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S K E PT I CI S M . S C I E N C E . S O C I E T Y
Vol 39, No 3. September 2019
Helping
Kids
Think
+Diet - Carnivore v Vegan
Review: Mahogany Ship
Australian Skeptics . www.skeptics.com.au
Skeptic_Cover_SEP19.indd 1 1/09/2019 5:03 pm
The Skeptic September 19
S kep t i c a l Gro u p s i n A u s tra l ia
NSW VIC
Australian Skeptics Inc – Alethea Dean Australian Skeptics (Victorian Branch) Inc – Chris Guest
www.skeptics.com.au PO Box 5166, Melbourne VIC 3001
PO Box 20, Beecroft, NSW 2119 Tel: 0403 837 339 vic@skeptics.com.au
Tel: 02 8094 1894; Mob: 0432 713 195; Fax: (02) 8088 4735
nsw@skeptics.com.au Skeptics’ Café – third Monday of every month, with guest
speaker, at the Dan O’Connell Hotel, 225 Canning St, Carlton.
Sydney Skeptics in the Pub – 6pm first Thursday of each Meal from 6pm, speaker at 8pm sharp.
month at the Occidental Hotel, York Street in the city, near More details on our web site www.skeptics.com.au/vic
Wynyard Park (meeting second floor)
Dinner meetings are held on a regular basis.
Ballarat Skeptics in the Pub
http://facebook.com/groups/3978112230309544
Hunter Skeptics – John Turner
Tel: (02) 4959 6286 johnafturner@westnet.com.au
Gippsland Skeptics in the Pub
Occasional social meetings at the Cricketers Arms Hotel, Cooks Interested parties contact Mark Guerin or Martin Christian Power
Hill. Those on the contact list will be sent details in advance. via the Gippsland Skeptics page: https://www.facebook.com/
Currently meeting at 12.30 on third Sunday of each odd-numbered groups/291929110900396/?ref=bookmarks
month.
Melbourne Eastern Hills Skeptics in the Pub
Blue Mountains Skeptics Contact: Andrew Rawlings andrew.rawlings@bigpond.com
See Facebook for details. Tel: 0438 043 050
hyyp://groupspaces.com/meh-sitp
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Melbourne-Eastern-Hills
Coffs Coast Skeptics & Freethinkers
See Facebook for details. Skeptics-in-the-Pub/19241290737690
Meets second Monday of each month at The Knox Club,
Wantirna South.
ACT
Canberra Skeptics – Lauren Kelly
PO Box 555, Civic Square ACT 2608 Melbourne Skeptics in the Pub
www.canberraskeptics.org.au Tel: 0410 382 306 See Facebook for details.
mail@canberraskeptics.org.au (general inquiries), Meets on the fourth Monday of every month from 6 pm at the
arthwollipot@gmail.com (Canberra Skeptics in the Pub). Mt View Hotel in Richmond.
A free monthly talk, open to the public - check website for details
Skeptics in the Pub gather at 1pm on the third Sunday of each Mordi Skeptics in the Pub
month at King O’Malleys Pub in Civic. For up-to-date details: http://www.meetup.com/Mordi-Skeptics-in-the-Pub/
www.meetup.com/ SocialSkepticsCanberra/ Meets at 7.30pm on the first Tuesday of each month at the
Mordialloc Sporting Club. ($4 to cover website costs)
For details on Skeptical groups in other states and territories, see inside back coverVolume 39 • No 3 September 19
C ont e n t s
REPORTS
Chiro Wars
Ken McLeod
9 9
F E AT U R E S
18
12
The Moral Argument 12
20
Sue Knight
While They’re Young 18
Richard Saunders
The Early Bird 20
Scott Lilienfeld
Teach Your Children Well
ACARA
22
22
ARTICLES
27 34
Meat and Veg 27
Larsen, Noble, Joannes-Boyau
Mahogany: Ship Ahoy 34
Bob Nixon
42
Mahogany: Divining 42
Steve Hynes
Mahogany: Conspiracy 46
Denis Gojak
REGULARS 54
Editorial 4
Around the Traps 5
49
Them! 10
Puzzles page 16
Logical Place 45
Book reviews 49
What Goes Around 54
Forum 56
Letters 59
Quotable Quotes 62EDITORIAL
On your way to the shops
C ritical thinking is a fundamental
aspect of science and skepticism.
It is – or should be – the basis of
probably think of a critical thinking
aspect to every subject – some pretty
mundane, such as which tool to use in
scientific and skeptical method. In woodwork, but certainly applicable.
fact, some have suggested that “critical And that’s the point. Critical
thinking” might be a better term for thinking is everywhere and it’s ISSN 0726-9897
what we currently call “skepticism”, teachable, and it’s … well … critical. Quarterly Journal of
the latter having a lot of negative Your editor has given talks to Australian Skeptics Inc
associations and misunderstandings. groups of all ages on critical thinking (ABN 90 613 095 379)
(Consider an organisation, Australian – school kids to senior citizens. Editor
Critical Thinkers – ACT now!) Explaining to people that they use Tim Mendham
But what is often misunderstood critical thinking every day, often
about “critical thinking” is how without thinking too much about it Editorial Board
intrinsic it is to everything we do. being critical, is not as hard as it might Steve Roberts
Mention the term to some people, sound, especially if you couch it in Eran Segev
and they imagine an esoteric branch everyday situations. Martin Hadley
of philosophy that will be full of Deciding how to get to school or Design Services
technical jargon and academic terms the senior citizens’ meeting is a matter Nova Consulting P/L
that are hard to understand and it’s of weighing evidence, experience, and
just for people in the ivory tower efficacy – what does it cost, how long All correspondence to:
and how will it help me with the will it will take, how close is the bus Australian Skeptics Inc
shopping. stop/car park, are there things I can do PO Box 20
And that’s exactly the point. on the way, should I be energetic or Beecroft NSW 2119
The special feature in this issue of energy conservative (feet or wheels). Australia
The Skeptic covers various aspects The same applies to buying a fridge
of teaching critical thinking to kids. – you make a decision on model, Contact details
How can you teach such an esoteric capacity, brand, reliability, delivery, Tel: +61 (0)2 8094 1894
and academic topic to the littlies? energy usage, even the colour and Mob: +61 (0)432 713 195
How well are they able to consider whether you should have a freezer on Fax: +61 (0)2 8088 4735
an approach to thinking that will the bottom or the top or the side. editor@skeptics.com.au
help them to make sense of the world This is critical thinking in the real www.skeptics.com.au
and to make decisions? How is it world, and when you demonstrate this
associated with creative thinking and to your audience, they get the point. The Skeptic is published four times
ethics? How young can you start? The next step of the discussion is per year by Australian Skeptics Inc.
