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The Launceston Skeptics is a nonprofit organisation that promotes scientific skepticism in Launceston, Tasmania. Founded in 2010 by Jin-oh Choi through a meetup group, the organisation has participated in community events, challenged the claims of ghosts, and hosts regular meetups in Launceston. Their mission is to encourage the media to adopt a more critical outlook, encourage scientific knowledge and address questions about human rights and social issues. == Outreach == In 2011, soon after its founding, the Launceston Skeptics decided to get a stall at a 'Mind Body Spirit' conference. They suspected that they would not be allowed to attend as they were such a dramatic contrast to the other people who would have stalls. They approached the organizer and were very upfront about what they wanted to do. They showed her what they planned on handing out and talked about their code of ethics. The organizer was perfectly fine with their attendance. She stated that if someone had a problem with skeptics being at the event, then that was their problem. The skeptics decided that they would always have two people at the table at all times and worked in 4-hour shifts over the three days, which lasted from 9am - 6pm.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze9EeEf9nSQ )〕 Their mission was to try and get people to think a bit about the claims that were made at the venue: "Keep your bulldust(sic) detector in good order," according to spokesman David Tyler. They designed and handed out small flyers for many different topics. They started with "A thinker's guide to ..." and provided something a reader could get through in 30 seconds. They had more references to give the person if they were interested in learning more. Their idea was to create an "Island of reason in a sea of rainbows and unicorns."〔〔〔 Much to their surprise, they bonded with people at the stalls around them, and learned a lot watching hour after hour of how the other exhibitors marketed their wares and skills. They did not receive any hostility and had some great conversations with attendees. One encounter they chalked up for a win was when a mother came to their table and read their literature on homeopathy. She asked a few questions and then told them she had just purchased a homeopathic whooping cough vaccine. She returned to the booth where she bought it to get her money back.〔〔〔 After the event, they received double the number at their next meetup event. The skeptics hope to return to the festival year after year.〔〔〔 In 2013, as a part of National Science Week, the Launceston Skeptics showed the 40-minute documentary ''Here Be Dragons'' by Brian Dunning. Choi says that the reason this is so important to show at this time is because the government reported that Australians lost over $93 million dollars last year to scams. This documentary is a "gentle introduction to critical thinking ...as we all have a natural need to believe things."〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.launcestonskeptics.com/downloads/2013-08-01%20Examiner.pdf )〕 The Launceston Skeptics have sponsored speakers such as atheist lecturer Peter Boghossian and skeptical activist Susan Gerbic.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.launcestonskeptics.com/events/ )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Launceston Skeptics」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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