When I moved here just about the only people (outside of work) that I knew were part of a group called Skeptics in the Pub. It is hard to sum up what the group is in a few lines, but it is a place inquisitive people can chat about issues as diverse as alternative medicine, ghosts, religion or psychics... although we usually end up talking about technology, beer, TV shows and beer. It is mostly, but not exclusively, made up of people who would describe themselves as atheist, agnostic, rational, or humanist.
I have met some really great people there this year, we had our first talk (Stevyn Colgan on Luck), our local MP came along, the journalist Martin Robbins is an occasional visitor, and the usual crowd are always up for a drink, beer festival or night out at short notice, which was really good when I didn't know anyone else in town!
I has been designated an assistant organiser, and although I have no idea what this entails I am trying to get a bit organised for next year, some more talks (a few big names have promised to help us out!) and hope to expand numbers a bit. I am looking forward to it, but we need a suitable venue for the events, which is proving the really hard bit! So if anyone has a small hall in Wycombe they are willing to hire cheaply...
More about Skeptics in the pub at the Wikidedia page.
More about our group here.
Showing posts with label skeptics in the pub. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skeptics in the pub. Show all posts
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
What are the chances?
Tonight is High Wycombe Skeptics in the Pub, a meeting of rationalists, humanists, atheists, secularists and beer lovers. Do come along if you feel any of those labels fit you, or if you just fancy chatting to interesting and intelligent people over a few beers.
The point of this blog entry was not supposed to be an advert for SiTP (but too late now I've done it!) but rather I was reminded of our meeting 2 weeks ago when the excellent Stevyn Colgan gave us a little talk/presentation about the year he decided to test luck.
It was an interesting and funny story involving much walking under ladders, collecting lucky charms, crossing the path of black cats and horseshoes. He tested his luck by rolling two dice multiple times to see if he would roll double six more than statistically likely.
I won't give away the results of his little experiment, as he hopes to do the talk around other groups, and maybe put a book together on the topic one day, but it got us all thinking about luck, and superstitions we may hold.
The next morning my mind was still full of rabbits feet, charms and chance, I considered walking to work not stepping on any of the cracks in the pavement, but abandoned the idea and got on with making my way to work.
I had only walked 50 metres when I saw this graffiti daubed on the wall...
Double one, snake eyes...the unlucky roll of the dice! What are the chances of that?
Well, the chances were the same as the day before, as I am fairly sure the graffiti had not appeared overnight, but because of what was on my mind I noticed it that day.
It was a perfect illustration of some of what Steve had been talking about the night before, and the phenomenon came up again in an excellent book I read last week by Richard Wiseman called Quirkology. (it is a form of what I know as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, although I don't think Wiseman calls it this).
I also noticed that these dice, as well as not being very fair, are also impossible, as the six always opposes the one. I checked my collection of dice to confirm this! (Yes I have a collection of dice I may post a picture later in the week!)
Putting all this together it looks like I am going to have a lucky week... fingers crossed!
The point of this blog entry was not supposed to be an advert for SiTP (but too late now I've done it!) but rather I was reminded of our meeting 2 weeks ago when the excellent Stevyn Colgan gave us a little talk/presentation about the year he decided to test luck.
It was an interesting and funny story involving much walking under ladders, collecting lucky charms, crossing the path of black cats and horseshoes. He tested his luck by rolling two dice multiple times to see if he would roll double six more than statistically likely.
I won't give away the results of his little experiment, as he hopes to do the talk around other groups, and maybe put a book together on the topic one day, but it got us all thinking about luck, and superstitions we may hold.
The next morning my mind was still full of rabbits feet, charms and chance, I considered walking to work not stepping on any of the cracks in the pavement, but abandoned the idea and got on with making my way to work.
I had only walked 50 metres when I saw this graffiti daubed on the wall...
Double one, snake eyes...the unlucky roll of the dice! What are the chances of that?
Well, the chances were the same as the day before, as I am fairly sure the graffiti had not appeared overnight, but because of what was on my mind I noticed it that day.
It was a perfect illustration of some of what Steve had been talking about the night before, and the phenomenon came up again in an excellent book I read last week by Richard Wiseman called Quirkology. (it is a form of what I know as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, although I don't think Wiseman calls it this).
