Encounters: The UFO Phenomenon, Exposed!/Encounters - The UFO Phenomenon, Exposed (1995).iso/misc1/misc086.txt

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Pg. 39

                        RHETORIC AND ACTIVITIES

 The primary focus of the Committee has been to influence the media and
 public opinion on the paranormal, and its rhetorical methods and
 activities are mainly directed to that goal. Thus, the group's
 language and projects have been fashioned for a popular approach
 rather than for disinterested scientific commentary.

 Choice of Targets

 When CSICOP first began, it focused on paranormal topics. This posi-
 tion has shifted slightly over the years, but the Committee primarily
 restricts its commentary to areas considered marginal or "fringe" by
 the scientific establishment. Carl Sagan (1987) gave an extensive
 listing of topics covered by the Committee:

 Pg. 40

  the Bermuda Triangle; "Big Foot" and the Loch Ness monster; "crashed"
  flying saucers; claims that you can levitate yourself by meditating;
  ESP; the view that the Earth is really flat; the Shroud of Turin;
  divining rods and water witching; Nostradamus; the notion that more
  crimes are committed when the moon is full; palmistry; numerology;
  "remote viewing"; cult archaeology; a Soviet elephant that talks
  fluent Russian and a Soviet "sensitive" who, blindfolded, reads books
  with her fingertips; Edgar Cayce and other "prophets " sleeping and
  awake; diet quackery; ancient maps of Antarctica; "dream telepathy";
  faith-healer fraud; analysis of a poltergeist in Columbus, Ohio and
  how the scam was discovered; fire walking; phrenology; the "hundredth
  monkey" confusion; biorhythms; creationism; the emotional lives of
  plants; the systematically inept predictions of Jeanne Dixon and
  others; dianetics; Carlos Castenada [sic] and "sorcery"; the search
  for Noah's Ark; the "Amityville Horror" hoax; miracles; mummies'
  curses; Atlantis and other "lost" continents; and innumerable cases
  of acute credulity by newspapers, magazines, and television specials
  and news programs. (p. 12)


 Although this is not a complete list, it is representative. A quick
 scan of the above will reveal few topics that have any substantial
 scientific constituency that champions their investigation. The
 International Society of Cryptozoology, the Society for Scientific
 Exploration, and the Parapsychological Association (PA) are perhaps
 the only three professional scientific societies that could be said to
 investigate a few of these areas. Of these three, the PA has by far
 the highest professional-level publication standards.

 CSICOP has a policy of not conducting research itself, and this has
 reduced its vulnerability to criticism. Sociologists of science Pinch
 and Collins (1984) examined the benefits of this policy. They noted
 that CSICOP's tactics:

  can only be used in complete safety by organizations that do not
  engage in controversial science themselves. Only by avoiding having
  to face up to the problems of doing controversial science, and by
  avoiding the changed consciousness concerning scientific method which
  accompanies such engagement, can an attack from the canonical model
  be sustained without difficulty. (p. 539)

 In fact, they specifically suggested that the critics not engage in
 empirical research if they were to be effective in promoting their
 agenda. They pointed out that in controversial areas, qualified
 scientists are often engaged in disputes over research findings and
 interpretations and that a large component of establishing scientific
 knowledge involves human negotiation and not just "consulting the
 facts." If CSICOP had continued to undertake its own research,
 scientists might again point out errors in its procedures and
 ambiguities in its interpretations. That could threaten CSICOP's image
 of authority.

 Pg. 41

 Statements by CSICOP stress the importance of its mission and urge
 that others become involved. CSICOP portrays itself as a tiny minority
 battling an overwhelming, irrational tide. (19) In fact, there is
 almost an apocalyptic strain in some writing. An announcement of the
 founding of the Committee stated: "We ought not to assume that the
 scientific enlightenment will continue indefinitely ...like the
 Hellenic civilization, it may be overwhelmed by irrationalism,
 subjectivism, and obscurantism" (Kurtz, 1976b). Members suggest that
 some beliefs are dangerous and must be combatted urgently.

 Rhetoric to establish scientific legitimacy. The Committee emphasizes
 its claim of being "scientific," and the leadership seems very
 conscious of this task. The back cover of most issues of "SI" lists
 the stated objectives, all of which are scientific. The recruiting of
 prestigious scientists as figure-heads also enhances its credibility.
 However, Dennis Rawlins, former Executive Council member (and still an
 extreme skeptic), reported that some fellow counselors privately
 admitted to him that the word "scientific" should not have appeared in
 the name of CSICOP (personal communication, April 20, 1987). He
 directly quoted one member as describing "SI" as "a propaganda
 sheet...essentially [a] rhetorical magazine that is to go to shapers
 of opinion like editors. (20) Rawlins has considerable documentation
 for this and many other revealing statements.

