75-444: The Indian Rationalist Association is a voluntary organisation in India whose 100,000 members promote scientific skepticism and critique supernatural claims. It publishes books and magazines, organises seminars and lectures and its representatives regularly appear in television and print media exposing superstitions. The present president of Indian Rationalist Association Sanal Edamaruku
150-705: A critic of Mother Teresa , publicly attacking her legacy in Kolkata . He has spoken out against the Catholic Church's veneration of Mother Teresa and the miracle cure of Monica Besra , who was reportedly cured after a medallion was placed on her by nuns. Edamaruku said that her cure could be reasonably ascribed to the treatment she received in a government hospital in Balurghat and the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital . After investigating her care record
225-430: A Christian-Hindu mixed marriage, he was brought up without any specific religious influence. At his parents' insistence, he was the first student in India whose official school records listed "no religion". He became a rationalist-atheist activist at the age of 15, after seeing a neighbourhood athlete's death when her family refused medical treatment because they believed in faith healing . Edamaruku has been active in
300-469: A Skeptical Africa , which received endorsements from multiple public activists in Africa, as well as skeptical endorsers around the world. He is a Nigerian human rights advocate and campaigner against the impacts of child witchcraft accusations. Igwe came into conflict with high-profile witchcraft believers, leading to attacks on himself and his family. In 2018, Amardeo Sarma provided some perspective on
375-461: A commitment to science, reason, evidence, and the quest for truth. Carl Sagan emphasized the importance of being able to ask skeptical questions, recognizing fallacious or fraudulent arguments, and considering the validity of an argument rather than simply whether we like the conclusion. Similarly, Steven Novella described skepticism as selecting "beliefs and conclusions that are reliable and valid to ones that are comforting or convenient" and as
450-409: A community and background. Skeptical organizations typically tend to have science education and promotion among their goals. The skeptical movement has had issues with allegations of sexism. Mary Coulman identified a disparity between women and men in the movement in a 1985 skeptic newsletter. The skeptic movement has generally been made up of men; at a 1987 conference the members there discussed
525-423: A cover for quackery . According to AFIS, science itself cannot solve humanity's problems, nor can one solve them without using the scientific method . It maintains that people should be informed about scientific and technical advancements and the problems it helps to solve. Its magazine, Science et pseudo-sciences , attempts to distribute scientific information in a language that everyone can understand. In 1976,
600-777: A debunking tale as told in some versions of the Old Testament , where the Prophet Daniel exposes a tale of a "living" statue as a scam. According to Loxton, throughout history, there are further examples of individuals practicing critical inquiry and writing books or performing publicly against particular frauds and popular superstitions, including people like Lucian of Samosata (2nd century), Michel de Montaigne (16th century), Thomas Ady and Thomas Browne (17th century), Antoine Lavoisier and Benjamin Franklin (18th century), many different philosophers, scientists and magicians throughout
675-450: A form of ritualized divination . While the anthropological approach attempts to explain the activities of astrologers and their clients, the skeptical movement's interest in the cultural aspects of such beliefs is muted. According to sociologist David J. Hess, the skeptical discourse tends to set science and the skeptical project apart from the social and the economic. From this perspective, he argues that skepticism takes on some aspects of
750-700: A grant making foundation and no longer accepting applications for the Million Dollar Prize from the general public. Other influential second-generation American organizations were The Skeptics Society (founded in 1992 by Michael Shermer ), the New England Skeptical Society (originating in 1996) and the Independent Investigations Group (formed in 2000 by James Underdown ). After the Revolutions of 1989 , Eastern Europe saw
825-496: A methodological norm pursuing "the extension of certified knowledge". Roots of the movement date at least from the 19th century, when people started publicly raising questions regarding the unquestioned acceptance of claims about spiritism , of various widely held superstitions , and of pseudoscience . Publications such as those of the Dutch Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij (1881) also targeted medical quackery . Using as
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#1732877026179900-444: A panel TV show, Edamaruku challenged a tantrik to demonstrate his powers by killing him using only magic. The live show on India TV where the tantrik chanted mantras and performed a ceremony received a large boost in ratings. After his attempts failed, the tantrik reported that Edamaruku must be under the protection of a powerful god, to which Edamaruku responded that he is an atheist. In March 2012, Sanal Edamaruku investigated
