 | |
| Founded | 1987 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit organization |
| Focus | Scientific skepticism |
| Location | |
Area served | Netherlands, Belgium |
Chairman | Frank Israel |
| Website | http://www.skepsis.nl/ |
Stichting Skepsis is a Dutch organisation dedicated to the promotion and practice of scientific skepticism. It is a member of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO). [1]
Since 1988 the organisation publishes a journal titled Skepter four times a year, currently edited by Hans van Maanen. [2] Skepsis also maintains the Skepsis Blog that critically examines news stories and dubious practices, and hosts an annual conference. In 2011 it participated in the 10:23 Campaign with skeptics around the world. [3] The website Klopt Dat Wel? ("Is That Right?") emerged from Stichting Skepsis, but operates formally independently from it. [4]
The organisation's annual conference, called the Skepsis Congres, was held in Amersfoort in 1987–2001, in Amsterdam in 2002 and has been held in Utrecht ever since 2003. Each conference has a special theme that most or all lectures are about.
Skepsis is an independent nonprofit organisation that consists of volunteers and expert authors, that earn a modest honorarium for writing in its semi-annual magazine Skepter . The expenses are covered by the contributions of subscribers to Skepter and of donators. [19] Its first chairman from 1987 to 1998 was astronomer Cornelis de Jager, [20] who was also the first chairman of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations from 1994 to 2001. [21]
Current composition: [22]
Current composition: [23]
The foundation has played a part in several high profile controversies.
Late 2005, Stichting Skepsis took on Robbert van den Broeke , a self-proclaimed psychic with numerous appearances on Dutch television. In an episode of his television show Er is zo veel meer (with Irene Moors) he did a reading for a woman. During the conversation he claimed knowledge of the woman's supposed past lives, telling her that she had been a certain "Hillegien Rozeboom" in an earlier life and that her husband was a "genverbrander".
Skepter editor Rob Nanninga looked up this information and found a genealogical website with the same information. However, the occupation "genverbrander" never existed. The word was mistyped and should have been "jeneverbrander". According to Skepsis, the fact that van den Broeke mispronounced the word exactly as it was mistyped on this website proved that he had simply looked up the information in advance. [24] [25] Two months later, in February 2006, it was reported that because of Stichting Skepsis' efforts no further episodes of the show would be produced and that no re-runs would be aired. [26]
In August 2001 the Dutch television personality Sylvia Millecam died as a result of breast cancer. After being diagnosed the actress sought second opinions and treatment from two alternative medicine providers and self-proclaimed healing medium Jomanda. These told Millecam that she did not have cancer but suffered from some bacterial infection instead. Millecam's condition steadily worsened until the cancer could no longer be treated.
The Dutch public prosecutor initially pressed charges but dropped them after concluding that Millecam had made her decision independently. At this point Stichting Skepsis and the Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij took legal steps forcing the prosecutor to continue his case. [27] [28] In 2009 the case concluded with a guilty verdict against the two alternative healers, but acquittal for Jomanda. [29] [30]
The Skeptic is a British non-profit skepticism magazine. It describes itself as "the UK’s longest running and foremost sceptical magazine, which examines science, skepticism, secularism, critical thinking and claims of the paranormal."
The Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij or VtdK is a Dutch organisation that investigates the claims of alternative medicine and opposes quackery.
Frank Pieter Israel is a Dutch astronomer. He received his Ph.D. in astronomy at the Leiden Observatory in 1976, where he now is emeritus Professor. Most of his work is dedicated to the Interstellar medium of external galaxies. The asteroid 7507 Israel is named for him.
Cornelis "Kees" de Jager was a Dutch astronomer who specialized in predicting solar variation to assess the Sun's impact on future climate. He was the General Secretary of the IAU from 1967 to 1973 and former director of the observatory at Utrecht. He was a fellow with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and played an important role in the European skeptical movement as the first chairman of both Stichting Skepsis and the European Council of Skeptical Organisations.
SKEPP is an independent Belgian skeptical organization. The organization’s name is a backronym for Studiekring voor de Kritische Evaluatie van Pseudowetenschap en het Paranormale.
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.
The European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO) is an umbrella of skeptical organisations in Europe.
Skepter is a popular science magazine of the Dutch skeptical foundation Stichting Skepsis. It describes paranormal or controversial theories and methods from a skeptical perspective.
Tim Trachet is a Belgian writer, publicist, journalist and skeptic. He studied mathematics, astronomy and philosophy at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and is a reporter at the VRT, where he produces history television documentaries.
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.
Jan Willem Nienhuys is a Dutch mathematician, book translator and skeptic. He taught mathematics at the Eindhoven University of Technology. He is also a board member and secretary of Stichting Skepsis and an editor of its magazine Skepter.
Catharina Jantina (Catherine) de Jong is a Dutch anesthesiologist, drug rehab physician, intensivist, since 2009 board member of the Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij (VtdK), between 2011–2015 as chair, and board member of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO).
Roelof Hendrik "Rob" Nanninga was a Dutch skeptic, writer, board member of Stichting Skepsis and editor of its magazine Skepter. He became known for his critical writings about sects, alternative healers and therapists, paranormal claims and pseudoscientific trainings and courses.
QED: Question, Explore, Discover is an annual skeptical conference held in Manchester, England. QED is organised by North West Skeptical Events Ltd (NWSE), a volunteer-owned non-profit organisation originating from a collaboration between the Merseyside Skeptics Society and the Greater Manchester Skeptics Society.
Pepijn van Erp is a Dutch mathematician and skeptical activist.
Gerrit Hiemstra is a Dutch meteorologist and weather presenter. Since 1998 he is one of the weather presenters for the Dutch public news broadcaster NOS Journaal.
