Skeptic

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A community for Scientific Skepticism:

Scientific skepticism or rational skepticism, sometimes referred to as skeptical inquiry, is a position in which one questions the veracity of claims lacking empirical evidence.

Do not confuse this with General Skepticism, Philosophical Skepticism, or Denialism.

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"A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence." -David Hume

founded 1 year ago
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In a May 2000 essay published on his website, Hancock writes: “I have consistently argued that the Americas were inhabited in prehistoric times by a variety of ethnic groups – Negroid, Caucasoid and Mongoloid … Such ideas have caused deep offense to some American Indians, who have long claimed to be the only ‘native’ Americans.”

He goes on to describe various prehistoric artifacts that he says prove the presence of Caucasians and Africans before Columbus landed on the continent in 1492. This includes his research into the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, who he says was described by the Aztecs as “tall, white-skinned and red bearded – sometimes blue eyed as well”.

I don't ever want to hear that Hancock isn't a racist again.

Edit: I see we have some Hancock fans lurking. Hello! Hope you enjoy the next season despite Hancock not being allowed to be a racist in the Grand Canyon.

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This is from 2021, but it was news to me and yeah, we all know that show is nuts, but to have it all laid out in one place is pretty amazing.

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Steven Pinker explains the cognitive biases we all suffer from and how they can short-circuit rational thinking and lead us into believing stupid things. Skip to 12:15 to bypass the preamble.

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Milo Rossi, aka Miniminuteman, a YouTuber with an archaeology degree did a multi-part deep dive into exactly all of the things Graham Hancock got wrong or just plain lied about and I highly recommend it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iCIZQX9i1A

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(USA)

Some lawmakers across the country are working to sidestep vaccine mandates, not just for COVID-19, but also for measles, polio and meningitis. Public health experts worry the renewed opposition to childhood immunizations will reverse state gains in vaccination rates. Meanwhile, cases of some diseases, including measles, have increased across the country.

We’re against the government telling us what to do with our own bodies. – Louisiana Republican state Rep. Kathy Edmonston

“Conservatives have really moved towards that medical freedom position of where people need to be really educated about whatever vaccine that they are taking,” said Tennessee state Sen. Bo Watson, who sponsored his state’s legislation.

Picture unrelated to article:

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Ariel School (threedollarkit.weebly.com)
submitted 3 months ago by ooli@lemmy.world to c/skeptic@lemmy.world
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Was Roger Penrose not completely insane when he proposed his Orch OR theory of the mind? Still doesn't explain the hard problem of consciousness, but a step closer?

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The new norms reframe the Catholic Church’s evaluation process by essentially taking off the table whether church authorities will declare a particular vision, stigmata or other seemingly divinely inspired event supernatural.

Instead, the new criteria envisages six main outcomes, with the most favorable being that the church issues a noncommittal doctrinal green light, a so-called “nihil obstat.” Such a declaration means there is nothing about the event that is contrary to the faith, and therefore Catholics can express devotion to it.

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The norms also allow that an event might at some point be declared “supernatural,” and that the pope can intervene in the process. But “as a rule,” the church is no longer in the business of authenticating inexplicable events or making definitive decisions about their supernatural origin.

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Excellent essay from Coyne and Maroja that picks apart six widespread examples of biology being corrupted by (often well-intentioned) ideology.

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This is a super long debunking video, over 90 minutes, but Miniminuteman is always fun.

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