critical thinking conference 2024

Don’t miss out on this exceptional opportunity!  Where else can you meet people doing amazing things and learn about what they do that has made them internationally renowned?

Find out who they are here, international conference on thinking  we are on the edge of what.

ICOT aims to help educators, business and creative professionals to provoke, challenge, learn, and discuss the many forms of thinking and its application, in creating new ideas and solving problems including those related to business and global issues.

This all-inclusive inspiring 5-day program will provide participants the opportunity to: - Network & reconnect at the Welcome function & Celebration event (The Lume) - Hear from and interact with world class speakers - Join interactive Challenge groups - Participate in Offsite learning journeys, within Melbourne and its surrounds, led by industry experts to: 

• Cultural and Arts precincts
• Science and Medical tech hubs
• Leading sports facilities
• An array of culinary experiences
• Cultural exploration of Indigenous heritage

That is exactly what Melbourne ICOT is working towards and all presenters and participants can have a role in this! 

"The future depends on what we do in the present." - Mahatma Ghandi

"If you don’t design your future, someone or something else will design it for you. The past is not a sufficient blueprint for the future. You can analyse the past but you have to design the future."  -  Dr. Edward de Bono

Hear from our speakers...

       Happy New Year         

 On the edge of ……….. ?

One year forward from when this newsletter was written...

More news can be found here .

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the many lands we are privileged to share with our guests. In particular, we acknowledge The Wurundjeri (Woiwurrung), Wadawarrung and Boonwurrung people of the Kulin Nation and their Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of our city and region.

Get in touch.

P   +61 1300 870 195 / +61 3 9020 2684

E     [email protected]

SEE THE BRIGHTEST STARS OF

Reason & science shine, october 24—27, 2024, horseshoe las vegas.

ENJOY SPECIAL EVENT

When you book today, featured speakers.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson, a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, is an astrophysicist and the author of seventeen books, including the #1 bestselling books Starry Messenger and Astrophysics for People in a Hurry , which spent eighty-two weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list. He is the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, where he has served since 1996.

Brian began his career in the music industry as keyboard player with rock band Dare and later with chart-toppers D:Ream. In 1995 he obtained a first class honours degree in physics from the University of Manchester and in 1998 a PhD in High Energy Particle Physics at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg. Brian is now Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Manchester, The Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science and a Fellow of the Royal Society. Brian is credited with boosting the popularity of subjects such as astronomy and physics and has garnered a host of accolades for his TV work, including two Royal Television Society awards and a Peabody Award.

Banachek was born in England on November 30, 1960. He was schooled in South Africa and the United States. It was while living in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, that Banachek saw his first magician at a high school function at the age of fourteen. He was intrigued but not enough to delve much further into that secret world. In 1976, the bicentennial year of the United States, Banachek moved to the U.S. It was at the end of this same year that he picked up a worn copy of James Randi’s book The Truth about Uri Geller . Banachek’s Mind Games Live is in Las Vegas at the prestigious Strat hotel, Casino and Skypod.

Michael Mann

Dr. Michael E. Mann is Presidential Distinguished Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania, with a secondary appointment in the Annenberg School for Communication. He is director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media (PCSSM).

Find your rooms at the Horseshoe Las Vegas. Act fast because there are a limited number of rooms available!

CSICon 2024 is happening October 24-27, 2024.

Register for CSICon 2024 today. You won't want to miss this year's amazing guests and speakers!

Thursday, October 24

8 : 00 AM | Registration

9 : 00 AM –11:00 AM | Workshop: Tricks of the Tricksters

In this workshop, you’re getting two renowned skeptical investigators from opposite sides to the planet – in one workshop! First, Kenny will be dipping into his toolbox of strategies for solving mysteries, specifically tricks that people use to create viral videos that appear on TikTok and YouTube: ghosts that only appear in reflections, pets that disappear into thin air, objects moving on their own, demonic entities that appear when the lights turn off, and more. We’ll then take a look behind the scenes at how easily many of these videos are created and you’ll get a chance to make some yourself! Next, Richard Saunders will be joining in to teach us the tricks of Water Diving, Spoon Bending, and the miracle Power Balance Band. How these tricks are done, how people sell them to audiences, and what you can look for to expose the trickery.

This optional event requires a special ticket. Be sure to choose it when registering if interested.

