Description:
Skepticism and critical thinking in a world of new age, religion and credulous pop culture
40 Podcasts:
 1. 29-1231.mp3 (played 7 times)
2. 28-1230.mp3 (played 7 times)
3. 27-1229.mp3 (played 7 times)
4. 26-1228.mp3 (played 8 times)
5. 23-1227.mp3 (played 6 times)
6. 22-1226.mp3 (played 7 times)
7. 21-1224.mp3 (played 6 times)
8. 20-1223.mp3 (played 8 times)
9. 19-1222.mp3 (played 7 times)
10. 17-1221.mp3 (played 6 times)
11. 16-1220.mp3 (played 6 times)
12. 15-1219.mp3 (played 8 times)
13. 14-1218.mp3 (played 6 times)
14. 11-1217.mp3 (played 6 times)
15. 10-1216.mp3 (played 7 times)
16. 1-1215.mp3 (played 6 times)
17. 8-1213.mp3 (played 7 times)
18. 2-1212.mp3 (played 8 times)
19. 3-129.mp3 (played 8 times)
20. 24-127.mp3 (played 6 times)
21. 9-125.mp3 (played 7 times)
22. 6-124.mp3 (played 5 times)
23. 5-123.mp3 (played 7 times)
24. 4-122.mp3 (played 6 times)
25. 7-1111.mp3 (played 8 times)
26. 13-118.mp3 (played 6 times)
27. 25-116.mp3 (played 7 times)
28. 18-115.mp3 (played 6 times)
29. 12-111.mp3 (played 6 times)
30. 0-000.mp3 (played 6 times)
31. 30-1232.mp3 (played 5 times)
32. 31-1233.mp3 (played 6 times)
33. 32-1234.mp3 (played 5 times)
34. 34-1235.mp3 (played 5 times)
35. 33-112.mp3 (played 4 times)
36. 35-1236.mp3 (played 4 times)
37. 37-1238.mp3 (played 5 times)
38. 36-1237.mp3 (played 5 times)
39. 38-1239.mp3 (played 2 times)
40. 39-1240.mp3 (played 4 times)
Content:
(Play It)
The future of skepticism
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 1247
Things are getting worse.
Across the world, we’ve got so-called complementary and alternative medicine infiltrating legitimate healthcare and medical treatments. The United States government seems more interested in supporting Christianity than supporting religious choice. There are attacks on preventative sciences, like Jenny McCarthy and others insisting their understanding of vaccination technology trumps that of [...]
(Play It)
Skepticism is a virtue: The religious don’t know what they’re missing
By Amr Hima
Article ID: 1246
Many people question religious truth differently than most religious philosophers. These philosophers treat the question not with curiosity, but by totally neglecting the value of truth and claiming that their beliefs make their lives better or their belief makes them happier. This is a response to that claim, I will try [...]
(Play It)
The problem with retrospective studies: Why what’s good for you changes
By David Annis
Article ID: 1245
I often hear the complaint how scientists “change their minds” about what makes a healthy diet. Why does that happen?
When studying human health, especially studies involving diet over an extended period of time, it’s difficult if not impossible to get subjects to agree to allow researchers to control what they eat [...]
(Play It)
The limits of evidence-based medicine
By David Annis
Article ID: 1244
For many years, doctors have been free to practice medicine in almost any way that they saw fit. They could use drugs to treat conditions for which they were not approved and use any procedure on any patient from whom they obtained informed consent. At times this led to doctors treating [...]
(Play It)
Private Military Companies, civilian contractors and the Global War on Terror
By James Lochbaum
Article ID: 1243
Recently, civilians working for Private Military Companies (hereafter called “PMCs”) have attracted a lot of attention from many western media outlets. In the wake of the deaths of four security contractors (from the US-based Blackwater Worldwide in Fallujah in 2004) more attention has been paid to these people than ever. PMCs [...]
(Play It)
Sexual selection and how the peacock got its tail
By David Annis
Article ID: 1242
The tail of the peacock is a magnificent and beautiful thing to behold. In a previous article, I explained how complex structures (like eyes) evolve through a series of small steps, each of which gives the animal better vision. But how do ornamental things evolve, like the tail of a peacock? [...]
(Play It)
Atlantic University: A degree of nonsense
By Todd Fritz
Article ID: 1241
ABSTRACT
This article looks at the claims and programs of study provided by Atlantic University, and it considers some of the implications from that study. A brief history of the college’s founder, Edgar Cayce, is given. It also considers the validity and meaning of the word “university”.
BIO
Todd Fritz
thefritzs@cox.net
www.thinkingiscritical.com
Todd Fritz is a member [...]
(Play It)
Tunguska mystery (almost) solved
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 1240
It was a quiet morning on June 30, 1908. The event occurred in a remote location of heavily-forested Siberia, in the Russian Federation.
