Hunting Humbug 101
49 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 8 years ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingA weekly podcast on fallacies in thinking: Hunting Humbug 101 – a crash course in shooting down bad arguments
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Episodes
Episode 49: False attribution (original episode)
May 21, 2016 08:01Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0049.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 48: The best of Jef (original episode)
May 06, 2016 22:00Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0048.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 47: Psychonanalysing tool (original episode)
April 22, 2016 22:00Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0047.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 46: False compromise and false balance (original episode)
April 08, 2016 22:00Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0046.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 45: Impugning motives and poisoning the well (original episode)
March 25, 2016 22:00Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0045.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 44: Change your mind (original episode)
February 26, 2016 22:00Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0044.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 43: Mind, body, wallet (original episode)
February 12, 2016 22:00Direct link: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0043.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 42: The slippery slope (original episode)
January 29, 2016 22:00Direct link: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0042.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 41: Argument by slogan (original episode)
January 16, 2016 07:13Direct link: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0041.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 40: Argument by artifice and Bad faith (original episode)
December 25, 2015 22:00Direct link: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0040.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 39: Begging the question (original episode)
December 11, 2015 22:00Direct link: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0039.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 38: Appeal to authority (original episode)
November 27, 2015 22:00Direct link: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0038.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 37: Moral equivalence (original episode)
November 13, 2015 22:00Direct link: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0037.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for US$2 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 36: Special pleading (original episode)
October 31, 2015 00:17All enlightened critical thinkers agree, this is the best podcast on fallacies going around. And this episode on Special Pleading is one of the best we’ve produced to date. If you disagree, it’s because you don’t have the kind of cognition and sensibility required to recognise quality. It could also be because of the environment in which you are listening to it, the type of music player you are using and/or your headphones. If you had decent equipment and were in a place that allowed you to...
Episode 35: Skeptics' circle (original episode)
September 18, 2015 22:00Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0035.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 0034: Factoid propagation (original episode)
September 04, 2015 22:00Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0034.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 0033: Burden of proof (original episode)
August 21, 2015 22:00Direct link: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0033.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 0032: Simple minded certitude (original episode)
August 08, 2015 00:18Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0032.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 0031: The WTF? Fallacy (original episode)
July 26, 2015 00:30Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0031.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 0030: The Art of Humbug Detection (original episode)
July 11, 2015 02:52Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0030.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 0029: Wishful thinking (original episode)
June 21, 2015 23:08An original episode where we looked at wishful thinking, with examples from Oprah and The Secret. Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0029.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 0028: On belief (original episode)
June 05, 2015 22:00An original episode where I interviewed a practicing psychic. I asked her to answer questions about paranormal phenomena and what the basis of her belief is. I was joined by Ben who I discuss this with – in terms of Thomas Gilovich’s book How We Know What Isn’t So – The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life. Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0028.mp3 https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0028.ogg The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for a...
Episode 0027: Talking skeptically
May 22, 2015 22:00In this episode we discuss some approaches to talking to people as a skeptic. Readings from the book: Seekers after truth Socratic method Clips we discuss are: Politics with Michelle Grattan - Brian Schmidt Skeptics’ guide to the universe Other relevant stuff: Dunning-Kruger Russell Blackford’s post about the Sam Harris vs Bruce Schnier debate Direct download here: https://ia802506.us.archive.org/3/items/HH101/HH101e0027.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available fo...
Episode 0026: Sanctimony (original episode)
May 08, 2015 22:00This is an original episode, previously recorded with my father Jef, in which we looked at Sanctimony. Clips from: South Park Seasion 10 Episode 2 - Smug Alert! Penn and Teller - Walmart Here’s the link to the direct download. The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 0025: Single cause
April 25, 2015 21:00In this episode we look at the Single Cause fallacy. Clips from the episode: Education - external exams will “fix” all of Queensland’s supposed educational woes. http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2014/12/a-push-for-external-examination-for-queensland-students.html?site=brisbane&program=612 Denial of a cause Rep. Keith Ellison on "Morning Joe". http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2014/01/17/dem-rep-ellison-islamist-terrorismus-income-inequality-same-strugg Freakanomics podca...
Episode 0024: Exaggerated conflict (original episode)
April 10, 2015 22:00This is an original episode on Exaggerated Conflict. Here are the show notes from the original post. ____________________ The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 0023: Perfect solution
March 27, 2015 22:00In this episode we look at Perfect Solution. The first example is looking at the use of technology in cricket for umpiring decisions.Audio of the cricketing legend, Sachin Tendulkar: http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/video_audio/530928.html?genre=9 The second example is about the flu vaccine: http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/Health-News/flu-shot-risks-benefits/2013/06/14/id/510050/ Here's the cdc information page about a the flu vaccine: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm...
