A blind woman, we’re told by the news services, has “baffled” scientists after “proving” on TV that she can distinguish between colors by touch. Now, this is obviously prime material for the JREF million-dollar prize, wouldn’t you think? Gabriele Simon, 48, from Wallenhorst, Germany, is said to have demonstrated her ability on her country's most popular TV show, “Wetten Dass.” Rough translation: “I’ll Bet’cha.”
Using only her fingertips, the audience was told, Gabrielle is able to recognize the different colors of various t-shirts and blouses. Wow! Said she:
It took me twenty years to master this skill. It is a combination of pure learning and concentration… This ability really gives me more independence, as I don't need to ask my mother about what to wear anymore.
What really got my attention about this claim, is that she was “tested” while blindfolded! Duh? Why would a blind person need to be blindfolded? Gee, you don’t suppose that the word “blind” needs more definition, do you? As I often do, I turned to Wikipedia [wikipedia.org] to find out more. In this USA, I found, the expression “legally blind” means visually impaired to a certain defined degree. Says Wikipedia:
Approximately ten percent of those deemed legally blind, by any measure, are fully sightless. The rest have some vision, from light perception alone to relatively good acuity. Those who are not legally blind, but nonetheless have serious visual impairments, possess “low vision.”
Perhaps the same definitions apply in Germany, as well? This woman may well be “legally blind,” but still be quite capable of seeing colors. Could the producers of this prestigious German TV show have been so careless – or purposefully accepting, for show ratings! – that they allowed this farce to be broadcast as a genuine example of a magical ability? I refer you to the illustration here, for consideration. On the left is a frame taken from the Wetten Dass TV show, on the right is one taken from another such performance, at www.randi.org/jr/022202.html. I leave my readers to draw appropriate conclusions….
A week ago, the “Wetten Dass” prducers were sent this message from our office:
The James Randi Educational Foundation offers our million-dollar prize to Gabriele Simon, the woman from Wallenhorst who claims she can see colors with her fingertips. The test for the prize would take less than 30 minutes, and could be done by our representatives in Germany, GWUP, the Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften e.V.
We refer you to www.randi.org/research/index.html for information on the prize offer.
Since then, a Wetten Dass representative named Nicole Rupp has informed me that the offer has been forwarded to Frau Simon. We await her – or the TV producers’ – eager acceptance of the challenge.
(Yawn)
(Links updated 5/2/2006)Reader Paula Nicholson, who holds forth on www.theskepticexpress.com, has prepared a very comprehensive article on “Dr.” Larry Montz and his organization, the International Society for Psychical Research (ISPR). It would be presumptuous of me to add anything much to this piece, which can be found displayed on the Sketpic Express web site at theskepticexpress.com/Larry_Montz_and_ISPR.php. For months, Montz carried on at length via the Internet about how he was going to soon be snapping up the JREF million-dollar prize, and after stalling and flustering for a long time, he just faded away. Paula decided she needed to know more, and she got it! Read her account, and begin to understand what caliber and quality of fakers we’re up against.
Reader Caroline Weerstra saw our “John of God” item [www.randi.org/jr/021805a.html] and was reminded of another such quack….
I read your interesting article about John of God. I recently learned of his “healing” practice through the extremely positive documentary on ABC.
John of God appears to be a milder version of the "faith healing" that I witnessed as a teen in South Korea. My parents were really into miracles, and we got involved with this place called Hallelujah Prayer Center. It was centered around the healing "ministry" of a woman named Kim Keh Hwa. This was not a small organization; Kim had thousands of followers, with at least three large prayer centers in Korea, and several in Japan. She also claimed to have prayer centers in California, but I cannot personally verify that. I last had contact with the organization in 1990, but I know they are still an active group (they still have a website).
The thing that sets John of God and Kim Keh Hwa apart from the usual "psychic healers" (who only pretend to cut people open and remove their disease) is that they really do some invasive and potentially very harmful procedures. And yet John of God is small potatoes compared to Kim Keh Hwa. I have never witnessed such blood and gore as I did at Hallelujah Prayer Center. In many of her "procedures," blood would spatter all the way across the stage. On more than one occasion, she actually cut someone's toes completely off. (I have videotape of this, as well as dozens of other bloody and very disturbing "healings"). People often were shrieking in pain during these procedures, and being held down by Kim's "assistants." Many of them subsequently did not recover, but Kim said it was because of their lack of faith or secret sins in their lives that didn't allow them to accept the healing. And yet, still, thousands of people (mostly Korean and Japanese, but a few Americans) flocked to the prayer center in search of a healing.