Presented by

Kenny Biddle

Richard Saunders

11 : 30 AM –1:00 PM | Asking Good Questions of Others and Yourself

“The scientific mind does not so much provide the right answers as ask the right questions.”

—Claude Levi-Strauss (translated by John and Doreen Weightman from* Lu Cru et le Cuit*, 1964)

We like answers. We like to know them and give them. Sometimes we want others to think we are smart or knowledgeable, so we jump to give answers rather than ask questions. And the questions we do ask are sometimes more about our personal assumptions and biases than about getting to the real answer.

Good questions are a skeptic’s essential tools for finding good answers. In this participatory workshop, we will ask you to interact with us and fellow attendees to practice methods for posing questions that lead to better understanding and possibly rethinking ideas—maybe even your own.

Chip Denman

Grace Denman

12 : 00 PM –4:00 PM | LiliCon

We are excited to announce that the Lilienfeld Alliance will be hosting its first half-day academic conference this year! We are calling it LiliCon. It will be held in conjunction with CSICon, Thurs Oct 24, 2024, 12-4pm, at the Horseshoe Las Vegas Resort and Casino. We hope to promote the scientific study of our work, to discover what is effective, and to promote it. Furthermore, we hope to build the strength of connections among academics who are working toward this end by providing an inspirational meeting of the minds.

We are soliciting two types of proposals:

1.  Scholarship of Teaching and Learning  - Research related to the teaching of rational skepticism in a higher education setting. Proposals must include data.

2.  Teaching Demonstration - Description of a course focused on teaching rational skepticism, or an assignment, or an in-class activity. These must include some kind of audience-involved demonstration.

We will have both presentations and posters.

We hope that each of you will consider sharing your work, and help us solicit proposals from other scholars. A PDF of the call for proposals is attached. Feel free to share among your contacts and encourage students to submit as well.

Submit proposals by June 1.  https://forms.gle/KwUzaYVm9Bo4ERXC8

LiliCon 2024 Planning Team

(Katie Dyer, Ray Hall, Rod Schmaltz, Natalia Pasternack, & Craig Foster)

Lilienfeld Alliance for the Teaching of Rational Skepticism in Higher Education 

LiliCon2024 Schedule of Presentations

Raymond Edward Hall

Natalia Pasternak

2 : 30 PM –4:00 PM | The Art of Memory, or as They Say in Latin, Ars Memoriae

They say memory is a fleeting thing, but it does not have to be. In this interactive workshop, Banachek will teach you how to boost your memory retention and recall abilities. Whether you struggle to remember names, important dates, information for exams, or anything else, this workshop is for you.

During this workshop, you will learn:

· The history of mnemonics

· Different systems of mnemonics

· Techniques for enhancing short-term memory

· Memory improvement strategies and exercises

· Tips for staying sharp and focused

In the end, you will blow your own mind with what you remember in a very short span of time. Guaranteed!

Don’t miss this opportunity to harness the power of your mind and improve your memory skills. Sign up now and take the first step toward a stronger, more reliable memory, presented by the Number One Mindreader in the World, Banachek!

7 : 00 PM | CSICon Opening Reception

Please join us for CSICon's opening reception

Syview 2 & 3

Robyn Blumner

Stephen Hupp

Eddie Tabash

8 : 00 PM –9:30 PM | Richard Dawkins Award & Brian Cox Keynote Address

Brian Cox will receive the 2024 Richard Dawkins Award

Afterwards Brian Cox delivers the CSICon 2024 Keynote speech.

Black Holes - The Most Confusing Objects in the Universe.

Black holes have long confused and fascinated physicists and non-physicists alike. They are undoubtedly evocative objects - the imprint of stars that have collapsed without limit under their own gravity at the end of their lives. In the 1970s, a small group of physicists including Stephen Hawking and Jacob Beckenstein developed the field of black hole thermodynamics. Their work led to a series of paradoxes and challenges which catalysed a program of research that, 50 years later, has led us to suspect that space and time are not fundamental and may emerge from a deeper theory. In this talk I will review the current understanding of Black Holes - the most confusing objects in the Universe.

