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CSICon
CSI Executive Director Barry Karr speaking at CSICon 2011
StatusActive
Genrescience and skepticism
Location(s)Las Vegas since 2016
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated2011 (1983)
Attendance500 in 2015[1]
Organized byCommittee for Skeptical Inquiry
Websitecsiconference.org

CSICon or CSIConference is an annual skeptical conference typically held in the United States. CSICon is hosted by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), which is a program of the Center for Inquiry (CFI). CSI publishes Skeptical Inquirer, subtitled The Magazine for Science and Reason.[2]

History

1983–2005: CSICOP conferences

Banquet at the 1983 CSICOP Conference in Buffalo, NY.

CSICon's current format stems from 2011, but similar conferences by CSI (until 2006 known as CSICOP, the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal) go back as far as 1983, when the first was held at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY).[3] The second international CSICOP conference, themed "Paranormal Beliefs: Scientific Facts and Fictions", was held at Stanford University in 1984. The third, the first European CSICOP conference, was held at University College London in Britain, themed "Investigation and Belief".[4]

Throughout the 1980s, the European readership of the Skeptical Inquirer was increasing, while CSICOP members James Randi and Paul Kurtz were visiting several European countries to help found national skeptical organizations with their own magazines. In 1989, the second European CSICOP conference occurred in Bad Tölz, Germany, co-organized by the GWUP and also known as the 1st European Skeptics Congress. It was followed by the formation of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations in 1994, that would henceforth host international skeptical conferences in Europe.[5]

Subsequent CSICOP conferences were always held inside the United States. These included the First World Skeptics Congress at SUNY Buffalo (1996), "That’s Entertainment! Hollywood, the Media, and the Supernatural" with the Council for Media Integrity in Los Angeles (1998), "Science Meets 'Alternative Medicine'" in Philadelphia (1999) and others.[4]

2005–2011: hiatus

Around 2005, the CSICOP conferences that were on average held every year and a half, usually at a major American university in conjunction with the relevant faculties such as physics, psychology and philosophy, went into a seven-year hiatus. According to Kendrick Frazier, the organization struggled with its leadership, focus and future perspective, prompting amongst other things the 2006 renaming from CSICOP to CSI, the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. In the meantime, the annual skeptical conference in Las Vegas, The Amaz!ng Meeting run by the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF), started to fill the gap and grew larger every year.[6]

2011–present: CSICon

Bill Nye received the "In Praise of Reason" Award at CSICon 2011.
CSI, CFI and CSH gathered at the joint CFI Summit in Tacoma, Washington in 2013.
2016 CSICon Logo

When CSI stabilized in 2011, it held its first newly styled CSICon in New Orleans, Louisiana.[6] At this first CSICon, Planetary Society president Bill Nye was presented with the "In Praise of Reason" Award for his efforts in science communication with shows such as "Bill Nye the Science Guy" and later series and lectures.[7] Bill Nye is a frequent speaker at the conference, with speaking slots in 2011 and 2013. He also attended the conference in a non speaker role in 2018.[8]

CSICon 2 took place in Nashville, Tennessee in October 2012.[9][10][11]

In October 2013, CSICon 3 was held as part of a larger CFI conference, including the Council for Secular Humanism (CSH), called the CFI Summit in Tacoma, Washington.[6] This combined congress was an experiment, as some people like Ray Hyman and Daniel Loxton feared or argued the goals and focus of skepticism and humanism differed too much from each other to be discussed at a single conference. On the other hand, Ronald A. Lindsay and Eddie Tabash defended the decision of a joint conference, and Susan Gerbic wrote afterwards she was "completely impressed" by how well the two camps overlapped (citing the creation–evolution controversy as the most important common ground), and "have to work together".[12][13] In June 2015, again a joint CFI conference was organized under the banner "Reason for Change", with almost 500 people attending. Frazier opined that "[s]cientific skepticism and secularism/humanism blended fairly seamlessly" in Amherst, New York, the headquarters of CFI.[1]

After the last installment of The Amaz!ng Meeting in 2015, Las Vegas was chosen as the location for CSICon 2016 to fill the void.[14][15]

There are active efforts to bring more students to CSICon, such as by Oregonians for Science and Reason (O4SR) which in 2016 [16] and 2017 [17] gave three scholarships that included conference fees, travel, hotel and food costs. 2018 saw a large number of first time attendees.[8]