 In seeking to enhance its legitimacy, CSICOP largely ignores the ref-
 ereed scientific journals that deal with the paranormal (e.g.,
 "Journal of Parapsychology, "Journal of the American Society for
 Psychical Research", "Journal of Scientific Exploration", "Journal of
 UFO Studies", "Cryptozoology). The PA-affiliated "Journal of
 Parapsychology" has been published for more than 50 years, the
 "Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research" for more than
 80. The existence of these journals is rarely acknowledged in the
 pages of "SI", and when they are mentioned it is usually only in
 passing. (21) In fact, the Committee claims that "the Skeptical In-
 quirer is the only major periodical in the world that examines
 paranormal and occult claims from a scientific viewpoint" (CSICOP
 fund-raising letter of September 18, 1987).

 Pg. 42

 Religious metaphor. CSICOP's rhetoric sometimes invokes religious
 metaphors. The dust jacket of one of Randi's (1990b) recent books de-
 scribes him as having "missionary zeal." In introducing an earlier
 book of Randi's, Isaac Asimov wrote: "We may find salvation through
 the wise use of science" (1980, p. x). Lawrence Cranberg, a president
 of the Austin society, has described his group as "engaged in
 scientific missionary work" (Clarke, 1986). Even some behavior of
 skeptics can be seen as metaphorically religious. Members of local
 affiliates have worked as "missionaries," passing out skeptical
 literature to heretical "believers" at psychic fairs and similar
 events (e.g., Leonhard & Butler, 1986; Mayhew, 1985-1986). A
 quasireligious orientation was apparent to one reporter from a major
 science magazine when Susan Blackmore presented at the 1986 CSICOP
 conference in Colorado. Blackmore emotionally described her own
 failure to find evidence for ESP. Speaking to me, the reporter
 characterized Blackmore's presentation as being "like a testimonial at
 an AA [Alcoholics Anonymous] meeting." Nicholas Wade (1977a), writing
 in "Science", described CSICOP's magazine as "the sword of its faith"
 (p. 646) .

 Decrying the "dangers" of the paranormal. Even at the beginning of
 CSICOP, the Committee decried the "dangers" of the paranormal. Boyce
 Rensberger (who was awarded CSICOP's "Responsibility in Journalism
 Award" ["CSICOP Awards," 1986]) reported that the Committee claimed
 that belief in "parapsychology may bring a society of "unreason." It
 was also asserted that "some 200 people were known to have killed
 themselves as a result of believing an unfavorable horoscope, palm
 reading or other alleged forecast of the future" (Rensberger, 1977).
 No support was given for this statement, and as far as I can tell,
 none has appeared since. CSICOP has continued to proclaim the
 "dangers." A fund-raising letter signed by the Executive Council
 declared: "Belief in paranormal phenomena is still growing, and the
 dangers to our society are real" (dated March 23, 1985).

 Gary Posner, an M.D. and leader of the Tampa Bay Skeptics, has claimed
 that believers in the paranormal may have a pathological medical
 condition, saying they may be "afflicted with a thought disorder that
 manifests in ... a faulty sense of reality" and their "irrational
 behavior ...may be more compatible with a diagnosis of ambulatory
 schizophrenia...than with mere naivete" (1978, p. 79). Posner made
 this statement despite the fact that surveys show that over half the
 population in this country has had psychic experiences (Greely,
 1975;Haraldsson & Houtkeeper, 1991).

 James Alcock (1981) expresses fear in his anticipation of psi
 application:

  But what chaos we would have. There would, of course, be no privacy,
  since by extrasensory perception one could see into people's minds.
  Dictators would no longer have to trust the words of their followers;
  they could "know" their feelings... What would happen when two
  adversaries each tried to harm the other via PK? The gunfights of the
  Old American West would probably pale by comparison. (p. 191)

 Pg. 43

 Several scientists have suggested that emotional resistance and fear
 of psi are partly responsible for the opposition to parapsychology
 (e.g., Eisenbud, 1946; Irwin, 1989; LeShan, 1966; Tart, 1982a;
 Wren-Lewis, 1974). The comments of Wren-Lewis are noteworthy; even
 before CSICOP began, he wrote: "_But the plain fact is that the
 clearest evidence of strong emotion nowadays comes from those who have
 antireligious feelings_" (emphasis in the original; Wren-Lewis, 1974,
 p. 43). Alcock's writings provide examples that support this
 contention.

 Vilification of advocates of the paranormal. Several CSICOP members
 portray advocates of the paranormal as loathsome human beings. Accord-
 ing to his book, Henry Gordon frequently proclaims: "Every psychic I
 know or have heard of is an absolute fraud" (1987, p. ix). Medical
 doctor and writer Michael Crichton (1988) (22) observed this tendency
 of the debunkers and wrote: "I was disturbed by the intemperate tone
 of many writers I admired; there was a tendency to attribute the
 basest motives to their opponents" (p. 356).

 Use of ridicule. The use of ridicule is a pervasive element in the
 rhetoric of CSICOP and "SI". Gardner encouraged it by popularizing H.
 L. Mencken's now frequently quoted "one horse-laugh is worth ten
 thousand syllogisms" (Gardner, 1981 , [p. vii]). Lest there be any
 remaining confusion, Gardner later made his position explicit:

  The rest of us did not regard debunking as such a negative word. We
  felt that when pseudoscience is far enough out on the fringes of
  irrationalism, it is fair game for humor, and at times even ridicule.
  (1983a, p. 213)

 Yet another example of belittling the opposition is the subtitle of
 the first edition of Randi's (1980) book, "Flim-Flam!: The Truth About
 Unicorns, Parapsychology, and Other Delusions". The general use of
 ridicule by CSICOP can be seen in the pages of "SI", where caricatures
 and cartoons are used to denigrate those discussed. Such illustrations
 are very rare in scientific journals but are common fare in religious
 magazines such as "American Atheist" and "Free Inquiry".

