The Skeptic Zone #601 - 19.April.2020

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders & Celestia Ward https://www.2headsstudios.com https://squaringthestrange.libsyn.com 0:09:24 Homeopaths Caught Out.... Again! Michael Marshall from the Good Thinking Society Marsh talks about the philosophy behind his podcast, 'Be Reasonable' that invites believers to have their say. Also the investigations of the Good Thinking Society into the claims being made by UK Homeopaths about treatment for COVID-19. Also Skeptics in the Pub online. http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/podcasts https://www.twitch.tv/sitp 0:30:19 Logical Fallacies. With Michelle Bijkersma This week Michelle looks at "Special Pleading". This is when instead of admitting your point of view or argument is wrong, you try and find a loop-hole that gives you an 'out' and saves you from defeat. It is also when a person makes an exception to a universal principle because they are holding on tight to a belief that doesn't align with that principle. A Logical Fallacy is an error we can make in reasoning, but it usually crops up when we are discussing or arguing our point of view. 0:36:53 Past Bent Spoon winners vie for the dishonour in 2020 In the 38 years of the Australian Skeptics' Bent Spoon Award, issued to the perpetrator of the most preposterous piece of paranormal or pseudoscientific piffle, we have never had the need to award this dishonour to the same person twice. However, with the current COVID-19 situation impacting on the whole world, some of the Bent Spoon winners from past years have suddenly and dramatically thrown their hats into the ring for 2020. - Story by Richard Saunders and Tim Mendham https://www.skeptics.com.au/2020/04/16/past-bent-spoon-winners-vie-for-the-dishonour-in-2020   0:44:21 The Book of Tim - With Tim Mendham Review of 'The Science of Miracles' Tim gives us his thoughts of this book by lenganady investigator of all this paranormal, Joe Nickell. Tim pays special attention to Joe's look at the 'Miracle of Fátima' from 1917. http://www.skeptics.com.au Also Maynard's 2020 Calendar http://maynard.com.au/2020-maynard-calendar Skepticon 2020 https://www.gcskeptics.com/skepticon-2020