Episode 0022: Browbeating (original episode)
March 13, 2015 22:00This is an original episode on Browbeating. It was also our last look at the fallacies of Jenny McCarthy. We were totally sick of her. Other examples from Christopher Hitchens and Dr. Evil. Here’s a direct link to the episode: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0022.mp3
Episode 0021: Weasel words
February 28, 2015 05:00In this episode we look at Weasel Words. Euphemisms Chaser Media circus - police using euphemisms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJhzU2x-EdA Dysphemisms Bill Maher GM foods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csSw3fYnICc&app=desktop From some of our commentary on GM foods: Monsanto terminator seeds: http://www.monsanto.com/newsviews/pages/terminator-seeds.aspx Testing for allergic reactions: http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/14/us/genetic-engineering-of-crops-can-spread-allergies-stud...
Episode 0020: Stacking the deck (original episode)
February 13, 2015 21:30This is an original episode on Stacking the Deck. Here's the link to the entire section of the interview that I used:http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=GZcJ2zzvEwY Here's the link to the Time article on the Hannah Poling case - Case Study: Autism and Vaccines. Steven Novella's post on this case - Has the Government Conceded Vaccines Cause Autism? Stop Jenny McCarthy And the actual "Coalition of the Willing" - as opposed to Michael Moore's version... Direct download: https://archive.org/dow...
Episode 0019: Unfounded generalisation
January 31, 2015 02:01In this episode we look at Unfounded Generalisation The clips for this episode come from QANDA episode Monday 10 November, 2014 This is your Brain on Climate Change Some further reading: A review of Susan Greenfield’s book: http://www.literaryreview.co.uk/bell_10_14.php A Ben Goldacre post from 2011: http://www.badscience.net/2011/11/why-wont-professor-greenfield-publish-this-theory-in-a-scientific-journal/ Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0019.mp3 The Sec...
Episode 0018: False cause; correlation error (original episode)
January 17, 2015 04:45In this podcast we discuss the False Cause; Correlation Error. It’s the 1st pod in a series we did on the air head actress Jenny McCarthy and her fallacious views on autism. The "cut down" video podcast version: Here's the youtube link from where I obtained the interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36PLQIMW69c Stop Jenny McCarthy Direct download of the podcast: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0018.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 fro...
Episode 0017: Ad hominem (original episode)
January 02, 2015 22:00This is an original episode on Ad Hominem. Show notes (stuff we mentioned that you might want to follow up, or not, whatever… totally up to you): Reading from the book (Ad Hominem) The master of vitriolic Ad Hominem and Browbeating - Gordon Ramsay - fromKitchen Nightmares (I think...) Reductio Ad Hitlerum and Goodwin’s Law An example of likening a contemporary political leader to Hitler from people who’d been to see a talk by Al Gore organised by moveon.org (no points for guessing the ...
Episode 0016: Immunised hypothesis
December 19, 2014 22:00In this episode Ben and I discuss Immunised Hypotheses: http://www.skepticsfieldguide.net/2013/01/immunised-hypothesis.html Clips from: Derren Brown investigates: Ghost Hunter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hfDIveFQHg The Refining Reason Debate: Special Pleading fallacy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJApqf0xaAA Phony Karate Master - No Touch KO Debunked https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z0_n7tGnK0 Also discussed, Kiai Master vs MMA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEDaCIDvj6I ...
Episode 0015: Gibberish (original episode)
December 05, 2014 22:00This podcast is an original episode on Gibberish: http://www.skepticsfieldguide.net/2012/12/gibberish.html One example we use is from Yes Prime Minister - The Smoke Screen. The other examples are from Richard Dawkins' Tanner Lectures. (The gibberish comes in the form of questions asked to Richard Dawkins.) Richard Dawkins - The Religion of Science - Part 2 - at about 31 minutes into the audio if you want to hear the original. Richard Dawkins - The Science of Religion - Part 2 - at about...
Episode 0014: Bad faith
November 21, 2014 21:00Bad faith http://www.skepticsfieldguide.net/2013/01/bad-faith.html Dr Oz Dr Oz was forced to face a senate hearing into dietary supplements. Audio from Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and somewhere else on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA0wKeokWUU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS-Qpp5asSE Defending Jo Hockey (sort of, not really) http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-13/shorten-seizes-on-hockeys-poor-people-dont-have-cars-comment/5668468 A careful and better analy...
Episode 0013: Non sequitur (original episode)
November 08, 2014 09:01This is an original episode on non-sequiturs Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0013.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 0012: False dichotomy and false dilemma (original episode)
October 25, 2014 06:19This is a combination of two original episodes. False dichotomy and dilemma, and then some feedback. These are the three examples we specifically speak about on the podcast: A super False Dilemma with the LHC Cyclonic Dilemma Left Wing and Right Wing - a False Dichotomy Direct download of the MP3 here: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0012.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free...