 Influencing the Media

 The treatment of the paranormal in the media is a primary concern of
 CSICOP. This emphasis is obvious in its "Manual for Local, Regional
 and National Groups" (1987). Seventeen pages are devoted to "Handling
 the Media" and "Public Relations"; in contrast, only three pages are
 given to "Scientific Investigation." No scientific references were
 cited in the "Scientific Investigation" section, but the reader was
 referred to Kurtz's (1986) book, "The Transcendental Temptation", for
 an explanation of the scientific method. (23) The priority given to
 the media is also apparent in many articles in "SI" and in newsletters
 of the local groups.

 Pg. 44

 Kurtz (1985c) recognizes that "the media are a dominant influence in
 the growth of belief in the paranormal" (p. 357), and at one time he
 was reported to appear on 5 to 10 TV or radio shows a week (Bartlett,
 1987), which attests to the priority he gives to the media. In fact,
 the mass media may be the most effective way to communicate with the
 _scientific community regarding the paranormal. McClenon (1984) found
 that most elite scientists form their opinions about parapsychology
 from newspaper reports.

 Nationally aired television programs that treat psychic topics in a
 neutral or positive light are a CSICOP target. The Committee filed a
 complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under the
 Fairness Doctrine regarding the NBC series "Exploring the Unknown"
 (Kurtz, 1977a, 1978d). The FCC rejected the complaint, and CSICOP
 appealed the ruling in U.S. District Court (Kurtz, 1979b). The
 Committee also complained to NBC regarding its program "The Amazing
 World of Psychic Phenomena" (Kurtz, 1979a). CSICOP was especially
 disturbed by the NOVA program, "The Case of ESP," even though a number
 of Committee members were featured in it. CSICOP wrote an open letter
 of complaint to the executive producer, and the cover story of the
 Summer 1984 issue of "SI" was an attack on that NOVA segment.

 One of the long-term projects of CSICOP has been to get every news
 paper astrology column to carry a disclaimer. At the beginning of the
 project, the Committee issued a press release; two weeks later, it
 sent a letter to "all U.S. newspapers," calling on them to publish
 CSICOP's disclaimer (Frazier, 1985). The project has met with limited
 success. The Summer 1986 issue of "SI" noted that six papers then
 carried a statement, and the Spring 1990 magazine reported that 33
 papers did (Frazier, 1990a).

 The Committee has made a concerted effort to cultivate contacts within
 the media. For example, Leon Jaroff, an editor for "Time", was made a
 Fellow of the Committee. He wrote an article for "Time" focusing on
 Randi's debunking work; the piece included a full-page picture of
 Randi (Jaroff, 1988). Needless to say, such publicity would be
 expensive, if purchased. CSICOP publicizes its "Responsibility in
 Journalism" awards, which are given at their conventions, and
 Committee members have presented material at a science workshop for
 journalists (Frazier, 1989a, p. 123).

 Pg. 45

 In the summer of 1990, "SI" carried an announcement of the formation
 of a new organization called the Center for Inquiry ("Center for
 Inquiry," 1990; Flynn, 1990) whose purpose was to promote the
 skeptical view in the electronic media. Tom Flynn, cofounder of
 Catholics Anonymous, was named director. One of the projects was to
 produce a news magazine format radio show with skeptics such as James
 Alcock, Susan Blackmore and Ray Hyman. (For several months the term
 "Center for Inquiry" was used by CSICOP in more than one context; it
 now refers only to the headquarters complex [Karr, 1991].)

 The local groups have been active with the media also. As might be
 expected, the affiliates concern themselves more with local radio and
 newspapers rather than with the national television networks. Some of
 the groups have been especially active. Even as early as its fourth
 meeting, the Austin group listed seven different media contacts or
 appearances for that month. One member volunteered to organize a
 "Psychic Alert" system to contact other members by phone when call-in
 radio shows covered the paranormal (McFadden, 1982). The Cleveland
 society states that they "try to serve as a media resource in
 Northeast Ohio" ("Membership," 1986). One of their members agreed to
 organize a speakers bureau, and others were reported to be developing
 a weekly radio program (O'Connor, 1985). Another issue of their
 newsletter carried an article on how to write effective letters to
 editors (Rickards, 1986). The Colorado organization is likewise
 involved; in a letter from Bela Scheiber dated June 8, 1986 requesting
 payment of dues, it noted that they have "assisted local TV stations
 in news projects. Provided speakers for radio talk shows. Responded to
 articles in the local press." The Northwest Skeptics have been active
 too. Some of the lead articles in their newsletters have such titles
 as "Media & Skeptics" (Dennett, 1985a) and "Skeptics on T.V."
 (Dennett, 1985b) The above are just a _few_ examples. Contact with the
 media is one of the most common topics discussed in newsletters of the
 local groups.

