Skeptic's Toolbox

{{Short description|Annual four-day workshop devoted to scientific skepticism.}}

{{Third-party|date=November 2023}}

{{Infobox convention

| name = The Skeptic's Toolbox

| image = 330px

| caption = Ray Hyman at The Skeptic's Toolbox 2012

| status = Active

| genre = science and skepticism

| venue =

| location = University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

| country = United States

| first = 1989

| last =

| organizer = Committee for Skeptical Inquiry

| filing =

| attendance =

| website = http://www.skepticstoolbox.org

}}

The Skeptic's Toolbox was a four-day workshop devoted to scientific skepticism. Founded by psychologist and now-retired University of Oregon professor Ray Hyman, it was sponsored by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Annual workshops focused on educating people to be better critical thinkers, and involved a central theme. The attendees formed small groups and were given tasks that to work on and whose results they then presented to the entire workshop on the final day.

History

Hyman created the Skeptic's Toolbox in 1989 to teach people how to be better skeptics. He tells James Underdown that "we were putting out more fires by skeptics than by believers... they were going overboard". The first toolbox was in Buffalo, NY with himself, James Alcock and Steve Shaw (now called Banachek).{{cite web|title=Skeptic Toolbox Interviews Pt 2|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY4gdx-rPQY|access-date=2012-08-11 }}{{Citation | url=https://www.sfu.ca/sfunews/Stories/sfunews100407013.shtml | title=Ray Hyman – Honorary Degree Recipient | date=October 4, 2007 | publisher=Simon Fraser University | location=Vancouver, BC, Canada | access-date=2009-07-27 | archive-date=2008-09-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080930171122/http://www.sfu.ca/sfunews/Stories/sfunews100407013.shtml | url-status=live }} With the exception of the first year in Buffalo and one year when the toolbox was held in Boulder, Colorado, the toolbox was held at the University of Oregon in Eugene.{{cite web|title=Conversations with Ray Hyman – Part 2|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgD4vS1zBNc&list=PL979600E006A2FFD0&index=2&feature=plpp_video|access-date=2012-06-18|archive-date=2014-05-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522104827/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgD4vS1zBNc&list=PL979600E006A2FFD0&index=2&feature=plpp_video|url-status=live}} Attendance was generally limited to approximately 90 participants so that everyone would receive personalized attention and the opportunity to participate. At the 1993 Toolbox, "More than a hundred people participated, from 19 states, Canada, and Hong Kong, and their enthusiasm continued to grow with each passing day, ending on the fifth day with what appeared to be a unanimous 'If only we had more time!'".

In 1997 Skeptical Inquirer announced that CFI would begin offering an academic certificate for students in a three-year program. Students needed to complete 30 units in academic work as well as in workshops. The two certificates offered were Humanistic Studies and Science and the Paranormal, attending The Skeptic's Toolbox would satisfy one of the workshop requirements.{{cite journal|last=Nickell|first=Joe|title=Center for Inquiry Institute Launches Three-Year Academic Program|journal=Skeptical Inquirer|date=July–August 1997|volume=21|issue=4|pages=7–8}}

Methodology and focus

While critical thinking was the overall focus, lectures designed around the theme focused on the specialties of the faculty. A reporter for the Register-Guard attended the 2003 toolbox, and wrote of his experience hearing lectures on post traumatic stress syndrome, graphology, repressed memory court cases, communication with the dead, healing through prayer, traditional Chinese medicine, psychic dogs, and Jerry Andrus's display of optical illusions.{{cite web |url= http://skepticalmedia.com/Andrus%20presskit.pdf |title= Andrus: The Man, the Mind & the Magic (Press Kit) |website= skepticalmedia.com |access-date= April 25, 2018 |archive-date= March 5, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150305172944/http://www.skepticalmedia.com/Andrus%20presskit.pdf |url-status= live }} The goal of the Toolbox was to "help skeptics add to their arsenal of tools and techniques with which to both guard against deception and properly evaluate paranormal claims". Learning how to communicate with believers was also a main theme: "Skeptics search for truths, believers tend to want validation of their experiences".{{cite journal|last=Goldstein|first=Steven|title=Watch What You're Thinking! The Skeptic's Toolbox II Conference|journal=Skeptical Inquirer|year=1994|volume=18|issue=4|pages=11–13}}

