Acupuncture - An Implausible Premise Lacking Evidence
Description:
Learn about the origins, the methods, and the tools used by acupuncturists, and explore the connections between eastern medicine and humourism, an abandoned Greco-Roman form of ancient medicine. Examine the scientific evidence proving that acupuncture is nothing more than an elaborate placebo with absolutely no plausible basis in reality. Finally, get an up close look at some of the paraphernalia used by a former acupuncture student.
Prepare for a journey into the past as we look at archaeology good and bad. We'll go over some brief basic concepts and then delve into the wild world of pseudoarchaeology, Atlantis, Ancient Astronauts, Bigfoot, and Pyramids. Can you dig it? (I know, that was bad, but I couldn't resist.)
Break the Chain: E-mail Forwards & Introductory Critical Thinking
Description:
For most people, e-mail forwards are a source of either minor annoyance or entertainment, but there are those who pass them on. The chain letter that began in the days of snail mail has branched out to text messages and Facebook posts, but it remains a great way to learn the basics of critical thinking. Going from the obnoxious to the offensive to the outright despicable, we'll be taking a look at why 'FWD' are three very evil letters.
After WWII, many Melanesian tribes adopted new religious practices. They imitated the behaviors of the Allies who had used their island homes as staging areas for resource distribution in an attempt to exhort the gods for 'cargo.' These 'cargo cults' are a powerful analogue for pseudoscience and those that practice it. What can Melanesian tribes teach us about the difference between science and pseudoscience? Attend this talk to find out.
William Brinkman, a contributing writer for White Wolf's Demon: The Fallen game line, will read excerpts from his current web project, The Bolingbrook Babbler. He will also talk about his experiences promoting skepticism through the guise of a tabloid.
The modern West is awash in the paranormal, from ghost hunting to alien abductions. The paranormal, however, is hardly unique to us. Different cultures have had their own unique conceptions of the paranormal. If we widen our gaze from beliefs espoused by the Ghost Hunters and others, we see that paranormal ideas generally draw from cultural narratives and fill in perceived holes to help explain the anomalous or extraordinary.
How a clever GM can use evolution and creationism to create a very colorful but believable game world, and to create interesting, believable NPCs and characters.
How a clever GM can use evolution and creationism to create a very colorful but believable game world, and to create interesting, believable NPCs and characters.
Ever wondered how folks set up financial scams? How about understanding how they maximize how much everyone gets screwed over? Then boy howdy is this talk for you. We'll go over the details of why financial scams work, how they're structured, and how to spot one in the wild!
Come, one and all, to the best thing that can possibly happen at a geeky convention: a round-robin reading of Jim Theis's immortally bad short story 'The Eye of Argon!' Marvel at the purplest of purple prose! Giggle at the nonsensical phrasing! Try to puzzle out just what he was trying to get at! It was so much fun last year, we're doing it again!