Skepticon 2023 is the premier convention for critical thinking, skepticism, and science communication in Australia. At this event, rational thinkers, scientists, and experts gather to explore issues facing skepticism in society today. With the aim of equipping attendees with the tools needed to think critically and evaluate evidence, Skepticon 2023 offers a unique opportunity to engage with like-minded individuals who share a commitment to rational inquiry and the fight against pseudoscience.
Through engaging talks and lively discussions, Skepticon 2023 provides an opportunity for the community to come together. Whether you're a seasoned expert or simply interested in learning more about the world around you, Skepticon 2023 has something to offer. Join us on this exciting journey of discovery and learning as we work together to build a brighter, more rational future for us all.
This year it will be organised by the Australian Skeptics Victorian Branch and held near the University of Melbourne Parkville Campus.
The global skeptic community has been admirably described as a modern social movement based on the idea of scientific skepticism.
According to HandWiki, the “movement has the goal of investigating claims made on fringe topics and determining whether they are supported by empirical research and are reproducible, as part of a methodological norm pursuing ‘the extension of certified knowledge’. The process followed is sometimes referred to as skeptical inquiry”.
Rational Wiki describes a skeptic as “one who prefers beliefs and conclusions that are reliable and valid to ones that are comforting or convenient, and therefore rigorously and openly applies the methods of science and reason to all empirical claims, especially their own.”
Roots of the skeptic movement can be traced to the 19th century when people started to publicly question the acceptance of claims about spiritism, a number of superstitions and general pseudoscience.
Wikipedia offers a comprehensive examination of scientific skepticism. In addition to the points above, the page offers an excellent overview, which itself widens to encompass relevant and historical aspects of the skeptic movement as we know it today.
Americans Paul Kurtz and Marcello Truzzi, used the Belgian organisation Comité Para (founded in 1949), as a template for the foundation of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), in New York, in 1979. This is today known as the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), and has inspired other groups to form worldwide.
One such group is Australian Skeptics Inc (ASI). Their Vision is:
A society that makes decisions based on evidence, reason and critical thinking.
The Mission of Australian Skeptics Inc states:
Australian Skeptics Inc will advocate critical thinking and scientific reasoning. It will investigate and provide information on specific paranormal or pseudoscientific claims, and on methods for assessing such claims. It will play a key role in rational and intelligent public discourse on science and medicine, and serve as a hub for skeptical activities in Australia.
The Aims of ASI are:
At the present time the impact of disinformation, misinformation and pseudoscience upon individuals who don’t recognise these dynamics for what they are, is significant. The COVID pandemic provided opportunity for anti-science and conspiracy theory-thinking to flourish. The combination of uncertainty, restrictions on basic freedoms, a pre-existing anti-vaccine lobby, spare time during lockdowns, the internet and social media created a perfect storm. A prefect storm that whilst dissipating, has left much damage.
The need to promote critical thinking and spread evidence-based responses to ongoing attempts to deceive and misinform is as great as it has ever been. Skeptical activism ensures that harmful scams and schemes are exposed and debunked in a reputable fashion. It seeks to reach as many people as possible, and where necessary motivate the appropriate regulators to act in an effective manner. The importance of critical thinking is as central to the Skeptic movement, as questioning the validity of dubious claims, is to scientific skepticism.
There is of course, no overarching authority or government body to ensure skeptical activism and scientific skepticism forms a response to the irrational, pseudoscientific claims that surround us. There are however skeptics, and skeptics regularly come together to share their own experiences. To reinforce the importance of activism and scientific skepticism. Skepticon 2023 will host 17 skeptics and even more during the Saturday night dinner. Through presentations, performance and general discussion, skeptics will share what it means to them, to be active in the skeptic community.
Join us at Skepticon 2023.
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