Instead of leaping ahead to the finale and just saying “kaboom”, we’ll make this a little more dramatic. So get ready.
A rustling is heard as a brown bear lumbers forward [...]
(Play It)
Problems with nutritional supplements
By David Annis
Article ID: 1239
Walk into any supermarket, drug store, or health food store and you will find a wide variety of nutritional supplements. People use these as an alternative to “western” or “conventional” medicine. Unfortunately, when taking nutritional supplements, you aren’t treating your disease or keeping yourself healthy. You are using yourself as a [...]
(Play It)
A field trip to Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research and Enlightenment
By Tammy Buchli, Science & Reason in Hampton Roads
Article ID: 1238
When my local skeptic’s organization (Science & Reason in Hampton Roads) announced a field trip to Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research and Enlightenment in Virginia Beach, I was eager to attend. We planned a full afternoon at the A.R.E. First, an ESP demonstration, and then an [...]
(Play It)
If you can’t prove God doesn’t exist, why not believe?
By David Annis
Article ID: 1237
If you can’t disprove the existence of God, why not believe in Him? This is a question often posed to atheists by believers. The basic answer is that there are a lot of improbable things that I can’t disprove, but believing in them leads to a distorted view of the world. [...]
(Play It)
What good is half an eye?
By David Annis
Article ID: 1236
One frequent objection that creationists use about evolution is to question how a complex structure could evolve - what good is half an eye? What possible evolutionary path could there be that would lead to such a complex structure?
So, how would an eye evolve? Start with simple organisms that don’t have [...]
(Play It)
Psychic stagecraft: how to change from magician to miracle worker
By Peter Booth
Article ID: 1235
Mentalism is a form of performance magic that simulates the paranormal, most commonly mind-reading, predicting the future and psychokinesis. Magicians get involved in skepticism because much of the time the so-called real psychics are doing very standard magic tricks. But what makes the difference between appearing to be a magician and [...]
(Play It)
Anecdotal evidence against anecdotal evidence
By Tammy Buchli, Science & Reason in Hampton Roads
Article ID: 1234
Everybody has a story, and most people are eager to share their stories with anyone who will listen. A problem is that some like to use their stories as scientific evidence. Alternative medicine advocates, in particular, love to use anecdotes in order to justify the [...]
(Play It)
Macro-evolution observed in the laboratory
By David Annis
Article ID: 1233
Evolution can easily be observed in the laboratory and in the world around us. We can see moths evolve their coloring to match the color of soot that covers their habitat, watch bacteria evolve antibiotic resistance in hospitals, and my favorite variety of grapefruit (that’s Rio Star) was made by scientists [...]
(Play It)
Pascal’s Wager: gambling with an immoral god
By David Annis
Article ID: 1232
The French philosopher Blaise Pascal made a famous argument, today called “Pascal’s Wager“. It says: A person cannot prove God’s existence through reason. Since by believing in God you have nothing to lose - and potentially everything to gain - you should behave and believe as if that God exists.
Nevertheless, I’m [...]
(Play It)
Intelligent Design in Michigan
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 1231
Intelligent Design has come to Michigan. Michigan is my home state, so this gives me motivation to get off my big fat brain and do some research. And I have a child who will be entering the Michigan school system soon. That gives me motivation to write.
According to Michigan House Bill 6027 [...]
(Play It)
Women in skepticism
By Rodrigo Neely
Article ID: 1230
Since becoming a dedicated and pro-active skeptic, I have observed some troubling trends. One is the under-representation of women. I submit that all of my data on this issue is anecdotal. But some of my anecdotes are pretty compelling. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area where I live, I’m a member of [...]
(Play It)
The ten percent of the brain myth: a fractional truth
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 1229
In writing this article, I tried to use ten percent of my brain. I really did. But I got stuck pretty fast on the method of how to actually use only ten percent of my brain. There seem to be many ways to go about it. For example, I could just think [...]
(Play It)
The “Bullshido” of martial arts and no-touch knockouts
By ScienceReasonRationality.blogspot.com
Article ID: 1228
Do you want to learn how to knock out an opponent without touching them? How about learning the art of fighting ghosts with the power of “The Force“? Well, here’s your chance! Japan’s Yanagi Ryuken can teach you now. He holds a 10th degree black belt in five traditional martial arts, and his system [...]
(Play It)
In the name of Bob, Google and the Flying Spaghetti Monster: gods and religions that matter
By Navin Kumar
Article ID: 1227
The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Timeline May, 2005. The Kansas State Board of Education began its decision process in whether or not Intelligent Design would be taught in Kansas public schools. A young man named Bobby Henderson wrote them an open letter professing belief in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a [...]