And what’s it like on the cutting edge, where you don’t use critical thinking, Views and opinions expressed in articles
getting a bunch of fidgety kids to and many (most?) people do not use and letters in The Skeptic are those of
put down their phones and watch a critical thinking on their choice of the authors, and are not necessarily
demonstration of someone lying on a religion. It’s often a matter of parental those of Australian Skeptics Inc.
bed of nails? influence, followed by a desire not Articles may be reprinted with
permission and with due acknowledge-
The point is, it can be done. And it to think too critically if the beliefs
ment to The Skeptic.
can be done in a school and it should are challenged. Kids get this readily,
All effort is made to ensure correct
be done in every subject at school. almost begrudgingly. (Do I have to go
acknowledgement of all contributions.
The Australian Curriculum lays out to Sunday school?)
We are happy to update credit when so
how critical thinking processes should The point is that critical thinking
informed.
be incorporated into virtually every is real, everyday, teachable, and we are
school lesson. Science, mathematics, already doing it.
English literature, and history are
fairly obvious candidates, but what
about languages, art and PE. If
go to the shops. .
Think about that the next time you Editorial submission deadline
for the next issue:
November 1, 2019
- Tim Mendham, editor
you put your mind to it, you could
4NEWS The Skeptic September 19
Around the traps...
Africa set to be declared polio free
AFRICA: Nigeria is set to mark three around 20,000 cases every year at the
years since it saw its last case of polio beginning of the millennium.
– an important landmark on the road That just leaves two countries
to official eradication of this deadly in the world where the disease
childhood disease. is still endemic – Pakistan and
Nigeria is the last country in Africa to Afghanistan. Afghanistan has made security situation in Pakistan has
record wild poliovirus infections, but if great strides in eliminating the disease hampered eradication efforts and three
no more cases are found in the next few with just 12 cases this year. However, vaccinators were shot in April.
months the whole continent could soon there has been a resurgence in Meanwhile, research on Ebola has
be declared polio free. Pakistan where there have been 53 identified a 100% effective vaccine
Wiping out the disease in Africa
is a huge milestone as there were still
cases of the disease so far this year,
compared to just 12 last year. A poor .
and medications that produce a 90%
survival rate.
NHMRC releases draft homeopathy report Britt Hermes successful
AUS: The National Health & Medical report had many issues with the studies GERMANY: Britt Hermes has
Research Council is releasing an it was using. been successful in the defamation
unfinished draft report of an overview The statement by NHMRC contin- law suit brought against her by US
of systematic reviews of homeopathy ues: “To address this misinformation, naturopath Colleen Huber. On May
that was started in 2012 as a part of NHMRC is providing an anno- 24, 2019, the District Court of
the Homeopathy Review, but never tated version of the report. This shows Kiel, Germany ruled against Huber
completed. NHMRC’s concerns with the report in the lawsuit that she had brought
A statement says that “There have and why it did not progress to be used against Hermes in September 2017.
been a number of enquiries about the in the Homeopathy Review that pro- Hermes is a former naturopath
draft report and requests for its release. duced the NHMRC Statement on Ho- herself, whose investigations and
NHMRC’s Chief Executive Officer meopathy and NHMRC Information experience in the field led her to cast
[Prof Anne Kelso] Paper: Evidence of serious doubt on much naturopathic
is aware of ongoing the effectiveness of treatments. She has since written
community interest homeopathy for extensively on the subject in her
in the content of this treating health con- blog, Naturopathic Diaries.
draft report, and that ditions (2015). She says that “I was able to
there is a substantial “The [2012] stand up to Huber’s legal thuggery
body of information report was never because the science and skeptic
about it.” completed and has communities rallied around me. The
The existence not undergone the massive fundraising efforts, led by
and non-release of usual NHMRC Australian Skeptics Inc, allowed me
the draft has been quality assurance to cover my legal bills, so I could
the foundation of steps. The Council continue my PhD studies and focus
conspiracy theories made by the pro- of NHMRC has not considered it or on my pregnancy and birth of a
homeopathy community, including endorsed.” healthy baby girl. (I actually found
a submission to the Commonwealth While the NHMRC recommends out I was pregnant the same day I
Ombudsman by various homeopathy interested parties seek out the 2015 learned of the lawsuit.)”
and CAM groups asking for its report, copies of the 2012 draft can be Regular updates and background
release. These theories suggest that the downloaded from nhmrc.gov.au/health- to the case have been posted on the
draft contained substantive proof of
homeopathy’s efficacy. Rather, the draft medicine. .
advice/all-topics/complementary-
.
Australian Skeptics’ website over the
past two years.
