List of skeptical organizations

Last updated

This is a list of notable organizations that promote or practice scientific skepticism .

Contents

Name (English / local (abbreviation))FoundedRegion servedNotes
Association against Quackery / Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij (VtdK)1881Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Oldest skeptical organisation. [1] Member of ECSO.[ citation needed ]
Association for Skeptical Enquiry (ASKE)1997Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Member of ECSO. [2]
Australian Skeptics 1980Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Center for Inquiry (CFI)1991 Apollo17earth white.jpg World Global umbrella organisation based in Amherst, New York.
Committee for the Advancement of Scientific Skepticism (CASS)2010Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Part of Centre for Inquiry Canada.
Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), formerly Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP)1976Flag of the United States.svg  United States Part of the Center for Inquiry.
Committee Para / Comité Para [3] 1949Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Member of ECSO. [2] Serves Wallonia and Brussels.
Czech Skeptics Club Sisyfos / Český klub skeptiků Sisyfos (Sisyfos)1995Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic Member of ECSO. [2]
Dakshina Kannada Rationalist Association / தட்சிண கன்னட பகுத்தறிவாளர் ஒன்றியம் (DKRA)1976Flag of India.svg  India Member of FIRA.
The Free Thought / De Vrije Gedachte (DVG)1856Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Focuses on atheism/secular humanism. [4]
Edinburgh Skeptics Society (EdSkeptics)2009Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO)1994Flag of Europe.svg  Europe A European umbrella organization, based in Roßdorf, Germany.
Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations / இந்திய பகுத்தறிவாளர் ஒன்றியங்களின் பேரவை (FIRA)1997Flag of India.svg  India Indian umbrella organisation.
Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF)1978Flag of the United States.svg  United States Focuses on state/church separation, nontheism, and atheism.
French Association for Scientific Information / Association française pour l’information scientifique (AFIS)1968 [5] Flag of France.svg  France Member of ECSO. [2]
German Society for Fighting Quackery / Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Bekämpfung des Kurpfuschertums (DGBK)1903Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Dissolved in 1934.
Glasgow Skeptics 2009Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Good Thinking Society 2012Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Het Denkgelag 2012Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
Hungarian Skeptic Society / Szkeptikus Társaság (HSS)2006Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary Member of ECSO. [2]
Independent Investigations Group (IIG)2000Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Indian CSICOP 19??Flag of India.svg  India Affiliated with CSI, member of FIRA.
Indian Rationalist Association (IRA)1949Flag of India.svg  India Member of Rationalist International.
Irish Skeptics Society 2002Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland Member of ECSO. [2]
Italian Committee for the Investigation of Claims of the Pseudosciences / Comitato Italiano per il Controllo delle Affermazioni sulle Pseudoscienze (CICAP)1989Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Member of ECSO. [2]
James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF)1996Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Launceston Skeptics 2010Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Maharashtra Committee for Eradication of Blind Faith / Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS)1989Flag of India.svg  India Member of FIRA.
Merseyside Skeptics Society (MSS)2009Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
MTÜ Eesti Skeptik (skeptik.ee)2007Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
New England Skeptical Society (NESS)1996Flag of the United States.svg  United States Fusion of three earlier organisations.
New Mexicans for Science and Reason (NMSR)1990Flag of the United States.svg  United States
New Zealand Skeptics [6] (NZ Skeptics)1986Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Office for Science and Society (OSS)1999Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada McGill University, Montreal.
Philippine Atheists and Agnostics Society (PATAS)2011Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines
Polish Skeptics Club / Klub Sceptyków Polskich (KSP) [7] [8] 2010Flag of Poland.svg  Poland
Portuguese Skeptical Community / Comunidade Céptica Portuguesa (COMCEPT)2012Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal
Rational Alternative to Pseudoscience – Society for the Advancement of Critical Thinking /
Alternativa Racional a las Pseudociencias – Sociedad para el Avance del Pensamiento Crítico (ARP-SAPC)		1986Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Member of ECSO. [2]
Rationalist Union / Union Rationaliste1930Flag of France.svg  France
Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (RDFRS)2006Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  UK & Flag of the United States.svg  US The American and British branches are independent.
Science and Popular Enlightenment / Föreningen Vetenskap och Folkbildning (VoF)1982Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Member of ECSO. [2]
Science and Rationalists' Association of India / Bharatiya Bigyan O Yuktibadi Samiti1985Flag of India.svg  India Based in Kolkata, West Bengal.
SKEPP [9] 1990Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Member of ECSO. [2] Serves Flanders and Brussels.
Skepsis ry 1987Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Member of ECSO. [2]
Skepsis Foundation / Stichting Skepsis (Skepsis)1987Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Member of ECSO. [2]
Skeptical Circle / Círculo Escéptico (CE)2006Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Member of ECSO. [2]
Skeptic Society / Общество скептиков [10] 2013 [11] Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
Skeptics in the Pub Online 2020Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom / World
Society for the Scientific Investigation of Parasciences / Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften (GWUP)1987 German-Language-Flag.svg D-A-CH Based in Roßdorf, Germany. Member of ECSO. [2]
The Skeptics Society 1992Flag of the United States.svg  United States Globally active, but mainly serves California.
Young Australian Skeptics (YAS)2008Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Young Skeptics 2015Flag of the United States.svg  US American after school program.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Committee for Skeptical Inquiry</span> Organization focusing on paranormal claims

