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102-676: Author and professor Barry Kosmin is the founding director of the ISSSC. In 2011, Kosmin accepted a seat on the Board of Directors of Center for Inquiry (CFI) where his responsibilities include the Council for Secular Humanism and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry , as well as serving on the CFI affiliate committee. He is the joint editor of the new academic journal Secularism & Nonreligion and

204-427: A "debunker", preferring to call himself a "skeptic" or an "investigator": (...) if you go into a situation calling yourself a debunker then it is as if you have prejudged the topic. It's not neutral or scientific, and it can turn people against you. Skeptics and magicians Penn & Teller credit Randi and his career as a skeptic for their own careers. During an interview at TAM! 2012 , Penn stated that Flim-Flam!

306-448: A "very substantial influence on the printed media ... in those days." During this effort, Randi made contact with Johnny Carson and discovered that he was "very much on our side. He wasn't only a comedian ... he was a great thinker." According to Randi, when he was on The Tonight Show , Carson broke his usual protocol of not talking with guests before their entrance on stage, but instead would ask what Randi wanted to be emphasized in

408-400: A $ 272,000 MacArthur Foundation grant awarded to Randi in 1986 for his work. Randi also dismissed Geller's claims that he was capable of the kind of psychic photography associated with the case of Ted Serios . It is a matter, Randi argued, of trick photography using a simple hand-held optical device. During the period of Geller's legal dispute, CSICOP's leadership, wanting to avoid becoming

510-603: A 'telepathic wonder dog'. The center promotes critical inquiry into the foundations and social effects of the world religions. Since 1983, initially through its connection with Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion , it has focused on such issues as fundamentalism in Christianity and Islam, humanistic alternatives to religious ethics, and religious sources of political violence. It has taken part in protests against religious persecution around

612-771: A 14-year-old severely disabled child at Presbyterian Hemby Children's Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina . The "angel" was sunlight from a hidden window, and the girl remained handicapped. In July 2018, CFI filed suit against CVS in the District of Columbia for consumer fraud over its sale and marketing of ineffective homeopathic medicine. The lawsuit in part accused the CVS of deceiving consumers through its misrepresentation of homeopathy's safety and effectiveness, wasting customers' money and putting their health at risk. Nicholas Little, CFI's Vice President and General Counsel said, "CVS

714-425: A 2019 Skeptical Inquirer magazine article, Harriet Hall , a friend of Randi, compares him to the fictional Albus Dumbledore . Hall describes their long white beards, flamboyant clothing, associated with a bird (Dumbledore with a phoenix and Randi with Pegasus). They both are caring and have "immense brainpower" and both "can perform impressive feats of magic". She states that Randi is one of "major inspirations for

816-599: A Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. Previously named the National Survey of Religious Identification in 1990, it was renamed the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) in 2001. The survey was originally created as a social experiment to record the response to the "What is your religion?" question. They found it was necessary to ask a series of questions such as "Do you want to have a religious funeral?" in order to get

918-549: A better grasp of the answer to the main question. The 2001 survey intended to replicate the 1990 survey. Data was collected from over 50,000 households over a 4-month period. In 2008 the ARIS again randomly called over 50,000 households and questioned adults about their religious affiliations, if any. ARIS is the survey used by the U.S. Census in the Statistical Abstract of the U.S. to show the religious distribution of

1020-442: A bicycle accident. He confounded doctors, who expected he would never walk again. He often skipped classes, and at 17, dropped out of high school to perform as a conjurer in a carnival roadshow. He practiced as a mentalist in local nightclubs and at Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition and wrote for Montreal 's tabloid press. As a teenager, he stumbled upon a church where the pastor claimed to read minds. When Randi interrupted

1122-578: A cash prize of US$ 500,000 for successful demonstration of supernatural effects. This prize had been previously raised to US$ 250,000 when the IIG re-branded as the Center for Inquiry Investigations Group (CFIIG) in 2020 before it was raised again to the current amount. The IIG Awards (known as "Iggies") are presented for "scientific and critical thinking in mainstream entertainment". IIG has investigated, amongst other things, power bracelets , psychic detectives and

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1224-565: A child to learn about the speed of light and how that felt like he was looking into the past. Randi stated "More kids need to be stunned". At The Amaz!ng Meeting in 2011 (TAM 9) the Independent Investigations Group (IIG) organized a tribute to Randi. The group gathered together with other attendees, put on fake white beards, and posed for a large group photo with Randi. At the CSICon in 2017, in absence of Randi,

1326-448: A column. In his 30s, Randi worked in the UK, Europe, Philippine nightclubs, and Japan. He witnessed many tricks that were presented as being supernatural. One of his earliest reported experiences was that of seeing an evangelist using a version of the " one-ahead " technique to convince churchgoers of his divine powers. Although defining himself as a conjuror, Randi began a career as