I also noticed that these dice, as well as not being very fair, are also impossible, as the six always opposes the one. I checked my collection of dice to confirm this! (Yes I have a collection of dice I may post a picture later in the week!)
Putting all this together it looks like I am going to have a lucky week... fingers crossed!
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Favourite Podcasts - 22 - Righteous Indignation
Ghosts, UFOs, miracle cures, yetis, monsters and more ghosts. No, this is not the line up of documentaries on ITV3, these are some of the topics covered by the podcast Righteous Indignation.
I will admit that I am catching up with old ones (in December 2010 at the moment), but I really enjoy this podcast. The topics are tackled from a broadly skeptical viewpoint, but with plenty of 'believers' interviewed in a balanced and human way. Even if the person being interviewed holds the craziest views in the world this podcast will always treat them as a real human being, and also discuss the positive side of the persons opinions.
Hayley Stevens, Trystan Swale and Micheal Marshall are your regular hosts, but with other brilliant contributors (usually from Liverpool or Manchester skeptics, or Ladies who do Skepticism). There is much silliness and messing about, and also some serious content that makes you think about the extraordinary claims that some people make.
This is not an academic look at the subjects it covers, it is for the average thinking person, and will inspire people to think critically about things that their friends of colleagues may say at work or in the pub.
Download at the RI website, or follow on Twitter.
I will admit that I am catching up with old ones (in December 2010 at the moment), but I really enjoy this podcast. The topics are tackled from a broadly skeptical viewpoint, but with plenty of 'believers' interviewed in a balanced and human way. Even if the person being interviewed holds the craziest views in the world this podcast will always treat them as a real human being, and also discuss the positive side of the persons opinions.
Hayley Stevens, Trystan Swale and Micheal Marshall are your regular hosts, but with other brilliant contributors (usually from Liverpool or Manchester skeptics, or Ladies who do Skepticism). There is much silliness and messing about, and also some serious content that makes you think about the extraordinary claims that some people make.
This is not an academic look at the subjects it covers, it is for the average thinking person, and will inspire people to think critically about things that their friends of colleagues may say at work or in the pub.
Download at the RI website, or follow on Twitter.
Monday, 12 September 2011
Favourite Podcasts - 3 - Pod Delusion
I am a recent convert the the movement of Skepticism, well, convert is totally the wrong word, but I have only heard about it in the last 18 months or so.
I am not sure about the series of events that let me to find this podcast, possibly through the comedian Robin Ince, possibly through searching for Richard Dawkins on the internet... I have genuinely forgotten how I discovered it, but after hearing an episode I immediately went back to episode one and listened to them all.
The podcast, presented by the likable James O'Malley, is a collection of articles provided by various contributors, there is rarely an overall theme, but each article is something that the contributor feels passionate about.
It comes from a liberal, skepitical and rationalistic viewpoint, but there are also plenty of contrasting views as well, Torys and Christians have also contributed in recent episodes.
The podcast introduced me to Skeptics in the Pub, the podcast is actually born out of Westminster Skeptics, which has lead me to meet some splendid people at High Wycombe Skeptics in the Pub, and has made me think a lot more about what I believe about the world generally.
I also love that fact it is a very professional sounding podcast, in fact it sounds like a radio show, and this makes it a pleasure to listen to, and the host James has a sense of humour that any dad would be proud of...
Find the podcast at the Pod Delusion.
I am not sure about the series of events that let me to find this podcast, possibly through the comedian Robin Ince, possibly through searching for Richard Dawkins on the internet... I have genuinely forgotten how I discovered it, but after hearing an episode I immediately went back to episode one and listened to them all.
The podcast, presented by the likable James O'Malley, is a collection of articles provided by various contributors, there is rarely an overall theme, but each article is something that the contributor feels passionate about.
It comes from a liberal, skepitical and rationalistic viewpoint, but there are also plenty of contrasting views as well, Torys and Christians have also contributed in recent episodes.
The podcast introduced me to Skeptics in the Pub, the podcast is actually born out of Westminster Skeptics, which has lead me to meet some splendid people at High Wycombe Skeptics in the Pub, and has made me think a lot more about what I believe about the world generally.
I also love that fact it is a very professional sounding podcast, in fact it sounds like a radio show, and this makes it a pleasure to listen to, and the host James has a sense of humour that any dad would be proud of...
Find the podcast at the Pod Delusion.
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