 Magicians' Activities

 The conjurors in CSICOP have influence, and their involvement has
 proven beneficial for both the organization and the magicians. Magic
 performances are frequently included in CSICOP's conferences. Daryl
 Bem performed at the first international conference in 1983, and David
 Berglas performed at the London conference 1985. Three magicians
 performed at the banquet of the 1986 conference held in Colorado, and
 Penn and Teller presented a show at the 1987 convention.

 Many of the local groups have also featured magic performances. Con-
 juror David Alexander performed at a banquet of the Southern
 California Skeptics (Mitchell, 1986); the Cleveland debunkers' group
 arranged for Randi to speak ("Professional Charlatan," 1985), and the
 Houston group presented Steve Shaw as a guest speaker ("HAST Dinner,"
 1987). Rory Coker performed and explained several mentalism effects
 for the Austin society (McFadden, 1983). One of the founding members
 of the National Capital Area Skeptics (NCAS) is Jamy Ian Swiss, an
 active magician who appeared on the September 1987 cover of "Genii".
 Swiss performed a number of times to promote the skeptics, and members
 of NCAS produced a seance show apparently based on Eugene Burger's
 (1986) book "Spirit Theater". One of the most aggressive groups in
 promoting magic has been the Sacramento Skeptics Society . They
 published a column describing fake psychic effects and methods in
 their newsletter, (24) and their March 1987 meeting featured seven
 conjurors.

 Pg. 46

 The educational efforts by magicians are effective in attracting
 publicity to the groups. The conjurors also benefit because
 professional magicians need publicity in order to obtain new bookings.
 Leadership roles in CSICOP and local groups can provide visibility and
 have thus enhanced the careers of several, notably James Randi and
 Robert Steiner.

 Research by magicians. As mentioned earlier, CSICOP conducts no
 research itself, and even the three scientist members of the Executive
 Council have undertaken little research on their own. As far as I
 know, of the three (Alcock, Beyerstein, and Hyman, all psychologists),
 only Hyman has published even one scientific ESP experiment (McClenon
 & Hyman, 1987), and that study fell "short of scientific
 acceptability" under Hyman's (1984-1985, p. 129) own criteria because
 it was not published in refereed journal. In contrast, magician James
 Randi has engaged in much "research," and this has been given frequent
 coverage in the pages of "SI" (e.g., Randi, 1983a, 1983b).

 In 1983, sociologist Harry Collins warned against giving nonscientists
 control over scientific procedures. He spoke specifically of
 conjurors, noting that the magic community is "a group whose values
 include secretiveness and financial self-interest above the quest for
 truth" (Collins, 1983, p. 931). Collins's words were to prove
 prescient, as illustrated by Randi's involvement in the "high
 dilution" affair. In 1988, Jacques Benveniste and colleagues published
 a paper in "Nature" that gave support to some ideas of homeopathy
 (Davenas et al., 1988). After the publication of the Davenas et al.
 report, a small group was named to examine the procedures of the
 experiments, and Randi was appointed as one of the three members. The
 subsequent accounts depict Randi as capitalizing on the opportunity
 for showmanship and disrupting the business of the laboratory
 (Benveniste, 1988). Randi made public innuendoes of fraud and
 incompetence. Later he gave presentations about his involvement.
 During one of them, he mimicked the Gallic mannerisms of Benveniste
 and made highly derogatory comments about "French science"; many in
 the audience were offended (Inglis, 1988b).

 Pg. 47

 "SI" eventually published an article critical of Randi (Shneour,
 1989), though it was relegated to the back pages. Shneour wrote
 specifically of "careless" criticisms, "squander[ing]" "credibility"
 (p. 95), and even noted that there was a "preconceived bias that
 Benveniste's data was fraudulently generated" (p. 94). Both Collins
 (1988) and Shneour (1989) warned that such practices could be
 destructive to the conduct of science. Randi (1990a) had little to say
 in reply. (25)

 Although the magicians in CSICOP have attacked psychics, they have
 said very little about people such as Kreskin,(26) David Hoy, or other
 similar entertainers who are well connected in the magic community.
 (27) Many mentalists maintain that performers should claim genuine
 abilities even if they do not believe in them. Certainly Randi, Ray
 Hyman, and Martin Gardner (28) are well aware of this situation, yet
 they rarely, if ever, criticize publicly such performers. Hyman holds
 membership in the Psychic Entertainers Association, which has a number
 of members who encourage performers to falsely claim psychic
 abilities. If Gardner, Hyman, or Randi undertook an expose, they would
 likely antagonize the conjuring establishment.

