CMA Presents "Search for the Chimera"

"Acceptance of nonsense as a harmless aberration can be dangerous to all of us," declares James Randi. "We live in a society that is enlarging the boundaries of knowledge at an unprecedented rate, and we cannot keep up with much more than a small portion of what is made available to us. To mix that knowledge with childish notions of magic and fantasy is to cripple our perception of the world around us. We must reach for the truth, not for the ghosts of dead absurdities."

In this talk, James Randi reveals what really took place in the labs of various prestigious "think tanks" that verified a series of simple magicians' tricks as genuine miracles, thus launching a world-wide plague of misinformation, the repercussions of which can still be felt today. Mr. Randi illustrates how a "politically correct" attitude has blinded scientists (who should know better) to the fact that they are not proficient at detecting fraud, often managing to fool themselves when the prize is sufficiently attractive.

Recognized internationally for his tireless and successful investigations of psychic, supernatural, and "magical" claims, James Randi has become known as one of America's most original and fearless thinkers, winning him the prestigious MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Fellowship.

This event is free. All JPL/Caltech personnel are welcome.

For questions about this event, send e-mail to [email protected] or call Michael Eastwood, (818) 354-9273.