Science and Ink
Skepsis
Another “I’ve seen the light” American quack whizzed through New Zealand recently, spreading his own magical brew of antioxidants, lacto-vegetarian diets, bioFlavonoid herbs, and, wait for it, Maharishi Ayurveda compounds. Hari Sharma, Professor Emeritus at the Ohio State University, says that physicians are becoming pathogens, they are creating diseases. Like most saviours of the human race before him, he mixes scientific half truths and anecdotal stories to rubbish hundreds of years of painstakingly researched evidence-based medicine (GP Weekly, October 1997)
Continue readingAnnual Accounts
New Zealand Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (Inc)
Continue readingGreat Aunt Molly and her Magic Hazel Rods
John Riddell continues his series on skepticism for pub night.
Continue readingConvivial Conference
THERE’S no denying it. We’re a strange lot. Sitting in the small hall during the annual Skeptics get-together and listening to the varied, and often colourful, discussion, it struck me how dissimilar we all are.
Continue readingThe Ethics of Scepticism
SUPPOSE that we are all under the influence of a drug that induces amnesia, and as a result we cannot remember anything at all about our personal circumstances. We don’t know whether we are rich or famous, powerful or weak, what language we speak, how intelligent we are, what educational or professional qualifications we have, what race or religion or society we belong to. But suppose, too, that we are all ideally rational human beings, each of us aware of what we should like to secure for ourselves and for those we love. In this amnesiac condition we are locked into a room, and asked to consider a single problem: how ought available benefits and goods to be distributed in any society?
Continue readingMerchandising the Alien
THE GREYS may have crash landed on Earth in 1947, but the real invasion happened about two years ago when Bill Barker’s SCHWA merchandise first hit the streets. Since then it seems that there is Grey merchandise for every possible cultural slipstream; for the young and hip there’s trendy skateboarding gear, Fimo rave-pendants and drug paraphernalia (“Take me to your dealer”); while for the committed believer there are various clay, bronze and pewter renditions of the aliens, with or without crashed saucer-craft, in numerous commemorative editions.
Continue readingCounselling Caution on a Cure-all
Some problems cannot be resolved by just “getting it all out of your system”, reports Nigel Hawkes.
Continue readingDirty Auras Done Dirt Cheap
Annette Taylor spends an afternoon checking out the alternatives.
Continue readingThe Mark of the Beast
I was recently reflecting on my career as a scientist, and realised that this year is the 50th anniversary of my first scientific paper.
Continue readingMemory Man Hits Out
Two Nobel prizewinners are being sued for libel by Jacques Benveniste, the controversial French scientist whose research on the “memory of water”, first published in 1988, appeared to provide a scientific basis for homeopathic medicine.
Continue readingRecovering Memory Banned by Psychiatrists
A ban on using any method to recover memories of child abuse has been imposed on members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. They face a series of sanctions if they persist in using the controversial techniques to treat their patients.
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