
• April 1 visit to Museum of Illusions, Washington, DC
• The Woman who saw it all coming to Bethesda
• March Phact Lecture, March 18
  
• NCAS board elections soon
• Stuart Vyse Interim Editor of Skeptical Inquirer
  
• Shadow Light
• Time to Renew? 

 Read Shadow here

Shadow of a Doubt - March 2023

 

March 2023

NCAS Public Lecture Series

A Discussion of How to Talk to a Science Denier

 YouTube Live Event with Q and A 

Lee McIntyre, PhD
Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University

Saturday, March 11, 1:30pm US/Eastern (UTC-05:00)

https://youtu.be/NEiV9o6vwKk

For our March event, NCAS invites you to read the book How to Talk to a Science Denier BEFORE March 11, 2023. Then join us on Saturday, March 11 at 1:30 PM ET for an online Q & A with author Lee McIntyre.

Think of it as the ultimate book club meeting...your friends and acquaintances show up to discuss a book, and the author shows up too!

From the book's website:

"Can we change the minds of science deniers? Encounters with flat earthers, anti-vaxxers, coronavirus truthers, and others.

'Climate change is a hoax—and so is coronavirus.' 'Vaccines are bad for you.' These days, many of our fellow citizens reject scientific expertise and prefer ideology to facts. They are not merely uninformed—they are misinformed. They cite cherry-picked evidence, rely on fake experts, and believe conspiracy theories. How can we convince such people otherwise? How can we get them to change their minds and accept the facts when they don't believe in facts? In this book, Lee McIntyre shows that anyone can fight back against science deniers, and argues that it's important to do so. Science denial can kill.

Drawing on his own experience—including a visit to a Flat Earth convention—as well as academic research, McIntyre outlines the common themes of science denialism, present in misinformation campaigns ranging from tobacco companies' denial in the 1950s that smoking causes lung cancer to today's anti-vaxxers. He describes attempts to use his persuasive powers as a philosopher to convert Flat Earthers; surprising discussions with coal miners; and conversations with a scientist friend about genetically modified organisms in food. McIntyre offers tools and techniques for communicating the truth and values of science, emphasizing that the most important way to reach science deniers is to talk to them calmly and respectfully—to put ourselves out there, and meet them face to face."

https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262545051/how-to-talk-to-a-science-denier/

https://www.ncas.org/2023/03/march-11-how-to-talk-to-science-denier.html

How to Watch and Participate in this Online Discussion Event:

1) Use a supported browser... https://www.youtube.com/supported_browsers

2) Use the link https://youtu.be/NEiV9o6vwKk

3) The live stream begins shortly before 1:30pm US/Eastern (UTC-05:00) on Saturday, March 11, 2023.

4) To post questions, you must be signed in to a Google account.

5) Post your questions in the chat window to the right of the video player when the live stream is active.

6) Click into where it says "Say something..." and begin typing (up to 200 characters). Then click the send icon .

Along with your question, please post what city or town you're in.

April NCAS SkepTour at the Museum of Illusions!

Let's get fooled on April 1 at the Museum of Illusions.

The Museum of Illusions DC is newly opened in the heart of Washington, and NCAS has arranged a group visit with discounts for Saturday morning, April 1.

From the museum website (https://moiwashington.com/): 

Discover a brilliant collection of perspective-changing rooms, enthralling installations, and spellbinding images. Our exhibits will teach you that nothing is ever quite as it seems, especially in the Museum of Illusions. Get ready to be mesmerized!

The Museum of Illusions Washington is a 21st-century museum conceptualized to offer an interactive and unique experience that tricks the mind, challenges the vision and makes you question all your senses. The museum is a collection of more than 50 exhibits on over 6000 square feet. All exhibits are based on science, mathematics, psychology and art allowing you to learn a lot about vision, perception and the human brain, but in a fun and interactive way!

Location: CityCenterDC, 927 H Street NW, Washington DC
One block from the Gallery Place Metro (Red/Green Lines)

We will meet at the museum at 10:45 for our 11 AM entry time. The museum suggests that we can experience the exhibits in about 45 minutes, but guests are welcome to stay longer.

NCAS has 15 discounted tickets at $24 each, including processing fee and sales tax.  (Full price is $27, $25 for students, military and age 65+.)

Send an email to NCAS with your name and phone number to SkepTour@ncas.org.  We'll respond with the payment link.  We'll have the ticket(s) for you when you arrive at the museum.

Afterwards, please join us for lunch at Clyde's of Gallery Place.

"The Woman Who Saw All" Coming to Bethesda

"The Woman Who Saw All" is "An amazing evening with magician Andy Morgan as he tells the story of his grandmother, Psychic and Spiritualist, Mamie Bell Johnson."  The Writer's Center, 4508 Walsh Street, March 31 and April 1 at 8 PM.

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/andy-morgan-magic-16900728722

March PhACT Lecture
Our skeptical neighbors to the north, the Philadelphia Association for Critical Thinking (PhACT), will host their next online event on Saturday, March 18 at 2 PM ET.  CSI Fellow (and NCAS Philip J. Klass Award laureate) Susan Gerbic will present "Science Activism does not stop during a world-wide pandemic: or How I spent my lockdown."  Event details at http://www.phact.org/meetings.php.

