What we’re about
The mission of the Skeptical Society of St. Louis is to promote the application of critical thinking and scientific principles to everyday problems and complex societal issues. We use the term "skeptic" in our name to associate the organization with the ideas of Scientific Skepticism promoted by Carl Sagan and to distinguish the organization from philosophical skepticism or cynicism. To quote Dr. Steven Novella, host of the popular podcast The Skeptics Guide to the Universe,
"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."
Our primary activity is Skeptics in the Pub, an informal social event designed to promote fellowship and social networking among skeptics, critical-thinkers, and other like-minded individuals. We also provide special awards to 2 deserving students at the annual Academy of Science St. Louis Science Fair. These are monetary awards which are deposited directly into the student's 529 account for their future education.
A NOTE ON ATHEISM: While there is an overlap between the Skeptics and Atheists communities, we are not an atheist organization. Our focus is on the love of science and the desire to learn how to apply critical thinking within our lives. People of all persuasions are welcome!!
Join our group on Facebook for more information.
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and your donation is deductible to the limits allowed by law. Please donate to support our cause.
Upcoming events (1)
See all- St. Louis Skepticamp 2025Holiday Inn, Creve Coeur, Saint Louis, MO
Please click the link and register!
A FREE all-day celebration of scientific skepticism, critical thinking, and science literacy
Mark your calendars!
Current speakers:
- Dr. Stephen Hupp, PhD Licensed Clinical Psychologist and professor of Clinical Child & School Psychology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and editor of Skeptical Inquirer magazine.
- Adrienne Hill, writer for Skeptical Inquirer magazine, member GSOW Wikipedia team, regular reporter for the Skeptic Zone Podcast
- Dr. Taner Edis, PhD, professor of physics at Truman State University
- Kyle Polich, data scientist and founder of Dataskeptic.com and host of the Data Skeptic podcast
- Dr. Leonard Tramiel, PhD, astrophysicist and former vice president, software, of Atari, member of the SETI Institute Council of Advisors, member of the Executive Council of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and on the board of directors of the Center for Inquiry.
- Susan Gerbic, co-founder of Monterey County Skeptics, founder of the Guerrilla Skepticism on Wikipedia (GSoW) project, and Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.
Here is the schedule. Please consider a nominal donation ($20) to help us defray some of the costs, especially if you are planning to have lunch. Even though you can RSVP here, please use our online form to RSVP officially so we can have the correct count for the hotel.
If you wish to sponsor this event, click on the Sponsor Link.
