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The Skeptic's Dictionary: A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions, and Dangerous Delusions Paperback – August 15, 2003

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 114 ratings

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A wealth of evidence for doubters and disbelievers

"Whether it's the latest shark cartilage scam, or some new 'repressed memory' idiocy that besets you, I suggest you carry a copy of this dictionary at all times, or at least have it within reach as first aid for psychic attacks. We need all the help we can get."
-James Randi, President, James Randi Educational Foundation, randi.org

"From alternative medicine, aliens, and psychics to the farthest shores of science and beyond, Robert Carroll presents a fascinating look at some of humanity's most strange and wonderful ideas. Refreshing and witty, both believers and unbelievers will find this compendium complete and captivating. Buy this book and feed your head!"
-Clifford Pickover, author of The Stars of Heaven and Dreaming the Future

"A refreshing compendium of clear thinking, a welcome and potent antidote to the reams of books on the supernatural and pseudoscientific."
-John Allen Paulos, author of Innumeracy and A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper

"This book covers an amazing range of topics and can protect many people from being scammed."
-Stephen Barrett, M.D., quackwatch.org

Featuring close to 400 definitions, arguments, and essays on topics ranging from acupuncture to zombies, The Skeptic's Dictionary is a lively, commonsense trove of detailed information on all things supernatural, occult, paranormal, and pseudoscientific. It covers such categories as alternative medicine; cryptozoology; extraterrestrials and UFOs; frauds and hoaxes; junk science; logic and perception; New Age energy; and the psychic. For the open-minded seeker, the soft or hardened skeptic, and the believing doubter, this book offers a remarkable range of information that puts to the test the best arguments of true believers.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

* “…offers a remarkable range of information that puts to the test the best arguments of true believers…” (Short Book Reviews, Vol.24, No.3, December 2004)

“… I found myself engrossed in the information due to its vast collection of interesting entries…” (M2 Best Books, 22 March 2004)

"...Use this book as protection against attacks by New Agers, alternative therapists and others who have chosen to abandon reason..." (The Times, 25 October 2003)

"...Carroll is always interested in why such beliefs occur and points generously t further literature..." (The Guardian, 18 October 2003)

"...Anyone wanting an informed opinion with which to smack down an argumentative pal should start here..." (Dorset Echo, 25 October 2003)

"...A treat to savour...first reaction is pleasurable incredulity and occasional hilarity... an amazing assembly, elegantly written and level-headed...likely to be used so often it is a pity it is a softback book..." (New Scientist)

"...No reasonable, logic-based library will be without a copy!" (Good Book Guide, March 2004)

From the Back Cover

A wealth of evidence for doubters and disbelievers

"Whether it's the latest shark cartilage scam, or some new 'repressed memory' idiocy that besets you, I suggest you carry a copy of this dictionary at all times, or at least have it within reach as first aid for psychic attacks. We need all the help we can get."
-James Randi, President, James Randi Educational Foundation, randi.org

"From alternative medicine, aliens, and psychics to the farthest shores of science and beyond, Robert Carroll presents a fascinating look at some of humanity's most strange and wonderful ideas. Refreshing and witty, both believers and unbelievers will find this compendium complete and captivating. Buy this book and feed your head!"
-Clifford Pickover, author of The Stars of Heaven and Dreaming the Future

"A refreshing compendium of clear thinking, a welcome and potent antidote to the reams of books on the supernatural and pseudoscientific."
-John Allen Paulos, author of Innumeracy and A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper

"This book covers an amazing range of topics and can protect many people from being scammed."
-Stephen Barrett, M.D., quackwatch.org

Featuring close to 400 definitions, arguments, and essays on topics ranging from acupuncture to zombies, The Skeptic's Dictionary is a lively, commonsense trove of detailed information on all things supernatural, occult, paranormal, and pseudoscientific. It covers such categories as alternative medicine; cryptozoology; extraterrestrials and UFOs; frauds and hoaxes; junk science; logic and perception; New Age energy; and the psychic. For the open-minded seeker, the soft or hardened skeptic, and the believing doubter, this book offers a remarkable range of information that puts to the test the best arguments of true believers.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Trade Paper Press; 1st edition (August 15, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 446 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0471272426
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0471272427
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.7 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 0.98 x 9.18 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 114 ratings

