Welcome to The Rationable Podcast!

Here, you will find all the podcast episodes along with their transcripts and links to sources, resources and further reading. If you have any comments, be sure to fill in the comments box or head to the Contact page.

Posts in skepticism

Faith & False Hope: Insidious Faith Healers Exposed: Thomas Westbrook (Holy Kool-aid)

Faith & False Hope: Insidious Faith Healers Exposed: Thomas Westbrook (Holy Kool-aid)

people would have an upset stomach and he'd pray over them and suddenly it wouldn't have an upset stomach anymore. And there were a lot of things that could be attributed to a placebo effect. When you have physical contact with someone, your body releases oxytocin. Which is called the love hormone, but it's more than that. it has a calming, soothing effect. so you've got this whole chemical explosion in your brain in this incredibly high adrenaline situation where you're in a faith healing rally and you're anticipating it.

Ex Homeopath Reveals the Truth About Homeopathy: Interview with Arif Hussain Theruvath

Ex Homeopath Reveals the Truth About Homeopathy: Interview with Arif Hussain Theruvath

This dynamism and this treatment methodology are related to what was common to multiple other treatment methodologies. So Hanman brought this idea into homoeopathy, and he clubbed it with this similia similibus, that is, like cures like.

Alternative Medicine, Medicine, skepticismAbhijit ChandaJuly 21, 2025homeopathy vs allopathy, homeopathic medicine, homeopathic treatment, how does homeopathy work, what is homeopathy and how does it work, indian homeopathy medicine, career in homeopathy in india, dangers of homeopathic medicine, does homeopathy work, alternative medicineComment

Will AI take over the world? Featuring Kyle Polich, the Dataskeptic

Will AI take over the world? Featuring Kyle Polich, the Dataskeptic

So, in terms of sentience and sapience, do you think that current AI, as it is now, has either of those aspects?

Kyle Polich: As of April 14th, no, not at all.

Rational Perspective, skepticism, Science, TechAbhijit ChandaJune 29, 2025AI, Artificial intelligence, dataskeptic, machine learning, large language models, chatgpt, llm, g m ai, g ai, ai world domination, ai takeover theoryComment

The Poison On Your Plate! Unbelievable Food Facts with Krish Ashok!

The Poison On Your Plate! Unbelievable Food Facts with Krish Ashok!

So today, it's Krish Ashok, who is quite the Renaissance man. He's written a book called Masala Lab. He's got an Instagram channel called Masala Lab. He has been debunking food myths and knows the science, history, and geography behind pretty much every form of Indian food there is.

Is Astrology Real or Fake? Susan Gerbic and Mark Edward expose the tricks used by Astrologers and Psychics

Is Astrology Real or Fake? Susan Gerbic and Mark Edward expose the tricks used by Astrologers and Psychics

today we have a very interesting Rationable interview with two wonderful people who have been doing a lot of work fighting psychics and actually Mark has been a psychic. So Susan Gerbic, and Mark Edward are here.

Scamming Autistic People: Exposing Facilitated Communication

Scamming Autistic People: Exposing Facilitated Communication

Janyce Boynton used to be a facilitator who helped non-verbal autistic people communicate in a method called facilitated communication. She soon discovered that facilitated communication was a horrible scam taking advantage of these vulnerable people and their families. Now, it also goes by names like Rapid Prompting Method, Assisted Typing, Spelling to Communicate, and many more. So she set to work exposing the whole deal. This is her story.

Alternative Medicine, Health and Nutrition, Medicine, Science, skepticism, Mental HealthAbhijit ChandaNovember 16, 2022facilitated communication 2022, facilitated communication example, why is facilitated communication controversial, facilitated communication research, facilitated communication vs aac, dangers of facilitated communication, what is facilitated communication in autism, facilitated communication debunked, facilitated communication controversy, facilitated communication definition, facilitated communication autism debunked, facilitated communication training, facilitated communication syracuse, facilitated communication aba, the reason i jump facilitated communication, pros and cons of facilitated communication, is facilitated communication still used today, prisoners of silence on autism and facilitated communication, syracuse university facilitated communication, frontline facilitated communication, is facilitated communication evidence based, rapid prompting method, assisted typing, typing to communicate, spelling to communicate, motor planing communication, informative pointing, supported typing to communicateComment

Interview: Leonard Tramiel | Why skepticism matters

Interview: Leonard Tramiel | Why skepticism matters

Leonard Tramiel and I discuss the passion for science, the importance of science literacy and getting the facts exactly right, and his journey through the sceptical movement.

