What we’re about
Welcome to Triangle Skeptics. Our mission is to promote critical thinking, scientific literacy and skepticism as tools for advancing knowledge and decision making. We are skeptical but not cynical.
Our focus is on identifying good and bad examples of critical thinking, so that we can hone our own powers of observation, inquiry and deduction. We discuss, critique and attack ideas, but not people or personalities. Please be respectful of others and ideas different from your own. They might present an opportunity for you to learn something new. Also, please share your thoughts but be mindful of the length and frequency of your sharing so that everyone gets a chance to speak.
For more information on what skepticism is visit http://www.theskepticsguide.org/
Here's a good definition of skepticism from Steven Novella:
"A skeptic is one who prefers beliefs and conclusions that are reliable and valid to ones that are comforting or convenient, and therefore rigorously and openly applies the methods of science and reason to all empirical claims, especially their own. A skeptic provisionally proportions acceptance of any claim to valid logic and a fair and thorough assessment of available evidence, and studies the pitfalls of human reason and the mechanisms of deception so as to avoid being deceived by others or themselves. Skepticism values method over any particular conclusion."
Discussions usually revolve around science headlines, the latest paranormal scams and anti-science propaganda, but often veers off into subjects like naked mole rats, Dragon*Con and Doctor Who.
We're not conspiracy theorists, moon landing deniers, climate change deniers, or 9-11 Truthers. If you're looking for that sort of stuff in this group, you'll probably be disappointed.
We're also not a singles group. OK, sure, a lot of us are single and we do get together to socialize, but dating isn't the primary function of the group. Creepy / aggressive / stalkery behavior is frowned upon and will get you booted from the group. Be polite and show respect.
Although we're mostly agnostic/atheist/secular we are not, strictly speaking, an atheist group.
Likewise, we're probably a bit left-leaning politically but the group as a whole doesn't endorse one particular party.
And yes, we tend toward the nerdy/geeky side but it isn't a requirement.
Upcoming events
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Skeptics in the Pub - Skeptical Spooktacular at Boxyard RTP
Boxyard RTP, 900 Park Offices Drive Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, Research Triangle Park, NC, USIt's that time of the year! Come join us at Boxyard RTP which provides a variety of food and drink vendors and plenty of space. We will start off with a very brief presentation by Jon Michael about skepticism and the paranormal, and then we will go into story telling time!
Have a spooky story that you can't quite explain? Know a strange mystery that you can't solve? Do you have an odd story that you know the answer to but you want to try to see if anyone else can figure it out? Come tell us your story and see if we can solve your case!
Agenda:
7:00 - 8:00: Featured presentation
8:00 - 9:00: Q&A; general discussionHow to be:
Come with an open but critical mind, awareness of your own biases, and respect for your fellow humans. We're here to have a good conversation and a good time, and to that end your participation is subject to the Triangle Skeptics events code of conduct.4 attendees
•OnlineCulture Club – The Invisible Gorilla, by C. Chabris and D. Simons
OnlineThe cultural work for October 2025 is the book The Invisible Gorilla, by Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons:
From Wikipedia:
The Invisible Gorilla is a non-fiction book published in 2010, co-authored by Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons. The title of this book refers to an earlier research project by Chabris and Simons revealing that people who are focused on something can easily overlook something else. To demonstrate this effect they created [description redacted to avoid spoilers], an experiment described as "one of the most famous psychological demos ever". Simons and Chabris were awarded an Ig Nobel Prize for the Invisible Gorilla experiment.About Culture Club:
Our fourth-Wednesday meetups are dedicated to discussion of a piece of culture – be it a book, a movie, an outside lecture, or something else – that is of interest to the group. Even if you have not read, listened, or watched this month's selected work but merely think it sounds intriguing, we hope that you will join us, since an outsider's perspective enhances every conversation.You can browse the list of works we have already covered, and peep the queue of candidates for future meetings, here. If you would like to suggest a work for consideration, please check the link above first, and if you don't see it already listed, use this form.
Agenda:
6:30 - 7:00: Meet and greet
7:00 - 8:30: Discussion of featured work
8:30 - 9:00: General discussion and selection of next workHow to be:
Come with an open but critical mind, awareness of your own biases, and respect for your fellow humans. We're here to have a good conversation and a good time, and to that end your participation is subject to the Triangle Skeptics events code of conduct.8 attendees
Past events
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