1987 CSICOP Conference Controversies in Science and Fringe Science Friday and Saturday Apr

                             1987 CSICOP Conference

                            Controversies in Science
                                       and
                                 Fringe Science

                               Friday and Saturday
                               April 3 and 4, 1987

                             at the Pasadena Center
                                  Pasadena, CA.
                               Keynote address by
                                   CARL SAGAN

Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP)
Box 229
Buffalo, NY  14215-0229
716-834-3222


        
        About this Conference:
        
        
        Although  CSICOP remains dedicated to the examination of para-
        normal  claims,  it is equally devoted to promoting science as 
        the  best  approach to obtaining knowledge about the world. It 
        is  in this vein that this conference deals with controversial 
        issues from within contemporary science.
        
        Instead of examining whether or not UFO reports reflect extra-
        terrestrial visitation, the first session deals with the poss-
        ibility  of intelligence somewhere in the universe. Instead of 
        focusing  on  claims  that  people can communicate without the 
        use  of  any  known physical channels, the second session add-
        resses  an equally controversial question about communication: 
        Are  primates other than Homo Sapiens capable of language? The 
        third session deals with controversies in the medical field.
        
        Skepticism  is  as important a tool in  the discussion of such 
        issues as it is in the evaluation of the paranormal.
        
        
Friday, April 3
        8:00-9:00 AM    Registration
        9:00 AM - Noon  Welcoming Remarks by Paul Kurtz and Mark Plummer
                        Extraterrestrial Intelligence: What are the 
                        probabilities?
                        Moderator: Al Hibbs, JPL Space Scientist
                        Jill Tarter, Robert Rood, Frank Drake
                        
        Noon - 2:00PM   Luncheon Recess
        2:00-5:00 PM    Animal Language: Fact or Illusion?
                        Moderator: Ray Hyman, professor of Psychology, 
                        University of Oregon
                        Thomas Sebeok, Robert Rosenthal, Gerd Hovelmann
                        
        5:00-8:00PM     Dinner Recess
        8:00 PM         KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY CARL SAGAN

Saturday, April 4
        9:00AM - Noon   Medical Controversies
                        Moderator: Wallace Sampson, MD, Mountain View, CA
                        Discussions of Chiropractic Medicine, Holistic 
                        Medicine, Nutrition as a Cure.
                        
        Noon-2:00PM     Luncheon: James Randi, Host
        Concurrent Sessions:
        2:00-3:00PM     The Realities of Hypnosis: Joseph Barber, MD
                        Spontaneous Human Combustion: Joe Nickell
        3:00-4:00PM     Psychic Fraud: Patrick Riley, LAPD
                        Astrology: Ivan Kelly, University of Saskatchewan
        4:00-5:00PM     Open Forum: informal question and answer session with 
                        members of the CSICOP Executive Council
                        
        5:30-7:00PM     Cocktail Party (cash bar)
        7:00-10:00PM    AWARDS BANQUET
                        Featuring Penn and Teller, Comedians

Registration is $75, Meals and accomodations not included.
For Further Details, contact Mary Rose Hays (716-834-3222), CSICOP, Box 229, 
Buffalo, NY 14215-0229