1428-506: A conference focused on freethought advocate Robert Ingersoll . CFI has provided meeting and conference facilities to other skeptical organizations, for example an atheist of color conference on social justice. CFI also undertakes atheist education and support activities, for example sending freethought books to prisoners as part of its Freethought Books Project . CFI is active in advocating free speech, and in promoting secular government. It speaks against institutional religion in

1530-490: A confirmed believer in psychic phenomena. When Randi personally demonstrated to Pell that he could reveal—by simple trickery—a concealed drawing that had been secretly made by the senator, Pell refused to believe that it was a trick, saying: "I think Randi may be a psychic and doesn't realize it." Randi consistently denied having any paranormal powers or abilities. Randi was a member of the Society of American Magicians (SAM),

1632-442: A declaration "In Defense of Science and Secularism", which calls for public policy to be based on science rather than faith. The next day The Washington Post ran an article about it entitled "Think Tank Will Promote Thinking". In 2011, video expert James Underdown of IIG and CFI Los Angeles did an experiment for "Miracle Detective" Oprah Winfrey Network which replicated exactly the angelic apparition that people claim cured

1734-484: A hotel swimming pool, breaking what was said to be Harry Houdini 's record of 93 minutes, though Randi called attention to the fact that he was much younger than Houdini had been when he established the original record in 1926. Randi was a frequent guest on the Long John Nebel program on New York City radio station WOR , and did character voices for commercials. After Nebel moved to WNBC in 1964, Randi

1836-749: A journal covering philosophical issues, are no longer being published. In June 2020, CFI announced the "newly launched CFI online publication", Pensar , "the Spanish language magazine for science, reason, and freethought." It is published by Alejandro Borgo, director of CFI Argentina. CFI has produced the weekly radio show and podcast, Point of Inquiry , since 2005. Episodes are available free for download from iTunes . Its current hosts, as of June 2020 , are Leighann Lord and James Underdown . Notable guests have included Steven Pinker , Neil deGrasse Tyson and Richard Dawkins . The Center for Inquiry has an emergency fund called Secular Rescue, formerly known as

1938-426: A page in a telephone book without touching it. Randi, having determined that Hydrick was surreptitiously blowing on the book, arranged foam packaging peanuts on the table in front of the telephone book for the demonstration. This prevented Hydrick from demonstrating his abilities, which would have been exposed when the blowing moved the packaging. Randi writes that, eventually, Hydrick "confessed everything". Randi

2040-432: A professional stage magician and escapologist in 1946. He initially presented himself under his real name, Randall Zwinge, which he later dropped in favor of "The Amazing Randi". Early in his career, he performed numerous escape acts from jail cells and safes around the world. On February 7, 1956, he appeared live on NBC 's Today show, where he remained for 104 minutes in a sealed metal coffin that had been submerged in

2142-550: A professor from the University at Buffalo shouted out that Randi was a fraud. Randi said: "Yes, indeed, I'm a trickster, I'm a cheat, I'm a charlatan, that's what I do for a living. Everything I've done here was by trickery." The professor shouted back: "That's not what I mean. You're a fraud because you're pretending to do these things through trickery, but you're actually using psychic powers and misleading us by not admitting it." A similar event involved Senator Claiborne Pell ,

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2244-454: A psychologist who had observed the tests of Geller's ability at Stanford and thought them slipshod, and suggested they create an organization dedicated to combating pseudoscience. Later that same year, together with Martin Gardner , a Scientific American columnist whose writing had helped hone Hyman's and Randi's skepticism, they formed the Committee for Scientific Investigation of Claims of

2346-470: A seat on the board of directors of the Center for Inquiry. Her criticism was that both organizations had all white boards of directors. During Richard Dawkins' October 2011 book tour, Center for Inquiry – the tour's sponsor – signed a contract with Wyndgate Country Club in Rochester Hills, Michigan, as the venue site. After seeing an interview with Dawkins on The O'Reilly Factor , an official at

2448-660: A table. Slade and Home played the same pieces. They had at one time lived near each other in the U.S. The magician Chung Ling Soo exposed how Slade had performed the trick. Randi distinguished between pseudoscience and "crackpot science". He regarded most of parapsychology as pseudoscience because of the way in which it is approached and conducted, but nonetheless saw it as a legitimate subject that "should be pursued", and from which real scientific discoveries may develop. Randi regarded crackpot science as "equally wrong" as pseudoscience, but with no scientific pretensions. Despite multiple debunkings, Randi did not like to be called

2550-461: A target of Geller's litigation, demanded that Randi refrain from commenting on Geller. Randi refused and resigned, though he maintained a respectful relationship with the group, which in 2006 changed its name to the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI). In 2010, Randi was one of 16 new CSI fellows elected by its board. Randi went on to write many articles criticizing beliefs and claims regarding

2652-481: A touch more sceptical". The hoax was exposed on 60 Minutes Australia ; "Carlos" and Randi explained how they had pulled it off. In his book The Faith Healers , Randi wrote that his anger and relentlessness arose from compassion for the victims of fraud. Randi was also critical of João de Deus , a.k.a. "John of God", a self-proclaimed psychic surgeon who had received international attention. Randi observed, referring to psychic surgery, "To any experienced conjurer,