975-417: A priori grounds—rather they argue that one should critically examine claims of paranormal or anomalous phenomena and that extraordinary claims would require extraordinary evidence in their favor before they could be accepted as having validity. From a scientific point of view, skeptics judge ideas on many criteria, including falsifiability, Occam's Razor , Morgan's Canon and explanatory power, as well as
1050-735: A publishing house jointly started by Indian Rationalist Association and Sanal Edamaruku in New Delhi in 1982 published many original rationalist books and translations of hundreds of world rationalist classics in Indian languages. The Divine Miracle Exposure Campaign conducted across India under the leadership of Abraham Kovoor , the All-India Miracle Exposure Campaign of Sanal Edamaruku during 1994-95, Several popular books written by Joseph Edamaruku , and hundreds of TV presentations of Sanal Edamaruku gave unprecedented popularity for
1125-452: A report that a crucifix at Our Lady of Velankanni church in Mumbai was dripping water from the feet. This incident, though not recognised by the Catholic Church as a miracle, was believed by locals to be one. Sanal Edamaruku was invited to investigate by TV9 of Mumbai with the consent of the church authorities. He went with an engineer to the site where the alleged miracle had happened, and traced
1200-545: A sacred discourse, as in Emile Durkheim 's Elementary Forms of the Religious Life —Science, seen as pure and sacred (motivated by values of the mind and reason), is set apart from popular dealings with the paranormal, seen as profane (permeated by the economic and the social); obscuring the confrontation between science and religion. Hess states as well a strong tendency in othering : both skeptics and their opponents see
1275-734: A source of violence (notably in The God Delusion ), and considers creationism a threat to biology. Some skeptics, such as the members of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast, oppose certain new religious movements because of their cult-like behaviors. Leo Igwe , Junior Fellow at the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies and past Research Fellow of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF), wrote A Manifesto for
1350-634: A surge in quackery and paranormal beliefs that were no longer restrained by the generally secular Communist regimes or the Iron curtain and its information barriers. The foundation of many new skeptical organizations was as well intending to protect consumers . These included the Czech Skeptics' Club Sisyfos (1995), the Hungarian Skeptic Society (2006), the Polish Sceptics Club (2010) and
1425-519: A team of rationalist campaigners on the road in Kerala demonstrations of how to perform supposedly supernatural stunts. He has helped in building Indian Atheist Publishers, which is now Asia's largest atheist publishing house. He convened the three International Rationalist Conferences held in 1995, 2000 and 2002. In December 2013, Edamaruku launched a new quarterly English language magazine The Rationalist on his blog. On 3 March 2008, while appearing on
1500-773: A template the Belgian organization founded in 1949, Comité Para , Americans Paul Kurtz and Marcello Truzzi founded the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) , in Amherst, New York , in 1976. Now known as the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), this organization has inspired others to form similar groups worldwide. Scientific skeptics maintain that empirical investigation of reality leads to
1575-402: Is a position in which one questions the veracity of claims lacking scientific evidence . In practice, the term most commonly refers to the examination of claims and theories that appear to be unscientific , rather than the routine discussions and challenges among scientists. Scientific skepticism differs from philosophical skepticism , which questions humans' ability to claim any knowledge about
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#17328770261791650-655: Is an Indian author and rationalist . He is the founder-president and editor of Rationalist International , the president of the Indian Rationalist Association and the author of 25 books and other articles. In 2012, after examining an alleged miracle at a local church in Mumbai , he was charged under India's blasphemy law , causing him to voluntarily exile to Finland . Edamaruku was born in 1955 in Thodupuzha , Kerala , India to Joseph Edamaruku , an Indian scholar and author, and Soley Edamaruku. Born in
1725-512: Is closely associated with skeptical investigation or rational inquiry of controversial topics (compare list of topics characterized as pseudoscience ) such as U.F.O.s , claimed paranormal phenomena, cryptids , conspiracy theories , alternative medicine , religion , or exploratory or fringe areas of scientific or pseudoscientific research. Further topics that scientifically skeptical literature questions include health claims surrounding certain foods, procedures, and alternative medicines ;