Interview, Science, skepticismAbhijit ChandaOctober 14, 2020leonard tramiel, leonard tramiel commodore, leonard tramiel atari, atari corporation, leonard tramiel interviewComment

Debunking Ancient Tech, Aliens and Astrology | Interview: Richard Saunders

Debunking Ancient Tech, Aliens and Astrology | Interview: Richard Saunders

Richard Saunders, a life member of Australian Skeptics and a CSI fellow, is a world-famous sceptic from Australia. In this interview, we chat about UFOs and ancient aliens, psychics, astrology, Power Balance bands and lots more.

Interview, skepticism, ScienceAbhijit ChandaSeptember 16, 2020richard saunders, richard saunders skeptic, australian skeptics, ancient technology, UFO, astrology, skepticism, interview, skeptic zone podcast, skepticon, skepticon australiaComment

Interview: Dr Sumaiya Shaikh – Part 3: The Need for Altnews Science in India

Interview: Dr Sumaiya Shaikh – Part 3: The Need for Altnews Science in India

In the final part of my interview with Dr Sumaiya Shaikh, we discuss her work as a science communicator. She founded Altnews Science to challenge pseudoscience in India.

Interview: Dr Abhyankar & Dr Khare – Mental health, Patanjali, and evidence based medicine

Interview: Dr Abhyankar & Dr Khare – Mental health, Patanjali, and evidence based medicine

To celebrate Doctor's Day India 2020, I speak to Dr Shantanu Abhyankar, MD, MBBS, Gynaecology, and Dr Anand Khare, MD Psychiatry.

Medicine, skepticism, Science, InterviewAbhijit ChandaJuly 4, 2020How do i boost my immunity, Immune system boosters, coronavirus india, coronakit, sushant singh rajput, ayurveda test, ayurveda products, depression, mental health awareness, mental health awareness in indiaComment

Interview: Dr Shantanu Abhyankar – From homeopathy to modern medicine

Interview: Dr Shantanu Abhyankar – From homeopathy to modern medicine

Our first edition of Rationable Interviews features Dr Shantanu Abhyankar, a gynaecologist and a sceptic activist. We speak about his journey from homoeopathy to mainstream medicine, the relationship between Ayurveda and homoeopathy, and his work as an activist.

Alternative Medicine, Medicine, skepticism, InterviewAbhijit ChandaApril 25, 2020dr shantanu abhyankar, homeopathy vs allopathy, how does homeopathy work, homeopathic medicine, dangers of homeopathic medicine, indian homeopathy medicine, what is homeopathy and how does it work, andhashraddha nirmulan movement, black magic bill, career in homeopathy in indiaComment

Why an anti-vax mom changed her mind

Why an anti-vax mom changed her mind

Meet Doh Driver. She grew up believing in a whole slew of pseudoscience, including the idea that vaccines weren’t necessary and may even be harmful. Through her journey, she began to think more critically of her beliefs until she finally shed them. This is her story.

Guest Post, Vaccines, skepticism, Medicine, Alternative Medicine, DebunkingAbhijit ChandaFebruary 15, 2020why vaccines are good, vaccines and immunization, anti vax momComment

How I became a skeptic in 5 steps

How I became a skeptic in 5 steps

I proved myself wrong so many times, I became a sceptic.

7 Worst Sources for Vaccine Information

7 Worst Sources for Vaccine Information

And some of the best sources you can count on.

Health and Nutrition, Medicine, Science, skepticism, Alternative Medicine, VaccinesAbhijit ChandaAugust 12, 2019anti vaccine arguments, anti vaccine articles, anti vax celebrities, vaccination information, vaccines and immunization, jenny mccarthyComment

What is Evidence? Part 2: Anecdotal Evidence

What is Evidence? Part 2: Anecdotal Evidence

Anecdotal evidence is weak AF, and for good reason too.

Rational Perspective, skepticism, Alternative Medicine, ScienceAbhijit ChandaJuly 31, 2019anecdote, logical fallacies, anecdotal definition, anecdotal fallacy definition, anecdotal evidence psychology, empirical vs anecdotal evidence, opposite of anecdotal evidence, anecdotal evidence definitionComment

Does Science know everything? (Updated)

Does Science know everything? (Updated)

An age-old comment to defend unscientific ideas needs to meet its end.

Science, Religion, Rational Perspective, skepticismAbhijit ChandaJune 30, 2019define informal fallacy, science fallacy, the fallacy of scientific consensus, god of the gaps, scientific method, nature of scienceComment

What is Evidence? Part 1: Randomised controlled trials

What is Evidence? Part 1: Randomised controlled trials

Want to figure out for yourself if a claim’s full of crap…or not? This is the first step.

Alternative Medicine, Medicine, Science, skepticismAbhijit ChandaJune 11, 2019RCT, Randomized controlled trials, what is a randomized controlled trial, randomised control trial advantages and disadvantages, randomized controlled trial gold standard, steps in randomised control trial, pros and cons of randomized control trials, controlled clinical trial, strengths of randomized controlled trialsComment