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2 The $1 million challenge 3 See also 4 Bibliography 5 External links |
Randi has worked as a professional stage magician and escapologist since the 1950s (he appeared as "The Amazing Randi" on a short-lived TV show entitled Wonderama in 1955), and he entered the international spotlight in the 1970s when he challenged the public claims of Uri Geller. Randi accused Geller of being nothing more than a charlatan who uses standard "magic" tricks to accomplish his paranormal feats, and he backed up his claims in the book The Magic of Uri Geller. Geller responded to Randi's claims by filing a number of lawsuits against Randi, and this rivalry has continued for more than three decades.
Randi has gone on to write several books attacking popular beliefs and claims regarding the paranormal. He has also been instrumental in exposing frauds and charlatans who exploit this field for their own personal gain. In his Project Alpha he essentially ended paranormal research at the university level. Randi's expose of faith healer Peter Popoff resulted in a sharp decline in Popoff's influence and popularity.
Randi was a founding fellow and prominent member of CSICOP, until he resigned because of the lawsuits brought against him by Uri Geller. He did so in order to protect the organization from being affected.
In 1996, Randi established the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). This organization supports research into paranormal claims and attempts to test them in controlled experimental conditions, offering the $1,000,000 prize to anyone who can demonstrate a supernatural ability under agreed-upon scientific testing criteria. No one has passed a preliminary test, which are as mentioned set up and agreed upon between both Randi and the applicant. Randi updates the JREF's website with written commentary on Fridays.
In the conditions and rules governing his $1M challenge, Randi has plainly stated that both parties (both himself and the party accepting the challenge) must agree in advance as to what conditions of the test constitute a "success" and what constitutes a "failure." This stipulation is seen by skeptics as the reason why many self-proclaimed practitioners of paranormal abilities refuse to take part in the Randi Challenge. Nevertheless, Randi's detractors claim that the offer is insincere, and that Randi will ensure he never has to pay out. He was quoted in the October 1981 issue of Fate magazine as allegedly saying "I always have an out"; however, this magazine article was written as a result of political infighting among the members of CSICOP. Observers of the ongoing debate between skeptics and their detractors believe this quote is being misapplied, and that it refers to the fact that Randi employs safeguards against cheating. Such claims of Randi finding ways to avoid payment are unfounded, as the money is held in a Goldman, Sachs & Company account and withholding payment would constitute fraud on Randi's behalf.
Parapsychologists generally try to downplay the Randi challenge because of these attacks on Randi's character, and also because of his harsh, uncompromising style of writing and presentation, which has won him enemies among those who claim to be paranormal experts. Randi's supporters note that there are other skeptical organizations that have their own similar standing offers to prove the existence of paranormal abilities, and anyone claiming to be an expert in their field of the paranormal can easily apply for any of these other prizes, avoiding Randi altogether.
Asteroid 3163 Randi is named after him.
Professional career
The $1 million challenge
See also
Bibliography
External links