1 00:00:23,269 --> 00:00:09,190 welcome to the skeptic zone the podcast 2 00:00:29,509 --> 00:00:25,750 hello and welcome to the skeptic zone 3 00:00:31,750 --> 00:00:29,519 episode number 295 for the 15th of june 4 00:00:34,150 --> 00:00:31,760 2014 richard saunders here with you from 5 00:00:35,350 --> 00:00:34,160 sydney australia halfway through june 6 00:00:37,590 --> 00:00:35,360 already 7 00:00:39,670 --> 00:00:37,600 july is not far away 8 00:00:41,830 --> 00:00:39,680 i'll be heading out to 9 00:00:43,990 --> 00:00:41,840 the amazing meeting in july but more 10 00:00:45,830 --> 00:00:44,000 about that soon i guess and i hope to 11 00:00:47,510 --> 00:00:45,840 bring you many reports 12 00:00:49,910 --> 00:00:47,520 from the amazing meeting i'll see if i 13 00:00:51,430 --> 00:00:49,920 can run around i'll pretend i may not 14 00:00:52,229 --> 00:00:51,440 i'll run around with my microphone and 15 00:00:54,630 --> 00:00:52,239 get 16 00:00:55,910 --> 00:00:54,640 some interesting interviews from there 17 00:00:57,510 --> 00:00:55,920 i'm sure 18 00:00:59,830 --> 00:00:57,520 but let's see what's coming up on this 19 00:01:01,430 --> 00:00:59,840 week's episode of the skeptic zone we're 20 00:01:03,430 --> 00:01:01,440 going to kick off with a grain of salt 21 00:01:05,750 --> 00:01:03,440 with a rancid 22 00:01:08,310 --> 00:01:05,760 now iran talks um 23 00:01:10,710 --> 00:01:08,320 to johnny scaramunga 24 00:01:12,630 --> 00:01:10,720 who grew up as a um 25 00:01:15,030 --> 00:01:12,640 fundamentalist christian 26 00:01:16,310 --> 00:01:15,040 and he's sort of uh broken away from 27 00:01:19,350 --> 00:01:16,320 that now but he's going to tell us what 28 00:01:21,990 --> 00:01:19,360 it's like growing up in that sort of 29 00:01:24,230 --> 00:01:22,000 atmosphere very interesting report 30 00:01:27,510 --> 00:01:24,240 another one another one of iran's 31 00:01:29,109 --> 00:01:27,520 reports from qed in manchester following 32 00:01:31,190 --> 00:01:29,119 that it's a week in science from the 33 00:01:34,630 --> 00:01:31,200 royal institution of australia at 34 00:01:39,270 --> 00:01:36,390 dot a u 35 00:01:41,590 --> 00:01:39,280 then we have a sort of a guest editorial 36 00:01:43,109 --> 00:01:41,600 from cigna kane she's going to be 37 00:01:45,230 --> 00:01:43,119 telling us about 38 00:01:47,389 --> 00:01:45,240 well why we should ignore what 39 00:01:50,230 --> 00:01:47,399 anti-vaxxers have to say in their 40 00:01:52,550 --> 00:01:50,240 conspiracy theories 41 00:01:53,830 --> 00:01:52,560 yeah it's like talking to a brick wall 42 00:01:55,270 --> 00:01:53,840 sometimes talking to some of these 43 00:01:57,670 --> 00:01:55,280 people in fact i've had better 44 00:01:58,950 --> 00:01:57,680 conversations with a brick wall 45 00:02:01,030 --> 00:01:58,960 that's coming up 46 00:02:03,510 --> 00:02:01,040 somewhere in the middle of the show now 47 00:02:05,590 --> 00:02:03,520 this editorial was originally published 48 00:02:07,270 --> 00:02:05,600 on medium which is at 49 00:02:09,830 --> 00:02:07,280 medium.com 50 00:02:12,390 --> 00:02:09,840 and i'll include a link to that in the 51 00:02:15,190 --> 00:02:12,400 show notes for this week after that it's 52 00:02:16,710 --> 00:02:15,200 evidence please with joe alabaster 53 00:02:18,470 --> 00:02:16,720 joe's going to be telling us about some 54 00:02:20,869 --> 00:02:18,480 of the woo and 55 00:02:23,589 --> 00:02:20,879 interesting things going on that well 56 00:02:25,350 --> 00:02:23,599 aimed at young mothers or young parents 57 00:02:27,110 --> 00:02:25,360 pregnant women that sort of thing then 58 00:02:29,670 --> 00:02:27,120 to round off the show it's our roving 59 00:02:32,390 --> 00:02:29,680 reporter dr chrissy wilson roving indeed 60 00:02:33,750 --> 00:02:32,400 she's all the way over there in london 61 00:02:36,869 --> 00:02:33,760 she's going to be telling us about a new 62 00:02:39,030 --> 00:02:36,879 book called the survival hypothesis 63 00:02:41,830 --> 00:02:39,040 because she included a chapter a 64 00:02:44,070 --> 00:02:41,840 skeptical chapter in a probably not a 65 00:02:46,949 --> 00:02:44,080 very skeptical book now those people who 66 00:02:48,390 --> 00:02:46,959 follow me on twitter at skepticszone 67 00:02:50,390 --> 00:02:48,400 would have seen that i've put up a 68 00:02:52,070 --> 00:02:50,400 little video of 69 00:02:53,589 --> 00:02:52,080 some outtakes and bloopers and things 70 00:02:54,309 --> 00:02:53,599 that i 71 00:03:20,070 --> 00:02:54,319 i 72 00:03:22,710 --> 00:03:20,080 that 73 00:03:25,110 --> 00:03:22,720 um i never knew it took so long to put a 74 00:03:26,550 --> 00:03:25,120 little documentary together but uh 75 00:03:27,750 --> 00:03:26,560 you'll be the first to hear well no you 76 00:03:29,589 --> 00:03:27,760 won't you'll be 77 00:03:31,589 --> 00:03:29,599 not quite the first to you'll be amongst 78 00:03:33,350 --> 00:03:31,599 the first people to hear 79 00:03:35,270 --> 00:03:33,360 when that goes online 80 00:03:37,670 --> 00:03:35,280 very soon i hope but for now i'm going 81 00:03:39,910 --> 00:03:37,680 to run downstairs i'm going to open the 82 00:03:44,149 --> 00:03:39,920 dry crackers 83 00:03:47,990 --> 00:03:44,159 and last few days i seem to have picked 84 00:03:49,990 --> 00:03:48,000 up some sort of weird um bug 85 00:03:52,309 --> 00:03:50,000 which means that a lot of food is not 86 00:03:55,270 --> 00:03:52,319 very appealing to me right now 87 00:03:57,910 --> 00:03:55,280 dry crackers and dry ginger ale i think 88 00:03:59,910 --> 00:03:57,920 i'll do the trick and while i'm slowly 89 00:04:27,749 --> 00:03:59,920 and carefully eating that i hope you 90 00:04:32,310 --> 00:04:29,510 i'm here with johnny scaramanga with 91 00:04:34,950 --> 00:04:32,320 whom i uh shared uh the uh stage today 92 00:04:38,550 --> 00:04:34,960 we were on a panel about uh 93 00:04:40,790 --> 00:04:38,560 religion uh persecutor or persecuted 94 00:04:42,950 --> 00:04:40,800 um and johnny has a very interesting 95 00:04:44,950 --> 00:04:42,960 life story um 96 00:04:46,469 --> 00:04:44,960 in which he partially writes about in 97 00:04:47,510 --> 00:04:46,479 his uh blog what's the name of your blog 98 00:04:49,830 --> 00:04:47,520 john my book's called leaving 99 00:04:51,909 --> 00:04:49,840 fundamentalism and what is the life 100 00:04:55,590 --> 00:04:51,919 story that led to writing that blog well 101 00:04:58,070 --> 00:04:55,600 i was born into 102 00:04:59,909 --> 00:04:58,080 the crazy end of christianity i've just 103 00:05:01,350 --> 00:04:59,919 alienated half the people i'm trying to 104 00:05:02,790 --> 00:05:01,360 speak to by calling it the crazy end of 105 00:05:04,710 --> 00:05:02,800 christianity but it was it was it was 106 00:05:06,950 --> 00:05:04,720 crazy i was 107 00:05:09,430 --> 00:05:06,960 in like a mixture of all the different 108 00:05:11,590 --> 00:05:09,440 kinds of fairly extreme and conservative 109 00:05:13,270 --> 00:05:11,600 christianity that there is because my 110 00:05:15,110 --> 00:05:13,280 mom worked for kenneth copeland 111 00:05:17,270 --> 00:05:15,120 ministries he's one of the american tv 112 00:05:19,189 --> 00:05:17,280 evangelists that you'll see on channels 113 00:05:20,790 --> 00:05:19,199 like tbn saying you know if you give 114 00:05:22,629 --> 00:05:20,800 money to god then he will give you a 115 00:05:24,870 --> 00:05:22,639 hundred times that back and so i was 116 00:05:26,310 --> 00:05:24,880 given on the day i was born a bible with 117 00:05:28,150 --> 00:05:26,320 his signature in the front that said 118 00:05:30,790 --> 00:05:28,160 jesus is lord and this is the world that 119 00:05:32,070 --> 00:05:30,800 i was born into and then i went to a 120 00:05:33,990 --> 00:05:32,080 school that used the accelerated 121 00:05:35,749 --> 00:05:34,000 christian education curriculum which is 122 00:05:38,230 --> 00:05:35,759 a different kind of conservative 123 00:05:40,150 --> 00:05:38,240 christian that was a baptist and taught 124 00:05:42,150 --> 00:05:40,160 creationism instead of science and we 125 00:05:44,310 --> 00:05:42,160 didn't have so this is something that i 126 00:05:46,390 --> 00:05:44,320 i'm pretty sure that listeners to our 127 00:05:48,310 --> 00:05:46,400 podcast would have no idea about so 128 00:05:49,990 --> 00:05:48,320 maybe if you could elaborate um a little 129 00:05:53,029 --> 00:05:50,000 bit more about the 130 00:05:54,469 --> 00:05:53,039 but this accelerated christian education 131 00:05:56,070 --> 00:05:54,479 sure ace 132 00:05:58,550 --> 00:05:56,080 yeah they hate being called ace so let's 133 00:05:59,430 --> 00:05:58,560 call amaze 134 00:06:01,350 --> 00:05:59,440 so 135 00:06:04,070 --> 00:06:01,360 they don't have teachers in the normal 136 00:06:06,950 --> 00:06:04,080 sense in these schools uh the kids 137 00:06:08,629 --> 00:06:06,960 for most of the week are working 138 00:06:10,230 --> 00:06:08,639 at desks which are enclosed on three 139 00:06:11,670 --> 00:06:10,240 sides with high screens between the 140 00:06:14,309 --> 00:06:11,680 students to stop them from interacting 141 00:06:17,510 --> 00:06:14,319 with each other and so 142 00:06:20,390 --> 00:06:17,520 you're working in silence on these 143 00:06:22,950 --> 00:06:20,400 worksheets that combine the religious 144 00:06:24,870 --> 00:06:22,960 teachings into every academic subject so 145 00:06:26,469 --> 00:06:24,880 when you're studying history you're 146 00:06:28,230 --> 00:06:26,479 studying how 147 00:06:29,909 --> 00:06:28,240 the reason stuff happened the way it did 148 00:06:31,270 --> 00:06:29,919 is because it was all part of god's plan 149 00:06:33,590 --> 00:06:31,280 which was to 150 00:06:35,510 --> 00:06:33,600 ultimately create america as a christian 151 00:06:37,350 --> 00:06:35,520 nation and see the creation of the state 152 00:06:39,350 --> 00:06:37,360 of israel those were the two big things 153 00:06:40,950 --> 00:06:39,360 on