I am deeply troubled by the positive take of the ABC documentary that I saw on John of God. I keep wishing that people had seen what I have seen with that type of "healing" –how potentially violent and dangerous it can be. Thank you for your article on John of God. I really wish John of God, Kim Keh Hwa, and all the other dangerous charlatans would be discredited.
For an excellent coverage of what scam-artist Kevin Trudeau is up to at the moment, go to Libby Copeland’s interesting and eye-opening article at www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/22/AR2005102201272.html and read.
Reporter Mike Argento of the York Daily Record must share more than the expected percentage of DNA with me. I was preparing a huge item on this subject – of how “Intelligent Design” [I.D.] supporter Dr. Michael Behe was officially roasted and toasted by attorney Eric Rothschild. In view of hurricane Wilma moving in, and the fact that we had to close up the office in anticipation, I’ll shortcut by asking you to go to http://ydr.com/story/mike/90330 and enjoy the tale….
I’ll add to this item a deserved recognition of valuable comments from an important academic figure, pointed out to me by reader Bill Steele. Expressing alarm that about half of those Cornell University students enrolled in the course on evolution had expressed their belief that "some sort of 'purpose' [is] informing the process through which life develops," the newly-installed interim president of Cornell University, Hunter Rawlings, made a forthright, courageous, and important statement in delivering his first State of the University address since taking office. He called on Cornellians to directly address the issue of where the religiously-based I.D. controversy really belongs, both inside and outside the classroom and the university.
Rawlings reminded his listeners that Cornell's founding fathers had firmly committed to a nonsectarian institution. And, he said:
I.D. is not valid as science. I.D. is a subjective concept, a religious belief masquerading as a secular idea. It is neither clearly identified as a proposition of faith nor supported by other rationally-based arguments… I.D. is a matter of great significance to Cornell and to this country as a whole, a matter so urgent that I felt it imperative to take it on for this State of the University Address.
As President Rawlings pointed out, Cornell University has a proud record of real science to establish their position in the world of education. For example, Cornell helped to launch Voyager I, the remarkable space-probe which is about to leave the Solar System for the farthest reaches of the interstellar void, becoming the most distant object created by humans present in the universe. That spacecraft is the result not only of real scientific method and experimentation, but also of scientists’ imagination and creativity. At the end of this landmark address, Rawlings said:
Cornell is also a place that has nurtured great intellectual leaders who have not only made landmark contributions to their disciplines, but who are willing to speak out, frequently and forcefully, about the obligation of the academy to pursue knowledge and truth unfettered by political or religious dogma.
It was reported that the packed auditorium gave a lengthy standing ovation to the speaker at the conclusion of his address. Yes, indeed.
I never think of Cornell without Carl Sagan’s face flashing before me….
Recently, prominent I.D. proponent Dr. Michael Behe, a biochemist at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, admitted that his definition of “theory” was so broad it would also include astrology. Apparently this gave him no problem, that such claptrap would rub shoulders with religion – which I see as a quite correct view of the situation. Astrology would be considered a scientific theory if judged by the same criteria used by Behe. A trial pitting eleven parents from the small town of Dover, Pennsylvania, against their local school board, brought out that startling statement. The board had voted to read a statement during a biology class that would cast doubt on Darwinian evolution and suggest I.D. as an alternative.
The parents claimed – correctly, I believe – that this was an attempt to introduce creationism into the Dover school curriculum, and that the school board members were motivated by their evangelical Christian beliefs. It is illegal to teach anything with a primarily religious purpose or effect on pupils in government-funded US schools, but that seemed not to trouble the board.
Briefly put, supporters of I.D. believe that some things in nature are simply too complex – “irreducibly complex,” they say – to have evolved by natural selection, and therefore life must be the work of an intelligent designer. Behe, called to the stand by the defence, testified that I.D. was a scientific theory according to his definition of science, and was not “committed” to religion. His cross examination by the plaintiffs’ attorney, Eric Rothschild, explained to the court that the US National Academy of Sciences’ definition of a scientific theory was:
Theory: In science, a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses.
Because I.D. has been rejected by virtually every scientist and science organization, and has never once passed the examination of a peer-reviewed scientific paper, Behe had to admit that the controversial notion would not be covered by the NAS definition. He said he had come up with his own “broader definition’ of what a theory is. Attorney Rothschild suggested that this definition was so loose that astrology would also come under this definition, and that Behe’s definition was almost identical to the NAS definition. Behe agreed with both these suggestions, which brought laughter from the court.
Behe also had to concede that very few scientists support the intelligent design theory.