An opinion piece by Rob Palmer is of the sentiment that the conference attracts most of its first time attendees by the big name speakers, but what makes them return is the lasting friendships and the invaluable networking done on the conference floor.[8]

Sunday Morning Papers Session

One part of TAM that was carried over directly to CSICon is the Sunday Morning Papers Sessions. As described by Ray Hall, who has been in charge of vetting the Sunday Papers since TAM2 in 2002 and continued in that role for CSICon 2016, "The Sunday Papers are an opportunity for anyone with a specific expertise to lend their skills to the [skeptical] movement . . . Proposals that make it to the stage have some or all of these characteristics: they are well researched (with citations), introduce new data and analysis, discuss successes in media outreach, and the speaker’s credentials are well matched to the content of the proposal."[15] As Jay Diamond described them, "The Sunday Papers are 'best of' the skeptical community. Grassroots skeptics get fifteen minutes to discuss their passion, so they are concise and clear."[18] Speakers are given a strict time limit of 15 minutes. According to Diamond, " It’s much easier to do an hour-long talk than fifteen minutes. For the short talk, you need to be very well rehearsed." In 2016, the wide-ranging topics included Creationist attacks on genetic algorithms, Rh-negative blood types, Homeopathy, concussions in American football, teaching critical thinking in college, and chemtrails.[19]

In 2017, the Sunday Papers presentations included teaching people to recognize pseudoscience, the history of phrenology and parallels to the current misuse of functional MRI, the influence of prayer on sports outcomes, the belief in the paranormal among university students, and a review of aberrant treatments promoted on naturopath websites.[20]

In 2018, the Sunday Papers presentations included speakers from the USA, Brazil, India, and Denmark:[21]

  • Politicization of Science: CAMs in the Brazilian Public Healthcare System, by Natalia Pasternak Taschner
  • Our Fight to Bring in the Anti-black Magic Law in India, by Shantanu Abhyankar
  • Patented Woo: Why does the Patent Office issue patents on homeopathic “cures" and other pseudoscience?, by Rick McLeod
  • Pseudoscience Ruins Adolescence: Myths About Sex, Drugs, and Self-Control, by Stephen Hupp
  • Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia: Your Pathway to Skeptical Activism, by Rob Palmer
  • The Harrit Syndrome: A New Explanation of Why and How People Become Evangelical Conspiracy Theorists, by Steen Svanholm & Claus Flodin Larsen