god's god's agenda and then if you're 154 00:06:42,550 --> 00:06:40,960 doing science 155 00:06:45,189 --> 00:06:42,560 you're learning about how evolution is 156 00:06:46,710 --> 00:06:45,199 bunk and what happened in genesis 157 00:06:48,469 --> 00:06:46,720 literally happened six thousand years 158 00:06:51,189 --> 00:06:48,479 ago what about maths 159 00:06:52,390 --> 00:06:51,199 maths they struggled to to it's 160 00:06:54,390 --> 00:06:52,400 difficult to make a christian version of 161 00:06:56,469 --> 00:06:54,400 math so they'd have lots of bible verses 162 00:06:58,629 --> 00:06:56,479 on the page while you're doing maths and 163 00:07:01,589 --> 00:06:58,639 then occasion you'd get something like 164 00:07:02,870 --> 00:07:01,599 you know the bible says goliath was x 165 00:07:05,589 --> 00:07:02,880 cubits tall 166 00:07:07,589 --> 00:07:05,599 so um there's this many qubits in a foot 167 00:07:11,350 --> 00:07:07,599 and this many feet in a meter so how 168 00:07:12,950 --> 00:07:11,360 many meters tall was goliath okay 169 00:07:14,550 --> 00:07:12,960 so so how long 170 00:07:16,070 --> 00:07:14,560 were you subject to this kind of 171 00:07:18,550 --> 00:07:16,080 education actually not very long 172 00:07:20,150 --> 00:07:18,560 compared to a lot of people i did it for 173 00:07:21,990 --> 00:07:20,160 my first year of preschool when i was 174 00:07:23,990 --> 00:07:22,000 three years old and then i went to a 175 00:07:26,469 --> 00:07:24,000 normal primary school and went back when 176 00:07:28,390 --> 00:07:26,479 i was 11 just before i was due to go 177 00:07:30,870 --> 00:07:28,400 into secondary school and i was there 178 00:07:32,950 --> 00:07:30,880 until just before i turned 15. so it's 179 00:07:34,790 --> 00:07:32,960 like four years in total that i was 180 00:07:36,710 --> 00:07:34,800 there and some people do it for you know 181 00:07:37,990 --> 00:07:36,720 12 or 13 and 182 00:07:39,430 --> 00:07:38,000 that must really bend you out of shape 183 00:07:41,189 --> 00:07:39,440 because it's taken me 184 00:07:43,670 --> 00:07:41,199 ever since to kind of process what 185 00:07:45,670 --> 00:07:43,680 happened to me there so what did happen 186 00:07:47,830 --> 00:07:45,680 since then so you've obviously left 187 00:07:49,990 --> 00:07:47,840 religion but um so you survived 188 00:07:52,790 --> 00:07:50,000 fundamentalism and you've uh 189 00:07:54,550 --> 00:07:52,800 you've left um that way of life yeah 190 00:07:56,390 --> 00:07:54,560 what's the story around that 191 00:07:59,350 --> 00:07:56,400 that's a long story i'm in the middle of 192 00:08:01,189 --> 00:07:59,360 writing a book about that uh so the 193 00:08:02,070 --> 00:08:01,199 short answer is the book 194 00:08:02,950 --> 00:08:02,080 the 195 00:08:05,189 --> 00:08:02,960 cover 196 00:08:07,589 --> 00:08:05,199 the you know the at the back of the book 197 00:08:09,430 --> 00:08:07,599 yeah right yeah there's gonna be another 198 00:08:10,230 --> 00:08:09,440 bird so 199 00:08:22,230 --> 00:08:10,240 i 200 00:08:25,110 --> 00:08:22,240 how old were you then 11. 201 00:08:27,510 --> 00:08:25,120 and i became suicidal in quite a short 202 00:08:28,710 --> 00:08:27,520 space of time after after going there 203 00:08:32,870 --> 00:08:28,720 and 204 00:08:35,110 --> 00:08:32,880 now it seems really obvious to me uh 205 00:08:36,389 --> 00:08:35,120 and eventually i had this big meltdown 206 00:08:38,469 --> 00:08:36,399 in school one day and i couldn't see for 207 00:08:40,389 --> 00:08:38,479 a few seconds and then the next thing i 208 00:08:42,550 --> 00:08:40,399 knew i was shouting everyone and then i 209 00:08:43,909 --> 00:08:42,560 slammed the door and walked out 210 00:08:45,509 --> 00:08:43,919 when my parents found out that happened 211 00:08:46,949 --> 00:08:45,519 they took the decision to remove me from 212 00:08:48,790 --> 00:08:46,959 the school and i started getting a 213 00:08:50,389 --> 00:08:48,800 proper education so i was really lucky i 214 00:08:53,750 --> 00:08:50,399 was able to do the last four years of 215 00:08:55,590 --> 00:08:53,760 school in a fairly normal way and 216 00:08:56,790 --> 00:08:55,600 that meant that i started to get a good 217 00:08:58,870 --> 00:08:56,800 education it was really difficult 218 00:09:00,870 --> 00:08:58,880 because teachers would talk to me about 219 00:09:02,870 --> 00:09:00,880 all kinds of stuff that i just felt was 220 00:09:04,550 --> 00:09:02,880 was wrong and i freaked out by it but 221 00:09:06,870 --> 00:09:04,560 eventually i had my mind opened enough 222 00:09:08,150 --> 00:09:06,880 by by going to school with sinners and 223 00:09:09,590 --> 00:09:08,160 realizing they weren't these evil 224 00:09:11,110 --> 00:09:09,600 junkies that i've been told that they 225 00:09:12,230 --> 00:09:11,120 were gonna be 226 00:09:15,030 --> 00:09:12,240 um 227 00:09:17,269 --> 00:09:15,040 so uh nate uh phelps today in his talk 228 00:09:19,509 --> 00:09:17,279 mention talked about the the phases of 229 00:09:22,150 --> 00:09:19,519 leaving christianity where you know 230 00:09:24,389 --> 00:09:22,160 there's the aha moment then there's what 231 00:09:25,670 --> 00:09:24,399 was i thinking moment yeah 232 00:09:27,509 --> 00:09:25,680 and then the 233 00:09:30,550 --> 00:09:27,519 what was i thinking again 234 00:09:33,910 --> 00:09:30,560 the aha moment followed yeah so what was 235 00:09:38,870 --> 00:09:36,310 i don't know if i had one but one that 236 00:09:42,150 --> 00:09:38,880 was really important to me was that ace 237 00:09:43,829 --> 00:09:42,160 teaches that god is right wing and the 238 00:09:45,030 --> 00:09:43,839 the more christian you are the more the 239 00:09:47,509 --> 00:09:45,040 further to right you will be on the 240 00:09:49,110 --> 00:09:47,519 political spectrum and i'd have taken 241 00:09:50,470 --> 00:09:49,120 that very much to heart and i took all 242 00:09:52,070 --> 00:09:50,480 their lessons about how communism was 243 00:09:55,829 --> 00:09:52,080 the most evil thing in the world and i 244 00:09:58,230 --> 00:09:55,839 took politics a-level and so you don't 245 00:10:00,310 --> 00:09:58,240 look old enough to 246 00:10:02,150 --> 00:10:00,320 um to have had all this kind of 247 00:10:03,990 --> 00:10:02,160 education during a time when communism 248 00:10:05,910 --> 00:10:04,000 was a real threat unless you lived in 249 00:10:07,829 --> 00:10:05,920 north korea no right 250 00:10:08,870 --> 00:10:07,839 the the thing about fundamentalism is 251 00:10:10,630 --> 00:10:08,880 that it 252 00:10:11,990 --> 00:10:10,640 is really rooted in the past it doesn't 253 00:10:12,790 --> 00:10:12,000 believe in change 254 00:10:15,590 --> 00:10:12,800 so 255 00:10:17,590 --> 00:10:15,600 fundamentalism developed during the cold 256 00:10:20,230 --> 00:10:17,600 war christian fundamentalism is a really 257 00:10:21,430 --> 00:10:20,240 recent phenomenon and and its real peak 258 00:10:24,310 --> 00:10:21,440 of like 259 00:10:25,910 --> 00:10:24,320 growth was in the 60s and 70s so all of 260 00:10:26,949 --> 00:10:25,920 this curriculum that i was studying was 261 00:10:27,990 --> 00:10:26,959 written 262 00:10:29,190 --> 00:10:28,000 in 263 00:10:35,829 --> 00:10:29,200 the 264 00:10:37,509 --> 00:10:35,839 about communism were really prevalent in 265 00:10:39,910 --> 00:10:37,519 the curriculum even though communism had 266 00:10:41,350 --> 00:10:39,920 fallen and it really was irrelevant 267 00:10:43,030 --> 00:10:41,360 and so i was being taught all this stuff 268 00:10:44,069 --> 00:10:43,040 about how evil socialism and communism 269 00:10:45,990 --> 00:10:44,079 were and how they were a threat to our 270 00:10:47,430 --> 00:10:46,000 way of life and when i eventually had a 271 00:10:50,310 --> 00:10:47,440 politics teacher that told me what 272 00:10:51,990 --> 00:10:50,320 communism was i was like oh so so you 273 00:10:54,310 --> 00:10:52,000 mean it's sharing 274 00:10:55,910 --> 00:10:54,320 that's kind of nice that's like 275 00:10:57,990 --> 00:10:55,920 maybe it doesn't work in practice but 276 00:10:59,750 --> 00:10:58,000 you know it's not evil i've been like 277 00:11:01,269 --> 00:10:59,760 raised so i was like there was this 278 00:11:03,110 --> 00:11:01,279 definite moment of 279 00:11:04,949 --> 00:11:03,120 re having realized that and also 280 00:11:07,110 --> 00:11:04,959 realizing that like natural selection 281 00:11:08,310 --> 00:11:07,120 was actually kind of plausible of like 282 00:11:09,910 --> 00:11:08,320 okay so what else have they been lying 283 00:11:12,710 --> 00:11:09,920 to me about 284 00:11:16,069 --> 00:11:12,720 and and what stage in your life was that 285 00:11:17,829 --> 00:11:16,079 that was when i was 18. okay but 286 00:11:19,910 --> 00:11:17,839 actually it scared the hell out of me i 287 00:11:21,509 --> 00:11:19,920 didn't then think about it again i read 288 00:11:23,910 --> 00:11:21,519 some stuff that made me think 289 00:11:25,990 --> 00:11:23,920 what i believe is indefensible 290 00:11:28,150 --> 00:11:26,000 and the arguments that i had 291 00:11:29,990 --> 00:11:28,160 were essentially you can't trust your 292 00:11:32,230 --> 00:11:30,000 own reasoning because you're a fallen 293 00:11:33,750 --> 00:11:32,240 human who you have a sin nature and 294 00:11:35,509 --> 00:11:33,760 therefore you're not capable of seeing 295 00:11:38,310 --> 00:11:35,519 the truth so you just have to trust take 296 00:11:39,509 --> 00:11:38,320 god's word for it and and by the way i'm 297 00:11:41,350 --> 00:11:39,519 the preacher and i know what god's word 298 00:11:42,630 --> 00:11:41,360 is so listen to me 299 00:11:44,870 --> 00:11:42,640 and uh 300 00:12:16,949 --> 00:11:44,880 i 301 00:12:18,949 --> 00:12:16,959 yeah none of that none of that's real 302 00:12:22,710 --> 00:12:18,959 and when did you start writing your blog 303 00:12:24,949 --> 00:12:22,720 i started the blog in 2012 304 00:12:27,190 --> 00:12:24,959 and