Science as a source of knowledge vs. unscientific, pseudoscientific, and parascientific views
This was the title of the discussion panel, which I had the honor to be a participant in, and which took place as part of this year’s Days of Atheism […]
Author Archives: Tomasz Witkowski
SCIENCE – NOT DELUSIONS! DAYS OF ATHEISM 2023
“Days of Atheism” are organized each spring in Warsaw by Kazimierz Lyszczynski Foundation to commemorate the death of the great atheist Kazimierz Lyszczynski of 17th century and to affirm freedom of […]
“FADS, FAKES, AND FRAUDS” REVIEWED BY “FOLKVETT.”
I appreciate the book as a healthy reckoning with our own corps. I have seen with my own eyes some of the scandals and system errors the book describes. If I had […]
About “Fades, Fakes, and Frauds” in “The Skeptical Intelligencer”
An informed and highly readable account, the book comes at a time when its message could not be more relevant. Michael Heap who is the Editor of the Quarterly Magazine […]
“Fades, Fakes, and Frauds” reviewed by Science-Based Medicine
On November 1st, 2022 a review of my new book Fades, Fakes, and Frauds. Exploding Myths in Culture, Science and Psychology written by Harriet Hall also known as The SkepDoc was […]
“FADS, FAKES, AND FRAUDS” REVIEWED BY “SKEPTIKER”
Many cultural achievements are more or less in conflict with reality, since distortions of perception and errors in judgment are part of human nature. Even cherished assumptions often turn out […]
The Right to Die
On 24 February 2022, the first day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, two Russian warships attacked Snake Island. When the Moskva warship demanded that the crew defending the island surrender […]
Fades, Fakes, and Frauds – The premiere of my newest book!
On September 15, 2022, the premiere of my latest book Fades, Fakes, and Frauds. Exploding Myths in Culture, Science and Psychology took place. The book is available in paper, e-book […]
Interview for the French weekly L’Express
Tomasz Witkowski : „La psychologie et le développement personnel ont remplacé la religion” PNL, thérapies „quantiques”, psychanalyse… Le psychologue rationaliste dénonce les fondements pseudoscientifiques de méthodes qui ont le vent […]
Marvin Ross about my new forthcoming book “Fads, Fakes, and Frauds”
Marvin Ross, medical writer/publisher, author of Anti-Psychiatry and the UN Assault on the Mentally Ill and blogger at Mind You Reflection on Mental Illness, Mental Health and Life wrote a […]
Roy Baumeister about my new forthcoming book “Fads, Fakes, and Frauds”
Prof. Roy F. Baumeister, one of the most influential social psychologists scientists in the world wrote a Foreword for my new forthcoming book Fads, Fakes and Frauds: Exploding Myths in […]
The presumption of innocence
There would be no Easter if the crowd had not decided on guilt and innocence three days earlier, shouting, “Free Barabbas!” Two thousand years later, the crowd still decides between […]
Brian Nosek about my new forthcoming book “Fads, Fakes, and Frauds”
Prof. Brian Nosek, director of the Center for Open Science, initiator and coordinator of many replication projects, recognized in 2015 by Nature as one of the 10 most influential scientists […]
Psychotherapy: Gaps in Our Knowledge
Our understanding of psychotherapy is as fragmented and distorted as the proverbial blind men’s understanding of the elephant. For one thing, we lack reliable data about how many people practise psychotherapy, […]
Subtractive Epistemology: How to Add Value by Taking Things Away
The aim of science is not to open the door to infinite wisdom, but to set some limit on infinite error.—Bertolt Brecht Pathological hoarding (syllogomania) is a well-known psychological disorder […]
The Victims’ Race
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Roger Freeing Angelica, 1819, Wikimedia Commons On August 2nd, 2013, 14-year-old Hannah Smith of Leicestershire, England, took her own life. She had been receiving cruel messages on the social networking […]
The praise of unambiguity
My new article in CULTURICO. Enjoy reading! One of the principles of critical thinking is to avoid excessive generalizations. The uncritical application of this principle in many cases leads to […]
In Reply to Tomasz Witkowski: To Foster a Culture of Common Sense
Paul Sturdee “What is needed is a return to a culture of common sense and personal well-being, in which one is judged according to what kind of person one is […]
“SHAPING PSYCHOLOGY” REVIEWED BY “SKEPTIKER”
The interviews were really well done. They testify to Witkowski’s very good preparation and his in-depth knowledge of the subject. An enlightening journey through the contemporary world of psychology.The book […]
A Rocking Chair with a Fan? Parallels with Psychotherapy
“This modest and inconspicuous doctor published a 2018 guide for lay people, describing simple methods for helping people with mental health problems, entitled Where There Is No Psychiatrist.” In 1847, […]
Beware of False Humanists
“At the same time, I cannot find a single discovery in the history of science that has been made by following the conviction that everybody is different.” I have yet […]
Mr Hyde – The Dark Side of Placebo Effect
On May 7, 2021 the new article (co-written with Maciej Zatonski) was published at: We hear very often about the benefits of auto-suggestion (a.k.a. placebos) in medicine, but much less […]
Suicide Prevention and the Social Science Cargo Cult
When white people began visiting the islands of the Pacific Ocean, the native peoples, fascinated by the abundance of good things coming to them, assiduously observed the visitors’ behaviour. They concluded […]
“Shaping Psychology” reviewed by Science-Based Medicine
On December 29, 2020 a review of my new book Shaping Psychology: Legacy, Controversy and the Future of the Field written by Harriet Hall was published at: Meet the Psychologists […]
About “Shaping Psychology” in “The Skeptical Intelligencer”
Tomasz Witkowski proves to be an able interviewer, very knowledgeable and well informed about psychological and philosophical matters. Prof. Michael Heap who is the Editor of Quarterly Magazine of the Association […]
‘If we don’t solve the incentives problem, we will become a very narrow discipline’
Tomasz Witkowski meets Brian Nosek, in an edited extract from Tomasz’s new book of interviews. This is an edited extract from ‘Chapter 13, Brian A. Nosek: Open Science and Reproducibility […]
My new book is coming soon!
A wonderful book, full of unexpected and insightful answers to probing questions. The full sweep of psychology and the mind sciences is in full display. A must read. Michael S. […]
The Benefits of Loneliness – my new article in the Areo Magazine
In 2017, then British prime minister Theresa May appointed Tracey Crouch to the newly created position of Minister for Sport, Civil Society and Loneliness. Crouch became the head of an […]
Choosing the Final Freedom: Suicide in the Past and Present – my new article in the Areo Magazine
During the Second World War, my mother’s sister was a liaison officer in the resistance movement. She performed very important clandestine work. As she said herself, she wasn’t afraid of […]
Wisdom vs. Authority in Science – my new article in the Areo Magazine
The story of Abraham and Isaac is probably the most shocking example of submissiveness to authority in the written records of our civilization. However, this tragedy is rarely used as […]
Psychology Gone Wrong 