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Horizons, v. 7, issue 4, whole 27, June 1946

Page 12

Skeptics, Inc.

As a Fortean, I have never been anything to rave about. In fact, I've attempted to keep to the middle of the road in my beliefs on the value of that system, and as a result have encountered as many mishaps as if I were driving a car smack in the middle of a narrow, two-lane highway. This week, however, a copy of "Doubt", the Fortean Society magazine. While it does not convince me that I should join The Fortean Society, it does throw an interesting light on the present-day workings of this organization.

Fort's books can be accepted in one of two ways: as an immense collection of notes on phenomena which proves his theories, or as an indication that there are more things, Horatio, etc., and that science still has a lot to learn. The Fortean Society, to judge by their publication, doesn't know quite which step to take. They obviously have a lot of sincere members, who do a lot of careful scrutinizing of newspapers and magazines for out-of-the-way happenings. But some of the contents are a far cry from Fort's careful chronicling of strange facts. The pages of this issue contain such things as data on firearms accidents where the person who pulled the trigger wasn't located, and "abnormal noon darkness" in Cook Country, Ill. There also seems to be a great deal of fun-poking at science: "According to Ripley, a bee travels 43,776 miles to gather one pound of honey. We make it 43,775.66 2-3 ourselves." Yet the apparently do not disown the scientific methods themselves, recommending such things as a publication called "Glacial Period and Drayson's Hypothesis" by John Millis, reprinted from Popular Astronomy. The Forteans also seem willing to admit themselves to be fallible: one squib apparently refers to a "discovery" that in China eggs stand on their ends one day in the year, then tells how it's done and thanks the members who pointed out the mundane explanation.

The Fortean Society Magazine also takes a stand on various issues of the day that don't seem to be connected with Fortiana. Whether this is controlled by a masterplan, or merely the viewpoints of the editor, Tiffany Thayer, can't be discovered from one issue. Included this time are an article, "The Truth about India", condemnation of postwar conscription, and reference to the cost of transporting soldiers from overseas to this country. There is also a highly mystifying recommendation of the community of Oglesby, Ill. It seems to be the only municipality in the country to boast of a Fortean among its officials, in the person of Ed Hand, Member 44, "has lived the Fortean philosophy from birth", and has been city clerk for nearly 20 years. Ed would like all you Forteans to move to Oglesby. The magazine cooperates by using the zoning map of Oglesby as the front cover.

The magazine seems to be completely Thayer-written, and as such is thoroughly entertaining, in places impressive, sometimes thoroughly irritating. Three pages are devoted to "More Notes of Charles Fort", some kind of an index, which I take to be derived from the manuscript data that Fort left. Most of the remainder is a happy melange of a little bit of everything -- editorializing, noting of new phenomena, personal notes, welcomes to new members, and the like. The fantasy field is not to be forgotten: we learn that the stories of Clark Ashton Smith, Henry Whitehead, and various other people "trace their inspiration straight to Charles Fort without reference to Poe or Jules Verne", and as such the Arkham House books are recommended. Thayer calls their product "scientifiction" and says it'll do until such time as a more "completely Fortean art form is developed." Arthur L. Joquel, II, is also mentioned.

Existence of a body of skeptics, to counterbalance the dogmatism and smugness with which so much of science is afflicted, is probably a thoroughly valuable thing. However, the Fortean Society could fulfill this role more admirably if it acted a little more grown up. Obvious padding of the magazine to fill up its pages leaves a bad taste in the mouth; lack of selectivity in presenting their material gives the impression that the members are insulted if their "discoveries" are not duly noted; and for three or four other reasons, I'll do my Fortean reading in the form of stories by Russell and the books of Fort hereafter.

Saving...

Skeptics, Inc. As a Fortean, I have never been anything to rave about. In fact, I've attempted to keep to the middle of the road in my beliefs on the value of that system, and as a result have encountered as many mishaps as if I were driving a car smack in the middle of a narrow, two-lane highway. This week, however, a copy of "Doubt", the Fortean Society magazine. While it does not convince me that I should join The Fortean Society, it does throw an interesting light on the present-day workings of this organization. Fort's books can be accepted in one of two ways: as an immense collection of notes on phenomena which proves his theories, or as an indication that there are more things, Horatio, etc., and that science still has a lot to learn. The Fortean Society, to judge by their publication, doesn't know quite which step to take. They obviously have a lot of sincere members, who do a lot of careful scrutinizing of newspapers and magazines for out-of-the-way happenings. But some of the contents are a far cry from Fort's careful chronicling of strange facts. The pages of this issue contain such things as data on firearms accidents where the person who pulled the trigger wasn't located, and "abnormal noon darkness" in Cook Country, Ill. There also seems to be a great deal of fun-poking at science: "According to Ripley, a bee travels 43,776 miles to gather one pound of honey. We make it 43,775.66 2-3 ourselves." Yet the apparently do not disown the scientific methods themselves, recommending such things as a publication called "Glacial Period and Drayson's Hypothesis" by John Millis, reprinted from Popular Astronomy. The Forteans also seem willing to admit themselves to be fallible: one squib apparently refers to a "discovery" that in China eggs stand on their ends one day in the year, then tells how it's done and thanks the members who pointed out the mundane explanation. The Fortean Society Magazine also takes a stand on various issues of the day that don't seem to be connected with Fortiana. Whether this is controlled by a masterplan, or merely the viewpoints of the editor, Tiffany Thayer, can't be discovered from one issue. Included this time are an article, "The Truth about India", condemnation of postwar conscription, and reference to the cost of transporting soldiers from overseas to this country. There is also a highly mystifying recommendation of the community of Oglesby, Ill. It seems to be the only municipality in the country to boast of a Fortean among its officials, in the person of Ed Hand, Member 44, "has lived the Fortean philosophy from birth", and has been city clerk for nearly 20 years. Ed would like all you Forteans to move to Oglesby. The magazine cooperates by using the zoning map of Oglesby as the front cover. The magazine seems to be completely Thayer-written, and as such is thoroughly entertaining, in places impressive, sometimes thoroughly irritating. Three pages are devoted to "More Notes of Charles Fort", some kind of an index, which I take to be derived from the manuscript data that Fort left. Most of the remainder is a happy melange of a little bit of everything -- editorializing, noting of new phenomena, personal notes, welcomes to new members, and the like. The fantasy field is not to be forgotten: we learn that the stories of Clark Ashton Smith, Henry Whitehead, and various other people "trace their inspiration straight to Charles Fort without reference to Poe or Jules Verne", and as such the Arkham House books are recommended. Thayer calls their product "scientifiction" and says it'll do until such time as a more "completely Fortean art form is developed." Arthur L. Joquel, II, is also mentioned. Existence of a body of skeptics, to counterbalance the dogmatism and smugness with which so much of science is afflicted, is probably a thoroughly valuable thing. However, the Fortean Society could fulfill this role more admirably if it acted a little more grown up. Obvious padding of the magazine to fill up its pages leaves a bad taste in the mouth; lack of selectivity in presenting their material gives the impression that the members are insulted if their "discoveries" are not duly noted; and for three or four other reasons, I'll do my Fortean reading in the form of stories by Russell and the books of Fort hereafter.