SGU Episode 158

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SGU Episode 158
July 30th 2008
(brief caption for the episode icon)
SGU 157                      SGU 159
Skeptical Rogues
S: Steven Novella
B: Bob Novella
R: Rebecca Watson
J: Jay Novella
E: Evan Bernstein
Quote of the Week
“To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions; both dispense with the necessity of reflection.”
Henri Poincaré
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Show Notes
Forum Discussion

Introduction

You're listening to the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, your escape to reality.

News Items ()

Edgar Mitchell on UFO's ()

• www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=87905&feedType=VideoRSS&feedName=TopNews&rpc=23&videoChannel=1&sp=true
  www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24070088-13762,00.html
  
  
  

UFO's and Terrorism ()

• www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/opinion/29pope.html?_r=1&oref=login
  
  
  

Gas from Garbage ()

• www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/business/24fuel.html?_r=2&ref=science&oref=slogin
  

Name That Logical Fallacy ()

• Logical Fallacies

I am an avid follower of 'House' and have heard him say 'The treatment will confirm the diagnosis.' This is apparently known as a diagnosis ex juvantibus. Is this an example of 'post hoc ergo propter hoc' reasoning? If a treatment is reasonably specific, the reasoning seems sound, yet it seems suspicious. Where am I going wrong?

Anders Starmark

Interview with Banachek ()

• http://www.banachek.org/nonflash/index.htm
  
  Banachek is a premiere mentalist and scourge of those who would use mentalism to fake 'psychic' powers. He discusses his experiences as a mentalist, as a subject of the Alpha Project where he fooled scientists into thinking he had real powers, and his history with Uri Geller.

Science or Fiction ()

Question #1: A new report warns travelers to the Beijing Olympics that the most common illnesses contracted by visitors are malaria and dengue fever. Question #2: New research shows that free radicals are used to signal satiety in the brain, suggesting that anti-oxidants may increase appetite. Question #3: NASA's Cassini probe has confirmed for the first time surface liquid on a body other than earth - an ethane lake on the surface of Titan.

Skeptical Quote of the Week ()

“To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions; both dispense with the necessity of reflection.” - Henri Poincaré

S: The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is produced by the New England Skeptical Society in association with the James Randi Educational Foundation and skepchick.org. For more information on this and other episodes, please visit our website at www.theskepticsguide.org. For questions, suggestions, and other feedback, please use the "Contact Us" form on the website, or send an email to info@theskepticsguide.org. If you enjoyed this episode, then please help us spread the word by voting for us on Digg, or leaving us a review on iTunes. You can find links to these sites and others through our homepage. 'Theorem' is produced by Kineto, and is used with permission.

References