Skeptic: Examining Extraordinary Claims and Promoting Science

Articles

Orthodox Jews & Science

An Empirical Study of Their Attitudes Toward Evolution, the Fossil Record, and Modern Geology
by Alexander Nussbaum

Whose Final Hour?

The Problem of Naive Egocentric Catastrophism in Doomsayers and Catastrophists
by Mordechai (Moti) Ben-Ari

Who Really
Discovered America?

The Solutrean Hypothesis is the Latest in a Long Line of Theories About the Discovery of the New World
by Jason Colavito

Paranormal Pooches

Is There Any Evidence in Support of Claims that Dogs Have Special Powers Beyond Those of Other Mammals?
by April Pedersen

Misquoting Einstein

A Statement Attributed to Einstein, Praising the Church’s Response to Nazism, Isn’t What it Claims to Be
by William C. Waterhouse

Skepticism in the Classroom

A High School Science
Teacher in the Trenches
by Phil Molé

Opinion

The Supernatural on TV

by Jason Colavito

Forum

Letters

Underwhelmed by Evolutionary Psychology; Skeptical of Freakonomics; The Real Mary of Magdala; Natural Selection Cannot Explain All Life; A Challenge to Intelligent Design; Separation of Church & Science & State

Artificial Intelligence Forum:
A.I. Skepticism Long Overdue

Flying Artificial Intelligence; Cybernetic Axiom

Skeptical of A.I. Skepticism

Artificial Intelligences in Operation Today; Don’t Give Up On a Young Field; The Conclusion was Disappointing; Illusion of Intelligence is What Matters; Don’t Set Limits; Brain Model May Not Be Necessary

Cholesterol Forum Continued

For Cholesterol Skepticism
by David Caskey, M.D.

Against Cholesterol Skepticism

Potentially Dangerous Information; A Very Complex Pathological Process
by Harriet Hall, M.D.

Feature

’Twas Brillig…

Million Dollar Excuses;
Dutch Psychic Caught Cheating;
Sylvia Browne & the Virginia Miners; From the JREF Museum
by James Randi

The Great Debate

Chopra v. Shermer

Gadflies Without a Sting:
The Downside of Skepticism
by Deepak Chopra, MD, FACP
The Power of Positive Skepticism:
A Reply to Chopra
by Michael Shermer

Junior Skeptic

Alien Abductions part I

The Invasion Begins; Thinking Errors About Causes; The Invention of Flying Saucers; Outrageous George Adamski; Betty and Barney Hill; Enter the Greys; A Scientific Study; Close Encounters Influence; Missing Time; Budd Hopkin’s Legacy; Whitley Strieber’s Million Dollar Story; The Groovy Professor
by Daniel Loxton

News

Randi’s Heart Condition

Was Psychic Sylvia Browne Right?
by Bryan Farha

Special Section

Prayer & Healing

The Verdict is in and
the Results Are Null
by Michael Shermer

Religion & Behavior

Are You Healthier, Happier
& More Moral if You’re Religious?
by Andrew Bernardin

Religious Belief
& Societal Health

New Study: Religion Does
Not Lead to a Healthier Society by Matthew Provonsha

Reviews

Believing in Belief

Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon, by Daniel C. Dennett
reviewed by Michael Shermer

Faith v. History

The Empty Tomb: Jesus Beyond the Grave, edited by Robert M. Price and Jeffery Jay
reviewed by Tim Callahan

What Galileo Wrought

Galileo’s Children: Tales of Science vs. Superstition, edited by Gardner Dozois
reviewed by John C. Snider

Dershowitz’s Rights
& Wrongs

Rights From Wrongs: A Secular Theory of the Origin of Rights, by Alan Dershowitz
reviewed by Kenneth W. Krause

Divine DNA

The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired into our Genes,
by Dean Hamer
reviewed by William Olkowski

Science on a Sweatshirt

Just a Theory: Exploring the
Nature of Science, by Moti Ben-Ari
reviewed by David Ludden