1 00:00:08,470 --> 00:00:06,630 [Music] 2 00:00:11,270 --> 00:00:08,480 welcome to the skeptic zone 3 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:11,280 the podcast from australia for science 4 00:00:23,349 --> 00:00:16,850 and reason 5 00:00:25,189 --> 00:00:23,359 [Music] 6 00:00:27,990 --> 00:00:25,199 yes it's the skeptic's own podcast 7 00:00:31,349 --> 00:00:28,000 episode number 631 8 00:00:32,950 --> 00:00:31,359 for the 15th of november 2020 9 00:00:34,950 --> 00:00:32,960 richard saunders coming to you from 10 00:00:36,389 --> 00:00:34,960 sydney australia and the weather is 11 00:00:39,830 --> 00:00:36,399 warming up 12 00:00:43,190 --> 00:00:39,840 summer is coming which is all very well 13 00:00:45,190 --> 00:00:43,200 but it means winter 14 00:00:48,470 --> 00:00:45,200 is coming colder weather is coming for 15 00:00:51,110 --> 00:00:48,480 the northern hemisphere and right now 16 00:00:52,869 --> 00:00:51,120 i know they really don't need that they 17 00:00:54,709 --> 00:00:52,879 really don't need that the good news for 18 00:00:57,910 --> 00:00:54,719 australians is the 19 00:00:59,029 --> 00:00:57,920 covert situation here is doing very well 20 00:01:01,830 --> 00:00:59,039 the 21 00:01:04,070 --> 00:01:01,840 rate of infection is extremely low and 22 00:01:06,950 --> 00:01:04,080 australia and new zealand are looking 23 00:01:08,630 --> 00:01:06,960 quite good at the moment as opposed to 24 00:01:09,830 --> 00:01:08,640 much of the rest of the world especially 25 00:01:12,710 --> 00:01:09,840 the united states and 26 00:01:15,270 --> 00:01:12,720 much of europe which is not doing too 27 00:01:17,910 --> 00:01:15,280 well at the moment and things look 28 00:01:20,070 --> 00:01:17,920 to be getting worse not a good story not 29 00:01:21,749 --> 00:01:20,080 a good story at all 30 00:01:23,590 --> 00:01:21,759 and that sort of leads me on to the 31 00:01:24,789 --> 00:01:23,600 first segment in today's episode an 32 00:01:28,070 --> 00:01:24,799 interview with klaus 33 00:01:29,830 --> 00:01:28,080 larsen from denmark now klaus has an i.t 34 00:01:31,350 --> 00:01:29,840 background but he's been a skeptic for 35 00:01:33,350 --> 00:01:31,360 many years and 36 00:01:34,390 --> 00:01:33,360 is internationally recognized as a 37 00:01:36,710 --> 00:01:34,400 writer 38 00:01:39,109 --> 00:01:36,720 for skeptica the network of independent 39 00:01:41,749 --> 00:01:39,119 skeptics in denmark 40 00:01:43,030 --> 00:01:41,759 now klaus was living in new york when 41 00:01:46,310 --> 00:01:43,040 the september 11 42 00:01:50,230 --> 00:01:46,320 attacks happened and now 43 00:01:55,670 --> 00:01:50,240 he is one of the people behind 9 11 44 00:01:58,950 --> 00:01:55,680 facts a web page which is 911.d 45 00:02:01,030 --> 00:01:58,960 all about the multitude of conspiracy 46 00:02:03,510 --> 00:02:01,040 theories about 911 47 00:02:05,190 --> 00:02:03,520 and we'll be interviewing klaus coming 48 00:02:07,429 --> 00:02:05,200 up about that page 49 00:02:08,389 --> 00:02:07,439 and more recently of course his 50 00:02:12,710 --> 00:02:08,399 investigations 51 00:02:14,869 --> 00:02:12,720 into covert 19 conspiracy theories 52 00:02:15,750 --> 00:02:14,879 and after that it's logical fallacy 53 00:02:18,070 --> 00:02:15,760 segment with 54 00:02:19,430 --> 00:02:18,080 michelle bickersma and this week 55 00:02:22,869 --> 00:02:19,440 michelle will be 56 00:02:24,630 --> 00:02:22,879 looking at the appeal to the stone 57 00:02:25,990 --> 00:02:24,640 what does that mean what is the appeal 58 00:02:28,790 --> 00:02:26,000 to the stone 59 00:02:30,869 --> 00:02:28,800 find out with michelle because ma coming 60 00:02:32,470 --> 00:02:30,879 up a bit later on in the show 61 00:02:34,309 --> 00:02:32,480 then to round off the show it's another 62 00:02:36,710 --> 00:02:34,319 trip another dive another journey 63 00:02:39,350 --> 00:02:36,720 through the treasure trove at trove 64 00:02:40,949 --> 00:02:39,360 the digitized resource from the 65 00:02:42,150 --> 00:02:40,959 australian government and the national 66 00:02:43,830 --> 00:02:42,160 library of australia 67 00:02:46,390 --> 00:02:43,840 we're going to be looking at references 68 00:02:49,270 --> 00:02:46,400 in the past to the australian skeptics 69 00:02:51,509 --> 00:02:49,280 why did they make the news who was 70 00:02:53,589 --> 00:02:51,519 writing about them 71 00:02:54,869 --> 00:02:53,599 find out to round off this week's 72 00:02:56,150 --> 00:02:54,879 episode 73 00:02:59,350 --> 00:02:56,160 but now it's time for me to run 74 00:03:01,270 --> 00:02:59,360 downstairs grab a glass of champagne 75 00:03:02,390 --> 00:03:01,280 and toast those people who have just had 76 00:03:05,030 --> 00:03:02,400 a birthday 77 00:03:07,589 --> 00:03:05,040 happy birthday to you and those people 78 00:03:09,589 --> 00:03:07,599 who have just turned 18 you can vote now 79 00:03:12,869 --> 00:03:09,599 what a thrill that is 80 00:03:15,509 --> 00:03:12,879 downstairs and 81 00:03:27,690 --> 00:03:15,519 celebrate with you i hope you enjoy the 82 00:03:40,070 --> 00:03:38,149 [Music] 83 00:03:42,229 --> 00:03:40,080 and joining me on the line now all the 84 00:03:43,990 --> 00:03:42,239 way from beautiful or is it wonderful or 85 00:03:45,110 --> 00:03:44,000 is it what i can't remember what pretty 86 00:03:47,350 --> 00:03:45,120 beautiful beautiful 87 00:03:49,030 --> 00:03:47,360 copenhagen in denmark it's klaus larson 88 00:03:51,350 --> 00:03:49,040 hello klaus 89 00:03:52,710 --> 00:03:51,360 hello well you've heard that one before 90 00:03:54,869 --> 00:03:52,720 huh 91 00:03:56,309 --> 00:03:54,879 yeah it's wonderful copenhagen wonderful 92 00:03:58,789 --> 00:03:56,319 i knew it was something like that i've 93 00:04:01,670 --> 00:03:58,799 never been to wonderful copenhagen i'd 94 00:04:02,070 --> 00:04:01,680 oh you should come i should well i will 95 00:04:06,710 --> 00:04:02,080 i 96 00:04:09,670 --> 00:04:06,720 take you on the 97 00:04:11,270 --> 00:04:09,680 skeptical tour of copenhagen because we 98 00:04:13,509 --> 00:04:11,280 have something 99 00:04:15,830 --> 00:04:13,519 really amazing here we have the holy 100 00:04:18,150 --> 00:04:15,840 grail of modern day skepticism 101 00:04:19,749 --> 00:04:18,160 right here in copenhagen and i'm not 102 00:04:20,789 --> 00:04:19,759 going to tell you what it is because i 103 00:04:23,350 --> 00:04:20,799 want it to be 104 00:04:24,469 --> 00:04:23,360 a surprise and believe me it's a 105 00:04:27,590 --> 00:04:24,479 surprise 106 00:04:31,590 --> 00:04:27,600 it's worth the whole trip 107 00:04:36,950 --> 00:04:34,870 no she's not well i won't bother i won't 108 00:04:39,270 --> 00:04:36,960 bother to come anymore 109 00:04:40,550 --> 00:04:39,280 i look for wow that's enticing that 110 00:04:43,830 --> 00:04:40,560 that's interesting yes 111 00:04:46,469 --> 00:04:43,840 that's pleasing yeah now klaus i was 112 00:04:48,230 --> 00:04:46,479 thoroughly enjoyed watching uh and 113 00:04:50,230 --> 00:04:48,240 taking part in of course 114 00:04:52,870 --> 00:04:50,240 the skype track at dragoncon only a 115 00:04:55,990 --> 00:04:52,880 couple of months ago in atlanta georgia 116 00:04:56,790 --> 00:04:56,000 and um it was very uh thrilling for me 117 00:04:58,790 --> 00:04:56,800 to take part 118 00:05:00,390 --> 00:04:58,800 as one of the speakers but i was 119 00:05:02,629 --> 00:05:00,400 watching all the other speakers too of 120 00:05:03,909 --> 00:05:02,639 course and i was so impressed i was so 121 00:05:07,990 --> 00:05:03,919 interested by 122 00:05:09,270 --> 00:05:08,000 your talk um about conspiracy theories 123 00:05:10,310 --> 00:05:09,280 and i thought that was absolutely 124 00:05:13,590 --> 00:05:10,320 fascinating 125 00:05:13,909 --> 00:05:13,600 so tell us a little bit about uh who you 126 00:05:16,950 --> 00:05:13,919 are 127 00:05:20,150 --> 00:05:16,960 first of all and uh what led you to all 128 00:05:23,189 --> 00:05:20,160 this interesting conspiracy theories 129 00:05:27,350 --> 00:05:23,199 well i used to live in new york 130 00:05:29,990 --> 00:05:27,360 from 2000 to 2003 so i experienced 911 131 00:05:30,629 --> 00:05:30,000 up close and personal not an experience 132 00:05:33,990 --> 00:05:30,639 i would 133 00:05:38,710 --> 00:05:37,189 and i knew that there were some 134 00:05:41,909 --> 00:05:38,720 conspiracies regarding that 135 00:05:44,950 --> 00:05:41,919 but when i had returned to denmark in 136 00:05:47,270 --> 00:05:44,960 uh by the time it was 2009 137 00:05:48,550 --> 00:05:47,280 uh i accidentally came across a 138 00:05:51,670 --> 00:05:48,560 demonstration 139 00:05:53,830 --> 00:05:51,680 uh in in 140 00:05:55,029 --> 00:05:53,840 just outside city hall in copenhagen 141 00:05:58,469 --> 00:05:55,039 where some truthers 142 00:06:01,430 --> 00:05:58,479 had set up their plaques and you know 143 00:06:02,629 --> 00:06:01,440 was telling everyone that 911 was an 144 00:06:06,150 --> 00:06:02,639 inside job 145 00:06:06,950 --> 00:06:06,160 and so i got talking i started talking 146 00:06:09,990 --> 00:06:06,960 to them and 147 00:06:13,189 --> 00:06:10,000 each and every one of them lied to me 148 00:06:16,790 --> 00:06:13,199 about something about 9 11. that's a 149 00:06:19,749 --> 00:06:16,800 really bad idea don't lie to me 150 00:06:20,150 --> 00:06:19,759 so i got pretty pissed uh when i went 151 00:06:22,390 --> 00:06:20,160 home 152 00:06:24,670 --> 00:06:22,400 so i wrote an article about it for the 153 00:06:27,590 --> 00:06:24,680 danish skeptics 154 00:06:29,510 --> 00:06:27,600 skepticate.dk and 155 00:06:31,590 --> 00:06:29,520 that brought me that got me in contact 156 00:06:35,189 --> 00:06:31,600 with the steen svenholm 157 00:06:35,749 --> 00:06:35,199 who was also looking into uh conspiracy 158 00:06:39,029 --> 00:06:35,759 theories 159 00:06:43,670 --> 00:06:39,039 regarding 911 and uh that made us 160 00:06:45,670 --> 00:06:43,680 uh we decided to create 911 facts.decay 161 00:06:49,029 --> 00:06:45,680 where we investigate conspiracy theories 162 00:06:52,070 --> 00:06:49,039 about the terror attack on 9 11. 163 00:06:54,150 --> 00:06:52,080 and we launched in 2011 we have 164 00:06:56,390 --> 00:06:54,160 investigated about a hundred claims 165 00:06:58,070 --> 00:06:56,400 each with their own article the articles 166 00:07:01,589 --> 00:06:58,080 are now available in both 167 00:07:03,110 --> 00:07:01,599 danish and english and we found that the 168 00:07:05,830 --> 00:07:03,120 articles are incredibly 169 00:07:07,670 --> 00:07:05,840 effective in debates because conspiracy 170 00:07:10,070 --> 00:07:07,680 theorists focus on questions 171 00:07:11,830 --> 00:07:10,080 they feel haven't been answered so we 172 00:07:13,990 --> 00:07:11,840 simply point to the articles 173 00:07:15,589 --> 00:07:14,000 there you go might your questions are 174 00:07:18,309 --> 00:07:15,599 now answered 175 00:07:20,150 --> 00:07:18,319 and we all we've also made uh created 176 00:07:22,230 --> 00:07:20,160 fact sheets and articles with a broader 177 00:07:23,189 --> 00:07:22,240 scope and a collection of all available 178 00:07:25,830 --> 00:07:23,199 documentation 179 00:07:26,629 --> 00:07:25,840 regarding the terror attack wow so that 180 00:07:28,150 --> 00:07:26,639 folks just 181 00:07:30,070 --> 00:07:28,160 and i'll link to this in the show notes 182 00:07:35,830 --> 00:07:30,080 of course that is 9 11 183 00:07:38,070 --> 00:07:35,840 so that's 911.dkdk for denmark of course 184 00:07:38,950 --> 00:07:38,080 and you see so you've you've obviously 185 00:07:40,550 --> 00:07:38,960 done a lot of 186 00:07:42,870 --> 00:07:40,560 research what does that mean what does 187 00:07:46,469 --> 00:07:42,880 that involve exactly 188 00:07:49,510 --> 00:07:46,479 well um it wasn't intended as such 189 00:07:51,270 --> 00:07:49,520 as at first but as a result uh we began 190 00:07:53,270 --> 00:07:51,280 to research more deeply why people 191 00:07:55,110 --> 00:07:53,280 believe conspiracy theories and what can 192 00:07:57,350 --> 00:07:55,120 be done about it 193 00:07:59,670 --> 00:07:57,360 because we keep a close eye on the 194 00:08:01,510 --> 00:07:59,680 existing and emerging research and we've 195 00:08:02,710 --> 00:08:01,520 come up with a couple of findings of our 196 00:08:06,230 --> 00:08:02,720 own 197 00:08:08,390 --> 00:08:06,240 so far it's still early days but so far 198 00:08:09,749 --> 00:08:08,400 our findings seem to hold up to scrutiny 199 00:08:10,950 --> 00:08:09,759 