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| Skeptic (magazine) | |
|---|---|
| Title | Skeptic |
| Editor | Michael Shermer |
| Frequency | Quarterly |
| Firstdate | 1992 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Skeptic (magazine) is a quarterly periodical devoted to critical inquiry and scientific skepticism, founded in 1992. The magazine addresses claims involving paranormal, pseudoscience, cryptozoology, creationism, alternative medicine, and various popular conspiracy theories through essays, investigations, and reviews. It connects to communities centered on the promotion of scientific method, critical thinking, and public understanding of science.
Founded in 1992 by Michael Shermer with ties to organizations such as the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, the magazine emerged amid debates involving figures like Carl Sagan, James Randi, Paul Kurtz, and controversies including the Intelligent Design movement and the rise of creation science. Early issues responded to widely publicized claims like the Loch Ness Monster, UFO sightings such as the Roswell narrative, and media sensations involving psychic demonstrations promoted by personalities comparable to Uri Geller and programs like Unsolved Mysteries. Over time editorial direction engaged with legal and cultural disputes involving entities such as the National Academy of Sciences and events like the Creation–Evolution controversy, while intersecting with discussions involving thinkers such as Richard Dawkins, Stephen Jay Gould, and Daniel Dennett.
The magazine publishes investigations, literature reviews, and interviews addressing pseudoscientific claims promoted by proponents connected to movements exemplified by anti-vaccination advocates, homeopathy supporters, and astrology practitioners. Regular sections examine empirical evidence, methodological errors, cognitive biases explored by researchers like Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, and sociocultural dynamics analyzed by scholars such as Paul Bloom and Steven Pinker. Content ranges from critiques of popular media representations—referencing programs such as The X-Files and personalities like Oprah Winfrey—to examinations of historical episodes involving figures like Franz Mesmer and institutions such as the American Medical Association. The magazine balances skeptical inquiry with discussions of scientific literacy promoted by organizations like the National Science Teachers Association and initiatives modeled on the work of Benjamin Franklin-era public intellectuals.
Contributors have included prominent scientists, writers, and skeptics such as Steven Novella, Richard Wiseman, Massimo Pigliucci, Seth Farber, Carl Zimmer, and Edzard Ernst. Notable articles have investigated phenomena connected to the Mothman legend, analyzed evidence for purported psychic abilities in studies associated with researchers like Uri Geller-adjacent investigators, and critiqued books by public intellectuals such as Graham Hancock and Andrew Wakefield. The magazine has published analyses engaging with research from institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Oxford, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and discussions of methodological debates involving journals such as Nature and Science. Interviews have featured figures including Neil deGrasse Tyson, E. O. Wilson, Susan Blackmore, and skeptics connected to the James Randi Educational Foundation.
Published on a quarterly schedule from its base in the United States, the magazine reaches subscribers in North America, Europe, Australia, and regions connected to anglophone scholarship like Canada and the United Kingdom. Distribution channels have included direct subscription, specialized bookstores stocking periodicals alongside titles from publishers such as Oxford University Press and HarperCollins, and appearances at conferences run by organizations like the Skeptics Society and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Special issues have been collated into anthologies and referenced in university courses at institutions such as University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University.
Responses to the magazine span praise from advocates of scientific skepticism—aligned with peers like the Skeptical Inquirer and the European Skeptics Congress—and criticism from proponents of contested claims including creationists, ufologists, and alternative health proponents associated with figures like Deepak Chopra. Academics have cited its essays in debates involving the public communication of science, referencing theoretical frameworks developed by scholars such as Thomas Kuhn and Karl Popper. The magazine contributed to shaping discourse around public controversies including vaccines debates connected to Andrew Wakefield and media coverage of pseudoscientific claims promoted in popular works by authors like Graham Hancock.
Associated events and projects include lectures, debates, and conferences organized by the Skeptics Society, public outreach initiatives inspired by the James Randi Educational Foundation and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, and prize programs akin to the Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge. Educational efforts link to curricula promoted by organizations such as the National Science Teaching Association and museum exhibitions in institutions like the Smithsonian Institution. Collaborative projects have engaged scholars from University of California, Los Angeles, University of Chicago, and Princeton University in workshops addressing critical thinking, misinformation, and the science of belief.
Category:Science magazines Category:Skepticism