1800-517: Is important to continue to address them and the underlying habits of thought that lead to them so that we do not "have a lot more people believing that 9/11 was an inside job, that climate change is a hoax, that our government is controlled by aliens, and so forth—and those beliefs are far from harmless". With regard to the skeptical social movement, Daniel Loxton refers to other movements already promoting "humanism, atheism , rationalism, science education and even critical thinking" beforehand. He saw
1875-414: Is little evidence for such beliefs. According to Hammer, the bulk of the skeptical movement's literature works on an implicit model, that belief in the irrational is being based on scientific illiteracy or cognitive illusions. He points to the skeptical discussion about astrology: The skeptical notion of astrology as a "failed hypothesis" fails to address basic anthropological assumptions about astrology as
1950-647: Is more likely to teach and change minds than debunking. A striking characteristic of the skeptical movement is the fact that while most of the phenomena covered, such as astrology and homeopathy , have been debunked again and again, they stay popular. Frazier reemphasized in 2018 that "[w]e need independent, evidence-based, science-based critical investigation and inquiry now more than perhaps at any other time in our history." The scientific skepticism community has traditionally been focused on what people believe rather than why they believe—there might be psychological, cognitive or instinctive reasons for belief when there
2025-492: Is no evidence of efficacy, can result in destructive actions. James Randi often wrote on the issue of fraud by psychics and faith healers. Unqualified medical practice and alternative medicine can result in serious injury and death. Skeptical activist Tim Farley , who aims to create catalogue of harmful pseudoscientific practices and cases of damage caused by them, estimates documented number of killed or injured to be more than 600,000. Richard Dawkins points to religion as
2100-477: Is skepticism of critics and [their] criticisms of paranormal studies." According to skeptic author Daniel Loxton , "skepticism is a story without a beginning or an end." His 2013 article in Skeptic magazine "Why Is There a Skeptical Movement" claims a history of two millennia of paranormal skepticism. He is of the opinion that the practice, problems, and central concepts extend all the way to antiquity and refers to
2175-669: Is strong. For example, in 1994, Susan Blackmore , a parapsychologist who became more skeptical and eventually became a Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) fellow in 1991, described what she termed the "worst kind of pseudoskepticism": There are some members of the skeptics' groups who clearly believe they know the right answer prior to inquiry. They appear not to be interested in weighing alternatives, investigating strange claims, or trying out psychic experiences or altered states for themselves (heaven forbid!), but only in promoting their own particular belief structure and cohesion ... Commenting on
2250-926: The Center for Inquiry , a US think-tank, brought the CSICOP and the Council for Secular Humanism (CSH) under one umbrella. In January 2016, the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science announced its merger with the Center for Inquiry. In 2010, as a form of skeptical outreach to the general population, Susan Gerbic launched the Guerrilla Skepticism on Misplaced Pages (GSoW) project to improve skeptical content on Misplaced Pages. Books Magazines Television programs Podcasts Notes Further reading Sanal Edamaruku Sanal Edamaruku (born 26 May 1955)
2325-595: The Indian Rationalist Association (IRA) from the age of 15. Before becoming the president in 2005, he served as the General Secretary beginning in 1983, and has been the editor of its publication Modern Freethinker . His many books and articles deal mainly with rationalistic thoughts and against superstition in India . His writings in Rationalist International are translated into English, French, German, Spanish, and Finnish. In February 2011, Edamaruku
Indian Rationalist Association - Misplaced Pages Continue
2400-632: The James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) and created the One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge , where anyone who could demonstrate paranormal abilities, under mutually agreed-upon controlled circumstances, could claim the prize. After Randi's retirement in 2015, the Paranormal Challenge was officially terminated by the JREF with the prize unclaimed: Effective 9/1/2015 the JREF has made major changes including converting to
2475-451: The 19th and early 20th century up until and after Harry Houdini . However, skeptics banding together in societies that research the paranormal and fringe science is a modern phenomenon. Two early important works influential to the skeptical movement were Daniel Webster Hering 's Foibles and Fallacies of Science (1924) and D. H. Rawcliffe's The Psychology of the Occult . Loxton mentions