The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), formerly known as the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), is a program within the US non-profit organization Center for Inquiry (CFI), which seeks to "promote scientific inquiry, critical investigation, and the use of reason in examining controversial and extraordinary claims." Paul Kurtz proposed the establishment of CSICOP in 1976 as an independent non-profit organization, to counter what he regarded as an uncritical acceptance of, and support for, paranormal claims by both the media and society in general. Its philosophical position is one of scientific skepticism. CSI's fellows have included notable scientists, Nobel laureates, philosophers, psychologists, educators and authors. It is headquartered in Amherst, New York.

Skeptical Inquirer is a bimonthly American general-audience magazine published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) with the subtitle: The Magazine for Science and Reason.

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. In practice, the term most commonly references the examination of claims and theories that appear to be beyond mainstream science, rather than the routine discussions and challenges among scientists. Scientific skepticism differs from philosophical skepticism, which questions humans' ability to claim any knowledge about 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 the truth of one's beliefs.

The Skeptics Society is a nonprofit, member-supported organization devoted to promoting scientific skepticism and resisting the spread of pseudoscience, superstition, and irrational beliefs. The Skeptics Society was co-founded by Michael Shermer and Pat Linse as a Los Angeles-area skeptical group to replace the defunct Southern California Skeptics. After the success of its magazine, Skeptic, introduced in early 1992, it became a national and then international organization. The stated mission of Skeptics Society and Skeptic magazine "is the investigation of science and pseudoscience controversies, and the promotion of critical thinking."

The New England Skeptical Society (NESS) is an American organization dedicated to promoting science and reason. It was founded in January 1996 as the Connecticut Skeptical Society, by Steven Novella, Perry DeAngelis and Bob Novella. The group later joined with the Skeptical Inquirers of New England (SINE) and the New Hampshire Skeptical Resource to form the New England Skeptical Society. The society publishes The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, a science and skepticism podcast.

CICAP is an Italian, non-profit, skeptic educational organization, founded in 1989. CICAP's main goal is to promote a scientific and critical investigation of pseudosciences, the paranormal, so-called mysteries and the unusual, with the aim of encouraging a more scientific attitude and critical thinking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish Skeptics Society</span> Organization

The Irish Skeptics Society (ISS) is a scientific skeptical organisation based in Ireland. It was launched in December 2002 and publishes a newsletter called Skeptical Times. The ISS is a member of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO).

Skepsis ry or the Finnish Association of Skeptics is a Finnish scientific skepticism organization founded in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hungarian Skeptic Society</span> Organization

The Hungarian Skeptic Society (HSS) is a skeptic organisation based in Hungary. Founded in 2006, it has been a member of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO) since 2007. Its former president, Gábor Hraskó was also chairman of ECSO from 2013 to 2017. The current president, András Gábor Pintér who has been a board member of ECSO since 2017, is also the initiator, producer & co-host of the European Skeptics Podcast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharon A. Hill</span> American geologist and science blogger

Sharon A. Hill is an American science writer and speaker known for her research into the interaction between science and the public, focusing on education and media topics. Hill's research has dealt mainly with paranormal, pseudoscience, and strange natural phenomena and began at the University at Buffalo, where she performed her graduate work in this area. Hill attended Pennsylvania State University, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in geosciences and working as a Pennsylvania geologist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comité Para</span> Belgian skeptic organization

The Comité Para, in full Comité belge pour l'Analyse Critique des parasciences, is a Francophone Belgian skeptical non-profit organisation. Founded in 1949, the Comité Para regards itself as the originator of the modern skeptical movement. The group's motto is Ne rien nier a priori, ne rien affirmer sans preuve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Council of Skeptical Organisations</span> Umbrella of skeptical organizations in Europe

The European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO) is an umbrella of skeptical organisations in Europe.

