The CAM Practitioner As Enabler (Or Death by Pseudoscience)
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- Written by Dr. Steven Novella
- Category: Swift
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This is true on many levels. Often I am asked, “what’s the harm” of believing in and using fanciful or magical medical treatments. If it makes people feel better, who cares if it’s not real? Well, there are many kinds of harm, but perhaps the most insidious is simply instilling and reinforcing in people a belief in nonsense and a simultaneous distrust of science and reason.
In medicine, putting one’s faith in demonstrable baloney can lead to a delay in getting proper care. One might argue that the individual has the right to choose his or her own care and interventions, but this (while true) minimizes and even dismisses the role of the alternative practitioner in this decision-making process.
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New Videos from the Amaz!ng Meeting 2012: Deirdre Barrett and Benjamin Radford
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- Written by JREF Staff
- Category: Latest JREF News
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If you missed The Amaz!ng Meeting 2012, you can still catch great talks, panels, and workshops on science and skepticism given live at TAM 2012 on our YouTube page. Today, we are happy to share two more exceptional talks.
Deirdre Barrett, Ph.D.: Supernormal Stimuli
Author and psychologist Deirdre Barrett examines how "supernormal stimuli" have caused primal urges to overrun their evolutionary purpose.
Benjamin Radford: Oh Mayan! Armageddon Again?
Author and paranormal investigator Benjamin Radford examines the myths and misconceptions surrounding a supposed "doomsday prophecy" derived from the Mayan calendar.
Watch for new talks from The Amaz!ng Meeting every week, right here on randi.org. And enjoy new videos the moment they are posted by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
The Million Dollar Challenge at TAM 2012
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- Written by Richard Saunders
- Category: Swift
- Hits: 20940
The James Randi Educational Foundation has made available the full video of our live Million Dollar Challenge at TAM 2012. In this guest post, Richard Saunders of the Australian Skeptics writes about his experience taking part in the test. You can find the video embedded below, or you can watch on the JREF's YouTube channel.
One of the great institutions of modern skepticism is the James Randi Educational Foundation’s (JREF) Million Dollar Challenge, aka the MDC.
A cash prize has been on offer, in one form or another and for varying amounts, for almost 50 years. Indeed, it has inspired many other skeptical groups around the world to also offer a cash prize, including a $100,000 challenge by Australian Skeptics.
Over the last few years it has become a tradition that, if possible, the annual Amazing Meeting (TAM) should end with a live test of an MDC claim that can be described as paranormal or that it defies our current understanding of science. Such an opportunity presented itself in 2012.
What is Philosophy For Children? P4C – Encouraging A Critical Mindset For All Ages
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- Written by Kylie Sturgess
- Category: Swift
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In the Year 6 classroom at Stanmore Public School in Sydney, the teacher, Dan Smith, is always right. Well, nearly always. Because once a week when the students move all the chairs into a big circle and gather for an hour of philosophy, their teacher is the first to admit that he does not have all the answers…
- Radio National Philosopher’s Zone Teaching Children To Be Philosophers, 6th December, 2008.
My Experiences With Philosophy For Children: As a resource writer, high school and now university-level teacher, I owe a lot to the Philosophy for Children methodology – known as “P4C”. What makes my experience particularly interesting is that P4C hails from the USA and I am an Australian – it is more popular overseas than in its place of origin. In April, 2004, I attended a Level 2 training course in Philosophy for Children, which gave me the credentials to train teachers in the Level 1 P4C course. It was hosted at a monastery, the St Clements Retreat Centre located in a remote country town called Galong, in New South Wales.
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Four Days Left to Get Your Early Bird Cruise Special!
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- Written by JREF Staff
- Category: Latest JREF News
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With just four days left to receive a $50 per person discount off registration rates for our Amaz!ng Adventure cruise, It's Not the End of the World, we are excited to offer these additional perks to everyone who registers before September 10th.
Balcony Stateroom
Inside Stateroom
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