Ten Trips, Five Findings, and One Unrelenting Rat by Craig A. Foster

Reflecting on fifty years of Skeptical Inquirer, Craig A. Foster finds that skepticism's core mission has remained remarkably consistent: confronting enduring pseudoscientific claims that rely heavily on arguments from ignorance and rarely gain credible evidence over time. While skeptics often feel disappointed by the persistence of credulity, he argues that meaningful progress will require broader public engagement and better education in intellectual humility, critical thinking, and recognizing misleading arguments—because, like the proverbial rat, people will keep believing as they always have unless the conditions change. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/02/ten-trips-five-findings-and-one-unrelenting-rat/ About the Author: Craig A. Foster is a CSI fellow and the director of research and evaluation at Northshore School District in Bothell, Washington. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/