Posts tagged as:

research

Episode Six – On Trial By Ordeal – Witch-Hunting And Superstition

29 May 2010

Here’s the FINAL missing episode – with the sound fixed and an addition from a recent news report!
Professor Peter T. Leeson’s paper on ‘Ordeals’ looks at the medieval superstition ‘iudicium dei’ – or the judgment of God – the practice of judging a person’s innocence or guilt by ordeal. This could include putting your [...]

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Episode Nine – On Skepticism And Communication

5 February 2010

*sigh….* I know. Three episodes still to be posted, one which was redone. Thankfully, the weekend is here after my first week of back-to-work and the world will be set right again! Thanks to everyone who has listened to the ‘365 Days of Astronomy‘ podcast and heard my sponsorship plug and came to check this [...]

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Episode Five – On Sports Superstitions

11 January 2010

*Sorry to listeners! Two little glitches appear on the track and is now being fixed for this episode! Please reload it for the clear version!*
Sport is an integral part of popular culture – heritage, sense of national identity and an almost religious relevance in the discussions of fans when they talk about their favourite team. [...]

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Episode Four – On Women And Paranormal Belief (Part One)

5 January 2010

Sorry again about the delay – looks like the problem is fixed!
One of the big questions that is asked about paranormal belief (and often quite controversial) – is whether men or women are more likely to believe. Which sex is more likely to be superstitious? There’s a lot of research and results point to both [...]

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Episode Two – On Examination Superstitions

28 December 2009

Episode Two – 28th December, 2009.
Although it is time for seasonal cheer, beer, what have you – the end of our school year for us in the southern hemisphere includes a fresh batch of abandoned lucky charms to clean out of my classroom. Here’s a short run-down on some of the reasons why!
Transcript and references [...]

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