SkyView 5 & 6

Friday, October 25

8 : 00 AM | Registration & Bookstore

8 : 45 AM | Opening Remarks

9 : 00 AM –9:30 AM | Why Bother? The Nature of Pseudoscience, How to Fight It, and Why It Matters Massimo Pigliucci

We all know what pseudoscience is and why it’s important to fight the good fight. Or do we? While some instances of pseudoscience are obvious (astrology, homeopathy), it turns out that it’s hard to draw a sharp line of demarcation. We want to fight the good fight, but, arguably, we go about it largely in the wrong way.

A dip into rhetoric, for instance, may be more useful than one in science communication. And our ultimate objective, the triumph of science over superstition, is very likely forever unreachable. We should instead pursue the more modest goal identified by Carl Sagan: to keep the light of reason alive, even if surrounded by darkness.

Massimo Pigliucci

9 : 30 AM –10:00 AM | Why Do We Fall for Misinformation? Melanie Trecek-King

Have you ever wondered why even smart people fall for hoaxes, pseudoscience, and conspiracy theories? Or why giving people facts doesn’t change their minds? This presentation explores how our brains and social circles can make us vulnerable to false or misleading information and how curiosity and skepticism can help us navigate today’s information landscape … and even connect with people who disagree with us.

Melanie Trecek-King

10 : 00 AM –10:30 AM | When Skeptics Disagree Steve Novella

Skeptics should largely agree about what science says, but that's not always the case. Exploring when and why skeptics disagree may be illuminating.

Steve Novella

10 : 30 AM | Break / Book Signing

11 : 00 AM –11:30 AM | The New Wellness BS? Manly, Optimizing, Science-y-ish, Longevity Woo! Timothy Caulfield

Will the stream of science-free wellness nonsense ever stop? A recent and ubiquitous trend: the rising “longevity” industry, which includes everything from consumption of hundreds of supplements to “young blood” infusions to testicle tanning. Influencers in this space, who often have impressive credentials, often use the language of real science—a tactic I call “scienceploitation”—to give their claims legitimacy. And many lean into the growing “manosphere,” that growing and ideologically charged echo chamber where traditional masculine norms are celebrated and framed as a required element to a healthy lifestyle. These characteristics of the longevity business can make it more difficult to debunk. But debunk we must!

Timothy Caulfield

11 : 30 AM –12:00 PM | The Media’s Role in Health Misinformation Rina Raphael

How is the media fueling health misinformation--and why? Is it getting better or worse? And what do we need for better science literacy? Journalist Rina Raphael shares what goes on in the newsroom that leads to so much poor health reporting.

Rina Raphael

12 : 00 PM –12:30 PM | Friendly Fire: The Role of Bad Science in Spreading Health and Wellness Misinformation Nick Tiller

Science is the most powerful tool we have for revealing objective “truths” about the natural world. As humanity grapples with existential threats such as climate change, COVID-19, and soaring obesity rates, science is our first and last hope for a solution. But what happens when the systems we’ve come to trust become part of the problem? Join Dr. Nick Tiller (research associate, Harbor-UCLA) to explore the shady side of scientific research and expose the spectrum of questionable practices, from basic procedural missteps to financially incentivized data fabrication. Using real-world examples from medicine, kinesiology, and nutrition, Tiller highlights the role of bad science in the spread of health and wellness misinformation and questions the reliability of Hanlon’s Razor—to assume ignorance over malice. In this call to action, Tiller makes recommendations for reform and challenges us to confront inconvenient truths, root out malpractice, and safeguard scientific integrity for generations to come.

Nick Tiller

12 : 30 PM –2:00 PM | VIP Luncheon

Come join us for this VIP Luncheon featuring special guests Brian Cox, Neil Tyson, and Michael Mann. Seating is limited. Be sure to choose it when registering.

2 : 00 PM –2:30 PM | Genetic Engineering Disinformation Campaigns: Why We Can’t Have Nice Things Kevin Folta

The technologies under the umbrella of genetic engineering have provided everything from cheap cheese to COVID-19 vaccines to curing sickle cell disease. We are at a precipice where the newest technologies stand to drive incredible innovation in agriculture, medicine, and conservation. However, deployment of these technologies hinges on public acceptance. Those opposed to these technologies exploit social media to spread false information and break trust in genetic engineering, the companies that develop products, and the scientists that seek to educate a concerned public about them. Their goal is to vilify useful technology for political or ideological reasons; sadly even trusted organizations fall victim to promoting misinformation. While the pace of innovation is accelerating, the deployment of technology must navigate a formidable social hurdle. The scientific and skeptical communities play a central role in identifying legitimate concerns, while at the same time countering mis /disinformation before innovation may proceed to application. This presentation frames new technologies, the tactics used to defame them, and how you can participate in effective strategic communication to advance their acceptance.