in part because we haven't found 200 00:08:13,510 --> 00:08:10,960 anything that go against 201 00:08:15,029 --> 00:08:13,520 the bulk of the existing research our 202 00:08:18,070 --> 00:08:15,039 findings are more of an 203 00:08:18,869 --> 00:08:18,080 extra layer of understanding our main 204 00:08:21,350 --> 00:08:18,879 discovery 205 00:08:21,990 --> 00:08:21,360 uh is that it's what we call the herit 206 00:08:24,629 --> 00:08:22,000 syndrome 207 00:08:25,909 --> 00:08:24,639 it's named after niels harrett you know 208 00:08:28,230 --> 00:08:25,919 the famous uh 209 00:08:30,150 --> 00:08:28,240 danish conspiracy theorist who claims to 210 00:08:31,909 --> 00:08:30,160 have found nanothermite in the duster 211 00:08:35,350 --> 00:08:31,919 from ground zero in manhattan 212 00:08:37,750 --> 00:08:35,360 following the terror attack all right um 213 00:08:39,990 --> 00:08:37,760 now the existing research explains why 214 00:08:41,269 --> 00:08:40,000 people become conspiracy theorists but 215 00:08:43,670 --> 00:08:41,279 it doesn't explain 216 00:08:45,990 --> 00:08:43,680 uh the two types of conspiracy theories 217 00:08:49,190 --> 00:08:46,000 that we have 218 00:08:50,070 --> 00:08:49,200 identified all right okay two types two 219 00:08:52,630 --> 00:08:50,080 types 220 00:08:54,389 --> 00:08:52,640 type one is the what we call the novice 221 00:08:56,790 --> 00:08:54,399 conspiracy theorist 222 00:08:58,230 --> 00:08:56,800 he believes in one or more conspiracies 223 00:09:00,070 --> 00:08:58,240 but he doesn't connect them 224 00:09:03,110 --> 00:09:00,080 and he can normally be reasoned with at 225 00:09:06,470 --> 00:09:03,120 least to a certain extent 226 00:09:09,110 --> 00:09:06,480 type 2 is the evangelical 227 00:09:11,110 --> 00:09:09,120 conspiracy theorist he has experienced a 228 00:09:13,509 --> 00:09:11,120 revelation 229 00:09:14,470 --> 00:09:13,519 where he sees all conspiracy theories as 230 00:09:17,590 --> 00:09:14,480 connected 231 00:09:19,110 --> 00:09:17,600 as part of a larger plan and 232 00:09:20,949 --> 00:09:19,120 the experience is similar to what 233 00:09:23,430 --> 00:09:20,959 religious people experience 234 00:09:24,870 --> 00:09:23,440 when they are visited by saints or talk 235 00:09:27,910 --> 00:09:24,880 directly to god 236 00:09:31,590 --> 00:09:27,920 right there seems to be 237 00:09:33,829 --> 00:09:31,600 more of type 1 than type 2 but it's the 238 00:09:36,230 --> 00:09:33,839 type 2 that's far more influential 239 00:09:38,470 --> 00:09:36,240 because type 2 sees themselves as 240 00:09:39,269 --> 00:09:38,480 oracles and they are considered gurus 241 00:09:42,070 --> 00:09:39,279 and prophets 242 00:09:44,230 --> 00:09:42,080 among other conspiracy theorists there's 243 00:09:47,430 --> 00:09:44,240 another difference 244 00:09:50,710 --> 00:09:47,440 type 2 type 1 is rather innocuous but 245 00:09:51,269 --> 00:09:50,720 type 2 they're far more aggressive and 246 00:09:54,310 --> 00:09:51,279 exhibit 247 00:09:58,070 --> 00:09:54,320 uh trans transboundary behavior uh 248 00:10:01,190 --> 00:09:58,080 some will even resort to uh crime 249 00:10:01,509 --> 00:10:01,200 we've been we have experienced that some 250 00:10:04,710 --> 00:10:01,519 have 251 00:10:08,230 --> 00:10:04,720 stolen our articles hmm so 252 00:10:08,949 --> 00:10:08,240 it it that's disconcerting uh how do 253 00:10:12,389 --> 00:10:08,959 they be how 254 00:10:15,110 --> 00:10:12,399 does uh people become type 2 uh 255 00:10:16,069 --> 00:10:15,120 there's always a carrier of illumination 256 00:10:18,630 --> 00:10:16,079 a messenger 257 00:10:19,590 --> 00:10:18,640 people don't seem to go from normal or 258 00:10:22,389 --> 00:10:19,600 type 1 259 00:10:22,870 --> 00:10:22,399 to type 2 on their own the carrier can 260 00:10:27,190 --> 00:10:22,880 be 261 00:10:28,949 --> 00:10:27,200 videos lectures or a tv show books 262 00:10:31,269 --> 00:10:28,959 they're usually recommended by other 263 00:10:34,710 --> 00:10:31,279 evangelical conspiracy theorists 264 00:10:36,630 --> 00:10:34,720 type two now as for 265 00:10:37,829 --> 00:10:36,640 research into conspiracy theories the 266 00:10:40,150 --> 00:10:37,839 existing 267 00:10:41,110 --> 00:10:40,160 literature explains why a person becomes 268 00:10:42,949 --> 00:10:41,120 a novice 269 00:10:45,590 --> 00:10:42,959 conspiracy theorist the heritage 270 00:10:47,750 --> 00:10:45,600 syndrome but we have 271 00:10:49,750 --> 00:10:47,760 come up with explains why a person 272 00:10:51,190 --> 00:10:49,760 becomes an evangelical conspiracy 273 00:10:54,069 --> 00:10:51,200 theorist 274 00:10:55,829 --> 00:10:54,079 i don't know are we right time will tell 275 00:10:57,750 --> 00:10:55,839 we may not be and we are careful not to 276 00:11:00,790 --> 00:10:57,760 present our findings as the ultimate 277 00:11:02,790 --> 00:11:00,800 truth let's see how it pans out so far 278 00:11:04,550 --> 00:11:02,800 we seem to be on to something well i 279 00:11:05,990 --> 00:11:04,560 mean you're sort of making a lot of 280 00:11:08,870 --> 00:11:06,000 sense and i've certainly met 281 00:11:09,829 --> 00:11:08,880 both types that you speak of and now you 282 00:11:11,430 --> 00:11:09,839 mention it now 283 00:11:13,350 --> 00:11:11,440 you say it that way i guess you're 284 00:11:15,590 --> 00:11:13,360 writing so much as most people i 285 00:11:17,110 --> 00:11:15,600 certainly come across would be type 286 00:11:19,110 --> 00:11:17,120 what you would call the type one the 287 00:11:19,910 --> 00:11:19,120 novice the people who think something's 288 00:11:21,990 --> 00:11:19,920 going on 289 00:11:23,190 --> 00:11:22,000 but yes the type two are really wrapped 290 00:11:24,310 --> 00:11:23,200 up into it it's like their whole 291 00:11:26,470 --> 00:11:24,320 existence 292 00:11:27,829 --> 00:11:26,480 sort of depends on this precisely and we 293 00:11:29,590 --> 00:11:27,839 see the slot in the in 294 00:11:31,829 --> 00:11:29,600 well especially i would have to say the 295 00:11:34,150 --> 00:11:31,839 anti-vaccination movement though 296 00:11:35,829 --> 00:11:34,160 quite a lot of type 2 uh conspiracy 297 00:11:37,670 --> 00:11:35,839 theories wrapped up in that but uh 298 00:11:39,990 --> 00:11:37,680 how how how do you work this how do you 299 00:11:43,190 --> 00:11:40,000 go about doing this 300 00:11:44,949 --> 00:11:43,200 well uh my uh background is i.t so i'm a 301 00:11:48,790 --> 00:11:44,959 very methodical guy 302 00:11:51,509 --> 00:11:48,800 and quite early we we had to develop 303 00:11:52,389 --> 00:11:51,519 some kind of method to approach this and 304 00:11:55,590 --> 00:11:52,399 we 305 00:11:58,870 --> 00:11:55,600 the w3 method 306 00:12:00,629 --> 00:11:58,880 what why and where to okay what are 307 00:12:02,710 --> 00:12:00,639 conspiracy theories 308 00:12:04,629 --> 00:12:02,720 why do people believe in them and where 309 00:12:06,629 --> 00:12:04,639 do we go from here 310 00:12:07,670 --> 00:12:06,639 we can't begin to fight false beliefs 311 00:12:10,790 --> 00:12:07,680 until we understand 312 00:12:12,629 --> 00:12:10,800 what those false beliefs are but we also 313 00:12:13,350 --> 00:12:12,639 need to understand why people believe 314 00:12:16,310 --> 00:12:13,360 falsehoods 315 00:12:16,790 --> 00:12:16,320 before we can do anything about them we 316 00:12:20,949 --> 00:12:16,800 don't 317 00:12:22,710 --> 00:12:20,959 goal of ridiculing conspiracy theorists 318 00:12:24,550 --> 00:12:22,720 we don't assume from the beginning that 319 00:12:26,310 --> 00:12:24,560 their claims are false 320 00:12:27,829 --> 00:12:26,320 we've decided to take the conspiracy 321 00:12:31,110 --> 00:12:27,839 theorists seriously 322 00:12:32,629 --> 00:12:31,120 very seriously they may be right even 323 00:12:35,750 --> 00:12:32,639 partly and if they are 324 00:12:37,910 --> 00:12:35,760 that needs to be acknowledged however 325 00:12:39,670 --> 00:12:37,920 if they are wrong that's equally 326 00:12:41,750 --> 00:12:39,680 important for people to know 327 00:12:43,509 --> 00:12:41,760 yeah i think i think so absolutely and 328 00:12:44,310 --> 00:12:43,519 it's impor of course it's important to 329 00:12:47,430 --> 00:12:44,320 understand 330 00:12:49,190 --> 00:12:47,440 the thinking behind the conspiracy 331 00:12:50,150 --> 00:12:49,200 theories why do people get into this 332 00:12:52,230 --> 00:12:50,160 situation 333 00:12:53,509 --> 00:12:52,240 now of course 911 is i don't know i 334 00:12:55,910 --> 00:12:53,519 guess we could call it the grandfather 335 00:12:57,269 --> 00:12:55,920 of all modern day conspiracy theories 336 00:12:58,949 --> 00:12:57,279 but let's talk about something a little 337 00:13:00,310 --> 00:12:58,959 bit um 338 00:13:02,150 --> 00:13:00,320 i don't want to say more important but i 339 00:13:03,509 --> 00:13:02,160 guess it is it's more pressing i can say 340 00:13:06,949 --> 00:13:03,519 it's more pressing in these 341 00:13:09,509 --> 00:13:06,959 this time it's the pandemic covert 19 342 00:13:11,110 --> 00:13:09,519 you must have come across a lot of covet 343 00:13:14,470 --> 00:13:11,120 19 conspiracy theories 344 00:13:17,750 --> 00:13:14,480 are there a lot out there well yeah 345 00:13:18,949 --> 00:13:17,760 it's true that the 911 has taken the 346 00:13:21,750 --> 00:13:18,959 back seat 347 00:13:22,710 --> 00:13:21,760 nowadays it's definitely covet 19 and as 348 00:13:25,030 --> 00:13:22,720 you say 349 00:13:25,829 --> 00:13:25,040 it's urgent and it's pressing people are 350 00:13:28,470 --> 00:13:25,839 dying 351 00:13:30,150 --> 00:13:28,480 more than what at this moment 1.3 352 00:13:33,030 --> 00:13:30,160 million have died 353 00:13:34,230 --> 00:13:33,040 and coveted 19 conspiracy theories 354 00:13:36,230 --> 00:13:34,240 they're interested 355 00:13:37,829 --> 00:13:36,240 interesting because they are spread by 356 00:13:40,230 --> 00:13:37,839 all levels in society 357 00:13:41,110 --> 00:13:40,240 not merely by isolated groups as we've 358 00:13:43,750 --> 00:13:41,120 seen in partic 359 00:13:45,189 --> 00:13:43,760 in particular in western societies 360 00:13:47,829 --> 00:13:45,199 truthers 361 00:13:49,509 --> 00:13:47,839 they exist in small groups here and 362 00:13:51,189 --> 00:13:49,519 there 363 00:13:52,949 --> 00:13:51,199 they've been spread by you know we can 364 00:13:54,230 --> 00:13:52,959 call them pockets of conspiracy 365 00:13:56,550 --> 00:13:54,240 theorists 366 00:13:57,829 --> 00:13:56,560 but for instance in the arab world the 367 00:13:59,910 --> 00:13:57,839 media and governments have been 368 00:14:02,790 --> 00:13:59,920 spreading conspiracy theories about 369 00:14:03,509 --> 00:14:02,800 usually involving jews ever since the 370 00:14:06,470 --> 00:14:03,519 attack 371 00:14:08,150 --> 00:14:06,480 but covet 19 theories they are being 372 00:14:11,350 --> 00:14:08,160 spread by all levels 373 00:14:13,189 --> 00:14:11,360 and in the united states in particular 374 00:14:14,550 --> 00:14:13,199 and this is a very disturbing and 375 00:14:17,269 --> 00:14:14,560 dangerous development 376 00:14:18,870 --> 00:14:17,279 yeah so so i mean within your work and 377 00:14:21,189 --> 00:14:18,880 and what you've been able to 378 00:14:22,310 --> 00:14:21,199 to gather uh how do you go about dealing 379 00:14:25,590 --> 00:14:22,320 with these uh 380 00:14:27,030 --> 00:14:25,600 covets conspiracies well there are many 381 00:14:30,230 --> 00:14:27,040 ways to uh 382 00:14:33,269 --> 00:14:30,240 approach this and there's not one that 383 00:14:34,710 --> 00:14:33,279 always works one way is to assume that 384 00:14:37,430 --> 00:14:34,720 they are true 385 00:14:38,069 --> 00:14:37,440 if we meet conspiracy theorists with an 386 00:14:40,550 --> 00:14:38,079 automatic 387 00:14:41,750 --> 00:14:40,560 you're wrong along with the evidence as 388 00:14:43,590 --> 00:14:41,760 to why 389 00:14:46,150 --> 00:14:43,600 that'll really get them interested in a 390 00:14:48,230 --> 00:14:46,160 dialogue it's crucial to examine the 391 00:14:49,829 --> 00:14:48,240 theories but doing so and facing the 392 00:14:52,550 --> 00:14:49,839 conspiracy theorists 393 00:14:53,670 --> 00:14:52,560 rarely make them change their minds and 394 00:14:55,990 --> 00:14:53,680 we've noticed that 395 00:14:57,990 --> 00:14:56,000 the conspiracy theorists are very 396 00:15:00,550 --> 00:14:58,000 strongly attached to the notion of 397 00:15:02,949 --> 00:15:00,560 evidence and reason the theories are 398 00:15:03,430 --> 00:15:02,959 presented as a comprehensive and logical 399 00:15:05,670 --> 00:15:03,440 story 400 00:15:08,550 --> 00:15:05,680 right so perhaps if we can get the 401 00:15:11,590 --> 00:15:08,560 conspiracy theorists to realize just how 402 00:15:11,990 --> 00:15:11,600 wacky and unreasonable their theories 403 00:15:14,470 --> 00:15:12,000 really 404 00:15:15,829 --> 00:15:14,480 are then we can get them to think about 405 00:15:17,829 --> 00:15:15,839 what they're saying 406 00:15:19,590 --> 00:15:17,839 especially if we compare the various 407 00:15:20,230 --> 00:15:19,600 theories and see if they contradict each 408 00:15:21,670 --> 00:15:20,240 other 409 00:15:24,470 --> 00:15:21,680 and that's something that they very 410 00:15:26,710 --> 00:15:24,480 often do right of course 411 00:15:27,910 --> 00:15:26,720 we can't convince all that many 412 00:15:30,389 --> 00:15:27,920 conspiracy theories 413 00:15:31,990 --> 00:15:30,399 just with evidence we know that by now 414 00:15:34,710 --> 00:15:32,000 but if we can make them think 415 00:15:36,150 --> 00:15:34,720 just think perhaps they can convince 416 00:15:38,069 --> 00:15:36,160 themselves that they are wrong 417 00:15:39,430 --> 00:15:38,079 by applying their own standards to their 418 00:15:42,629 --> 00:15:39,440 own reasoning 419 00:15:44,389 --> 00:15:42,639 well yes it's worth a shot i suppose 420 00:15:45,990 --> 00:15:44,399 what what are some of the conspiracy 421 00:15:46,629 --> 00:15:46,000 theories in particular that you've come 422 00:15:49,030 --> 00:15:46,639 across 423 00:15:51,110 --> 00:15:49,040 an early one was that the virus is 424 00:15:52,389 --> 00:15:51,120 engineered as a biological weapon and 425 00:15:54,550 --> 00:15:52,399 escaped from or 426 00:15:56,550 --> 00:15:54,560 was deliberately released from a secret 427 00:15:58,389 --> 00:15:56,560 lab in wuhan china 428 00:16:00,230 --> 00:15:58,399 yeah i've heard that one that one's very 429 00:16:01,910 --> 00:16:00,240 popular i've heard that uh some of my 430 00:16:03,350 --> 00:16:01,920 friends have even told me that they 431 00:16:05,590 --> 00:16:03,360 think that is the case why why do you 432 00:16:08,710 --> 00:16:05,600 think people are so 433 00:16:11,749 --> 00:16:08,720 so wrapped up in that one 434 00:16:14,389 --> 00:16:11,759 two words yellow peril 435 00:16:16,150 --> 00:16:14,399 conspiracies are often openly racist 436 00:16:18,310 --> 00:16:16,160 people believe that type of theory 437 00:16:20,470 --> 00:16:18,320 simply because racism still plays a 438 00:16:23,509 --> 00:16:20,480 large role in most societies 439 00:16:26,790 --> 00:16:23,519 trump's incessant china joiner china 440 00:16:29,430 --> 00:16:26,800 that's the best known example it is 441 00:16:30,629 --> 00:16:29,440 it is i'm not going to do a trump 442 00:16:32,710 --> 00:16:30,639 impersonation 443 00:16:33,910 --> 00:16:32,720 but it reminds me it reminds me of 444 00:16:35,269 --> 00:16:33,920 something that we say here in the 445 00:16:37,110 --> 00:16:35,279 australian skeptics who've said it for a 446 00:16:39,110 --> 00:16:37,120 long time we say well let's play the 447 00:16:41,110 --> 00:16:39,120 game what if it was true 448 00:16:42,629 --> 00:16:41,120 and in this case what if that particular 449 00:16:44,629 --> 00:16:42,639 theory was true what do you think the 450 00:16:47,829 --> 00:16:44,639 consequences would be 451 00:16:49,350 --> 00:16:47,839 dire because china would be really 452 00:16:50,150 --> 00:16:49,360 careless with their weapons of mass 453 00:16:52,470 --> 00:16:50,160 destruction 454 00:16:53,189 --> 00:16:52,480 they would unleash kovit 19 on its own 455 00:16:55,910 --> 00:16:53,199 population 456 00:16:58,470 --> 00:16:55,920 first that's not a good thing and of 457 00:17:00,270 --> 00:16:58,480 course they can't even keep it secret 458 00:17:02,310 --> 00:17:00,280 yay good work communist party 459 00:17:05,750 --> 00:17:02,320 [Laughter] 460 00:17:07,750 --> 00:17:05,760 and if it were true why doesn't the west 461 00:17:10,470 --> 00:17:07,760 perpetuate this 462 00:17:11,990 --> 00:17:10,480 uh conspiracy theory china is rapidly 463 00:17:13,750 --> 00:17:12,000 becoming a threat to the west 464 00:17:15,189 --> 00:17:13,760 not just military-wise but also 465 00:17:18,309 --> 00:17:15,199 business-wise it would make 466 00:17:21,510 --> 00:17:18,319 sense for western experts 467 00:17:24,069 --> 00:17:21,520 to perpetuate this theory normally don't 468 00:17:26,470 --> 00:17:24,079 right okay yeah that's an interesting 469 00:17:29,029 --> 00:17:26,480 one anymore that you have 470 00:17:30,549 --> 00:17:29,039 well of course there's also the story 471 00:17:32,950 --> 00:17:30,559 the usual story 472 00:17:34,310 --> 00:17:32,960 that the virus is being engineered by 473 00:17:36,150 --> 00:17:34,320 jews 474 00:17:37,430 --> 00:17:36,160 and why do people believe that one 475 00:17:39,669 --> 00:17:37,440 that's in one word 476 00:17:41,750 --> 00:17:39,679 anti-semitism yeah you don't have to 477 00:17:43,270 --> 00:17:41,760 learn about conspiracies for more than a 478 00:17:46,549 --> 00:17:43,280 few minutes before you meet 479 00:17:49,669 --> 00:17:46,559 the evil jews they are just everywhere 480 00:17:51,510 --> 00:17:49,679 and according to this theory uh israel 481 00:17:54,390 --> 00:17:51,520 is really behind the pandemic because an 482 00:17:57,029 --> 00:17:54,400 israeli company is working on a vaccine 483 00:17:59,029 --> 00:17:57,039 which will make jews look good so it 484 00:18:02,470 --> 00:17:59,039 must be an evil plot 485 00:18:04,310 --> 00:18:02,480 oh no oh boy no matter how many times 486 00:18:05,350 --> 00:18:04,320 you hear these crazy conspiracy theories 487 00:18:07,750 --> 00:18:05,360 there's one more just 488 00:18:09,430 --> 00:18:07,760 just as crazy well let's play the same 489 00:18:11,510 --> 00:18:09,440 game now what do you think what if that 490 00:18:14,230 --> 00:18:11,520 one was true 491 00:18:15,029 --> 00:18:14,240 well um israel is up against many other 492 00:18:17,190 --> 00:18:15,039 countries 493 00:18:19,510 --> 00:18:17,200 uh which are also working on their own 494 00:18:21,190 --> 00:18:19,520 vaccines denmark is close to having its 495 00:18:23,110 --> 00:18:21,200 own vaccine now 496 00:18:25,430 --> 00:18:23,120 and we see them pop up just about 497 00:18:25,909 --> 00:18:25,440 everywhere the united states is pretty 498 00:18:29,669 --> 00:18:25,919 close 499 00:18:31,830 --> 00:18:29,679 to uh rolling out a vaccine 500 00:18:32,710 --> 00:18:31,840 so why would the jews instigate a 501 00:18:34,630 --> 00:18:32,720 pandemic 502 00:18:35,830 --> 00:18:34,640 only to have their plan of being the 503 00:18:38,549 --> 00:18:35,840 world's heroic 504 00:18:39,830 --> 00:18:38,559 rescuers foiled by many other countries 505 00:18:42,870 --> 00:18:39,840 beating them to it 506 00:18:45,270 --> 00:18:42,880 i mean that's just dumb 507 00:18:47,270 --> 00:18:45,280 yeah yeah it certainly is it certainly 508 00:18:47,750 --> 00:18:47,280 isn't and one i've heard and and you've 509 00:18:50,870 --> 00:18:47,760 probably 510 00:18:53,190 --> 00:18:50,880 come across this one too is our 511 00:18:55,029 --> 00:18:53,200 uh our dear friend well i don't mean 512 00:18:57,750 --> 00:18:55,039 that personally of course 513 00:18:59,510 --> 00:18:57,760 bill gates who does so much good work to 514 00:19:02,070 --> 00:18:59,520 try and help humanity 515 00:19:03,590 --> 00:19:02,080 i believe he's the focus of conspiracy 516 00:19:06,630 --> 00:19:03,600 theories too 517 00:19:07,110 --> 00:19:06,640 yeah according to uh by the way he's not 518 00:19:13,590 --> 00:19:07,120 called 519 00:19:15,830 --> 00:19:13,600 he plans a genocide by forcing vaccines 520 00:19:18,150 --> 00:19:15,840 on everyone 521 00:19:19,830 --> 00:19:18,160 and this is interesting because 522 00:19:22,470 --> 00:19:19,840 antivirus as you are 523 00:19:23,350 --> 00:19:22,480 very familiar with down under and 524 00:19:28,150 --> 00:19:23,360 conspiracy 525 00:19:30,310 --> 00:19:28,160 join forces 526 00:19:31,270 --> 00:19:30,320 it plays into the fear of science of 527 00:19:33,430 --> 00:19:31,280 mind control 528 00:19:35,190 --> 00:19:33,440 in favor of this naturalistic fallacy 529 00:19:38,230 --> 00:19:35,200 that everything in nature is good 530 00:19:41,350 --> 00:19:38,240 everything man-made is bad and of course 531 00:19:43,830 --> 00:19:41,360 so-called alternative medicine so 532 00:19:44,549 --> 00:19:43,840 it's an interesting conspiracy theory 533 00:19:47,909 --> 00:19:44,559 because 534 00:19:49,909 --> 00:19:47,919 here you have two groups joining forces 535 00:19:51,270 --> 00:19:49,919 yeah yeah it's it's absolutely it's 536 00:19:54,150 --> 00:19:51,280 absolutely bizarre 537 00:19:56,230 --> 00:19:54,160 and i mean what benefit could that 538 00:19:59,029 --> 00:19:56,240 possibly be to bill gates what what okay 539 00:20:01,830 --> 00:19:59,039 what if that were true what do you think 540 00:20:04,710 --> 00:20:01,840 well as history has taught us if you 541 00:20:07,669 --> 00:20:04,720 want to plan and carry out a genocide 542 00:20:09,669 --> 00:20:07,679 don't do it in broad daylight i mean if 543 00:20:12,470 --> 00:20:09,679 vaccinations were forced 544 00:20:14,789 --> 00:20:12,480 and resulted in mass deaths it would be 545 00:20:17,750 --> 00:20:14,799 painfully obvious what was behind it 546 00:20:18,630 --> 00:20:17,760 bill gates and his vaccines yes it would 547 00:20:20,710 --> 00:20:18,640 cost perhaps 548 00:20:23,029 --> 00:20:20,720 hundreds of thousands of deaths before 549 00:20:25,990 --> 00:20:23,039 it was revealed or 550 00:20:27,430 --> 00:20:26,000 people realized it but the public outcry 551 00:20:29,110 --> 00:20:27,440 would be enormous 552 00:20:30,950 --> 00:20:29,120 and it would stop the vaccinations 553 00:20:33,909 --> 00:20:30,960 before the deaths reached 554 00:20:35,590 --> 00:20:33,919 millions and it would also mean that 555 00:20:36,710 --> 00:20:35,600 bill gates would be surpassing even 556 00:20:38,630 --> 00:20:36,720 adolf hitler 557 00:20:39,830 --> 00:20:38,640 in being the most reviled person in the 558 00:20:42,470 --> 00:20:39,840 world history 559 00:20:43,350 --> 00:20:42,480 you couldn't keep it secret yeah yeah so 560 00:20:44,870 --> 00:20:43,360 why do it 561 00:20:47,029 --> 00:20:44,880 yeah you make you make an excellent 562 00:20:47,990 --> 00:20:47,039 point and bill gates if you're listening 563 00:20:50,470 --> 00:20:48,000 uh we're sorry 564 00:20:51,830 --> 00:20:50,480 that all this nonsense has been uh 565 00:20:54,710 --> 00:20:51,840 heading your way 566 00:20:55,190 --> 00:20:54,720 now there's another one and i i consider 567 00:20:58,630 --> 00:20:55,200 this 568 00:21:00,070 --> 00:20:58,640 probably the most far-fetched one i've 569 00:21:03,669 --> 00:21:00,080 ever heard certainly 570 00:21:07,110 --> 00:21:03,679 which is of course 5g mobile 571 00:21:10,710 --> 00:21:07,120 phone towers are spreading covet 19. 