Welcome the actual website for Skeptics in the Pub, Horsham. Our talks are held in the Tanners Arms in Horsham, usually on the 2nd Monday of every month (though in March and April 2012 it's on the first Monday).
You don't have to be cynical, grumpy or atheist to enjoy SitP - you don't even have to have a beard. Skeptics in the Pub is not about relentlessly disagreeing with every claim that is made but simply questioning with the aim of getting to the bottom of them. There is no political agenda one way or the other - you might agree with a guest speaker one month and then be in outraged disagreement with the following one. Whether you agree with the speaker or not, we hope your own thoughts will be challenged.
SitP Horsham is here to give the people of Horsham and beyond an opportunity to hear experts talk about a wide variety of subjects, including science, the paranormal, journalism, history, gender issues, religion, astronomy, linguistics - any subject really - and to ask questions, hear the answers and meet other people who like to do the same.
(We will be collecting £2 from audience members, to cover speaker expenses)
If you're local to Horsham, you might fancy going along to the other relatively nearby SitP groups in Guildford, Lewes and Brighton - you'll find links to them and all the other Skeptics in the Pubs across the country at the bottom of this page.
If you have any suggestions, comments or questions at all or think you can help out in any way, then please get in touch using the "Contact Us" link at the top left of the page.
When?
Monday, June 11 2012 at 8:00PM
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Where?
The Tanners Arms
78 Brighton Road
Horsham, West Sussex RH13 5BU
Who?
Crispian Jago
What's the talk about?
Crispian Jago was recently longlisted for the 2011 Orwell Prize for his satirical skeptic blog Science, Reason and Critical Thinking, where he "hurls ad hominem attacks at passing woo mongers and takes random pot shot at supernatural, paranormal and pseudoscientific bullshit."
He is one of the founding members of the Hampshire Skeptic Society, and co-founder & co-organiser of Winchester Skeptics in the Pub.
How to Point and Laugh at Irrational Nonsense will review many of the topics covered in the Science, Reason and Critical Thinking blog over the past couple of years and ponder whether or not ridicule is an appropriate method for sceptical activism.
In his day job, Crispian is a freelance IT consultant specialising in the design and management of software test strategies in order to ensure the successful deployment of complex IT systems.
Watch him drink his own homeopathic wee or Follow him on Twitter
When?
Monday, July 9 2012 at 8:00PM
Download iCalendar file
(e.g. import to Outlook or Google Calendar)
Where?
The Tanners Arms
78 Brighton Road
Horsham, West Sussex RH13 5BU
Who?
Professor Chris French
What's the talk about?
Prof. Chris French, Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London, is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association.
He has published hundreds of articles and contributed to several chapters on varied psychology topics. His principle research area is the psychology involved in belief in the paranormal and he has recently published the book Why Statues Weep: The Best of The Skeptic, co-edited by Wendy Grossman. He is a former editor of The Skeptic magazine.
Ever since records began, in every known society, a substantial proportion of the population has reported unusual experiences many of which we would today label as "paranormal". Opinion polls show that the majority of the general public accepts that paranormal phenomena do occur. Either the paranormal is real, in which case this should be accepted by the wider scientific community which currently rejects such claims, or else belief in and experience of ostensibly paranormal phenomena can be fully explained in terms of psychological factors. Anomalistic psychology attempts to provide non-paranormal explanations for anomalous experiences in terms of known psychological factors. This approach will be illustrated with examples relating to a range of ostensibly paranormal phenomena.
Chris French on Twitter