that was because a uk government 305 00:12:28,389 --> 00:12:27,200 agency had recognized some 306 00:12:30,629 --> 00:12:28,399 qualifications that were based on 307 00:12:31,829 --> 00:12:30,639 accelerated christian education and i 308 00:12:33,430 --> 00:12:31,839 was like okay 309 00:12:35,670 --> 00:12:33,440 no one is going to do anything about 310 00:12:37,509 --> 00:12:35,680 this if i don't speak out if something's 311 00:12:40,069 --> 00:12:37,519 got to be done about the fact that kids 312 00:12:41,829 --> 00:12:40,079 are being given this mis-education 313 00:12:43,910 --> 00:12:41,839 this they're being deprived the rights 314 00:12:45,590 --> 00:12:43,920 to learn and to think for themselves 315 00:12:47,829 --> 00:12:45,600 and that's wrong 316 00:12:49,670 --> 00:12:47,839 and uh what about your relationship with 317 00:12:50,949 --> 00:12:49,680 your family i mean that they are aware 318 00:12:53,269 --> 00:12:50,959 that your 319 00:12:55,030 --> 00:12:53,279 um you're not a believer anymore so i 320 00:12:56,870 --> 00:12:55,040 mean they obviously have to be aware of 321 00:12:58,949 --> 00:12:56,880 your way of life but do they understand 322 00:13:00,710 --> 00:12:58,959 the deeper implications in terms of your 323 00:13:02,550 --> 00:13:00,720 beliefs and opinions yeah well my dad 324 00:13:04,470 --> 00:13:02,560 died when i was 17 325 00:13:07,110 --> 00:13:04,480 which was a huge thing because my family 326 00:13:08,470 --> 00:13:07,120 believed in healing and and and apart a 327 00:13:10,069 --> 00:13:08,480 preacher actually said to my mum you 328 00:13:12,069 --> 00:13:10,079 know you're responsible for whether he 329 00:13:13,910 --> 00:13:12,079 lives or dies it will be down to your 330 00:13:16,069 --> 00:13:13,920 faith and your prayers whether whether 331 00:13:17,750 --> 00:13:16,079 he dies or not he died 332 00:13:20,470 --> 00:13:17,760 and 333 00:13:22,389 --> 00:13:20,480 we at that point 334 00:13:24,470 --> 00:13:22,399 that kind of meant that 335 00:13:26,470 --> 00:13:24,480 my mom and i were more free to think for 336 00:13:28,230 --> 00:13:26,480 ourselves without because he was kind of 337 00:13:30,230 --> 00:13:28,240 the driving force of 338 00:13:32,470 --> 00:13:30,240 of this 339 00:13:33,350 --> 00:13:32,480 level of fanaticism that there was in my 340 00:13:35,829 --> 00:13:33,360 family 341 00:13:37,670 --> 00:13:35,839 and so i went away to university and i 342 00:13:39,430 --> 00:13:37,680 was able to make a new circle of friends 343 00:13:40,870 --> 00:13:39,440 and have the freedom to think for myself 344 00:13:42,470 --> 00:13:40,880 without fear of being ostracized and my 345 00:13:43,509 --> 00:13:42,480 mum was able to 346 00:13:45,670 --> 00:13:43,519 start 347 00:13:47,509 --> 00:13:45,680 questioning things you know without 348 00:13:50,310 --> 00:13:47,519 having the pressure from her husband and 349 00:13:52,389 --> 00:13:50,320 so independently we both left it behind 350 00:13:53,910 --> 00:13:52,399 and so my mum she's completely lifted 351 00:13:56,470 --> 00:13:53,920 yeah she's left it behind as well and i 352 00:13:58,870 --> 00:13:56,480 think that's more brave i i think you 353 00:14:00,389 --> 00:13:58,880 know for me i i got out 354 00:14:03,590 --> 00:14:00,399 i was pretty much free by the time i was 355 00:14:05,030 --> 00:14:03,600 21 and although i'd had a bad start in 356 00:14:06,550 --> 00:14:05,040 life i 357 00:14:08,389 --> 00:14:06,560 had the rest of my life ahead of me 358 00:14:11,430 --> 00:14:08,399 whereas my mum got into it when she was 359 00:14:14,629 --> 00:14:11,440 21 and lost the most important years of 360 00:14:16,389 --> 00:14:14,639 her life and now that found herself at 361 00:14:18,790 --> 00:14:16,399 retirement age going the way i brought 362 00:14:21,189 --> 00:14:18,800 up my children damaged them and what i 363 00:14:23,509 --> 00:14:21,199 have dedicated my life to is false 364 00:14:25,350 --> 00:14:23,519 and i have to deal with that and she has 365 00:14:26,389 --> 00:14:25,360 she's been a lot of people at that point 366 00:14:27,990 --> 00:14:26,399 would just 367 00:14:29,829 --> 00:14:28,000 push themselves back into their religion 368 00:14:31,269 --> 00:14:29,839 rather than face the reality of it and 369 00:14:32,389 --> 00:14:31,279 she hasn't so i think she's pretty 370 00:14:34,710 --> 00:14:32,399 heroic 371 00:14:36,150 --> 00:14:34,720 and where where can people find uh find 372 00:14:37,990 --> 00:14:36,160 out more about you what's the url of 373 00:14:40,550 --> 00:14:38,000 your blog it's it's leaving 374 00:14:54,389 --> 00:14:40,560 fundamentalism.wordpress.com 375 00:14:59,590 --> 00:14:56,710 hello dear skeptical ninjas 376 00:15:01,990 --> 00:14:59,600 my name is jake farwarten and my name is 377 00:15:04,150 --> 00:15:02,000 ross bulge and we are here to talk to 378 00:15:06,790 --> 00:15:04,160 you about bris 379 00:15:09,030 --> 00:15:06,800 skepty camp which is coming up in july 380 00:15:10,870 --> 00:15:09,040 so who is speaking out brisk after camp 381 00:15:13,350 --> 00:15:10,880 well jake you and i will be there as 382 00:15:16,470 --> 00:15:13,360 hosts as hosts and also recording a 383 00:15:19,189 --> 00:15:16,480 podcast a podcast right and we've got 384 00:15:21,189 --> 00:15:19,199 john cook from skepticalscience.com well 385 00:15:23,269 --> 00:15:21,199 we've got theo clark who does hunting 386 00:15:25,910 --> 00:15:23,279 humbug podcast and also the skeptic's 387 00:15:27,189 --> 00:15:25,920 field guide that is amazing and loretta 388 00:15:29,590 --> 00:15:27,199 maron from friends of science and 389 00:15:31,829 --> 00:15:29,600 medicine that is fantastic and if all of 390 00:15:34,150 --> 00:15:31,839 that sounded too amazing we have a whole 391 00:15:36,629 --> 00:15:34,160 host of local skeptics from the brisbane 392 00:15:38,389 --> 00:15:36,639 area so if i call now do i also get a 393 00:15:40,629 --> 00:15:38,399 free set of steak knives well i would be 394 00:15:42,389 --> 00:15:40,639 quite skeptical of that claim jake 395 00:15:44,230 --> 00:15:42,399 so how can i find out more about 396 00:15:45,990 --> 00:15:44,240 briskeptocare you can go to 397 00:15:48,310 --> 00:15:46,000 brisketcamp.org 398 00:15:51,030 --> 00:15:48,320 that was an advantageously made web 399 00:15:54,230 --> 00:15:51,040 domain name i dare say yes and when is 400 00:15:57,269 --> 00:15:54,240 bridge skepticam july 19th this year so 401 00:15:59,189 --> 00:15:57,279 july 19th this year and it's free it's 402 00:16:01,269 --> 00:15:59,199 completely free completely free yeah 403 00:16:03,910 --> 00:16:01,279 with a free set of steak knives as well 404 00:16:06,389 --> 00:16:03,920 i would continue to be skeptical 405 00:16:13,910 --> 00:16:06,399 so go to briskeptocam.org 406 00:16:17,749 --> 00:16:16,230 welcome to a week in science from rios 407 00:16:18,710 --> 00:16:17,759 bringing you the science you need to 408 00:16:20,949 --> 00:16:18,720 know 409 00:16:22,949 --> 00:16:20,959 in 50 years we've seen technology go 410 00:16:25,749 --> 00:16:22,959 from computers the size of a house to 411 00:16:31,590 --> 00:16:25,759 the size of our palm the big question is 412 00:16:37,350 --> 00:16:35,110 in 1965 gordon e moore published a paper 413 00:16:39,829 --> 00:16:37,360 entitled cramming more components onto 414 00:16:41,430 --> 00:16:39,839 integrated circuits his work predicted 415 00:16:43,110 --> 00:16:41,440 the most cost-effective number of 416 00:16:45,269 --> 00:16:43,120 transistors that could fit onto a 417 00:16:47,829 --> 00:16:45,279 silicon chip this prediction is better 418 00:16:50,150 --> 00:16:47,839 known as moore's law which states 419 00:16:52,790 --> 00:16:50,160 computing power doubles approximately 420 00:16:55,430 --> 00:16:52,800 every two years as transistors become 421 00:16:57,030 --> 00:16:55,440 smaller transistors are a miniature on 422 00:16:59,749 --> 00:16:57,040 off switch that allows a computer to 423 00:17:01,629 --> 00:16:59,759 process information the first transistor 424 00:17:04,630 --> 00:17:01,639 was developed at bell laboratories in 425 00:17:06,390 --> 00:17:04,640 1947 and was the size of a thumbnail 426 00:17:08,549 --> 00:17:06,400 although the supporting structure around 427 00:17:10,549 --> 00:17:08,559 it was the size of a hand 428 00:17:12,789 --> 00:17:10,559 since then transistors have been shrunk 429 00:17:14,630 --> 00:17:12,799 down to the nanometer scale meaning 430 00:17:16,630 --> 00:17:14,640 billions can now be crammed onto a 431 00:17:19,829 --> 00:17:16,640 single silicon chip the size of the 432 00:17:21,750 --> 00:17:19,839 original transistor 433 00:17:23,909 --> 00:17:21,760 however we may be nearing the end for 434 00:17:26,230 --> 00:17:23,919 moore's law as transistors reach the 435 00:17:28,150 --> 00:17:26,240 minimum size possible scientists are 436 00:17:29,990 --> 00:17:28,160 already working on quantum techniques 437 00:17:31,350 --> 00:17:30,000 which will shrink computers to the size 438 00:17:33,190 --> 00:17:31,360 of molecules 439 00:17:35,909 --> 00:17:33,200 this is equivalent to squeezing today's 440 00:17:38,470 --> 00:17:35,919 supercomputers onto the head of a pin as 441 00:17:40,549 --> 00:17:38,480 a result expect your personal devices to 442 00:17:42,470 --> 00:17:40,559 be fully wearable with ultra long 443 00:17:44,230 --> 00:17:42,480 battery life and able to communicate 444 00:17:46,710 --> 00:17:44,240 with buildings roadways and other 445 00:17:48,549 --> 00:17:46,720 individuals nearby as a result voice 446 00:17:51,029 --> 00:17:48,559 commands and gestures will remove the 447 00:17:52,789 --> 00:17:51,039 need for screens and keypads it's also 448 00:17:55,029 --> 00:17:52,799 possible that the next generation of 449 00:17:57,590 --> 00:17:55,039 computers may be able to simulate human 450 00:18:00,390 --> 00:17:57,600 intelligence for the first time or even 451 00:18:02,549 --> 00:18:00,400 