File:2012 Toolbox Faculty.jpg, Richard Wackrow, Harriet Hall, Lindsay Beyerstein, Loren Pankratz and James Alcock]]

Communicating the skeptical message to non-skeptics was the focus at the 1993 workshop. Faculty felt that non-skeptics might be more receptive if attendees understood how they were perceived by others. "Many people view skeptics as die-hard cynics and debunkers, even as enemies of free speech. Non-skeptics often hear only the "COP" in CSICOP".{{cite journal|last=Henry|first=Porter|title=Skeptics Analyze Tools for Analysis and Persuasion|journal=Skeptical Inquirer|date=Winter 1993|volume=17|issue=2|pages=16–18}}

In 2010, interviewed by D. J. Grothe, Hyman explained, "give people the tools to think, help them to become better thinkers".{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2olEw13NxUs|title=Ray Hyman – The Life of an Expert Skeptic, Part 2 – For Good Reason|publisher=JREF|date=2012-01-20|access-date=2012-05-21|archive-date=2014-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521203809/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2olEw13NxUs|url-status=live}} Mentalist Bob Fellows performed at the second conference and told the audience, "The effect (of a magic trick) on audiences who (believe the trick is real magic) can be enormously powerful. And when deceit is involved, they can be potentially harmful as well". Hyman felt that it was necessary to teach attendees with a "case-based approach... concrete examples as a first step toward extracting broad examples... (giving) the benefit of context" to the learning experience.

Faculty

Loren Pankratz – A founding faculty member of the Skeptic's Toolbox, Pankratz explained to Harriet Hall, about the beginnings of the Toolbox, "Ray Hyman, Jerry Andrus and I were meeting together once a month or so and we decided that maybe the three of us could put a Toolbox together."{{cite web|title=Loren Pankratz and Harriet Hall discuss the Skeptic's Toolbox|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwDrJCj9zqY|access-date=2012-08-10|archive-date=2016-08-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804012723/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwDrJCj9zqY|url-status=live}}

Barry Beyerstein – "One of the many enjoyable tasks I undertake for CSICOP is to lecture in Ray Hyman's annual summer workshop at the University of Oregon. Not only is it the towering presence of Ray himself, and the joy of observing the sheer brainpower of my fellow faculty at work, it is also the people, literally from around the world, who enroll in this and other CSICOP functions that keep me from suffering that occupational hazard 'skeptic's burnout.' They are a remarkable lot, genuinely nice people committed to critical thinking and leaving the place a bit better than they found it. They make me very pleased that my fate was to become a skeptical inquirer."Barry Beyerstein, “From Fate to Skeptical Inquirer”, Paul Kurtz (ed) (2001). Skeptical Odysseys: Personal Accounts by the World's Leading Paranormal Inquirers. Prometheus Books, pp. 101–119. {{ISBN|1-57392-884-4}}.

Harriet Hall – Prior to attending the Toolbox as a student, Hall had been a "passive skeptic", "I hadn't done any writing... Ray Hyman and Wally Sampson encouraged me to try my hand at writing, one thing led to another and now I'm on the faculty of the Skeptic's Toolbox."{{cite web | url=http://player.fm/series/the-reality-check-8143/trc-number-49-homeopathy-101-plus-harriet-hall-interview-plus-sex-on-the-mind-myth | title=TRC #49: Homeopathy 101 + Harriet Hall Interview + Sex on the Mind Myth | work=The Reality Check podcast | publisher=Ottawa Skeptics | date=August 1, 2009 | access-date=2009-08-01 | archive-date=2013-02-13 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130213134617/http://player.fm/series/the-reality-check-8143/trc-number-49-homeopathy-101-plus-harriet-hall-interview-plus-sex-on-the-mind-myth | url-status=live }} (Interview from 16:08 to 33:25)

Lindsay Beyerstein – She started attending the Skeptic's Toolbox when she was 14; her father Barry Beyerstein strongly influenced her involvement in the skeptical movement. "It's sorta funny, the skeptics' movement is now finally old enough, it's like Scientology, we have second gen!" She recounts, "I was always involved with my Dad in skeptical meetings... "We would have family newsletter-stuffing nights (for the BC Skeptics)." instead of hiring babysitters her father would take Lindsay to his media interviews. "Does Satanic music cause suicide? Out-of-body experiences... it was always something new and different."{{cite web|title=Skeptic Toolbox Interviews Pt 2|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY4gdx-rPQY|access-date=2012-08-11}}

