takao@ihlpa.att.com (Collier) (10/18/88)
[This is not exactly your regular NAC article. Comments? -mod]
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1988 CSICOP Conference
in Chicago
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THE NEW AGE
A Scientific Evaluation
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,
November 4-6
Hyatt Regency O'Hare
(at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport)
Committee for the
Scientific Investigation of Claims
of the Paranormal
(CSICOP)
Box 229
Buffalo, New York 12215-0229
(716) 834-3222
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About This Conference
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This conference is being held under the auspices of the Committee
for the Scientific Investigation o Claims of the Paranormal.
Cosponsors:
Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Chicago
Department of Psychology, University of Illinois
Hosts:
Midwest Committee for Rational Inquiry
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Friday, November 4
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International Ballroom
8:00 - 9:00 AM: Registration
9:00 - 9:30 AM: WELCOMING REMARKS
Paul Kurtz, CSICOP Chairman
Norman Bradburn, Provost, University of Chicago
Donald Langenberg, Chancellor, University of Illinois
at Chicago
9:30 - 12:30 PM: THE NEW AGE: AN OVERVIEW
Moderator: Paul Kurtz, CSICOP
Chairman, Professor of Philosophy,
SUNY, Buffalo
Maureen O'Hara, Professor of Women's
Studies, San Diego State University
J. Gordon Melton, Director, Inst. for
Study of Religion, U.C.-Santa Barbara
Jay Rosen, Assistant Professor of
Journalism, NYU
Robert Basil, editor of "Not Necessarily the
New Age"
12:30 - 2:30 PM: LUNCH BREAK
2:30 - 5:00 PM: Two concurrent sessions (choose one)
Session 1: CHANNELING
James Alcock, Professor of Psychology,
York University, Toronto
Sarah Thomason, Professor of Linguistics,
University of Pittsburgh
Graham Reed, Professor of Psychology,
York University, Toronto
Session 2: CRYSTAL HEALING
George Lawrence, Senior Research
Associate, University of Colorado
NEW AGE EXPERIENCES
Ted Schultz, journalist, editor of
"Fringes of Reason"
THE NEW AGE AND BUSINESS
Bela Scheiber, Chairman, Rocky
Mountain Skeptics
THE SHIRLEY MACLAINE PHENOMENON
Henry Gordon, magician, author,
broadcaster, Toronto
5:00 - 8:00 PM: DINNER BREAK
8:00 - 10:30 PM: Keynote Address - Rosemont Ballroom
DOUGLAS HOFSTADTER, University Professor of
Cognitive Science, Indiana University,
Bloomington
"Musings on the Elusive Nature of
Common Sense and Evidence"
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Saturday, November 5
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Rosemont and United Rooms
8:00 - 9:00 AM: Registration
9:00 - 12 NOON: Three concurrent sessions (choose one)
Session 1: CRYPTOZOOLOGY
Moderator: Lee Nisbet, Associate
Professor of Philosophy, Medaille
College
J. Richard Greenwell, Secretary, Int'l
Society for Cryptozoology
Frank Poirier, Professor of Anthropology,
Ohio State University, Columbu
Roy P. Mackal, University of Chicago
Charles Cazeau, geologist, Tempe, Ariz.
Session 2: GRAPHOLOGY
Moderator: Barry Beyerstein, Professor of
Psychology, Simon Fraser Univ.,
Burnaby, British Columbia
Rose Matousek, President, Amer. Assn. of
Handwriting Analysts
Richard J. Klimoski, Professor of
Psychology, Ohio State University
Edward Karnes, Professor of Psychology,
Metropolitan State College, Denver
Felix Klein, Vice President, Council of
Graphological Societies
Session 3: PSYCHICS IN THE LEGAL SYSTEM
Moderator: Mark Plummer, lawyer,
CSICOP Executive Director
Robert Hicks, Analyst, Dept. of Criminal
Justice Services, Commonwealth of Virginia
James E. Starrs, Professor of Law and
Forensic Sciences, George Washington
University, Washington, D.C.
Michael Botts, attorney, Kansas City,
Missouri
12:00 - 2:00 PM: FUND-RAISING LUNCHEON (optional)
International Ballroom
Presentation by James Randi
Speakers: Philip J. Klas and Mark Plummer
2:00 - 5:00 PM: Two concurrent sessions (choose one)
Session 1: MEDIA RESPONSIBILITY AND THE PARANORMAL
Moderator: Milton Rosenberg, Professor
of Psychology, University of Chicago
John Baker, Editor-in-Chief, "Publishers Weekly"
George Gerbner, Professor of
Communications, Annenberg School
of Communications, Univ. of Penn.
Richard Lobo, Vice President, NBC,
General Manager, WMAQ-TV, Chicago
Session 2: UFO-ABDUCTIONS (2:00 - 3:30 PM)
Philip J. Klass, aerospace editor,
Washington, D.C.
Robert A. Baker, Professor of Psychology,
Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington
CSICOP GOES TO CHINA (3:30 - 5:00 PM)
Paul Kurtz, CSICOP Chairman
Kendrick Frazier, Editor, "Skeptical Inquirer"
Barry Karr, CSICOP Public Relations Director
6:00 - 7:00 PM: RECEPTION (Cash Bar)
Mexicana-Olympic-Swissair Rooms
7:00 - 10:30 PM: AWARDS BANQUET (optional)
Rosemont Ballroom
Awards Presentation: Paul Kurtz,
CSICOP Chairman
Entertainment: "Skeptical Magicians from
Around the World"
Master of Ceremonies: "The Amazing" Randi
B. Premanand (India)
Ben Harris (Australia)
Henry Gordon (Canada)
Robert Steiner (United States)
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Sunday, November 6
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The Forum Room
9:00 - 12 NOON: ENHANCING THE SKEPTICS' MESSAGE
Ray Hyman, Professor of Psychology,
University of Oregon
Jeff Mayhew, computer consultant, Aloha, Oregon
Paul MacCready, President, AeroVironment,
Inc., Los Angeles, Calif.
Jerry Andrus, magician, Oregon
2:00 - 4:00 PM: GROUPS MEETING
Discussion. How to make groups viable,
efficient, and effective
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Registration Information
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Registration fee: $85.00 per person (meals and accommodations not
included). $45.00 for students.
Keynote Address: Douglas Hofstadter's Keynote Address on friday
night is included in the registration fee. For nonregistrants,
$7.00.
Saturday Luncheon (James Randi, host): $17.50
Awards Banquet: The Saturday night Awards Banquet, $29.50 per
person.
Accommodations:
Hyatt Regency O'Hare, 9300 West Bryn Mawr Ave., Rosemont, IL
60018 (312-696-9000 or 800-228-9000).
+ Single room, $69. Double $69. (Triples and quads also
available.) Please mention CSICOP Conference for these special
rates. These rates will be extended for accommodations from
November 2 to 6, 1988. The cut-off date is October 19.
+ Complimentary transportation between Hyatt Regency O'Hare and
O'Hare International airport every 15 to 20 minutes.
+ Complimentary parking.
+ Check-in time 3:00 PM, check-out time 12:00 PM.
For further information contact Mary Rose Hays (716-834-3222),
CSICOP, Box 229, Buffalo, N.Y. 14215. Media representatives should
contact Barry Karr(716-834-3222).
Conference Coordinator:
Lee Nisbet, CSICOP Special Projects Director