interface directly with the human brain 452 00:18:05,190 --> 00:18:02,559 and now four fast facts about shrinking 453 00:18:08,310 --> 00:18:05,200 technology 454 00:18:10,870 --> 00:18:08,320 cyrac mark 1 a first generation computer 455 00:18:13,669 --> 00:18:10,880 built in the 1940s is on display in the 456 00:18:15,990 --> 00:18:13,679 melbourne museum it occupies 40 square 457 00:18:18,470 --> 00:18:16,000 meters and weighs around 2 tons 458 00:18:21,190 --> 00:18:18,480 today the transistors on silicon chips 459 00:18:24,310 --> 00:18:21,200 are less than 30 nanometers wide meaning 460 00:18:27,110 --> 00:18:24,320 over 2 500 would fit on the width of a 461 00:18:29,270 --> 00:18:27,120 human hair a modern transistor can turn 462 00:18:31,190 --> 00:18:29,280 on and off more than 1 billion times per 463 00:18:33,669 --> 00:18:31,200 second this is the equivalent of 464 00:18:36,230 --> 00:18:33,679 switching a light on and off 150 times 465 00:18:38,789 --> 00:18:36,240 per minute for 2 000 years 466 00:18:40,230 --> 00:18:38,799 based on moore's law futurists predict 467 00:18:41,990 --> 00:18:40,240 that computers will become more 468 00:18:45,510 --> 00:18:42,000 intelligent than humans between the 469 00:18:47,669 --> 00:18:45,520 years 2030 and 2040. that's it for this 470 00:18:50,070 --> 00:18:47,679 week in science for more information on 471 00:18:54,630 --> 00:18:50,080 shrinking technology go to the rio's 472 00:18:58,470 --> 00:18:57,270 follow us on twitter at rios and like us 473 00:19:00,390 --> 00:18:58,480 on facebook 474 00:19:08,150 --> 00:19:00,400 i'm tanya meyer and we'll catch you next 475 00:19:12,630 --> 00:19:10,310 ad hominem begging the question factoid 476 00:19:14,630 --> 00:19:12,640 propagation false analogy false cause 477 00:19:16,230 --> 00:19:14,640 false dichotomy gibberish immunized 478 00:19:17,909 --> 00:19:16,240 hypothesis moral equivalence poisoning 479 00:19:20,549 --> 00:19:17,919 the welsh implemented certitude stacking 480 00:19:22,470 --> 00:19:20,559 a deck and wtf but just some of the 481 00:19:25,110 --> 00:19:22,480 fallacies we provide real-life examples 482 00:19:26,549 --> 00:19:25,120 of in hunting humbug 101 a podcast about 483 00:19:27,190 --> 00:19:26,559 bad arguments 484 00:19:45,270 --> 00:19:27,200 check it out at 485 00:19:50,470 --> 00:19:48,310 hi i'm sigma kane recently i published 486 00:19:53,350 --> 00:19:50,480 an article titled why you should not 487 00:19:59,029 --> 00:19:53,360 listen to anti-vaxxers here is my radio 488 00:20:03,029 --> 00:20:00,870 most skeptics have come across 489 00:20:04,870 --> 00:20:03,039 conspiracy theorists the people who 490 00:20:06,950 --> 00:20:04,880 claim that lizard people are in charge 491 00:20:08,470 --> 00:20:06,960 of the world or that the moon landing 492 00:20:10,150 --> 00:20:08,480 never happened 493 00:20:12,470 --> 00:20:10,160 when you question their claims 494 00:20:13,909 --> 00:20:12,480 conspiracy theorists usually come up 495 00:20:16,710 --> 00:20:13,919 with a story that involves the 496 00:20:19,350 --> 00:20:16,720 authorities covering stuff up 497 00:20:21,430 --> 00:20:19,360 professor stefan lewandowski a cognitive 498 00:20:23,830 --> 00:20:21,440 scientist at the university of western 499 00:20:26,789 --> 00:20:23,840 australia has described conspiracy 500 00:20:29,270 --> 00:20:26,799 theories as immune to evidence 501 00:20:31,750 --> 00:20:29,280 lewandowski argues that if you reject 502 00:20:34,630 --> 00:20:31,760 evidence or reinterpret the evidence to 503 00:20:36,950 --> 00:20:34,640 be confirmation of your theory or you 504 00:20:38,390 --> 00:20:36,960 ignore mountains of evidence to focus on 505 00:20:41,510 --> 00:20:38,400 just one thing 506 00:20:43,430 --> 00:20:41,520 you're probably a conspiracy theorist 507 00:20:45,270 --> 00:20:43,440 we all know that it's great to maintain 508 00:20:48,230 --> 00:20:45,280 a healthy dose of skepticism be 509 00:20:50,230 --> 00:20:48,240 open-minded and think critically but 510 00:20:52,390 --> 00:20:50,240 conspiratorial thinking crosses that 511 00:20:55,750 --> 00:20:52,400 line and wanders off into a paranoid 512 00:20:57,669 --> 00:20:55,760 world where nobody can be trusted 513 00:20:59,430 --> 00:20:57,679 the harmless flavor of a conspiracy 514 00:21:01,029 --> 00:20:59,440 theorist will try to convince you about 515 00:21:04,230 --> 00:21:01,039 lizard people while you're having drinks 516 00:21:06,630 --> 00:21:04,240 at a pub but unfortunately others spread 517 00:21:13,190 --> 00:21:06,640 dangerous misinformation about important 518 00:21:17,990 --> 00:21:15,350 associate professor guy eslick is a 519 00:21:20,390 --> 00:21:18,000 researcher from the university of sydney 520 00:21:22,390 --> 00:21:20,400 recently he led a comprehensive review 521 00:21:24,470 --> 00:21:22,400 of studies looking at the link between 522 00:21:27,350 --> 00:21:24,480 vaccines and autism 523 00:21:29,669 --> 00:21:27,360 the conclusion put it plain and simple 524 00:21:32,789 --> 00:21:29,679 there is no evidence to support the 525 00:21:34,549 --> 00:21:32,799 claim that autism is caused by vaccines 526 00:21:37,350 --> 00:21:34,559 of course this conclusion is hardly 527 00:21:39,510 --> 00:21:37,360 surprising but we all know that militant 528 00:21:41,990 --> 00:21:39,520 anti-vaccination campaigners have been 529 00:21:43,750 --> 00:21:42,000 claiming the link exists for decades 530 00:21:45,669 --> 00:21:43,760 and now even in the light of 531 00:21:48,870 --> 00:21:45,679 comprehensive research showing the 532 00:21:51,110 --> 00:21:48,880 opposite anti-vaxxers are still refusing 533 00:21:53,510 --> 00:21:51,120 to let the myth go 534 00:21:55,510 --> 00:21:53,520 furthermore a similar attitude emerges 535 00:21:57,909 --> 00:21:55,520 when they face any other data 536 00:22:01,750 --> 00:21:57,919 contradicting their belief that vaccines 537 00:22:04,470 --> 00:22:01,760 are unsafe unnecessary and do not work 538 00:22:06,549 --> 00:22:04,480 so why is it so hard to change an 539 00:22:08,710 --> 00:22:06,559 anti-vaxxer's mind 540 00:22:10,870 --> 00:22:08,720 after all they claim to be presenting 541 00:22:12,870 --> 00:22:10,880 information in the interest of parents 542 00:22:14,630 --> 00:22:12,880 who want to make an informed choice 543 00:22:16,470 --> 00:22:14,640 about vaccines 544 00:22:18,470 --> 00:22:16,480 you'd think they would welcome evidence 545 00:22:23,909 --> 00:22:18,480 that shows vaccines are actually not 546 00:22:29,110 --> 00:22:26,710 unfortunately an anti-vaxxer is really 547 00:22:31,110 --> 00:22:29,120 just a conspiracy theorist 548 00:22:32,789 --> 00:22:31,120 some of them even admit they would not 549 00:22:33,830 --> 00:22:32,799 change their mind in light of any 550 00:22:35,669 --> 00:22:33,840 evidence 551 00:22:37,190 --> 00:22:35,679 others keep shifting the goal posts 552 00:22:39,510 --> 00:22:37,200 until the proof they demand is 553 00:22:41,990 --> 00:22:39,520 impossible to provide 554 00:22:44,470 --> 00:22:42,000 to me this is the crux of the issue 555 00:22:46,630 --> 00:22:44,480 you can't tackle a conspiracy theorist 556 00:22:48,390 --> 00:22:46,640 with facts or evidence it's because 557 00:22:50,390 --> 00:22:48,400 their logic prevents them from taking 558 00:22:52,310 --> 00:22:50,400 into account anything that contradicts 559 00:22:54,789 --> 00:22:52,320 their worldview 560 00:22:56,870 --> 00:22:54,799 in fact lewandowski and his colleagues 561 00:22:58,870 --> 00:22:56,880 have outlined six criteria for 562 00:23:01,909 --> 00:22:58,880 conspiratorial thinking 563 00:23:03,270 --> 00:23:01,919 and most of those apply to anti-vaxxers 564 00:23:06,149 --> 00:23:03,280 here's how 565 00:23:08,470 --> 00:23:06,159 the first criterion is nefarious intent 566 00:23:10,390 --> 00:23:08,480 the belief that presumed conspirators 567 00:23:12,789 --> 00:23:10,400 have evil intentions 568 00:23:15,350 --> 00:23:12,799 for anti-vaxxers this usually goes along 569 00:23:16,549 --> 00:23:15,360 the lines of big pharma killing babies 570 00:23:18,549 --> 00:23:16,559 for money 571 00:23:21,430 --> 00:23:18,559 similar narratives include careless 572 00:23:23,669 --> 00:23:21,440 doctors incompetent health authorities 573 00:23:26,230 --> 00:23:23,679 research fraud and other explanations 574 00:23:27,669 --> 00:23:26,240 for why nobody believes that vaccines 575 00:23:30,149 --> 00:23:27,679 are bad 576 00:23:32,070 --> 00:23:30,159 in other words every health official is 577 00:23:34,549 --> 00:23:32,080 in on it and the people who don't see 578 00:23:36,710 --> 00:23:34,559 this are fools 579 00:23:39,510 --> 00:23:36,720 the next criterion is the perception of 580 00:23:41,590 --> 00:23:39,520 oneself as a persecuted victim 581 00:23:43,669 --> 00:23:41,600 and sure enough if you think about it 582 00:23:45,830 --> 00:23:43,679 anti-vaxxers are usually quick to 583 00:23:48,149 --> 00:23:45,840 complain about suppression of the truth 584 00:23:50,390 --> 00:23:48,159 they have discovered particularly when 585 00:23:53,830 --> 00:23:50,400 health authorities issue warnings about 586 00:23:56,549 --> 00:23:53,840 misleading anti-vaccination campaigns 587 00:23:59,190 --> 00:23:56,559 the next criterion that fits the bill is 588 00:24:01,590 --> 00:23:59,200 nihilistic skepticism the attitude 589 00:24:03,510 --> 00:24:01,600 anti-vaxxers show when they refuse to 590 00:24:05,350 --> 00:24:03,520 believe in anything that doesn't fit 591 00:24:06,630 --> 00:24:05,360 their theory 592 00:24:08,870 --> 00:24:06,640 and lastly 593 00:24:11,110 --> 00:24:08,880 self-sealing reasoning means that any 594 00:24:13,590 --> 00:24:11,120 evidence against the conspiracy is 595 00:24:15,830 --> 00:24:13,600 interpreted as evidence for it 596 00:24:18,390 --> 00:24:15,840 this is exactly what anti-vaxxers do 597 00:24:20,149 --> 00:24:18,400 when they face a study like eslicks they 598 00:24:22,230 --> 00:24:20,159 claim the data has been cherry-picked 599 00:24:24,390 --> 00:24:22,240 the author has vested interest the 600 00:24:26,630 --> 00:24:24,400 university of sydney received new lab 601 00:24:28,789 --> 00:24:26,640 equipment for running this research and 602 00:24:31,110 --> 00:24:28,799 so on and so forth 603 00:24:33,110 --> 00:24:31,120 you can't debate a conspiracy theorist 604 00:24:35,430 --> 00:24:33,120 using evidence and reason 605 00:24:36,630 --> 00:24:35,440 it's absolutely crucial to realize this 606 00:24:38,990 --> 00:24:36,640 when faced with claims by 607 00:24:46,710 --> 00:24:39,000 anti-vaccination campaigners 608 00:24:50,149 --> 00:24:48,149 and you know what 609 00:24:51,909 --> 00:24:50,159 it's really disappointing 610 00:24:53,830 --> 00:24:51,919 we need watchdogs for the medical 611 00:24:55,350 --> 00:24:53,840 industry as much as we need them 612 00:24:57,430 --> 00:24:55,360 anywhere else 613 00:24:59,669 --> 00:24:57,440 vaccines are not without risks but they 614 00:25:01,830 --> 00:24:59,679 do prevent diseases and yes 615 00:25:04,070 --> 00:25:01,840 pharmaceutical companies are known to 616 00:25:05,430 --> 00:25:04,080 engage in shoddy and sometimes unethical 617 00:25:07,669 --> 00:25:05,440 practices 618 00:25:10,870 --> 00:25:07,679 manufacturing mistakes also happen and 619 00:25:13,190 --> 00:25:10,880 people can be harmed by medications 620 00:25:15,269 --> 00:25:13,200 but it is crucial that the discussion of 621 00:25:17,830 --> 00:25:15,279 these issues is done in a rational 622 00:25:21,029 --> 00:25:17,840 environment that encourages real debate 623 00:25:23,190 --> 00:25:21,039 and bases arguments on solid evidence 624 00:25:25,430 --> 00:25:23,200 not with militant activists who refuse 625 00:25:27,830 --> 00:25:25,440 to accept anything that won't fit their 626 00:25:29,830 --> 00:25:27,840 narrative 627 00:25:32,549 --> 00:25:29,840 scientists make mistakes and correct 628 00:25:43,830 --> 00:25:32,559 them but you can't expect a conspiracy 629 00:25:46,870 --> 00:25:45,990 hey guys jay novella here simple 630 00:25:49,669 --> 00:25:46,880 question 631 00:25:51,110 --> 00:25:49,679 where will you be this november 632 00:25:52,950 --> 00:25:51,120 because i know i'm going to be at the 633 00:25:54,710 --> 00:25:52,960 australian skeptics national convention 634 00:25:56,230 --> 00:25:54,720 in sydney and so will all the rest of us 635 00:25:57,830 --> 00:25:56,240 from the skeptic's guide to the universe 636 00:26:00,549 --> 00:25:57,840 including george robb 637 00:26:03,029 --> 00:26:00,559 and dick smith and dr carl and dr rachie 638 00:26:05,350 --> 00:26:03,039 and lots of other awesome people why 639 00:26:07,190 --> 00:26:05,360 aren't you going did you not sign up yet 640 00:26:08,549 --> 00:26:07,200 get on there and sign up this is going 641 00:26:11,590 --> 00:26:08,559 to be some epic stuff here you don't 642 00:26:19,590 --> 00:26:11,600 want to miss it go to skeptics.com dot a 643 00:26:23,590 --> 00:26:21,590 what we want is some more 644 00:26:30,950 --> 00:26:23,600 evidence please 645 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:34,789 hello this is joe alabaster 646 00:26:38,390 --> 00:26:36,549 this week i'd like to talk about some of 647 00:26:40,549 --> 00:26:38,400 the strange claims that i encountered 648 00:26:43,590 --> 00:26:40,559 and curious advice that i was given as i 649 00:26:45,350 --> 00:26:43,600 entered the world of parenthood 650 00:26:47,190 --> 00:26:45,360 when my partner and i decided to try to 651 00:26:49,590 --> 00:26:47,200 conceive we weren't public about it and 652 00:26:51,590 --> 00:26:49,600 didn't face any fertility troubles so 653 00:26:53,269 --> 00:26:51,600 thankfully i avoided having to negotiate 654 00:26:54,950 --> 00:26:53,279 any of the myths or questionable 655 00:26:56,630 --> 00:26:54,960 treatments that hopeful parents are 656 00:26:58,630 --> 00:26:56,640 prone to encountering 657 00:27:00,630 --> 00:26:58,640 there are plenty out there though from 658 00:27:03,029 --> 00:27:00,640 old wives tales such as having a woman 659 00:27:05,269 --> 00:27:03,039 hold her legs up in the air after coitus 660 00:27:06,789 --> 00:27:05,279 having her quaff grapefruit juice or 661 00:27:09,510 --> 00:27:06,799 sitting in the chair of a woman who is 662 00:27:11,350 --> 00:27:09,520 pregnant to naturopathy acupuncture and 663 00:27:14,070 --> 00:27:11,360 other traditional chinese medicine 664 00:27:15,430 --> 00:27:14,080 chiropractic hypnotherapy and homeopathy 665 00:27:17,029 --> 00:27:15,440 treatments 666 00:27:19,110 --> 00:27:17,039 infertility affects one in six 667 00:27:21,750 --> 00:27:19,120 australian couples and as such there's a 668 00:27:22,950 --> 00:27:21,760 strong market for alternative medicine 669 00:27:24,630 --> 00:27:22,960 fortunately there are also 670 00:27:26,870 --> 00:27:24,640 evidence-based investigations 671 00:27:29,110 --> 00:27:26,880 recommendations and treatments so a trip 672 00:27:30,870 --> 00:27:29,120 to the gp for a chat and a referral can 673 00:27:32,830 --> 00:27:30,880 be a fruitful option for people who are 674 00:27:35,110 --> 00:27:32,840 experiencing trouble 675 00:27:36,870 --> 00:27:35,120 conceiving there are also many myths 676 00:27:38,710 --> 00:27:36,880 which claim that you can influence which 677 00:27:40,470 --> 00:27:38,720 sex your child will be 678 00:27:42,789 --> 00:27:40,480 some people recommending switching to a 679 00:27:44,549 --> 00:27:42,799 so-called acidifying diet which is 680 00:27:48,230 --> 00:27:44,559 supposed to cause the physiologically 681 00:27:49,669 --> 00:27:48,240 impossible act of killing off male sperm 682 00:27:50,870 --> 00:27:49,679 trying to conceive in particular 683 00:27:53,350 --> 00:27:50,880 positions 684 00:27:55,190 --> 00:27:53,360 timing conception based on ovulation 685 00:27:59,029 --> 00:27:55,200 mood or time of day 686 00:28:01,029 --> 00:27:59,039 and gorging on chocolate to have a girl 687 00:28:02,950 --> 00:28:01,039 one particularly persistent myth is that 688 00:28:04,710 --> 00:28:02,960 timing conception based on the mother's 689 00:28:07,029 --> 00:28:04,720 date of birth and the chinese lunar 690 00:28:08,630 --> 00:28:07,039 calendar can result in having either a 691 00:28:10,310 --> 00:28:08,640 boy or a girl 692 00:28:12,230 --> 00:28:10,320 i just had a quick peek at the charts 693 00:28:13,830 --> 00:28:12,240 which have informed me that my son was 694 00:28:16,230 --> 00:28:13,840 supposed to be a girl and my daughter 695 00:28:18,070 --> 00:28:16,240 was meant to be a boy but frankly it's 696 00:28:19,830 --> 00:28:18,080 pretty much a 50 50 shot 697 00:28:21,909 --> 00:28:19,840 children with intersex conditions don't 698 00:28:23,430 --> 00:28:21,919 seem to be acknowledged by this system 699 00:28:24,549 --> 00:28:23,440 and my results are statistically 700 00:28:26,149 --> 00:28:24,559 irrelevant 701 00:28:27,830 --> 00:28:26,159 as are the results of those who've had 702 00:28:30,549 --> 00:28:27,840 hits from this system and experience 703 00:28:32,710 --> 00:28:30,559 confirmation bias 704 00:28:34,870 --> 00:28:32,720 back to evidence-based medicine 705 00:28:36,870 --> 00:28:34,880 it is recommended that women take folic 706 00:28:39,110 --> 00:28:36,880 acid supplements for at least one month 707 00:28:41,029 --> 00:28:39,120 prior to conceiving then for the first 708 00:28:42,630 --> 00:28:41,039 three months of pregnancy 709 00:28:45,830 --> 00:28:42,640 research has shown that an adequate 710 00:28:48,149 --> 00:28:45,840 intake of folate 600 micrograms per day 711 00:28:50,870 --> 00:28:48,159 in the periconceptional period has the 712 00:28:52,950 --> 00:28:50,880 capacity to prevent 70 of all cases of 713 00:28:55,110 --> 00:28:52,960 neural tube defects 714 00:28:56,789 --> 00:28:55,120 additionally adequate iodine is critical 715 00:28:59,110 --> 00:28:56,799 for the gestating fetus's brain 716 00:29:00,870 --> 00:28:59,120 development and iodine deficiency is 717 00:29:01,830 --> 00:29:00,880 widespread across the population in 718 00:29:04,389 --> 00:29:01,840 general 719 00:29:06,070 --> 00:29:04,399 as such 150 micrograms supplement is 720 00:29:08,149 --> 00:29:06,080 recommended 721 00:29:10,630 --> 00:29:08,159 so when i was trying to conceive and for 722 00:29:13,269 --> 00:29:10,640 the first few weeks of my pregnancies i 723 00:29:14,950 --> 00:29:13,279 took supplements much to my children 724 00:29:17,110 --> 00:29:14,960 this meant heading to the vitamin aisle 725 00:29:19,430 --> 00:29:17,120 of my pharmacy and selecting something 726 00:29:21,510 --> 00:29:19,440 made by a company who also sold a lot of 727 00:29:22,870 --> 00:29:21,520 unnecessary and potentially harmful 728 00:29:24,710 --> 00:29:22,880 supplements 729 00:29:26,230 --> 00:29:24,720 but you do what you've got to do and 730 00:29:27,669 --> 00:29:26,240 this certainly wasn't the first time 731 00:29:29,669 --> 00:29:27,679 i've compromised my skeptical 732 00:29:32,310 --> 00:29:29,679 sensibilities in a pharmacy 733 00:29:34,310 --> 00:29:32,320 early pregnancy is an exciting time 734 00:29:36,389 --> 00:29:34,320 i chose not to go public before my first 735 00:29:38,389 --> 00:29:36,399 12-week scan but i did join an online 736 00:29:39,669 --> 00:29:38,399 parenting forum to connect with other 737 00:29:41,269 --> 00:29:39,679 women who were having similar 738 00:29:42,789 --> 00:29:41,279 experiences 739 00:29:44,870 --> 00:29:42,799 i chose the one which appeared to be the 740 00:29:47,590 --> 00:29:44,880 least were invested but goodness it's a 741 00:29:49,269 --> 00:29:47,600 minefield of anecdotal belief out there 742 00:29:51,190 --> 00:29:49,279 i was very lucky with the birth group i 743 00:29:52,870 --> 00:29:51,200 became involved with the women were 744 00:29:54,549 --> 00:29:52,880 lovely or rather sensible by my 745 00:29:56,389 --> 00:29:54,559 reckoning and