Very special thanks this week to Mack Powers, who is in some strange manner connected with “Lisa Simpson” of JREF forum fame. Mack is a Disc Golf fan, a student at a Huntington Beach, California, high school, and he’s the one who set up the “unofficial” JREF chat-room, as well. This thank-you is prompted by the fact that last week’s commentary page was posted entirely by Mack, in the absence of regular webmaster Jeff Wagg – who ran off on something he called, a “vacation.” I’ve heard of that practice, but never got involved in it. Too busy….
In any case, thank you, Mack!
You can’t miss this thigh-slapper. Dozens of hugely-entertained readers in the UK notified me that an Uri Geller “psychically-bent” spoon was offered for sale on E-bay, and the results were hardly what The Spoonbender might have wished. There was one bidder, through the whole ten days of the auction, and the spoon was “won” by the initial bid: one penny. Go to http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5624822598 and get some giggles. Remember, for this item, a free blue-velvet gift box was included! And compare the price paid, to the cost of postage to receive the purchase….
Reader Jeff Johnson, founder of the International Xiang Sheng Kung Fu Association, tells us:
There’s always been a tradition in martial arts of following the “wisdom” of one’s instructors without question out of some misguided idea of respect. In this, the martial arts establishment bears an alarming resemblance to a fundamentalist religion. Sometimes it's just that air of invincibility instructors tend to exude. I even had a student tell me once he felt me throw my "chi" at him when I did nothing more than turn in his direction. "Wasn't me!" I told him.
I advise students to look to Bruce Lee’s notion of using “No way, as way” – Take what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is uniquely your own. Luckily, at least some martial arts teachers are skeptics.
There may be readers out there who would care to look at a new book and provide us with comments on it. Brian Trent is the author of the novel “Remembering Hypatia
Evangelicals have so many books of theirs to rally around, and though I've had some terrific reviews on local chapters of National Public Radio and by Yale University (where I spoke on October 1st) my book lacks the marketplace visibility which has propelled the Left Behind series and other such material into large spotlights…. Science has few martyrs... and my book details the true story of a brilliant rationalist… who was murdered by religious fundamentalism at its height.
There are also many sequences where evangelical thinking is exposed for what it is. Here's a quick snippet, during a scene in which Hypatia addresses the subject of natural disasters. She is speaking to one of her more superstitious-minded students:
Be comforted that we have each other to depend on! When waters rise and swallow crops, we count on one another to plant those crops again, to rebuild homes, to care for our sick! Some blame God and demand we make sacrifice to Him. If your village was being flooded would you, Erasmus, butcher your daughters like Abraham tried with Isaac, because some priest told you God demanded it? Or would you try to build canals to divert the water, understanding that there is a mechanism to why floods happen and no God has anything to do with it?
The names Katrina and Wilma come to mind….
Margaret Downey sent me to a rant by an anonymous “J. H.” who calls out from the shadows on some obscure site: www.tektonics.org/qt/randi01.htm. He [she?] manages just about every way possible to misstate and misunderstand the JREF – for his purposes, of course. His main source of irritation is found at www.randi.org/jr/072503.html. For example, he claims:
Mr. Randi views religion – specifically Christianity, which is what he really means – with as much disdain as he does the rest of the chicanery he typically encounters.
No, I really mean all religions, though Christianity is the one that I’m most personally affected by. However, the “as much disdain” comment is true.
J.H. also runs on at length re the Brights movement – which indicates that we’re getting through to those we’re trying to reach. Concerning my statement that it was “about time for me to declare myself clearly” when I published my “Why I don’t believe in God” piece, he says that he finds it interesting to note that my article came along shortly after I declared myself to be a “Bright.” Yep, that’s what we call, “logical sequence” and “cause-and-effect,” friend. I must add that the article did not appear after I actually became a Bright, but merely after the term was coined. J.H. says that I’m wrong to lump religion in with other nonsense. He quotes me as saying that such “…embrace is of the same nature as acceptance of astrology, ESP, prophecy, dowsing, and the other myriad of strange beliefs we handle here every day.” That quotation is correct, and I did state that religion is “outside of the matters that JREF handles,” but he says I “then turn around and say it is the same as believing in the things that JREF does handle.”
No, I wrote that the embrace of religion is of the same nature – read: illogical, irrational, comforting, satisfying – as the embrace of other paranormal/occult claims – and because it offers no evidence. Reading ahead, J.H. might have noticed that I wrote, “…it [religion] offers no examinable evidence, as the other supernatural beliefs actually do.” J.H. finds contradiction where there is none – that was made very clear.
