James Randi Educational Foundation

Alternative Medicine Paternalism

Details: Written by Dr. Steven Novella; Category: Swift; Published: 21 September 2012; Created: 21 September 2012; Hits: 20488

Cultural norms shift over time. Up until about half a century ago Western medicine largely practiced under the accepted ethic now called paternalism. This approach was phased out over the 1970s and 80s and was gradually replaced with the currently dominant style of informed consent.

In the paternalistic view the physician was seen as the expert who could be trusted to do what was best for their patients, whether the patients understood their treatment or not. The name derives from the fact that this approach is very analogous to that of the physician as parent and the patient as child. Parents do what is best for their children, and don’t expect especially young children to understand. Eat your vegetables. I don’t care if you don’t like them. No, you can’t have ice cream for dinner.

Apply Now for a 2012-2013 JREF Educational Scholarship

Details: Written by JREF Staff; Category: Latest JREF News; Published: 19 September 2012; Created: 19 September 2012; Hits: 16805

The James Randi Educational Foundation

2012-2013

Critical Thinking Educational Scholarship Awards

How to Apply
and
Criteria for Awards

The James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) will once again be supporting promising students with $2,000 in academic scholarships to be awarded by February 2013. Two scholarships in the amount of $1000 will be awarded to deserving students in potentially any field of study, one at the graduate level and a second at the undergraduate level. In addition, this year each scholarship recipient will be given free full regular admission to TAM 2013 (July 11-14, 2013), which includes full registration, an All Workshop Pass, and tickets to all evening shows. (Travel and lodging not included.)

Teaching the History of Pseudoscience

Details: Written by Brian Regal; Category: Swift; Published: 19 September 2012; Created: 19 September 2012; Hits: 13030

The following is a contribution to the JREF’s ongoing blog series on skepticism and education. If you are an educator and would like to contribute to this series, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Having spent the previous three years at Kean University assembling a core curriculum in the history of science, technology, and medicine I thought a philosophy of science course would round out the program nicely. I did some assessment in the form of asking faculty, students, and colleagues from other institutions what they thought of this idea. The response was a collective pointing of fingers into mouths with the accompanying “aaahhkkk” of distaste and boredom. Rethinking my position, I proposed a course on the history of pseudoscience instead. The gagging stopped, replaced by smiles and nods of affirmation and many suggestions on case studies, text books and papers to read. I went right to work.

This Week In Doubtful News

Details: Written by Sharon Hill; Category: Swift; Published: 18 September 2012; Created: 18 September 2012; Hits: 19414

Here is a rundown of the top stories in pseudoscience and anomalies news from the past week courtesy of Doubtful News.

The major theme this week turned out to be things in sky and space - identified and unidentified.

The International Space Station seems to be a magnet for people looking for weird things in space. YouTubers enjoy making videos with spooky music to ramp up the mystery of anomalies they see floating around the craft. But mysterious, they are NOT.

Launch of the Juno missiles caused some concern over a wide area as people called local authorities to ask what that strange sky trail was.

Last Week At Science-Based Medicine

Details: Written by Dr. Harriet Hall; Category: Swift; Published: 17 September 2012; Created: 17 September 2012; Hits: 7804

Here is a recap of the stories that appeared last week at Science-Based Medicine, a multi-author skeptical blog that separates the science from the woo in medicine.

Fairy Tale Science and Placebo Medicine (Harriet Hall) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/fairy-tale-science-and-placebo-medicine/ A video of Dr. Hall’s presentation on complementary and alternative medicine at the 6^th World Skeptics Congress in Berlin, May 2012.

Is shameless self-promotion of your science a good idea? (David Gorski) http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/another-cancer-treatment/ Some scientists oversell the meaning and importance of their research using techniques similar to the ones quacks use to pitch their wares. They try to impress the public and influence potential providers of research funds. Hype and self-promotion are not appropriate in science.

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