very supportive of one 746 00:29:58,870 --> 00:29:56,399 another 747 00:30:00,630 --> 00:29:58,880 many of us myself included were hit with 748 00:30:02,389 --> 00:30:00,640 varying degrees of the comically 749 00:30:04,070 --> 00:30:02,399 misnamed morning sickness throughout our 750 00:30:06,710 --> 00:30:04,080 first trimesters 751 00:30:08,710 --> 00:30:06,720 for me it tended to last all day 752 00:30:10,470 --> 00:30:08,720 i got through it by eating small simple 753 00:30:12,789 --> 00:30:10,480 meals throughout the day and nibbling on 754 00:30:14,549 --> 00:30:12,799 crystallized ginger which has been shown 755 00:30:16,070 --> 00:30:14,559 to be effective in treating symptoms of 756 00:30:17,909 --> 00:30:16,080 morning sickness in randomized 757 00:30:19,669 --> 00:30:17,919 controlled trials 758 00:30:21,909 --> 00:30:19,679 i've known of other women who have tried 759 00:30:24,389 --> 00:30:21,919 acupressure acupuncture traditional 760 00:30:26,710 --> 00:30:24,399 chinese medicine rescue remedy and other 761 00:30:28,230 --> 00:30:26,720 unproven treatments and certainly some 762 00:30:30,070 --> 00:30:28,240 felt that these helped 763 00:30:31,990 --> 00:30:30,080 i'll note that mild morning sickness can 764 00:30:33,909 --> 00:30:32,000 certainly be influenced by the placebo 765 00:30:35,350 --> 00:30:33,919 effect though and it is generally 766 00:30:37,430 --> 00:30:35,360 self-limiting 767 00:30:39,269 --> 00:30:37,440 if it's bad chat to your gp or 768 00:30:41,110 --> 00:30:39,279 obstetrician 769 00:30:43,029 --> 00:30:41,120 there are a few old wives tales around 770 00:30:45,350 --> 00:30:43,039 which claim ways to predict the baby's 771 00:30:47,269 --> 00:30:45,360 gender from the shape of the bump to 772 00:30:48,310 --> 00:30:47,279 dowsing using a wedding ring tied to a 773 00:30:50,230 --> 00:30:48,320 string 774 00:30:53,269 --> 00:30:50,240 the reliable way to find out however 775 00:30:55,029 --> 00:30:53,279 should you want to is via ultrasound 776 00:30:57,510 --> 00:30:55,039 occasionally the sex is apparent at a 777 00:30:59,669 --> 00:30:57,520 12-week nuclear translucency scan which 778 00:31:01,430 --> 00:30:59,679 is used in conjunction with a blood test 779 00:31:03,430 --> 00:31:01,440 to determine risk factors for down 780 00:31:05,669 --> 00:31:03,440 syndrome but if the sonographer is 781 00:31:09,350 --> 00:31:05,679 unable to make the call then the 20-week 782 00:31:11,350 --> 00:31:09,360 fetal morphology scan should reveal all 783 00:31:13,590 --> 00:31:11,360 regarding ultrasounds i was rather 784 00:31:15,669 --> 00:31:13,600 surprised to discover that some people 785 00:31:17,269 --> 00:31:15,679 opt not to have them at all 786 00:31:18,950 --> 00:31:17,279 sometimes because they wish to take a 787 00:31:20,950 --> 00:31:18,960 whatever will be will be approached to 788 00:31:22,630 --> 00:31:20,960 the health of the baby they're carrying 789 00:31:24,310 --> 00:31:22,640 which being quite the fan of being 790 00:31:25,990 --> 00:31:24,320 informed and prepared is difficult for 791 00:31:27,830 --> 00:31:26,000 me to understand 792 00:31:29,590 --> 00:31:27,840 sometimes because of the mistaken belief 793 00:31:31,350 --> 00:31:29,600 that ultrasounds could potentially cause 794 00:31:33,430 --> 00:31:31,360 harm to a fetus 795 00:31:35,909 --> 00:31:33,440 ultrasound imaging as precisely as it 796 00:31:37,750 --> 00:31:35,919 sounds high frequency sound waves which 797 00:31:39,590 --> 00:31:37,760 bounce against different tissues 798 00:31:41,750 --> 00:31:39,600 creating an image based on the return of 799 00:31:44,149 --> 00:31:41,760 the echoes there is no evidence that 800 00:31:45,990 --> 00:31:44,159 ultrasounds have ever caused harm nor 801 00:31:47,669 --> 00:31:46,000 any plausible mechanism by which they 802 00:31:49,430 --> 00:31:47,679 could when used within the guidelines 803 00:31:51,190 --> 00:31:49,440 for obstetric imaging 804 00:31:53,669 --> 00:31:51,200 yet in some sectors of the community a 805 00:31:55,269 --> 00:31:53,679 fear persists one which causes people to 806 00:31:56,710 --> 00:31:55,279 forego learning potentially important 807 00:31:59,029 --> 00:31:56,720 information about their developing 808 00:32:01,029 --> 00:31:59,039 child's health 809 00:32:03,110 --> 00:32:01,039 during my pregnancies my diet seemed to 810 00:32:04,630 --> 00:32:03,120 be of great interest to some people i 811 00:32:06,389 --> 00:32:04,640 stuck to the new south wales food 812 00:32:08,950 --> 00:32:06,399 authority's pregnancy and food safety 813 00:32:10,549 --> 00:32:08,960 guidelines which suggest a balanced diet 814 00:32:12,870 --> 00:32:10,559 which provides optimal maternal 815 00:32:15,029 --> 00:32:12,880 nutrition and foods to avoid to reduce 816 00:32:17,269 --> 00:32:15,039 the risk of consuming pathogens which 817 00:32:20,230 --> 00:32:17,279 can cause risks during pregnancy such as 818 00:32:21,990 --> 00:32:20,240 listeria salmonella and toxoplasmosis 819 00:32:24,149 --> 00:32:22,000 i also avoided alcohol and in 820 00:32:25,990 --> 00:32:24,159 consultation with my doctor cut down my 821 00:32:28,389 --> 00:32:26,000 coffee consumption to no more than two 822 00:32:30,230 --> 00:32:28,399 cups of weak instant coffee a day this 823 00:32:31,430 --> 00:32:30,240 being the most radical dietary change i 824 00:32:33,269 --> 00:32:31,440 undertook 825 00:32:35,029 --> 00:32:33,279 it was around this time that i began to 826 00:32:37,669 --> 00:32:35,039 hear what has humorously dubbed the 827 00:32:39,430 --> 00:32:37,679 mother-in-law fallacy i ate soft cheeses 828 00:32:40,950 --> 00:32:39,440 during my pregnancy and my kids turned 829 00:32:43,350 --> 00:32:40,960 out okay 830 00:32:44,789 --> 00:32:43,360 it can take many forms somebody drunk 831 00:32:46,630 --> 00:32:44,799 alcohol through their pregnancies and 832 00:32:47,990 --> 00:32:46,640 their kids were fine somebody didn't 833 00:32:50,070 --> 00:32:48,000 take fallout supplements throughout 834 00:32:51,590 --> 00:32:50,080 their pregnancy and their kids were fine 835 00:32:53,990 --> 00:32:51,600 somebody had a home birth and they were 836 00:32:56,310 --> 00:32:54,000 fine which is good i want everybody to 837 00:32:58,389 --> 00:32:56,320 be fine however a small amount of 838 00:33:00,710 --> 00:32:58,399 anecdotal evidence is not enough to draw 839 00:33:02,389 --> 00:33:00,720 conclusions on and i was continually 840 00:33:04,149 --> 00:33:02,399 surprised that people seem to feel that 841 00:33:06,070 --> 00:33:04,159 i should just trust their experience 842 00:33:07,750 --> 00:33:06,080 over medical advice 843 00:33:10,310 --> 00:33:07,760 people with a great deal of expertise in 844 00:33:11,990 --> 00:33:10,320 obstetric medicine calculate risks by 845 00:33:13,830 --> 00:33:12,000 assessing all available knowledge in 846 00:33:15,909 --> 00:33:13,840 their field and make recommendations 847 00:33:17,509 --> 00:33:15,919 based on such they're summarized in 848 00:33:19,509 --> 00:33:17,519 handy little booklets and i'm quite 849 00:33:20,870 --> 00:33:19,519 inclined to follow them and honestly 850 00:33:22,630 --> 00:33:20,880 whatever the risk it was no great 851 00:33:25,110 --> 00:33:22,640 sacrifice in the grand scheme of things 852 00:33:26,870 --> 00:33:25,120 to go up sushi for 42 weeks at a time 853 00:33:28,630 --> 00:33:26,880 and the glory of a postpartum sushi 854 00:33:30,549 --> 00:33:28,640 binge is worth the wait even if the 855 00:33:33,190 --> 00:33:30,559 chances of my consuming dodgy sushi 856 00:33:34,789 --> 00:33:33,200 during pregnancy were negligible 857 00:33:36,549 --> 00:33:34,799 i really don't have the time to properly 858 00:33:38,470 --> 00:33:36,559 address the anti-obstetric sentiment 859 00:33:39,990 --> 00:33:38,480 that i witnessed coming from some women 860 00:33:42,310 --> 00:33:40,000 who felt that childbirth was too 861 00:33:44,149 --> 00:33:42,320 medicalised and that it is a natural 862 00:33:46,389 --> 00:33:44,159 function that our bodies are capable of 863 00:33:49,269 --> 00:33:46,399 getting through unassisted or perhaps 864 00:33:51,909 --> 00:33:49,279 supported by our home midwife or dollar 865 00:33:54,230 --> 00:33:51,919 i will say though that yes pregnancy and 866 00:33:57,190 --> 00:33:54,240 childbirth are perfectly natural 867 00:33:59,029 --> 00:33:57,200 sadly so are maternal and infant deaths 868 00:34:01,190 --> 00:33:59,039 my second pregnancy was declared to be 869 00:34:03,269 --> 00:34:01,200 low risk and i'm quite sure that had i 870 00:34:05,509 --> 00:34:03,279 wanted to i could have sought out a home 871 00:34:07,350 --> 00:34:05,519 midwife to attend our home birth 872 00:34:09,990 --> 00:34:07,360 had i done this i would likely have bled 873 00:34:12,149 --> 00:34:10,000 to death as i experienced an unexpected 874 00:34:14,230 --> 00:34:12,159 postpartum hemorrhage 875 00:34:16,710 --> 00:34:14,240 the conduct of some obstetricians is not 876 00:34:18,470 --> 00:34:16,720 above criticism of course but to shun 877 00:34:20,389 --> 00:34:18,480 access to medical assistance should it 878 00:34:22,869 --> 00:34:20,399 be needed in favor of a more natural 879 00:34:24,470 --> 00:34:22,879 birthing experience stuns me i can only 880 00:34:26,710 --> 00:34:24,480 assume that these decisions are based on 881 00:34:28,710 --> 00:34:26,720 an accurate risk assessment 882 00:34:30,869 --> 00:34:28,720 for a more detailed examination of no 883 00:34:32,950 --> 00:34:30,879 intervention and home birthing movements 884 00:34:35,349 --> 00:34:32,960 i'd suggest to read of dr amy tutor's 885 00:34:37,349 --> 00:34:35,359 blog the skeptical obey be warned though 886 00:34:40,629 --> 00:34:37,359 there are some incredibly sad stories of 887 00:34:42,389 --> 00:34:40,639 home births with tragic consequences 888 00:34:44,550 --> 00:34:42,399 a more generalized sentiment that seems 889 00:34:46,629 --> 00:34:44,560 to permeate