James Randi TOPICS: Entertainment Magician Spirituality Health Critical Thinking Business Technology FEE CATEGORY:* 5.0k to 10.0k TRAVELS FROM: Florida Profile Program Outlines Testimonials/Client List Request This Speaker

James Randi: Program Outlines

"Promoting critical thinking with reliable information about the paranormal and supernatural."

Search for the Chimera
An Overview of How Science Has Pursued Magic and Miracles in the 20th Century and Into the 21st Century

James Randi exposes popularly-accepted fakery by discussing with his audience everything from UFOs to the Bermuda Triangle, from the Von Däniken "Chariots of the Gods" fraud to the notion of a lost continent named Atlantis. Randi reveals what really took place in the last three decades in the labs of various prestigious "think tanks" that verified a series of simple magicians tricks as genuine miracles, thus launching a world-wide plague of misinformation, the repercussions of which can still be felt today.

This unique and provocative lecture is not only educational but also highly entertaining. It attracts persons of all educational and social backgrounds and provides a rational perspective on the seemingly paranormal and otherwise unexplained happenings in our day-to-day life. Mr. Randi illustrates how a "politically-correct" attitude has blinded scientists — who should know better — to the fact that they are not proficient at detecting fraud, often managing to fool themselves, when the prize is sufficiently attractive. And he puts up a million-dollar award as bait!

"His talk was the best-attended and most appreciated in the series... I think that every scientist and every student should hear him."
Christopher Lobb, Associate Professor of Applied Physics & Physics, Harvard University

Pseudo-Technology in the New Millennium
"New" Technologies for the 21st Century Designed to Drain You of Your Profits

The average citizen is suspicious of science and technology. James Randi addresses this unfortunate misunderstanding in an effective and entertaining fashion by asking the right questions — and then answering them.

From satellite television to the Internet, society is bombarded with carefully designed misinformation. Much of it is simply age-old cons repackaged for the new millennium. From U.S. patents issued for devices that control your computer with ESP to multi-million dollar studies funded by federal agencies to study imaginary "E-Rays;" from new age dowsing rods designed to detect drugs, to magnets designed to relieve pain, our society continues to be susceptible to "snake oil" claims that drain corporations and our government of millions, if not billions, of dollars annually.

Does a simple felt-tip pen detect counterfeit money for merchants? Can a registered nurse using "quantum mechanics technology" heal a patient by simply passing her hands over her patient? Does a "high-tech" dowsing rod enable the U.S. Border Patrol to find smuggled aliens? Can a simple, sealed, plastic ball replace detergent in your washing machine?

James Randi answers these questions, and many more, while showing you how to protect your and your company's pocketbook, by outlining how to spot and expose these cons of the new millennium.

"The subject of your talk, as well as your reputation, produced an overflow audience... It was the best attended colloquium of our series, by far."
Norman Goldstein, Nuclear & Radiation Technology, Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Critical Thinking in a Business Environment
Increasing Profits Through Making Better Informed Decisions

A fascinating lecture on the importance of making informed decisions in today's fast-paced business environment. James Randi's thought-provoking presentation demonstrates how a misconstrued — but seemingly logical — decision, can impact your bottom-line by many thousands of dollars.

Mr. Randi reveals how in the new millennium not only do we have access to more information, faster than ever before in human history, but we also have access to more misinformation. His presentation is filled with everyday examples of scams on corporations and the government from counterfeit detection devices to drug "locators," from the use of handwriting experts to astrologers in choosing critical personnel.

In today's competitive business environment, we need dependable and pertinent information. This provocative and timely presentation leaves the audience with a new and deeper appreciation of critical thinking, and provides you with the means for making better informed and more profitable decisions.

"Your presentation was a major boost for out TechLaw group. You certainly lived up to your reputation as an articulate, knowledgeable, and entertaining speaker... Your presentation was a great success!"
Guido Calabresi, Dean, Yale University Law School

Prophecy, Divination, and Faith Healing
Modern-day Swindlers and How They Deceive, Cheating Us Out of Billions Annually

"Religious" services on cable TV and after-dark infomercials are stealing billions from the gullible in our society, including the elderly and those who are less fortunate, by promising healing, financial largesse, and advice on people's love lives and futures, through charismatic preachers, financial "gurus," and "900 number" psychics.

The record is dismal indeed: never has there been a proven case of faith healing; financial "gurus" have only proven that one way to get rich is to sell a "How To" kit on getting rich; and out of approximately 2400 psychics from the Psychic Network, not one predicted they were going belly-up.

Psychics and astrologers who offer us prophecies have been notably unable to predict their own futures, and have missed the most important events in history, while concentrating on who in Hollywood is seeing who. Surely, this is an aspect that gives us a clear indication of their credibility.

So, why are people so committed to embracing this nonsense? Judging from the fortunes of televangelists, infomercial "gurus," and spiritualists who speak with the dead, we apparently are easily deceived.

This really is no big deal, right? After all, many of us participate just for fun. So, what's the harm? James Randi outlines the harm, which is especially dangerous in today's world of computers, the Internet and wireless communications, revealing these charlatans for what they truly are by dramatically explaining and demonstrating their techniques for faith-healing, predicting the future, and speaking to the dead.

"Your lecture should be a necessary ingredient of a college education. It should at least be required reading in all colleges."
Prof. jay Orear, Cornell University

Quackery and Health Scams in the New Millennium
How the New Millennium Offers Us New Ways of Being Swindled by the Con Artist

After decades of investigations, James Randi reveals how fake cures and subtle swindles are more popular today than at any other time in history, a fact that Mr. Randi views with great dismay. In this thought-provoking lecture, Randi demonstrates how to avoid being taken in by them.

Homeopathy, a two-hundred-year-old "alternative healing" claim which offers zero-content medications, is now featured by major respected drugstore chains across the USA and the world. Ear Candling, which should have gone out of fashion with mustard-plasters and sulfur-and-molasses, is back as a cure for ear problems. Major corporations and individuals hire builders and interior designers knowledgeable in Feng Shui so that their offices and homes don't block the flow of "positive" energy while trapping "negative" energy. Hundreds of hospitals across the country charge as much as $60 per twenty minutes to have a registered nurse, who is also a certified Touch Therapist, manipulate patients' "human energy field" or "aura" as part of the healing process - without touching them!

On television, a magnetized bracelet containing copper, endorsed by a motorcycle daredevil and Senior PGA golfers, is supposed to help relieve arthritis and muscular pain. Those same golf pros invest in a magic metal stick that is "tuned" to find lost golf balls. Magnets imbedded in shoe inserts are said to attract the iron in the blood, bringing about better circulation. We strap useless bags of herbs to our bodies. And we are sold custom-made charts and diagrams that predict the future for us, or so we're told.

We are all potential victims of scam-artists. In this provocative lecture, James Randi shows us how we can be made more aware of how we are liable to be taken in, by the millions, every year.

"We may disagree with Randi on certain points, but we ignore him at our peril."
Carl Sagan

* Please note that while this speaker's specific fee falls within the range posted at the top of this page (for Continental U.S. based events), fees are subject to change without notice. Also note that most celebrity keynotes begin in the $25,000 and up range (most list "Contact for Fee Schedule"). For current fee information or international event fees, please contact your Speakers Platform representative.