Kevin Folta

2 : 30 PM –3:00 PM | How to Teach Evolution to a Creationist Forrest Valkai

Drawing from years of experience studying and teaching biology and his popular YouTube series Reacteria , Forrest Valkai explains the best techniques and most common pitfalls he encounters when explaining evolution to a creationist audience so that you can have more productive conversations with people who distrust science.

Forrest Valkai

3 : 00 PM –3:30 PM | Psychic Detectives – False Trails Richard Saunders

Chief investigator for Australian Skeptics, Richard Saunders, examines the history and famous cases involving so-called Psychic Detectives in Australia. What role does the media play in promoting these people and how can skeptics can help in battling the misinformation.

3 : 30 PM –4:00 PM | Break / Book Signing

4 : 00 PM –5:00 PM | Panel: Longevity Lies and the Fountain of Youth

In a society obsessed with commercial quick fixes and biohacking, the quest for healthy aging and longevity has taken center stage. From dietary supplements and anti-aging creams to wellness retreats and lifestyle programs, the market is saturated with promises of eternal youth. But what do the experts say about the science of longevity? Can pills, infrared saunas, and cryotherapy slow life’s relentless march toward entropy? Has the first human to live to 150 already been born? Join Nick Tiller, Timothy Caulfield, and Rina Raphael as they untangle the science and pseudoscience of longevity. Through interactive polling and audience Q and A, the trio will dissect the claims of “precision medicine,” delve into tech magnate Bryan Johnson’s quest for the fountain of youth, and challenge conventional wisdom surrounding diet and exercise.

8 : 00 PM –9:00 PM | More Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization Neil deGrasse Tyson

How to use scientific rationality, coupled with a dose of cosmic perspective, to navigate our tribal divisions on gender, race, politics, and religion during holiday dinners.

Saturday, October 26

9 : 00 AM –9:30 AM | Sex and Race: Handling the Ideological Hot Potatoes Jerry Coyne

In recent years, ideology has been creeping into evolutionary biology, distorting facts in a way that gives people a false impression of what nature is like. In this talk, I explore two of the many ways this ideological erosion of biology has infected the field. The first is the increasingly widespread claim that biological sex is a “spectrum”: that there are not just two sexes, male and female, but a large number of them. This may be true of gender but not of biological sex itself, which is always binary, with just two sexes in all animals and vascular plants. Why has this distortion occurred? Probably to buttress the felt identities of people who are transsexual or non-binary. But this conflates sex and gender, and the sex binary, which has led to big advances in understanding evolution, should not be distorted in the service of ideology.

A similar phenomenon has occurred in biological discussions of race , though the term is fraught and I prefer to use populations . The popular argument that there are no meaningful genetic differences between human populations has led the American Medical Association, for instance, to state that “Race and ethnicity are social constructs without biological meaning.” This is in fact false: human populations over the globe have sufficient genetic differences that we can infer our ancestry with high accuracy—and even deduce one’s crude self-identified “race”—from a sample of DNA. These genetic differences evolved when early human populations lived in physical isolation, and have implications not just for deducing ancestry, but also tracing the history of human migration and for mitigating disparities in health and education. Again, the reason for the popular idea that race is nonexistent comes from a well-meaning desire to see nature as we would like it to be: with everyone in the world pretty much genetically identical.

But, in the end, we should not look to nature to buttress our ideology, politics, or morality, for this tactic not only distorts science, but also grounds our values on observations of biology rather than on the proper foundation—reason and humanism.

Jerry Coyne

9 : 30 AM –10:00 AM | Quantum Misogyny Natalia Pasternak

“Family Constellation” is a pseudoscientific therapy in which the “quantum energy” of the family and relatives of the patient (dead or alive) manifests itself. Created in Germany, it became popular in Brazilian courts of law as a way to ease family disputes. The practice systematically blames women for refusing to submit to their male relatives.

