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chiefsceptic · Joined: 29 Dec 2006 Posts: 11 Location: USA

POT, KETTLE, BLACK - The Real James Randi
from 13th August 2006

James Randi

Back in 1996 James Randi issued a challenge to anyone who can prove to have special powers, be it psychic, spoon-bending, remote viewing, etc. If anyone can prove their claims under a controlled environment James will award the person with $1,000,000. To date no one has won. Is it because no one can prove their claims? No. It's because James Randi won't give them the chance!

alternativescience.com have analysed the rules of the challenge and it appears that the rules change for each applicant to suit James Randi.

For example:
"Since claims vary greatly in character and scope, specific rules must be formulated for each applicant."

As alternativescience.com says:
This means, quite reasonably, that the rules for any particular attempt cannot be finalised until a claimant steps forward and announces what he or she is going to do -- bend spoons, read minds or walk on fire. But it also means that Randi will fomulate the rules for each individual attempt at his challenge on an ad hoc basis. And, of course, the claimant has to agree to these ad hoc rules. If he or she does not agree, the contest will not take place at all.

Clause 4 of the rules says that "Tests will be designed in such a way that no "judging" procedure is required. Results will be self-evident to any observer, in accordance with the rules which will be agreed upon by all parties in advance of any formal testing procedure taking place."

In other words there will be no interminable arguments by 'experts' over statistical measurements. Either the spoon bends or it doesn't: either the claimant reads minds or he doesn't. The written rules, agreed up front, will decide.

But it also means that there will be no objective, independent judging or adjudication, by scientific criteria, carried out by qualified professional scientists. Randi alone will say whether the terms of the challenge have been met -- whether the metal was bent psychically, or the electronic instrument deflected by mental power, or the remote image was correctly reproduced. In the event that the claimant insists the written terms have been met, but Randi disagrees, then it will be Randi's decision that prevails.

Not only will Randi be the sole judge of whether the claimant is successful, but even if a claimant appeals on scientific grounds that he has met the agreed terms of the challenge, Randi will be the sole arbiter of any appeal as well. Randi says there will be "no judging". In reality, he is both judge and jury -- not only of the claimant's cause but of his own cause as well.

As both judge and jury James Randi has total control over all aspects of the challenge. If he doesn't want to give the $1,000,000 out, he won't pay up regardless of whether the claims can be proven or not.

alternativescience.com provided an actual email sent by James Randi to one such claimant who said he lives on just water alone. Without testing or even meeting the man James Randi called him a fraud and a liar.

Who's the bigger fraud? The claimants or James Randi himself? You decide!

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