Skepticism and the Art of Magic
Why Understanding Magic Promotes a Skeptical Mindset
As stated in "What is Skepticism?," considering the human brain/mind is imperfect, skepticism sees evidence-based reasoning and prior plausibility as the best tools available to come as close as possible to objective truth when evaluating claims. Magicians understand this better than most. Although magic as an art is not easy, magicians learn how simple it is to fool anyone.
Techniques of Deception
Not only do magicians understand the simplicity of deception, but they also have the tools needed to effectively deceive – the basic techniques magicians use to perform their tricks. Through the understanding of the simplicity of deceiving and knowledge of the techniques required to do so effectively, magicians are in the perfect position to know when someone is scamming others. As such, they are in the perfect position to debunk such peddlers of scams and deceptions.
No one can be fooled 100% of the time by everything, but magicians know well that no one is too smart to be fooled. In fact, it is a mantra in the magic community that the smartest people tend to be the easiest to trick. Intelligent people are used to thinking in a linear, logical fashion. Knowing this, magicians, as well as "supernatural" fraudsters, take advantage of this fact. Linear thinking falls apart when one is unknowingly missing a piece of the puzzle.
History of Debunking Supernatural Claims
There is a long history of magicians debunking supernatural claims. Harry Houdini was critical of those who claimed supernatural abilities and actively debunked them. He would go as far as breaking the magician's code by revealing secrets to show that fraudsters used those same techniques. A Guide to Forensic Testimony explains that Houdini "[...] waged a crusade for the last 20 years of his life" against spiritualism, and he "[...] was always careful to deny that his powers to mystify were based on any divine force or mystical assistance."
A recent, well known example is James Randi, magician and founder of the skeptical James Randi Educational Foundation. Randi spent most of his career debunking those who claimed supernatural abilities, most famously offering $1,000,000 to anyone who could prove such abilities under scientific scrutiny. The terms of the test must be agreed on by both parties beforehand in order to show no bias for or against the claim. So far no one has successfully proven their abilities.
Hypocrisy?
Is it hypocritical for one whose job it is to fool to criticize or debunk those who do the same? Fraudsters are not doing the same. Magicians have an unspoken contract between them and the audience. Magic is theater: the entertainer plays someone with supernatural abilities and the audience is there to be entertained. Although, in the context of the act, a magician will claim to have certain powers, this is always with a sort of wink to the audience. Reasonably smart spectators understand these are tricks, not "real" magic, but they are there to suspend disbelief and be entertained.
Calling oneself a magician openly tells an audience what to expect: entertainment, not reality. Fraudsters, although some are former magicians, are not as honest. They present themselves as the real deal, although they use the same techniques as honest magicians. "Mediums," such as John Edward, claim that they can speak to their dead relatives, yet debunking magicians claim they use the same "cold reading" techniques that magicians have used for a long time.
Psychology
Magicians are masters of deception. They understand the psychological aspects that allow one to trick the mind. Magicians have developed techniques to take advantage of these aspects of the mind. These techniques, having been incorporated by fraudsters, make magicians the perfect debunkers of such claims.
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