The following resources are highly recommended to anyone interested in exploring the worlds of skepticism and critical thinking.
Websites
The Skeptic’s Dictionary: A huge compendium of definitions, arguments, and essays on topics related to the supernatural, the paranormal, and the pseudoscientific. Dozens of topics in logic, perception, science, and philosophy are also covered to help explain the appeal and popularity of occult beliefs and to provide a guide for critical thinking.
Doubtful News: Your one-stop source for breaking news of interest to critical thinkers. Exhaustive source-checking, multiple daily updates and analytical commentaries bring a skeptical eye to developing stories that mainstream media outlets treat as credible.
Skeptical Humanities: A multi-author site exploring areas of human experience such as art, philosophy, history, literature, rhetoric, aesthetics, literary criticism, pop culture studies, folklore, and cultural studies, with a focus on documenting the scholarly standards in humanities research that employ critical thinking and judgments based on the examination of evidence.
What’s the Harm?: A site designed to illustrate the danger of not thinking critically, by collecting the stories of over 670,000 people who have been injured or killed as a result of neglecting this vital set of skills. Features many topics relating to various dangerous kinds of medical, paranormal, religious, and pseudoscientific misinformation.
Snopes.com: One of the most indispensable resources on the World Wide Web, a regularly expanded and updated encyclopedia of urban legends that reliably evaluates the truth content of widely circulated stories with careful research and detailed references to reputable sources.
Mind Hacks: Neuroscience and psychology tricks to find out what’s going on inside your brain.
Skeptic Project: A catalog of skeptical responses to extraordinary claims made by individuals in the conspiracy, paranormal, alternative health, and pseudoscientific communities.
Podcasts
Skeptical Connections: A podcast hosted by Marc (with contributions from very special guests) about critical thinking in the real world. A compact mix of news, interviews, discussions, comedy, music, and reflections on applying skepticism to everyday life.
Rationally Speaking: Hosted by Massimo Pigliucci and Julia Galef, with science- and philosophy-themed discussions exploring the borderlands between reason and nonsense.
The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe: Probably the most popular skeptically-themed podcast, your escape to reality features lively discussion of science news and paranormal claims along with interviews and quizzes.
Skeptoid: Critical analysis of pop phenomena, meticulously researched and presented in brief and easily digestible installments.
Token Skeptic: An examination of superstition and paranormal belief and the science behind them. Touches on ideas and issues ranging from psychology to philosophy and ethics, science, critical thinking, literacy and education.
Videos
Virtual Skeptics: Timely discussions of skeptical topics. Streams live on YouTube.
Books
Norman Baillargeon, A Short Course in Intellectual Self-Defense
Steven Law, Believing Bullshit: How Not to Get Sucked into an Intellectual Black Hole
Massimo Pigliucci, Nonsense on Stilts: How to Tell Science from Bunk
Michael Shermer, Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time
Organizations
Center For Inquiry: An institution devoted to fostering a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values.
New York City Skeptics: An all-volunteer local organization promoting critical thinking and science education.
James Randi Educational Foundation: The JREF aims to promote critical thinking by reaching out to the public and media with reliable information about paranormal and supernatural ideas and by providing scholarships, workshops, and innovative resources for educators.