mothering groups is that of 890 00:34:48,470 --> 00:34:46,639 the appeal to nature fallacy from 891 00:34:51,669 --> 00:34:48,480 conception to breastfeeding to organic 892 00:34:53,669 --> 00:34:51,679 baby food and extreme cases a rejection 893 00:34:56,149 --> 00:34:53,679 of modern medical science resulting in 894 00:34:58,230 --> 00:34:56,159 vaccine and medication refusal 895 00:35:00,310 --> 00:34:58,240 the archetype of the natural mother is a 896 00:35:02,550 --> 00:35:00,320 powerful one which many women find 897 00:35:05,109 --> 00:35:02,560 appealing and a worthy aspiration 898 00:35:06,870 --> 00:35:05,119 she is wise nurturing and intuitive and 899 00:35:08,150 --> 00:35:06,880 indeed these are qualities that i myself 900 00:35:10,069 --> 00:35:08,160 aspire to 901 00:35:11,589 --> 00:35:10,079 unfortunately though some people's 902 00:35:13,990 --> 00:35:11,599 intuition tells them to reject 903 00:35:15,750 --> 00:35:14,000 evidence-based practices in medicine 904 00:35:18,230 --> 00:35:15,760 the adage that mother knows best is 905 00:35:19,589 --> 00:35:18,240 sadly not always accurate 906 00:35:20,710 --> 00:35:19,599 i hope that you found this report 907 00:35:22,950 --> 00:35:20,720 interesting 908 00:35:25,670 --> 00:35:22,960 next week i'll be discussing induction 909 00:35:27,829 --> 00:35:25,680 birth lactation colic vaccination and 910 00:35:29,270 --> 00:35:27,839 teething and i'll be making a terrible 911 00:35:31,270 --> 00:35:29,280 confession about some dodgy 912 00:35:33,910 --> 00:35:31,280 pseudoscience that my sleep-deprived 913 00:35:46,870 --> 00:35:33,920 postpartum brain briefly fell for 914 00:35:51,589 --> 00:35:49,349 is an award-winning weekly science show 915 00:35:53,109 --> 00:35:51,599 in french hosted by a bunch of crazy 916 00:35:55,589 --> 00:35:53,119 enthusiasts 917 00:35:57,910 --> 00:35:55,599 we are convinced that the greatest ideas 918 00:35:59,990 --> 00:35:57,920 in science are quite easy to grasp as 919 00:36:02,550 --> 00:36:00,000 long as they're presented with passion 920 00:36:05,030 --> 00:36:02,560 using a vocabulary common to all curious 921 00:36:06,310 --> 00:36:05,040 minds whatever their academic background 922 00:36:08,390 --> 00:36:06,320 if any 923 00:36:09,670 --> 00:36:08,400 we don't understand french yet but it's 924 00:36:11,270 --> 00:36:09,680 never too late 925 00:36:13,109 --> 00:36:11,280 all our stories have a written 926 00:36:15,270 --> 00:36:13,119 transcript on the website and people 927 00:36:17,910 --> 00:36:15,280 from all around the world are using our 928 00:36:20,550 --> 00:36:17,920 content to learn malia's language 929 00:36:23,150 --> 00:36:20,560 our topics range from zero to infinity 930 00:36:25,030 --> 00:36:23,160 from evolution to artificial life from 931 00:36:28,150 --> 00:36:25,040 electromagnetism to the science of 932 00:36:31,270 --> 00:36:28,160 introverts we just love mathematics 933 00:36:32,390 --> 00:36:31,280 science critical thinking so do you want 934 00:36:34,069 --> 00:36:32,400 to join 935 00:36:35,870 --> 00:36:34,079 you can subscribe to the podcast for 936 00:36:38,630 --> 00:36:35,880 free from our website 937 00:36:41,349 --> 00:36:38,640 podcastscience.fm that's in one word you 938 00:36:44,069 --> 00:36:41,359 also find us on itunes and soundcloud 939 00:37:01,109 --> 00:36:44,079 see you soon hopefully at 940 00:37:06,710 --> 00:37:03,190 well hello there everybody out there in 941 00:37:10,870 --> 00:37:06,720 skeptic land this is dr chrissy wilson 942 00:37:14,310 --> 00:37:10,880 coming to you from a very sunny london 943 00:37:17,510 --> 00:37:14,320 i'm here on an extended holiday and it's 944 00:37:19,510 --> 00:37:17,520 actually friday the 13th today so i hope 945 00:37:21,270 --> 00:37:19,520 you're all back there 11 000 miles away 946 00:37:24,550 --> 00:37:21,280 and around the globe 947 00:37:26,630 --> 00:37:24,560 having a very happy and lucky friday the 948 00:37:29,109 --> 00:37:26,640 13th not that we believe in such things 949 00:37:31,670 --> 00:37:29,119 of course but i've got some good fortune 950 00:37:35,510 --> 00:37:31,680 to tell you about i've recently found 951 00:37:37,349 --> 00:37:35,520 out that a book that i contributed to 952 00:37:38,550 --> 00:37:37,359 has just been published it's just come 953 00:37:40,710 --> 00:37:38,560 out in print 954 00:37:44,390 --> 00:37:40,720 i'd like to tell you about it it's it's 955 00:37:47,349 --> 00:37:44,400 called the survival hypothesis 956 00:37:52,069 --> 00:37:47,359 published by mcfarland press and edited 957 00:37:53,349 --> 00:37:52,079 by dr adam rock and it's a collection of 958 00:37:55,750 --> 00:37:53,359 essays 959 00:37:58,270 --> 00:37:55,760 and various contributions from a range 960 00:37:59,829 --> 00:37:58,280 of academics psychologists and 961 00:38:03,349 --> 00:37:59,839 parapsychologists 962 00:38:06,630 --> 00:38:03,359 on the state of research into the idea 963 00:38:08,069 --> 00:38:06,640 of consciousness surviving death 964 00:38:11,030 --> 00:38:08,079 specifically 965 00:38:12,950 --> 00:38:11,040 it's looking at the scientific evidence 966 00:38:16,310 --> 00:38:12,960 for mediumship 967 00:38:19,109 --> 00:38:16,320 now adam approached me and asked me if i 968 00:38:21,430 --> 00:38:19,119 would like to contribute a chapter 969 00:38:24,470 --> 00:38:21,440 to give a skeptic's view 970 00:38:28,870 --> 00:38:24,480 the whole book is essentially a group of 971 00:38:31,829 --> 00:38:28,880 essays that are somewhat sympathetic 972 00:38:33,150 --> 00:38:31,839 towards the idea that mediumship is real 973 00:38:35,430 --> 00:38:33,160 it's very much coming from a 974 00:38:37,430 --> 00:38:35,440 parapsychological perspective which as 975 00:38:39,829 --> 00:38:37,440 you will all know is very sympathetic 976 00:38:43,109 --> 00:38:39,839 except sympathetic towards the idea that 977 00:38:45,670 --> 00:38:43,119 psy and psychic powers etc 978 00:38:47,750 --> 00:38:45,680 are real and testable so they've asked 979 00:38:49,829 --> 00:38:47,760 me to give a skeptic's view 980 00:38:52,710 --> 00:38:49,839 now to be fair to adam um he has 981 00:38:55,910 --> 00:38:52,720 attempted to get a nice range of 982 00:38:58,829 --> 00:38:55,920 approaches and views so you've got 983 00:39:01,750 --> 00:38:58,839 essays for example on a qualitative 984 00:39:03,829 --> 00:39:01,760 approach to mediumship so what people 985 00:39:06,310 --> 00:39:03,839 actually say about how they what they 986 00:39:10,230 --> 00:39:06,320 believe as far as mediumships concerns 987 00:39:13,589 --> 00:39:10,240 they've got mixed designs they've got um 988 00:39:16,150 --> 00:39:13,599 laboratory research 989 00:39:17,589 --> 00:39:16,160 and and empirical evidence from from 990 00:39:19,109 --> 00:39:17,599 laboratory studies 991 00:39:21,270 --> 00:39:19,119 they've even got a chapter on 992 00:39:23,670 --> 00:39:21,280 neuroscience the the neuroscience 993 00:39:24,470 --> 00:39:23,680 relating to mediumship 994 00:39:27,270 --> 00:39:24,480 so 995 00:39:29,990 --> 00:39:27,280 my particular contribution focuses on 996 00:39:34,069 --> 00:39:30,000 two particular areas number one i've 997 00:39:37,270 --> 00:39:34,079 given a fairly a fairly uh abrupt 998 00:39:40,950 --> 00:39:37,280 critical appraisal of the research 999 00:39:42,950 --> 00:39:40,960 literature from the parapsychologists 1000 00:39:45,990 --> 00:39:42,960 and i mean this is not new you know 1001 00:39:47,990 --> 00:39:46,000 there were a lot of studies done um way 1002 00:39:49,670 --> 00:39:48,000 back in the 70s and 80s 1003 00:39:51,589 --> 00:39:49,680 mostly carried out by 1004 00:39:53,030 --> 00:39:51,599 a team led by someone called gary 1005 00:39:56,470 --> 00:39:53,040 schwartz 1006 00:39:58,950 --> 00:39:56,480 who did a bunch of studies attempting to 1007 00:40:01,750 --> 00:39:58,960 show that mediumship was real and he did 1008 00:40:07,270 --> 00:40:01,760 some studies in a laboratory with 1009 00:40:10,230 --> 00:40:07,280 various psychics and it was given a huge 1010 00:40:13,430 --> 00:40:10,240 amount of media coverage when when these 1011 00:40:16,550 --> 00:40:13,440 findings came out and not surprisingly 1012 00:40:17,910 --> 00:40:16,560 skeptics people such as wiseman and ray 1013 00:40:21,230 --> 00:40:17,920 hyman 1014 00:40:23,190 --> 00:40:21,240 looked at the work and looked at the 1015 00:40:26,270 --> 00:40:23,200 methodological 1016 00:40:28,710 --> 00:40:26,280 descriptions of the studies and the 1017 00:40:29,910 --> 00:40:28,720 interpretations of their results and 1018 00:40:32,550 --> 00:40:29,920 actually came to very different 1019 00:40:34,790 --> 00:40:32,560 conclusions so i'm kind of following on 1020 00:40:36,870 --> 00:40:34,800 from that and looking at more recent 1021 00:40:38,390 --> 00:40:36,880 studies that have have 1022 00:40:39,710 --> 00:40:38,400 taken place 1023 00:40:42,310 --> 00:40:39,720 interestingly one of the 1024 00:40:45,510 --> 00:40:42,320 parapsychologists that that has produced 1025 00:40:48,069 --> 00:40:45,520 some research in this area is called arc 1026 00:40:53,349 --> 00:40:51,190 that sort of thing doesn't really 1027 00:40:55,430 --> 00:40:53,359 give much confidence really 1028 00:40:57,670 --> 00:40:55,440 to skeptical reviews but anyway i've 1029 00:40:59,430 --> 00:40:57,680 looked at the research and and 1030 00:41:02,870 --> 00:40:59,440 they're typically 1031 00:41:05,430 --> 00:41:02,880 reproducing the same mistakes 1032 00:41:06,390 --> 00:41:05,440 and the methodological issues are still 1033 00:41:08,309 --> 00:41:06,400 there so 1034 00:41:10,150 --> 00:41:08,319 for example 1035 00:41:12,710 --> 00:41:10,160 when researchers 1036 00:41:14,390 --> 00:41:12,720 write in their methods section that they 1037 00:41:17,750 --> 00:41:14,400 used quote 1038 00:41:18,829 --> 00:41:17,760 for this study we used five 1039 00:41:21,270 --> 00:41:18,839 gifted 1040 00:41:23,190 --> 