Skepticism Kick-Off

I recently finished reading Carl Sagan's book The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark. In the book Sagan extolls the virtues of the scientific method and how its use helps us to overcome human biases in the search for truth. Along the way he discusses topics ranging from alien abductions to the atomic bomb to the need for better science education. His discussion of midieval beliefs about demons and the ensuing witch hunts is sobering. Perhaps the book is best known for Sagan's "Baloney Detection Kit," a set of principles and logical rules to keep in mind when investigating claims.

One of the most prominent leading light's of the modern skeptical movement is James Randi, a former magician who has devoted his life to uncovering deception (honest and dishonest.) Then there is Michael Shermer, who writes a column in Scientific American and is the founding publisher of Skeptic Magazine and the executive director of the Skeptics Society.

I've also enjoyed listening to a podcast called "The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe" (available free at iTunes). Topics of discussion run the gamut: aliens, conspiracy theories, creationism, alternative medicine, political correctness, astrology, faith healers, scientific discoveries, and so forth.

The goal of all of the above is to separate truth from fiction, and science from pseudoscience, as best as is humanly possible. In many ways it is a commendable effort; we are constantly bombarded with messages that claim to represent truth, so we need ways to protect ourselves from con-men, determine what public policies should be supported, and just plain figure out what the truth is.

Of course the tools of skepticism are also often turned against religion. In a forthcoming series of posts I plan to discuss skepticism and its intersection with religion--ours especially. I have not written the posts yet, and right now I only have a rough outline of the material I want to cover. Hopefully it will be an exercise worth doing, and worth reading.