New England Skeptical Society

Last updated
New England Skeptical Society
Formation1996;28 years ago (1996)
Location
President
 Steven Novella
Website www.theness.com

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.

Contents

Origins

The New England Skeptical Society attending a conference at CSICOP in 1997 (left to right) Evan Bernstein, Perry DeAngelis, Bob Novella, Steven Novella, unknown, Paul Kurtz, Barry Karr, Joe Nickell The New England Skeptical Society.jpg
The New England Skeptical Society attending a conference at CSICOP in 1997 (left to right) Evan Bernstein, Perry DeAngelis, Bob Novella, Steven Novella, unknown, Paul Kurtz, Barry Karr, Joe Nickell

In 1995, Perry DeAngelis and Steven Novella, both readers of Skeptical Inquirer, sought to form a local skeptics group in Connecticut after noticing a lack of listings in that magazine for their area. [1] In 1996, DeAngelis, and brothers Steven Novella and Bob Novella, founded the Connecticut Skeptical Society, a precursor to the New England Skeptical Society. [2] [3] In October 1996, Novella appeared on the Ricki Lake talk show. The topic was vampires, and one guest claimed to be a psychic vampire that could drain people's minds. From the audience, DeAngelis stood to confront the guest and said "Drain me". In response, the psychic claimed that their ability did not work in public. [3]

The group later joined with the Skeptical Inquirers of New England (SINE) [4] and the New Hampshire Skeptical Resource.[ citation needed ] In October 1997, the group registered as the New England Skeptical Society INC for tax exempt status. [5]

The New England Skeptical Society (NESS) has hosted local lectures on skeptical topics and conducted investigations into local paranormal claims [6] such as Satanism, homeopathy, dowsing, cults and UFOs.[ citation needed ]

Investigations

The New England Skeptical Society attending a conference at CSICOP in 1997 - (bottom to top) unknown, unknown, John Kane, Evan Bernstein, Perry DeAngelis, Bob Novella, Steven Novella, unknown The New England Skeptical Society 2.jpg
The New England Skeptical Society attending a conference at CSICOP in 1997 - (bottom to top) unknown, unknown, John Kane, Evan Bernstein, Perry DeAngelis, Bob Novella, Steven Novella, unknown

One of the NESS team's more extensive investigations was of Ed and Lorraine Warren who also live in Connecticut. Novella and DeAngelis asked and were promised that they would be allowed to follow along on one of the Warren's investigations, but were repeatedly turned down with different excuses. [7] NESS believes that the Warren's were more interested in protecting their reputation and not scientific advancement. When confronted about their lack of scientific rigor, Ed Warren stated '“you can’t have scientific evidence for a spiritual phenomenon.”' [2] [8] At the conclusion of the NESS investigation of the Warrens, Steven Novella writes, "What they are really hunting for are anomalies – anything even slightly strange. In the ghost-hunting world, anomaly = ghost. Scientific investigation does not enter into the equation." [9]

One of DeAngelis' and Steven Novella's investigations was used in a newspaper analysis of how much truth lay beneath the events portrayed in the movie The Conjuring: "They (The Warrens) claim to have scientific evidence which does indeed prove the existence of ghosts, which sounds like a testable claim into which we can sink our investigative teeth. What we found was a very nice couple, some genuinely sincere people, but absolutely no compelling evidence...." [10]

One ghost hunting group claimed that during a ghost investigation one of the team vanished. NESS was able to borrow the VHS tape for examination. They gave the tape to a technician, who ran the tape on a special machine that allows viewing beyond what is normally seen on a TV monitor screen and showed that someone had been standing next to the camera when the crew member disappeared. The crew member was interviewed and said he did not disappear. All the evidence shows that the camera was turned on and off and no one disappeared. [7]

NESS is critical of ghost hunting groups that claim to be doing scientific work; Novella has said they should "stop saying [they're] doing science, [and] making a mockery of the scientific method." [7]

The NESS is affiliated with the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) and had acted as a tester for the Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge prior to its dissolution in 2015. According to Steven Novella, "paranormal claims... represent an opportunity for the skeptical community to teach the public about the proper methods of science, the pitfalls of illogic and self-deception, and the reality of fraud for self-promotion." [11]