00:41:21,280 psychics to take part in this particular 1041 00:41:26,630 --> 00:41:23,200 experiment i mean that kind of thing 1042 00:41:29,109 --> 00:41:26,640 does not feel a skeptic a reviewer with 1043 00:41:32,230 --> 00:41:29,119 confidence and there are all sorts of 1044 00:41:33,990 --> 00:41:32,240 methodological issues associated with 1045 00:41:35,510 --> 00:41:34,000 this line of research that's one of the 1046 00:41:39,030 --> 00:41:35,520 things that i talk about 1047 00:41:43,510 --> 00:41:39,040 the second thing that i talk about um is 1048 00:41:45,270 --> 00:41:43,520 the egregious nature of psychic mediums 1049 00:41:48,630 --> 00:41:45,280 and i talk about the history of psychic 1050 00:41:50,630 --> 00:41:48,640 mediumship etc and how where we are with 1051 00:41:53,030 --> 00:41:50,640 the modern approach to psychic 1052 00:41:55,910 --> 00:41:53,040 mediumship and nothing really seems 1053 00:41:58,230 --> 00:41:55,920 to have changed in a hundred years you 1054 00:42:01,030 --> 00:41:58,240 know we've still got the con artists out 1055 00:42:02,550 --> 00:42:01,040 there and we all know who they are and 1056 00:42:04,870 --> 00:42:02,560 we've still got the legion of 1057 00:42:06,390 --> 00:42:04,880 well-meaning but misinformed individuals 1058 00:42:07,270 --> 00:42:06,400 who think that they actually have the 1059 00:42:11,109 --> 00:42:07,280 gift 1060 00:42:13,829 --> 00:42:11,119 um so it it's all in this anthology and 1061 00:42:17,349 --> 00:42:13,839 to be fair to the publishers and the 1062 00:42:20,790 --> 00:42:17,359 editor they've tried to create not just 1063 00:42:23,910 --> 00:42:20,800 a sort of new aeg textbook that would be 1064 00:42:25,990 --> 00:42:23,920 in the occult section of a bookshop 1065 00:42:28,230 --> 00:42:26,000 they've actually very much gone for a 1066 00:42:31,829 --> 00:42:28,240 scholarly text 1067 00:42:35,349 --> 00:42:31,839 and it is an attempt to 1068 00:42:37,430 --> 00:42:35,359 investigate scientifically the 1069 00:42:40,390 --> 00:42:37,440 nature of mediumship and what it all 1070 00:42:42,870 --> 00:42:40,400 means so anyway my my skeptical 1071 00:42:45,270 --> 00:42:42,880 contribution is in there look out for it 1072 00:42:49,030 --> 00:42:45,280 it's called the survival hypothesis 1073 00:42:52,470 --> 00:42:49,040 mcfarland press and edited by adam rock 1074 00:42:54,230 --> 00:42:52,480 and as a little coder to this um as a as 1075 00:42:55,750 --> 00:42:54,240 a result of this being published i've 1076 00:42:59,109 --> 00:42:55,760 been invited 1077 00:43:02,150 --> 00:42:59,119 to speak at an up-and-coming convention 1078 00:43:05,190 --> 00:43:02,160 called the afterlife convention and it's 1079 00:43:07,589 --> 00:43:05,200 being held next next year in melbourne 1080 00:43:09,109 --> 00:43:07,599 and uh 1081 00:43:11,030 --> 00:43:09,119 it's essentially 1082 00:43:13,829 --> 00:43:11,040 a convention 1083 00:43:15,750 --> 00:43:13,839 um is celebrating 1084 00:43:17,349 --> 00:43:15,760 the nature of mediumship and celebrating 1085 00:43:19,589 --> 00:43:17,359 the fact that that we can talk to the 1086 00:43:22,470 --> 00:43:19,599 dead and i'm not quite sure whether the 1087 00:43:24,390 --> 00:43:22,480 the conveners are pre uh understand that 1088 00:43:26,550 --> 00:43:24,400 i'm actually a skeptic so it's going to 1089 00:43:28,230 --> 00:43:26,560 be quite interesting 1090 00:43:30,550 --> 00:43:28,240 uh i don't really think they're going to 1091 00:43:32,470 --> 00:43:30,560 appreciate a little blonde pommy 1092 00:43:34,870 --> 00:43:32,480 intimating in no uncertain terms that 1093 00:43:36,390 --> 00:43:34,880 they're all actually deluded 1094 00:43:38,390 --> 00:43:36,400 i was wondering i don't think there's 1095 00:43:40,950 --> 00:43:38,400 actually been a public stoning of a 1096 00:43:42,550 --> 00:43:40,960 skeptic for a while but watch this space 1097 00:43:45,910 --> 00:43:42,560 because that could well happen 1098 00:43:47,910 --> 00:43:45,920 and just before i leave you um 1099 00:43:49,589 --> 00:43:47,920 two two things that you might be 1100 00:43:50,950 --> 00:43:49,599 interested in number one 1101 00:43:52,950 --> 00:43:50,960 those of you that read the skeptic 1102 00:43:55,510 --> 00:43:52,960 magazine 1103 00:43:58,309 --> 00:43:55,520 may have read my article in the the last 1104 00:43:59,510 --> 00:43:58,319 edition where i'm talking about a new 1105 00:44:01,589 --> 00:43:59,520 course 1106 00:44:04,710 --> 00:44:01,599 that i've written for macquarie 1107 00:44:07,349 --> 00:44:04,720 university the course is called uh why 1108 00:44:11,190 --> 00:44:07,359 people believe weird things and it's a 1109 00:44:13,270 --> 00:44:11,200 12-week course for undergraduates 1110 00:44:15,430 --> 00:44:13,280 explaining why people we believe in 1111 00:44:17,270 --> 00:44:15,440 weird stuff looking at all the different 1112 00:44:18,950 --> 00:44:17,280 things that i usually bang on about 1113 00:44:21,190 --> 00:44:18,960 cognitive approaches biological 1114 00:44:24,630 --> 00:44:21,200 approaches etc etc 1115 00:44:27,109 --> 00:44:24,640 and initially um myself and the director 1116 00:44:29,109 --> 00:44:27,119 who put this together mark carter at 1117 00:44:31,910 --> 00:44:29,119 macquarie university we expected to get 1118 00:44:36,630 --> 00:44:31,920 about 80 students enrolled 1119 00:44:38,950 --> 00:44:36,640 in the first session that this has been 1120 00:44:40,109 --> 00:44:38,960 presented but we've actually just 1121 00:44:43,109 --> 00:44:40,119 reached 1122 00:44:45,109 --> 00:44:43,119 450 students who are now enrolled in 1123 00:44:48,829 --> 00:44:45,119 this course so it's absolutely a 1124 00:44:51,910 --> 00:44:48,839 fabulous result and it does show that 1125 00:44:54,230 --> 00:44:51,920 skepticism is out there and and it is 1126 00:44:55,829 --> 00:44:54,240 attracting lots and lots of students 1127 00:44:58,069 --> 00:44:55,839 these are mostly 1128 00:45:01,270 --> 00:44:58,079 education students 1129 00:45:03,030 --> 00:45:01,280 so these are future educators so we're 1130 00:45:05,750 --> 00:45:03,040 really really pleased that we've got so 1131 00:45:07,109 --> 00:45:05,760 many students enrolled and at the end of 1132 00:45:10,230 --> 00:45:07,119 the year 1133 00:45:12,309 --> 00:45:10,240 after the course has finished um i'll be 1134 00:45:15,270 --> 00:45:12,319 reporting on on 1135 00:45:17,829 --> 00:45:15,280 the students response to the course 1136 00:45:20,470 --> 00:45:17,839 and how they found it and whether their 1137 00:45:22,150 --> 00:45:20,480 particular personal views 1138 00:45:24,710 --> 00:45:22,160 have changed 1139 00:45:26,390 --> 00:45:24,720 as a result of doing the course so i 1140 00:45:30,150 --> 00:45:26,400 will get back to you 1141 00:45:32,470 --> 00:45:30,160 on that in a later edition no doubt and 1142 00:45:33,750 --> 00:45:32,480 just before i leave uh it's friday the 1143 00:45:34,550 --> 00:45:33,760 13th 1144 00:45:36,390 --> 00:45:34,560 and 1145 00:45:39,430 --> 00:45:36,400 it's just at the start of the world cup 1146 00:45:41,510 --> 00:45:39,440 so it's australia's first game tonight 1147 00:45:44,150 --> 00:45:41,520 so best of luck to australia and best of 1148 00:45:45,750 --> 00:45:44,160 luck to england tomorrow 1149 00:45:48,230 --> 00:45:45,760 i wonder what the chances are of getting 1150 00:45:49,829 --> 00:45:48,240 england and australia in the final 1151 00:45:52,069 --> 00:45:49,839 wouldn't that be fantastic by the time 1152 00:45:54,309 --> 00:45:52,079 you're all hearing this i'm sure it may 1153 00:45:55,670 --> 00:45:54,319 well all be over for both australia and 1154 00:45:58,390 --> 00:45:55,680 england but 1155 00:46:00,870 --> 00:45:58,400 let's keep our fingers crossed not that 1156 00:46:01,670 --> 00:46:00,880 we believe in such things okay guys 1157 00:46:05,390 --> 00:46:01,680 that's 1158 00:46:08,069 --> 00:46:05,400 dr chrissy um signing off and as one 1159 00:46:19,829 --> 00:46:08,079 parapsychologist said to the other i'll 1160 00:46:24,550 --> 00:46:22,069 hi i'm finn and i'm rebecca and we're 1161 00:46:26,710 --> 00:46:24,560 the skepticons skepercons is an irish 1162 00:46:28,390 --> 00:46:26,720 podcast by the dublin skeptic society it 1163 00:46:30,150 --> 00:46:28,400 takes a conversational reverent look at 1164 00:46:32,150 --> 00:46:30,160 science news and skeptical topics from 1165 00:46:51,670 --> 00:46:32,160 an irish perspective you can find us at 1166 00:46:54,950 --> 00:46:53,430 thank you for listening to the skeptic 1167 00:46:57,829 --> 00:46:54,960 zone and thank you to all those lovely 1168 00:47:00,309 --> 00:46:57,839 uh sort of editorials and comments and 1169 00:47:02,710 --> 00:47:00,319 segments we had today well i really 1170 00:47:05,109 --> 00:47:02,720 enjoyed the uh the one from signer kane 1171 00:47:07,430 --> 00:47:05,119 and joe alabaster chrissy wilson and of 1172 00:47:09,190 --> 00:47:07,440 course not to forget iran so 1173 00:47:11,829 --> 00:47:09,200 oh and those people have been writing in 1174 00:47:13,430 --> 00:47:11,839 asking me about fred the cat he's right 1175 00:47:14,950 --> 00:47:13,440 here next to me 1176 00:47:16,710 --> 00:47:14,960 sound asleep 1177 00:47:18,870 --> 00:47:16,720 he doesn't really perform on cue fred 1178 00:47:20,470 --> 00:47:18,880 the cat i'm afraid to say but 1179 00:47:23,190 --> 00:47:20,480 he's doing okay 1180 00:47:25,030 --> 00:47:23,200 he has this trick of howling loudly in 1181 00:47:27,750 --> 00:47:25,040 the morning because he wants to go into 1182 00:47:30,309 --> 00:47:27,760 the bathroom to drink tap water 1183 00:47:31,750 --> 00:47:30,319 cat owners will know what i mean 1184 00:47:34,069 --> 00:47:31,760 so for this week this is richard 1185 00:47:40,550 --> 00:47:34,079 saunders and a sleeping fred the cat 1186 00:47:43,750 --> 00:47:42,230 you've been listening to the skeptic 1187 00:47:48,550 --> 00:47:43,760 zone