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July 2018
What do we know about the placebo effect?
With 'healers' like Charlie Goldsmith at large, the placebo effect is very topical. The plan is for us each to bring some item of research on the placebo effect, to talk about in the group. You can have a printed copy of this or an electronic copy on a thumb drive. Cost: please donate a gold coin to support the Meetup group. Venue: Henry on Eighth bar & cafe, 49 Eighth Ave, Maylands. We meet upstairs at this venue; food…
Find out more »August 2018
Free will
We'll meet at 7 for a 7.30 start and talk about the issue of human free will - its definition, existence or non-existence and the implications for skeptical and critical thinking. Bring any relevant articles or thoughts you have - in hard copy or on a thumb drive. VENUE: Upstairs at Henry on Eighth Bar / Cafe, 49 Eighth Ave Maylands
Find out more »September 2018
Skeptics planning meeting
We'll meet at 7 for a 7.30 start and make plans for the next six months' meetings - so bring your ideas for topics and speakers. If you can't attend, just message me your ideas via this site or the Meetup site. The aim of this meeting is to a) make sure we're covering topics that interest you all; and b) spread the workload. Please donate a gold coin (NB bring change please) towards the Meetup site (costs me about…
Find out more »October 2018
Climate change
Climate change: why do we believe it's happening and that we're responsible? Is there any evidence to the contrary? For the main part of the meeting we'll listen to a podcast from 'The Infinite Monkey Cage' series on this topic*, as well as considering some information from other sources, including an examination of what 'climate change skeptics/deniers' say and the counter-arguments. Members who have information they'd like to share on the topic - and everyone is encouraged to contribute -…
Find out more »November 2018
Science & the role of ‘big data’
TOPIC CHANGED: What is 'big data' and how is affecting science? Is it making science more trustworthy? How much do we trust scientists anyway? Does the scientific method ever really fail to deliver the truth? If everyone attending could look into part of this NEW(ish) topic it will help enormously and make it a much more eclectic discussion (not just one person's view.) Please donate a gold coin to help cover the cost of the meetup site. Venue: Henry on…
Find out more »December 2018
End of year picnic
Let's relax at one Perth's loveliest picnic spots: Matilda Bay, Crawley. Bring your food & drink or get something from the cafe. Children welcome; and well-behaved dogs! We'll have a 'best example of woo' competition with a small prize awarded by popular consensus. The example can be an article, an item, a photo - or anything else you can think of. Please RSVP below with your full name and your email for a confirmation copy, then I'll give you my…
Find out more »January 2019
Conspiracy theories: what’s the attraction?
We'll look at conspiracy theories: what's the attraction and how can we help people out of 'the rabbit hole' in an effective, non-judgmental way? I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO RESEARCH AND PRESENT THIS TOPIC. Possible books/sources: 'Escaping the rabbit hole' by Mick West; 'Why people believe weird things' Michael Shermer
Find out more »February 2019
Who’s your expert?
Who do we trust to tell us the truth about issues like climate change, vaccination, vitamin supplements and all the rest? It might not be as easy as we might think to tell a 'real' expert from a 'fake' or 'wanna-be' one. The good news is that we've found a new venue that has a quiet, private, upstairs room where we can get drinks and food delivered from downstairs in the hotel. We aim to combine with the Perth Atheists…
Find out more »March 2019
Skeptics book discussion: ‘Nonsense on stilts’
We'll have a discussion about the book 'Nonsense on Stilts: how to tell science from bunk' by Massimo Pigliucci. NB it's not mandatory to have read the book - everyone's welcome! Why do people believe bunk? And what causes them to embrace such pseudoscientific beliefs and practices as antivax, creationism and climate change denial? Noted skeptic Massimo Pigliucci sets out to separate the fact from the fantasy in this entertaining exploration of the nature of science, the borderlands of fringe…
Find out more »April 2019
The ‘tech singularity’ – real or not?
Neil has kindly agreed to talk to us about the so-called 'technological singularity' (or just singularity), which is the hypothesis that the invention of artificial superintelligence (ASI) will abruptly trigger runaway technological growth, resulting in unfathomable changes to human civilization. According to this hypothesis, an upgradable intelligent agent (such as a computer running software-based artificial general intelligence) would enter a "runaway reaction" of self-improvement cycles, with each new and more intelligent generation appearing more and more rapidly, causing an intelligence…
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