Amardeo Sarma is a person well-known both within and outside Germany. As a prolific engineer and skeptic, he founded the German skeptics organization GWUP (Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften), of which he is still the chairman. He is a fellow of CSI and a member of the board of the European skeptic organization ECSO. To find out who the man behind the titles is and where one could meet him, I sat down with him for an interview.
Annika Harrison: You were born in Kassel, Germany, and grew up in India. Could you perhaps introduce yourself briefly and explain your professional career and your pathway to skepticism?
Amardeo Sarma: Being fascinated by science and engineering since childhood, I had trouble deciding between the two. I decided to go for electrical engineering, where I thought I would have more impact. Within skepticism, I was initially drawn to some seemingly fascinating things in my youth, like the Bermuda Triangle, the von Däniken stuff, and even Fred Hoyle’s steady-state universe. I was scared by psychic claims that the “world would end by 1991” as a child. I then heard that Indian rationalists like Abraham Kovoor took an evidence-based approach to these things. Later, in Germany, two things happened. My brother gave me the book The Bermuda Triangle—Solved, and I read Douglas Hofstadter’s monumental article “David vs. Goliath” in Scientific American in February 1982. I had learnt that the world is not what you would like it to be but rather the way it is. I immediately subscribed to the Skeptical Inquirer.
AH: What are your hobbies? What do you do in your spare time or to relax?
AS: I read a lot on many scientific topics beyond what is in the scope of skeptical organizations, and I have kept up playing rock music in different bands, most lately in the band of my company. My favorite bands were The Who, Cream, and Deep Purple. They still are among my top favorites.
AH: How did it come to founding the GWUP, and how were you involved in it? What did the first years look like?
AS: Around 1985, I contacted what was then the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal and asked to coordinate the setting up of a German organization. I received a letter of encouragement from none other than the Amazing Randi. We were fortunate to have Irmgard Oepen, a medical professor, become the organization’s first president. We immediately started organizing annual conferences and organized the first European Congress in 1987. Among others, we had a young skeptic called Massimo Polidoro join us as an apprentice of James Randi. Today, Massimo has become a central figure in the skeptical movement, well beyond Italy.
AH: Why is skepticism important for you on a personal level and also for the general public?
AS: Skepticism is an essential tool that helps me and the public to make informed and sound decisions and thus helps avoid harm to oneself and others. But it also helps in reaping benefits in areas that are often unjustly and unscientifically vilified, such as vaccinations, science-based therapies, or genetic engineering. Believing in things that are not true is a potential danger to all.
AH: Have there been any changes in skepticism from the 1980s/1990s and to today?
AS: In the early years, astrology, dowsing, UFOs, and parapsychology played a more prominent role. Such topics are no longer at the forefront, and parapsychology as a serious topic can be declared dead. Today, though we have always addressed medical issues, these have taken more of a center stage, and we rightly need to put a lot more emphasis on conspiracy theories. Forty years ago, no one thought that we would need to do something against claiming the earth is flat. At the same time, we have all added information in various formats on the internet beyond printed magazines, which we do not intend to abandon and which will remain very important.
AH: Please briefly describe the structure of the GWUP. Are there different departments?
AS: We have a board of nine people to steer the association, a scientific council that advises the board, and several regional groups. An editorial team led by Inge Huesgen takes care of our magazine, Skeptiker. Our very lively blog, written by Bernd Harder, is also very widely read and gains comments from a diverse audience.
AH: What were your “skeptical highlights” during the past five years?
AS: An essential part of our work in the past two years was countering conspiracy theories related to the COVID-19 crisis, for which we had a special issue of Skeptiker in 2020. A significant success in recent years was that we were able to turn the tables on homeopathy after decades of working on the topic. Previously recognized courses on homeopathy were scrapped, and, most recently, physicians are no longer allowed to carry an official designation of being a homeopath.
AH: You have had a long and successful career as a skeptic. What advice would you give to newcomers?
AS: Keep examining your convictions; they may be wrong. Do your homework and do not go beyond your level of competence. Be firm on the status of scientific knowledge while using the principle of charity in discussions. These are part of the advice by Ray Hyman in his timeless piece “Proper Criticism.”
AH: The internet has become a great source of information for everyone. What could skeptics who want to be involved or want to be active in the skeptic movement do?
AS: Connect to others in your region, start a group, and get involved in using the internet to promote science and critical thinking. Everyone has a role to play, and we can use the internet for this.
AH: Do you see the future of scientific enlightenment and skepticism in international cooperation, for example through ECSO?
AS: Beyond Europe and North America, I think the future is connecting the skeptical and rationalist groups in other regions, such as India and Africa. We can all learn a lot via the exchange of ideas and experiences.
AH: The European Skeptics Congress 2022 is coming up in September. What can visitors look forward to?
AS: We have a diverse program with some unusual topics, one of which is a rational approach to drugs and drug policy. We are entering new territory where science and critical thinking can be applied. And of course, there will be skeptics from all of Europe to catch up with. Meeting other skeptics is one reason many come to these conferences, sometimes more so than for the talks themselves.
AH: Which three books should every skeptic have read and why?
AS: The Elusive Quarry by Ray Hyman shows the pitfalls of chasing a goal that does not exist. Larry Kusche’s The Bermuda Triangle—Solved is an excellent example of the long and detailed work necessary to show that a claim is wrong. Finally, the unforgettable Hans Rosling shows in Factfulness how most smart and educated people are mistaken about basic facts of the world.
AH: How did your membership of the executive committee of CSI come about?
AS: Paul Kurtz invited me to join the executive committee. He was committed to globalizing the skeptical movement and was impressed by the progress in Germany. We need to take up this goal again and encourage and support skepticism all over the globe.
AH: What developments in recent years have you been most concerned about?
AS: We have had some unfortunate developments toward polarization, partisanship, and seeing others as the enemy, and even skeptics have not been immune to this trend. It will be a vital task to convey that science and critical thinking benefit all, independent of their political or value preferences.
AH: Are there any skeptical initiatives or projects that are particularly close to your heart?
AS: I think we should focus more on areas that affect people and are more than just an intellectual exercise, such as those that affect the future of individuals, society, our species, and our planet.
AH: What are your goals for the coming years?
AS: I would like to put my efforts into a revival of the World Skeptics Congress series that Paul Kurtz started. With the end of the pandemic, I hope we will have more opportunities. The focus should be on countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Understanding their issues and approaches will help us all, and we need to let them know that they are not alone.
AH: Thanks for the interview!