5 23NEWS
Bent Spoon nominations for pharmacy Skepticon tickets
group and Newcastle University available
AUS: Good Price course mention AUS: Skepticon 2019, the Australian
Pharmacy has been naturopathy, Skeptics National Convention, is on
nominated for this iridology, in December in Melbourne. Featured
year’s Bent Spoon acupuncture, international speakers include the
for a magazine called reflexology, whole Skeptics Guide to the Universe
Natural Health kinesiology and crew, and Wikipediatrician and
Crusader which is in homeopathy (to psychic buster Susan Gerbic.
reality an advertising name a few). The Other speakers include Jo Thornely,
channel for Caruso Natural Health notes show that the course endorses Professor Fiona Fidler, Dr Sue Ieraci,
Products, including an interview “How all these as being sound and even gives Ross Balch, Dr Brad McKay, Tina
Pete Evans Changed our Lives”. references to papers. Hanigan, Brendan O’Brien, Matt
A spokesperson for the pharmacy Other nominations this year include: Nurse and “Australia’s Honest Con
chain said the group was “disappointed • SBS for its Medicine or Myth series; Man” Nicholas J Johnson.
to hear of our nomination… and • Dr Thierry Beths, head of
feel this nomination is unwarranted.” anaesthesia and pain management, The convention schedule is:
It wasn’t their fault if a supplier put and Assistant Professor in Veterinary • Thursday, December 5 – trivia night
out a magazine with pseudomedicine Anaesthesia and Analgesia at the • Friday, December 6 – welcome
and then the pharmacies gave it to University of Melbourne, and the event in the evening
customers. University itself, for promoting • Saturday December 7 and Sunday
“The magazine is not endorsed by animal acupuncture and Traditional December 8 – main convention
Good Price Pharmacy Warehouse and is Chinese Veterinary Medicine at the (with the convention dinner on the
not actively distributed”. It just happens University of Melbourne’s U-Vet evening of December 7).
to be on the counter. Werribee Animal Hospital; and Further information is available on the
University of Newcastle has also been
nominated for offering a course in com-
plementary medicine for nursing degree
• Peter ‘The Rainmaker” Stevens for
his rainmaking device that uses
focussed mirrors, infrared energy
We look forward to seeing you there..
convention website - skepticon.org.au.
students (NURS2163 Complementary and magnets to “create an intense
Therapies in Healthcare). This is being warm section of air that charges
taught as a second year elective course
for nursing degrees alongside normal
particles in the atmosphere causing
clouds to form and rain”.
NZ Skeptics conference
science-based courses, with aroma- See more about this year’s Bent
therapy, Reiki, meditation, and guided Spoon nominations - and even add NZ: The New Zealand Skeptics are
imagery mentioned specifically in the your own nomination – on the ASI holding their annual convention
course website.
In addition, lecture slides used for the spoon .
website - skeptics.com.au/features/bent- this year at Christchurch Art Centre
Great Hall from 29 November to 1
December.
Featured speakers include the hosts
of the Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe
podcast (with
University to close TCM degree individual talks
by Dr Steven
AUS: The University of Technology complementary medicine. Novella and Cara
Sydney intends to stop offering its degree A review found that the course was Santa Maria) as
course in traditional Chinese medicine. “no longer financially viable, did not well as psychic-
The course has been offered at the produce enough research, and did debunker and
university for more than 25 years. not fit with the ‘strategic direction’ of guerrilla skeptic,
The Sydney Morning Herald reports the science faculty”. Susan Gerbic, and world-renowned
that the move has angered students and The university’s Chinese Medicine mentalist Mark Edward.
alumni who say “the quality of Sydney’s Clinic, which offers low-cost Further information is available
acupuncture and herbalist services will
suffer”, and have suggested a bias against .
acupuncture and herbal treatments,
would also close. .
from the New Zealand website -
conference.skeptics.nz.
6The Skeptic September 19
Lab debunks claims Conspiracy theorists endorse
of painkiller in other unsubstantiated beliefs
animal’s scales
USA: Probably not a surprising crashed near Roswell, New Mexico
finding, but according to new research in 1947 and the US government has
published in the journal Applied covered it up.”
Cognitive Psychology, people who The latter category included popu-
believe in conspiracy theories are also lar but debunked conspiracy theories,
more likely to believe in pseudoscience conspiracies that were made-up by
and paranormal phenomena. The researchers, and conspiracies that have
findings indicate that some people been verified as true.
appear to have a general susceptibility Bensley and his colleagues found
to believing unsubstantiated claims. that participants who endorsed general
In Skeptics’ experience, there is conspiracist ideas also tended to believe
also a propensity to move onto the the debunked and fabricated conspiracy
next thing as if nothing had happened theories.
when one theory is debunked. In addition, participants who be-
USA: Scientific tests at the National The study by D. Alan Bensley, a lieved the debunked and fabricated con-
Fish & Wildlife Forensics Laboratory psychology professor at Frostburg State spiracy theories also tended to believe in
in Oregon could be the antidote to University in Maryland, surveyed 286 other non-conspiratorial unsubstanti-
pseudoscience making the rounds in psychology undergraduate students ated claims, including pseudoscience,
Asia that affects one of the world’s
most heavily poached animals.
To test unsubstantiated reports
regarding their paranormal beliefs,
endorsement of conspiracies, factual
knowledge about psychology, and
poorly-supported psychological prac-
tices, and paranormal phenomena. .
circulating in Asia that a rare mammal acceptance of pseudoscience.
known as a pangolin has scales with The participants were asked
medicinal properties - they supposedly to indicate how much they
contain a painkiller known as agreed with general conspira-
tramadol - the lab completed extensive cist ideas, such as “Technology
tests using new scientific methods. with mind control capacities is
The lab, the only one of its used on people without their
kind in the world that specialises in knowledge,” and how much
investigating crimes against wildlife, they believed in 30 specific con-
found no evidence of the analgesic spiracies, such as “Alien ships
in any of the 104 pangolin scale
samples it tested, according to a report
published in the journal Conservation
Science and Practice. Storming Area 51 taken seriously
According to the International
Union for the Conservation of Nature,
two species of pangolin from Asia USA: A Facebook event entitled “Storm handle 30,000, but 100,000 might
are listed as critically endangered: Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us” has pose ‘serious challenges’. Additional
the Chinese pangolin and the Sunda gone viral. Over two million people have law enforcement will be available,
pangolin. It said a pangolin is snatched indicated that they’re going to this joke including the Nevada National Guard.”
from the wild every five minutes. event at 3am on September 20 to stage Some entrepreneurs are taking
According to the Washington a joint invasion of the military base and advantage of the expected influx by
Post, inspectors recently stopped a finally “see them aliens”. hosting two different festivals – one
shipment containing more than 14.2 Apparently hotels and Airbnbs in the titled Alienstock – and a series of
tons of pangolin scales found in 230 area are fully booked. paranormal tours put on by Airbnb.
bags that originated in Nigeria and Most people realise it’s a joke, but By the time you read this, we might
were destined for Vietnam. According no-one knows how many have taken know how many actually turn up, but
to Singapore National Parks and the invitation seriously. Forbes reports someone is going to be making some
Singapore Customs, the record-setting that “A commissioner for Lincoln money out if it, though apparently
million. .
shipment was valued at US$38.7 County, Nevada, whose population
is 5000, says the area could probably .
not the person who first posted the
joke item on Facebook.