James Alcock – "Ray and I and a magician by the name of Steve Shaw, now known as Banachek did the very first Toolbox in Buffalo... a little while later Ray asked me if I could come out here to this group." Ray stated "It took a long while to get Jim out here, but finally we managed it."

class="wikitable"
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DatesThemeFacultyNotes
October 20–22, 1989Skeptical Inquiry: The Role of the Skeptic{{cite book|title=Skeptical Inquiry: The Role of the Skeptic|year=1989|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}Ray Hyman, James Alcock, BanachekHeld at the University of New York, Buffalo
August 20–24, 1992The Skeptic's Toolbox
The Complete Skeptic's Field Guide – the goal was to create a pocket-sized manual for skeptics{{cite book|title=The Skeptic's Toolbox|year=1992|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, Barry Beyerstein, Loren Pankratz, Jeff Mayhew, Jerry AndrusFirst one held in Eugene, Oregon
August 19–23, 1993The Skeptic's Toolbox II
Case-Based Reasoning – Using model cases to generate principles for use in a similar situation{{cite book|title=The Skeptic's Tooolbox II|year=1993|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, Jerry Andrus, Barry Beyerstein, Bob Fellows, Loren Pankratz
August 4–8, 1994The Skeptic's Toolbox III: Thinking
Good, Bad & Critical{{cite book|title=The Skeptic's Toolbox III "Thinking"|year=1994|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, Barry Beyerstein, Loren Pankratz, Jerry AndrusHeld at the University of Colorado, Boulder
August 17–21, 1995Human Error
Psychology of belief and error{{cite book|title=Human Error|year=1995|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, James Alcock, Jerry Andrus, Barry Beyerstein, Loren Pankratz
No WorkshopConflict with celebration ceremonies of CSICOP's 20th Anniversary
August 21–25, 1997The Skeptic's Toolbox '97
Seven critical questions to apply to any skeptical inquiry{{cite book|title=The Skeptic's Toolbox '97|year=1997|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, James Alcock, Jerry Andrus, Barry Beyerstein, Loren Pankratz
August 20–24, 1998Psychology of Deception: Scams, Cons and other Deceits
Deception, Self-deception, Advertising, Illusions, Psychopaths{{cite book|title=The Psychology of Deception|year=1998|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, Wallace Sampson, Jerry Andrus, Barry Beyerstein, Loren Pankratz
August 19–23, 1999The Skeptic's Toolbox '99: Science vs Pseudoscience
Model cases: Oregon Vortex, Near death experiences, Fooling scientists{{cite book|title=The Skeptic's Toolbox '99|year=1999|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, James Alcock, Jerry Andrus, Barry Beyerstein, Loren Pankratz, Wallace Sampson
August 17–20, 2000The Inquisitive Skeptic Workshop
Examples of claims for the participants to examine{{cite book|title=The Inquisitive Skeptic Workshop|year=2000|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, James Alcock, Jerry Andrus, Barry Beyerstein, Loren Pankratz, Wallace Sampson, Massimo Polidoro
August 16–19, 2001Talking to the Dead and other Transcendental Seductions
Mediumship, Dissociation, etc.{{cite book|title=Talking to the Dead and other Transcendental Seductions|year=2001|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, James Alcock, Jerry Andrus, Barry Beyerstein, Loren Pankratz, Wallace Sampson, Massimo Polidoro
August 15–18, 2002How to Be a "Whys" Skeptic
Getting our message across{{cite book|title=How to be a "Whys" Skeptic|year=2002|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Jerry Andrus, Barry Beyerstein, Loren Pankratz, Wallace Sampson, Ray Hyman, James Alcock
August 14–17, 2003Critiquing Research: Determining Adequacy
Evidence, Statistics, Persistence{{cite book|title=Critiquing Research: Determining Adequacy|year=2003|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, James Alcock, Jerry Andrus, Barry Beyerstein, Loren Pankratz, Wallace Sampson
August 12–15, 2004The YOU You Don't Know
Unconscious, Ideomotor, Hypnosis{{cite book|title=The You You Don't Know|year=2004|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, James Alcock, Jerry Andrus, Loren Pankratz, Wallace Sampson, Barry BeyersteinIn The Trenches Award winners – Carol & Ben Baumgartner and Wilma Russell
August 11–14, 2005The Classics of Skeptical Investigation
Pitted windshields, Clever Hans, Memory in Water, etc.{{cite book|title=The Classics of Skeptical Investigation|year=2005|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, James Alcock, Jerry Andrus, Loren Pankratz, Barry Beyerstein, Wallace SampsonIn The Trenches Award winners – Herb Masters and Jeanine DeNoma
August 10–13, 2006The Healthy Skeptic
Quackery, Bogus therapies, Self-help, Personal testimony, alternative medicine{{cite book|title=The Healthy Skeptic|year=2006|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, James Alcock, Jerry Andrus, Loren Pankratz, Barry Beyerstein, Wallace SampsonIn The Trenches Award winners – Chris Clarke and Harriet Hall
August 9–12, 2007Changing Minds
Persuasion, Conversion, Brain-washing, Ethics of behavior control{{cite book|title=Changing Minds|year=2007|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, James Alcock, Jerry Andrus, Loren Pankratz, Lindsay Beyerstein, Wallace Sampson,In The Trenches Award winner – Judy Kjellerman
August 7–10, 2008Your Wonderful Brain
Free-will, Cognitive illusions, Brain fitness programs, Eyewitness testimony, Blindspots{{cite book|title=Your Wonderful Brain|year=2008|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}
