PsiCop's Web Site

Providing "food for thought" on the Internet!

These days people typically think whatever is told to them. This is probably even truer on the Internet than it is in real life! The Internet has been home to all sorts of false rumors, lies, deceptions, swindles, and misrepresentations, since it began.

Case in point: No Dogma Zone! the many email-based "urban legends" which flourish on the Internet. They contain instructions to those who get them, to "forward this to everyone you know." Now, many people read them, and may even suspect them not to be true, but they still pass them on, "just in case" they're the "real McCoy." This, however, is not a good enough reason to pass along information.

A careful Internaut must assess the viability of whatever he or she comes across. This often requires critical thinking and rational analysis — which, sadly, are no longer taught in schools. Thus, many people cannot cope with the blizzard of (mis)information on the Internet.

Well, despair no more! Here are some sources of information which will guide you on the way toward becoming keen analysts and sound critical thinkers.

The Skeptic's Dictionary: The "granddaddy" of sites devoted to critical thinking and rational analysis. Hundreds of short articles assess many areas, including the sciences, humanities, and so on. Also each article contains a bibliography so that you can investigate more, on your own!
Stephen's Guide to Logical Fallacies: An indispensible guide to numerous logical fallacies, which — though they've been recognized as wrong for thousands of years — are still being used, sometimes by choice, but more often out of ignorance. Includes examples so that you understand what each fallacy is, what makes it a fallacy, and how you can respond to it.
Logical Fallacies: The Fallacy Files: Yet another comprehensive catalog of logical fallacies and unsound argumentation. This site includes samples of texts from real-world books, which contain logical fallacies; you must spot them for yourself! This makes this site an excellent "testing ground."
About: Urban Legends: This About Web site is a vast catalog of urban legends, hoaxes, tall tales, and so on, which are commonly tossed about on the Internet. Where possible, the research is sound, and falsehoods are exposed by the dozen.
James Randi Educational Foundation: James "the Amazing" Randi is an (ex-) magician, whose career over the last 20 years has been exposing frauds. He began by taking on folks whose work was similar to magic — his own field — but later widened his scope to almost anyone making paranormal claims of any kind.
Argumentation and Critical Thinking Tutorial: This tutorial will guide you in the process of learning how to spot argumentative fallacies, be more analytical, and become a critical thinker.
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal: Also known as CSICOP, this organization does what its name says: They investigate paranormal claims, on a scientific basis. They also publish a magazine, Skeptical Inquirer, which provides an indispensible, ongoing chronicle of critical thinking by the scientific community.
Urban Legends Reference Pages: On par with the About site listed above, this site leans more toward urband legends than toward hoaxes, but here, again, the research is solid, if not downright thorough. Where necessary, analysis is extensive. Quite comprehensive, but a bit quirky in its navigation.
Skeptics Society: Similar to CSICOP, they investigate the paranormal and debunk pseudoscience. They also publish a magazine, called, appropriately enough, Skeptic Magazine. They also sell many books (this site is much more commercial than the prior ones).
Critical Thinking Consortium: An organization which advocates for critical thinking in academic settings, particularly in colleges and universities. Has a number of great "mini-guides." These are only for sale, but are inexpensive.
Critical Thinking on the Web: A directory of articles and sites on the World Wide Web, devoted to critical thinking and rationality. Some of the aforementioned sites are listed there, but this site also has links to individual Web pages scattered around the Internet.
I C You See: T is for Thinking: An article about how critical thinking and careful analysis can make the World Wide Web into a valuable research tool — rather than a vast morass of suspicious claims.

Oh, wondering why the handle "PsiCop?" Well, as the "outer space" motif should suggest, it comes from the television show Babylon 5. Sadly, it's been off the air for several years, but I still think it was the best TV show ever produced. In it, human telepaths were part of an organization known as PsiCorps, and they were policed by ultra-powerful telepaths known as — yup — PsiCops. I always thought the idea of PsiCorps and the PsiCops was both skooky and cool. Plus, Walter Koenig (Chekhov on the original Star Trek) played a terrifically villainous PsiCop, and did so very well. So I use the name "PsiCop" as a tribute to the character, the actor, and the show.

If you care to learn more about Babylon 5, browse through the very-comprehensive Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5.

And if you don't know what a "lurker" is, you'll just have to go there, or watch the show (in reruns on the Sci-Fi Channel) and find out!