What is Skepsis?

The purpose of the association is:

• To promote critical thinking, the teaching of scientific methods of knowledge acquisition and a scientific and rational understanding of the world.
• To promote scientific scrutiny of controversial or particularly exceptional claims.
• To promote debate on important issues related to the scientific worldview.
• To maintain a network of people interested in such activities, organise meetings, discussions and lectures, and carry out information and awareness-raising activities.

The association is a scientific and educational organisation that is politically, ideologically and religiously independent.

Skepsis ry works in cooperation with CSI (Committee for Skeptical Inquiry) and other similar organisations. Skepsis is a member organisation of ECSO (European Council of Skeptical Organisations) and the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies.

Skepsis publishes the Skeptikko magazine four times a year and organises lectures and discussions open to the public. Skepsis is committed to following the Journalist's Guidelines and the Code of Conduct of the Council for Mass Media.

Skepsis has published four books in Finnish: The Devil's Advocate (1989), The Devil's Advocate Returns (1997), The Wonderful World – The Skeptic's Encyclopaedia (2001) and Can It Be True – Skeptical Perspectives on Contemporary Life (2017).

Huuhaa and Socrates prizes

The association is best known for the prizes it awards. The Huuhaa Prize (1989–) has been awarded to organisations whose activities have contributed to the spread of pseudoscientific beliefs. The Socrates Prize (1995–) was established to highlight educational work that has encouraged critical thinking.

The Skepsis challenge

For several years, Skepsis has also offered a challenge to people with paranormal abilities. The association has promised to pay 20,000 € to anyone who produces a paranormal phenomenon under controlled conditions. The sum can also be paid directly to an extraterrestrial humanoid as a special "Humanoid Stipend" if the humanoid can provide an alien DNA (or equivalent) sample. Only human applicants have appeared so far, and none has managed to pass even the pre-test mentioned in the rules of the challenge.

Contact

Skepsis ry, Pohjolankatu 60, FI-00600 Helsinki, Finland · info@skepsis.fi