Events

Dates Location Name Speakers Themes and notes
October 27–30, 2011 New Orleans, Louisiana CSICon Bill Nye, Phil Plait, Barbara Forrest, Lawrence Krauss, Harriet Hall, Steven Novella, William B. Davis, Chris Mooney, Karen Stollznow, James Underdown and The Heathens, Joe Nickell, James Randi, Ray Hyman, Massimo Polidoro, D. J. Grothe, Indre Viskontas, Ben Radford, Margaret Downey, PZ Myers, Sandra Blakeslee, Michelle Blackley, Richard Saunders, Kendrick Frazier, Robert Sheaffer, and others. Theme: "The Conference Dedicated To Scientific Inquiry And Critical Thinking"[3][22][23]
October 25–28, 2012 Nashville, Tennessee CSICon 2 Ronald A. Lindsay, Kendrick Frazier, The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe (Steven, Bob, and Jay Novella, Rebecca Watson, and Evan Bernstein), George Hrab, PZ Myers, James Alcock, Elizabeth Loftus, Indre Viskontas, Massimo Polidoro, Richard Wiseman, Jon Ronson, Sara Mayhew, Eugenie Scott, Dan Kahan, David Morrison, Sharon A. Hill, Scott Lilienfeld, Anthony Pratkanis, David Gorski, Harriet Hall, Kimball Atwood, Richard Lippa, Carol Tavris, and others. Theme: "The Conference Dedicated To Science And Skeptical Inquiry"[10]
October 24–27, 2013 Tacoma, Washington CSICon 3 (part of the CFI Summit) Ronald A. Lindsay, Ray Hyman, Daniel Loxton, Edward Tabash, Susan Gerbic, Barry Kosmin, Michael De Dora, Ophelia Benson, Mark Hatcher, Bill Cooke, Zack Kopplin, Bill Nye, Ben Radford, James Underdown, Joe Nickell, Leonard Mlodinow, Lindsay Beyerstein, Josh Zepps, and others. Co-organized with the Center for Inquiry as part of the "CFI Summit: A meeting of minds — a call to collaborative action"[12]
June 11–15, 2015 Amherst, New York Reason for Change[note 1] Ronald A. Lindsay, James Underdown, Kendrick Frazier, Tom Flynn, Michael Specter, Eugenie Scott, Harriet Hall, Steven Novella, David Gorski, Leonard Tramiel, Rebecca Goldstein, Stephen Law, Mark Boslough, Scott Mandia, Jan Dash, Joshua Rosenau, Dave Thomas, Ray Hyman, Scott Lilienfeld, Amardeo Sarma, Barry Karr, and others. Co-organized with the Center for Inquiry as "A CFI Conference"[1]
October 27–30, 2016 Las Vegas, Nevada CSICon 4 James Alcock, Banachek, Julia Belluz, Lindsay Beyerstein, Robyn Blumner, Richard Dawkins, Katie Dyer, Sanal Edamaruku, Mark Edward, Kevin Folta, Kendrick Frazier, Susan Gerbic, Stephanie Guttormson, Harriet Hall, Ray Hall, David Helfand, George Hrab, Ray Hyman, Maria Konnikova, Lawrence Krauss, Ronald Lindsay, Elizabeth Loftus, Michael Mann, Joe Nickell, Paul Offit, Massimo Polidoro, Anthony Pratkanis, James Randi, Joe Schwarcz, Eugenie Scott, Kavin Senapathy, Jamy Ian Swiss, Jill Tarter, Carol Tavris, James Underdown, Bertha Vazquez, and Tamar Wilner.[25] Theme: "Celebrate Science and Reason"[15]
October 26–29, 2017 Las Vegas, Nevada CSICon 5 James Alcock, Teresa Giménez Barbat, Evan Bernstein, Lindsay Beyerstein, Kenny Biddle, Robyn Blumner, Rob Brotherton, Richard Dawkins, Rachael Dunlop, Katie Dyer, Taner Edis, Mark Edward, Kevin M. Folta, Kendrick Frazier, Susan Gerbic, David H. Gorski, MD, Harriet Hall, MD, Raymond Edward Hall, Sheldon W. Helms, Britt Hermes, George Hrab, Ray Hyman, Maria Konnikova, Lawrence Krauss, Michael E. Mann, Natalie Newell, Joe Nickell, Bob Novella, Jay Novella, Steven Novella, MD, Loren Pankratz, PhD, Massimo Polidoro, Carrie Poppy, James “The Amazing” Randi - withdrawn (health),[26] Cara Santa Maria, Richard Saunders, Eugenie C. Scott, Kavin Senapathy, Jim Underdown, Richard Wiseman[27] Your alternative to alternative facts.[27]