2754-543: Is a U.S. nonprofit organization that works to mitigate belief in pseudoscience and the paranormal and to fight the influence of religion in government. The Center for Inquiry was established in 1991 by atheist philosopher and author Paul Kurtz . It brought together two organizations: the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (founded by Kurtz in 1976) and

2856-524: Is an annual award that was presented by the Atheist Alliance of America up until July 2019, when it moved to the Center for Inquiry (CFI). According to the CFI press release, "The recipient will be a distinguished individual from the worlds of science, scholarship, education or entertainment, who publicly proclaims the values of secularism and rationalism, upholding scientific truth wherever it may lead". The award has been presented since 2003, and

2958-579: Is named after Richard Dawkins , an English evolutionary biologist who was named the world's top thinker in a 2013 reader's poll of Prospect magazine . The following projects and programs are no longer active. The Center for Inquiry organized an annual summer camp for children called Camp Inquiry , focusing on scientific literacy, critical thinking, naturalism, the arts, humanities, and humanist ethical development. Camp Inquiry has been described as "a summer camp for kids with questions" where spooky stories were followed by "reverse engineering sessions" as

3060-557: Is taking cynical advantage of their customers' confusion and trust in the CVS brand, and putting their health at risk to make a profit and they can't claim ignorance. If the people in charge of the country's largest pharmacy don't know that homeopathy is bunk, they should be kept as far away from the American healthcare system as possible." In May 2019, CFI announced that they have filed a similar suit against Walmart for their range of homeopathic products. In July 2019, CFI announced that

3162-704: Is the Canadian branch of CFI Transnational, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario , Canada. Justin Trottier served as National Executive Director from 2007 to 2011. Originally established and supported in part by CFI Transnational, CFI Canada has become an independent Canadian national organization with several provincial branches. CFI Canada has branches in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Saskatoon, Calgary, Okanagan (Kelowna), and Vancouver. Organizations affiliated with

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3264-688: The Center for Inquiry 's official podcast Point of Inquiry . From September 2006 onwards, he occasionally contributed to The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast with a column called "Randi Speaks". In addition, The Amazing Show was a podcast in which Randi shared various anecdotes in an interview format. In 2014, Part2Filmworks released An Honest Liar , a feature film documentary, written by Tyler Measom and Greg O'Toole, and directed and produced by Measom and Justin Weinstein. The film, which

3366-490: The European Skeptics Podcast , called Randi the grandfather of European skepticism by virtue of Randi "playing a role in kickstarting several European organizations." Geller sued Randi and CSICOP for $ 15 million in 1991 and lost. Geller's suit against CSICOP was thrown out in 1995, and he was ordered to pay $ 120,000 for filing a frivolous lawsuit. The legal costs Randi incurred used almost all of

3468-610: The James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). Randi began his career as a magician under the stage name The Amazing Randi and later chose to devote most of his time to investigating paranormal, occult , and supernatural claims. Randi retired from practicing magic at age 60, and from his foundation at 87. Although often referred to as a " debunker ", Randi said he disliked the term's connotations and preferred to describe himself as an "investigator". He wrote about paranormal phenomena, skepticism, and

3570-629: The Stiefel Freethought Foundation was contributing an additional $ 150,000 to the previously committed $ 100,000 to support the two lawsuits. In 2020 both cases were dismissed. In September 2022 the District of Columbia's Court of Appeals revived the lawsuits. In 2016, the atheist Sikivu Hutchinson criticized the merger of the secular organizations Center for Inquiry and the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science , which gave Richard Dawkins

3672-628: The history of magic . He was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson , famously exposing fraudulent faith healer Peter Popoff , and was occasionally featured on the television program Penn & Teller: Bullshit! Before Randi's retirement, JREF sponsored the One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge , which offered a prize of $ 1 million to applicants who could demonstrate evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event under test conditions agreed to by both parties. Randi

3774-551: The 1990s after Randi told a newspaper interviewer that Geller's tricks "are the kind that used to be on the back of cereal boxes when I was a kid." The case ran for several years, and was ultimately settled in 1995 with Geller ordered to pay the legal costs of Randi and CSICOP. The Investigations Group (Formerly the Independent Investigations Group), a volunteer group based at CFI Los Angeles, undertakes experimental testing of fringe claims. It offers

3876-697: The Audience Award for Best Feature. It also received positive reviews from critics. The film was featured on the PBS Independent Lens series, shown in the U.S. and Canada, on March 28, 2016. In December 2014, Randi flew to Australia to take part in "An Evening with James Randi" tour, organized by Think Inc. This tour included a screening of An Honest Liar followed by a "fireside chat" with Randi on stage. Cities visited were Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. MC in Adelaide

3978-524: The Carlos hoax, "it was claimed that Alvarez would not have had the audience he did at the Opera House (and the resulting potential sales therefrom) had the media coverage been more aggressive (and factual)", though an analysis by The Skeptic ' s Tim Mendham concluded that, while the media coverage of Alvarez's appearances was not credulous, the hoax "at least showed that they could benefit by being

