Editing Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (section)

{{Short description|Organization focusing on scientific skepticism}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Lead too short|date=March 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox organization
| name                     = Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
| image                    = 
| image_size               = 
| image_border             = 
| alt                      = 
| caption                  = 
| abbreviation             = CSI
| formerly                 = Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal{{r|csinow}}
| formation                = {{start date and age|1976}}
| logo                     = CSI logo new.png
| type                     = [[Nonprofit organization]] (1976–2015)<br /> Program of the [[Center for Inquiry]] (2015–present)
| status                   = 
| purpose                  = [[Skeptical inquiry]]
| leader_title             = Executive director
| leader_name              = [[Barry Karr]]
| headquarters             = [[Amherst, New York]], United States
| location                 = 
| region_served            = Worldwide
| website                  = {{URL|skepticalinquirer.org}}
}}

The '''Committee for Skeptical Inquiry''' ('''CSI'''), formerly known as the '''Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal''' ('''CSICOP'''), is a program within the U.S. non-profit organization [[Center for Inquiry]] (CFI), which seeks to "promote scientific inquiry, critical investigation, and the use of reason in examining controversial and extraordinary claims."<ref>[https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/cyber/sites/063097sites.html UFO True Believers and Skeptics Clash on the Web] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109070723/https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/cyber/sites/063097sites.html |date=November 9, 2018 }} ''[[The New York Times]]'', June 30, 1997</ref> [[Paul Kurtz]] proposed the establishment of CSICOP in 1976 as an independent non-profit organization (before merging with CFI as one of its programs in 2015<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.centerforinquiry.net/news/a_unified_center_for_inquiry_stronger_than_ever/ |title=A Unified Center for Inquiry, Stronger Than Ever |work=CenterForInquiry.net |publisher=Center for Inquiry |date=January 14, 2015 |access-date=October 27, 2016 |archive-date=October 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027124046/http://www.centerforinquiry.net/news/a_unified_center_for_inquiry_stronger_than_ever/ |url-status=live }}</ref>), to counter what he regarded as an uncritical acceptance of, and support for, [[paranormal]] claims by both the media and society in general.<ref name="Evans2012">{{cite web |url=http://www.philosophyforlife.org/the-skeptic-movement/ |title=The Skeptic movement |last=Evans |first=Jules |date=October 3, 2012 |website=philosophyforlife.org |publisher=Jules Evans |access-date=May 31, 2017 |quote=The modern Skeptic movement, as an organized force, arguably first appeared in 1976, when the philosopher Paul Kurtz proposed the establishment of a Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) at the American Humanist Association annual convention. CSICOP launched as a committee with founder members including the magicians James Randi and Martin Gardner. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160706155320/http://www.philosophyforlife.org/the-skeptic-movement/ |archive-date=July 6, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Its philosophical position is one of [[scientific skepticism]]. CSI's fellows have included notable scientists, [[Nobel Prize|Nobel laureates]], [[Philosophy|philosophers]], [[psychologist]]s, educators, and authors.<ref>[[Paul Kurtz|Kurtz, Paul]]. (1996). ''Skepticism and the Paranormal''. In [[Gordon Stein]] (Ed.). ''The Encyclopedia of the Paranormal''. pp. 684–701. Prometheus Books. {{ISBN|1-57392-021-5}}</ref> It is headquartered in [[Amherst, New York]].