 Pg. 48

 Protesting the Paranormal in Academia

 Another task of the local groups has been to protest courses favorable
 to the paranormal. CSICOP encouraged such opposition by publishing an
 article, "Pseudoscience in the Name of the University," subtitled:
 "What Should be Done About Extension Courses That Use the University's
 Prestige to Promote Pseudoscience?" (Lederer & Singer, 1983). This
 piece decried the growing number of such courses affiliated with
 universities. (29) It appears that not all local affiliates have been
 active in these protests, but some have (e.g., "CSU Sells
 Pseudoscience," 1988a, 1988b; Dennett 1985-1986; "Psychics and
 Skeptics," 1985; Scheiber, 1986). The efforts have been directed
 primarily toward noncredit courses in adult education programs, but
 some have targeted university courses for credit. Not surprisingly,
 these campaigns generated antagonism toward the groups, and in the
 Pendragon case, discussed later, legal action was taken because of
 such a campaign. In November 1987, CSICOP issued a short statement
 saying that academic institutions should "ensure that there is a
 proper procedure for the approval of the content of such courses and
 that the persons teaching such courses should have the appropriate
 training and qualifications" ("CSICOP statement," 1987).

 Other routes have been taken to promote skeptical views within aca-
 demia. Some of the local groups offer courses, lecture series, and
 workshops on the paranormal. Others have awarded prizes for essay
 contests and science fairs, and CSICOP has instituted a campus lecture
 series (Sandhu, 1990). The 1991 conference had a session titled
 "Teaching Critical Thinking With the "Skeptical Inquirer." (30)

                             NEW HORIZONS

 In a 1986 editorial, Kendrick Frazier discussed CSICOP's broadening
 horizons. He indicated that the Committee would revise its scope to
 include topics outside the paranormal. Some of the topics listed were
 creationism, chiropractic, dream interpretation, and arthritis cures.
 The cultural scene of the paranormal has been continually shifting,
 and CSICOP has had to slightly redefine its role.

 New Topics
 Opposition to the creationists is one activity that attracted
 attention. The Southern California Skeptics enlisted the aid of 72
 Nobel laureates in filing an _amicus curiae_ brief regarding a
 Louisiana statute promoting creationism (Seckel, 1986-1987). This
 provided CSICOP with increased visibility and attracted allies in its
 battle against the paranormal. The National Center for CSICOP also
 involves itself in the medical arena and has a "Paranormal Health
 Claims Subcommittee." Recently, "SI" has included a few articles
 addressing fringe areas of medicine. Prometheus Books published a book
 by two philosophers attacking holistic medicine (Stalker & Glymour,
 1985). (Stalker is a CSICOP member.) The National Council Against
 Health Fraud made CSICOP an affiliate. They too have joined the battle
 against the paranormal and published an article decrying Shirley
 MacLaine in their newsletter ("Is Shirley MacLaine," 1987) .

 Pg. 49

 As can be seen in Figure 1, the circulation of "SI" has stagnated
 after rapid growth. This must be of concern to the Committee. In a
 recent note, Frazier (1990b) indicated that more attention was being
 given to "science, critical inquiry, and science education" (p. 116).
 This further suggests that CSICOP is striving to define its role.
 Media interest in the paranormal can vary, and during some periods the
 paranormal is not always considered newsworthy. Alternative topics may
 attract attention when the paranormal fails to do so. However, there
 are some hazards in diversification. If the Committee becomes too
 broadly focused, it runs the risk of losing its identity. Whereas
 there are already a number of organizations engaged in the fights
 against creationism and quackery, CSICOP has yet to demonstrate that
 it has something new to offer in these arenas.

 The New Age

 Perhaps the most pertinent cultural change during CSICOP's existence
 has been the rise of the New Age movement (Melton, Clark, & Kelly,
 1990). The occult explosion of the 1970s resulted in an increased
 level of belief in the paranormal. A number of participants in the
 psychic boom were then in their early and mid-twenties. These people
 have moved into positions of some financial and political power and
 now form the base for what is called the New Age movement. In fact,
 several major publications have run stories on this movement
 (e.g.,"New York Times" [Lindsey, 1986] "U.S. News and World Report"
 [Levine, Kyle, & Dworkin, 1987]; "Wall Street Journal" [Hughes,
 1987]). It is not possible to provide a crisp definition for the New
 Age, but typically it is associated with channeling, wholistic health,
 use of crystals, Eastern thought, and psychic abilities. It can be
 characterized as a network in flux rather than a rigid hierarchical
 structure (Ferguson, 1980), and there is no agreed upon institutional
 leadership that might provide inertia and clear identity. The New Age
 is partly a search for religious and spiritual values, and Hastings
 (1991, p. 195) suggested that it is a "revitalization movement," a
 term introduced by anthropologist A. F. C. Wallace (1956). From a
 sociological perspective, the growth of CSICOP might be seen as a
 reaction to this movement.

 Many aspects of the New Age are opposed by CSICOP, and the Com-
 mittee's 1988 conference focused on them (Shore, 1989) as did the Sum-
 mer 1989 issue of "SI". "SI" articles on the New Age are usually
 derogatory and rarely display the disinterested scientific analysis
 found in papers presented at scientific conferences such as those of
 the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion and the Religious
 Research Association.

