Dr. Eugenie Scott Debunks Bigfoot and Wildmen

"I would like it (Bigfoot) to be real -- Dr. Eugenie Scott"

This is our third post regarding Bigfoot skeptics. Previously we had a post about Brian Dunning, who although skeptical, is quite sympathetic towards us Bigfooters, and we also had a post on Benjamin Radford's top ten reasons Bigfoot is Bogus.

It's important to us at Bigfoot Lunch Club to air all voices regarding Bigfoot, even if we disagree with them. We love intelligent Bigfoot skeptics, we really do. The really smart ones showcase what we, as Bigfooters, have to overcome. If they are really good, they do half of our work for us by defining challenges we may have overlooked. The good ones are worth listening to; enter Dr. Eugenie Scott.

Dr. Eugenie Scott is a physical anthropologist who defends the teaching of evolution in public schools through the National Center of Science Education (NCSF). The NCSF's mission is described in more detail below:

We educate the press and public about the scientific, educational, and legal aspects of the creation and evolution controversy, and supply needed information and advice to defend good science education at local, state, and national levels.

Dr. Scott is also President of the Bay Area Skeptics. Founded in 1982, the Bay Area Skeptics encourages critical thinking and accuracy in the media and in our schools. They encourage rational thought and critical thinking through the use of scientific methods. They are particularly interested in such topics as claims of the paranormal, pseudoscience, and untested or poorly tested medical and psychotherapeutic practices.

In the video below Dr. Eugenie Scott represents the Bay Area Skeptics. She quickly identifies two camps of Bigfooters. In the first camp, as she describes them, are the paranormal, mystical Bigfooters that believe Bigfoot can shape shift, she quickly marginalizes them and says that is an argument for theologists. In the second camp are, as she defines them, cryptozoologist. She is critical of their lack of scientific process and ability to test their explanations. On this point we agree, we wish there was better evidence to test our explanations, its not for lack of trying. Dr. Scott does say Scientist like Dr. Jeff Meldrum are heading in the right direction.

The entire hour and half video is well worth watching, it gives us some insights into what our challenges our in seeking Bigfoot. The Table of Contents is below and you will have to click on the "Watch Full Program" in the embedded video to see the whole presentation.

Video Table of Contents:
01. Introduction: 00 min 56 sec
02. Bay Area Skeptics: 02 min 33 sec
03. Two Types of Wildmen of the Woods: 06 min 15 sec
04. Scientific Investigation of Bigfoot: 04 min 06 sec
05. Cryptozoology: 03 min 43 sec
06. Likelihood of Undiscovered Bigfoot Species: 04 min 18 sec
07. Where Bigfoot Lives: 03 min 04 sec
08. Remnants of Giant Asian Ape?: 04 min 36 sec
09. Bigfoot Prints: 08 min 49 sec
10. Existence of Orangutan: 05 min 02 sec
11. Habitat Encroachment: 00 min 35 sec
12. History of Bigfoot Sightings: 02 min 13 sec
13. Strength of Belief in Bigfoot: 00 min 36 sec
14. Bigfoot Books: 02 min 48 sec
15. Explanations for Sightings: 03 min 54 sec
16. Unreliability of Eyewitness Reports: 04 min 38 sec
17. Yeti Movie: 02 min 27 sec
18. Bluff Creek Sighting Video: 08 min 46 sec
19. Snow Walker Yeti: 06 min 32 sec
20. Camera Traps Fail to Spot Bigfoot: 03 min 34 sec
21. Analysis of Hair Samples: 05 min 21 sec

Don't forget to see the entire program click on ""Watch Full Program" in the bottom right of the embedded video.

External Links

Bay Area Skeptics
National Center for Science Education