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Interview:
Barry Williams, Executive Officer, Australian Skeptics:
20th August 2003
We
interview the Editor of Australian Skeptic.
What
does Australian Skeptics represent?
I
suppose, if we represent anything, it's critical thinking
and rational analysis (of claims). Broadly, we don't
accept claims as fact unless there is some evidence
to support them. The more extraordinary the claim
the more evidence we need.
Why
and how did you become a skeptic?
A
long story, but I have been a fairly skeptical person
for as long as I can remember. I'll talk more about
this later if you like.
When
I first approached you about this interview, were
you skeptical?
No.
I get similar requests all the time. There are requests
that make me skeptical because some of them are couched
in pretty weird terms, but these are more likely to
be framed in terms of statements rather than questions.
What
are your beliefs based on?
I
(we) don't really have "beliefs" in this
context (of course, many of us have personal beliefs
about a whole range of matters - for instance, I believe
that cricket is the most sublime activity ever devised
by man :-) ).
We
tend to agree that science is the most useful system
yet devised for explaining the natural world. Skepticism
isn't a belief system, rather it's a method of assessing
things you hear to decide if they are likely to be
true or not. You could probably sum it up in a motto,
"Don't believe, think."
Are
you controversial?
Sometimes.
How
do you decide what is real and credible when you watch
the news or read a newspaper?
Depends
entirely on the story. Often you have to decide what
is news and what is the opinion of the journalist.
I have a rule of thumb "if it sounds like crap
it probably is", which is not infallible, but
works far more often than not.
How
does the Internet assist you?
A
wonderful tool that allows one to access all sorts
of information on every conceivable subject, most
of which is wrong.
How
do your belief contradict biblical writings?
My
beliefs (or lack thereof) neither contradict nor confirm
biblical writings. Scientific and historical evidence
contradicts plenty of them.
Does
being a true skeptic also mean you are an Atheist?
Not
necessarily, though personally I am both a skeptic
and an atheist. Other skeptics subscribe to a wide
variety of religious (and political) beliefs. There
is no "party line" skeptics are required
to follow.
Do
you believe in black magic?
No,
nor any other kind, apart from the skillful tricks
conducted by "magicians" or similar entertainers.
That sort of magic I greatly enjoy.
Will
there be an "end times" - is the end of
the world, and do you care to make a predication?
The
best available evidence suggests that the sun will
run out of fuel and expand to engulf the Earth in
around 5 billion years. Whether there will still be
humans around then is unknown, but I doubt it - there
are plenty of natural phenomena that can wipe us out
within that time-frame. Or we might simply evolve.
How
many frauds are perpetrated on the Australian public
by the media and government?
Probably
not too many outright deliberate frauds, but plenty
of spin and half-truths. That seems to be the nature
of the beast.
How
do you communicate with the other members in Australia,
and indeed, around the globe?
Most
communication methods (apart from smoke signals, carrier
pigeons and message sticks) and we publish a quarterly
journal, the Skeptic.
What
are the highlights of the year, from a Skeptics perspective?
The
awarding of the Australian Skeptics Eureka Prize for
Critical Thinking (which happened last week), our
annual convention (which happens next weekend) at
which we will announce the winner of our Bent Spoon
Award (for "the perpetrator of the most preposterous
piece of paranormal piffle"). Publication day
for The
Skeptic, but that's largely because I am the editor.
Any time a quack or charlatan is exposed (not often
enough).
How
have you and the Australian Skeptics made a positive
difference?
We
have helped take a few quacks etc out of circulation
and we have raised the public awareness of some of
the tricks they get up to. To some degree we have
forced makers of dubious claims to be a bit more circumspect
about what they claim. But it is a constant struggle.
...end.
Editors
note: An interesting, witty interview. Stay tuned.
We have only just began to explore the world of the
skeptic!
Links:
Australian
Skeptics official website
The
Skeptic (Online journal)
Media
Man Australia, Greg Tingle, interviews Bob Carrol,
founder of Skepdic.com
Brian
Wilshire: The Wilshire Zone
Greg
Tingle speaks to Brian Wilshire - 25th February 2003
E-skeptic
Australian
Skeptics official website
Profiles
The
Skeptics Resource
The
End Times - The End of the World
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