572 00:21:13,350 --> 00:21:10,720 it's an interesting here we also see 573 00:21:15,270 --> 00:21:13,360 two groups joining forces anti-cell 574 00:21:16,950 --> 00:21:15,280 phoners and kovit-19 conspiracy 575 00:21:19,669 --> 00:21:16,960 theorists 576 00:21:21,029 --> 00:21:19,679 here we have the fear of technology 577 00:21:22,149 --> 00:21:21,039 together with a fundamental 578 00:21:25,909 --> 00:21:22,159 understanding of 579 00:21:29,510 --> 00:21:25,919 very basic scientific concepts because 580 00:21:32,630 --> 00:21:29,520 if why 5g and not 40 581 00:21:34,390 --> 00:21:32,640 3t or 2g indeed those technologies were 582 00:21:34,950 --> 00:21:34,400 also claimed to be harmful to millions 583 00:21:37,270 --> 00:21:34,960 of people 584 00:21:38,390 --> 00:21:37,280 where are the massive deaths from cancer 585 00:21:40,870 --> 00:21:38,400 and how do you even 586 00:21:41,750 --> 00:21:40,880 spread a virus via electromagnetic 587 00:21:45,270 --> 00:21:41,760 radiation 588 00:21:47,510 --> 00:21:45,280 yes and more to the point why would you 589 00:21:49,350 --> 00:21:47,520 i mean it would hit everyone including 590 00:21:49,750 --> 00:21:49,360 the including those behind the devious 591 00:21:52,950 --> 00:21:49,760 plan 592 00:21:56,230 --> 00:21:52,960 yeah yeah i mean and to 593 00:21:57,590 --> 00:21:56,240 further nail it this conspiracy theory 594 00:21:59,909 --> 00:21:57,600 is promoted in part 595 00:22:01,270 --> 00:21:59,919 via cell phone technology and that's a 596 00:22:03,590 --> 00:22:01,280 contradiction right there 597 00:22:04,950 --> 00:22:03,600 the conspiracy theorists may believe the 598 00:22:07,430 --> 00:22:04,960 theory but they don't 599 00:22:08,630 --> 00:22:07,440 act accordingly i love that one they're 600 00:22:10,230 --> 00:22:08,640 all calling themselves 601 00:22:12,310 --> 00:22:10,240 each other up on the on their cell 602 00:22:15,510 --> 00:22:12,320 phones using various uh 603 00:22:15,909 --> 00:22:15,520 g technology you know 4g 3g and probably 604 00:22:19,190 --> 00:22:15,919 now 605 00:22:21,669 --> 00:22:19,200 5g to complain about it and commiserate 606 00:22:24,630 --> 00:22:21,679 with themselves and try to plot 607 00:22:25,430 --> 00:22:24,640 all sorts of things so so class are 608 00:22:27,110 --> 00:22:25,440 there any that 609 00:22:29,990 --> 00:22:27,120 sort of roll on from that weird 610 00:22:34,070 --> 00:22:30,000 conspiracy theory with the 5g 611 00:22:37,590 --> 00:22:34,080 well it's maybe a meta 612 00:22:39,830 --> 00:22:37,600 conspiracy mega corporations global 613 00:22:41,750 --> 00:22:39,840 corporations benefit from businesses 614 00:22:46,630 --> 00:22:41,760 shutting down so they must be behind 615 00:22:49,270 --> 00:22:46,640 it and this is uh this 616 00:22:50,870 --> 00:22:49,280 it's about anti-globalism that runs deep 617 00:22:53,190 --> 00:22:50,880 in conspiracy land 618 00:22:55,669 --> 00:22:53,200 anything global is seen as evil 619 00:23:00,310 --> 00:22:55,679 therefore jeff pieces from amazon.com 620 00:23:03,909 --> 00:23:02,470 we found that there's often a grain of 621 00:23:06,149 --> 00:23:03,919 truth to conspiracy 622 00:23:07,029 --> 00:23:06,159 theories because online businesses have 623 00:23:10,870 --> 00:23:07,039 indeed 624 00:23:13,830 --> 00:23:10,880 sales oh yeah 625 00:23:14,710 --> 00:23:13,840 but starting a pandemic seems like a 626 00:23:17,270 --> 00:23:14,720 rather stupid 627 00:23:18,789 --> 00:23:17,280 way to increase profit since the trend 628 00:23:20,710 --> 00:23:18,799 is going in the direction of online 629 00:23:23,190 --> 00:23:20,720 stores anyway 630 00:23:24,310 --> 00:23:23,200 so why would you risk a sure thing by 631 00:23:25,990 --> 00:23:24,320 launching a pandemic 632 00:23:28,789 --> 00:23:26,000 that would also cost millions of 633 00:23:31,029 --> 00:23:28,799 potential customers they're gonna die 634 00:23:32,149 --> 00:23:31,039 so they can't buy people yeah they can't 635 00:23:33,909 --> 00:23:32,159 buy your stuff 636 00:23:35,350 --> 00:23:33,919 well again you're making a lot of sense 637 00:23:36,549 --> 00:23:35,360 and and 638 00:23:38,470 --> 00:23:36,559 on the flip side of course the 639 00:23:40,630 --> 00:23:38,480 conspiracy theorists and conspiracy 640 00:23:42,950 --> 00:23:40,640 theories in general to me 641 00:23:43,990 --> 00:23:42,960 um don't seem to make a lot of sense 642 00:23:45,909 --> 00:23:44,000 really 643 00:23:49,029 --> 00:23:45,919 yeah but that's because you're thinking 644 00:23:51,990 --> 00:23:49,039 like a skeptic 645 00:23:52,789 --> 00:23:52,000 have found that and this really sounds 646 00:23:54,950 --> 00:23:52,799 uh 647 00:23:56,149 --> 00:23:54,960 insane i'm not i'm not saying that 648 00:24:01,350 --> 00:23:56,159 conspiracy theorists 649 00:24:08,710 --> 00:24:04,950 the more absurd a conspiracy theory 650 00:24:11,510 --> 00:24:08,720 is the easier it is believed by 651 00:24:13,350 --> 00:24:11,520 especially type 2 because if everything 652 00:24:15,590 --> 00:24:13,360 is a conspiracy 653 00:24:18,950 --> 00:24:15,600 well then it makes more and more sense 654 00:24:22,789 --> 00:24:18,960 that's why you have people 655 00:24:23,110 --> 00:24:22,799 where people can go from jfbs is behind 656 00:24:26,230 --> 00:24:23,120 the 657 00:24:29,350 --> 00:24:26,240 covet 19 pandemic to gradually 658 00:24:32,470 --> 00:24:29,360 accept the idea of reptilian 659 00:24:33,269 --> 00:24:32,480 overloads from outer space because the 660 00:24:39,430 --> 00:24:33,279 more 661 00:24:40,310 --> 00:24:39,440 the easier it is to believe once you've 662 00:24:44,390 --> 00:24:40,320 gone down the 663 00:24:47,590 --> 00:24:44,400 shall we say the dark way yeah yeah so 664 00:24:48,390 --> 00:24:47,600 if if we take them one by one conspiracy 665 00:24:49,909 --> 00:24:48,400 theories 666 00:24:51,830 --> 00:24:49,919 they don't they don't pass the sniff 667 00:24:55,269 --> 00:24:51,840 test if they are true 668 00:24:57,590 --> 00:24:55,279 they make no sense at all but uh 669 00:24:59,190 --> 00:24:57,600 it's when we compare the theories to 670 00:25:03,029 --> 00:24:59,200 other theories that they become 671 00:25:05,990 --> 00:25:03,039 truly ridiculous because if either 672 00:25:06,549 --> 00:25:06,000 the chinese government or bill gates are 673 00:25:09,350 --> 00:25:06,559 behind 674 00:25:10,230 --> 00:25:09,360 the pandemic both theories can't be true 675 00:25:12,710 --> 00:25:10,240 so which 676 00:25:13,669 --> 00:25:12,720 theory is false and why right right 677 00:25:16,549 --> 00:25:13,679 think about it 678 00:25:17,669 --> 00:25:16,559 that's what we we say to conspiracy 679 00:25:20,630 --> 00:25:17,679 theorists 680 00:25:21,830 --> 00:25:20,640 why which one is uh false which one is 681 00:25:24,950 --> 00:25:21,840 true 682 00:25:26,789 --> 00:25:24,960 why are they false think about it if 683 00:25:27,990 --> 00:25:26,799 of course on the other hand they are 684 00:25:29,669 --> 00:25:28,000 both true 685 00:25:32,470 --> 00:25:29,679 what about the other ones what about the 686 00:25:35,029 --> 00:25:32,480 other theories if they are all true 687 00:25:35,990 --> 00:25:35,039 why would the and get get ready for this 688 00:25:38,230 --> 00:25:36,000 one 689 00:25:39,590 --> 00:25:38,240 why would the chinese government work 690 00:25:42,149 --> 00:25:39,600 with cell phone companies 691 00:25:44,230 --> 00:25:42,159 deaf pieces from amazon.com bill gates 692 00:25:45,269 --> 00:25:44,240 with his genocidal vaccine and israel 693 00:25:47,590 --> 00:25:45,279 with their vaccine 694 00:25:49,029 --> 00:25:47,600 to kill off millions of customers yes 695 00:25:52,630 --> 00:25:49,039 yes that's right 696 00:25:57,029 --> 00:25:52,640 what that's the if you accept 697 00:25:59,269 --> 00:25:57,039 that as being logical and making sense 698 00:26:01,990 --> 00:25:59,279 the neck you are not that far from 699 00:26:04,870 --> 00:26:02,000 accepting reptilian overlords 700 00:26:07,510 --> 00:26:04,880 so there's a danger to believing once 701 00:26:10,950 --> 00:26:07,520 you believe your first conspiracy theory 702 00:26:12,630 --> 00:26:10,960 it's not going to be your last yeah yep 703 00:26:14,149 --> 00:26:12,640 that makes a lot of sense to me and of 704 00:26:15,750 --> 00:26:14,159 course you you know 705 00:26:17,430 --> 00:26:15,760 full well that you and i are both part 706 00:26:19,590 --> 00:26:17,440 of the conspiracy to keep conspiracy 707 00:26:23,029 --> 00:26:19,600 theories down don't you 708 00:26:25,269 --> 00:26:23,039 oh yes and uh but 709 00:26:27,590 --> 00:26:25,279 i i'm i'm better at it than you because 710 00:26:30,630 --> 00:26:27,600 i actually get paid 711 00:26:33,350 --> 00:26:30,640 i get paid uh you don't 712 00:26:34,470 --> 00:26:33,360 uh we are all when steve and i are uh 713 00:26:36,390 --> 00:26:34,480 giving lectures 714 00:26:38,070 --> 00:26:36,400 we don't give that many lectures 715 00:26:41,430 --> 00:26:38,080 nowadays but 716 00:26:45,190 --> 00:26:41,440 usually when we go to schools and 717 00:26:48,149 --> 00:26:45,200 high schools and even universities we 718 00:26:48,789 --> 00:26:48,159 we get usually get the same question who 719 00:26:51,669 --> 00:26:48,799 pays us 720 00:26:52,230 --> 00:26:51,679 to do this conspiracy theorists they 721 00:26:54,950 --> 00:26:52,240 have a 722 00:26:56,390 --> 00:26:54,960 hard time understanding that this is uh 723 00:26:59,190 --> 00:26:56,400 just a conomor 724 00:26:59,990 --> 00:26:59,200 uh project for us we do sting and i do 725 00:27:02,230 --> 00:27:00,000 this 726 00:27:03,110 --> 00:27:02,240 because we think it's necessary of 727 00:27:06,390 --> 00:27:03,120 course we get 728 00:27:09,510 --> 00:27:06,400 paid when we do lectures but our 729 00:27:12,710 --> 00:27:09,520 far biggest shall we say donation comes 730 00:27:15,510 --> 00:27:12,720 from the conspiracy theorists ourselves 731 00:27:16,950 --> 00:27:15,520 themselves because um i mentioned 732 00:27:19,430 --> 00:27:16,960 earlier that 733 00:27:20,470 --> 00:27:19,440 we've had articles stolen from us yeah 734 00:27:23,269 --> 00:27:20,480 yeah 735 00:27:24,070 --> 00:27:23,279 so we took one of them to court which uh 736 00:27:27,830 --> 00:27:24,080 resulted 737 00:27:30,870 --> 00:27:27,840 in we got about just over fifty thousand 738 00:27:33,750 --> 00:27:30,880 days corner that's about 739 00:27:35,430 --> 00:27:33,760 seven or eight thousand dollars from the 740 00:27:38,470 --> 00:27:35,440 court 741 00:27:41,190 --> 00:27:38,480 so you know yeah 742 00:27:43,990 --> 00:27:41,200 sure we get paid for doing this but we 743 00:27:47,830 --> 00:27:44,000 get paid by the conspiracy theorists 744 00:27:49,110 --> 00:27:47,840 that's funny come on who can say among 745 00:27:52,870 --> 00:27:49,120 the skeptics 746 00:27:55,510 --> 00:27:52,880 the skeptic community communities that 747 00:27:56,389 --> 00:27:55,520 you know you get paid by people who want 748 00:27:58,710 --> 00:27:56,399 to hear 749 00:28:00,549 --> 00:27:58,720 what you have to say we get paid by the 750 00:28:03,190 --> 00:28:00,559 conspiracy theorists 751 00:28:03,990 --> 00:28:03,200 i can't argue with that oh you sound 752 00:28:05,590 --> 00:28:04,000 like you're on 753 00:28:07,590 --> 00:28:05,600 a good deal there if that if that's the 754 00:28:08,549 --> 00:28:07,600 case folks i will link to this website 755 00:28:10,389 --> 00:28:08,559 once again 756 00:28:11,669 --> 00:28:10,399 in this week's show notes it's certainly 757 00:28:15,029 --> 00:28:11,679 worth your uh 758 00:28:16,870 --> 00:28:15,039 visit i've been going there and 759 00:28:18,310 --> 00:28:16,880 perusing the it's very well laid out 760 00:28:19,750 --> 00:28:18,320 klaus i must say it's a really 761 00:28:22,070 --> 00:28:19,760 interesting way you've laid out the 762 00:28:26,310 --> 00:28:22,080 website that's 9 11 763 00:28:28,549 --> 00:28:26,320 facts dot d k d k for denmark of course 764 00:28:29,350 --> 00:28:28,559 well worth your visit and clas i worked 765 00:28:31,830 --> 00:28:29,360 out that we 766 00:28:32,789 --> 00:28:31,840 have indeed met each other and it was at 767 00:28:36,549 --> 00:28:32,799 tam 768 00:28:41,110 --> 00:28:36,559 number six 769 00:28:43,990 --> 00:28:41,120 in 2008 how about that 770 00:28:46,149 --> 00:28:44,000 oh boy that's 12 years ago i know now 771 00:28:47,669 --> 00:28:46,159 that's a conspiracy in itself i think 772 00:28:49,350 --> 00:28:47,679 well it's the only thing i don't like 773 00:28:53,110 --> 00:28:49,360 about getting older 774 00:28:57,190 --> 00:28:53,120 time seemed to pass quicker and quicker 775 00:28:58,630 --> 00:28:57,200 a month is just wait i mean it was just 776 00:29:00,630 --> 00:28:58,640 where where are we now well we are in 777 00:29:03,990 --> 00:29:00,640 november what happened it was just 778 00:29:05,909 --> 00:29:04,000 east yesterday so 779 00:29:07,590 --> 00:29:05,919 that i don't like otherwise it's okay 780 00:29:10,149 --> 00:29:07,600 although otherwise it's okay but 781 00:29:12,070 --> 00:29:10,159 i will say about this year 2020 with the 782 00:29:14,870 --> 00:29:12,080 pandemic it has been 783 00:29:15,909 --> 00:29:14,880 in some respects the longest year i can 784 00:29:19,190 --> 00:29:15,919 remember 785 00:29:21,350 --> 00:29:19,200 and one of the shortest it's just 786 00:29:23,430 --> 00:29:21,360 and that's a conspiracy all in itself 787 00:29:25,029 --> 00:29:23,440 well klaus larsen thank you so much for 788 00:29:26,070 --> 00:29:25,039 spending some time here on the skeptic 789 00:29:29,029 --> 00:29:26,080 own come back again 790 00:29:31,029 --> 00:29:29,039 soon uh you're always welcome to to 791 00:29:31,909 --> 00:29:31,039 appear on the show and i might even get 792 00:29:33,269 --> 00:29:31,919 you 793 00:29:35,110 --> 00:29:33,279 in the next little while to make a 794 00:29:35,909 --> 00:29:35,120 little promo i can run regularly on the 795 00:29:37,830 --> 00:29:35,919 show