7 23NEWS
Homeopathy News out prescriptions for
France to end healthcare refunds homeopathic treatments,
which chief executive
Simon Stevens described
France will end social security The decision as “at best a placebo” and
reimbursements for homeopathic drugs. followed a damning “a misuse of scarce NHS
The new policy - which has drawn the report on homeopathy funds”.
fire of alternative medicine advocates by the national health The UK Telegraph
- will take full effect in 2021. With authority published in June, reports that Agnes Buzyn,
apparently 60% of French citizens which concluded that there was France’s health minister
using homeopathy, with products on not enough hard proof homeopathy (above), said French social security
sale in pharmacies, this is described as worked. reimbursement to patients for
a bold move, and more than a million The move comes two years after homeopathic products, which currently
people have signed a petition against
the changes.
NHS England issued guidance
instructing doctors not to hand
stand at 30 per cent - will be cut to 15
per cent in 2020 and zero in 2021. .
German company UK pharmacy sells pills made from Berlin Wall
takes legal action that can help patients “break down barriers”
Hevert Pharmaceuticals, a German Ainsworths pharmacy, based in prices ranging from £20 for a 100g
producer of homeopathic remedies, Marylebone, London, is selling a bottle of pills to £72 for a 100ml bottle
is taking legal action against Dr homeopathic product that uses little of 96 per cent alcohol solution “in
Natalie Grams. parts of the Berlin Wall. medicating potency”.
Grams is a former homeopath As The Times reports, the treatment, Professor Edzard Ernst, noted
who planned to write a book about also known as Murus Berlinensis, “is a campaigner against pseudomedical
why critics of homeopathy were heavily-diluted water and alcohol-based products and co-author of the book
wrong, but found out that they solution based on minuscule fragments Trick or Treatment, said “Homeopaths
weren’t. (You can see a full story from the wall. Homeopaths believe the do not believe it is a pharmacological
on her, including an interview and treatment contains a ‘spiritual force’ action, but it is a sort of vital force that
review of her tell-all book, in the from the wall that can help people with is acting. So the vital force, the spiritual
March 2019 issue of The Skeptic.) problems creating or breaking down force that was in the Berlin Wall, the
Hevert demanded that Grams barriers in their lives.” intention that was in the Berlin Wall, is
stop describing homeopathy as a On Ainsworth’s website, the remedy in the remedy.”
placebo, and threatened to take her costs £4.20 for a 1g vial of lactose The Royal Family has long been
and others to court. The company tablets, and up to £120 for 1000ml sympathetic to alternative medicine and
did not expect the reaction it got in liquid potency (23% alcohol), with homeopathy in particular, medicines
from the public, media, politicians, made from plant,
and even from other alternative chemical, mineral
medicine companies. or animal sources,
The response has been anything that are then highly
but positive. Some have suggested diluted. Ainsworths
that other homeopathy companies holds a Royal
were waiting to see how Hevert’s Warrant from
action would go, but negative the Queen and
reaction to the mooted suit has the Prince of Wales.
meant that homeopathy’s lack of A spokesman
efficacy has been highlighted more for the firm accused
than ever. Prof Ernst of
This is especially galling in ignorance. They
Germany, which is the birthplace did not say if the
8
Hahnemann in 1796. .
of the therapy, created by Samuel
.
product could cure
communism.REPORT Chiropractors The Skeptic September 19
Chiro Wars
continued
Ken McLeod asks questions on chiropractic, recent claims,
treating PTSD, a prestigious university, and what regulators
are doing about it (or not).
W hat is it with chiropractic
that leads some practitioners
to believe that they can cure almost
care professionals who have in the Code
of Conduct issued by the Chiropractic
Board: “Maintaining a high level of
anything? Where do they learn that professional competence and conduct
they can treat life-threatening illnesses is essential for the good practice of the
such as PTSD, along with the other profession. Good practice [includes]
ailments that come with being human, recognising and working within the
such as IBS, stress, ADHD, headaches, limits of the chiropractor’s competence
migraines, bedwetting, osteoporosis, and scope and area of practice.”
colic, ear infections, and chronic A study of Karitopolous’ website
fatigue? reveals that: “Dr Anthony Karitopoulos
And what makes chiropractors is a graduate from RMIT University’s
think that they can improve immunity, esteemed 5-year Chiropractic program.
longevity, and “sleep energy” (whatever He is also a previous graduate from
that is)? the University of Melbourne having
And what makes chiropractors think completed a Bachelor of Science. He
they can treat mythical conditions such has gained experience working and
as “chiropractic subluxations” with volunteering his skills at a variety
useless gadgets such as the chiropractic of chiropractic clinics throughout
‘activator’? Melbourne.”
What stirred our curiosity, we hear you There’s no mention of qualifications risk having gone to see your friendly
ask? Well, it was a post on the Facebook in psychiatry or psychology there. chiropractor for an adjustment than
page Chiro Classifieds Australia, in which We sent a query to him on 27 August visiting your local general practitioner for
a woman said: asking if he was qualified in psychiatry a medical consultation.”