He then quotes me: “Religious people can't be argued with logically, because they claim that their beliefs are of such a nature that they cannot be examined, but just ‘are.’" He follows with, “I have never heard of nor encountered any Christians who have claimed that their beliefs ‘just ‘are,’ but perhaps such people do exist.” Look back to the paragraph he wrote immediately previous to this comment! That clearly makes just such a statement! He writes, “Nevermind that countless people – myself included – profess often daily evidence of God’s existence all the time.” If that’s not claiming that merely “professing” “evidence” but not offering it for examination, is sufficient, I’ve missed his strange reasoning process.
J.H. quotes me: “First of all, the word ‘unyielding’ cannot possibly be applied to the genuine scientific view,” and follows that with his own view: “Yes, it can. A scientific view of the world can be extremely unyielding.” No, sir, in making that claim, you display your profound failure to understand what science is. It is always prepared – and required, by its very structure! – to yield upon the presentation of contradictory evidence, of better evidence, or of evidence that brings about a reversal or revised statement concerning any scientific finding. That, more than any other feature of science, is a glorious and triumphant factor that governs this discipline; it corrects itself.
Sir, when was the last time that any religion ever reversed any article of dogma?
Silence.
That minimal sample of this 6,542-word tirade at www.randi.org/jr/072503.html, and my comments, should be enough to begin making my point. I’ve no more time to spend stating the obvious.
Reader Ken Teutsch takes us back to an early and wise comment:
You may already be aware of this quote, but if not you should have it in your repertoire.
In the Sixth Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Mr. Lincoln poked some fun at Douglas for some very fancy legal footwork in his definition and application of "Popular Sovereignty." The comparison Mr. Lincoln used was:
He [Douglas] has at last invented this sort of do-nothing Sovereignty – that the people may exclude slavery by a sort of "Sovereignty" that is exercised by doing nothing at all. Is not that running his Popular Sovereignty down awfully? Has it not got down as thin as the homeopathic soup that was made by boiling the shadow of a pigeon that had starved to death?
He made fun of homeopathy: Another argument for Abe Lincoln as our greatest President.
An anonymous reader:
I would appreciate if you DON'T say where you got this info from. I have too many friends who would not understand the humor inherent in the situation. In any case, it should be easy enough to confirm this.
The most popular astrological guides among professional astrologers are those written by Jim Maynard, and published by his company, Quicksilver Productions (which can be found at www.quicksilverproductions.com/). In any case, this year, for the third year in a row, his publications are coming out late.
Once again, due to unforeseen circumstances.
There are people who would kill me (figuratively) if they found out I told you this, but it was just too funny to let slide. If you must, refer to me as "an astrologer who understandably wishes to remain anonymous.”
We’re back…. Hurricane Wilma hit very hard in our area of Florida. The JREF building did well, losing only a back fence and two lamp-posts. My home was a different matter. About 80% of the trees on my property came down, tearing up underground plumbing and wiring, and taking out water, electricity, and two large windows along with one wall of a back room. A large studio at the rear of the lot was completely destroyed, along with my entire pool area. As you’d guess, the battle with the insurance company is only just starting….
I tell you all this so that you’ll understand why I had to neglect getting a new page up last week. It was impossible to accomplish, and even this page – prepared on a plane going to Washington – will be rather less than what I’d wish. Webmaster Jeff Wagg is standing by, prepared to receive whatever I can send him. It’s been tough….
The Amaz!ng Meeting 4 draws ever-closer, and November 10th is the last day to get an early registration discount. Please head over to www.tam4.com and register today!
There are still seats left for the TAM4 Celebrity Dinner, Friday, January 27th. Wine and dine with some of our prominent guests such as Dr. Murray Gell-Mann, the man who discovered the “quark” and received a Nobel prize for his work. Nadine Strossen is the ACLU president; she knows how to hold up her end of an argument. Author/Philosopher Dr. Daniel Dennett – who has a beard, so he’s okay – will be there, and our own Julia Sweeney will charm you – again! The original MythBusters, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, may blow up a soufflé for you if you’re at their table, and the one-and-only Jamy Ian Swiss will arm-wrestle political analysts Lawrence O’Donnell and/or Karen Russell, if the drinks work as we’ve planned. But be warned: I’ll be table-hopping and may bore you with card tricks….
This is a really star-studded affair, catered by one of the finest kitchens in Las Vegas. And, if you get in early enough, you can specify at which table you’ll be seated, with the celebrity of your choice.
Go to www.tam4.com/dinner.html for all the details, and stay tuned, because we just may have another very special celebrity joining that giddy group. Watch this space….
