Welcome to Guildford Skeptics in the Pub. We host speakers on subjects such as science, superstition, alternative medicine, philosophy and religion* in the relaxed atmosphere of the backroom of the Star Inn, Guildford.
Speakers come from a wide range of backgrounds and viewpoints but, ultimately, are skeptical. Skepticism, put basically, is an insistence on robust evidence for claims; claims of the efficacy of alternative medicine, the existence of mystical beings, crytozoological oddities and deities; the claims of psychics, astrological predictions... and more!
Guildford Skeptics is one of a collective group of Skeptics in the Pub Groups in the South East - conveniently named the South East Skeptics' Society! What does that mean for you, and for our speakers? Well, there's a whole page on it, here
*not an exhaustive list!
Guildford Skeptics in the Pub
Proud to be affiliated with the South East Skeptics' Society!
When?
Wednesday, June 19 2013 at 7:30PM
Download iCalendar file
(e.g. import to Outlook or Google Calendar)
Where?
The Star Inn
2 Quarry Street
Guildford
GU1 3TY
http://www.starinnguildford.co.uk/
Who?
Martin Poulter
What's the talk about?
Summary
Scientology has been described in the States as “ruthless, litigious and lucrative” and in this country as “corrupt, sinister and dangerous”, yet it boasts global success and has made hundreds of millions of dollars. Thanks to the Internet, it now faces an unprecedented global opposition. The scary secrets of Scientology and its recruitment methods will be exposed in this talk. It will be useful for anyone wanting to set up their own lucrative cult.
Biography
Martin Poulter first encountered skepticism while a teenager. He has a Philosophy and Psychology degree from Oxford University and a PhD in Philosophy of Science from the University of Bristol. He has been a Scientology-watcher since 1995, when he was threatened with legal action over material he posted online. He is an ordained minister in the Church of the SubGenius, which offers eternal spiritual salvation or triple your money back.
Unusual things and the scientific method
When?
Wednesday, July 17 2013 at 7:30PM
Download iCalendar file
(e.g. import to Outlook or Google Calendar)
Where?
The Star Inn
2 Quarry Street
Guildford
GU1 3TY
http://www.starinnguildford.co.uk/
Who?
Paolo Viscardi
What's the talk about?
From the Montauk monster to bits of Bigfoot, there is an interest in the unusual that can whip up a storm of speculation and spectacle. Cutting through hype, sensationalism, misinformation and our own brain's deceptive nature is vital when searching for the truth.
Paolo Viscardi is a natural history curator at the Horniman Museumin Southeast London, specialising in stones, bones and mermaid anatomy. Join him in exploring some weird objects from the past and present - using scientific methods to get beneath the surface of monsters, mermaids and mistaken identities.