“Have a 30yo male PTSD. 2 tours or psychology but no response has been So what do they teach at RMIT
Afghanistan. Lives in Carnegie – looking received yet. It would be fair to say University? In 2011 RMIT won the
for any options for helping that man.” No that Karitopoulos is prepared to treat Skeptics’ Bent Spoon award “for having
criticism intended here, the woman no a veteran with a life-threatening illness a fundamentalist chiropractic education
doubt means well for her friend and can’t without being the least bit qualified to program – if the word education can be
be expected to know that chiropractors do so, in defiance of the Chiropractic used in this way – and for endorsing the
are not real doctors, psychologists, or Code of Conduct which requires him practice by targeting children and infants
psychiatrists. to work within his competence and in their on-campus paediatric chiropractic
But what we can criticise is the scope of practice. clinics”.
response from Anthony Karitopoulos, And he claims to treat all of the And where is the regulator in all this?
chiropractor of Carnegie, Victoria, who conditions listed above. Why should it be left to grumpy old men
responded with his web address carnegi- Among various documents on his to stumble upon this and report it?
echiropractic.com.au. We can criticise him website, Karitopoulos discusses “Why It’s time for a thorough study of the
because our veterans who suffer PTSD Chiropractic is Safe for Everyone”. He chiropractic industry by the NHMRC, as
following their military service also suffer says that “This is a question asked rarely was done a few years ago for homeopathy
terrible rates of unemployment, alcohol- of chiropractic procedures these days. when it found there was no substance to
ism, drug addiction, broken relationships One could just as easily ask ‘How safe that therapy’s claims. Because everywhere
and suicides. is it going to the gym?’ Or, ‘How safe is we look we find quackery; a quackery that
Veterans’ PTSD is no field for
amateurs, especially registered health
indoor rock-climbing?’” He adds that
“It has been shown that there is no more taxpayers, and endangers lives. .
defrauds the public and the poor bleeding
9THEM
Readers’ indigestible
Tim Mendham looks at those online places of note, where
skepticism is not such a dirty word.
L istening to and reading about science can bring a plethora of interesting
sources to the fore. Looking more specifically at skeptical podcasts, the history
is full of successes and valiant efforts. Science magazines have a similar rich but
chequered history. Finding the good stuff - and keeping it - is the hard bit.
Ave Atque Vale had a team of five presenters (“rogues”)
since its launch, with only a few changes
of face. But others are labours of love by
AVE SKEPTICAL PODCASTS while technically it’s still current, the a dedicated individual. While Saunders’
Wikipedia lists 72 current skeptical producers haven’t put out an episode for weekly Skeptic Zone did have help from a
podcasts*, plus more than 20 that some time. Skepticality pipped Skeptics couple of fellow skeptics in its early days,
have ceased activity. Some of the latter Guide to the Universe by one month, but and ongoing semi-regular contributions
closed after a decent period of time – considering the consistent production of from a range of reporters, as a largely
up to eight years in some cases – while the latter SGU would have to be seen as solo effort it is no mean achievement
others barely made it into 12 months. the elder statesman of the genre. considering it is now into episode 560+.
60 of those existing podcasts are in These were followed by: Point of It is that drain on energy, persistence,
English, with the other 12 being in Inquiry (flagship podcast of the US and the need to constantly find new
various European languages. Of those Center for Inquiry); Little Atoms (which topics to discuss that means it is
that have ceased, only three are non- could be seen as much as an online radio extremely difficult to produce a podcast
English. program as a podcast, as it sits within on a regular basis, and particularly so
Is this a cultural phenomenon? the UK Resonance FM brand); Brian when you are doing it alone.
Are English-speaking skeptics more Dunning’s Skeptoid, George Hrab’s Obviously every tyro podcaster takes
inclined to put themselves online, Geologic, Conspiracy Skeptic (which has a that first step with the best of intentions,
or is this an artefact of Wikipedia’s fairly irregular production). The Skeptic to reach and grow an audience with
contributors being more aware of Zone, produced by Australian Skeptics stimulating information, and maybe even
English-language activities? life member and former president, gain a little financial support along the
As much as the skeptical Richard Saunders, has been going since way (though anyone who thinks they are
community might like to include September 2008. going to retire on their Patreon income
them, some of the listed podcasts are The oldest of the non-English will be sadly disabused of that dream).
more science-based than skeptics- language podcasts, the Dutch Kritisch But time takes its toll – competing
based, though they often have elements Denken (Critical Thinking) started in interests, employment (most podcasters
of skepticism. These include two local February 2009. have a ‘real job’), changes to personal
efforts, Dr Karl’s Great Moments in One of the UK’s leading podcasts, circumstances such as ill-health or family
Science and Ockham’s Razor (both ABC Skeptics with a K, produced by issues, reaching a dead end creatively,
Radio). Others listed could also be seen Merseyside Skeptics, has been around the expense involved, getting bored,
as leaning to the Rationalist side of the for ten years this month (which is or simply moving on to other areas of
divide, but the intention and content is September 2019 for slow readers). activity, all play a part in the demise of
much the same. There are obviously many more, what was once a noble dream.
The oldest on the list is Skepticality, some better known than others and It is understandable when all-fired-up
the official podcast of the US Skeptics some with celebrity hosts, some that podcasters suddenly realise it’s not as easy
Society, publisher of the magazine follow a regular production, and those as they thought and quickly drop the
with the same name as the one you’re that only appear occasionally when the project – some on the ‘expired’ list lasted
reading (though we came first). It muse strikes the producer. Many of less than one year. But there are others
first appeared in April 2005, and them are group efforts – the SGU has that lasted for years. Quackcast started
10The Skeptic September 19
in May 2006 and went into what host advertising moving to those media, and simply Australasian Science. Published
Mark Crislip called “probably permanent an audience increasingly antipathetic to by Control Publications and available
hiatus” in April 2017 (look up Crislip on long-form content, preferring bite-sized in newsagents, it was the only magazine
Wikipedia and you’ll understand all about snippets in the age of Twitter. dedicated to Australian and New
“competing interests”). With this in mind, for anyone with a Zealand science.