Episode 0011: Feedback
October 10, 2014 23:37Not a full episode. A response to feedback as a test for recording via google hangouts on air. Back with a full episode next week. Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0011.mp3
Episode 0010: The naturalistic fallacy
September 26, 2014 23:00In this episode we look a the naturalistic fallacy, both the “is-ought” problem and the appeal to nature. Direct link: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0010.mp3 Section 1: Reading from the book Section 2: Appeal to nature The “Food Babe” Wikipedia entry: Vani Hari, also known on her blog as the Food Babe, is an American blogger, known for her criticism of the food industry. She has gathered over 350,000 signatures via petitions pressuring food companies to remove ingredients ...
Episode 0009: Moving the goalposts and red herring (original episode)
September 12, 2014 23:00This is an episode from the original run of the podcast. It looks at Moving the goalposts and Red herrings. Direct download: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0009.mp3
Episode 0008: Misuse of statistics, and misunderstanding of randomness and probability
August 29, 2014 21:00Misuse of statistics _________________ Clip from original episode A bit from the classic British show, Yes Prime Minister. _________________ Apple WWDC keynote Apple CEO Tim Cook at this year’s World Wide Developers Conference Keynote. He points out that Apple has an install base of 80 Million Macs. Based on NetMarketShare data, as of May 2014, Windows 8 can be found on about 14 percent of all PCs currently running Windows. But with an overall market share of about 1.5 billion, Wind...
Episode 0007: Misuse of Information (Original Episode)
August 15, 2014 22:00This is an original episode, however I have cut some of it out to add to the next episode. This episode is going to focus on the misuse of science information. The next episode will be on the misuse and misunderstanding of statistics. It will be a new one with Ben, but include some of the original episode on misuse of information - about statistics. Direct download of the episode: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0007.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for ab...
Episode 0006: Brain gym and the argument from imagination
August 01, 2014 21:30As with the previous episode, this is partially based on my presentation at Brisbane SkeptiCamp 2014 Clips and information from this episode can be found here: http://www.skepticsfieldguide.net/2011/11/three-ways-of-examining-brain-or-any_26.html A focus of this podcast was on the argument from imagination. The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play Apple iBooks LULU (DRM free ePub)
Episode 0005: Factoid propagation - brain claims
July 19, 2014 07:00This episode is partially based on my presentation at Brisbane SkeptiCamp 2014 Clips and information from this episode can be found here: http://www.skepticsfieldguide.net/2011/11/three-ways-of-examining-brain-or-any.html http://www.skepticsfieldguide.net/2011/12/three-ways-of-examining-brain-claims.html Direct download of the episode: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0005.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google P...
Episode 0004: False Analogy (Original Episode with a new bit)
July 05, 2014 03:06This episode looks false analogy. This is an episode from the original run of the podcast. It also includes a newly recorded part looking at the Australian Prime Minister's recent trouble when trying to explain the tough new federal budget cuts using an analogy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMbfdW3HVRE Direct download of the episode: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101e0004.mp3 The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Pla...
Episode 0003: False balance
June 20, 2014 09:37Show notes In this episode we look at false balance. We discussed the Dunning-Kruger effect with some Dunning-Kruger like accuracy (we got the vibe of it right). Check out the original paper here: https://www.math.ucdavis.edu/~suh/metacognition.pdf Clips looked at: Anti-immunisation false balance - GWN7 News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3lai8RUQ3k John Oliver Last Week Tonight on climate change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjuGCJJUGsg I was interviewed on The Skeptic Zone: ...
Episode 0002: What is Humbug! (Original Episode)
June 08, 2014 20:00This was the first episode in the original run of Hunting Humbug 101. In it we (my Father Jef and I) discuss the general idea of fallacies and critical thinking and why we were moved to write a book on fallacies. Here's the link to the post most of this discussion is based around - Fallacy. The Second (eBook) Edition of Humbug! is available for about US$3.99 from: Amazon (Kindle) Google Play LULU (DRM free ePub) Direct download of the episode: https://archive.org/download/HH101/HH101...
Episode 0001: Homeopathy - appealing to tradition
May 27, 2014 08:08This episode looks at the fallacy of appealing to tradition. Reading from the book: www.skepticsfieldguide.net/p/ebook NHMRC draft Information Paper: Evidence on the effectiveness of homeopathy for treating health conditions: http://consultations.nhmrc.gov.au/public_consultations/homeopathy_health Australian Homeopath Anna Lamaro on The Project. Audio courtesy of the Skeptic Zone podcast: http://skepticzone.libsyn.com/webpage/2014/04 Anna on ABC Breakfast: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2...