Practical skepticism
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First learn-and then remind yourself every day-that simply because you read something in a book, magazine or newspaper, it does not automatically follow that it is true.
Steve Allen, "Dumbth" page 300
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Index
Mathematical fallacies has moved to its own page
Fallacies, tricks and errors has moved to its own page.
This is my guide to do-it-yourself skepticism. It is geared toward debunking the anti- environmental "brownlash" movement, but the advice is relevant to any topic. There are several reasons for this page.
1. It will help you avoid being deceived by bunk, wether from a salesman, a politician, a commentator or a "wise use" group.
2. It can help you win debates, write better letters to the editor, etc.
3. It will help you avoid making these mistakes yourself.
4. There is no way that I (or anyone else) will ever be able to debunk all of the myths about the environment, or any other subject
Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Times. By Michael Shermer, W. H. Freeman and Company, 1997. Includes a chapter on how to be a skeptic.
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, By Carl Sagan, Ballantine Books, 1996. Includes a chapter on The Fine Art of Baloney Detection.
How to Think about Weird Things: Critical Thinking for a New Age by Theodore Schick, Jr. and Lewis Vaughn, Mayfield Publishing Company, 1995-1999. A thought provoking book.
The Betrayal of Science and Reason: How Anti-Environmental Rhetoric Threatens Our Future by Paul and Anne Ehrlich, Island Press, 1996.
Abusing Science: The Case Against Creationism, by Philip Kitcher, The MIT Press, 1982. An excellent debunking of "creation science"
Distinguishing Science and Pseudoscience
Better Read That Again: Web Hoaxes and Misinformation
Jim Lippard's Skeptical Information is one of the best directories of skepticism on the web.
The Skeptic's Dictionary looks at a wide range of topics.
LCC Library links: Myths and Hoaxes has links to topics such as computer virus hoaxes and urban myths.
Bad Science links to pages that point out errors and misconceptions about science.
In Abuses of Skepticism Chris Mooney takes on those who use claims of skepticism to deny such things as human caused climate change.
The Skeptic (Vol. 9 # 2) has excerpts from Bjørn Lomborg's The Skeptical Environmentalist and a critical review by David Pimentel. The issue also has a lengthy excerpt from E. O. Wilson's The Future of Life.
"Public Relations Blue Smoke, Mirrors, and Designer Science: How the Public Relations Industry Compromises Democracy" by Brian Siano, The Skeptic (Vol. 7. No.1, 1999, pages 45 to 55). Looks at how the PR industry (including Steven Milloy and Elizabeth Whelan) is affecting the public's perception of science.
In "Environmentalists Cause Malaria! (And Other Myths of the "Wise Use" Movement}' The Humanist January/February 1995, pp 10-15, and "Trees and Volcanoes Cause Smog! (More Myths from the "Wise Use" Movement}" The Humanist January/February 1996, pp 29-34,.skeptic Tim Callahan takes the reader through the steps he used to evaluate claims made by Dixy Lee Ray.
The Skeptic (Vol. 5. No.1, 1997) has a special section on the environment. It includes the "World's Scientists Warning to Humanity", an interview with economist Julian Simon, and "Counterscience & Conservation: The Not-So-Wise Use Movement." The latter is somewhat disappointing, having more to do with the political tactics of the "wise use" movement than their misuse of science.
Leftist Science & Skeptical Rhetoric is a review by Jeffrey Shallit of Gross and Levitt's Higher Superstition. Shallit is very critical of the book's comments about the environmental movement.
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Written by Jim Norton
Visit my Anti-environmental myths home page.
The text on these pages may be freely copied, distributed and posted as long as my name, this statement and the URL (http://info-pollution.com/skeptic.htm) are included.