4080-652: The Center For Inquiry. In 2007, CSH sued the Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) to block the use of state funds in contracts to faith-based programs for released inmates, claiming that this use is prohibited under the "No Aid" provision or Blaine amendment of the Florida constitution. The initial decision found in favor of the DOC but, on appeal, the case was remanded in 2010 on just the issue of

4182-460: The Center for Inquiry in Amherst , New York , to present the idea, which CFI then supported. Ronald Lindsay, president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, said regarding Blasphemy Day, "We think religious beliefs should be subject to examination and criticism just as political beliefs are, but we have a taboo on religion", in an interview with CNN . It takes place every September 30 to coincide with

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4284-529: The Center for Inquiry include: The Institute for the Secularisation of Islamic Society (ISIS) is an organization of writers that promotes the ideas of secularism , democracy and human rights within Islamic society. Founded in 1998 by former Muslims, the best known being Ibn Warraq , the group aims to combat theologically driven fanaticism, violence and terrorism. The organization subscribes to

4386-666: The Council for Secular Humanism (founded by Kurtz in 1980). The Center for Inquiry Inc was registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization in April 2001. Kurtz, a humanist who founded CFI to offer a positive alternative to religion, led the organization for thirty years. In 2009, Kurtz said he was forced out of CFI after conflict with Ronald A. Lindsay , a corporate lawyer hired to become CEO in 2008. Robyn Blumner succeeded Lindsay as CEO in January 2016 when CFI announced that it

4488-557: The December 2003 issue of The Linking Ring , the monthly publication of the International Brotherhood of Magicians , it is stated: "Perhaps Randi's ethics are what make him Amazing" and "The Amazing Randi not only talks the talk, he walks the walk." During Alice Cooper 's 1973–1974 Billion Dollar Babies tour , Randi performed on stage both as a mad dentist and as Cooper's executioner. He also built several of

4590-644: The Freethought Emergency Fund. Between 2015 and 2018, Secular Rescue helped thirty individuals fleeing anti-secular regimes gain asylum. The Office of Public Policy (OPP) is the Washington, D.C., political arm of the Center for Inquiry. The OPP's mandate is to lobby Congress and the Administration on issues related to science and secularism. This includes defending the separation of church and state, promoting science and reason as

4692-535: The Home collection at the Society for Psychical Research (SPR). Eric J. Dingwall, who catalogued Home's collection on its arrival at the SPR does not record the presence of the mouth organs. According to Peter Lamont, the author of an extensive Home biography, "It is unlikely Dingwall would have missed these or did not make them public." The fraudulent medium Henry Slade also played an accordion while held with one hand under

4794-419: The IIG organized another group photo with leftover beards from the 2011 photo. After Randi was sent the photo, he replied, "I'm always very touched by any such expression. This is certainly no exception. You have my sincere gratitude. I suspect, however that a couple of those beards were fake. But I'm in a forgiving mood at the moment. I'm frankly very touched. I'll see you at the next CSICon. Thank you all." In

4896-618: The International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM), and The Magic Circle in the UK, holding the rank of "Member of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star." Randi wrote ten books, among them Conjuring (1992), a biographical history of prominent magicians. The book is subtitled Being a Definitive History of the Venerable Arts of Sorcery, Prestidigitation, Wizardry, Deception, & Chicanery and of

4998-611: The James Randi Educational Foundation. Randi and his colleagues publish in JREF's blog, Swift . Topics have included the interesting mathematics of the one-seventh area triangle , a classic geometric puzzle. In his weekly commentary, Randi often gave examples of what he considered the nonsense that he dealt with every day. Beginning in 2003, the JREF annually hosted The Amaz!ng Meeting , a gathering of scientists, skeptics , and atheists . The last meeting

5100-563: The Mountebanks & Scoundrels Who have Perpetrated these Subterfuges on a Bewildered Public, in short, MAGIC! The book's cover indicates it is by "James Randi, Esq., A Contrite Rascal Once Dedicated to these Wicked Practices but Now Almost Totally Reformed". The book features the most influential magicians and tells some of their history, often in the context of strange deaths and careers on the road. This work expanded on Randi's second book, Houdini, His Life and Art . This illustrated work

5202-749: The New York-based children's television series Wonderama from 1959 to 1967. In 1970, he auditioned for a revival of the 1950s children's show The Magic Clown , which showed briefly in Detroit and in Kenya, but was never picked up. In the February 2, 1974, issue of the British conjuring magazine Abracadabra , Randi, in defining the community of magicians, stated: "I know of no calling which depends so much upon mutual trust and faith as does ours." In

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5304-460: The Occult and Supernatural (1995). Randi was a regular contributor to Skeptic magazine, penning the "'Twas Brillig ..." column, and also served on its editorial board. He was a frequent contributor to Skeptical Inquirer magazine, published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry , of which he was also a fellow . Randi gained the international spotlight in 1972 when he publicly challenged

