Category: Skeptical Article – vic skeptics

NATURE|VOL 427 | 19 FEBRUARY 2004
Misconduct row fuels calls for reform
Carina Dennis,Sydney
A fierce row over misconduct allegations has prompted Australian researchers to call for an office of research integrity to be set up. The issue came to a head on 10 February, when Senator Kim Carr, research spokesman for the opposition Labor Party, released to parliament an unpublished report of an inquiry into allegations made about an immunologist at the University of New South Wales.
The case centres on Bruce Hall, a transplant immunologist working on graft tolerance. In 2001,Hall was accused by four complainants in his laboratory of fabricating and falsifying experimental results in an abstract and paper, providing false data in a grant application, misattributing authorship credit and workplace bullying. The experiments in question involved the use of cells from the immune system � called CD4_ T cells � to transfer graft tolerance to rats with transplanted hearts.Hall emphatically denies the allegations. View More Nature Article Feb 2004

British Science writer and Skeptic Simon Singh has been sued by the British Chiropractic Association for comments he made in his book Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial A recent pre-trial decision suggests that Singh may be subject to lengthy and expensive litigation, precisely because his comments are based on Scientific evidence rather than mere opinion! A thorough history of events so far can be found here: http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/project/340 Also on this page is a link to the campaign “Keep Libel Laws Out of Science“. There is also a link to enable individuals to donate to this campaign. Here is a link to a podcast of an interview Simon Singh recorded View More Simon Singh vs British Chiropractic Association Defamation Case

It was Queen’s Birthday Weekend in Melbourne.  Several Vic Skeptics took the opportunity to check out the Mind, Body Spirit Festival (aka MB$) being celebrated in the edifice affectionately known as Jeff’s Shed.  Here are some reports.

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Having never been to the Mind Body Wallet, sorry Spirit – Festival before, I was curious about what it might be like, the lone Skeptic in a sea of belief.  Not quite; I had my 12 year old daughter with me and would be meeting fellow Skeptics – on the inside.
Realistically, the possibility of changing any one’s mind-set at such an event was very low. I’d just take in the sights and ask a few polite questions; that’s all. In any case, if I got into too long a conversation with anyone, no doubt my daughter would quickly let me know she was bored and drag me away in a half-nelson hold.
The “Good Food and Wine” show was on next door. It was very tempting View More Melbourne's Mind Body Wallet Festival, June 2009

“Rudolf Steiner and the Anthroposophy Cult”
a talk by Ian Robinson to the Victorian Skeptics Monday 20 April, 2009 Summary:
First I will give a brief outline of Steiner’s life from his early infatuation with Goethe and German nature mysticism, through his involvement with Theosophy, to his final break with the latter and his establishment of the Anthroposophy cult and the inauguration of its exclusivist esoteric and secretive inner-circle know as “First Class“.
Then I will outline his eccentric and implausible Manichean world view, based on his own idiosyncratic mystical revelations, with its racist overtone.
I will show that, despite the protests to the contrary by its supporters, there is absolutely no doubt that Anthroposophy is to all intents and purposes a religion.
Finally, I will examine the two main areas where anthroposophy has insinuated itself into secular life in Australia: the “educational philosophy” known as the Waldorf school movement; and the allegedly planet-friendly system of cultivation known as biodynamic agriculture. I will conclude by making some suggestions for action that needs to be taken.

Margaret has over 30 years experience as a teacher and librarian in a range of government and private schools, predominantly in Queensland.
Back in the late 1970s, while working as a librarian at a large metropolitan high school, she had a number of run-ins with fundamentalist Christians, biblical literalists who tried their hardest not only to get “creation science” material placed in the school’s library, but to get what was already there relocated to a science number. For those familiar with Dewey, this means somewhere in the 500s. She had placed their material in the 200s (the division for religion), specifically at 213, the number for “creation”.
Things that upset her are people who think they know everything about education and teaching because they once went to school; people who believe that there are “magic bullet” solutions to complex issues in educating children out there which just need to be imposed on to recalcitrant teachers. In February 2006 she had a “close encounter of the first kind” with one such purported “magic bullet” solution: Brain Gym: a set of fun exercises purported to help people “Learn ANYTHING faster and more easily”.
The question which interests her is just how can something grounded in pseudo-science (Applied Kinesiology and Traditional Chinese Medicine are two key components) gain so much traction in educational circles.

Darwin Down House
These pictures are of Down House, Darwin’s home where the majority of his writing was done.
It is located in the pleasant Kent countryside approximately 40 km due south of London. The Darwin Day website contains more information.

1. Darwin married Emma Wedgwood, granddaughter of Josiah Wedgwood I. Darwin’s maternal grandfather was the same Josiah Wedgwood. Emma and Charles were first cousins. An interesting genetics match as they had 10 children, a number of whom led highly successful careers.
2. Darwin never ‘worked‘ for a living. His father being a very wealthy surgeon. In fact he paid for his passage as a young man on the Beagle more or less to be a companion of the Captain. This was a way to finance the voyage and Captains did not want to associate with the underclass of the crew and to a lesser extent the officers. This was also true of Sir Joseph Banks’ voyage to Australia with Cook.
Thanks to Don Hyatt for the photographs.

Have you ever bought something that you didn’t really want, because the salesperson was so nice, so persuasive, so helpful? Chances are that the salesperson (whether they knew it or not) was using some of the techniques of a skilled Cold Reader.

What Is Cold Reading?

‘Cold Reading‘ is a term invented by stage magicians. It refers to psychological techniques used by certain people to influence the beliefs and behaviour of other people.
The term was coined back in the days of live variety theatre and carnival side-shows to distinguish it from ‘Hot Reading‘, where the magician or mystic used bits of specific information that they already had, but pretended that they were discovering for the very first time. A good Cold Reader needs no such prior knowledge.
You’ll find Cold Readers well represented View More Cold Reading