Welcome back to the Asheville Science Tavern (in person)! For those of you who are regulars you will know that we have been hosting events online since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and have continued such until recently. We will be meeting at our old haunt in the upstairs presentation room at White Labs Taproom in Asheville. As always we are supported through generous donations from our attendees, these donations go towards covering website costs and any event related costs.
Barry Markovsky is no stranger to the Science Tavern as he presented his work for us virtually back in September of 2021. We are thrilled to be hosting him again as he has begun work on a book exploring nuances of belief and science communication. We look forward to seeing you there and please enjoy a short description from the author.
Carl Sagan popularized the aphorism “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” But his skeptic’s credo hasn’t stemmed the sometimes dangerous tides of pseudoscience, paranormal beliefs, and conspiratorial claims.
One facet of the problem is a failure to communicate the awesomeness of science and critical thinking to a general audience. In hopes of filling this gap, I’m working on a book that tells true stories of everyday extraordinary experiences: A dear friend’s faith in astrology, a UFO sighting, a haunted workplace, a dream that foretells the future, and many more. In each case, the story draws on one of more sciences to make what’s likely going on “backstage” just as interesting as the unfounded pseudo-explanations. Some of it’s pretty funny, too.
My research and publications are in several areas of social psychology: group processes, human judgment and beliefs, social influence, and social networks. I taught and conducted research at the University of South Carolina (2001-2019), and the University of Iowa (1983-2001), and was Sociology Program Director at the National Science Foundation (1997-1999). I’ve lived in Asheville at least part time since 2006, and full time since retiring a couple of years ago.
The working title for the book mentioned above is Everyday Extraordinary: A Scientist Ponders a Lifetime of Magical, Bizarre, and Paranormal Experiences. The hour will include a short presentation, a reading from a book in progress, and an open discussion.