5406-427: The Paranormal (CSICOP). Using donations and sales of their magazine, Skeptical Inquirer , they and secular humanist philosopher Paul Kurtz took seats on the executive board, with Isaac Asimov and Carl Sagan joining as founding members. Randi travelled the world on behalf of CSICOP, becoming its public face, and according to Hyman, the face of the skeptical movement. András G. Pintér, producer and co-host of

5508-593: The U.S. Population. The results of the ARIS have been discussed in many news reports by ABC News , The Christian Science Monitor , and USA Today . ISSSC develops new multi-disciplinary courses based on a common theme every year with associated faculty at Trinity College, Hartford and the Claremont Colleges , California. The cross-discipline themes include (by year): International Survey: Worldviews and Opinions of Scientists (India 2008) Center for Inquiry The Center for Inquiry ( CFI )

5610-718: The U.S. legislative process. In partnership with the Graduate School of Education at the State University of New York at Buffalo , CFI offers an accredited Master of Education program in Science and the Public, available entirely online. Aimed at students preparing for careers in research, science education, public policy, science journalism, or further study in sociology, history, and philosophy of science, science communication, education, or public administration,

5712-444: The anniversary of the publications of the controversial Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons . James Randi James Randi (born Randall James Hamilton Zwinge ; August 7, 1928 – October 20, 2020) was a Canadian-American stage magician , author, and scientific skeptic who extensively challenged paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. He was the co-founder of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), and founder of

5814-432: The area of religion, they examine beliefs that involve testable claims, such as faith healing and creationism, but stay away from untestable religious beliefs such as the existence of God. The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), then known as the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), was, alongside magician and prominent skeptic James Randi , sued by TV celebrity Uri Geller in

5916-608: The armed forces. Free Inquiry is published by the Center for Inquiry, in association with the Council for Secular Humanism (CSH). The results of research and activities supported by the center and its affiliates are published and distributed to the public in seventeen separate national and international magazines, journals, and newsletters. Among them are CSH's Free Inquiry and Secular Humanist Bulletin , and CSI's Skeptical Inquirer , CFI's American Rationalist . The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine , The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice and Philo ,

6018-508: The basis of public policy, and advancing secular values. The OPP publishes position statements on its subjects of interest. Examples have included acupuncture , climate change , contraception and intelligent design . The Office is an active participant in legal matters, providing experts for Congress testimony and amicus briefs in Supreme Court cases. It publishes a list of bills it considers of interest as they pass through

6120-791: The central issues of naturalism include the exploration of varieties of naturalism; problems in philosophy of science; the methodologies of scientific inquiry; naturalism and humanism; naturalistic ethics; planetary ethics; and naturalism and the biosciences. CFI is a nonprofit body registered as a charity in the United States. It has 17 locations in the U.S., and has 16 international branches or affiliated organizations. The organization has Centers For Inquiry in Amherst, New York (its headquarters), Los Angeles , New York City , Tampa Bay , Washington, D.C. , Indiana , Austin , Chicago , San Francisco and Michigan . CFI has branches, representation or affiliated organizations in countries around

6222-460: The claims of Uri Geller . He accused Geller of being nothing more than a charlatan and a fraud who used standard magic tricks to accomplish his allegedly paranormal feats, and he presented his claims in the book The Truth About Uri Geller (1982). Believing that it was important to get columnists and TV personalities to challenge Geller and others like him, Randi and CSICOP reached out in an attempt to educate them. Randi said that CSICOP had

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6324-469: The club cancelled Dawkins' appearance. Dawkins said that the country club official accepted Bill O'Reilly 's "twisted" interpretation of his book The Magic of Reality without having read it personally. Sean Faircloth said that cancelling the reading "really violates the basic principles of America ... The Civil Rights Act ... prohibits discrimination based on race or religious viewpoint. ... [Dawkins has] published numerous books ... to explain science to

6426-748: The event using a radio scanner and recorder. Their scanner had detected the radio frequency Popoff's wife Elizabeth was using backstage to broadcast directions and information to a miniature radio receiver hidden in Popoff's left ear. That information had been gathered by Popoff's assistants, who had handed out "prayer cards" to the audience before the show, instructing them to write down all the information Popoff would need to pray for them. The news coverage generated by Randi's exposé on The Tonight Show led to many TV stations dropping Popoff's show, eventually forcing him into bankruptcy in September 1987. However,

6528-454: The evidence he was going to reveal. Carson appeared stunned after Randi showed a brief video segment from one of Popoff's broadcasts showing him calling out a woman in the audience, revealed personal information about her that he claimed came from God, and then performed a laying-on-of-hands healing to drive the devil from her body. Randi then replayed the video, but with some of the sound dubbed in that he and his investigating team captured during