About the author

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Robert Todd Carroll
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Robert Todd Carroll (b. 1945) has always been interested in weird things, mysteries, stories of miracles and psychics and how beliefs in strange things conflict with logic and science. His favorite pasttime is thinking about why people believe in psychics, alien abductions, astrology, and hundreds of other things that conflict with what the science tells us. He taught Critical Thinking for more than thirty years and still enjoys investigating the biases, fallacies, and illusions that make being rational difficult. Since 1994, he's been posting articles on weird things and critical thinking at www.skepdic.com. The website is called The Skeptic's Dictionary and has more than 700 entries, plus essays, book reviews, and more.

He taught philosophy for many years at a northern California community college. His first book (1975) was about the philosophy of an Anglican bishop who challenged the new empiricism as expressed by John Locke. Later, he wrote the text book "Becoming a Critical Thinker" (2003, 2nd ed. 2005) and a book named after his website: "The Skeptic's Dictionary" (Wiley, 2003).

In 2011, the James Randi Educational Foundation published his e-book "Unnatural Acts: Critical Thinking, Science, and Skepticism Exposed!" In 2012, the paperback of "Unnatural Acts" came out. "Mysteries and Science" came about at the urging of his wife and grandchildren for a critical thinking/science book about weird things aimed at a younger audience. In 2013, he published "The Critical Thinker's Dictionary: Biases, Fallacies, and Illusions and what you can do about them."

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
114 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2014
    I recommend this book for anyone interested in some of the ideas that have more recently gained currency, including but not limited to those associated with "new age" thinking.

    The book's subtitle ("A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions & Dangerous Delusions") is misleading. The subjects of many of the entries are not at all controversial; for example, "positive-outcome bias" and "placebo effect." These may be included because some may *view* the concepts as strange, or because some may misuse the concepts to defraud others. In any case, their inclusion, the subtitle notwithstanding, is helpful to those of us who are not sure about the legitimacy of a particular practice.

    One strength of the book is the thoroughness of the entries.The article on the aforementioned placebo effect covers more than 3 large two-column pages. Yet there are close to 400 articles in all, of varying sizes. Occasional illustrations add to the interest.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2013
    The problem with a book like this, which could be (and in a sense already is) a website, is that the content that it tackles is really "dynamic" content, changing as new actors and belief systems come on the scene. Even so, this is a generally good book by the largely admirable author, and better I would say then James Randi's "Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural," which governs some of the same territory.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2015
    This is a very wonderful book! It is filled with all sorts of facts and theories on a wide range of topics. Even Santa and Bigfoot have entries that are worth checking out. Alongside the Druids and Psychoanalysis. From the strange to the mundane, there is something for even the most skeptical of skeptics here. Offers up some very compelling arguments, depending upon the topic discussed. In fact, it might make you reconsider how much of a skeptic you are or have become.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2013
    As its title suggests, this is a book for the skeptic. I feel the author has indulged in skepticism a bit too much, though. In addition, arguments are rather rushed out, lacking in more convincing, non-biased analysis. However, I believe the true skeptic will enjoy it!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2013
    The range of beliefs considered in this book is very large. I was impressed with the varieties of beliefs, superstitions, doctrines, teachings, etc that human beings accept. The book is generally well-written with the apparent biases one would expect in this genre. I enjoy reading it in small doses and always learn something new when I do.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2013
    This book is awesome, fair enough that a lot of it you could just find online or amongst blogs and wiki, but the whole book sits a nice little bundle of all the wacky garbage you can find in the pseudo loving world. I used it to help shoot down some NLP cult members.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2006
    This is a good book for a rainy day, because it is a lot to absorb. But I really like this book. I actually bought it because of all the negative reviews - I wanted to see what all the hooplah was about. It has many interesting theories - and you do not HAVE to believe all of them - but they all deserve consideration.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2015
    This really is a great resource. Best since a. crowley, and funk&wagnell's. Somewhat time dated, but perhaps the author will offer a reissue with addenda. This work would benefit from a page index. Readable, informative, benefits from the author's personable nature. Reminiscent of sir James Frazier. Good get! Enjoy...