Ray Hyman, Lindsay Byerstein, Loren Pankratz, Wallace Sampson, James AlcockIn The Trenches Award winners – Susan Beyerstein and Charles Wynn
August 6–9, 2009The Scientific Method{{cite book|title=The Scientific Method|year=2009|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}Ray Hyman, Harriet A. Hall “Tooth Fairy Science and Other Pitfalls: Applying Rigorous Science to Messy Medicine.”,{{cite web|last=Hall|first=Harriet|authorlink=Harriet Hall|title=Tooth Fairy Science and Other Pitfalls: Applying Rigorous Science to Messy Medicine, Part 1|url=http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/tooth_fairy_science_part_1|publisher=Skeptical Inquirer|access-date=2012-09-08|archive-date=2012-08-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826232641/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/tooth_fairy_science_part_1|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Hall|first=Harriet|authorlink=Harriet Hall|title=Tooth Fairy Science and Other Pitfalls: Applying Rigorous Science to Messy Medicine, Part 2|url=http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/tooth_fairy_science_part_2|publisher=Skeptical Inquirer|access-date=2012-09-08|archive-date=2012-08-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826232700/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/tooth_fairy_science_part_2|url-status=live}} Lindsay Byerstein, Loren Pankratz, James AlcockIn The Trenches Award winner – Steve Campbell
August 12–15, 2010SCAMS!{{cite book|title=SCAMS!|year=2010|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}Ray Hyman, James Alcock, Loren Pankratz, Anthony Pratkanis, Lindsay Beyerstein, Harriet HallIn The Trenches Award winner – Michael Bennett{{cite web|title=Skeptic's Toolbox – 2010 "In the Trenches" award winner Michael Bennett|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTGhR5y16WE|access-date=2012-08-12|archive-date=2021-02-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201025416/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTGhR5y16WE|url-status=live}}
August 11–14, 2011How Smart People Go Wrong{{cite book|title=How Smart People Go Wrong|year=2011|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}Ray Hyman, Loren Pankratz, Lindsay Beyerstein, Harriet Hall, James Alcock{{cite web|title=How Smart People Go Wrong|url=http://www.csicop.org/news/press_releases/show/how_smart_people_go_wrong|publisher=Skeptical Inquirer|access-date=2012-06-24|date=1 June 2011|archive-date=2012-06-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607063322/http://www.csicop.org/news/press_releases/show/how_smart_people_go_wrong|url-status=live}}In The Trenches Award winner – Heidi Shaw
August 9–12, 2012Evaluating Evidence: Garbage In, Garbage Out{{cite book|title=Evaluating Evidence: Garbage in Garbage Out|year=2012|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}Ray Hyman, Lindsay Beyerstein, Harriet Hall, James Alcock, Loren Pankratz, Richard WackrowIn The Trenches Award winner – Susan Gerbic{{cite web|title=Skeptic's Toolbox – In the Trenches Award – 2012|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbBqH5GASow|access-date=2012-08-12|archive-date=2021-02-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201025416/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbBqH5GASow|url-status=live}}
Barry Karr awarded 25 years of service.
Also, Toolbox faculty recognized as honorary Trenches winners{{cite web|title=Skeptic's Toolbox Awards – 2|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaYjcPUEWV0&list=UL|access-date=2012-08-12|archive-date=2017-08-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816191017/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaYjcPUEWV0&list=UL|url-status=live}}
August 8–11, 2013Using Probabilistically Challenged Minds to Cope with Uncertainty{{cite book|title=Using Probabilistically Challenged Minds to Cope with Uncertainty|year=2013|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}{{cite web|title=The Skeptic's Toolbox|url=http://www.skepticstoolbox.org/2013/|website=The Skeptic's Toolbox|publisher=Center for Inquiry|access-date=July 19, 2014|archive-date=July 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724163751/http://www.skepticstoolbox.org/2013/|url-status=live}}Ray Hyman, Lindsay Beyerstein, Harriet Hall, James Alcock, Loren PankratzIn The Trenches Award winner – Richard E. Wackrow
August 7–10, 2014Using Model Cases to Deal with Dubious Claims{{cite book|title=Using model Cases to Deal with Dubious Claims|year=2014|publisher=CSICOP|location=Buffalo, NY|edition=Brochure}}Ray Hyman, Lindsay Beyerstein, Harriet Hall, James Alcock, Loren PankratzIn the Trenches Award winner – Jerry Schwarz{{cite web | title = Susan Gerbic Reports on the 2014 Skeptics Toolbox | url = http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/susan_gerbic_reports_on_the_2014_skeptics_toolbox | publisher = The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry | date = November 13, 2014 | last = Gerbic | first = Susan | authorlink = Susan Gerbic | access-date = 2015-07-18 | archive-date = 2015-07-21 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150721220204/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/susan_gerbic_reports_on_the_2014_skeptics_toolbox | url-status = live }}
August 6–9, 2015FRAMING: Sanctifying the Bogus and Demonizing the Scientific{{cite book|title=The Skeptic's Toolbox Brochure|date=2015|publisher=CSICOP|location=Amherst, NY}}Ray Hyman, Lindsay Beyerstein, Harriet Hall, James Alcock, Loren PankratzTrish Randall