to 796 00:29:40,310 --> 00:29:37,840 get more people to visit your site but 797 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:40,320 for now klaus larsen thank you very much 798 00:30:06,830 --> 00:29:54,330 thank you 799 00:30:11,330 --> 00:30:09,750 do 800 00:30:14,870 --> 00:30:11,340 logical fallacies 801 00:30:17,669 --> 00:30:14,880 [Music] 802 00:30:19,510 --> 00:30:17,679 what are logical fallacies and why is it 803 00:30:22,149 --> 00:30:19,520 important that critical thinkers should 804 00:30:24,470 --> 00:30:22,159 know about them 805 00:30:26,070 --> 00:30:24,480 a logical fallacy is an error we can 806 00:30:28,070 --> 00:30:26,080 make in reasoning 807 00:30:32,470 --> 00:30:28,080 but it usually crops up when we are 808 00:30:36,870 --> 00:30:34,549 some people might even knowingly use 809 00:30:37,750 --> 00:30:36,880 them to try and score cheap points in an 810 00:30:41,029 --> 00:30:37,760 argument 811 00:30:43,590 --> 00:30:41,039 due to intellectual laziness 812 00:30:45,350 --> 00:30:43,600 they are traps we can fall into but if 813 00:30:47,510 --> 00:30:45,360 we know what to look out for 814 00:30:51,060 --> 00:30:47,520 we can spot them when they occur and 815 00:30:52,870 --> 00:30:51,070 stop ourselves from using them 816 00:30:55,350 --> 00:30:52,880 [Music] 817 00:30:57,029 --> 00:30:55,360 this time we'll look at appeal to the 818 00:30:59,830 --> 00:30:57,039 stone 819 00:31:01,430 --> 00:30:59,840 this is when you dismiss an idea or 820 00:31:04,389 --> 00:31:01,440 statement as absurd 821 00:31:06,230 --> 00:31:04,399 invalid or incorrect without giving a 822 00:31:10,070 --> 00:31:06,240 satisfactory reason 823 00:31:11,830 --> 00:31:10,080 as to why many armchair skeptics can be 824 00:31:15,350 --> 00:31:11,840 guilty of this fallacy 825 00:31:18,630 --> 00:31:15,360 as it is all too easy to reject an idea 826 00:31:21,269 --> 00:31:18,640 without really understanding the topic 827 00:31:23,430 --> 00:31:21,279 but then again those who believe in 828 00:31:25,830 --> 00:31:23,440 talking to the dead for example 829 00:31:26,590 --> 00:31:25,840 can be too quick to write off more 830 00:31:29,990 --> 00:31:26,600 mundane 831 00:31:30,230 --> 00:31:30,000 explanations of course i don't believe 832 00:31:33,669 --> 00:31:30,240 in 833 00:31:35,909 --> 00:31:33,679 sources 834 00:31:37,269 --> 00:31:35,919 i don't know much about space travel but 835 00:31:40,310 --> 00:31:37,279 the whole idea is 836 00:31:42,950 --> 00:31:40,320 just ridiculous so far 837 00:31:45,990 --> 00:31:42,960 there is no good evidence to suggest 838 00:31:49,029 --> 00:31:46,000 aliens or robotic ships have visited the 839 00:31:51,430 --> 00:31:49,039 earth from other planets however 840 00:31:53,990 --> 00:31:51,440 it would be naive to write the whole 841 00:31:57,669 --> 00:31:54,000 idea of as being ridiculous 842 00:32:01,509 --> 00:31:57,679 without some understanding of the topic 843 00:32:03,630 --> 00:32:01,519 as carl sagan said for all i know 844 00:32:06,149 --> 00:32:03,640 we may be visited by a different 845 00:32:09,110 --> 00:32:06,159 extraterrestrial civilization 846 00:32:11,750 --> 00:32:09,120 every second tuesday but there's no 847 00:32:14,230 --> 00:32:11,760 support for this appealing idea 848 00:32:15,509 --> 00:32:14,240 i hear that thousands of scientists have 849 00:32:17,990 --> 00:32:15,519 signed a paper 850 00:32:19,029 --> 00:32:18,000 calling for action on climate change but 851 00:32:22,070 --> 00:32:19,039 i don't care 852 00:32:24,310 --> 00:32:22,080 climate change is just made up and silly 853 00:32:26,149 --> 00:32:24,320 not understanding a topic like climate 854 00:32:29,350 --> 00:32:26,159 change and calling it silly 855 00:32:31,669 --> 00:32:29,360 is a very poor way of reasoning we owe 856 00:32:34,630 --> 00:32:31,679 it to ourselves to do at least 857 00:32:35,990 --> 00:32:34,640 some research on a topic before taking a 858 00:32:39,110 --> 00:32:36,000 strong stand 859 00:32:41,909 --> 00:32:39,120 one way or the other the earth is 860 00:32:42,870 --> 00:32:41,919 flat i tell you i mean just look at the 861 00:32:45,509 --> 00:32:42,880 horizon 862 00:32:46,310 --> 00:32:45,519 it's flat the idea that the earth is 863 00:32:49,269 --> 00:32:46,320 round is 864 00:32:50,470 --> 00:32:49,279 absurd it's funny to think that once 865 00:32:52,870 --> 00:32:50,480 upon a time 866 00:32:54,549 --> 00:32:52,880 thousands of years ago people thought 867 00:32:57,029 --> 00:32:54,559 the same thing 868 00:32:57,830 --> 00:32:57,039 we can forgive those ancient people as 869 00:33:00,950 --> 00:32:57,840 they didn't 870 00:33:04,230 --> 00:33:00,960 know better but for the last 871 00:33:07,509 --> 00:33:04,240 2 000 years it has been widely accepted 872 00:33:10,470 --> 00:33:07,519 and understood that we live on a globe 873 00:33:14,230 --> 00:33:10,480 no matter how absurd some people think 874 00:33:19,430 --> 00:33:16,710 even if you think an idea or claim is 875 00:33:21,750 --> 00:33:19,440 just too silly for you to entertain 876 00:33:23,029 --> 00:33:21,760 it is worth the time to come to an 877 00:33:26,070 --> 00:33:23,039 understanding as to 878 00:33:27,990 --> 00:33:26,080 why you made that determination 879 00:33:29,909 --> 00:33:28,000 does the claim violate the laws of 880 00:33:34,149 --> 00:33:29,919 physics for example 881 00:33:36,310 --> 00:33:34,159 if so which laws and why 882 00:33:38,070 --> 00:33:36,320 what other reasons do you have to reject 883 00:33:40,070 --> 00:33:38,080 the claim 884 00:33:42,549 --> 00:33:40,080 then at least you'll have a better 885 00:33:44,870 --> 00:33:42,559 answer than simply calling it silly or 886 00:33:47,830 --> 00:33:44,880 ridiculous 887 00:33:49,909 --> 00:33:47,840 [Music] 888 00:33:50,870 --> 00:33:49,919 knowing a logical fallacy when you hear 889 00:33:53,590 --> 00:33:50,880 one and 890 00:33:56,149 --> 00:33:53,600 even knowing its name is important when 891 00:33:59,509 --> 00:33:56,159 arguing your point of view 892 00:34:01,990 --> 00:33:59,519 however you may come across as arrogant 893 00:34:02,710 --> 00:34:02,000 and not get very far if you call it out 894 00:34:05,110 --> 00:34:02,720 by name 895 00:34:07,190 --> 00:34:05,120 to your opponent when you hear it being 896 00:34:09,669 --> 00:34:07,200 used 897 00:34:10,550 --> 00:34:09,679 if your opponent calls you out for using 898 00:34:12,790 --> 00:34:10,560 one 899 00:34:15,829 --> 00:34:12,800 it's time to stop and think about how 900 00:34:17,909 --> 00:34:15,839 you are making your case 901 00:34:19,109 --> 00:34:17,919 use your knowledge of logical fallacies 902 00:34:21,909 --> 00:34:19,119 wisely 903 00:34:23,109 --> 00:34:21,919 and remember that even if your point of 904 00:34:25,430 --> 00:34:23,119 view is right 905 00:34:26,790 --> 00:34:25,440 and you know all the pitfalls in arguing 906 00:34:29,270 --> 00:34:26,800 your case 907 00:34:30,389 --> 00:34:29,280 it doesn't always mean you'll win on the 908 00:34:33,669 --> 00:34:30,399 day 909 00:34:36,270 --> 00:34:33,679 and as skeptics we must also remember 910 00:34:39,270 --> 00:34:36,280 that we too can be wrong at times 911 00:34:41,109 --> 00:34:39,280 [Music] 912 00:34:52,479 --> 00:34:41,119 i'm michelle bickersma from the vic 913 00:34:52,489 --> 00:35:07,750 [Music] 914 00:35:11,510 --> 00:35:09,750 now it's time once again to dive into 915 00:35:13,510 --> 00:35:11,520 the treasure trove 916 00:35:17,030 --> 00:35:13,520 the information treasure trove that is 917 00:35:18,870 --> 00:35:17,040 trove at trove.nla.gov 918 00:35:21,510 --> 00:35:18,880 an online resource of magazines 919 00:35:24,950 --> 00:35:21,520 periodicals reports 920 00:35:26,550 --> 00:35:24,960 newspapers flyers gazettes that sort of 921 00:35:28,150 --> 00:35:26,560 thing 922 00:35:30,069 --> 00:35:28,160 now over the past few months we've been 923 00:35:32,310 --> 00:35:30,079 looking at classic skepticism like loch 924 00:35:35,349 --> 00:35:32,320 ness monster or yowie's 925 00:35:37,430 --> 00:35:35,359 ufos esp clairvoyance that sort of thing 926 00:35:39,670 --> 00:35:37,440 so today i thought we'd look at 927 00:35:41,270 --> 00:35:39,680 skepticism itself or in this case 928 00:35:42,790 --> 00:35:41,280 australian skeptics now australian 929 00:35:46,069 --> 00:35:42,800 skeptics have been 930 00:35:48,390 --> 00:35:46,079 around since 1981 931 00:35:51,589 --> 00:35:48,400 which means uh early next year it'll be 932 00:35:53,670 --> 00:35:51,599 the 40th anniversary of the organization 933 00:35:55,589 --> 00:35:53,680 who knows we might have a celebratory 934 00:35:58,230 --> 00:35:55,599 cup of tea or something 935 00:36:00,230 --> 00:35:58,240 anyway i've typed into the search engine 936 00:36:03,510 --> 00:36:00,240 here at trove 937 00:36:06,310 --> 00:36:03,520 australian skeptics and there are 938 00:36:06,950 --> 00:36:06,320 a surprising amount of returns most of 939 00:36:10,310 --> 00:36:06,960 them 940 00:36:12,870 --> 00:36:10,320 from the canberra times because i think 941 00:36:14,390 --> 00:36:12,880 a lot of what you find in this trove is 942 00:36:15,750 --> 00:36:14,400 from the canberra timers but that's all 943 00:36:17,990 --> 00:36:15,760 right 944 00:36:19,829 --> 00:36:18,000 and the first one we come across and 945 00:36:22,230 --> 00:36:19,839 i'll read a selection of them 946 00:36:24,829 --> 00:36:22,240 comes from the canberra times monday 947 00:36:27,140 --> 00:36:24,839 january the 6th 948 00:36:30,710 --> 00:36:27,150 1986 949 00:36:37,510 --> 00:36:34,589 with the headline creationists grants 950 00:36:39,190 --> 00:36:37,520 unconstitutional the australian skeptics 951 00:36:41,589 --> 00:36:39,200 believe the government may have 952 00:36:43,750 --> 00:36:41,599 breached the constitution by giving 953 00:36:45,910 --> 00:36:43,760 export development grants totaling 954 00:36:48,020 --> 00:36:45,920 at least twenty seven thousand dollars 955 00:36:49,589 --> 00:36:48,030 to two creationist organizations 956 00:36:51,829 --> 00:36:49,599 [Music] 957 00:36:53,750 --> 00:36:51,839 national president of the australian 958 00:36:56,390 --> 00:36:53,760 skeptics mr mark plummer 959 00:36:58,790 --> 00:36:56,400 and as an aside mark plummer is regarded 960 00:37:03,510 --> 00:36:58,800 as the founder of australian skeptics 961 00:37:05,109 --> 00:37:03,520 and he died sadly in about 2011. 962 00:37:06,790 --> 00:37:05,119 anyway mr mark plummer said from 963 00:37:09,109 --> 00:37:06,800 melbourne yesterday that 964 00:37:10,390 --> 00:37:09,119 section 116 of the federal constitution 965 00:37:13,349 --> 00:37:10,400 prevented the government 966 00:37:15,349 --> 00:37:13,359 from establishing a religion we find it 967 00:37:17,589 --> 00:37:15,359 rather amazing that the board 968 00:37:18,710 --> 00:37:17,599 the export development grants board have 969 00:37:21,109 --> 00:37:18,720 made grants to 970 00:37:23,190 --> 00:37:21,119 religious organizations and we want to 971 00:37:24,150 --> 00:37:23,200 know under what pretext they got the 972 00:37:26,950 --> 00:37:24,160 money 973 00:37:28,390 --> 00:37:26,960 he said the skeptics had made a freedom 974 00:37:30,950 --> 00:37:28,400 of information request 975 00:37:32,790 --> 00:37:30,960 to the attorney general's department to 976 00:37:34,230 --> 00:37:32,800 find out if checks had been made to 977 00:37:36,550 --> 00:37:34,240 ensure that the grants 978 00:37:37,670 --> 00:37:36,560 had not been inconsistent with the 979 00:37:39,990 --> 00:37:37,680 section 980 00:37:42,230 --> 00:37:40,000 mr plummer said there had only been four 981 00:37:45,270 --> 00:37:42,240 legal cases brought under this section 982 00:37:47,349 --> 00:37:45,280 since federation and uh and again 983 00:37:51,589 --> 00:37:47,359 another aside federation 984 00:37:53,510 --> 00:37:51,599 occurred in 1901 but the section 985 00:37:55,750 --> 00:37:53,520 was based on the united states first 986 00:37:59,349 --> 00:37:55,760 amendment and there had been 987 00:38:01,190 --> 00:37:59,359 a preponderance of u.s court cases 988 00:38:02,870 --> 00:38:01,200 which had gone against the state-making 989 00:38:05,190 --> 00:38:02,880 grants to religious groups 990 00:38:05,910 --> 00:38:05,200 the grants were detailed in an 80-page 991 00:38:08,150 --> 00:38:05,920 booklet 992 00:38:08,950 --> 00:38:08,160 launched by the skeptics in sydney on 993 00:38:12,069 --> 00:38:08,960 friday 994 00:38:15,270 --> 00:38:12,079 challenging creationist beliefs it's 995 00:38:17,750 --> 00:38:15,280 said a balance sheet of the creationist 996 00:38:19,470 --> 00:38:17,760 science foundation limited for the year 997 00:38:22,870 --> 00:38:19,480 ending 31st of march 998 00:38:27,829 --> 00:38:22,880 1985 listed as credit and export 999 00:38:29,829 --> 00:38:27,839 market development grant of 24 693 1000 00:38:32,150 --> 00:38:29,839 the booklet edited by queensland 1001 00:38:34,950 --> 00:38:32,160 scientists dr martin bridgstock and 1002 00:38:36,630 --> 00:38:34,960 dr ken smith said the brisbane-based 1003 00:38:39,829 --> 00:38:36,640 foundation had grown rapidly 1004 00:38:42,710 --> 00:38:39,839 into an organization with a 500 000 1005 00:38:43,670 --> 00:38:42,720 turnover a well-produced magazine 1006 00:38:47,030 --> 00:38:43,680 newspaper 1007 00:38:49,270 --> 00:38:47,040 and 14 full-time staff mr plummer said 1008 00:38:50,510 --> 00:38:49,280 the skeptic's claim was supported by the 1009 00:38:53,670 --> 00:38:50,520 board's 1010 00:38:55,270 --> 00:38:53,680 1984-85 annual report which listed a 1011 00:38:56,470 --> 00:38:55,280 payment to the creation scientist 1012 00:38:58,230 --> 00:38:56,480 foundation limited 1013 00:39:00,390 --> 00:38:58,240 of twelve thousand four hundred and 1014 00:39:01,670 --> 00:39:00,400 forty dollars and to the creation 1015 00:39:06,630 --> 00:39:01,680 science association 1016 00:39:09,349 --> 00:39:06,640 inc of 3177 1017 00:39:11,270 --> 00:39:09,359 the society has also made a freedom of 1018 00:39:12,310 --> 00:39:11,280 information request to the department of 1019 00:39:14,310 --> 00:39:12,320 trade 1020 00:39:16,550 --> 00:39:14,320 but the department had refused the 1021 00:39:18,790 --> 00:39:16,560 request on the grounds that it could 1022 00:39:20,150 --> 00:39:18,800 not reveal information about the 1023 00:39:22,230 --> 00:39:20,160 applicant's affairs 1024 00:39:23,910 --> 00:39:22,240 mr plummer said the creationists were 1025 00:39:25,510 --> 00:39:23,920 holding a conference at the 1026 00:39:27,910 --> 00:39:25,520 university of new south wales from 1027 00:39:29,990 --> 00:39:27,920 tomorrow the skeptics had challenged the 1028 00:39:31,190 --> 00:39:30,000 creationists to reveal the details of 1029 00:39:33,349 --> 00:39:31,200 export grants 1030 00:39:34,470 --> 00:39:33,359 and had challenged two visiting us 1031 00:39:37,910 --> 00:39:34,480 creationists 1032 00:39:39,510 --> 00:39:37,920 to a debate and this really does hark 1033 00:39:40,630 --> 00:39:39,520 back to the early days of australian 1034 00:39:43,349 --> 00:39:40,640 skeptics 1035 00:39:44,150 --> 00:39:43,359 where a lot of what they were concerned 1036 00:39:47,109 --> 00:39:44,160 about 1037 00:39:49,030 --> 00:39:47,119 was the teaching of creationism in the 1038 00:39:50,630 --> 00:39:49,040 school system here especially in the 1039 00:39:52,150 --> 00:39:50,640 state of queensland 1040 00:39:54,069 --> 00:39:52,160 and as we've seen over the decades 1041 00:39:55,270 --> 00:39:54,079 although the battle isn't won the war 1042 00:39:56,870 --> 00:39:55,280 isn't one 1043 00:39:58,870 --> 00:39:56,880 the other side has been more or less 1044 00:40:00,710 --> 00:39:58,880 decimated and 1045 00:40:02,630 --> 00:40:00,720 there are pockets of creationism still 1046 00:40:05,030 --> 00:40:02,640 about there always will be 1047 00:40:06,069 --> 00:40:05,040 but they are uh not what they used to be 1048 00:40:09,190 --> 00:40:06,079 in the past 1049 00:40:11,829 --> 00:40:09,200 our next search brings us to 1050 00:40:12,390 --> 00:40:11,839 the canberra times once again published 1051 00:40:15,510 --> 00:40:12,400 on 1052 00:40:17,030 --> 00:40:15,520 saturday the 18th of april 1987 so the 1053 00:40:20,069 --> 00:40:17,040 next year 1054 00:40:24,069 --> 00:40:20,079 skeptical people to meet at anu 1055 00:40:24,790 --> 00:40:24,079 by ian warden you may be reluctant to 1056 00:40:27,109 --> 00:40:24,800 believe it 1057 00:40:28,870 --> 00:40:27,119 but the australian skeptic's third 1058 00:40:31,510 --> 00:40:28,880 national conference will be held at the 1059 00:40:34,069 --> 00:40:31,520 australian national university today 1060 00:40:35,349 --> 00:40:34,079 speakers will speak on and generally 1061 00:40:38,550 --> 00:40:35,359 scoff about 1062 00:40:40,550 --> 00:40:38,560 such subjects as taro and the occult 1063 00:40:41,829 --> 00:40:40,560 creationism the prophecies of 1064 00:40:44,069 --> 00:40:41,839 nostradamus 1065 00:40:47,030 --> 00:40:44,079 and astrology although the speakers 1066 00:40:50,150 --> 00:40:47,040 scheduled to speak on ufos in australia 1067 00:40:51,990 --> 00:40:50,160 mr andrew cole says that he has an open 1068 00:40:52,870 --> 00:40:52,000 mind on the seven or eight percent of 1069 00:40:55,030 --> 00:40:52,880 sightings which 1070 00:40:56,230 --> 00:40:55,040 cannot be explained away as sightings of 1071 00:40:59,109 --> 00:40:56,240 venus or jupiter 1072 00:41:00,710 --> 00:40:59,119 or of anset's 8 15 pm flight from suny 1073 00:41:03,190 --> 00:41:00,720 to melbourne 1074 00:41:05,349 --> 00:41:03,200 in conjunction with the conference there 1075 00:41:08,069 --> 00:41:05,359 will be the announcement of the bent 1076 00:41:09,990 --> 00:41:08,079 spoon award for 1987 which will be 1077 00:41:12,150 --> 00:41:10,000 awarded to what the secretary of the 1078 00:41:13,589 --> 00:41:12,160 canberra skeptics mr william gray 1079 00:41:15,270 --> 00:41:13,599 calls the perpetrator of the most 1080 00:41:16,950 --> 00:41:15,280 outrageous paranormal act of the 1081 00:41:18,950 --> 00:41:16,960 preceding 12 months 1082 00:41:20,670 --> 00:41:18,960 the reference to the ben spoon is a 1083 00:41:22,950 --> 00:41:20,680 reference to the works of the 1084 00:41:25,670 --> 00:41:22,960 spoon-bending charlatan 1085 00:41:26,470 --> 00:41:25,680 yuri gela a favorite target for the 1086 00:41:28,870 --> 00:41:26,480 scoffing 1087 00:41:30,630 --> 00:41:28,880 of the skeptics who insists that he is 1088 00:41:31,670 --> 00:41:30,640 not a psychic but only a naughty 1089 00:41:33,510 --> 00:41:31,680 magician 1090 00:41:34,710 --> 00:41:33,520 when i put it to mr gray that it might 1091 00:41:36,790 --> 00:41:34,720 make for a rather 1092 00:41:38,150 --> 00:41:36,800 incestuous afternoon to have a room full 1093 00:41:39,910 --> 00:41:38,160 of skeptics or 1094 00:41:42,710 --> 00:41:39,920 congratulating one another on their 1095 00:41:43,910 --> 00:41:42,720 skepticism he said he had done his best 1096 00:41:46,710 --> 00:41:43,920 to invite some 1097 00:41:48,550 --> 00:41:46,720 credulists to heckle and raise 1098 00:41:50,790 --> 00:41:48,560 alternative voices 1099 00:41:51,750 --> 00:41:50,800 in particular he had invited don and 1100 00:41:53,910 --> 00:41:51,760 joan roach 1101 00:41:55,750 --> 00:41:53,920 who had organized last may's second 1102 00:41:56,550 --> 00:41:55,760 alternative medicine festival in 1103 00:41:58,069 --> 00:41:56,560 canberra 1104 00:41:59,910 --> 00:41:58,079 in the alternatively splendid 1105 00:42:02,790 --> 00:41:59,920 surroundings of the diplomat 1106 00:42:04,710 --> 00:42:02,800 international in griffith and who had 1107 00:42:07,430 --> 00:42:04,720 objected to the skeptic's 1108 00:42:08,710 --> 00:42:07,440 picketing of the conference the 1109 00:42:11,829 --> 00:42:08,720 picketing skeptics 1110 00:42:14,309 --> 00:42:11,839 had been offering and continue to offer 1111 00:42:17,030 --> 00:42:14,319 twenty thousand dollar reward for just 1112 00:42:19,190 --> 00:42:17,040 one proved psychic occurrence 1113 00:42:21,030 --> 00:42:19,200 mr gray had not heard from the roaches 1114 00:42:21,829 --> 00:42:21,040 and i was unable to contact them 1115 00:42:24,390 --> 00:42:21,839 yesterday 1116 00:42:24,950 --> 00:42:24,400 but they and any other apologists for 1117 00:42:26,630 --> 00:42:24,960 tarot 1118 00:42:29,349 --> 00:42:26,640 and the occult creationism and the 1119 00:42:32,230 --> 00:42:29,359 prophecies of nostradamus and astrology 1120 00:42:32,950 --> 00:42:32,240 are welcome to attend the conference the 1121 00:42:36,470 --> 00:42:32,960 skeptics 1122 00:42:39,829 --> 00:42:36,480 make rather a fetish of openness which 1123 00:42:42,550 --> 00:42:39,839 it is prophesized will begin at 2 pm 1124 00:42:44,870 --> 00:42:42,560 in the seminar room of the jega building 1125 00:42:45,589 --> 00:42:44,880 research school of earth sciences mills 1126 00:42:48,390 --> 00:42:45,599 road 1127 00:42:49,030 --> 00:42:48,400 admission is a scarcely credible five 1128 00:42:52,550 --> 00:42:49,040 dollars 1129 00:42:55,589 --> 00:42:52,560 and 2.50 for students 1130 00:42:59,750 --> 00:42:55,599 now if we go to the 27th of may 1131 00:43:03,430 --> 00:42:59,760 in the canberra times 1986 1132 00:43:06,950 --> 00:43:03,440 letters to the editor skeptics doubts 1133 00:43:09,510 --> 00:43:06,960 it says received may 26 sir 1134 00:43:10,710 --> 00:43:09,520 canberra's skeptics take issue with the 1135 00:43:13,829 --> 00:43:10,720 statements of mr 1136 00:43:15,829 --> 00:43:13,839 rod roach organizer of the alternative 1137 00:43:18,790 --> 00:43:15,839 medicine and esp festival 1138 00:43:20,309 --> 00:43:18,800 last weekend the skeptic's offer of 1139 00:43:22,630 --> 00:43:20,319 twenty thousand dollars for a 1140 00:43:25,670 --> 00:43:22,640 demonstration of paranormal phenomena 1141 00:43:26,069 --> 00:43:25,680 is not quote so controlled that they 1142 00:43:29,109 --> 00:43:26,079 can't 1143 00:43:31,349 --> 00:43:29,119 get a result anyway end quote the 1144 00:43:33,270 --> 00:43:31,359 controls are normal scientific controls 1145 00:43:34,630 --> 00:43:33,280 designed to eliminate results arising 1146 00:43:36,950 --> 00:43:34,640 from chance fraud 1147 00:43:38,870 --> 00:43:36,960 or self-deception on the part of the 1148 00:43:40,790 --> 00:43:38,880 investigator or the subject 1149 00:43:42,790 --> 00:43:40,800 the skeptics had little to say about 1150 00:43:44,550 --> 00:43:42,800 alternative medicine based on the use of 1151 00:43:47,190 --> 00:43:44,560 herbs and acupuncture 1152 00:43:48,390 --> 00:43:47,200 except to advise the public to exercise 1153 00:43:51,190 --> 00:43:48,400 discretion in 1154 00:43:52,309 --> 00:43:51,200 evaluating claims the main problem with 1155 00:43:55,030 --> 00:43:52,319 alternative medicine 1156 00:43:55,990 --> 00:43:55,040 is that there are so many alternatives 1157 00:43:58,630 --> 00:43:56,000 the skeptics 1158 00:44:00,230 --> 00:43:58,640 questioned more severely the presence of 1159 00:44:01,270 --> 00:44:00,240 psychics and clairvoyance at the 1160 00:44:03,510 --> 00:44:01,280 festival 1161 00:44:05,829 --> 00:44:03,520 indulging in character reading and 1162 00:44:06,870 --> 00:44:05,839 prediction on the basis of methods such 1163 00:44:09,750 --> 00:44:06,880 as astrology 1164 00:44:10,710 --> 00:44:09,760 tarot reading and numerology methods for 1165 00:44:13,510 --> 00:44:10,720 which there is no 1166 00:44:14,309 --> 00:44:13,520 acceptable scientific basis and which 1167 00:44:17,109 --> 00:44:14,319 have never yet 1168 00:44:18,230 --> 00:44:17,119 been able to demonstrate results better 1169 00:44:21,670 --> 00:44:18,240 than chance under 1170 00:44:23,910 --> 00:44:21,680 controlled conditions mr roach also said 1171 00:44:24,790 --> 00:44:23,920 that if he had known the skeptics were 1172 00:44:26,790 --> 00:44:24,800 to be there 1173 00:44:28,150 --> 00:44:26,800 he would have organized a demonstration 1174 00:44:31,109 --> 00:44:28,160 of firewalking 1175 00:44:33,109 --> 00:44:31,119 and you can't fake that however research 1176 00:44:34,870 --> 00:44:33,119 by skeptics indicates that firewalking 1177 00:44:38,150 --> 00:44:34,880 does not involve any paranormal 1178 00:44:40,630 --> 00:44:38,160 phenomenon and can be done by anyone 1179 00:44:41,190 --> 00:44:40,640 it is also interesting that mr roach 1180 00:44:44,950 --> 00:44:41,200 claimed 1181 00:44:46,790 --> 00:44:44,960 not to know what a charlatan is 1182 00:44:48,630 --> 00:44:46,800 every other organization dealing with 1183 00:44:50,470 --> 00:44:48,640 the public is keen to expose its 1184 00:44:53,190 --> 00:44:50,480 unethical practitioners 1185 00:44:54,309 --> 00:44:53,200 to enhance the reputation of the 1186 00:44:56,950 --> 00:44:54,319 professionals 1187 00:44:59,750 --> 00:44:56,960 on mr roach's claims that the skeptics 1188 00:45:02,550 --> 00:44:59,760 got free publicity from his festival 1189 00:45:03,190 --> 00:45:02,560 the boot may well be on the other foot 1190 00:45:05,030 --> 00:45:03,200 certainly 1191 00:45:07,109 --> 00:45:05,040 psychics mystics and healers were 1192 00:45:08,790 --> 00:45:07,119 notoriously reluctant to gain any 1193 00:45:10,630 --> 00:45:08,800 publicity from the well-attended 1194 00:45:14,309 --> 00:45:10,640 skeptics convention in melbourne 1195 00:45:16,230 --> 00:45:14,319 last easter also mr roach avoided any 1196 00:45:18,710 --> 00:45:16,240 possibility of public debate with 1197 00:45:21,990 --> 00:45:18,720 skeptics in canberra mr roach 1198 00:45:24,870 --> 00:45:22,000 also said that his reputable people 1199 00:45:27,109 --> 00:45:24,880 paid a heck of a lot of money to 1200 00:45:29,990 --> 00:45:27,119 participate in his festival 1201 00:45:30,309 --> 00:45:30,000 skeptics ask only whether they did this 1202 00:45:34,150 --> 00:45:30,319 as 1203 00:45:37,190 --> 00:45:34,160 professionals 1204 00:45:39,270 --> 00:45:37,200 they expected to recap a handsome profit 1205 00:45:41,829 --> 00:45:39,280 from a gullible public 1206 00:45:44,150 --> 00:45:41,839 signed don leycock canberra committee 1207 00:45:47,670 --> 00:45:44,160 australian skeptics 1208 00:45:50,230 --> 00:45:47,680 now not surprisingly that received a 1209 00:45:51,349 --> 00:45:50,240 letter in reply or at least a letter to 1210 00:45:53,750 --> 00:45:51,359 the editor 1211 00:45:56,230 --> 00:45:53,760 uh some days later on the 4th of june 1212 00:45:59,670 --> 00:45:56,240 1986 in the camera times 1213 00:46:03,190 --> 00:45:59,680 and it says doubting the skeptic's view 1214 00:46:04,309 --> 00:46:03,200 received may 29 sir regarding the letter 1215 00:46:05,750 --> 00:46:04,319 from the canberra committee of the 1216 00:46:08,390 --> 00:46:05,760 australian skeptics 1217 00:46:10,230 --> 00:46:08,400 canberra times mate 27 it was like 1218 00:46:11,589 --> 00:46:10,240 stepping into a time capsule and 1219 00:46:14,150 --> 00:46:11,599 watching the inquisition 1220 00:46:15,670 --> 00:46:14,160 question galileo i got the distinct 1221 00:46:18,069 --> 00:46:15,680 impression that the skeptics 1222 00:46:19,510 --> 00:46:18,079 are sorry that we do not burn at the 1223 00:46:22,230 --> 00:46:19,520 stake anymore 1224 00:46:23,510 --> 00:46:22,240 i don't know what paranormal is not so 1225 00:46:26,950 --> 00:46:23,520 long ago hypnotism 1226 00:46:30,069 --> 00:46:26,960 telepathy telekinesis at al were 1227 00:46:31,670 --> 00:46:30,079 spooky now they are recognized by 1228 00:46:34,470 --> 00:46:31,680 orthodox science 1229 00:46:36,550 --> 00:46:34,480 good heavens what's the world coming to 1230 00:46:38,470 --> 00:46:36,560 we have departments of parapsychology in 1231 00:46:40,069 --> 00:46:38,480 our institutions of learning 1232 00:46:42,150 --> 00:46:40,079 the skeptics talk of science and 1233 00:46:43,030 --> 00:46:42,160 scientific method but what if some 1234 00:46:46,470 --> 00:46:43,040 phenomena 1235 00:46:48,790 --> 00:46:46,480 don't follow skeptics rules does it mean 1236 00:46:51,030 --> 00:46:48,800 the phenomena don't exist the 1237 00:46:51,990 --> 00:46:51,040 investigation of mediums is a case in 1238 00:46:54,390 --> 00:46:52,000 point 1239 00:46:55,270 --> 00:46:54,400 mediums are human some are good some are 1240 00:46:58,550 --> 00:46:55,280 bad some 1241 00:47:00,630 --> 00:46:58,560 cheat so what is the whole field 1242 00:47:02,630 --> 00:47:00,640 therefore discredited 1243 00:47:04,550 --> 00:47:02,640 is beethoven charlatan because he 1244 00:47:05,750 --> 00:47:04,560 couldn't produce masterpieces all the 1245 00:47:08,230 --> 00:47:05,760 time 1246 00:47:10,630 --> 00:47:08,240 the whole range of phenomena now has a 1247 00:47:13,190 --> 00:47:10,640 huge bank of evidence supporting it 1248 00:47:14,230 --> 00:47:13,200 various mental physical and psychic 1249 00:47:16,150 --> 00:47:14,240 phenomena 1250 00:47:17,670 --> 00:47:16,160 it's a pity it doesn't fall within the 1251 00:47:21,589 --> 00:47:17,680 skeptic's black or white 1252 00:47:24,630 --> 00:47:21,599 tabulation but it exists nonetheless 1253 00:47:27,430 --> 00:47:24,640 and one would have to be ridiculously 1254 00:47:29,109 --> 00:47:27,440 narrow-minded to pretend otherwise 1255 00:47:30,630 --> 00:47:29,119 neither will these manifestations go 1256 00:47:31,910 --> 00:47:30,640 away just because the canberra committee 1257 00:47:34,309 --> 00:47:31,920 of australian skeptics 1258 00:47:35,030 --> 00:47:34,319 says so as for the twenty thousand 1259 00:47:38,630 --> 00:47:35,040 dollar 1260 00:47:41,109 --> 00:47:38,640 quotes reward end quotes no one of the 1261 00:47:43,670 --> 00:47:41,119 skeptics are troubled by charlatans 1262 00:47:45,430 --> 00:47:43,680 they have issued an rsvp to every 1263 00:47:47,510 --> 00:47:45,440 charlatan within miles 1264 00:47:49,589 --> 00:47:47,520 knowledge cannot be bought the skeptics 1265 00:47:51,030 --> 00:47:49,599 would do much better to adopt a truly 1266 00:47:53,270 --> 00:47:51,040 scientific attitude 1267 00:47:54,309 --> 00:47:53,280 and go out among the healers psychics 1268 00:47:57,190 --> 00:47:54,319 and mediums 1269 00:47:58,870 --> 00:47:57,200 and quietly investigate be open-minded 1270 00:48:00,950 --> 00:47:58,880 but not gullible 1271 00:48:02,549 --> 00:48:00,960 admit that their well-defined universe 1272 00:48:04,950 --> 00:48:02,559 may be boundless 1273 00:48:06,470 --> 00:48:04,960 as for fire walking and i don't know if 1274 00:48:08,870 --> 00:48:06,480 it is paranormal 1275 00:48:09,589 --> 00:48:08,880 it would be fun to see the skeptics all 1276 00:48:12,230 --> 00:48:09,599 in a row 1277 00:48:13,589 --> 00:48:12,240 hot footing it across a fire pit made by 1278 00:48:15,589 --> 00:48:13,599 the psychics 1279 00:48:17,030 --> 00:48:15,599 perhaps the astrologers could predict 1280 00:48:22,790 --> 00:48:17,040 what would happen 1281 00:48:26,150 --> 00:48:24,230 wow i could spend a whole episode 1282 00:48:29,109 --> 00:48:26,160 unpacking the 1283 00:48:30,349 --> 00:48:29,119 uh logical fallacies and the false 1284 00:48:32,790 --> 00:48:30,359 statements and the 1285 00:48:36,390 --> 00:48:32,800 inconsistencies and the tithe arguments 1286 00:48:38,230 --> 00:48:36,400 from that letter but that is from 1986 1287 00:48:39,829 --> 00:48:38,240 and of course skeptics all over the 1288 00:48:42,069 --> 00:48:39,839 world including myself 1289 00:48:43,109 --> 00:48:42,079 many times have been hot footing it 1290 00:48:45,750 --> 00:48:43,119 across 1291 00:48:47,510 --> 00:48:45,760 fire pits that was an interesting letter 1292 00:48:47,990 --> 00:48:47,520 certainly lots of false premises and 1293 00:48:51,270 --> 00:48:48,000 special 1294 00:48:53,190 --> 00:48:51,280 pleading and finally let's skip forward 1295 00:48:55,510 --> 00:48:53,200 to the year 1988 1296 00:48:57,990 --> 00:48:55,520 on the 3rd of april once again in the 1297 00:49:01,750 --> 00:48:58,000 canberra times 1298 00:49:04,710 --> 00:49:01,760 outrageous psychic scam wins award from 1299 00:49:09,510 --> 00:49:07,349 sydney an adelaide clairvoyant who 1300 00:49:12,069 --> 00:49:09,520 claimed to know the location of the long 1301 00:49:14,390 --> 00:49:12,079 lost colossus of rhodes won the 1302 00:49:16,309 --> 00:49:14,400 australian skeptics association's bent 1303 00:49:19,270 --> 00:49:16,319 spoon award yesterday 1304 00:49:19,990 --> 00:49:19,280 the award for the quote most outrageous 1305 00:49:23,190 --> 00:49:20,000 psychic 1306 00:49:26,309 --> 00:49:23,200 scam end quote followed ms 1307 00:49:28,309 --> 00:49:26,319 anne dankbaar's claim last year that the 1308 00:49:29,750 --> 00:49:28,319 ancient statue was lying off the greek 1309 00:49:31,510 --> 00:49:29,760 islands 1310 00:49:33,670 --> 00:49:31,520 the association holding its annual 1311 00:49:36,470 --> 00:49:33,680 convention in sydney over the weekend 1312 00:49:37,750 --> 00:49:36,480 also presented the 1 000 skeptical 1313 00:49:40,470 --> 00:49:37,760 journalism award 1314 00:49:41,349 --> 00:49:40,480 to an abc television journalist and 1315 00:49:43,270 --> 00:49:41,359 researcher 1316 00:49:44,390 --> 00:49:43,280 who disproved claims that a small 1317 00:49:47,430 --> 00:49:44,400 plastic device 1318 00:49:49,349 --> 00:49:47,440 improved cars fuel efficiency the 1319 00:49:50,150 --> 00:49:49,359 president of the association mr barry 1320 00:49:53,589 --> 00:49:50,160 williams 1321 00:49:55,829 --> 00:49:53,599 said mr john millard and mr john dawes 1322 00:49:57,190 --> 00:49:55,839 had shown the best traditions of 1323 00:49:59,510 --> 00:49:57,200 skeptical journalism 1324 00:50:01,430 --> 00:49:59,520 in their report shown on the 1325 00:50:04,470 --> 00:50:01,440 investigators 1326 00:50:07,190 --> 00:50:04,480 and just as an aside again 1327 00:50:09,109 --> 00:50:07,200 the investigators was a consumer affair 1328 00:50:11,109 --> 00:50:09,119 investigating program in the 80s which 1329 00:50:14,790 --> 00:50:11,119 was incredibly popular 1330 00:50:17,829 --> 00:50:14,800 and did a lot of good for consumers 1331 00:50:18,790 --> 00:50:17,839 we read on but mr williams said there 1332 00:50:21,030 --> 00:50:18,800 had been no 1333 00:50:22,069 --> 00:50:21,040 successful nominations for the twenty 1334 00:50:24,870 --> 00:50:22,079 thousand dollar 1335 00:50:26,470 --> 00:50:24,880 skeptics challenge award made to any 1336 00:50:27,910 --> 00:50:26,480 psychics who could prove their claim 1337 00:50:29,030 --> 00:50:27,920 under scientifically controlled 1338 00:50:32,309 --> 00:50:29,040 conditions 1339 00:50:35,270 --> 00:50:32,319 about 150 skeptics took part yesterday 1340 00:50:36,150 --> 00:50:35,280 in discussions challenging ufos creation 1341 00:50:38,790 --> 00:50:36,160 science 1342 00:50:41,030 --> 00:50:38,800 astrology and mythical animals such as 1343 00:50:43,349 --> 00:50:41,040 the loch ness monster 1344 00:50:44,150 --> 00:50:43,359 today panel discussions will focus on 1345 00:50:47,030 --> 00:50:44,160 traditional 1346 00:50:47,910 --> 00:50:47,040 versus alternative medicines including 1347 00:50:50,950 --> 00:50:47,920 new age 1348 00:50:53,270 --> 00:50:50,960 crystal healing techniques the 600 1349 00:50:54,309 --> 00:50:53,280 member association which was established 1350 00:50:56,710 --> 00:50:54,319 eight years ago 1351 00:50:57,510 --> 00:50:56,720 aims to encourage rational debate about 1352 00:51:00,470 --> 00:50:57,520 so-called 1353 00:51:05,349 --> 00:51:00,480 supernatural and psychic events 1354 00:51:08,309 --> 00:51:06,950 well there we go just a selection of 1355 00:51:10,069 --> 00:51:08,319 some of the times the australian 1356 00:51:11,510 --> 00:51:10,079 skeptics have been mentioned 1357 00:51:13,910 --> 00:51:11,520 well in this case especially in the 1358 00:51:15,510 --> 00:51:13,920 canberra times over the years and there 1359 00:51:16,390 --> 00:51:15,520 are more there are more going into the 1360 00:51:19,510 --> 00:51:16,400 uh 1361 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:19,520 into 90s and beyond but i thought 1362 00:51:27,270 --> 00:51:23,050 that was an interesting selection 1363 00:51:30,549 --> 00:51:29,109 once again the treasure trove of 1364 00:51:32,390 --> 00:51:30,559 information at trove is at your 1365 00:51:34,829 --> 00:51:32,400 fingertips around the world 1366 00:51:35,990 --> 00:51:34,839 all you have to do is visit 1367 00:51:38,630 --> 00:51:36,000 trove.nla.gov 1368 00:51:39,589 --> 00:51:38,640 a u type in your search and you never 1369 00:51:59,750 --> 00:51:39,599 know 1370 00:52:03,349 --> 00:52:01,349 thank you for listening to the skeptic's 1371 00:52:04,230 --> 00:52:03,359 own podcast coming up on next week's 1372 00:52:05,990 --> 00:52:04,240 show 1373 00:52:07,589 --> 00:52:06,000 more logical fallacies with michelle 1374 00:52:10,549 --> 00:52:07,599 bickersma 1375 00:52:11,990 --> 00:52:10,559 and a mystery and another mystery and 1376 00:52:13,270 --> 00:52:12,000 another mystery in other words i haven't 1377 00:52:14,870 --> 00:52:13,280 put the show together yet so it's a 1378 00:52:17,990 --> 00:52:14,880 mystery to me too 1379 00:52:21,349 --> 00:52:18,000 hmm what's no mystery what's no mystery 1380 00:52:22,069 --> 00:52:21,359 is the help and support of listeners 1381 00:52:23,910 --> 00:52:22,079 just like you 1382 00:52:25,190 --> 00:52:23,920 who contribute to the skeptic zone every 1383 00:52:27,790 --> 00:52:25,200 week or every month 1384 00:52:29,430 --> 00:52:27,800 using paypal or patreon at 1385 00:52:31,030 --> 00:52:29,440 skepticzone.tv 1386 00:52:32,630 --> 