2550-548: The Belgian Comité Para (1949) as the oldest "broad mandate" skeptical organization. Although it was preceded by the Dutch Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij (VtdK) (1881), which is therefore considered the oldest skeptical organization by others, the VtdK only focuses on fighting quackery, and thus has a 'narrow mandate'. The Comité Para was partly formed as a response to a predatory industry of bogus psychics who were exploiting
2625-519: The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), known as the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) since November 2006, was founded in the United States . Some see this as the "birth of modern skepticism", however, founder Paul Kurtz actually modeled it after the Comité Para, including its name. Kurtz' motive was being "dismayed ... by the rising tide of belief in
2700-844: The Indian Rationalist Association demonstrates on television how ordinary statues can appear to drink milk and other fluids. Working with the Dakshina Kannada Rationalist Association , the Indian Rationalist Association opposed a 2009 proposal to make yoga a compulsory subject for high school and primary school students in Mangalore. The Australian writer Greg Egan has featured the Indian Rationalist Association and Sanal Edamaruku in his novel Teranesia . Scientific skepticism Scientific skepticism or rational skepticism (also spelled scepticism ), sometimes referred to as skeptical inquiry ,
2775-899: The JREF in Las Vegas had been the most important skeptical conference since 2003, with two spin-off conferences in London , UK (2009 and 2010) and one in Sydney , Australia (2010). Since 2010, the Merseyside Skeptics Society and Greater Manchester Skeptics jointly organized Question, Explore, Discover (QED) in Manchester , UK. World Skeptics Congresses have been held so far, namely in Buffalo, New York (1996), Heidelberg , Germany (1998), Sydney, Australia (2000), Burbank, California (2002), Abano Terme , Italy (2004) and Berlin, Germany (2012). In 1991,
2850-716: The Pope of being "anti-science" and scoffed at Christians for worshipping the cross. A Catholic lawyer asked Edamaruku to apologise whilst on television, which he refused to do. Such defamatory statements lead to the Catholic Secular Forum filing First information reports under Section 295(A) of the Indian Penal Code in April 2012. The All India Catholic Union said the law was being applied incorrectly. Colin Gonsalves ,
2925-754: The Russian-speaking Skeptic Society (2013). The Austrian Skeptical Society in Vienna (founded in 2002) deals with issues such as Johann Grander's "vitalized water" and the use of dowsing at the Austrian Parliament . The European Skeptics Congress (ESC) has been held throughout Europe since 1989, from 1994 onwards co-ordinated by the European Council of Skeptical Organizations . In the United States, The Amaz!ng Meeting (TAM) hosted by
3000-412: The battle between science and superstition". Edamaruku has been critical of India's blasphemy laws, describing them as "relics of colonial legislation" which have been abused to "hound and silence" intellectuals and artists who question religious beliefs. He considers it dangerous that any person may register a complaint of blasphemy against another, leading to an arrest and prolonged imprisonment until
3075-473: The beliefs behind ritual human sacrifices. Sometimes referred to as "guru busters", the group critiques India's culturally influential godmen. Performing magic demonstrations that replicate the purportedly miraculous feats of the godmen, such as walking on coals , producing sacred ash from thin air, exploding stones with "mental power", levitating , or turning water into blood. Thousands of volunteers assist with these demonstrations throughout India. Similarly,
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3150-805: The campaigns of Sanal Edamaruku . The office bearers of Indian Rationalist Association: Presidents: R.P. Paranjpye (1949 to 1957), R.S. Yadav (1957 to 1959), Ellen Roy (1959 to 1960), R.P.Paranjpye (1960 to 1966), Gora (1966 to 1975), Y.A Lokhandwala (1975 to 1982), M.V. Ramamurthy (1982 to 1983), Dr H. Narasimhaiah (1983 to 1985), M.V. Ramamurthy (1985 - 1994), Ravipudi Venkatadri (1994 to 1995), Malladi Subbamma (1995-1996), Joseph Edamaruku (1996 - 2005), Sanal Edamaruku (2005 - ). General secretaries: S. Ramanathan (1949 to 1970), Dr G.N. Jyothi Sankar (1970 to 1979), A. Suryanarayana (1979 to 1981), M.V.Ramamurthy (1981 to 1983), Sanal Edamaruku (1983 to 2005), K.G. Gopal (2005 to 2011), Ajoy Roy (2011 to 2018). K.G Gopal (2018 - ). Indian Atheist Publishers,
3225-408: The criminal charges, called for Edamaruku to apologise and for the prosecution to drop the charges. Edamaruku refused and on 31 July 2012 moved to Finland. Edamaruku is a frequent critic of Hindu astrology and other practices he deems superstititious . He also has accused Indian Godmen of mostly being charlatans amassing wealth and property from supposed miracles. Edamaruku also has been