On Halloween 1996, NESS was called in to work with a paranormal team to decide if a home was indeed haunted, NESS member Robert Novella created a team of skeptics to investigate. A local radio station was offering a $5,000 prize for evidence of a genuinely haunted house. The New England Society of Psychical Research (NESPR) a group closely affiliated with the Warrens, were also on hand. The home owner "Mary" claimed to have been visited by various ghosts her whole life. Photographs were taken, which were later revealed to be black photos taken in a dark room. [12]

DeAngelis had been told since he was a boy that Newtown, Connecticut was a hotbed for Satanists. After hearing rumors of fresh cases of Satanism in Newtown, DeAngelis spent several days researching on the Internet, and came up with nothing. He researched online and traveled to Newtown to search through the archives of the town newspaper The Newtown Bee, and found nothing concerning Satanism. DeAngelis interviewed the Police Communications Officer who said that there was to his knowledge no Satanic activity happening in Newtown. [13]

Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism

NECSS logo. NECSS Logo-white.png
NECSS logo.

According to Steven Novella and Evan Bernstein, the NESS was asked to speak for the New York Skeptics, September 12, 2009. That lecture was a tribute to Perry DeAngelis, and as it was near the anniversary of both his birth and death in August, they continued the tradition of celebrating him at each conference. Even after the Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism (NECSS) organizers decided to move the conference to April, the SGU continues to celebrate the life of DeAngelis each year during their panel. [2] [14]

Blogs

Novella states that he started Neurologica and Science-Based Medicine blogs just after the Podcast started to take off after the first year. His reasoning was that he really enjoyed podcasting, but "there were certain advantages to the written form." He feels that "both podcasting and blogging are both powerful ways to communicating science and skepticism." Oftentimes he will first write the blog, and then will talk about it on the podcast after getting feedback from the blog readers. Blogging is also a way of "crowd-sourcing" as readers may point him to studies and other articles that he wasn't aware of before. [15]

NeuroLogica Blog "is a daily blog authored by NESS president, Steven Novella, covering science, skepticism, neuroscience, and critical thinking." [16]

NESS owns and operates Science-Based Medicine (SBM), a blog dedicated to issues of medicine and science. SBM features health care experts in a variety of fields. Starting in 2015, SBM became a sponsor of NECSS. Editors have included Steven Novella, David Gorski, Kimball Atwood, Mark Crislip, Harriet Hall and Paul Ingraham. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Committee for Skeptical Inquiry</span> Organization examining 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 U.S. 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.

Paranormal events are purported phenomena described in popular culture, folk, and other non-scientific bodies of knowledge, whose existence within these contexts is described as being beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding. Notable paranormal beliefs include those that pertain to extrasensory perception, spiritualism and the pseudosciences of ghost hunting, cryptozoology, and ufology.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientific skepticism</span> Questioning of claims lacking empirical evidence

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 refers to 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed and Lorraine Warren</span> American paranormal investigators

Edward Warren Miney and Lorraine Rita Warren were American paranormal investigators and authors associated with prominent cases of alleged hauntings. Edward was a self-taught and self-professed demonologist, author, and lecturer. Lorraine professed to be clairvoyant and a light trance medium who worked closely with her husband.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Nickell</span> Skeptic and paranormal investigator (born 1944)

Joe Nickell is an American skeptic and investigator of the paranormal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghost hunting</span> Investigating reportedly haunted locations for ghosts

Ghost hunting is the process of investigating locations that are purportedly haunted by ghosts. Typically, a ghost-hunting team will attempt to collect evidence supporting the existence of paranormal activity. Ghost hunters also refer to themselves as paranormal investigators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benjamin Radford</span> American writer, investigator, and skeptic (born 1970)

Benjamin Radford is an American writer, investigator, and skeptic. He has authored, coauthored or contributed to over twenty books and written over a thousand articles and columns on a wide variety of topics including urban legends, unexplained mysteries, the paranormal, critical thinking, mass hysteria, and media literacy. His book, Mysterious New Mexico: Miracles, Magic, and Monsters in the Land of Enchantment, was published in the summer of 2014 and is a scientific investigation of famous legends and folklore in the state of New Mexico. In 2016 Radford published Bad Clowns, a 2017 IPPY bronze award winner, and he is regarded as an expert on the bad clowns phenomenon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Novella</span> American neurologist, skeptic (b. 1964)

Steven Paul Novella is an American clinical neurologist and associate professor at Yale University School of Medicine. Novella is best known for his involvement in the skeptical movement as a host of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast and as the president of the New England Skeptical Society. He is a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI).

