A week and a half ago, we published a request for information regarding some quotes attributed to James Randi in a letter sent to Skeptic. (That's the English one, edited by Chris French, rather than Michael Shermer's American publication.) The letter was from Rupert Sheldrake, the éminence grise of "morphic fields" and psychic canines, and it's scheduled for publication in Skeptic's next issue. Thanks to a handful of good friends with impeccable record-keeping habits, we now have Sheldrake's infamous source document in our possession. The quote in question:
The quote was culled from a handout distributed at a seminar at The Amaz!ng Meeting 3, entitled "Communicating Skepticism to the Public." It's accurate, as far as that goes. But Randi didn't write it.Becoming an expert is a pretty simple procedure; tell people you're an expert. After you do that, all you have to do is maintain appearances and not give them a reason to believe you're not.
The 22-page handout contains a four-page section that Randi clearly did write. But the handout included multiple chapters, and the relevant one -- which I've reproduced below, typos and all -- was written by Andrew Mayne.
It would appear that Sheldrake wrote his letter based on a quote from a document he'd never read. If he had read the document, rather than accepting anecdotal evidence about its contents, he'd have realized that Randi is twice discussed in the third person on the pages preceding the "media expert" quote. One read-over is enough to convince anyone that this is a document partially about Randi, but not in any way by him.
Here are some words that really are from Randi, which he wrote earlier this afternoon...
Let me briefly explain the grudge that Rupert Sheldrake has going against me. First an article entitled "James Randi," located at sheldrake.org:
"The January 2000 issue of Dog World magazine included an article on a possible sixth sense in dogs, which discussed some of my research. In this article Randi was quoted as saying that in relation to canine ESP, 'We at the JREF [James Randi Educational Foundation] have tested these claims. They fail.' No details were given of these tests."
Clever. This implies that I was referring to the specific tests that Sheldrake claimed to have done. I was referring to general tests that the JREF has done over many years involving animals, particularly dogs. To have gone into details of all these tests would have been impractical, but a search of our site would have supplied him with all the details he could possibly wish. Alternately, I could have supplied them, if only he had issued a request. That's what we do at the JREF.
Sheldrake continued:
"Randi also claimed to have debunked one of my experiments with the dog Jaytee, a part of which was shown on television. Jaytee went to the window to wait for his owner when she set off to come home, but did not do so before she set off. In Dog World, Randi stated: 'Viewing the entire tape, we see that the dog responded to every car that drove by, and to every person who walked by.' This is simply not true, and Randi now admits that he has never seen the tape."
Not true. A colleague of mine in Europe told me that he'd seen the tape record, and that he and his colleagues presented a version of it to some students who were asked to record each time the dog was activated. The dog never stopped, reacting to passers-by in the street, cars, any unusual noise and any sort of distraction. The only portion of tape that I was able to see was the section that Sheldrake saw fit to publish, the limited sector that indicated -- to his selective gaze -- the point he wanted to prove. Dr. Sheldrake, may we see the entire video record, so that we may repeat that student evaluation with persons who are, in your view, qualified to see it? I promise that I'll stay behind in Florida, and I'll not put out those "negative vibes" that I'm sure you feel would affect the test. Or are those tapes now lost, or perhaps not available for legal reasons?
In closing, I'll add: When I was in the UK a few years ago, I asked Sheldrake if I could test his wonder-dog, but I was told that the dog -- and its owners -- didn't want me around. I think that explains a lot about how willing Sheldrake is to face real, independent, examination of his claims.
- J.R.
Andrew Mayne's original essay is below.
Part 1. The Lone Skeptic: Promoting skepticism through solo efforts
One voice of reason can have a large impact if applied in an effective manner. The first step is to decide who you want to communicate with and how. If your audience is other skeptics, then you'll communicate different ideas through different channels than if your audience is the general public.
The new media (Internet, etc) offers an incredibly effective way for one person to communicate with a large audience. Increasing the amount of skeptical information on the web increases the opportunity that the public will come across it.
Step 1. Identify your point of view and your qualifications
Who you are has a big impact on what you say and how it will be received. A skeptic communicator can come from an academic background like Michael Shermer or an entertainment one like Randi. Both use their professional expertise in unique ways. Every field of human endeavor can use more skepticism. Every human being has their own unique experiences that provide a unique point of view.