10 : 00 AM –10:30 AM | Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth's Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis Michael Mann

For most of its 4.54 billion years, Earth has proven it can manage just fine without human beings. Then came the first proto-humans, who emerged just a little more than two million years ago—a fleeting moment in geological time. What is it that made this benevolent moment of ours possible? Ironically, it’s the very same thing that now threatens us—climate change. The drying of the tropics during the Pleistocene period created a niche for early hominids, who could hunt prey as forests gave way to savannahs in the African tropics. The sudden cooling episode known as the “Younger Dryas” 13,000 years ago, which occurred just as Earth was thawing out of the last Ice Age, spurred the development of agriculture in the fertile crescent. The “Little Ice Age” cooling of the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries led to famines and pestilence for much of Europe, yet it was a boon for the Dutch, who were able to take advantage of stronger winds to shorten their ocean voyages. The conditions that allowed humans to live on Earth are fragile, incredibly so. Climate variability has at times created new niches that humans or their ancestors could potentially exploit and challenges that at times have spurred innovation. But there’s a relatively narrow envelope of climate variability within which human civilization remains viable. And our survival depends on conditions remaining within that range. In this talk, I will arm attendees with the knowledge necessary to appreciate the gravity of the unfolding climate crisis, while emboldening them—and others—to act before it truly does become too late.

11 : 00 AM –11:30 AM | How Minds Change David McRaney

David McRaney will talk about how, in the process of writing a book about the science of why it’s so hard to change people's minds, he changed his own mind about how minds change. In this talk, you'll not only learn what works when it comes to persuading, debunking, and challenging conventions to disagreeing well, you'll learn why it is vitally important to understand why some of us saw that photo of a dress as black-and-blue and others as white-and-gold (because it answers a whole of questions about how much of modern discourse can seem impossibly polarized).

David McRaney

11 : 30 AM –12:00 PM | Do We Teach Critical Thinking in Schools? Bertha Vazquez

Well, that depends on your definition of critical thinking. The term critical thinking means different things to different people. Who is right? Science teachers are trained to teach critical thinking, emphasizing that science is falsifiable and requires tested hypotheses, evidence, and consensus. They encourage students to engage in the scientific process through NGSS practices and project-based learning.

But here’s what they don’t teach: how our own flawed thinking and perceptions can get in the way of accepting facts. They do not teach that many of the things we each believe are tied more closely to our identities than to any facts. This reality that our worldview affects how we process new information and that science is the best way to put guardrails in place so we can seek the truth in the most objective way possible should be an ongoing theme in our classrooms.

Bertha Vazquez

12 : 00 PM | Lunch On Your Own

2 : 00 PM –2:30 PM | Putting Paranormal Claims to the Test Chris French

Although the main research focus of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Department of Psychology at Goldsmiths was the development and, where possible, testing of non-paranormal explanations of ostensibly paranormal experiences, we have also over the years devoted considerable time and effort to directly testing paranormal claims. This talk will present an overview of these investigations including claims of psychic ability and mediumship, "human magnetism", dowsing, and precognition. Spoiler alert: I am still a sceptic.

Chris French

2 : 30 PM –3:00 PM | Echo Chambers vs. Evidence: Ideological Conflicts in Science Acceptance Andrea Love

In a world increasingly polarized by differing ideologies, acceptance of scientific evidence becomes a battleground shaped not only by facts but also by the echo chambers of social and political beliefs. These insular groups and resultant identity communities cultivate selective trust in science, which substantially influence public and individual perceptions of scientific facts.

Drawing from case studies in contentious fields such as vaccines, food ingredients, and genetic technologies, this presentation explores and illustrates how ideological biases lead to the selective rejection of evidence. This rejection is further exacerbated by psychological phenomena such as confirmation bias and belief perseverance.

By shedding light on the challenges of effectively communicating science in a polarized society, this talk aims to propose strategies for bridging the ideological divide. It emphasizes the importance of fostering productive discussions on topics frequently targeted by misinformation campaigns in order to minimize far-reaching and pervasive harms to public health and science literacy.