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Tonton Jacques
    1.0 out of 5 stars Superficiel
    Reviewed in France on January 13, 2011
    Je ne sais pas pourquoi j'ai acheté ce livre ! C'est effectivement un dictionnaire de mythes, rumeurs, légendes urbaines etc, mais tout cela est traité de façon très superficielle et peu intéressante. On se doute bien que l'auteur va se moquer des ces croyances irrationnelles, mais on aimerait qu'il soit plus documenté. J'ai revendu le livre avant de l'avoir terminé. Je me suis manifestement trompé dans cet achat, et j'en assume la responsabilité.
  • Stupot
    5.0 out of 5 stars A good grounding in critical thinking.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 19, 2004
    If, like me, you have ever found your self in an argument, either with a peddler or believer, of some bizarre, non-sensical or illucid ideology, cult or quackery and needed some ammunition, then Carroll's book is for you.
    While no subject is covered in fine detail, it is comprehensive, with everything, from new-age spirituality and the supernatural to paranoid conspiracy theorists covered, it provides a rich antidote to the flood of ill-thought and delusional beliefs that plague us daily.
    With the popular media, uncritically promoting new-age fads (homeopathy etc.) or recycling old ones (psychic crime solvers), there is too little literature, championing critical thought and objective analysis. This book is just a part of the small canon of work that sets out to present a reasoned response to the fuzzy-thinking and self-deception that is passed off as spiritual truth.
    I doubt whether it will manage to change the mind of many a true-believer, in fact that's not the author's purpose. It is more of an overview of what currently held beliefs and fallacies and their counter-arguments. Hopefully it will enable a person, unsure of what to make of the claims they are faced with, to make a more informed decision and also to strengthen the argument and thinking of the casual skeptic.
    My only criticism of the book is purely on the low-grade quality of some of the images inside, a minor point as the strength of the book comes purely from the text.
    One person found this helpful
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  • TJS
    4.0 out of 5 stars A great anti-stupidity guide!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 24, 2013
    I very much enjoy reading this book, which is on the whole, a good guide to some of the most absurd and unbelievably insane notions and practices ever conceived. There are some entries, albeit very few, that let it down, either because they shouldn't be there (psychoanalysis is not a paranormal phenomenon), or because Mr Carroll's counter-arguement is weak, to inaccurate, to non-existent. The entry for Deja-Vu, is one such example; the author presents us with a catalogue of possibilities for the cause of Deja-Vu, each as weak as the next, before finally implying that people with strong experiences in this area, are potential psychiatric cases!

    Despite its relatively small failings, this volume is informative, witty and fairly well researched - my personal favourite is The Forer Effect, which gave me a good laugh for its amazing ability to demonstrate just how our levels of gullibility and excessive self-preoccupation, help to line the pockets of quacks and charlatans.
  • bobbycow
    5.0 out of 5 stars An endlessly amusing and educational lucky dip!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2011
    This book is an absolute delight!
    It is in the form of a dictionary or is it more appropriately an encyclopaedia?
    You can start reading at page 1 but I think most people will dip in and out of what catches their eye,
    or they may just look things up as they occur.
    There are so many things in here that are weird, wonderful, unbelievable or proven to be false.
    That's what a lot of the book is about - undermining what a lot of us have been told over the years
    and it just ain't so! Whether it's fairy stories, gossip, old wives' tales or moonshine, this book looks into it and
    tells us if it's true - or not.
    There's a lot of people out there who are prepared to make money out of the gullible, and there's
    a lot of gullible people out there prepared to part with that money too!
    A wonderful addition to any bookshelf.
  • Boriss Melikyan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on Scepticism!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 25, 2013
    The Skeptic's Dictionary is classic of the genre! It remains the best book on skepticism. The most comprehensive, detailed and informative encyclopedia type collection of strange beliefs, skeptic terms, various scams and spiritual frauds. I've found, as was expecting, full information on all the phenomena and beliefs modern man is facing today. Stereotypes explained, evil charms broken, naive spells swept away! Recommended for everyone!