One of the nicest aspects of podcasters leaning toward scientific subjects a visit But despite its long heritage, and
and podcasts is how democratic they are to your local newsagency is a sobering patrons of the ilk of Nobel Laureate
– most offer their product for free, and experience. There are more publications Prof Peter C. Doherty and ABC
normally give access to all of their past devoted to model railways and tattoos broadcaster Robyn Williams, it finally
programs online. Monetising skeptical (even specifically women’s tattoos) than had to face the realities of publishing in
podcasts, whether it’s seeking patronage, there are on science. the 21st century, and ceased production
sponsorship/ads, or selling content is not To top it off, the range of locally- following the July/August 2019 edition.
easy. Most podcasters come from scientific produced science publications recently That leaves only a handful of
or keen amateur backgrounds, and really suffered one more departure from the publications serving what should be
don’t have the runs on the board in the field, that of Australasian Science. a leading and vitally important area
world of marketing. Australasian Science was Australia’s of interest. TV programs are sparse
But we do suggest you give them a longest-running scientific publication. when it comes to locally-produced
go. It is unlikely you’ll be able to listen First published in 1938 as The Australian science shows, and general interest
to all of them, unless sleeping is not Journal of Science by the Australian magazines on science are no better.
a determinant, but take a sample and National Research Council, which was What can be done? Apart from
choose what tickles your fancy. Start the forerunner of the Australian Academy subscribing to all of them - Cosmos,
with the general ones – everyone would of Science, it was transferred to the Double Helix, Australian Geographic, the
say SGU, in Australia we’d say Skeptic Australian and New Zealand Association Australian editions of New Scientist and
Zone – and then move on to some which for the Advancement of Science in 1954, Science Illustrated, etc - if we knew the
are targeted more specifically (medicine, and published as Search. Throughout this answer to that one, then the entire print
cryptozoology, conspiracies, cults, etc). time the journal published the research of magazine publishing industry would
We’d recommend you look at a site eminent Australian scientists, including breathe a sigh of relief and order some
such as player.fm/podcasts/Skepticality Sir Douglas Mawson and Sir Frank more paper. Go digital-only, perhaps,
(a coincidental name, we assume) where Macfarlane Burnet. and hope that some advertisers might
you can find links to the latest episodes of The journal evolved considerably over leak back from social media, or charge a
many different podcasts. the following decades, with ownership modest paywall.
transferring from ANZAAS to Blackwell Australasian Science is a salutary
VALE SCIENCE MAG
As the world of skeptical podcasts has its
ups and downs, so too does the world of
Science in the 1980s and finally to
Control Publications in 1992.
In 1998 Search merged with
warning to those involved and/or
interested in Australian science. .
science magazines. Australasian Science Mag, a quarterly For links to all of the podcasts mentioned,
Everyone is aware that the publishing science magazine published by the we suggest you go to the Wikipedia page
industry is going through hard times. University of Southern Queensland, - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_skeptical_
Competition from online sources, with and the merged entity was published as podcasts
11F E AT U R E Critical Thinking for Kids
The Moral
Argument Dr Sue Knight describes the primary ethics
curriculum – helping kids to understand
reason, logic, ethics and morality.
W e know that the processes
of ethical reasoning are in
part learned – this now seems to be
beyond dispute thanks to the work
of development psychologists. What’s
more, we know that the learning starts
early. Even very young children – as
young as two-and-a-half – distinguish REASON, LOGIC AND ETHICS to build upon children’s implicit and
between moral rules on one hand and The first and most obvious feature is partial grasp of logical rules, and truth
social conventions on the other. Most that any curriculum aimed at developing procedures, and help them develop these
children know hitting is wrong, and ethical reasoning must support the intuitive understandings further.
they know it is wrong even where development of general reasoning skills, In kindy, for example, we have a topic
there is no rule forbidding it and even also known as critical thinking skills or called “How can we work out what’s
if the hitting goes unobserved. the skills of argument. Thinking well in true”. Here we present scenarios in which
But what sort of curricula, and what any sphere involves searching for good children try to work out what’s true using
teaching approaches are most likely reasons, formulating good arguments – a number of different strategies. Some
to be effective in developing children’s arguments whose premises are true and scenarios have children relying entirely on
capacity to make well-reasoned logically strong enough to support their observation, and ending up with a lot of
decisions about ethical issues? conclusions. false conclusions, while in others children
The primary ethics curriculum, which To think well we must have a grasp of observe and then think carefully about
was developed over seven years, is a the rules of logic and be able and willing what their senses tell them, and do a lot
secular ethics curriculum that provides to subject our premises to test the truth. better. And then we present situations
an alternative to scripture in NSW The achievement of this aim, then, in which children use their reasoning in
public schools and which is now requires teaching for the development order to come to conclusions.
accessed by more than 40,000 students of the skills of argument, and for For example, “This is Rosy. [Imagine
from kindergarten to year 6. the disposition to deploy those skills a brown seven-week-old Staffordshire
There are five features of the primary judiciously and widely. puppy.] What colour is she? Rosy has
ethics curriculum that, when taken The primary ethics curriculum three brothers. Rosy’s brothers are the
together, give us the best chance of includes a sequence of a dozen or so same colour as she is. What colour are
succeeding in developing children’s reasoning skills topics, beginning in her brothers?” Of course, the children
ethical reasoning. kindergarten. In the early stages we aim can infer that her brothers are brown, and
12The Skeptic September 19
then the question, how do you know if to build-in the necessary background severe punishment to the leader of the
you haven’t seen the brothers. knowledge. hunt. Children have already discovered
By the end of the topic, the children An example from the year 3 topic that the Inuit were scrupulous about
are clear that there are at last two different entitled “Diversity and tolerance”: To sharing food and other resources and how
ways that we can search for truth through build children’s thinking about tolerance little food is available in winter, and now
careful observation (which includes and diversity, we must first build their they are equipped to consider the idea
thinking carefully about what our eyes, knowledge of diverse beliefs, cultures, that the survival of the group might well
ears, etc tell us) and by inference from values and circumstances and of the depend on keeping the best hunter within
claims that are themselves true. In years complex relationships between these its fold. They’re equipped to discuss the
1 and 2, again using purpose written factors. And of course we must also build question, did the Inuit have less concern
scenarios, we look at the difference their understanding of the fundamental for fairness than we do or is it simply
between good and bad reasons, and ask similarities that underlie such diversity. that their circumstances force upon them
whether, and if so why, it’s important to To put it another way, we must choices that we do not have to make.
