James Randi

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James Randi
James Randi is a stage magician and a scientific skeptic perhaps best known as a challenger of paranormal claims and pseudoscience. He is the founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF).

The foundation sponsors a challenge offering a prize of US $1,000,000 to anyone who can demonstrate evidence of any paranormal, supernatural or occult power or event. The prize has yet to be claimed.

In 1987 he exposed the Peter Popoff ministry for faking their faith healing claims. The resulting scandal drove Popoff into bankruptcy.

He is also claimed as an enthusiastic member of the Brights Movement.

Contents

[edit] James Randi Educational Foundation

Randi started the James Randi Educational Foundation to monitor applications for the $1 million dollar prize, and to serve as an organizing body to help promote skepticism and provide educational resources on claims of the paranormal.[1] The foundation was headed by James Randi for many years but is now run by astronomer and well known blogger Philip Plait.

[edit] Kooks

A fork bent by Randi

Randi's challenge has made him a target for a number of kooks, particularly on the internet, claiming that they have demonstrated supernatural abilities and that he therefore owes them money, though some go so far as to claim that a pound of flesh will do. This is one of the hazards of being a rationalist in our current society.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. We haven not yet received his check, although we expect it soon!

[edit] External links

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