Jump to content

User:Nederlandse Leeuw/Skeptic prizes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of skeptic prizes in different categories that are awarded regularly, occasionally, or can be won under certain circumstances.

Prizes for evidence of the paranormal

[edit]
Main article: List of prizes for evidence of the paranormal

The quest for finding scientifically verifiable and falsifiable reliable evidence of purported paranormal phenomena is one of main raisons d'être of the skeptical movement. Over the centuries, many individuals have claimed to possess extraordinary abilities, or that certain phenomena exist that are not natural, or have no naturalistic or scientific explanation. Yet, according to skeptics, none has been able to prove the veracity of these claims under controlled conditions to ascertain they are not mistaken or fraudulent.[1] To encourage claimants into participating in controlled experiments to provide evidence for what they say, skeptics have put out financial rewards as far back as 1922, the most famous being the One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge of the James Randi Educational Foundation.[1] Nowadays, most skeptical organisations in the world offer such a monetary prize for anyone who is able to have their paranormal claims successfully tested.

Prizes praising skeptical efforts

[edit]
Award Awarded by Details Since
Sixth Screw
(Zesde Vijs)		 SKEPP Awarded to "someone who has distinguished themselves in the past year in spreading objective knowledge regarding pseudoscience and the paranormal, or who has made themselves noticed in the media by presenting a nuanced critical view or a thoroughly documented argumentation".[2] 1996
Pyramid Pendulum Prize
(Piramidependelprijs)		 Stichting Skepsis Occasionally awarded (4 times so far) to "individuals who have been valuable in disseminating The Skeptical Thought."[3] 1996
Freethinker of the Year
(Vrijdenker van het Jaar)		 De Vrije Gedachte Awarded annually. 2006
Outstanding Skeptics Award European Council of Skeptical Organisations Awarded "in recognition of [their] dedication and outstanding contributions in promoting science and investigating extraordinary claims". 2012
In Praise of Reason Award Committee for Skeptical Inquiry "In recognition of [their] distinguished contribution to the use of critical inquiry, scientific evidence, and reason in evaluating claims to knowledge".[4][5] 2012
Robert P. Balles Annual Prize in Critical Thinking Committee for Skeptical Inquiry Awarded annually. The $2,500 award is given to the "creator of the published work that best exemplifies healthy skepticism, logical analysis, or empirical science" Robert P. Balles established this permanent endowment fund through a Memorial Fund.[6] 2005
Candle in the Dark Committee for Skeptical Inquiry For "outstanding contributions to the public's understanding of science and scientific principles".[7] 1997–
2003
The Ockham Awards The Skeptic Awarded annually at QED. "Created by Editor-in-Chief Deborah Hyde in 2012 to highlight and reward campaigning work by skeptics."[8]
Five categories: Best Video, Best Blog, Best Podcast, Best Event/Campaign, and Editor's Choice.[9]		 2012
In the Trenches Award Skeptic's Toolbox Awarded annually. 2004
Enlightener of the Year
(Årets folkbildare)		 Föreningen Vetenskap och Folkbildning Awarded annually to whoever "contributed most to the laborious and long-term efforts to make the scientific method and its results known to a wider public." 1987
  • Socrates Prize - Skepsis ry - is given annually to a person or an organization who has actively promoted rational thinking or public understanding of science.[10]
  • Journalism and Critical Thinking Prize - Círculo Escéptico - It is annually awarded to whoever has encouraged critical thinking and scientific skepticism in the Spanish media the most. In 2016, the first prize was awarded posthumously to José Carlos Pérez Cobo.[11]
  • Premio Mario Bohoslavski - ARP-SAPC - Annually granted to people outside the association who have distinguished themselves by promoting the development of science, critical thinking, scientific communication and education, and the use of reason.[12]
  • The Thornett Award for the Promotion of Reason (The Fred) - Australian Skeptics - award includes a $1000 cash prize that is given to the recipient or to a charity or cause of their choice. It is awarded annually to a member of the public or a public figure who has made a significant contribution to educating or informing the public regarding issues of science and reason.[13][14]
  • The Australian Museum Eureka Awards is a series of annual awards presented by the Australian Museum in partnership with their sponsors, for excellence in various fields. Until 2005 the Australian Skeptics were major sponsors of the award for critical thinking.[13]
  • The Skeptic of the Year award - Australian Skeptics - is given annually to someone associated with the skeptical community who has been particularly active over the previous year. ASI coordinates the prize, and the final decision is voted on by representatives from the various Australian Skeptics groups.
  • the Skeptic of the Year award - NZ Skeptics - (created in 2014).[15]
  • the 'Bravo Awards' - NZ Skeptics - for "critical thinking in the public arena",[16]
  • Prémio COMCEPT - COMCEPT - Awarded on very special occasions to someone who has done exceptionally well in furthering critical thinking and science in Portugal.
  • Golden Eagle - Good Thinking Society - To the MPs 'who have stood up for science and rationalism in Parliament. The prize is £500 for each MP to donate to a science-friendly charity of their choice.'(only 2013)[17]
  • Emperor Has No Clothes Award - Freedom From Religion Foundation - Awarded annually, often to multiple people. "An award celebrating “plain speaking” on the shortcomings of religion."[18]
  • Skeptical Magnifying Glass (Lupa Escéptica) - ARP-SAPC - Acknowledging outstanding work by one of their own members.

