Tuesday 29 March 2011

Full Deck of Skeptic Trumps

It was about this time last year that Neil Davies and I began a fun project to combine his brilliant artistic skills with my churlish ability to insult well known skeptics. Thus Skeptic Trumps where reborn. Since then I still regularly receive numerous requests to produce a physical copy of the deck (An idea I do hope to bring to fruition one day, hopefully via a magazine giveaway). But despite still missing numerous notable Skeptics the deck hasn't grown since October last year, and it occurred to me that since then I have never actually published the set of trumps in their entirety. So, together for the first time, here are the complete set of Skeptic Trumps…





37 comments:

brian t said...

If you're looking for more names, I can recommend Michael Nugent of Atheist Ireland. He's been active in the battle against Ireland's bizarre new blasphemy laws, to the point where it's going to be put to a referendum.

Fredrik said...

Also, the list is (understandably) very anglo-american dominated. Some more international variety wouldn't hurt. One guy who should be included is Sanal Edamaruku, the Indian skeptic who challenged a guru to kill him on live-TV. This was possibly the single biggest skeptical success in media history (Randy vs Geller at Johnny Carson Show, a close competitor) http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/03/23/tantric-guru-in-india-fails-to-kill-skeptic/

Susi Bocks said...

what about Bill Maher!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Crispian Jago said...

Sanal Edamaruku and Michael Nugent are both excelent suggestions, but I'm not so sure about Bill Maher, I think his comments on vaccinations should exclude him.

Neil Davies said...

I let Crispian make the choices of skeptics for the cards, and I'm happy to keep doing whoever he thinks should be included. Definitely can't keep up the pace I've been doing so far though, so it'll have to be a bit intermittent from now on I'm afraid :)

Ed Bradburn said...

Victor Stenger!!!

Michael Kingsford Gray said...

Deepak Chopra!

Anonymous said...

Jen McCreight of blaghag.com and the Boobquake, perhaps?

Anonymous said...

Time to delete Kaku's card:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pw13F7ahjY

brian t said...

Anonymous: did you listen to what Dr, Kaku actually said? "No smoking gun". He's using a process of elimination, and speculating about the 5% unexplained sightings, but stopping short of saying "they're aliens". It reminded me of Clarke's Law: any sufficiently-advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic".

He's not claiming to have knowledge that he doesn't have. Why can't he have a little fun with these ideas? I know I do, while being skeptical at the same time.

AdmiralCasey said...

Don't forget dan barker

Anonymous said...

What about the other SGU rogues?

Anonymous said...

come see the last!

in your room where time stands still...

infidelguy.com/ftopict-2036.html

Anonymous said...

crispian - u didnt make it...

Anonymous said...

Dr Francesca Stavrakopoulou must surely be a strong contender.

Michael Kingsford Gray said...

I can't see Rebecca Watson in the pack.
Special Power: Snark.

Gordon Bonnet said...

I now have a Life Goal: to merit having my face on a Skeptic Trump card.

Lady Hawke said...

Hey! Put me on one of those... I'll represent the unemployed American housewife contingent... skeptical that there really are 1001 uses for baking soda.

Anonymous said...

@Susi Bocks:

Bill Maher can be on the list when he abandons his anti-vaxxer and anti-medicine stance. It takes a real numbskull to appear irrational when interviewing Bill Frist.

Anonymous said...

Justin Trottier of CFI Canada deserves a card!

Anonymous said...

What about David Silverman, president, American Atheists?

Anonymous said...

LOL - soo awesome!

You really have to get this published. I wouldn't have thought it would cost that much to produce. And think of the turnover...

(Need to put Victor Stenger on there though)

Wendy M. Grossman said...

Some other thoughts...

Ian Ridpath (who did the original work on the Rendelsham UFO and whose analysis, derided at the time by UFO enthusiasts, is now widely accepted as correct)

Amardeo Sarma, head of the German Skeptics

wg

Ash Pryce said...

Some suggestions maybe (apologies if they are on the list and I missed them!)

Would be cool to see a few more on here too!

Michael Marshall. Why? co host of one of the most popular skeptic podcasts around. Co creator of the 10:23 campaign and the biggest skeptical weekend conference outside of TAM- QED.

Hayley stevens. Why? Again, co host, editor and co producer of Righteous Indignation podcast, founder of the British Anomalistic Research Society and Bath skeptics as well one of few skeptics focused on claims of the paranormal.

Matt Parker. Why? comedian and mathematician who uses comedy to bring rational thought to the public eye. Regular contributor to skeptical events and ridiculously hard working (anyone who saw him during the edinburgh fringe last year knows how much he puts into promoting skepticism and rational thought)

Keir Liddle. Why? Co-founder of the popular 21st Floor blog, created the Skeptics on the Fringe idea and has campainged and spearheaded campaigns in Scotland to promote reason and science.

Not sure how nominations work, or if you're taking any more but would love to see these here.

Anonymous said...

Uhh I know he has died but Carl Sagan... you have to have Sagan. I guess he might be too powerful to have a card of though :)
What about Stephen Hawking, not really a debunker type of skeptic more of an educator and all-round genius.

max doughies said...

would bill hicks be appropriate? I'd like to think so.

Anonymous said...

How about Lawrence Krauss?

Anonymous said...

How about Matt Dillahunty, of the Atheist Community of Austin and "The Atheist Experience"? Would make for a great caricature too!

Anonymous said...

How about Matt Dillahunty of the Atheist Community of Austin, and "The Atheist Experience"? Would make for a great caricature too!

Anonymous said...

How about carl fucking sagan

Unknown said...

so, maybe i just havn't found them, but i would love to buy a deck of these

Anonymous said...

Ben Goldacre is, surely a 100% shoo-in for this list?

Anonymous said...

Would Abraham Lincoln be a good one.... since he didn't exist! #alincolnism

Anonymous said...

Great collection! You need the 4th horseman though to go with Dan, Hitch and Dawkins... Sam Harris! Also, should Hitchens' stats not be better?!

Anonymous said...

Bill Maher and Bill Nye!!

Alan Bird said...

Edzard Ernst! His very profession is de-bunking!

Anonymous said...

Bill maher, Lawrence Krauss and/or Ricky Gervais could be added.
Also I agree that Hitch should be much much better.