First there was the woo, and the woo was everywhere. Then came the skeptics, forming themselves in the tribe of CSICOP, dismembering the woo and feasting on its remains. But the skeptics became drunk on their power, and began making stupid accusations and inane remarks. And thus SCEPCOP was born, to police the police. Or something like that…
The Paranormal is one of the most exciting frontiers today. Research into Consciousness, Quantum Physics and Psychic Phenomena, etc. explores venues that may unlock the mysteries of the universe and gateways to other dimensions or levels of reality. Thus it provides us hope, inspiration, and meaning for our existence, as well as expanding our minds into a larger picture of reality.
However, there are organized group of scoffers masquerading under the term “skeptics” who deny, ridicule and suppress anything progressive that challenges the static views of the establishment. They are debunkers who tend to distort, dismiss and obfuscate any phenomenon that challenges a conventional materialistic view of reality. In truth, they are not true skeptics engaging in open inquiry, but selective debunkers with an agenda to defend the establishment. That’s why we call them “pseudo-skeptics”. A “true skeptic” engages in open inquiry and doubt toward toward all views and belief systems, including their own and those of the establishment. But these “pseudo-skeptics” never question the views of the establishment, materialistic science or anything presented as “official”.
…So now, it’s our turn to form a group to counter them and expose them for what they are. Enter SCEPCOP, which is a counter to CSICOP (though they recently changed their name to CSI). As CSICOP was formed to “police the claims of psi”, SCEPCOP now in turn acts to “police the cynicism of pseudo-skeptics”. We will debunk all their arguments, revealing their fallacies, inconsistencies, false dogmas posing as “rules of logic” and double standards, showing that they are not objective truth seekers, but biased selective debunkers defending establishment views. Their minds were already made up from the beginning, and their actions and methodology expose them for what they are.
Regular readers will know that I’m all for dissecting the supposedly ‘authoritative’ views of skeptics. So it’s good to see a site out there which puts the focus squarely on this issue (although the Skeptical Investigations website already does a pretty good job of it). The thought of a ‘committee’ or group taking on the role of “police” to the skeptics does make me cringe a little though…half the problem with CSI(COP) and the like, is the weakness of group-think and shunning of apostate individuals. Additionally, I take time to argue certain issues as carefully and objectively as possible, so I certainly don’t want anybody talking ‘on behalf’ of me.
Apart from those caveats, I’m looking forward to seeing what comes from this venture.