understand the reasons behind our own encourage children to investigate the Children will almost certainly disagree
beliefs as well as the reasons of others. possibility that common moral principles here, presenting arguments and counter-
In years 3 and 4, we introduce a or values can underlie quite different sets arguments such as the importance of
number of topics distinguishing inductive of moral rules. building in background information and
and deductive reasoning as well as of encouraging logical thinking.
arguments to the best explanation. And CIRCUMSTANCES AND MORALITY But of course logic is not sufficient for
finally, in years 5 and 6, we encourage We pursue these goals through an thinking-well about ethical issues. For
students to identify a number of logical extended example relating to the good ethical thinking we need more. An
rules or patterns of reasoning. traditional Inuit life. Among other example will make this clear. Suppose
For example, to understand the aspects of traditional Inuit life, we look I say to a friend you shouldn’t tease Jen
important difference in the structures of at the way the Inuit dealt with those about her frizzy hair, it’ll make her feel
these two different arguments: Argument who broke the rules. Surprisingly to bad. You know she’s always worrying
1: All people who are lying sweat. Mike is us, perhaps, if the lead hunter in the about how it looks. My ethical judgment
lying, so he must be sweating. Argument group is found guilty of stealing, even “you shouldn’t tease Jen about her frizzy
2: All people who are lying sweat. Mike is if it’s stealing hunting tools which is hair” is based on two factual premises:
sweating so he must be lying. considered to be the most serious offence one that Jen worries about her hair, and
Throughout the primary ethics normally punishable by two that teasing
curriculum, logical skills are introduced
in the context of real-world controversial
expulsion, he will be given
a lesser punishment. This is “ We can fairly easily people
run a truth test on
about things
they worry over will
issues. This approach is in line with not the way our rules and make them feel bad.
recent findings into meta-analysis of laws work. the factual claims. But It’s also based on a
research into strategies for teaching Suppose the best speller moral principle that
critical thinking. The exposure of in the class decides for what about the moral we shouldn’t say or
students to authentic or situated
problems and examples was found to play
once to cheat in a spelling
test and that the teacher
principle? ” do things we know
are going to make
an important role in promoting children’s catches her. Will she be let people feel bad.
reasoning skills. off lightly because she’s the best speller or Taken together the moral principle
In attempting to cultivate the will she be given the same punishment and the factual claims are logically strong
skills and dispositions that make for that anyone else would be given in her enough to support the moral judgment.
good ethical reasoning we must, at circumstances? Presumably, as a matter The logic is impeccable. The argument is
the same time, build in necessary of fairness, she would have to be given deductively valid.
background knowledge. One of the great the standard punishment. But for us to have confidence in its
breakthroughs in the understanding of Under our legal system if an elite conclusion, the factual claims must be
development of children’s thinking is sportsmen commits a crime he will be true and we must have good reasons to
the recognition that, counter to Piaget’s given the same penalty as anyone else accept the moral principle. Using standard
influential views, children can engage who has committed such a crime under procedures we can fairly easily run a
in so-called “higher order thinking” the same circumstances. In our society truth test on the factual claims. But what
but only if they have the appropriate this is what fairness or justice demands. about the moral principle - how do we
background knowledge. Background Does it mean then that the Inuit have determine whether or not we have good
knowledge is a necessary but not less regard for fairness than we have. grounds for accepting it?
sufficient condition for enabling critical On the back of their knowledge of Our best bet, I would say, is to turn
thought within a given subject matter. Inuit life we ask children to think about to the long tradition of Western moral
When writing a topic, then, we need why the Inuit might have given a less philosophy in the case of primary ethics
03
13F E AT U R E Critical Thinking for Kids
The Moral their reason, freedom or autonomy - their
dignity, we might say, for short. Morality,
we use in the kindergarten topics.
Our topics invite children to
Argument then, is grounded in these capacities
rather than in the capacity to suffer.
think about whether we need to take
circumstances into account when deciding
Continued... What’s more, the intention of the agent is whether a particular act of lying is wrong
of overriding importance and that cannot and whether, when deciding say whether
be morally right unless it is done out of a to cheat in a test or a sporting contest, it’s
curriculum (and the only reason for that sense of duty rather than, say, selfishness. important to ask the question what would
is that I’m not familiar with anything The third approach is known as virtue happen if everyone in such a situation
further afield). The curriculum is ethics. On this approach the fundamental acted like this.
grounded in moral theories which for ethical question is not what should I We have a number of topics beginning
over two-and-a-half thousand years do but what sort of person should I in kindergarten that help children to think
have been and are still being questioned be. According to virtue ethics there carefully about their relationship with
tested and modified through a process of are certain ideals such as excellence or their friends and to consider whether they
rational argument and counter-argument. dedication to the common good towards care about their friends for their friends’
I would argue that such theories provide which we should all strive and which own sake or whether they might be simply
our best hope of making progress towards allow us to flourish as human beings; using a friend for their own ends, and if
answers to the questions what makes an virtues of character traits that enable they are whether that’s okay.
action morally right or morally wrong us to pursue these ideals. Examples Yet other topics, like courage greed and
and what is it to live a morally good life. include kindness, generosity, courage and forgiveness, invite children to think about
This is the case even though no one honesty. whether it’s important to be a good person
of these theories is without its flaws. It Although these moral theories differ to lead a good life and if so what character
seems to me that to have any claim to from one another in various ways, they traits we need to develop in pursuit of
authenticity, a secular ethics curriculum share a recognition of what we might call this goal. And of course, as noted earlier,
must be grounded in the normative a common humanity, the idea that as we want children’s thinking to be based
ethical theories of moral philosophy. And human beings we share the characteristics on good reasoning, on arguments whose
this is true even of an ethics curriculum that make us worthy of moral concern. premises are true and logically strong
designed for very young children. A capacity for suffering and well-being, a enough to support their conclusions.
