Skeptic's Dictionary

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Robert Todd Carroll is the author of the book The Skeptic's Dictionary and the webmaster for skepdic.com (which is based on his book and contains collections of cross-referenced skeptical essays). The skepdic.com site was launched in 1994 and the book, published in 2003, is a compilation of much of the web site's content.

Robert Todd Carroll is a self-professed atheist <ref>Robert Todd Carroll's Personal Profile</ref> and "hardened skeptic". Carroll openly stated that his opinions, in The Skeptics Dictionary book, are not meant to present a balanced view on occult subjects and anyone who does not accept critical opinions about their beliefs are "True Believers". <ref>Definition for "True Believer Syndrome" as taken from Robert T. Carroll's book, "Skeptic's dictionary", pp. 1-3, "My beliefs are clearly that of a hardened skeptic...I use the term 'occult' to refer to any of all of these subjects. The reader is forewarned that The Skeptics Dictionary does not try to present a balanced account of occult subjects. If anything, this book is a Davidian counterbalance to the Goliath of occult literature. I hope that an occasional missle hits its mark...As already stated, the one group that this book is not desgined for is that of the true believers. My studies have convinced me that arguments or data critical of their beliefs are always considered by true believers to be insignificant, irrelevant, manipulative, deceptive, not authoritative, unscientific, unfair, biased, closed-minded, irrational and/or diabolical."</ref>

The Skeptic's Dictionary primarily exposes claims that its author considers pseudoscientific.

It covers such categories as alternative medicine; cryptozoology; extraterrestrials and UFOs; frauds and hoaxes; junk science; New Age energy; the paranormal, the supernatural, and the psychic. Also covered are dozens of topics in logic and perception and science and philosophy that help explain the appeal and popularity of occult beliefs, as well as guide the reader to think critically about them.[1]

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References

Carroll, Robert Todd , 2003, The Skeptic's Dictionary: A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions, and Dangerous Delusions, Wiley, ISBN 0471272426 (paperback)

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