 Pg. 50

 Legal Concerns

 One of the problems that will confront the Committee for some time to
 come is the issue of libel. This problem first emerged with the local
 affiliates. The cofounder of the Northwest Skeptics, John Merrell,
 sent press packages to news agencies claiming that psychic Noreen
 Renier was misleading the public with fraudulent claims. Renier sued
 and won a judgment of $25,000 (Auerbach, 1991; Guarino, 1986). In
 1986, Gharith Pendragon began a battle with the Hawaii Skeptics. He
 alleged that he lost teaching positions because of pressure the Hawaii
 Skeptics brought to bear. This led to a publicized legal fight, and
 CSICOP was named in the suit. It was ultimately settled in CSICOP's
 favor (Frazier, 1989b), but it undoubtedly cost the Committee
 considerable time and money. Shortly after the beginning of the
 Pendragon battle, CSICOP attempted to distance itself somewhat from
 the local groups and no longer referred to them as affiliates.

 But it is not only statements by the local groups that have caused
 problems. Randi's statements have drawn fire. In an interview for
 "Twilight Zone Magazine (Wiater, 1988) and at a meeting of the New
 York Area skeptics, Randi claimed that Eldon Byrd, a friend of Uri
 Geller, was a child molester and in prison. The New York Skeptic later
 admitted this was untrue ("Geller Files," 1989), but Byrd sued, naming
 CSICOP as one of the defendants. Randi also claimed that Geller had
 launched a blackmail campaign against him (Wiater, 1988), and Geller
 also filed a number of suits against Randi and CSICOP (Moseley,
 1991b). This led to Randi's resignation from the Committee to avoid
 its being named in subsequent suits. Several newsletters published an
 appeal from Randi (1991) that said "I'm in trouble folks. I need
 help." The battle attracted wide media attention, including the "Wall
 Street Journal" (Marcus, 1991) and "Scientific American" (Rennie,
 1991). Whatever the outcomes, these legal battles will undoubtedly
 prove costly, and according to Mike Sullivan (1991) of the North Texas
 Skeptics, "Paul Kurtz warned at the 1991 convention in May that the
 Committee may not be around for the next annual convention" because of
 financial problems.

                               CONCLUSIONS

 CSICOP has exerted enormous effort and mobilized considerable re-
 sources in its battle against the paranormal. Some of the leaders have
 devoted much of their professional careers to the cause. Their
 strenuous activity attests to the Committee's belief in the importance
 of the truth or falsity of parapsychological claims and their
 significance for mankind.

 Pg. 51

 Although recognizing the importance of the paranormal, CSICOP elected
 not to conduct scientific research, but rather it has undertaken an
 extended public relations campaign. The Committee actively attempts to
 influence the media, and it has complained to the FCC under the
 Fairness Doctrine. CSICOP seeks endorsements from scientific
 luminaries, despite the fact that few, if any, of these luminaries
 have ever published scientific research on the paranormal. CSICOP has
 also fostered a grass roots movement that assists it in influencing
 popular opinion. These activities display more parallels with
 political campaigns than with scientific endeavors.

 CSICOP's message has often been well received, particularly among
 scientific leaders. The growth of CSICOP, the circulation figures of
 "SI", and the academic credentials of its readership prove that there
 is wide interest in the paranormal among the most highly educated
 members of our society. Many readers of "SI" undoubtedly assume that
 CSICOP presents the best available scientific evidence. The readers
 are rarely told of the existence of refereed scientific journals that
 cover parapsychology. The effect of CSICOP's activities is to create a
 climate of hostility toward the investigation of paranormal claims;
 indeed, at one CSICOP conference, the announcement of the closing of
 several parapsychology laboratories was greeted with cheers.

 Surveys show that over half the adult population in the U.S. have had
 psychic experiences and believe in the reality of the phenomena
 (Gallup, 1982; Greeley, 1975, 1987; Haraldsson & Houtkooper, 1991).
 Those who have had the experiences but encounter the debunking
 attitudes of apparent "scientific authorities" are likely to conclude
 that science is a dogma and inapplicable to important aspects of their
 lives. Vallee (1990) has suggested that debunkers "are among the
 primary contributors to the rejection of science by the public" and
 are "contributing to the growth of irrational movements in modern
 society" (p. 21). Ironically, CSICOP's activities will likely inhibit
 scientific research on the paranormal and might potentially foster an
 increased rejection of science generally.
 -- END --

 FOOTNOTES
 ---------

 1 - An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 30th Annual
 Convention of the Parapsychological Association, Edinburgh University,
 Edinburgh, Scotland, August 5-8, 1987.

 2 - I would like to thank Michaeleen Maher, Keith Harary, Robert
 Durant, and Marcello Truzzi for commenting on earlier drafts of this
 paper. I would also like to thank Marcello Truzzi, William Rauscher,
 Jerome Clark, Diane Morton, and Tom Melver for providing materials.

 3 - Pronounced "sigh cop."

 4 - There are groups that have scientifically investigated psychic
 claims, notably the Society for Psychical Research, founded in 1882,
 and the American Society for Psychical Research, founded in 1885. The
 Parapsychological Association, established in 1957, is an association
 of professional researchers and is affiliated with the American
 Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

 5 -  A fourth group, conservative Christians, have also attacked the
 paranormal (e.g., North, 1988; for an overview of some recent works,
 see Lewis, 1989). Though their literature is sizeable, it has had
 little impact on secular academic debates, but it should not be
 overlooked when considering the paranormal in larger social contexts.