3300-469: The degree to which their predictions match experimental results. Skepticism in general may be deemed part of the scientific method ; for instance an experimental result is not regarded as established until it can be shown to be repeatable independently. The Sci.Skeptic FAQ characterizes the skeptic spectrum as divided into "wet" and "dry" sceptics, primarily based on the level of engagement with those promoting claims that appear to be pseudoscience;
3375-458: The demand for the new movement—a movement of people called "skeptics"—as based on a lack of interest by the scientific community to address paranormal and fringe-science claims. In line with Kendrick Frazier , he describes the movement as a surrogate in that area for institutional science. The movement set up a distinct field of study, and provided an organizational structure, while "the long-standing genre of individual skeptical writing" lacked such
3450-414: The dry skeptics preferring to debunk and ridicule, in order to avoid giving attention and thus credence to the promoters, and the "wet" skeptics, preferring slower and more considered engagement, in order to avoid appearing sloppy and ill-considered and thus similar to the groups all skeptics opposed. Ron Lindsay has argued that while some non-scientific claims appear to be harmless or "soft targets", it
3525-481: The fact that the attendees were predominantly older white men and a 1991 listing of 50 CSICOP fellows included four women. Following a 2011 conference, Rebecca Watson , a prominent skeptic, raised issues of the way female skeptics are targeted with online harassment including threats of sexual violence by opponents of the movement, and also raised issues of sexism within the movement itself. While she received some support in response to her discussion of sexism within
3600-401: The former health minister of West Bengal, Partho De, has agreed her recovery was attributable to her months of medical care. Edamaruku describes the miracle as an "obvious fraud." Edamaruku considers the Indian rationalist movement an "inspiring example for many western rationalists to awaken, activate and rejuvenate their own organisations", with India's rationalists being "on the frontline of
3675-568: The founder of the India Center for Human Rights and Law, stated his opinion that no criminal offence had been committed. Vishal Dadlani , and James Randi publicly spoke in Edamaraku's defense while others accused Edamaruku of being "as much of a missionary seeking converts for his particular “ism” as the Church is for its own belief." The Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay , which was not associated with
3750-406: The funds. The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Alappuzha subsequently issued an arrest warrant for Edamaruku. Devi sought extradition to complete legal proceedings in India. In response to the allegations, Sanal Edamaruku clarified via his blog that he had indeed offered a job to Prameela Devi following an online interview, but she declined the position. He contested the fraud charges, asserting that
3825-669: The grieving relatives of people who had gone missing during the Second World War . In contrast, Michael Shermer traces the origins of the modern scientific skeptical movement to Martin Gardner 's 1952 book Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science . In 1968, the French Association for Scientific Information (AFIS) was founded. AFIS strives to promote science against those who deny its cultural value, abuse it for criminal purposes or as
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#17328770261793900-522: The headquarters of the association located in New Delhi . The Indian Rationalist Association took the initiative to form the Rationalist International in 1995, which organised many International Rationalist Conferences in co-operation with Indian Rationalist Association. Sanal Edamaruku is the founding president of Rationalist International . The present Indian Rationalist Association was founded in 1949 by S. Ramanathan , M. N. Roy and C. N. Annadurai ;
3975-429: The labels "dogmatic" and "pathological" that the "Association for Skeptical Investigation" puts on critics of paranormal investigations, Bob Carroll of the Skeptic's Dictionary argues that that association "is a group of pseudo-skeptical paranormal investigators and supporters who do not appreciate criticism of paranormal studies by truly genuine skeptics and critical thinkers. The only skepticism this group promotes
4050-662: The leadership of Sanal Edamaruku 1994-1995. The campaign led by Sanal Edamaruku covered 100 districts in India and took 18 months to complete. This campaign was featured in the British documentary Guru Busters . The regular participation and public challenges of Sanal Edamaruku against the Indian Gurus, and his campaigns to explain miracles and superstitions scientifically brought the Indian Rationalist association to national prominence. BBC and many Indian newspapers have featured
4125-640: The money received from Devi over a three-year period constituted contributions to the rationalist movement, not payment for a job or visa in Finland. Furthermore, Edamaruku stated a Quashing petition filed against the charges was accepted by the Kerala High Court in September 2018, halting proceedings in the lower court. According to him, legal stasis remained unbroken and the issuance of the Interpol Red Notice
