Quotes from James Randi

However, I believe that it would be difficult to have legitimate scientists agree to participate.

[Psychics] use exactly the same gimmicks that we magicians do — the same physical methods, the same psychological methods — and they effectively and profoundly deceive millions of people around the earth, to their detriment.

The only difference is that religion is much better organised and has been around much longer, but it's the same story with different characters and different costumes.

People who are smart get into Mensa. People who are really smart look around and leave.

There is a distinct difference between having an open mind and having a hole in your head from which your brain leaks out.

No amount of belief makes something a fact.

There used to be an intellectual class in America. . . . These people kept the world of ideas alive. But today the distinction between intellectuals and nonintellectuals doesn't make any difference; celebrity is the only standard. . . . Everybody has become a talker of cheap philosophy that anybody can pick up.

Those who believe without reason cannot be convinced by reason.

I want to be, if I can, as sure of the world--the real world--around me as is possible. Now, you can only attain that to a certain degree, but I want the greatest degree of control.

The sleep of reason brings forth monsters

On the contrary, to know that you are an individual not put here for some mysterious reason by some supernatural means, and that you are not protected by unknown powers or beings; to know that you are a product of millions of experiments in the evolutionary process and not the result of a seed thrown on this planet by extraterrestrials—that, to me, is very exciting.

Ben Franklin said it well: "Quacks are the greatest liars in the world, except their patients.

By far, the oldest of the claptrap philosophies of mankind is astrology.

If we consider the scale of the universe, we begin to see just how ridiculous belief in astrology can be.

Death is the ultimate disappointment.

Throw away the Tarot deck and ignore the astrology column.

Nature doesn't cheat - people do.

People who are smart get into Mensa. People who are really smart look around and leave.

No amount of belief makes something a fact.

Expose every belief to the light of reason, discourse, facts, scientific observations; question everything, be sceptical because this is the only chance at life you will ever get.

I was not surprised by the results of the Horizon experiments, but I remain willing to observe and consider any and all other tests that are done under similarly precise conditions.

They would have been very let down if they had to leave the theater and he had missed. He would feel badly. Everyone would feel badly. But he never let them down.

There's something about the Houdini act that is not always made clear - about the escape act in general.

I questioned her further, and eventually got to talk to her doctor. And her doctor sort of shook his head and he said, 'I have examined her for throat cancer at least 15 times in the past few years.