27:
264:
during the 1980s, discussion rose whether
Prometheus was still compatible with the aims of the VVS. One proposal was to integrate the entire working group into the Comité Para, of which several people already had a membership, but the Comité concluded that founding a separate Dutch-speaking would be
598:
Everyone knows who Harry
Houdini was. He is a Hungarian-born American magician, an escape artist, and he is also well known within the skeptical movement as a famous skeptic. And in fact, he started the tradition of famous magicians also being popular
192:
Discussion to form a committee that would regularly perform experiments with scientific controls to assess extraordinary claims originated in
January 1947, after a group of academics was challenged to prove the validity of
248:(that allegedly proved astrological influences). This made that the organised modern skeptical movement became an international one, and also gave a new impulse to scientific skepticism in Belgium. The Comité was formally
305:. Currently he organises skeptic conferences in this domain. He uses his talents as a magician to imitate the techniques mediums utilise to convince their audience that they can contact the dead.
895:
870:
815:
256:. When in 1976 teacher Jean-Marie Gantois founded the working group Prometheus within the Dutch-speaking Society for Astronomy (VVS), that besides astrology and
516:
990:
985:
790:
308:
Jean
Dommanget (1924–2014) was an astronomer and long-time president of the Comité, who took the lead in many astrology and dowsing experiments.
547:
177:
Challenging paranormal phenomena began long before the foundation of the Comité Para. For example, in the 19th century the debate raged about
890:
142:. Founded in 1949, the Comité Para regards itself as the originator of the modern skeptical movement. The group's motto (by Robert Rendu) is
885:
273:
955:
1066:
860:
1035:
220:
was selling false hope to the grieving relatives of people who had gone missing during the war. The Comité Para tried to combat
202:
577:
783:
855:
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411:
810:
402:
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313:
850:
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345:
237:
524:
1061:
1010:
970:
776:
197:(the results were negative). The organisation was eventually founded by seventeen members including astronomer
965:
950:
252:, but after a sleeping existence it was revived by almost exclusively French-speaking members, most of them
980:
960:
615:
87:
491:
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1040:
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830:
210:
394:
555:
139:
925:
835:
719:
53:
905:
136:
1025:
622:
249:
189:, and therefore regarded as one of the founding fathers of the modern skeptical movement.
8:
820:
206:
178:
875:
825:
151:
1020:
1015:
865:
644:
162:
915:
900:
1005:
272:
Represented by
Arlette Fougnies, the Comité Para became a founding member of the
159:
Comité Belge pour l'Investigation
Scientifique des Phénomènes Réputés Paranormaux
132:
585:
302:
931:
Italian
Committee for the Investigation of Claims of the Pseudosciences (CICAP)
896:
Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen
Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften (GWUP)
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666:
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For the events that led up to the formation of the group, see chapter
238:
Committee for the
Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
225:
840:
257:
229:
217:
124:
871:
Deutsche
Gesellschaft zur Bekämpfung des Kurpfuschertums (DGBK)
395:"Guest column: The Comité Para – A European Skeptics Committee"
205:
on 4 June 1949. It emerged in part as a response to a pressing
169:
Phenomena") until it adopted its present name on 19 June 2014.
26:
995:
986:
Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (RDF/RDFRS)
930:
495:
335:
266:
816:
Association française pour l'information scientifique (AFIS)
750:
436:
107:
647:(December 1994). "Een Europese Skeptische organisatie".
763:
755:
720:"Sommaires des Nouvelles Brèves / Nouvelles Sceptiques"
539:
121:
Comité belge pour l'Analyse Critique des parasciences
20:
Comité belge pour l'Analyse Critique des parasciences
891:
Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA)
201:
on 15 January 1949, and officially registered as an
517:"The Fox Sisters: Spiritualism's Unlikely Founders"
886:European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO)
265:a better solution. This gave rise to the Flemish
185:(1874–1926) is seen by skeptics as a debunker of
1053:
570:
921:Hungarian Skeptic Society (Szkeptikus Társaság)
717:
578:"Skeptics Guide to the Universe 5X5 Episode 98"
991:Science and Rationalists' Association of India
181:and the existence of spirits. The illusionist
784:
610:
431:
429:
236:was inspired by the Comité Para to found the
154:, do not assert anything without evidence").
63:Scientific investigation of paranormal claims
851:Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI/CSICOP)
509:
466:Historique du Comité - Les grands évènements
699:(in French). Comité Para. 19 September 2014
486:
388:
386:
384:
274:European Council of Skeptical Organisations
269:as a sister society of the Comité in 1990.
956:Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti
791:
777:
426:
25:
936:James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF)
798:
482:
480:
478:
392:
861:Dakshina Kannada Rationalist Association
811:Association for Skeptical Enquiry (ASKE)
643:
381:
1031:Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij (VtdK)
127:Committee for the Critical Analysis of
1054:
545:
475:
470:La science face au défi du paranormal.
359:La science face au défi du paranormal.
772:
693:"Jacques Van Rillaer et le freudisme"
546:Hughes, Virginia (22 December 2011).
311:Jacques Van Rillaer is the author of
203:association without lucrative purpose
616:"Why Is There a Skeptical Movement?"
321:(2005), criticising the theories of
244:in 1976 after the debate around the
718:Olivier Mandler (30 October 2014).
