James Randi (1928–2020)
Autore di Flim-flam! Fandonie. Sensitivi, unicorni e altre illusioni
Sull'Autore
Randall James Hamilton Zwinge was born on August 7, 1928 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He began his career in the late 40's as an illusionist and escape artist. He became known as the Amazing Randi and was an international success. In 1986, he received the McArthur "genius" grant. He retired from mostra altro stage magic at the age of 60 and began a career of investigating claims of the paranormal. He devoted his life to debunking paranormal claims. Preferring to be called a skeptic or an investigator, he aimed to show that "something was not likely." He was considered a father of the modern skeptical movement. He wrote numerous books which included, Houdini, His Life and Art (1976) co-authored with Bert Randolp Sugar; Flim Flam! The Truth About Unicorns, Parapsychology, and Other Delusions (1980); The Faith Healers (1987); and An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural (1995). In 1976, Mr. Randi, along with Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov, and others, founded the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. It published the magazine Skeptical Inquirer. James Randi, also known as the Amazing Randi, died at his home in Florida at the age of 92. (Bowker Author Biography) mostra meno
Fonte dell'immagine: Credit: Steve Jurvetson, 2007
Opere di James Randi
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Etichette
Informazioni generali
- Nome canonico
- Randi, James
- Nome legale
- Randi, James
- Altri nomi
- Randi, the Amazing (stage name)
Zwinge, Randall James Hamilton (birth name) - Data di nascita
- 1928-08-07
- Data di morte
- 2020-10-20
- Sesso
- male
- Nazionalità
- Canada (birth)
USA (naturalized 1987) - Nazione (per mappa)
- USA
- Luogo di nascita
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Luogo di morte
- Plantation, Florida, USA
- Luogo di residenza
- Rumson, New Jersey, USA
Plantation, Florida, USA - Attività lavorative
- stage magician
fraud investigator - Relazioni
- Alvarez, José (husband)
- Organizzazioni
- CSI: Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (formerly CSICOP)
Society of American Magicians
International Brotherhood of Magicians
The Magic Circle
James Randi Educational Foundation - Premi e riconoscimenti
- MacArthur Fellowship (1986)
Joseph A. Burton Forum Award (1989)
Richard Dawkins Award (2003)
Philip J. Klass Award (2007)
Heinz Oberhummer Award (2016) - Breve biografia
- James Randi has an international reputation as a magician and escape artist, but today he is best known as the world's most tireless investigator and demystifier of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. Randi has pursued "psychic" spoonbenders, exposed the dirty tricks of faith healers, investigated homeopathic water "with a memory," and generally been a thorn in the sides of those who try to pull the wool over the public's eyes in the name of the supernatural. In 1993, the PBS-TV "NOVA" series broadcast a one-hour special dealing with Randi's life work, particularly with his investigations of Uri Geller and various occult and healing claims being made by scientists in Russia.
In 1996, the James Randi Education Foundation was established to further Randi's work. Randi's long-standing challenge to psychics now stands as a $1,000,000 prize administered by the Foundation. It remains unclaimed.
Utenti
Recensioni
Flim-Flam! Psychics, ESP, Unicorns, and Other… di James Randi
Well-paced, interesting topic, with an enjoyable bitchy tone, on occasions. Well-written and enjoyable.
Un mago de renombre internacional y ganador de la codiciada Beca MacArthur, James Randi es un devoto investigador de afirmaciones paranormales, ocultas y sobrenaturales. Aquí lee el libro que ayudó a exponer docenas de engaños escandalosos ampliamente promovidos por los medios. En su enfoque sin restricciones de la verdad, Randi critica la investigación descuidada, los errores por descuido y las tergiversaciones dondequiera que ocurran. ¡Aquellos que no pueden distinguir la ciencia real de las tonterías de la pseudociencia tendrán mucho que reflexionar después de escuchar FlimFlam!… (altro)
The faith healers described in this book deserve the Randi treatment -- it's clear that the contempt he holds for all of them was well-earned. Does tend to get a little redundant after a few hundred pages, but the sections on investigation are fascinating.
If Martin Gardner is the Godfather of skepticism, James Randi is the crude, but effective enforcer. He prefers to debunk by empirical means (as opposed to Gardner's thorough intellectual dismantling) and Randi hides no disdain, calling the "psychics" and other frauds charlatans and more while explaining how he handled the would be para-whatevers. And, he has yet to be proven wrong. Who best to out a trickster than a professional magician?
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Statistiche
- Opere
- 16
- Opere correlate
- 4
- Utenti
- 1,886
- Popolarità
- #13,644
- Voto
- 3.9
- Recensioni
- 23
- ISBN
- 37
- Lingue
- 6
- Preferito da
- 5