Skepsis in English

Skepsis ry, the Finnish association of skeptics, was founded in 1987.

Aims and activities

According to its rules, the aims of Skepsis are:

• Encouraging the objective and impartial scientific investigation of claims of paranormal phenomena, without rejecting claims on a priori grounds, antecedent to inquiry.
• Creating a network of people interested in critically examining paranormal claims and keeping contact with similar organizations in Finland and abroad.
• Publishing articles and books investigating claims of paranormal phenomena and preparing bibliographies of publications that carefully examine such claims.
• Arranging meetings and conferences on these matters and disseminating factual information.

Skepsis works in cooperation with CSICOP (Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal) and other similar organizations. Skepsis is a member of ECSO (European Council of Skeptical Organisations) and the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies. Skepsis r.y. is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization.

Skepsis ry

• publishes the quarterly magazine Skeptikko
• arranges monthly meetings and discussions
• yearly confers a Huuhaa (= humbug) -prize to an individual or organization who has diligently promoted pseudo- and fringe science and a Socrates-prize for work promoting socratic, rational, thinking
• together with astronomer Hannu Karttunen and magician Iiro Seppänen offers a challenge. Anybody in Finland who can produce paranormal phenomenona under satisfactory observing conditions has a chance to receive 10000€
• is also prepared to pay the same sum as an ET-scholarship to any humanoid who claims it him-/her- or itself and is prepared to give a sample of his/hers/its DNA (or the equivalent)