637:
157:"Comité Para" originally stood for
13:
584:. 30 December 2010. Archived from
412:Society for Scientific Exploration
14:
1078:
961:Merseyside Skeptics Society (MSS)
741:
403:Journal of Scientific Exploration
1067:Skeptic organisations in Belgium
1036:Vetenskap och Folkbildning (VoF)
371:), fanzine destined for members.
319:Le Livre Noir de la psychanalyse
314:Les Illusions de la Psychanalyse
216:: a predatory industry of bogus
1041:Young Australian Skeptics (YAS)
711:
685:
659:
351:
346:List of skeptical organizations
1011:Society for Psychical Research
971:Norwegian Humanist Association
667:"Jean Dommanget (1924 - 2014)"
604:
523:. 12 June 2006. Archived from
455:
148:, ne rien affirmer sans preuve
1:
966:New England Skeptical Society
946:Klub Sceptyków Polskich (KSP)
468:in Comité Para (Ed.) (2005).
375:
492:"Twintig jaar SKEPP in 2010"
293:and skeptic, in the line of
285:Jean Champenois is a former
16:Belgian skeptic organization
7:
981:Observatoire Zététique (OZ)
856:Český klub skeptiků Sisyfos
655:(4). Stichting Skepsis: 11.
437:"Une nouvelle dénomination"
329:
260:also began taking on other
10:
1083:
357:Comité Para (Ed.) (2005).
279:
232:etc. American philosopher
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941:Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham
831:Centre for Inquiry Canada
806:
103:
93:
81:
67:
59:
49:
41:
33:
24:
951:Laboratoire de Zététique
826:Center for Inquiry (CFI)
726:(in French). Comité Para
673:(in French). Comité Para
443:(in French). Comité Para
393:Dommanget, Jean (1993).
163:Scientific Investigation
161:("Belgian Committee for
866:De Vrije Gedachte (DVG)
150:("Do not deny anything
140:non-profit organisation
88:French-speaking Belgium
926:Irish Skeptics Society
54:Nonprofit organisation
1062:Scientific skepticism
906:Good Thinking Society
800:Skeptic organizations
548:"2011 Houdini Awards"
317:(1980) and co-author
1026:The Skeptics Society
623:The Skeptics Society
552:Last Word on Nothing
472:Brussels: Relie-Art.
365:Nouvelles Sceptiques
361:Brussels: Relie-Art.
325:as pseudoscientific.
821:Australian Skeptics
724:Comité Para website
697:Comité Para website
671:Comité Para website
588:on 19 February 2015
441:Comité Para website
207:consumer protection
21:
876:Edinburgh Skeptics
625:website. p. 3
367:(until 2009 named
19:
1049:
1048:
1021:Tarksheel Society
1016:Stichting Skepsis
836:Círculo Escéptico
113:
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74:Brussels, Belgium
1074:
916:Humanists Sweden
901:Glasgow Skeptics
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554:. Archived from
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369:Nouvelles Brèves
276:(ECSO) in 1994.
214:Second World War
211:aftermath of the
99:Alice Van Helden
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1077:
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582:SGU Transcripts
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558:on 21 June 2016
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490:(5 June 2010).
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209:problem in the
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742:External links
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645:de Jager, Kees
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527:on 17 May 2016
521:HistoryNet.com
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675:. Retrieved
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651:(in Dutch).
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627:. Retrieved
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586:the original
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560:. Retrieved
556:the original
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529:. Retrieved
525:the original
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499:. Retrieved
494:(in Dutch).
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416:. Retrieved
407:
401:
368:
364:
358:
352:Publications
318:
312:
303:Gérard Majax
271:
222:clairvoyants
195:radiesthesia
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129:Parasciences
120:
116:
114:
34:Abbreviation
976:NZ Skeptics
846:Comité Para
751:Comité Para
748:(in French)
730:14 December
703:14 December
677:14 December
629:1 September
488:Tim Trachet
462:(in French)
447:14 December
299:James Randi
291:illusionist
254:astronomers
246:Mars effect
226:astrologers
133:Francophone
117:Comité Para
37:Comité Para
1056:Categories
1001:Skepsis ry
761:(in Dutch)
376:References
234:Paul Kurtz
167:Paranormal
119:, in full
599:skeptics.
414:: 317–321
301:and also
250:bilingual
179:spiritism
137:skeptical
131:"), is a
95:President
42:Formation
614:(2013).
592:8 August
562:8 August
531:8 August
330:See also
218:psychics
152:a priori
146:a priori
135:Belgian
68:Location
841:COMCEPT
649:Skepter
280:Members
258:ufology
240:in the
230:dowsers
187:mediums
173:History
125:Belgian
104:Website
60:Purpose
501:17 May
418:24 May
996:SKEPP
764:SKEPP
619:(PDF)
496:SKEPP
410:(3).
398:(PDF)
336:SKEPP
267:SKEPP
756:ECSO
732:2014
705:2014
679:2014
631:2014
594:2016
564:2016
533:2016
503:2014
449:2014
420:2014
115:The
50:Type
45:1949
1058::
722:.
695:.
669:.
621:.
596:.
580:.
550:.
519:.
477:^
439:.
428:^
406:.
400:.
383:^
297:,
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224:,
123:("
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778:v
734:.
707:.
681:.
653:7
633:.
566:.
535:.
505:.
451:.
422:.
408:7
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