Ironic awards

[edit]

In skepticism, ironic awards are usually given annually to individuals or groups that have expressed or promoted exceptionally uncritical thinking, pseudoscience or misconceptions, or are (indirectly) held responsible for causing harm to the public.

Award Awarded by Details Since
Bent Spoon Award Australian Skeptics The prize is "presented to the perpetrator of the most preposterous piece of paranormal or pseudoscientific piffle".[19] 1982
Bent Spoon Award NZ Skeptics For "the most gullible or naive reporting in the paranormal or pseudo-science area".[20][21] 1992
Flying Unicorn Award
(Prémio Unicórnio Voador)
1. Gramophone (Grafonola)
2. Falling Star (Estrela Cadente)
3. The King is Naked (O Rei Está Nu)		 COMCEPT (Comunidade Céptica Portuguesa) Given to personalities or entities that have spread pseudoscience, superstition and other forms of misinformation in Portugal. The aim is to stimulate reflection on the prevalence and influence of misinformation in society. The 3 categories (originally 4) are:
1. For media and their agents
2. For celebrities (TV, art, sports, social)
3. For all others (in 2012 there was a separate category, Don Quixote)		 2012
Golden Board in Front of the Face
(Goldene Brett vorm Kopf)		 Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften The Golden Board honours "the most bizarre, most outrageous, brashest pseudoscientific nonsense contribution of the year in German-speaking countries."[22] 2011
Golden Duck Good Thinking Society 'Awarded each year to the person (or organisation) that has supported or practised pseudoscience in the most ludicrous, dangerous, irrational or irresponsible manner.'[23] 2012
only
Golden Tin Foil Hat
(Der goldene Aluhut)		 Der goldene Aluhut GbR The Golden Tin Foil Hats are awarded annually to the greatest purveyors of conspiracy theories in Germany.[24] 2015
Huuhaa (Hoax) Prize
(Huuhaa-palkinto)		 Skepsis ry For "maintaining superstition and abusing people's uncertainty".[25] 1989
Master Quack Prize
(Meester Kackadorisprijs)		 Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij Annually awarded to the person or organisation that is deemed to have promoted quackery the most that year.[26] 2003
Obscurantist of the Year
(Årets förvillare)		 Föreningen Vetenskap och Folkbildning To whoever "voluntarily or by gross negligence contributed to creating confusion and uncertainty about the scientific method and its results in Sweden during the year," especially "for promoting authoritarianism and an uncritical attitude" towards claims made "in the name of science."[27] 1987
Pigasus Award James Randi Educational Foundation The award seeks to expose parapsychological, paranormal or psychic frauds that James Randi has noted over the previous year.[28] 1979
Skeptical Pit
(Skeptische Put)		 SKEPP Awarded to "someone who has displayed exceptionally uncritical thinking and who has totally misunderstood the popularisation of science and knowledge".[29] 1996
Snuffed Candle Committee for Skeptical Inquiry For "encouraging credulity, presenting pseudoscience as genuine, and contributing to the public's lack of understanding of the methods of scientific inquiry."[7] 1997–
2003
Umbluu (Clogbone) Award MTÜ Eesti Skeptik Annually published every 31 April on skeptik.ee, for the year's most striking activities in the field of propagating pseudoscience. The award comes with the sculpture of Skewed Pendulum (Estonian: Viltune Pendel).[30] 2008