capacity for reason and autonomy, both
THEORIES OF DECISION-MAKING of which we share to varying degrees with REQUIRED SKILLS
For the purposes of our curriculum we other creatures, and a capacity for the We need to identify the skills students
identify three broad classes of theories, development of good character. And this require to manage all this. For example,
three broad approaches to ethical leads us to the notion of equal human in order to understand the effects of their
decision-making. Very roughly, one worth, the idea that the good of each actions on others, children need to be able
approach, consequentialism or more individual must be considered equally to put themselves in another’s place and
particularly universal utilitarianism, important and proportionately to the so we have a number of topics focused on
directs us to look to the consequences good of other conscious creatures. the development of this skill.
of our acts to the degree of suffering or The ideal of equal human worth We begin in year 1 by building on
well-being that results. On this view lying is embedded in the curriculum as are children through the mentoring capacity
cannot always be wrong because it’s clear the elements of the three philosophical to empathise. Here’s a segment from
that there are circumstances in which approaches and we encourage children that first empathy topic: Imagine Jack,
lying brings about more good than harm. to think for themselves about the he’s about 4 years old and he’s helping to
The second approach - the so-called strengths and limitations of these ideas. make a very special cake. Of course, Jack
act-oriented approach - has it that it’s This doesn’t mean that we teach the has washed his hands very carefully. Now
not the consequences, or at least not theories explicitly - what we aim to do shut your eyes and imagine you are Jack.
the consequences alone, that determine is to encourage children to discover the You’ve got your hands in the cake mixture.
whether an action is right or wrong. ideas and use them in their own moral The mixture is really gooey, it’s squishing
Some actions are right or wrong in thinking and decision-making. through your hands and sticking to your
themselves, intrinsically right or wrong. Our 3 to 4 lesson curriculum topics fingers. How does it make you feel? Let’s
An example might be torture. On this are designed to encourage children to pretend we have our hands in sticky gooey
approach torture might be held to be think for themselves about, for example, cake mix. Now look very carefully at Jack’s
morally wrong no matter what, that is, the extent to which the intention of the face. How do you think he’s feeling?
irrespective of the good that might come agent is important when judging rightness Over the course of the curriculum the
from it. On this view we have moral or wrongness of a particular action such concept of empathy is revisited many
duties to treat others in particular ways in as breaking a promise or lying or making times until in later years students come
ways that do not infringe the exercise of things up, which is a more neutral phrase face-to-face with topics such as child
14The Skeptic September 19
labour and homelessness, topics that write a story about wombats and bilbies. them and we must support them in their
demand significant cognitive as well We stay as true as we can to what is efforts to think hard and for themselves
as emotional capacities, given that few known of the behaviour of both wombats in an attempt to resolve these puzzles.
students would have faced such situations. and bilbies, but we do have to give each One way to do this is to question in such
This example illustrates a third feature character a voice and we assign different a way that we draw children’s attention
of the curriculum, its sequential and spiral personalities and different character to particular arguments or counter
form. Ideas are introduced in simple traits to each of the bilby and wombat arguments or facts or the need for facts
form in the early years and extended and characters. This allows us to challenge that are relevant to the issues at hand and
developed in ever greater complexity over some of the stereotypical views students which they may not have thought of.
the following years. might well have in relation to gender - The second pedagogical component
Why is this important? The sequential that girls are shy and boys are not, that comes from the Russian psychologist
part seems pretty obvious - if we’re after boys are adventurous and girls are not Vygotsky, the idea that learning is
moral development we need a program - or perhaps more subtly that girls are enhanced when children engage in
that builds skills and understandings in more likely to be shy than boys are, that dialogue with their peers. The dialogue
a sequential manner. And the spiral part? boys are more likely to be adventurous here is not mere talking, but talking that
I’m persuaded by the arguments of John than girls are. We are able to address the is shaped by the rules of logic and by a
Dewey, the great American psychologist bilbies’ stereotypical view that wombats shared interest of the question at hand.
and educator, who argues that in teaching are slow and grumpy and that they bite To sum up, I would argue that our
we must move back and forth between and the equally stereotypical view the education systems have an obligation to
what is known and what is problematic wombats hold in relation to the bilbies teach explicitly for the schools of ethical
in order to raise questions in the learner’s that they are scaredy-cats, scared even reasoning and that a secular curriculum
mind for it is puzzlement that motivates when there’s no real danger and that they with the features I’ve outlined, a curri-
us to think, and thinking is necessary don’t make friends with other animals. culum that employs a community of
for understanding, and understanding is The story weaves together incidents inquiry pedagogy, that is sequential and
what’s important. which show that members of different spiral, grounded in the skills of reason
groups – boys, girls, bilbies, wombats evaluation, together with the theories of
MORAL DEVELOPMENT – may possess similar characters and moral philosophy, and the findings of
Now for a fourth feature of the personalities and that members of each developmental psychology - that a secular
curriculum, namely its grounding in group may possess attitudes that differ curriculum with these features offers
the rich and rapidly expanding set of
empirical findings about children’s moral
development. The reason for this is pretty
from those typically linked to that group
by members of another. In this way we
attempt to add to the development of
ethical reasoning. .
our best chance of enhancing children’s
obvious - if we want to include a topic what psychologists call “flexible thinking”. This is an edited version of a presentation
on stereotyping, we need to know when given at the Australian Skeptics’ Skepticon
children begin to stereotype others (it TEACHING METHODS convention in 2018.
turns out to be round about three years of One last feature. I’m talking now about
age), in what areas a stereotype - gender the teaching methodology, the pedagogy. More information about the primary
and race - and when children begin to We can point to two elements. One ethics curriculum can be found at
become aware of other stereotypical beliefs is Socratic questioning, the logically primaryethics.com.au.
from about age six. And so our topic on structured an open-ended style of teacher
stereotyping comes in year 1 and focuses questioning that’s been handed down
on gender and race. to us from Socrates the ancient Greek
How do we write a topic on stereotyp- philosopher. The idea here comes close About the author:
ing for such young children and how do to juries. If we want children to think for Dr Sue Knight holds a PhD in
we manage children’s sensitivities around themselves we must give students ideas philosophy and is the author of
this issue? The solution, we found, is to to puzzle over, ideas which matter to the primary ethics curriculum.
15You can also read