Other

{{commons category}}

Gallery of photos

File:Past Trenchies.jpg|In the Trenches past winners. (left – back) Steve Campbell, Ben Baumgartner, Harriet Hall, Charles Wynn, Herb Masters. (left – front) Jeanine DeNorma, Carol Baumgartner and Suzi Beyerstein. All who forgot their Skeptic's Toolbox hat, wore a cloth napkin on their head.

File:Honorary In The Trenches Award.jpg|Each of the faculty of 2012's Skeptic's Toolbox are presented by long-time attendees Carol and Ben Baumgartner, with a Honorary In The Trenches Award

File:Our leaders.jpg|Skeptical Toolbox regular Ben Baumgartner (far right) presents the faculty with Skeptic's Toolbox hats. From left Wallace Sampson, James Alcock, Ray Hyman and Barry Beyerstein. August 2005

File:Toolbox Faculty Awards.JPG|Each of the faculty of 2012's Skeptic's Toolbox are presented by long-time attendees Carol and Ben Baumgartner, with an Honorary In The Trenches Award. Ray Hyman, Lindsay Beyerstein, James Alcock, Harriet Hall and Loren Pankratz{{cite web|title=Skeptic's Toolbox Awards – 2|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaYjcPUEWV0|access-date=2012-08-12|archive-date=2014-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521182003/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaYjcPUEWV0|url-status=live}}

Image:in the trenches award 2004.jpg|The first in the trenches award for the skeptic's toolbox. Eugene, Oregon 2004. With Ray Hyman, Carol and Ben Baumgartner and Wilma Russell

File:Alcock and Beyerstein.jpg|James Alcock and Barry Beyerstein at the Skeptic's Toolbox

File:Nut & Bolt Illusion.jpg|Nut & Bolt Illusion, invented by Jerry Andrus – Toolbox 2001

File:Mini-Skeptic's Toolbox at CSICon Las Vegas in 2016.jpg|Mini-Skeptic's Toolbox at CSICon Las Vegas in 2016

References