Thesis prizes

[edit]
  • Thesisprijs - SKEPP - Occasionally (3 times so far). "A prize worth 1,000 euros for the best student thesis in which pseudoscience, the paranormal and similar topics are critically examined."[31]
  • Thesisprijs - De Vrije Gedachte

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Robert Todd Carroll (19 June 2014). "Randi $1,000,000 paranormal challenge". The Skeptic's Dictionary. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  2. ^ "De Zesde Vijs". SKEPP website (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  3. ^ "Een skeptische prijs – De Piramidependel". Skepsis.nl (in Dutch). Stichting Skepsis. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  4. ^ Chairman's Blog (8 October 2012). "The Sixth World Skeptics Congress". ASKE website. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  5. ^ World Skeptics Congress (16 June 2012). "World Skeptics Congress 2012: In Praise of Reason Award / Outstanding Skeptics Award (Introduction)". YouTube. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  6. ^ Fidalgo, Paul (2016). "CSI's Balles Prize in Critical Thinking Awarded to Julia Belluz of Vox.com". Skeptical Inquirer. 40 (5): 6.
  7. ^ a b "Nye, Aykroyd Receive Council's First Awards". CSICOP News. Skeptical Inquirer magazine. May 1997. Archived from the original on 5 February 2007. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  8. ^ "The Ockham Awards". Skeptic.org.uk. The Skeptic. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  9. ^ "Who won the Ockham's?". The Skeptic. 24 (3). 2013.
  10. ^ Skepsis ry:n hallitus (2 February 2014). "Sokrates-palkinnot kautta aikojen". Skepsis website (in Finnish). Skepsis ry. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  11. ^ "I. Premio José Carlos Pérez Cobo de periodismo y pensamiento crítico" (in Spanish). Círculo Escéptico. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Premios otorgados por ARP-SAPC". Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  13. ^ a b "Australian Skeptics 'Merit Awards'". Australian Skeptics Inc. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  14. ^ Buzzard, Dan. "Australian Skeptic Awards 2014". Dan's Journal of Skepticism. Retrieved 17 September 2015.
  15. ^ "Skeptic of the Year". NZ Skeptics. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  16. ^ "Skeptics' prize goes to education group". New Zealand Herald. 24 September 2005. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
  17. ^ http://goodthinkingsociety.org/projects/golden-duck/golden_eagle_2013/golden-eagles-2013/
  18. ^ https://ffrf.org/outreach/awards/emperor-has-no-clothes-award
  19. ^ Williams, Barry. "History of the Bent Spoon Award". skeptics.com.au. Australian Skeptics. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  20. ^ "Skeptics: Critical Coverage Needed at the Listener". Scoop. 20 September 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
  21. ^ "TV3 wins praise and criticism from Skeptics". New Zealand Herald. 19 September 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
  22. ^ "Gebt Babsi das Brett!". Ruhrbarone (in German). 4 November 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  23. ^ http://goodthinkingsociety.org/projects/golden-duck/
  24. ^ "Ansprechpartner" (in German). Der goldene Aluhut GbR. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  25. ^ http://www.skepsis.fi/Toiminta/HuuhaajaSokratespalkinnot/Huuhaapalkinnot.aspx
  26. ^ "Instelling Meester Kackadorisprijs". VtdK website (in Dutch). 11 August 2003. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  27. ^ http://www.vof.se/utmarkelser/regler/
  28. ^ Jeff Wagg (31 October 2008). "Pigasus Awards". Randi.org. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  29. ^ "De Skeptische Put". SKEPP website (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  30. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20160412215134/http://skeptik.ee/umbluu-preemia/
  31. ^ "SKEPP looft thesisprijs uit van € 1.000" (in Dutch). SKEPP. Retrieved 19 August 2016.

Category:Skepticism-related lists Prizes for proof of paranormal phenomena Category:Ironic and humorous awards

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=User:Nederlandse_Leeuw/Skeptic_prizes&oldid=751448769"