Andrea Love

3 : 00 PM –4:00 PM | Out of Focus Daniel Simons

Daniel Simons will talk about how the cognitive abilities that usually serve us well can make us vulnerable to mistaken beliefs, misinformation, self-deception, and outright fraud. Even our abilities to focus intently and think critically can be turned against us when we fail to think about what falls outside our focus. His presentation will draw on topics ranging from visual attention and magic to science fraud and the exhilarating world of management consulting to show how easily we can be deceived—both by ourselves and by others—and what we can do about it.

Scenic Ballroom

Daniel Simons

4 : 30 PM –6:00 PM | Skeptics Guide to the Universe

The SGU dissects recent science news and controversies with a dose of critical thinking.

Evan Bernstein

Cara Santa Maria

Bob Novella

Jay Novella

8 : 30 PM –9:30 PM | Banachek Presents: Mind Games

When it comes to the world of magic and mysticism, do you consider yourself a believer in the unknown? Well, it may surprise you that magician and master mentalist Banachek is a devoted nonbeliever—and trust us when we say that his skepticism is absolutely a gift to the world.

Banachek's current reputation as the world's leading mentalist began when he was just eighteen years old when he and a friend signed up for a “scientific” study called Project Alpha.

For the next four years, Banachek would use his arsenal of mentalist tricks to convince the researchers at the newly founded McDonnell Laboratory for Psychical Research of Washington University that he had psychic abilities. Some of these researchers were so convinced of Banachek's “abilities” that once he revealed the truth, they still refused to change their minds.

Banachek has also partnered with multiple investigators to expose fraudulent psychics, mediums, and spiritualists who take advantage of the suffering and emotions of others for monetary gain. One of his most famous investigations was of the American televangelist Peter Popoff, whom he unmasked on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Carson in 1986.

Sunday, October 27

9 : 00 AM –12:00 PM | Paper Session

Paper Session

The Sunday Morning Papers session will recognize new voices and new ideas and showcase them in the spotlight of the CSICon stage. These are people who have had success in communicating scientific skepticism, teaching critical thinking, combating pseudoscience, or furthering the mission of CSI in some new and significant way.

Susan Gerbic and Rob Palmer as the moderators.

Click here to learn more

Sunday Papers Presentations:

David Weinberg - Irrational exuberance: Trampling scientific boundaries for fun and profit

Bernie Garrett - Why is Deceptive Healthcare Thriving?

Sue Ieraci - Thalidomide, Vioxx ... Why should I trust YOU?

Daniel A. Reed - Making Critical Thinking Awareness Day a Reality

Bruce Behrens - In Search of Skepticism in Science Museums

Carolyn Dougherty - Constructing Conversations Workshop

Susan Gerbic

Hotel Information

Discounted rooms are available at the Horseshoe Las Vegas. Links are located below to complete your reservation. We recommend booking early as our conference rooms sell out quickly.

We have oversold our room block at the Horseshoe. We have been able to secure some additional rooms at the nearby Harrah's resort. You can use this link to book at Harrah's, or at the Horseshoe (at their current daily rate)

Accessibility

The Center for Inquiry values full participation at all its events, including participation from individuals with disabilities. Requests for reasonable accommodation may be made by contacting Barry Karr at (716) 636-4869 ext. 217 or  [email protected] .

Policy on Hostile Conduct / Harassment at Conferences: View Harassment Policy

LiliCon is a half day of short presentations on the topic of how to best teach critical thinking as it relates to rational skepticism by university scholars and instructors. Come learn what we know about best practices that allow students to learn the difference between science and pseudoscience, and how we use evidence to inform and improve our textbooks and teaching strategies.

Call for Papers

The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry is delighted to announce our annual Call for Papers. Selected applicants will have the opportunity to give a talk at the Sunday Morning Papers session of CSICon 2024.

The tradition of the Papers session recognizes new voices and new ideas, and showcases them on the CSICon stage. If you have had success in communicating scientific skepticism, combating pseudoscience, or furthering the mission of CSI in a significant way, we encourage you to submit a proposal.

Appropriate topics are those which support the mission of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, and which reflect the type of material typically published in Skeptical Inquirer .

Volunteer Information

CSICon Las Vegas needs your help! We are seeking a number of volunteers to help support the event, whether with speaker support, registration, event management, PR, merchandising, outreach, tabling, or other opportunities.