00:52:31,040 and if that wasn't the case then it 1387 00:52:33,990 --> 00:52:32,640 would be a mystery if the show kept 1388 00:52:37,270 --> 00:52:34,000 going at all 1389 00:52:41,030 --> 00:52:37,280 thank you very much and just to note 1390 00:52:42,790 --> 00:52:41,040 last week i put out a caller plea 1391 00:52:45,349 --> 00:52:42,800 if anyone could help me i was looking 1392 00:52:46,790 --> 00:52:45,359 for something called the corex files by 1393 00:52:49,430 --> 00:52:46,800 our friend professor 1394 00:52:50,710 --> 00:52:49,440 associate professor paul willis these 1395 00:52:54,390 --> 00:52:50,720 were a series of 1396 00:52:59,990 --> 00:52:54,400 short three four five minute 1397 00:53:01,430 --> 00:53:00,000 radio shows he did in 1997 and 1998 and 1398 00:53:04,069 --> 00:53:01,440 they've been lost 1399 00:53:05,510 --> 00:53:04,079 lost for many years now although the 1400 00:53:08,309 --> 00:53:05,520 website is still there 1401 00:53:10,390 --> 00:53:08,319 the website links to broken audio files 1402 00:53:13,270 --> 00:53:10,400 audio files which don't exist 1403 00:53:14,390 --> 00:53:13,280 well in the last week with a little bit 1404 00:53:16,710 --> 00:53:14,400 of uh 1405 00:53:17,829 --> 00:53:16,720 asking around a little bit of work i 1406 00:53:20,390 --> 00:53:17,839 managed to collect 1407 00:53:21,910 --> 00:53:20,400 all the back episodes all the episodes 1408 00:53:23,829 --> 00:53:21,920 of the corrects files 1409 00:53:26,549 --> 00:53:23,839 and deliver them to a grateful paul 1410 00:53:29,030 --> 00:53:26,559 willis now 1411 00:53:30,069 --> 00:53:29,040 i hope i'm going to have a chat to paul 1412 00:53:32,150 --> 00:53:30,079 and maybe 1413 00:53:34,150 --> 00:53:32,160 we can resurrect the corex files and use 1414 00:53:35,589 --> 00:53:34,160 them in some form some fashion 1415 00:53:38,390 --> 00:53:35,599 they're quite fascinating lots of 1416 00:53:41,109 --> 00:53:38,400 interviews with very eminent people 1417 00:53:41,990 --> 00:53:41,119 in the late part of last century still 1418 00:53:45,270 --> 00:53:42,000 nevertheless it's 1419 00:53:47,270 --> 00:53:45,280 all good science so uh 1420 00:53:48,309 --> 00:53:47,280 what they say watch this space listen to 1421 00:53:49,829 --> 00:53:48,319 this space 1422 00:53:51,910 --> 00:53:49,839 and we'll let you know how that 1423 00:53:53,990 --> 00:53:51,920 progresses 1424 00:53:55,510 --> 00:53:54,000 but for this week this is richard 1425 00:54:01,829 --> 00:53:55,520 saunders signing off 1426 00:54:05,109 --> 00:54:03,589 you've been listening to the skeptic 1427 00:54:08,270 --> 00:54:05,119 zone podcast 1428 00:54:09,670 --> 00:54:08,280 please visit our website at 1429 00:54:12,710 --> 00:54:09,680 www.skepticzone.tv 1430 00:54:14,710 --> 00:54:12,720 for show notes contacts and to access 1431 00:54:18,230 --> 00:54:14,720 the back catalog of episodes 1432 00:54:20,309 --> 00:54:18,240 going back to 2008. you can follow the 1433 00:54:23,750 --> 00:54:20,319 skepticzone podcast on twitter 1434 00:54:24,870 --> 00:54:23,760 at skepticzone visit our facebook page 1435 00:54:27,829 --> 00:54:24,880 or leave a review 1436 00:54:28,710 --> 00:54:27,839 on itunes you can also support the 1437 00:54:32,710 --> 00:54:28,720 skeptic zone 1438 00:54:35,589 --> 00:54:32,720 podcast 1439 00:54:37,349 --> 00:54:35,599 is an independent production the views 1440 00:54:39,349 --> 00:54:37,359 and opinions expressed on the skeptic 1441 00:54:40,710 --> 00:54:39,359 zone are not necessarily those of 1442 00:54:53,829 --> 00:54:40,720 australian skeptics 1443 00:54:56,390 --> 00:54:53,839 or any other skeptical organization 1444 00:54:57,589 --> 00:54:56,400 you have a kitchen sink you guys don't 1445 00:54:59,750 --> 00:54:57,599 have a clue 1446 00:55:01,349 --> 00:54:59,760 how awesome it is to have a kitchen sink 1447 00:55:03,270 --> 00:55:01,359 well and a garbage 1448 00:55:05,109 --> 00:55:03,280 now now the whole of the skeptic zone 1449 00:55:08,069 --> 00:55:05,119 audience knows now susan but you're 1450 00:55:11,109 --> 00:55:08,079 excited to have a kitchen sink 1451 00:55:14,230 --> 00:55:11,119 oh my gosh you guys i'm live 1452 00:55:14,630 --> 00:55:14,240 in my bathroom sink for seven weeks i am 1453 00:55:17,270 --> 00:55:14,640 so 1454 00:55:17,750 --> 00:55:17,280 excited no when we're not live it's all 1455 00:55:20,230 --> 00:55:17,760 right 1456 00:55:22,069 --> 00:55:20,240 i'll edit that out wink wink anyway hi 1457 00:55:23,589 --> 00:55:22,079 this is uh richard sanders here at the 1458 00:55:26,150 --> 00:55:23,599 prediction project we're back again 1459 00:55:28,069 --> 00:55:26,160 after a hiatus for about a month where 1460 00:55:30,309 --> 00:55:28,079 i had some other things on and uh what 1461 00:55:31,349 --> 00:55:30,319 was there's some event last week that we 1462 00:55:34,390 --> 00:55:31,359 couldn't make it i 1463 00:55:36,390 --> 00:55:34,400 can't a remember something 1464 00:55:39,430 --> 00:55:36,400 that was happening in america something 1465 00:55:41,510 --> 00:55:39,440 like important on tuesday 1466 00:55:42,470 --> 00:55:41,520 it probably was but we're plowing 1467 00:55:44,630 --> 00:55:42,480 through we've 1468 00:55:46,230 --> 00:55:44,640 we're i think the end's in sight for the 1469 00:55:47,670 --> 00:55:46,240 great prediction project but i've spent 1470 00:55:48,390 --> 00:55:47,680 the last two hours with a group of 1471 00:55:50,950 --> 00:55:48,400 friends 1472 00:55:51,510 --> 00:55:50,960 happily predicting away with wendy 1473 00:55:54,870 --> 00:55:51,520 leonard 1474 00:55:57,910 --> 00:55:54,880 susan rob and adrian and we 1475 00:55:59,910 --> 00:55:57,920 had probably the biggest laugh of the 1476 00:56:02,470 --> 00:55:59,920 whole project 1477 00:56:04,390 --> 00:56:02,480 a little while ago where i posted a 1478 00:56:06,630 --> 00:56:04,400 prediction susan can you scroll up and 1479 00:56:09,829 --> 00:56:06,640 find that prediction for us again 1480 00:56:12,230 --> 00:56:09,839 oh my goodness it is from astrologer 1481 00:56:12,870 --> 00:56:12,240 milton black and what you've had and 1482 00:56:19,030 --> 00:56:12,880 what does i 1483 00:56:23,430 --> 00:56:21,950 and he gives his a prediction back in 1484 00:56:26,390 --> 00:56:23,440 2017. 1485 00:56:27,910 --> 00:56:26,400 for the publication what's in the stars 1486 00:56:30,630 --> 00:56:27,920 for 2017 1487 00:56:31,670 --> 00:56:30,640 yes oh this was published in the in fact 1488 00:56:34,950 --> 00:56:31,680 it was published in the 1489 00:56:37,109 --> 00:56:34,960 uh daily telegraph newspaper oh 1490 00:56:38,470 --> 00:56:37,119 yes oh that was the title of the article 1491 00:56:40,470 --> 00:56:38,480 i must have missed that 1492 00:56:42,069 --> 00:56:40,480 the title was what's in the stars and 1493 00:56:44,150 --> 00:56:42,079 what what what did 1494 00:56:45,430 --> 00:56:44,160 milton black be famed and noted 1495 00:56:48,470 --> 00:56:45,440 astrologer 1496 00:56:52,069 --> 00:56:48,480 who specializes in political forecasting 1497 00:56:55,990 --> 00:56:52,079 what did he have to say susan 1498 00:56:58,309 --> 00:56:56,000 um he said donald trump will make a good 1499 00:56:59,270 --> 00:56:58,319 president and his cabinet will be the 1500 00:57:07,910 --> 00:56:59,280 best in 1501 00:57:11,430 --> 00:57:09,750 we're laughing all over again i was 1502 00:57:12,630 --> 00:57:11,440 about to say what was our reaction i 1503 00:57:14,710 --> 00:57:12,640 didn't have to you 1504 00:57:16,549 --> 00:57:14,720 everyone's thrusting in this love it's 1505 00:57:18,630 --> 00:57:16,559 funny every time i hear it 1506 00:57:21,190 --> 00:57:18,640 that's really funny it just shows you 1507 00:57:22,870 --> 00:57:21,200 how accurate this astrologer is boy i 1508 00:57:25,190 --> 00:57:22,880 tell you that was 1509 00:57:25,990 --> 00:57:25,200 he so i don't know i don't i'm gonna go 1510 00:57:28,950 --> 00:57:26,000 get my my 1511 00:57:31,349 --> 00:57:28,960 stars read by him and just do the 1512 00:57:33,990 --> 00:57:31,359 opposite of whatever he says 1513 00:57:35,670 --> 00:57:34,000 all right so this in fact this will be 1514 00:57:36,630 --> 00:57:35,680 the easter egg susan so we're gonna play 1515 00:57:41,589 --> 00:57:36,640 the dice game 1516 00:57:43,190 --> 00:57:41,599 and then we'll wrap it up 1517 00:57:44,870 --> 00:57:43,200 you can't tell anybody all right don't 1518 00:57:48,470 --> 00:57:44,880 tell anybody so this is 1519 00:57:51,750 --> 00:57:48,480 look at that look at oh that's a big 1520 00:57:59,030 --> 00:57:51,760 d10 much bigger five on it what's it got 1521 00:58:03,030 --> 00:58:00,390 when i played the game last time were 1522 00:58:04,470 --> 00:58:03,040 all fours and as i recall 1523 00:58:06,390 --> 00:58:04,480 you said i got none of them right so i 1524 00:58:09,589 --> 00:58:06,400 never saw the die so i'm not really sure 1525 00:58:10,309 --> 00:58:09,599 this time you can verify um yeah of 1526 00:58:13,589 --> 00:58:10,319 course folks 1527 00:58:15,589 --> 00:58:13,599 if if you haven't guessed we're on zoom 1528 00:58:18,549 --> 00:58:15,599 so we can all see each other 1529 00:58:20,230 --> 00:58:18,559 and i'm just ah haha i'm looking for a 1530 00:58:22,390 --> 00:58:20,240 little 1531 00:58:24,470 --> 00:58:22,400 clear container so i can shake the die 1532 00:58:27,670 --> 00:58:24,480 and show you all so you can verify 1533 00:58:29,109 --> 00:58:27,680 so there you are it's in the container 1534 00:58:31,270 --> 00:58:29,119 then you're fine here we go i'm going to 1535 00:58:33,829 --> 00:58:31,280 roll it bye 1536 00:58:34,630 --> 00:58:33,839 the first number folks this week is what 1537 00:58:35,990 --> 00:58:34,640 you haven't you 1538 00:58:38,390 --> 00:58:36,000 all you haven't predicted susan's 1539 00:58:39,510 --> 00:58:38,400 predicted so all of you have if susan's 1540 00:58:42,870 --> 00:58:39,520 predicted five 1541 00:58:46,069 --> 00:58:42,880 leonard what do you predict three 1542 00:58:49,270 --> 00:58:46,079 three adrian nine nine 1543 00:58:55,589 --> 00:58:49,280 rob i'm sticking with my four four 1544 00:59:01,750 --> 00:58:59,270 seven seven seven seven 1545 00:59:02,870 --> 00:59:01,760 does anybody say seven how many sided 1546 00:59:06,069 --> 00:59:02,880 die i didn't even see that 1547 00:59:07,589 --> 00:59:06,079 ten seven first number 1548 00:59:09,430 --> 00:59:07,599 oh we're gonna write that down number 1549 00:59:10,549 --> 00:59:09,440 seven okay next predict 1550 00:59:16,230 --> 00:59:10,559 are you gonna stick with your 1551 00:59:24,549 --> 00:59:19,510 next number is seven 1552 00:59:28,230 --> 00:59:26,069 stupid thing is the five on the other 1553 00:59:31,349 --> 00:59:28,240 side of the seven 1554 00:59:31,990 --> 00:59:31,359 seven write that down seven look at look 1555 00:59:35,030 --> 00:59:32,000 at the bottom 1556 00:59:37,589 --> 00:59:35,040 of it i'm really shaking it up well this 1557 00:59:41,670 --> 00:59:37,599 time just in case 1558 00:59:44,710 --> 00:59:41,680 you see that and five 1559 00:59:47,750 --> 00:59:44,720 two seven four 1560 00:59:49,990 --> 00:59:47,760 yeah finally look on the bottom of that 1561 00:59:51,349 --> 00:59:50,000 look on the bottom of that seven richard 1562 00:59:53,109 --> 00:59:51,359 i want to know if it's a five 1563 00:59:54,870 --> 00:59:53,119 uh no actually the bottom of the seven 1564 00:59:55,750 --> 00:59:54,880 directly beneath it so to speak is a 1565 00:59:58,470 --> 00:59:55,760 cross between a 1566 01:00:00,630 --> 00:59:58,480 ten and a four anyway it's four both 1567 01:00:02,069 --> 01:00:00,640 games i've predicted four for six rolls 1568 01:00:02,789 --> 01:00:02,079 and i got one of them right what are the 1569 01:00:05,670 --> 01:00:02,799 odds of that 1570 01:00:07,109 --> 01:00:05,680 what are the odds well there's less 1571 01:00:09,109 --> 01:00:07,119 windy who would know 1572 01:00:11,190 --> 01:00:09,119 all about that i i would have to say the 1573 01:00:11,750 --> 01:00:11,200 odds must be crazy the odds must be 1574 01:00:15,349 --> 01:00:11,760 crazy 1575 01:00:17,990 --> 01:00:15,359 be anyway 1576 01:00:18,950 --> 01:00:18,000 folks this week's winning numbers are 1577 01:00:23,030 --> 01:00:18,960 seven 1578 01:00:26,470 --> 01:00:23,040 numbers in 1579 01:00:29,829 --> 01:00:26,480 uh congratulations and sorry 1580 01:00:34,710 --> 01:00:29,839 sorry susan it wasn't there five someday 1581 01:00:36,710 --> 01:00:34,720 it's sunday someday thanks everyone