Michael Shermer – An Introduction to Skeptical Claim Evaluation
This is a great introduction to skepticism, as presented by Michael Shermer and produced by The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. It provides an excellent overview of the evaluation of evidence that should be applied to any and all claims.
As noted in the video, science is the best tool we have to learn about the universe in an unbiased manner; for the scientific method requires that the conclusions that are produced from our examination of nature are substantiated by data and evidence. That is what we demand as skeptics… Evidence!
With a sea of information coming at us from all directions, how do we sift out the misinformation and bogus claims, and get to the truth? Michael Shermer of Skeptic Magazine lays out a “Baloney Detection Kit,” ten questions we should ask when encountering a claim.