What kind of skeptic am I?
Skeptic categories
Academic - a scholar with specialized knowledge
Scientist - a researcher with specialized experience
Eduator - a teacher who communicates the ideas of skepticism
Writer - a person who investigates a particular area and develops that into information
Professional - someone with specialized knowledge that can be applied to skepticism
Survivor - a person who experienced the negative effects of an unscientific idea
Step 2. Choose a way to apply your skills
There are an endless number of ways to use your skeptic skills to communicate with the public. Some are more effective than others. Choose a way that maximizes your skills and knowledge.
- Blogging: An online commentary on a subject can provide a skeptical viewpoint to the public when they happen upon it in a search engine search like Google. This can be very effective. Of the top three hits on Google for "Roswell", one is for the television show and the other two are skeptic's sites. Two of the top ten entries on "homeopathy" are skeptical. Why not more?
- Writing: There are thousands of magazines and journals that welcome articles from people with a unique point of view. A gardening magazine might welcome a skeptical article that applies to their topic (magnets and plant growth, etc.) If you're not an expert, write it from a personal point of view. Your efforts at "scientifically" testing an idea provide a perspective that is easy for people to relate to - and can often be more persuasive than someone with a PhD.
- Lecturing: You can bring your point of view to local clubs and groups. Most cities have dozens of organizations that welcome different speakers (Rotary clubs, civic organizations and church groups). Your topic should be relevant and something they want to hear. Also consider local libraries and bookstores.
- Events: You can organize events that encourage skepticism. You can invite lecturers to speak to groups. You can organize presentations at libraries and bookstores (Example: the top 10 books on science)
- Screenings: Many public libraries have A/V facilities they can make available to special groups. You could organize viewings of science documentaries along with discussions for the general public.
- Commentary: Every time a newspaper or magazine gets something wrong or is misleading, write a letter to the editor and comment on this. Journalists often write to the lowest common denominator. Being a vocal audience that holds them to a higher standard can have an effect. If you show how they "missed" the story, that can remind them to be more critical the next time around. More importantly, it shows their editor that the reporter isn't doing their job.
- Newsletter: You can keep people updated on the latest news by creating a news list that focuses on a particular topic and sends updates out to people whenever something comes up. This could cover television shows, science news, local events, new books, etc.
- Reviews: People often form their opinions on a topic by the book reviews and not the actual content. Review the books you read and publish them to the web. Amazon provides a great forum for communicating opinions. Write reviews of important works that are unfairly criticized.
- Forums: Online forums can be a lesson in futility and frustration. They can also be a means to introducing the undecided to important points. A commentary is most effective when offered to a willing audience. Don't waste your time in flame wars. Avoid and ignore personal attacks. Stick to the facts and move on.
Step 3. Create a brain trust and mini network
Peer review is an important part of science. It's also an important part of people communicating ideas about the application of science. Create a small group of people who you can bounce ideas off of and expect honest criticism. Use them as a sounding board to make your arguments stronger.
Step 4. Repeat
You might not see it at first, but over time you can have an impact. Randi and Shermer started off as opinionated people who wanted to share their point of view with the rest of us. They persisted and succeeded in becoming hugely influential people both respected and reviled.
Part 2. The Skeptic Organization: Uniting skeptics with common goals
A skeptic group can be a place for the likeminded to commiserate or it can be a platform to reach out to the general public. Local skeptic groups can be very effective at attracting attention to skeptical issues.
Some of the activities of local skeptic clubs include:
- Organizing lectures
- Providing a discussion forum
- Testing claims
- Sending out press releases
- Creating events (Friday the 13th parties, homeopathic suicides, ghost hunts, etc.)
- Sponsoring student activities (awards and grants)
- Promoting science (sky viewing, demonstrations, etc.)
- Donating science and skeptical materials
How to start a skeptic's group
Step 1: Start with a defined purpose: Understand why you want to bring a bunch of skeptics together. Define how you want to accomplish your goals.
Step 2: Find a regular place to meet: Libraries, schools and civic centers have space available for public groups that want to meet. Find a place and schedule regular meetings. Active groups often meet twice a month.
Step 3: Create a contact list: Create a list of contact information for people who want to be involved. You can find people by putting postings on discussion boards, putting notices up in libraries and by contacting local schools.
Step 4. Organize group activities: Create reasons for people to remain involved. Activities can include going to other discussions, Imax presentations or even bowling. There should be a balance between activities designed to serve the public and activities designed to serve the group.
Step 5: Outreach, outreach, and outreach: Always look for ways to bring new members in. Function like any other civic oriented club. Encourage people to find out what you're about. Put on public events that show the undecided that there's an attractive alternative to nonsense.
Step 6: Pull in, not push away: Your club shouldn't be a battleground for the virtues of deism vs. strict atheism, unless your goal is to waste your time on a futile argument and forgo the practical application of critical thinking.
Step 7: Cover new ground: Holding meetings to discuss the fact that UFO's aren't real and that Bigfoot will always be a no-show gets boring. There are many lively debates in science that are more interesting and open-ended (Life on Mars? Nanotechnology? Human potential?).
Promote skepticism by promoting science
The general public has an interest in meteor showers, eclipses and other astronomical events. A local skeptic group can be also be an amateur astronomy club and promote other science activities.
Part 3. The Media Skeptic: Encouraging a skeptical media attitude
The media both promotes the ideas of science and detracts from them with its often uncritical promotion of nonsense. Skeptics are often used to get ideas for stories, perspective and as talking heads. The media isn't any one thing or person. It's the thousands of pieces of information that are generated every day in the form of news. A skeptic acting alone or in a group can have a large impact when they focus their efforts.
It's a commonly ignored fact that many of the spokesperson on television that represent "family groups" or other certain public policy organizations don't represent vast memberships. They're talking heads working out of small offices speaking on behalf of a handful of people, some of them with money to burn.
How to be a media authority
Becoming an expert is a pretty simple procedure; tell people you're an expert. After you do that, all you have to do is maintain appearances and not give them a reason to believe you're not. I could be one of the leading experts on 19th century Bavarian Monkey Chess up until the moment I say something that totally contradicts what you know about this noble and lost game of strategy. The media wants to talk to an "authority". Have a legitimate reason for being entitled to your opinion (besides the fact that you're a clever person).
Talking heads are usually:
- Authors
- Professors
- Spokespersons for groups
- Survivors
As head of your local skeptic club you're entitled to call yourself an authority. If your other two members agree to it, you can be the spokesperson too.
Managing the media
Often experts are interviewed by field producers who ask lots of questions so the producer can choose which ones support the opinion they already hold. The local networks and the big ones all use manipulative tactics to tell the "story". Sometimes they want a genuine skeptical viewpoint. Often they just want to provide a false sense of balance. Don't let them lead you into serving a purpose other than the one you intend.
Point to remember when being taped:
- Answer their questions to your satisfaction, not theirs
- Speak in sound bytes
- Repeat your statements in several different ways
- Give a handful of specifics
Points to remember when broadcast live:
- Appearance is half the battle
- Confidence speaks louder than words
- You have to be likable
- Ignore traps and baited questions
The power of press releases
Much of the news we see and hear is generated by press releases from various organizations. A skeptic group can send out press releases on any important news event that pertains to their subject area. This can be a press release that coincides with the release of a Hollywood movie ("Skeptic group says Sixth Sense is fun but bunk", etc.) It just has to cover the bases of a standard press release.
Many groups that focus on the media send out press releases on a regular basis. They essentially "plan" the news by deciding months in advance what issues they're going to focus on. A skeptic's group can do the same by taking a look at what events will become topical (movie and television releases, astronomical events, historical dates, etc.)
Cultivate journalists
Make it a habit to provide reporters with useful information. Send them tips and information that they can use. Make yourself available as a resource they can use whenever they need an informed perspective, even if it is sometimes without attribution.
When you have a story, contact a journalist who will treat the subject fairly. Some reporters are excellent skeptics and totally understand skepticism. Others are a little less informed and don't understand skeptics or skepticism.
Put together a media file of contact information. Keep tabs on the kinds of stories each person covers. Send them frequent updates on what's new. Don't annoy them, but keep them informed.