<i>The Skeptics Guide to the Universe</i> American science and skepticism podcast

The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe (SGU) is an American weekly skeptical podcast hosted by Steven Novella, MD, along with a panel of contributors. The official podcast of the New England Skeptical Society, it was named to evoke The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The show features discussions of recent scientific developments in layman's terms, and interviews authors, people in the area of science, and other famous skeptics. The SGU podcast includes discussions of myths, conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, the paranormal, and other forms of superstition, from the point of view of scientific skepticism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Saunders (skeptic)</span> Australian-born sceptic and podcaster

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zak Bagans</span> American actor

Zachary Alexander Bagans is an American paranormal investigator, actor, television personality, museum operator, and author. He is the principal host of the Travel Channel series Ghost Adventures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merseyside Skeptics Society</span> Organisation promoting scientific scepticism

The Merseyside Skeptics Society (MSS) is a nonprofit organisation that promotes scientific scepticism in Merseyside and the United Kingdom. Founded in 2009, the society has campaigned against the use of homeopathy, challenged the claims of psychics, and hosts regular events in Liverpool, podcasts, and an annual conference in Manchester, QED: Question. Explore. Discover.

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

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<i>Science-Based Medicine</i> Website covering issues in science and medicine, focusing on quackery

Science-Based Medicine is a website and blog with articles covering issues in science and medicine, especially medical scams and practices. Founded in 2008, it is owned and operated by the New England Skeptical Society, and run by Steven Novella and David Gorski.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Karr</span> American magazine editor

Barry Karr is an American skeptic and paranormal researcher, currently the executive director of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He has been consulted by the media on the paranormal. Karr has been involved in many investigations including faith healing, UFOs, firewalking, ghosts and others. He is a published author in two anthology publications, and as an editor of two others. Karr is a proponent of scientific skepticism and a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perry DeAngelis</span> American podcaster (1963–2007)

Perry J. DeAngelis was an American podcaster. He is best known for co-hosting the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast, which he helped found. DeAngelis is known for his and Steve Novella's investigation into Ed and Lorraine Warren's ghost hunting claims. He was also co-founder and executive director of the New England Skeptical Society, and was very active in the skeptical movement and paranormal investigations until his death from scleroderma in 2007. He posthumously contributed to a book, The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, released in 2018.

The Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism is a four-day conference focusing on science and skepticism founded in 2009 and held annually in New York City. NECSS is jointly run by the New York City Skeptics (NYCS) and the New England Skeptical Society (NESS). The Society for Science-Based Medicine joined as a full sponsor of the conference in 2015. As of 2016, attendance was estimated at approximately 500 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Biddle</span> Investigator of paranormal claims

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References

  1. ↑ Bernstein, Evan. "Remembering Perry DeAngelis Today". The Rogues Gallery. The Rogues Gallery. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Steve Novella on Perry DeAngelis". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Pollak, Michael (August 24, 1997). "Taking the Wind from Silly Sails". New York Times. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "Resources". Committee for Skeptical Inquirer. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  5. ↑ "New England Skeptical Society Inc - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. 2013-05-09. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  6. ↑ "Hunting the Ghost Hunters". The Ness. 1999-02-22. Retrieved 2014-03-19.
  7. 1 2 3 "THE WARREN OMISSION". Monster Talk . Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  8. ↑ DeAngelis, Perry (22 July 2009). "Hunting the Ghost Hunters". The NESS. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  9. ↑ Novella, Steven (22 June 2009). "Hunting the Ghost Hunters". Neuroligica. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  10. ↑ Byrnes, Paul (July 12, 2013). "The devil among us". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Publishing. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  11. ↑ Novella, Steven (6 August 2009). "NESS Participates in Randi Psychic Challenge". NESS. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  12. ↑ Novella, Robert (18 July 2009). "Ghostbusting in Hamden". New England Skeptical Society. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  13. ↑ DeAngelis, Perry (17 July 2009). "Satansim in Newtown". NESS. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  14. ↑ "SGU Evan Bernstein on Perry DeAngelis". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  15. ↑ Brown, Christopher. "MTS: Meet Steven Novella". Meets The Skeptics!. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  16. ↑ "About". NESS. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  17. ↑ "About". Science-Based Medicine . Retrieved February 22, 2015.
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