Event overview
07817 437102
Goldsmiths Humanists Society invited speakers series
One of the greatest strengths of the human species from an evolutionary perspective is our ability to perceive meaningful patterns and cause and effect relationships in our surroundings. Our cognitive systems have evolved to allow us to make relatively quick decisions that are right most of the time as opposed to slower, more reflective, decisions that are right slightly more often. In terms of the evolutionary cost-benefit analysis, our cognitive systems are optimised for biological survival not for apprehending "Truth". One consequence of our evolutionary history is that we are prone to a number of cognitive biases that may well underlie our predisposition towards supernatural and paranormal beliefs. Because we are poor at recognising randomness and often see meaning and significance where there is none, it is not surprising that such beliefs are so prevalent and persistent.
Professor Chris French is the Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, as well as being a Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association. He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the British False Memory Society and has published over 100 articles and chapters covering a wide range of topics within psychology. His main current area of research is the psychology of paranormal beliefs and anomalous experiences. In addition to academic activities, he frequently appears on radio and television casting a sceptical eye over paranormal claims. He is the editor of The Skeptic and writes for the Guardian's online science pages. His most recent books are Why Statues Weep: The Best of The Skeptic (2010; co-edited with Wendy Grossman) and Anomalistic Psychology (2012; co-authored with Nicola J. Holt, Christine Simmonds-Morre, and David Luke). Follow him on Twitter: @chriscfrench
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Nov 2012 | 7:00pm - 8:30pm |
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