Weekly Media Roundup, September 30, 2011
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This week: Coverage of Randi in Canada; D.J. Grothe interviewed about Psychic Sally Morgan; and another UK psychic is challenged to the JREF's MDC.
- Gauntlet, Sept. 29, 2011
Entertainment brief: James Randi at the University of Calgary
- North Manchester FM 106.6 (UK), Sept. 28, 2011
Julie & Charles Show interview with JREF President D.J. Grothe about Psychic Sally Morgan, the JREF, and the Million Dollar Challenge
- This Morning | iTV1 (UK), Sept. 27, 2011
Magician Paul Zenon challenges psychic Leigh-Catherine to JREF’s Million Dollar Challenge
- Radio Freethinker | CiTR 101.9FM Vancouver, Sept. 27, 2011
Episode 134 – Interview with James Randi (Interview begins at 35:10)
- Nelson Star (British Columbia), Sept. 27, 2011
Support for skeptics starts to gather steam
- CBC Radio Saskatoon, Sept. 26, 2011
Craig chats with master debunker 'The Amazing Randi' on the eve of his Saskatoon performance
- Nova Scotia Chronicle Herald, Sept. 25, 2011
Skeptic specializes in debunking psychic frauds
Randi's Tour of Canada Stops In Saskatoon, Toronto, and Ottawa
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Check out these photos and links to press from recent stops along James Randi's lecture tour of Canada, including one picture from a visit to his childhood home in Toronto.
In a few hours, Randi will begin his talk in Halifax, the last stop in his whirlwind tour of nine Canadian cities in nine days. Nearly every venue has been sold out, raising money to support the cause of skepticism and critical thinking through CFI Canada.
In two cities, psychics have threatened to appear at Randi's talks to challenge him, but so far, none have shown up. It's also been unseasonably warm in every city we've visited so far, causing us to doubt the existence of Canadian autumn.
Audiences from Vancouver to Montreal have raved about Randi's presentations, and Randi's been impressed with the large number of young people and new skeptics at every event, remarking that it's a great sign for the skeptical community.
More photos and press clips after the jump.
Read more: Randi's Tour of Canada Stops In Saskatoon, Toronto, and Ottawa
Should skepticism be divorced from values?
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An argument that I have heard a number of earnest skeptics make is that skepticism and values are like oil and water: they don’t mix, or that they shouldn’t even if they could.
I disagree. I’d argue that the fact/value distinction in the philosophy of science is rather unlike the skepticism/value distinction that some well-meaning skeptics marshall. Skepticism is itself a value, and human values strongly motivate the work of the skeptic, and cannot — indeed, must not — be separated from the skeptical enterprise.
I made the case when I gave the keynote address at the Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism last year that “Skepticism is a Humanism.” I argued in that speech that skepticism is about important moral values that matter to us. A number of other skeptic leaders make the same kind of case, including Tim Farley’s WhatsTheHarm.net and Robert Lancaster’s StopSylviaBrown.com, Randi in his books, and Carl Sagan. As skeptics, we want to expose the harm of unfounded belief to public scrutiny, and we want to stop celebrity psychics like Sylvia Brown, James Van Praagh and their ilk, precisely because our ethics motivate us to challenge harmful belief, not just because we happen to think they are merely factually incorrect about the claims they make.
The JREF brings Dowsing Workshop to Capital
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Dowsing, water witching, or divining—no matter what you call it, participants were learning about it (and doing it) at the University of Maryland in College Park this past weekend. They were taking part in The Science of Divination: What they DON’T Teach at Hogwarts, a workshop presented by the James Randi Educational Foundation.
The workshop gave those in attendance a chance to explore the history, methods, tools, practitioners, and scientific investigation of this practice. On the surface, dowsing may seem trivial and quaint but this comprehensive program took a closer look at dowsing’s darker side by examining the serious dangers of applying its pseudoscientific ideas to medicine or bomb detection.
On the Road in Canada with James Randi
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As I write this, James Randi is now in beautiful downtown Saskatoon preparing for his fifth lecture of this current Canadian tour. For those who don't know, Randi is on a whirlwind tour taking him from west to east all across Canada. The weather has been mild, the company has been vibrant, and every single show has been an unforgettable experience. So far, Randi has performed for packed houses and sold out crowds in Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, and Edmonton. To a person, everyone has come away with a new appreciation for Randi's skills as a master magician and a new enthusiasm for teaching critical thinking to the world.
This tour has been graciously hosted by CFI Canada branches at each stop, and I would like to take a moment to thank some of the folks responsible. Jamie Williams in Vancouver, Blythe Nilson and Loren Price in Kelowna, Kris Shellska and Nate Phelps in Calgary, and Brent Kelly and Helen Quevillon in Edmonton have all done a remarkable job coordinating this massive undertaking. We couldn't be more appreciative to them or to the massive team of CFI volunteers in each city who have made this tour possible.
Stay tuned to Randi.org for more updates from the road, and be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages as well for announcements and photos.
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