We polled several dozen notable freethinkers, atheists and skeptics and asked them to recommend essential books for the well-read freethinker. Find out what they think you should be reading here. (Note that this is a new addition to our permanent Pages section, which can be found in the right-hand column.)
Archive for the ‘skepticism’ Category
The Essential Freethought Library
Monday, July 12th, 2010
Podcast #90 – Massimo Pigliucci (Nonsense on Stilts)
Saturday, June 5th, 2010
We interview Dr. Massimo Pigliucci, evolutionary biologist, philosopher, science crusader, and author of Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk. This new book explores the frontier between science and pseudoscience, the difficulty of defining exactly what is science (what Karl Popper dubbed “the demarcation problem”), and the attacks against science from the forces of anti-intellectualism and even from inside academia. Highly recommended.
Visit Dr. P on the web at RationallySpeaking.org, or listen to his new podcast–co-hosted with NYC Skeptics’ Julia Galeth–at RationallySpeakingPodcast.org.
Listen to our previous interview with Dr. P (from way back in February 2008) in podcast #11.
Atlanta Skepticamp!
Saturday, May 15th, 2010Atlanta Skepticamp is happening right now! (Or more specifically, 10AM-6PM May 15 & 16.) I hope to see some of you there. For more info visit AtlantaSkeptics.com/skepticamp/ .
If you can’t make it…
Check out the live streaming feed on UStream! Follow Atlanta Skeptics on Twitter and check the hashtag #atlskepticamp for live tweeting through the event!
I’ll be heading up the Trivia Challenge at 5:30PM today. Tune in.
Prepare for…boobquake!
Sunday, April 25th, 2010Now, this a freethought initiative I can get behind; or rather, in front of.
This Monday, April 26th, freethinking women around the world are encouraged to sport their decolletage in order to trigger…an earthquake.
SRSLY.
“Boobquake” is the brainchild of Jennifer McCreight (rhymes with “right”), an atheist and genetics/evolution double-major (no pun intended) at Purdue University who blogs at the popular Blag Hag. Bookquake is a response to this recent comment made by Iranian cleric dumbass Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi: “Many women who do not dress modestly… lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes.”
Atlanta SkeptiCamp
Friday, April 23rd, 2010Okay, folks, Atlanta SkeptiCamp is right around the corner, May 15th and 16th. So…if you’re an Atlantean and/or planning to be in the Big Peach in mid-May, register to participate now! The presenter slots are filled, but there’s always a need for people to do all sorts of volunteery things like wrangle t-shirts, hand out badges, etc. Plus you’ll meet über-cool peeps like Derek and Swoopy of Skepticality (and, of course, yours truly). Do it! Do it now!
Podcast #80 – Simon Singh
Monday, February 8th, 2010
We interview science journalist Simon Singh, co-author (with Dr. Edzard Ernst) of Trick or Treatment: The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine (which both John and David highly recommend). For more about Simon visit SimonSingh.net. Please also visit LibelReform.org, a website devoted to changing the United Kingdom’s disgraceful libel laws (Simon is currently in the midst of a court battle with the British Chiropractic Association over his reporting on chiropractic treatment of children in the UK’s Guardian newspaper.)
Trick or Treatment is available at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
Continuing this episodes alternative medicine theme, we take a look at aromatherapy. Can smells trigger the body’s healing ability, or do they offer only a temporary placebo?
Podcast #79 – E-meters for Haiti?
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
Earthquake-devastated Haiti has become a magnet for kooky, misguided (but perhaps well-intentioned) religious groups. Scientologist John Travolta (disguised, apparently, as L. Ron Hubbard–see photo at right) has personally flown his private 707 to Haiti, delivering food, medical supplies, and “volunteer ministers” who claim the ability to heal through therapeutic touch. Meanwhile, a Christian group called Faith Comes By Hearing has sent 600 solar-powered audiobook Bibles. Finally, a group of Idaho Baptists were arrested trying to transport Haitian orphans (some of whom weren’t actually orphans) across the border into the Dominican Republic.
Phil Plait steps down from JREF
Tuesday, December 8th, 2009Holy Haleakala! After just over a year at the helm, Phil “Bad Astronomer” Plait is stepping down as president of the James Randi Educational Foundation to pursue an undisclosed TV project. His worthy successor is Center for Inquiry’s D.J. Grothe. Read JREF’s press release here, and Plait’s comments here.
Heads up, DC skeptics: HEAVY MENTAL
Saturday, October 10th, 2009If you live in–or are going to be in–the Washington, DC area on Saturday, October 24th, here’s your opportunity to participate in a day-long event of science, magic and skepticism. Center for Inquiry DC and National Capital Area Skeptics have teamed up to bring Jamy Ian Swiss, skeptic and world-renowned magician and mentalist, for a day of workshops and an evening performance of the incredible show HEAVY MENTAL.
Interested? Check out this announcement from CFI DC.
Podcast #66 – Freethought in Mexico
Monday, September 28th, 2009
We interview Danny Zepeda, a skeptical blogger living in Morelia, a city in central Mexico. He talks about the state of freethought South of the Border, the prevalence of superstition and alt-medicine quackery in Mexican society, and the challenges of raising children to be critical thinkers. Visit Danny’s Spanish-language blog Un Papá Escéptico (A Skeptical Papa) at papaesceptico.wordpress.com. If you can’t read Spanish, try pasting the URL into the Babel Fish text translation tool: the results are sometimes a bit iffy but readable.