Yahoo
Skeptics -- as is often the case with Yahoo, it is a good place to
start but certainly isn't the final word in resources (not to mention
that it often contains non-sequitur categorization)...they put skeptics in
with all sorts of "alternative" philosophies, which seems weird to me.
Amazing Randi -- the one and only!
Former stage magician and child prodigy who, knowing the tricks of the
trade, has dedicated his life to debunking charlatans and perpetuators of
pseudoscience.
Committee for the Scientific
Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal -- a fine
organization with quite an impressive group of members
including Leon Lederman, Martin Gardner, and the late Carl
Sagan. Publishers of the Skeptical Inquirer; some issues are available
online.
Skeptics Society -- an
organization that holds a lecture series at Caltech and publishes Skeptic
magazine "for the purpose of promoting science
and critical thinking, and disseminating information on pseudoscience,
pseudohistory, the paranormal, magic, superstition, fringe
claims and groups, revolutionary science, proto-science, and the history
of science and pseudoscience, in articles, essays, reviews,
and letters." Some issues are available online.
Teaching About Religion
(also try .com rather than .org; also see Different
Drummers:
Nonconforming Thinkers in History-- Drs. Mynga Futrell and
Paul Geisert have developed a wonderful supplementary history curriculum.
Their goal is to introduce junior high school students to the impact of
freethinkers on history and what a difference non-conformity and
independence of thought has made in the world. The program is the
perfect mix of fact-finding and self discovory without being preachy
or intrusive. It artfully and evenhandedly presents the views of
skeptics and
freethinkers without a hard-sell. This fully developed
program has been approved for use in California schools -- indeed, this
is a great
contribution to the freethought movement! Check it out and order your own
copy of some of their inspiring material! The authors also give a great
team presentation.
Alan
Sokal -- The Social Text Affair fully documented by the man himself.
Ever find yourself going mad trying to understand the academic left (a
complex network of over-educated academic *intellectuals* who, grossly
speaking, snub their noses at the notion of reality beyond a social
construct)? Physicist Alan Sokal decided to do something about it. You
can't argue with these people because logic and debate tend to loose some
impact when any form of reasoning is regarded as a social construct,
containing no intrinsic truth. Sokal, in a brilliant parody (Spinal Tap
would be proud) mimicking their pseudo-intellectual literary style (say a
bunch of stuff that sounds neat), managed to make up a bunch of jibberish
and publish it in one of their acclaimed journals (Social Text). No
one seemed to question the absurd claims and non-sequitur babble (you
should see this stuff). Many of the details and drama of the
parody/experiment are outlined at this wonderful site.
National Center for Science
Education
*Alternative* Resources -- I've compiled a
meager list of links to sites representing various ideologies from the
Moonies to the Church of Satan. Mostly fringe stuff, but some classic
entrenched views too...