Science Moms had its American premiere.[28]
October 18–21, 2018 Las Vegas, Nevada CSICon 6 James Alcock, Banachek, Kenny Biddle, Susan Blackmore, Mark Boslough, Tim Callahan, Troy Campbell, Timothy Caulfield, Adam Conover, John Cook, Richard Dawkins, Yvette d'Entremont, Craig Foster, Stephen Fry, Susan Gerbic, Jen Gunter, Abby Hafer, Ray Hall, George Hrab, Deborah Hyde, William M. London, Stephen Macknik, Susana Martinez-Conde, Joe Nickell, Paul Offit, Steven Pinker, Massimo Polidoro, James “The Amazing” Randi, Kavin Senepathy, Joseph Uscinski, Bertha Vazquez, Mick West, Carl Zimmer[29] Bigger venue. Bigger stars. Bigger ideas. Bigger fun.[30]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Frazier, Kendrick (September 2015). "'Reason for Change': Quacks and Cranks, GMOs and Climate, Science and Philosophy". Skeptical Inquirer. 39 (5). CSI. Archived from the original on July 17, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "The Conference Dedicated to Science and Skeptical Inquiry". CSIConference.org. CSI. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ a b Adam Isaac (October 5, 2011). "CSICon – The Conference Dedicated To Scientific Inquiry And Critical Thinking". Point of Inquiry. CFI. Archived from the original on October 26, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b Frazier, Kendrick (June 2001). "CSICOP Timeline". Skeptical Inquirer. 25 (3). CSI. Archived from the original on February 23, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2016. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Gábor Hraskó. "Earlier European skeptic events". Hungarian Skeptic Society. Archived from the original on May 27, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b c d Frazier, Kendrick (March 2015). "Organized Skepticism: Four Decades ... and Today". Skeptical Inquirer. 39 (2). CSI. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Bill Nye Wins In Praise of Reason Award". CSI website. CSI. January 20, 2012. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ a b c Palmer, Rob. "CSICon 2018: Meet the First-Timers". CSI. CFI. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  9. ^ Bob Smietana (October 26, 2012). "Skeptics, atheists share their doubts at conference". The Tennessean. Gannett Company.
  10. ^ a b c Frazier, Kendrick (March 2013). "Ideas and Insights, Inquiries and Investigations". Skeptical Inquirer. 37 (2). CSI. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2016. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Kyle Hill (November 14, 2012). "How Long Will a Lie Last? New Study Finds That False Memories Linger for Years". Scientific American Blog Network. Scientific American. Archived from the original on November 28, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ a b Frazier, Kendrick (March 2014). "CFI Summit: Highlights. Skeptics, Humanists Come Together in Tacoma in First Joint Conference: Skepticism, Humanism, or Both?". Skeptical Inquirer. 38 (2). CSI. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2016. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Gerbic, Susan (March 2014). "CFI Summit: Impressions. Conference Report". Skeptical Inquirer. 38 (2). CSI. Archived from the original on November 8, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Brian Dunning (March 19, 2016). "Are you frustrated that TAM & the JREF are no more, and the skeptical community has disintegrated?". Skeptoid blog. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  15. ^ a b c Susan Gerbic (September 22, 2016). "From TAM to CSICon: An Interview with Ray Hall and Katie Dyer". CSI website. CSI. Archived from the original on October 25, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ Gerbic, Susan. "Let's Bring More Students to CSICon - CSI". www.csicop.org. Archived from the original on 2017-02-13. Retrieved 2017-02-12. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ Gerbic, Susan. "2017 O4SR Scholarship Winners for CSICon - CSI". www.csicop.org. Archived from the original on 2018-04-25. Retrieved 2018-05-31. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Gerbic, Susan. "Fifteen Minutes of Skepticism: The Sunday Papers, An Interview with Jay Diamond - CSICon Las Vegas". CSIConference.org. Archived from the original on 2017-02-11. Retrieved February 8, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Gerbic, Susan. "CSICon Las Vegas: "Go for the speakers, return for the people" - CSI". www.csicop.org. Archived from the original on 2017-02-13. Retrieved 2017-02-12. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ Gerbic, Susan. "CSICon Sunday Papers 2017". CSI. Center for Inquiry. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ "CSICon 2018: Speakers and Schedule". CSIConfernce.org. CFI. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  22. ^ Lavarnway, Julia (March 2012). "CSICon New Orleans 2011 - Where Meeting Awesome Skeptics Is As Easy As Saying 'Hello'". Skeptical Inquirer. 36 (2). CSI. Archived from the original on October 10, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ Lee Speigel (November 1, 2011). "UFO At NFL Game: TV Camera Captures Strange Object In Flight During Broadcast". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on October 26, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ Barry Karr. "CSICon ad final". CSIConference.org. CSI. Archived from the original on October 26, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ "CSICon Las Vegas: Speakers". CSIConference.org. CSI. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ Randi, James. "Video message to CSICon attendees". Facebook. CSICon - Skeptical Inquirer Conference. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  27. ^ a b "CSICon Las Vegas 2017". CSICon Las Vegas 2017. Archived from the original on 6 May 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ Hupp, Stephen. "SIUE's Hupp Produces Skeptical Film Premiering this Weekend". SIUE.edu. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Archived from the original on 18 November 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ "CSICon Las Vegas 2018". CSICon Las Vegas 2018. Archived from the original on 2 May 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ "CSICon Las Vegas 2018". CSICon Las Vegas 2018. Archived from the original on 2 May 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

Notes

  1. ^ Unlike the 2013 CFI Summit that incorporated CSICon 3,[10] "Reason for Change" was not officially named a "CSICon", although CSI again co-organized it.[6] Instead, it was dubbed "A CFI Conference", while the 2016 CSICon in Las Vegas has been ranked the "4th".[24]
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