 6 - Lamont was made Honorary President of the American Humanist
 Association in 1974, shortly before it sponsored the formation of
 CSICOP.

 7 - Haldane, Lamont, and McCabe were all promoters of the Stalinist
 U.S.S.R.

 8 - The reader should not be left with the impression that only
 skeptics are associated with rationalist positions. Several pyschical
 researchers have been allied with rationalism, atheism, and humanism.

 9 -  A couple years later, Kurtz garnered media attention by promoting
 his "Humanist Manifesto II" (1973; Martin, 1973).

 10 - Before the study, Kurtz (1975) had expressed strong opposition to
 astrology. In a lengthy editorial, he urged newspapers to label their
 astrology columns as follows: "Warning: If taken seriously, this
 column may be dangerous to your health!" (emphasis in original, p 20).
 This suggests a strong bias in anticipated outcome of the research, a
 charge CSICOP members have made regarding proponents of the
 paranormal.

 11 -  Atheism may or may not be considered a religion. However,
 atheism is clearly a religious position or religious view.

 12 - Kurtz retired from the university in 1991 (personal communication
 from Paul Kurtz, August 14, 1991).

 13 -  Kurtz's definition of religion seems rather broad. For instance,
 he denounced the movie 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind', calling
 it a "sequel to 'The Ten Commandments', 'Ben Hur', and other religious
 extravaganzas" (Kurtz, 1978c, p. 4), and he went on to decry the
 religious symbolism in it.

 14 - Gerald Piel, former president of the AAAS and editor of
 "Scientific American", made the decision against Mims. Shortly
 thereafter, Piel gave the keynote address at CSICOP's 1990 convention
 and received the Committee's "In Praise of Reason Award" (Shore,
 1990).

 15 - As of March 1991, the Executive Council included James Alcock,
 Barry Beyerstein, Kendrick Frazier, Martin Gardner, Ray Hyman, Philip
 Klass, Paul Kurtz, Joe Nickell, Lee Nisbet, and James Randi (personal
 communication from Barry Karr, March 12, 1991). In May 1991, James
 Randi resigned because of legal problems, and Susan Blackmore became a
 member shortly before that. Blackmore's role on the Executive Council
 will not be considered in this paper because she has not served long
 enough to substantially influence policy; of course, Randi's
 contribution will be discussed.

 16 - The Board of Directors consists of Alcock, Frazier, Kurtz, and
 Nisbet.

 17 - The Summer 1991 issue of "SI" listed 55 Fellows and 58
 Consultants (113 official members). The same day I interviewed Kurtz,
 Barry Karr, CSICOP Executive Director, told me that CSICOP had about
 200 members. This directly contradicted Kurtz. I was told that a full
 list of members was not available.

 18 - Seckel wrote at least three articles for "SI"; he edited two
 volumes published by Prometheus Books. Seckel's picture appeared three
 times in "Sl"; two of these were taken by Executive Council member,
 Philip Klass; the thud included Klass. Randi served on the board of
 directors of SCS. Seckel served on CSICOP's College and University
 Lecture Series Sub-committee along with Paul Kurtz and Ray Hyman. The
 leadership of CSICOP was well acquainted with Seckel.

 19 - Despite their self-portrayal as a small, struggling minority, the
 circulation of "SI" dwarfs that of the scientific parapsychology
 journals, as seen in Figure 1 .

 20 - This can be compared with a published statement made by Gardner
 (Barcellos, 1979, p. 242).

 21 - Elsewhere I have described this strategy as "dissuading as
 debunking," as displayed in articles by Ray Hyman (Hansen, 1991). By
 implying that there is little or no scientific parapsychological
 research, readers are dissuaded from locating the refereed scientifc
 jour- nals and examining the reports themselves.

 22 - Crichton had originally prepared a lecture after a promise from
 CSICOP Fellow Paul MacCready to secure an invitation to speak to the
 Southern California Skeptics. The invitation never came, and Crichton
 included the prepared talk as a 23-page chapter in his book. The
 Public Relations Director of CSICOP reviewed Crichton's book for "SI"
 but did not even allude to the chapter dealing with CSICOP and the
 skeptics (Karr, 1989).

 23 - Among other things, "The Transcendental Temptation" suggested
 that Jesus and Lazarus had a homosexual relationship.

 24 - These columns sometimes have been taken word for word from
 "Magick", a newsletter for mentalists (e.g., compare the column in
 "Psientific American", July 1986, pp. 3-4, with "Magick", No. 316, pp.
 1577-1578; or "Psientific American", January 1987, pp. 5-6, with
 "Magick", No. 322, p. 1609; no credit was given to "Magick"). Terence
 Sandbeck, president of the Sacramento Skeptics Society, admitted he
 was responsible for this (personal communication, April 4, 1987).

