Categories
Complementary and alternative medicine Intelligent design/creationism Medicine Paranormal Pareidolia Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

The 43rd Meeting of the Skeptics’ Circle: Sad puppy edition

I never knew that puppies liked logic and critical thinking. I always thought that they liked running, playing, eating, sleeping, and being petted. But, according to Janet Stemwedel, there is at least one puppy who is a budding skeptic, and bad reasoning and gullibility make him sad. She explains in the introduction to the 43rd Meeting of the Skeptics’ Circle:

Welcome to the meeting of the 43rd Skeptics’ Circle! Good logic and critical thinking never hurt anyone, but bad logic, gullibility, and uncritical acceptance of questionable claims causes distress to small, furry animals. I’m not kidding! As proof, please consider the above picture (provided to me by Fern).

Can you bear to live in a world where this cute puppy is sad? Wouldn’t you rather make the puppy happy? Me, too.

So go over to to Adventures in Ethics and Science to check out the 43rd Meeting of the Skeptics’ Circle and make the puppy happy by enjoying the large number of posts applying logic, skepticism, and critical thinking to dubious claims, whether they be from medicine, evolution, the paranormal, or whatever.

Next up is Swedish skeptical blogger Martin Rundkvist of Salto Sobrius, who will take the reins to host the 44th Meeting of the Skeptics’ Circle on Thursday, September 28. So start thinking of more pseudoscience and paranormal claims that need the light of reason shined upon them and get your entries to Martin.

And, of course, if you think you have what it takes to keep the puppy happy by hosting the Skeptics’ Circle, drop me a line at [email protected].

By Orac

Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.

That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)

DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.

To contact Orac: [email protected]

Comments are closed.

Discover more from RESPECTFUL INSOLENCE

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading