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Scepticism

This is closely related to the atheism page. Believers in astrology and the paranormal also believe in extraordinary things without evidence. They use the same type of logical errors, unverifiable anecdotes, lack of predictive ability, and post hoc interpretations of unrepeatable events, as are often used in support of religious claims.

And it is not just that the tools of scepticism are the only way of finding out what is true. They are also good for society. Scepticism is opposed to all totalitarianism, and is a far better defence against such than religion, which has a long history of collaboration with totalitarianism and killing on its own behalf. To teach our children to question authority, to read forbidden books, to distrust political and religious movements and leaders, and to regard faith (belief without evidence) as an intellectual failing, is the best thing we can do to ensure the future of human civilization. The values of atheism and scepticism are the values of science, freedom and liberal democracy.

Alternative medicine

Astrology

Astrology is based on the concept of constellations, such as Aquarius, Capricorn, Taurus, etc. It's important to note that constellations don't exist. If you have to ask why, you have obviously never thought about it.

Astrology was disproved by the discovery of Uranus by William Herschel in England in 1781. If you have to ask why, you have obviously never thought about it.

Psychology, therapy, child abuse

Because we have no proper models of how the brain works yet, psychology lends itself (and will continue to lend itself for decades to come) to mythology and pseudoscience like Freudian theory and "ritual abuse".

Pseudo-scientific psychologists, backed by a callous state, have caused untold misery in the modern age.

Child abuse

Child abuse and rape are crimes that historically were ignored and covered up, so the modern confrontation is a welcome correction. But we may have over-compensated, to the extent that our response to them is sometimes based on hysteria rather than reason. As a result we are susceptible (and will remain susceptible) to periodic hysterical witchhunts like the above. Consider the following:

  1. It sometimes seems in a world confused about morals as if child sexual abuse is the one thing we can agree on as the ultimate evil. We sometimes seem to have lost sight of the fact that killing or permanently disabling someone is worse. For example, paedophiles get burnt out of their homes, and attacked and killed in prison, and so on, in a way that murderers don't. And yet surely the murderer has committed an even worse crime.

  2. All sexual crimes, by their nature, lend themselves easily to miscarriage of justice. If someone says they were sexually assaulted, how can you prove them wrong? Historical claims of child abuse and rape years after the fact will have no forensic support. They may of course be true, but clearly there is a higher risk of miscarriage of justice than in other crimes.

  3. As a result of our somewhat over-the-top reaction to child abuse, we cast suspicion on all interactions of men with children (even though hardly any men are paedophiles), and we are driving away men (other than their fathers) from childrens' lives (and this at a time when more and more children do not even have their father around). Due to paranoia about child abuse, there is a steady drop in male primary school teachers, boy scout leaders, etc. And all research shows that this is really bad for boys in particular. We complain that boys have no steady male role models in their life. And yet we look with suspicion on any adult male who interacts with them.

  4. Due to fear of paedophiles, we also prevent our children playing outdoors, walking to school, etc., in a way we never did before. Yes, there is a risk. But the risk is actually small. While the negative impact on children's health is definite and large.

Other topics

Conspiracy theories
 

9/11 Conspiracy Theories 'Ridiculous,' Al Qaeda Says - The Onion on 9/11 Truthers.
Al Qaeda spokesman: "I can assure you, we did not use thermite bombs. I did the research myself. It would not have worked. We flew an enormous airplane into a building, ok. I think it is obvious what caused the building to crumble."
9/11 truther: "Why are you being so closed minded to this, sir?"
Al Qaeda spokesman: "Bush's administration, they are a den of jackals. We certainly have common ground there. What does not follow is why would they kill 3,000 of their own infidels?"
The Al Qaeda guy starts producing papers about the operation. "The voucher for the flight lessons."
9/11 truther: "Oh come on, did President Bush give you these himself?"

Prophecies of Mother Shipton of Yorkshire:

"In Nineteen Hundred and Twenty-six
build houses light of straw and sticks.
For then shall mighty wars be planned
and fire and swords shall sweep the land."

"The World then to an end shall come
In Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-one."
(Actually this used to read "In Eighteen Hundred and Eighty-one." Her believers modified it after that year passed uneventfully.)
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