Scientific skepticism is the practice of questioning whether claims are supported by empirical research and have reproducibility, as part of a methodological norm pursuing "the extension of certified knowledge". Scientific skepticism, or skepticism for short, manifests itself since the 20th century as a societal phenomenon involving several individuals and more or less organised groups through several different media, commonly referred to as "the skeptical movement". This is a compilation of the various lists about skepticism with articles in Wikipedia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Association for Skeptical Enquiry</span> Organization

The Association for Skeptical Enquiry (ASKE) is a skeptical organisation in the United Kingdom.

European Skeptics Congresses (ESCs) – a series of congresses now supported by the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO), in which skeptical organisations from many different European countries participate. They have been held ever since 1989. The conferences are often held in the month of September, and may last from two up to four days. The ECSO was formed at the 6th ESC on 25 September 1994 in Ostend, Belgium. Since its foundation, the ECSO co-ordinates in the organisation of new ESCs that take place every other year, and is hosted by a different member organisation each time. Skeptical organisations that are non-ECSO members may also send their delegations. Past ESCs are enumerated below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Klub Sceptyków Polskich</span> Critical thinking organization

Klub Sceptyków Polskich or KSP is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation actively engaged in the promotion of critical thinking, scientific skepticism and scientific methods. It unites scientists and people interested in science and scientific research in Poland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Círculo Escéptico</span> Spanish rationalist nonprofit organisation

The Círculo Escéptico is a Spanish rationalist nonprofit organisation, which seeks to scientifically question paranormal claims, pseudoscience and superstition, favouring critical thinking and scientific skepticism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Český klub skeptiků Sisyfos</span> Czech skeptical nonprofit organisation

Český klub skeptiků Sisyfos is a Czech skeptical nonprofit organisation founded in 1994 and headquartered in Prague. Its primary goal and mission is to spread and defend the findings and results of contemporary science, to promote rational, critical thinking, to acquaint the public with the principles of scientific method, to speak out against the spread of paranormal ideas and unproven procedures, to ensure that universities, scientific societies and institutions are actively responsible for defending science and critical thinking, to investigate controversies and false claims, to provide assistance to citizens in protecting against fraudulent products and ineffective or dangerous alternative medicine products and healing methods. In line with mission and goals, the club refuses to interfere with religious, moral and political issues.

References

  1. ↑ Andy Lewis (3 August 2009). "Dutch Sceptics Have 'Bogus' Libel Decision Overturned On Human Rights Grounds". The Quackometer. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Skeptics Organisations: ECSO Members". ECSO website. European Council of Skeptical Organisations. 16 March 2008. Archived from the original on 27 September 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  3. ↑ Its full name, Comité Belge pour l'Investigation Scientifique des Phénomènes Réputés Paranormaux ("Belgian Committee for Scientific Investigation of Purported Paranormal Phenomena"), is rarely used, except to indicate it inspired the name of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) three decades later.
  4. ↑ "Debunking pseudoscience and other delusions" only became part of the DVG mission statement in 1978.
  5. ↑ Jean-Pierre Thomas. "Notre histoire". Website AFIS (in French). AFIS. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  6. ↑ The full name is "New Zealand Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal", but this name is rarely used in practice.
  7. ↑ Tomasz Witkowski & Maciej Zatonski (18 November 2011). "The Inception of the Polish Sceptics Club". CSI website. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  8. ↑ KSP website
  9. ↑ The letters 'SKEPP' stand for Studiekring voor de Kritische Evaluatie van Pseudowetenschap en het Paranormale ("Study Circle for the Critical Evaluation of Pseudoscience and the Paranormal"), but in practice only the abbreviation is used.
  10. ↑ Saunders, Richard (23 March 2014). "The Skeptic Zone" (podcast). The Skeptic Zone . Episode 283. Australian Skeptics . Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  11. ↑ Алфёров, Кирилл (April 2014). "Выпуск 041". "Скептик" podcast. Общество скептиков. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
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