James Randi interview April 2008 (Part 5/6)

An interview with James Randi (randi.org) conducted exclusively with The Skeptic Magazine (skeptic.org.uk) for its 22nd year relaunch issue.

In this video, Randi and Prof. Christopher French (goldsmiths.ac.uk/apru) discuss the methods by which Peter Popoff was exposed, miracle healing, psychic surgery, the public reaction to exposure, and how thinking critically and independently is vital.

This video is part of The Skeptic Magazine Interview Series
http://skeptic.org.uk/archive

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• James
• Randi
• Chris
• French
• interview
• Skeptic
• Magazine
• positive
• scepticism
• skepticism
• sceptic
• skeptic
• magic
• science
• Project
• Alpha
• Mike
• Edwards
• Steve
• Shaw
• Banachek
• Peter
• Popoff
• miracle
• healing
• parapsychology

[soupie]

popoff was a total bastard, oh wait, he's still alive, he's still a total bastard:D

[TheSkepticMag]

@tttapmmman Your comment is disappointing. Aside from unnecessary insults and blatant homophobia, it is also inconsistent. You state "If people want to be gullible and follow a certain silly belief, let them do it" yet you criticise Randi for following his own beliefs.

Your comment demonstrates your bigotry very effectively and as such will not be flagged or removed. Further comments in the same tone will not be tolerated. Having the ability to type does not mean you should. Play nicely now.

[vdst1]

JAMES RANDI IS AWESOME !

[krapptacular]

I use to take the money for church on sunday, and go play the new pac man down at the pizza place. The first 6 years of of my life i was brain washed.

Fuck that my brain said wtf is wrong here. LOL

[WrestlingHeretic]

@tttapmmman

Very well, then. What's your solution to the ongoing problem of fraud, and how is it superior to Randi's approach? See if you can respond without deploying your usual repertory of four-letter words, which are, in total, an advertisement for one's inarticulateness. (By the way, you mean "***You're*** just another so-and-so with a stupid opinion.")

[WrestlingHeretic]

@tttapmmman

His solution to the problem of fraud is better than yours, which is to do nothing.

[TheSkepticMag]

@tttapmmman "Try following a real skeptic" 'Following' isn't a particularly apt term. Many people find Randi's thoughts and opinions are similar to theirs. Many don't. There will always be disagreement, that's the nature of belief. Evaluating the evidence and thinking for yourself is the important part of that.

I won't comment on Randi's accomplishments. Anyone with basic web searching skills can form their own opinion on that.

Who would you propose is a "real skeptic"?

[colourfulwithaU]

@tttapmmman

Randi doesn't try to hurt the frauds, he just tries to expose them as frauds. He did so to many frauds, including Popoff who went bankrupt in 1987. The only reason Popoff is back is because people are gullible and vulnerable. No one will ever change that, not even Randi. Another fraud he exposed, James Hydrick, is now back in prison for forced oral copulation.

And James Randi, by the way, is doing just fine.

[STEPHENWRAYSFORD33]

Peter Popoff sounds like a rather unpleasant character.

[Nguli34689]

L.Ron Hubbard was rich, famous, and doing great too.

In this video we hear what kind of characters Popoff had and he himself was. Racial epithets were used, Popoff's agents taking money from a dying man with testicular cancer while making jokes about him: "What big balls he has" and so on...

If anything, it is hard, very hard for people to think. They would rather have someone else do the thinking for them.

Who was it that said:

"What profiteth it a man to gain the world and lose his soul?"

[TheAwesomeClub]

Oh damn I want the audio clip of Carson saying 'oh shit!'