6630-411: The gullibility of the media by perpetrating a hoax of his own. By teaming up with Australia's 60 Minutes program and by releasing a fake press package, he built up publicity for a " spirit channeler " named Carlos, who was actually artist José Alvarez, Randi's partner. While performing as Carlos, Alvarez was prompted by Randi using sophisticated radio equipment. According to the 60 Minutes program on

6732-545: The interview. "He wanted to be aware of how he could help me." In 1973, Geller appeared on The Tonight Show , and this appearance is recounted in the Nova documentary " Secrets of the Psychics ". In the documentary, Randi says that Carson "had been a magician himself and was skeptical" of Geller's claimed paranormal powers, so before the date of taping, Randi was asked "to help prevent any trickery". Per Randi's advice,

6834-491: The merit and legality of controversial medical techniques. In 2014, CEO Ron Lindsay publicly criticized Stanislaw Burzynski 's controversial Texas cancer clinic. CFI campaigns for a secular society, for example in opposing the addition of prayer text on public property. The center supports secular and free speech initiatives. On November 14, 2006, the CFI opened its Office of Public Policy in Washington, DC , and issued

6936-462: The methods by which these seeming miracles are produced are very obvious." In 1982, Randi verified the abilities of Arthur Lintgen , a Philadelphia doctor, who was able to identify the classical music recorded on a vinyl LP solely by examining the grooves on the record. However, Lintgen did not claim to have any paranormal ability, merely knowledge of the way that the groove forms patterns on particular recordings. In 1988, John Maddox , editor of

7038-558: The paranormal. He also demonstrated flaws in studies suggesting the existence of paranormal phenomena; in his Project Alpha hoax, Randi successfully planted two fake psychics in a privately funded psychic research experiment. Randi appeared on numerous TV shows, sometimes to directly debunk the claimed abilities of fellow guests. In a 1981 appearance on That's My Line , Randi appeared opposite claimed psychic James Hydrick , who said that he could move objects with his mind and appeared to demonstrate this claim on live television by turning

7140-471: The participants were encouraged to determine the cause of an apparently supernatural experience. Camp Inquiry has been criticised as " Jesus Camp in reverse"; its organisers countered that the camp is not exclusive to atheist children and that campers are encouraged to draw their own conclusions based on empirical and critical thinking . The Center for Inquiry Institute offered undergraduate level online courses, seminars, and workshops in critical thinking and

7242-495: The performance and showed the parishioners how the trick worked, the pastor's wife called the police and Randi spent four hours in a jail cell. This inspired his career as a scientific skeptic. In his 20s, Randi posed as an astrologer , and to establish that they merely were doing simple tricks, he briefly wrote an astrological column in the Canadian tabloid Midnight under the name "Zo-ran" by simply shuffling up items from newspaper astrology columns and pasting them randomly into

7344-413: The program explores the methods and outlook of science as they intersect with public culture, scientific literacy, and public policy. In February 2020, Quackwatch , founded by Stephen Barrett , became part of CFI, which announced it plans to maintain its various websites and to receive Barrett's library later in the year. ScienceSaves is a nationwide pro-science campaign to generate an appreciation for

7446-404: The prominent science journal Nature , asked Randi to join the supervision and observation of the homeopathy experiments conducted by Jacques Benveniste 's team. Once Randi's stricter protocol for the experiment was in place, the positive results could not be reproduced. Randi stated that Daniel Dunglas Home , who could allegedly play an accordion that was locked in a cage without touching it,

7548-484: The public, so it's rather an affront, to reason in general, to shun him as they did." CFI Michigan executive director Jeff Seaver stated that "This action by The Wyndgate illustrates the kind of bias and bigotry that nonbelievers encounter all the time." Following the cancellation, protests and legal action by CFI against the Wyndgate Country Club were pursued. In 2013 this case was settled in favor of

7650-437: The punishment by Saudi authorities of Raif Badawi for running an Internet forum, whom they accused of atheism and liberalism. CFI's statement was supported by the American, Canadian, Irish, and French delegates. Blasphemy Rights Day International encourages individuals and groups to openly express their criticism of or outright contempt for religion . It was founded in 2009 by the Center for Inquiry. A student contacted

7752-483: The role of science. National Science Appreciation Day started in 2022 and is part of the ScienceSaves initiative and happens annually on March 26. In 2022, CFI got proclamations declaring March 26 as National Science Appreciation Day from more than a dozen states. Main article: Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science This programs provides teachers with tools to teach evolution. The Richard Dawkins Award

7854-526: The rule of secular law, freedom of speech and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights . It does not promote any belief system or religious dogma. CFI participates in media debates on science, health, religion and its other areas of interest. Its "Keep Healthcare Safe and Secular" campaign promotes scientifically sound healthcare. It has been an outspoken critic of dubious and unscientific healthcare practices, and engages in public debate on

7956-490: The schools of psychotherapy. It supported naturalistic addiction recovery practices through Secular Organizations for Sobriety . CFI challenges the claims of alternative medicine and advocates a scientific basis for healthcare. CSMMH papers have covered topics such as pseudoscience in autism treatments and in psychiatry. CFI also ran the Naturalism Research Project, a major effort to develop