 25 - Randi's antics should have come as no surprise to members of
 CSICOP because he has engaged in similar behavior in relation to psi
 research. Krippner (1977), Rao (1984), Targ and Puthoff (1977, pp.
 182-186), and Tart (1982b) have all documented glaring errors of
 Randi. Dennis Stillings has demonstrated that "Randi is capable of
 gross distortion of facts" (Truzzi, 1987, p. 89). Randi has been
 quoted as saying, "I always have an out" with regard to his $10,000
 challenge (Rawlins, 1981, p. 89). Puthoff and Targ (1977) documented a
 number of mistakes. In a published, handwritten, signed letter, Randi
 replied offering $1,000 if any claimed error could be demonstrated
 (see Fuller, 1979). Fuller proved Randi wrong. In a rejoinder to
 Puthoff and Targ (1977), Randi reversed himself (for a clear example,
 see point number 15 in Randi, 1982, p. 223). Randi should have paid
 the $1,000, but he never did.

 26 - Kreskin appeared at the 1991 CSICOP convention as an authority on
 hypnosis, and a recent Prometheus catalog advertises one of his books.
 Surprisingly, Kreskin (1973) claims psychic ability (e.g., "In using
 ESP as a form of communication, I receive information in images rather
 than in symbols" [p. 8]; "_by telepathic suggestion alone_, I ordered
 her to choose Albuquerque, which she did" [p. 40]). His more recent
 publicity material makes similar claims (e.g., "The Amazing Kreskin:
 Biography," 1988).

 27 - A rare exception was a brief attack on Russ Burgess, a member of
 the Psychic Entertainers Association (Rawlins, 1977, pp. 74-75).

 28 - Earlier in his career, Gardner wrote an article under a pseudonym
 suggesting that magician Stanley Jaks had genuine psychic powers
 (Groth, 1952) (personal communication, June 7, 1989).

 29 - Ironically, this article was coauthored by CSICOP member Barry
 Singer, who was charged with "inappropriate" teaching of his own
 course. He lost his academic position because he openly gave students
 credit for sexual experiences (Singer, 1982/83). CSICOP member Vern
 Bullough (1982/83) stated that "Singer's account...raises serious
 questions of ethics" and "he quite obviously violated the rights of
 his students" (p. 10).

 30 - An article by Swords (1990) indirectly suggests that the use of
 "SI" might not be altogether effective. Science Education, an
 anticreationist group, has lumped psi with creationism and health
 quackery in its literature (e.g., its brochure titled "What Can _You_
 Do About Anti-Evolutionism?", undated).

 ----
                          Table 1

       Magicians Who Are Or Have Been Official Members Of CSICOP

                          Richard Busch
                          Shawn Carlson
                          Milbourne Christopher*+
                          Persi Diaconis*+
                          Eric Dingwall*
                          Martin Gardner*+
                          Henry Gordon*
                          Ray Hyman*
                          Joe Nickell
                          Mark Plummer
                          James Randi*+
                          Robert Steiner*
                          Marcello Truzzi*

 ----

 * = indicates sufficiently known to be included in "Who's Who in Magic
 (Whaley, 1990)

 + = indicates sufficient prominence to be included in "The
 Encyclopedia Of Magic and Magicians" (Waters, 1988)

 ----


                          Table 2

          DISTRIBUTION OF MEN AND WOMEN IN SKEPTICS' GROUPS

                     Scientific and          Leaders of Local Groups
         Fellows    Technical Consultants

 Men        53              52                      38
 Women       3               4                       2


   Figures based on pages 447-448 and the inside covers of the Summer
   1990 issue of the "Skeptical Inquirer."

 -----



                            Table 3

 Members of CSICOP who have _publically_ identified themselves as
 holding nontheistic or atheistic views

 ===============================================================

 CSICOP Member                             Source of Information

 ----------------------------------------------------------------

 George Abell                      Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Isaac Asimov                      Free Inquiry, Spring 1982, p. 9
 Brand Blanshard                   Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Vern Bullough                     Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Mario Bunge                       Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Bette Chambers                    Humanist, Sept/October 1973, p. 9*
 Francis Crick                     Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Jean Dommanget                    Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Paul Edwards                      Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Antony Flew                       Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Yves Galifret                     Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Murray Gell-Mann                  Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Stephen Jay Gould                 Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Sidney Hook                       Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Marvin Kohl                       Humanist, Nov/December 1973, p. 5*
 Paul Kurtz                        Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Gerald A. Larue                   Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Paul MacCready                    Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 Ernest Nagel                      Free Inquiry, Fall I988, p. 59+
 John W. Patterson                 American Atheist, May 1983, p. 12-14
 Mark Plummer                      American Atheist, June 1983, p.29-33
 W. V. Quine                       Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 59+
 James Randi                       Who's Who In America (1990, p. 2683)
 Carl Sagan                        Free Inquiry, Fall 1988 p. 59+
 Al Seckel                         Free Inquiry, Summer 1986, p. 54
 B.F. Skinner                      Humanist, Sept/October 1973, p. 9*
 Gordon Stein                      Free Inquiry, Fall 1988, p. 48-50
 Robert Steiner                    Robertson (1984)
 Marvin Zimmerman                  Humanist, Sept/October 1973, p. 9*

 ======================================================================

   + See "The Academy of Humanism" (1983) for statement on nontheistic
   beliefs.

   * See "Humanist Manifesto II" (1973), p. 5, for statement
   on nontheistic beliefs.

 ----

 ** EOF **

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