(Play It)
Evolution makes testable predictions
By David Annis
Article ID: 1226
In the late 1850s, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace introduced the world to the theory of evolution. The theory of evolution is a scientific hypothesis that describes how species descended from a common ancestor, diversifying to produce the myriad species that we see today.
All scientific theories make testable predictions. For [...]
(Play It)
Homeopathy: Diluted and deluded
By M Parrott
Article ID: 1224
Homeopathy finds its origins in the 18th century with a German named Samuel Hahnemann (we won’t address the honour of his doctorate). This was a time when blood-letting, leeches, mercury and arsenic were utilised in medical practice. Mr. Hahnemann’s idea was to create a less-harsh form of medicine straying away from [...]
(Play It)
Supernatural Nightmare Experiences and the Illusion of Prayer
By ScienceReasonRationality.blogspot.com
Article ID: 1223
It’s been almost ten years since my last supernatural nightmare experience. The last one I’ve had was way back in my late 20’s. This is because I’ve learned a little secret on how to get rid of such nightmares, once and for all. Let me share with you what led to my enlightenment.
When [...]
(Play It)
Sodascience - An open letter to the thirsty
by Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 1222
Okay, Soda. You’ve made your points. We get it. We know how much you love yourself. You want us to worship you as The One True Carbonator. “I am the one true Soda. Pour no other refreshments before me.”
You’re missing a critical aspect: nothing you say makes any sense.
I’m not talking about [...]
(Play It)
Religious revelations are religious delusions
By ScienceReasonRationality.blogspot.com
Article ID: 1221
Have you ever wondered why only a select few get a “revelation” from God, a ghost, an alien or an angel, and the rest of us do not? Why is it these entities choose just a select few out of billions to receive such “revelations”? Why were you not included? Was it because [...]
(Play It)
Universities and academies fail to teach scientific thought and rationality
By Rodrigo Neely
Article ID: 1220
As skeptics, we seek to promote science, scientific thinking, scientific fact and reason. These wonderful nouns have historically sprung from one place above all: universities. Universities can be referred to collectively as “the academy.”
Most scientific research is done through the academy. This has to do with the notion that basic science [...]
(Play It)
Allegiance and flag burning
by M Parrott
Article ID: 1219
“On my honour, I promise that I will do my best, to do my duty to God and to the Queen”
- Boy Scout promise, United Kingdom
“I … swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according [...]
(Play It)
Christopher Hitchens debates Peter Hitchens: Hitchens vs. Hitchens video and writeup
by Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 1218
[The Hitchens vs. Hitchens video is available. Scroll down to find it.]
Watching a debate between Christopher Hitchens and Peter Hitchens is fascinating on so many levels. They are both very good speakers and debaters, so the oratory mastery is impressive on its own, and the technique is fun to watch. The topics [...]
(Play It)
Atheism in Hinduism
By Navin Kumar
Article ID: 1217
Hinduism is among the most curious of religions that exist on the planet Earth. It’s over 3000 years old and still kicking. It’s never waged a Holy War. Its followers are some of the most deeply religious in existence and yet there are no widespread debates about its teachings. There are [...]
(Play It)
What If You’re Wrong?
By ScienceReasonRationality.blogspot.com
Article ID: 1216
You’re probably a religious person, or you have some form of a belief system. After much personal research and experience, you are now also convinced by the arguments presented by the skeptics and the atheists. You have somewhat come to realize that the skeptics and the atheists do have valid and strong points [...]
(Play It)
Punk skepticism: A perfect mix of skeptic and rebel
Article ID: 1215
Skepticism is a philosophical commitment to doubt. However, to doubt without end is of no use.
Committed skeptics include Harry Houdini, Penn and Teller, Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov, James Randi, Christopher Hitchens, and many other intellectual giants.
My doubts began not with the profound words of astronomers, nor by studying stage magic. My doubts began [...]
(Play It)
Skeptics, atheists and meme theory
By Rodrigo Neely
Article ID: 1213
“Naysayer!”
“Why do you want to take away people’s beliefs?!”
“You’re just narrow minded!”
“You give off bad vibes!”
The above are all accusations any skeptic at work can expect to hear. In fact, I suggest that if you are a skeptic and you have not heard these accusations, you are not doing your job.
There [...]
(Play It)
This is the dawning of the age of asparagus - fortune telling goes green
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 1212
Jemima Packington is an “asparamancer”. This is a vegetable-in-cheek way to describe fortune-telling using greenery. In Packington’s case, the greenery is asparagus: she can throw asparagus spears on the floor, or have you throw them yourself. By the resulting positioning, as well as her chlorophyllic intuition, she will tell your future.
How [...]