8058-703: The scientific outlook and its implications for religion, human values, and the borderlands of science. In addition to transferable undergraduate credit through the University at Buffalo system, CFI offered a thirty-credit-hour Certificate of Proficiency in Critical Inquiry. The three-year curriculum plan offered summer sessions at the main campus at the University at Buffalo in Amherst. The Commission for Scientific Medicine and Mental Health (CSMMH) stimulated critical scientific scrutiny of New Age medicine and

8160-459: The show prepared its own props without informing Geller, and did not let Geller or his staff "anywhere near them". When Geller joined Carson on stage, he appeared surprised that he was not going to be interviewed, but instead was expected to display his abilities using the provided articles. Geller said "This scares me" and "I'm surprised because before this program your producer came and he read me at least 40 questions you were going to ask me." Geller

8262-522: The skeptical work I do ... He's way better than Dumbledore!". Exploring Psychic Powers ... Live was a two-hour television special aired live on June 7, 1989, wherein Randi examined several people claiming psychic powers. Hosted by actor Bill Bixby , the program offered $ 100,000 (Randi's $ 10,000 prize plus $ 90,000 put up by the show's syndicator , LBS Communications, Inc. ) to anyone who could demonstrate genuine psychic powers. In 1996, Randi established

8364-467: The stage props, including the guillotine . In a 1976 performance for the Canadian TV special World of Wizards , Randi escaped from a straitjacket while suspended upside-down over Niagara Falls . Randi has been accused of actually using "psychic powers" to perform acts such as spoon bending . According to James Alcock , at a meeting where Randi was duplicating the performances of Uri Geller ,

8466-497: The state's motion in January, 2016, allowing the contested contracting practice to continue. After consideration, CFI announced in February, 2016, that it would not appeal. CFI representative Josephine Macintosh was repeatedly interrupted and heckled by the delegation from Saudi Arabia whilst presenting the center's position on censorship at the UN Human Rights Council . CFI advocated free speech, and opposed

8568-447: The televangelist returned soon after with faith-healing infomercials that reportedly attracted more than $ 23 million in 2005 from viewers sending in money for promised healing and prosperity. The Canadian Centre for Inquiry's Think Again! TV documented one of Popoff's more recent performances before a large audience who gathered in Toronto on May 26, 2011, hoping to be saved from illness and poverty. In February 1988, Randi tested

8670-483: The theoretical and practical applications of philosophical naturalism . As part of this project, CFI's libraries, research facilities, and conference areas were available to scientists and scholars to advance the understanding of science's methodologies and conclusions about naturalism. Activities of the Naturalism Research Project included lectures and seminars by visiting fellows and scholars; academic conferences; and support CFI publications of important research. Among

8772-537: The unconstitutionality of appropriating state funds for this purpose. While this case was in progress, after the appellate finding, Republican legislators began an effort to amend the Florida constitution to remove the language of the Blaine amendment, succeeding in 2011 to place the measure on the 2012 ballot as amendment 8. The ballot measure failed. In 2015, CHS (now CFI) and the state (along with its co-defendants) both filed for summary judgement. The court granted

8874-720: The world and opposes religious privilege, for example benefits for clergy in the US Tax Code . In 2014 and 2017, respectively, the CFI won two lawsuits compelling the states of Illinois and Indiana to allow weddings to be performed by officiants who are neither religious clergy nor government officials. A similar lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of marriage law in Texas was dismissed in August 2019. CFI actively supports secular interests, such as secular state education. It organizes conferences, such as Women In Secularism and

8976-926: The world. It organizes its international activities under the banner Center For Inquiry Transnational . In addition, CFI holds consultative status to the United Nations as an NGO under the UN Economic and Social Council . The center participates in UN Human Rights Council debates, for example a debate on the subject of female genital mutilation during 2014. International programs exist in Germany (Rossdorf), France (Nice), Spain (Bilbao), Poland (Warsaw), Nigeria (Ibadan), Uganda (Kampala), Kenya (Nairobi), Nepal (Kathmandu), India (Pune and Hyderabad), Egypt (Cairo), China (Beijing), New Zealand (Auckland), Peru (Lima), Argentina (Buenos Aires), Senegal (Dakar), Zambia (Lusaka), and Bangladesh (Dhaka). CFI Canada (CFIC)

9078-480: Was Dr. Paul Willis with Richard Saunders interviewing Randi. MC in Perth was Jake Farr-Wharton with Richard Saunders interviewing Randi. MC for Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney was Richard Saunders with Lawrence Leung interviewing Randi. In 2017, Randi appeared in animated form on the website Holy Koolaid, in which he discussed the challenge of finding the balance between connecting sincerely with his audience and at