4200-442: The more dangerous for his success in appropriating the mantle of the unbiased and open-minded inquirer". Some advocates of discredited intellectual positions (such as AIDS denial , Holocaust denial and climate change denial ) engage in pseudoskeptical behavior when they characterize themselves as "skeptics". This is despite their cherry picking of evidence that conforms to a pre-existing belief. According to Wilson, who highlights
4275-754: The most reliable empirical knowledge , and suggest that the scientific method is best suited to verifying results. Scientific skeptics attempt to evaluate claims based on verifiability and falsifiability ; they discourage accepting claims which rely on faith or anecdotal evidence . Paul Kurtz described scientific skepticism in his 1992 book The New Skepticism , calling it an essential part of scientific inquiry. The Skeptics Society describes it as "the application of reason to any and all ideas—no sacred cows allowed." Robert K. Merton introduced Mertonian norms , which assert that all ideas must be tested and are subject to rigorous, structured community scrutiny. Kendrick Frazier said that scientific skeptics have
4350-511: The movement, she later became a target of virulent online harassment, even from fellow skeptics, after posting an online video that discussed her discomfort with being propositioned in a confined space. This became known as " Elevatorgate ", based on Watson's discussion about being propositioned in a hotel elevator in the early morning after a skeptic event. The verb "to debunk" is used to describe efforts by skeptics to expose or discredit claims believed to be false, exaggerated, or pretentious. It
4425-531: The nature of the world and how they perceive it, and the similar but distinct methodological skepticism , which is a systematic process of being skeptical about (or doubting) the truth of one's beliefs. The skeptical movement ( British spelling : sceptical movement ) is a contemporary social movement based on the idea of scientific skepticism. The movement has the goal of investigating claims made on fringe topics and determining whether they are supported by empirical research and are reproducible , as part of
4500-493: The other as being driven by materialistic philosophy and material gain and assume themselves to have purer motives. While not all pseudoscientific beliefs are necessarily dangerous, some can potentially be harmful. Plato believed that to release others from ignorance despite their initial resistance is a great and noble thing. Modern skeptical writers address this question in a variety of ways. Bertrand Russell argued that some individual actions based on beliefs for which there
4575-478: The paranormal and the lack of adequate scientific examinations of these claims." Kurtz was an atheist and had also founded the Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion . While he saw both aspects as being covered in the skeptical movement, he had recommended CSICOP to focus on paranormal and pseudoscientific claims and to leave religious aspects to others. Despite not being the oldest, CSICOP
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#17328770261794650-417: The phenomenon in his 2008 book Don't Get Fooled Again , the characteristic feature of false skepticism is that it "centres not on an impartial search for the truth, but on the defence of a preconceived ideological position". Scientific skepticism is itself sometimes criticized on this ground. The term pseudoskepticism has found occasional use in controversial fields where opposition from scientific skeptics
4725-719: The plausibility and existence of supernatural abilities (e.g. tarot reading ) or entities (e.g. poltergeists , angels , gods —including Zeus ); the monsters of cryptozoology (e.g. the Loch Ness monster ); as well as creationism / intelligent design , dowsing , conspiracy theories , and other claims the skeptic sees as unlikely to be true on scientific grounds. Skeptics such as James Randi have become famous for debunking claims related to some of these. Paranormal investigator Joe Nickell cautions, however, that "debunkers" must be careful to engage paranormal claims seriously and without bias. He explains that open minded investigation
4800-448: The president was R. P. Paranjpye . The Rationalist , edited by S. Ramanathan; Freethought , edited by G.N. Jyothi Sankar; and Modern Freethinker , edited by Sanal Edamaruku were the prominent journals published by Indian Rationalist Association. Indian Rationalist Association organised two major all-India campaigns, Divine Miracle Exposure lectures by Abraham Kovoor (1975-1978), and an all-India miracle exposure tour campaign under
4875-629: The rationalist movement. Organised rationalist associations came up in each and every State and each of the State units got affiliated to Indian Rationalist Association as parent body of rationalists and atheists in the country. The Indian Rationalist Association attempts to oppose superstition and pseudoscience in India. It has led media and educational campaigns debunking the Monkey-man of Delhi monster hysteria, godmen , claims of miraculous milk-drinking statues, superstitions related to solar eclipses, and even