NCAS Board Elections: Call for Candidates

Are you an NCAS member who wants to take a leadership role in the skeptics movement?  The NCAS annual board of directors election is fast approaching.  As a board member, you can channel (non-psychically) your talent and energy (the non-woo kind) into educating the public, and pick up some fun skills along the way.  Send an email to ncas@ncas.org by March 15 for more information.

Stuart Vyse is Interim Editor of Skeptical Inquirer

Following the passing of longtime Skeptical Inquirer editor Kendrick Frazier, Stuart Vyse was named Interim Editor.  Coincidentally, both Dr. Vyse and Deputy Editor Benjamin Radford have recently given NCAS lectures.  Dr. Vyse discussed his book, The Uses of Delusion, last June (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1-1fof15U8), and Mr. Radford discussed his book, America the Fearful, last November (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOKmz9kk25s).

Shadow Light

Some members and contacts of NCAS receive a postal notification of this and every new monthly Shadow of a Doubt.  The Shadow Light postcard announces the monthly lecture and highlights of the electronic Shadow of a Doubt, which is available online at ncas.org/p/shadow.html.  NCAS thereby reduces Shadow production and postage costs.  To further reduce costs, members and contacts can opt out of postal notification altogether, while continuing to receive Shadow of a Doubt via e-mail.  To opt out, send us an e-mail at ncas@ncas.org.

Time to Renew?
Be sure to check your renewal date above your postal address on the Shadow Light postcard. Send any queries to ncas@ncas.org.  Use the online membership form to renew.
https://www.ncas.org/p/shadow.html

April NCAS SkepTour at the Museum of Illusions!

Let's get fooled on April 1 at the Museum of Illusions.

The Museum of Illusions DC is newly opened in the heart of Washington, and NCAS has arranged a group visit with discounts for Saturday morning, April 1.

From the museum website (https://moiwashington.com/):
Discover a brilliant collection of perspective-changing rooms, enthralling installations, and spellbinding images. Our exhibits will teach you that nothing is ever quite as it seems, especially in the Museum of Illusions. Get ready to be mesmerized!

The Museum of Illusions Washington is a 21st-century museum conceptualized to offer an interactive and unique experience that tricks the mind, challenges the vision and makes you question all your senses. The museum is a collection of more than 50 exhibits on over 6000 square feet. All exhibits are based on science, mathematics, psychology and art allowing you to learn a lot about vision, perception and the human brain, but in a fun and interactive way!

Location: CityCenterDC, 927 H Street NW, Washington DC
1 block from the Gallery Place Metro (Red/Green Lines)

We will meet at the museum at 11 am. The museum suggests that we can experience the exhibits in about 45 minutes, but guests are welcome to stay longer.

NCAS has 15 discounted tickets at $24 each, including processing fee and sales tax.  (Full price is $27, $25 for students, military and age 65+.)
1. Use the "SkepTour Tickets" button below to purchase each $24 ticket through PayPal.

2. Send an email with your name and phone number to SkepTour@ncas.org.  We'll have the ticket(s) for you when you arrive at the museum around 10:45AM.

Afterwards, please join us for lunch at Clyde's of Gallery Place. 

Buy Museum of Illusion Tickets Here

 

March 11 - How to Talk to a Science Denier

Presented by Lee McIntyre, PhD

Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University

Saturday, March 11, 2023
https://youtube.com/live/NEiV9o6vwKk

For our March event, NCAS invites you to read the book "How to Talk to a Science Denier" BEFORE March 11, 2023. Then join us on Saturday, March 11 at 1:30 PM ET for an online Q & A with author Lee McIntyre, PhD of the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University.

Think of it as the ultimate book club meeting...your friends and acquaintances show up to discuss a book, and the author shows up too!

From the book's website:

Can we change the minds of science deniers? Encounters with flat earthers, anti-vaxxers, coronavirus truthers, and others. 'Climate change is a hoax—and so is coronavirus.' 'Vaccines are bad for you.' These days, many of our fellow citizens reject scientific expertise and prefer ideology to facts. They are not merely uninformed—they are misinformed. They cite cherry-picked evidence, rely on fake experts, and believe conspiracy theories. How can we convince such people otherwise? How can we get them to change their minds and accept the facts when they don't believe in facts? In this book, Lee McIntyre shows that anyone can fight back against science deniers, and argues that it's important to do so. Science denial can kill.

Drawing on his own experience—including a visit to a Flat Earth convention—as well as academic research, McIntyre outlines the common themes of science denialism, present in misinformation campaigns ranging from tobacco companies' denial in the 1950s that smoking causes lung cancer to today's anti-vaxxers. He describes attempts to use his persuasive powers as a philosopher to convert Flat Earthers; surprising discussions with coal miners; and conversations with a scientist friend about genetically modified organisms in food. McIntyre offers tools and techniques for communicating the truth and values of science, emphasizing that the most important way to reach science deniers is to talk to them calmly and respectfully—to put ourselves out there, and meet them face to face.

https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262545051/how-to-talk-to-a-science-denier/