9180-834: Was about to pack up the next day and go back to Tel Aviv. I thought, That's it—I'm destroyed." However, this appearance on The Tonight Show , which Carson and Randi had orchestrated to debunk Geller's claimed abilities, backfired. According to Higginbotham: To Geller's astonishment, he was immediately booked on The Merv Griffin Show . He was on his way to becoming a paranormal superstar. "That Johnny Carson show made Uri Geller," Geller said. To an enthusiastically trusting public, his failure only made his gifts seem more real: if he were performing magic tricks, they would surely work every time. According to Higginbotham, this result caused Randi to realize that much more must be done to stop Geller and those like him. So in 1976, Randi approached Ray Hyman ,

9282-455: Was an early influence on him, and said "If not for Randi there would not be Penn & Teller as we are today." He went on to say "Outside of my family ... no one is more important in my life. Randi is everything to me." At the NECSS skeptic conference in 2017, Randi was asked by George Hrab what a "'skeptic coming of age ceremony' would look like" and Randi talked about what it was like as

9384-399: Was awarded a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship in 1986. The fellowship's five-year $ 272,000 grant helped support Randi's investigations of faith healers, including W. V. Grant , Ernest Angley , and Peter Popoff , whom Randi first exposed on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in February 1986. Hearing about his investigation of Popoff, Carson invited Randi onto his show without seeing

9486-409: Was born on August 7, 1928, in Toronto , Canada. He was the son of Marie Alice ( née Paradis; 1906–1987) and George Randall Zwinge (1903–1967), an executive at Bell Telephone Company. He was of French, Danish and Austrian descent. He had a younger brother and sister. He took up magic after seeing Harry Blackstone Sr. and reading conjuring books while spending 13 months in a body cast following

9588-405: Was caught cheating on a few occasions, but the incidents were never made public. He also stated that the actual instrument in use was a one-octave mouth organ concealed under Home's large mustache and that other one-octave mouth organs were found in Home's belongings after his death. According to Randi, author William Lindsay Gresham told Randi "around 1960" that he had seen these mouth organs in

9690-587: Was funded through Kickstarter , focuses on Randi's life, his investigations, and his relationship with longtime partner José Alvarez (born Deyvi Orangel Peña Arteaga), to whom he was married in 2013. The film was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival , at Toronto's Hot Docs film festival, and at the June 2014 AFI Docs Festival in Silver Spring, Maryland , and Washington, D.C., where it won

9792-518: Was given Nebel's time slot on WOR, where he hosted The Amazing Randi Show until January 1966, and often had guests who defended paranormal claims, among them Randi's then-friend James W. Moseley . Randi stated that he was fired from WOR over complaints from the archbishop of New York that Randi had said on-air that "Jesus Christ was a religious nut," a claim that Randi disputed. Randi also hosted numerous television specials and went on several world tours. As "The Amazing Randi" he appeared regularly on

9894-458: Was in 2015, coinciding with Randi's retirement from the JREF. Randi began a series of conferences known as "The Amazing Meeting" (TAM) which quickly became the largest gathering of skeptics in the world, drawing audiences from Asia, Europe, South America, and the UK. It also attracted a large percentage of younger attendees. Randi was regularly featured on many podcasts , including The Skeptics Society's official podcast Skepticality and

9996-512: Was merging with the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science . Through the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), and its journal, Skeptical Inquirer magazine, published by the Center for Inquiry, CSI examines evidential claims of the paranormal or supernormal, including psychics, ghosts, telepathy, clairvoyance, UFOs, and creationism. It also hosts the CSICon . They also examine pseudoscientific claims involving vaccines, cellphones, power lines, GMOs, and alternative medicine. In

10098-516: Was one of the principal investigators of the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS). Kosmin is considered the leading expert "on the growing percentage of Americas who lack a religious identity, the so called " nones ". Kosmin has been featured on podcasts such as Center for Inquiry 's Point of Inquiry and published in Free Inquiry magazine discussing the results of the ARIS. The American Humanist Association awarded Kosmin

10200-555: Was published in 1976 and was co-authored with Bert Sugar . It focuses on the professional and private life of Houdini. Randi's book, The Magic World of the Amazing Randi (1989), was intended as a children's introduction to magic tricks. In addition to his magic books, he wrote several educational works about paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. These include biographies of Uri Geller and Nostradamus , as well as reference material on other major paranormal figures. In 2011, he

10302-600: Was unable to display any paranormal abilities, saying "I don't feel strong" and expressing his displeasure at feeling like he was being "pressed" to perform by Carson. According to Adam Higginbotham's November 7, 2014, article in The New York Times : The result was a legendary immolation, in which Geller offered up flustered excuses to his host as his abilities failed him again and again. "I sat there for 22 minutes, humiliated," Geller told me, when I spoke to him in September. "I went back to my hotel, devastated. I

10404-709: Was working on A Magician in the Laboratory , which recounted his application of skepticism to science. He was a member of the all-male literary banqueting club the Trap Door Spiders , which served as the basis of his friend Isaac Asimov 's fictional group of mystery solvers, the Black Widowers . Other books by Randi include Flim-Flam! (1982), The Faith Healers (1987), James Randi, Psychic Investigator (1991), Test Your ESP Potential (1982), and An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of

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