4950-544: The source of the drip to the rear side. Edamaruku found that the water was seeping through the feet because of capillary action and faulty plumbing. Moisture on the wall where the statue was mounted seemed to be coming from an overflowing drain, which was in turn fed by a pipe that issued from a nearby toilet. During a television show held to discuss the investigation, Edamaruku accused Christian priests of regularly scamming devotees and defrauding miracles to make money, and build bigger and newer churches and convents, and
5025-485: The state of the skeptical movement by addressing "the essence of contemporary skepticism and [highlighting] the vital nonpartisan and science-based role of skeptics in preventing deception and harm." He emphasized the dangers of pseudoscience as a reason for prioritizing skeptical work. Richard Cameron Wilson, in an article in New Statesman , wrote that "the bogus sceptic is, in reality, a disguised dogmatist , made all
5100-506: The study of "pitfalls of human reason and the mechanisms of deception so as to avoid being deceived by others or themselves". Brian Dunning called skepticism "the process of finding a supported conclusion, not the justification of a preconceived conclusion.'' Skeptics often focus their criticism on claims they consider implausible, dubious or clearly contradictory to generally accepted science. Scientific skeptics do not assert that unusual claims should be automatically rejected out of hand on
5175-487: The suspect is acquitted by a court of law. Edamaruku argues that the real danger here is less the verdict and more the "pre-trial punishment". In 2020, Indian authorities issued an Interpol Red Notice for Sanal Edamaruku, residing in Finland. The Red Notice, a request to locate and provisionally arrest individuals pending extradition or prosecution, was sought by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after Edamaruku
5250-619: Was R. P. Paranjpye (later High Commissioner of India in Australia and vice-chancellor of Bombay University ). S. Ramanathan was the Secretary and he edited and published The Indian Rationalist . After the demise of S. Ramanathan , Prof.R.S. Yadav from Meerut became the President of the Association. When he became the vice-chancellor of Meerut university, Ellen Roy from Dehradun, wife of M.N.Roy,
5325-878: Was "the first successful, broad-mandate North American skeptical organization of the contemporary period", popularized the usage of the terms "skeptic", "skeptical" and "skepticism" by its magazine, Skeptical Inquirer , and directly inspired the foundation of many other skeptical organizations throughout the world, especially in Europe. These included Australian Skeptics (1980), Vetenskap och Folkbildning (Sweden, 1982), New Zealand Skeptics (1986), GWUP (Austria, Germany and Switzerland, 1987), Skepsis r.y. (Finland, 1987), Stichting Skepsis (Netherlands, 1987), CICAP (Italy, 1989) and SKEPP (Dutch-speaking Belgium, 1990). Besides scientists such as astronomers , stage magicians like James Randi were important in investigating charlatans and exposing their trickery. In 1996 Randi formed
5400-477: Was accused of defrauding a government employee, Prameela Devi, of 15 lakhs. Devi, also a rationalist, alleged that Edamaruku had promised her a visa, job, and residence permit in Finland in exchange for the money, even pressuring her for a bank loan to acquire the sum. The Alappuzha North Police registered a case against Edamaruku in 2018 for cheating and breach of trust after Devi reported that Edamaruku had ceased communication and blocked her calls after receiving
5475-488: Was elected as a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry . (USA) and is an Honorary Associate of New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists and Rationalist Association of UK (formerly Rationalist Press Association). Edamaruku conducted investigation and campaigns in Indian villages, targeting mystics, god men and practices he deems superstitious . He refers to this as "Rationalist Reality Theatre." The documentary film Guru Busters shows Edamaruku and
5550-529: Was elected in 2005. He was the General Secretary of the association from 1984 till 2005. The earlier name of Indian Rationalist Association was "Rationalist Association of India", and the founding president was R. P. Paranjpye . The organisation published a journal "Reason". The organisation and journal ceased to exist after a few years. Later in 1949, the organisation was re-organised in Madras (present Chennai)in 1949 at Chennai (then Madras ). The founding president
5625-653: Was elected the new president. Upon her death in 1960, the headquarters of Indian Rationalist Association was once again moved to Madras, and was revived by Dr. G.N.Jyothi Sankar. He also established a Ramanathan memorial rationalist library in Chennai. This library was later moved to Hyderabad when M.V Ramamurthy was the General Secretary of the Association. Dr G.N Jyothi Sankar organised All-India Miracle Exposure campaigns four times with legendary Sri Lankan Rationalist Abraham Kovoor , starting in 1975. The Indian Rationalist Association has branches in different states of India, with
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