Ray Hyman - The Life of an Expert Skeptic, Part 2 | For Good Reason

Ray Hyman - The Life of an Expert Skeptic, Part 2 | For Good Reason


In this second part of the discussion at the NSF for the occasion of his being awarded the 2010 Phillip J. Klass Award by the National Capital Area Skeptics, Ray Hyman explores the origins of CSICOP, and the role that both Israeli psychic Uri Geller and rock musician Alice Cooper had in bringing the founders of the organization together. He explains how the organization Sanity in Research, founded by James Randi, Martin Gardner and Ray Hyman in 1972, became CSICOP, in a sense. And he describes the influence that sociologist Marcello Truzzi had on the forming of the group, and what may have led to a split between Truzzi and CSICOP. He also criticizes Truzzi's approach to parapsychology. He explains why he finds parapsychology to be dull, and reveals whether or not he regrets the fifty years he has spent as its leading expert critic. He reveals why the approach of the skeptical movement over the last four decades may be mistaken, and argues that it should focus on education and outreach as opposed to an earnest exploration of the best parapsychological research. He also describes the futility of fighting against governmental research into psi, and details his involvement in such research over the years. And he explains why he feels that parapsychology research no longer merits attention from skeptics and scientists.
From:
JamesRandiFoundation
Views:
163

11
ratings
Time:
37:09
More in
Nonprofits & Activism