(Play It)
Astrology is The Forer Effect in action
By ScienceReasonRationality.blogspot.com
Article ID: 129
I think most people already know what astrology is. After all, it has been used by people everywhere since ancient times right up to the modern age. But how does astrology so successfully fool people into believing it’s real? The answer is quite simple. Astrology creates something many people are not really aware [...]
(Play It)
The Dyatlov pass accident and the fatal “unknown compelling force”
by Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 127
What was the Dyatlov pass accident?
On January 28, 1959, ten experienced cross-country skiers left for a skiing expedition. They headed for the Otorten Mountain range in the northern Urals. One skier fell ill and had to turn back. The remaining nine skiers left him behind and continued their journey. They were [...]
(Play It)
Human static electricity generators: Can a person’s body generate static electricity?
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 125
Is your body a static electricity generator? Do you produce static electricity, shocking everything you touch? Do watches, computers and other electronics behave differently for you than for other people? Is every handshake a shocking experience?
It’s understandable this super-power can be frustrating, perhaps dangerous. It’s at least a major inconvenience. However, [...]
(Play It)
Book review of “The Secret”, by Rhonda Byrne: A skeptical review of a subjective reality
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 124
Let’s get this part out of the way now:
What is The Secret? What is Rhonda Byrne’s philosophy? What is the Law of Attraction?
It’s defined many times, in many different ways, by many different people in the book. Here are a few of the more concise descriptions:
“Everything that’s coming into your life [...]
(Play It)
Spider bites are an overrated menace
By Tim Eisele
Article ID: 123
[Editor's note: Some of the external links in this article point to photos that may be disturbing to some.]
I’ve been noticing that when most people see a spider,the first thing they think is, “Is it venomous?” Pretty much every mention of spiders in the news or entertainment media implies that not [...]
(Play It)
Oprah, plug in your toaster. Most appliances don’t use energy when turned off.
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 122
On April 20, 2007, Oprah had her Earth Day episode, “Going Green 101: Resources for your family”.
This was a show about energy savings and environmental friendliness. It included tips like using washable cloth napkins rather than throwing away paper napkins, and using compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs) rather than incandescents. These are [...]
(Play It)
Book review of “The Flight of Dragons” by Peter Dickinson: How dragons could have evolved and existed
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 1111
Dragons existed. Real ones. They breathed fire. They flew through the air. They dripped poisonous blood and horded tons of gold. At least, that’s what the book The Flight of Dragons says is possible. It’s not telling us dragons definitely existed. But given certain evolutionary adaptations, they could have.
The book The Flight [...]
(Play It)
Photo evidence of ectoplasm and ghost orbs
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 118
So there I was. Just minding my own business. Thinking about whether I should have a granola bar or a cup of soup. On one hand, the soup would be tastier - I had just purchased a cream-of-something-or-other, and wanted to give it a taste. On the other hand, a granola bar [...]
(Play It)
Double-blind testing
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 116
So you want to run a properly controlled, scientifically legitimate test? Better make sure you use double-blind testing.
What is double-blind testing? Why is double-blind testing a good thing?
A double-blind test is a method that can be used in most any testing situation where there is a chance that the results of that test [...]
(Play It)
Sleep paralysis - A personal account and analysis
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 115
I’ve had at least two episodes of sleep paralysis.
No, I wasn’t captured by aliens. I wasn’t exposed to something supernatural or super-scary. This was nothing more than a misunderstood function of the human brain. This was sleep paralysis.
First, let me describe what the symptoms of sleep paralysis felt like to me.
Sleep paralysis episode [...]
(Play It)
Essential oils and aromatherapy: A rebuttal to bunk science and the healing power of odors
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 112
Scroll down to read the entire document, or click for:
Introduction and purpose
Essential oils and aromatherapy source document
Part 1: “Definition: subtle, volatile liquids…”
Part 2: “They contain oxygenating molecules…”
Part 3: “Problem: most common essential oils are low grade…”
Part 4: “Understanding how they work…”
Part 5: “Frankincense when combined with myrrh…”
Part 6: “The essential oils are [...]
(Play It)
Kicking Bigfoot - The Patterson Film and M.K. Davis stabilization enhancements
By Andy Kaiser
Article ID: 111
Some people believe in Bigfoot, Yeti or Sasquatch: A frightening, prehistoric, half-gorilla-half-man, it lives in heavily forested mountainous areas like the Colorado Rockies. Apparently wide-ranging and stinkier than all get out, they have a knack for avoiding investigators and their cameras.
Apart from innumerable plaster casts of giant feet, one of the popular [...]
(Play It)
Digital Bits Skeptic welcome
This “DB Skeptic” category section exists as an information source and repository for things not covered by the more common questions in the “About DBS” link.
At this point, we’ll keep it simple - download the MP3 above (or listen to it via the embedded player) to hear an introduction to the Digital Bits Skeptic podcast and [...]
Home
|