Apply for the CSICon Scholarship

JALT Critical Thinking

The official website of the JALT Critical Thinking SIG

Critical Thinking in the Classroom 2024 Conference: Registration is Open

The registration system for Critical Thinking in the Classroom 2024 is now open on the conference website < http://www.jaltcriticalthinking.org/events/> . The conference will be held of August 3rd, 2024 from 9:00 to 16:00 in the Learning Square on the Izumi Campus of Meiji University in Tokyo, Japan.

The aim of this conference is to provide an opportunity for researchers and educators to share their research, methods, approaches, materials, and activities for encouraging critical thinking and the use of higher order thinking skills in the language learning classroom. Areas of interest may include, but are not limited to, higher-order thinking skills, evidence-based thinking, problem solving, logical thinking, evaluating sources, thinking dispositions, viewpoint-taking, debate and argumentation, academic writing, and of course, critical thinking.

The conference program features nineteen presentations given by twenty-three presenters, and the presenters come from three different countries, which promises that a wide variety of perspectives on critical thinking in language education will be offered.

If you have any colleagues that are interested in critical thinking in language classrooms, please share the conference website with them.

We hope to see you there!

Critical Thinking in the Classroom 2024

The JALT Critical Thinking SIG, in association with the JALT Tokyo Chapter and Ludic Language Pedagogy, is happy to announce Critical Thinking in the Classroom 2024 (CTC 2024), a conference to be held on August 3rd, 2024, from 9:00 to 16:00 in the Learning Square on the Izumi Campus of Meiji University located near Meidaimae …

Deadline Extension for Presentation Proposal Submissions for Critical Thinking in the Classroom 2024

The deadline for presentation proposal submissions for Critical Thinking in the Classroom 2024 has been extended to June 7, 2024. The reason for this is that many members of the Critical Thinking SIG are participating in the JALTCALL and PanSIG conferences this month. By extending the deadline, those participating in those conferences will have an …

Critical Thinking in the Classroom 2024: Call for Conference Presentation Proposals

The JALT Critical Thinking SIG, in association with Ludic Language Pedagogy, is happy to announce that we are accepting proposals for presentations to be given at Critical Thinking in the Classroom 2024 (CTC 2024), a conference to be held on August 3rd, 2024, from 9:00 to 16:00 in the Learning Square on the Izumi Campus of Meiji University located near Meidaimae Station on the Keio …

Join us at JALTCALL 2024

This year the CT SIG will be participating in the JALTCALL conference, taking place from May 17th to May 19th, 2024, at Meijo University, Nagoya (Dome Mae Campus).  We would like to invite everyone to join us, as it promises to be an engaging event, featuring over one hundred and fifty presentations, with contributors both …

Join Us at the Critical Thinking SIG Forum at PanSIG 2024

We’d like to invite everyone to join us for the Critical Thinking SIG Forum being held at PanSIG 2024, which is taking place at the Fukui University of Technology in Fukui, Japan from May 24th to May 26th, 2024. Six speakers will present on diverse approaches to critical thinking in language education. The featured speakers …

Materials Making March

On March 26th, the JALT College and University Educators SIG (CUE SIG) hosted an online event called Materials Making March with the Material Writers SIG (MW SIG) and the Critical Thinking SIG (CT SIG). The presentation from the MW SIG was delivered by Rachel Patterson from Kindai University. The title of her presentation was Corporate …

Join Us for Materials-Making March on March 26th

With the new school year starting shortly, it is time to think about making new materials for our courses. With this in mind, the College and University Educators SIG (CUE SIG) is hosting, along with the collaboration of the Critical Thinking SIG and the Material Writers SIG, an online event called Materials-Making March. This free …

Call for Presenters JALT 2024 CT SIG Forum

Dear all, We are now accepting proposals for presenters at the CT SIG Forum being held face-to-face at JALT 2024 in Shizuoka. This year, we are seeking proposals on either research or classroom practice related topics covering any aspect of critical thinking. Some possible topics are higher-order thinking skills, thinking dispositions, evidence-based thinking, problem solving, …

Reminder of PanSIG 2024 Submission Deadline

From PanSIG: Dear SIG Members, We hope you are all well. This is a friendly reminder. The PanSIG 2024 submission deadline is January 14th. If you want to present, please check the information below. We are looking forward to reading your proposals. Good luck with the writing. We have an abstract writing workshop on Jan …