Barry Beyerstein, 60, founder of B.C. Society for Skeptical Enquiry
Matthew Kruk
Catherine Rolfsen
Vancouver Sun
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Well-loved psychology professor and founder of the B.C. Society for Skeptical
Enquiry Barry Beyerstein will be remembered as a "kind, gentle person," a loving
father and above all, a "longstanding voice of reason."
Beyerstein, a Port Moody resident born in Edmonton, died suddenly at the age of
60 after suffering a heart attack while working at his desk at Simon Fraser
University.
The news came as a shock to his family and large circle of friends and
colleagues, including his friend of 20 years, Lee Moller.
Together the two founded the B.C. Society for Skeptical Enquiry, an educational
group committed to illuminating ignorance and debunking pseudoscience.
"The scientific method and the protocols of science were the backbone of his
life," said Moller.
An internationally recognized expert on human brain behavior, Beyerstein
received his PhD in experimental and biological psychology from the University
of California at Berkeley.
Moller recalled the many skeptical battles fought by the group, which also
included Beyerstein's brother Dale, from a campaign to get astrology columns out
of The Vancouver Sun to organizing debates with creationists.
But Beyerstein was anything but aggressive or close-minded in his skepticism.
"He always assumed the best, and let the facts speak for themselves," Moller
said.
Moller said Beyerstein was a "perfect skeptic" because his psychology research
helped him understand why people believe what they do.
"Clearly, Barry's work has made an important and enduring contribution to
psychological science," said Dan Weeks, chair of psychology at SFU, in a written
statement.
"He achieved worldwide eminence for his critical analyses of pseudoscience in
psychology and medicine. Most importantly, he was a kind and genuine person and
we will miss him deeply."
Since his death, warm words and flowers have been pouring in from people around
the world who have been touched by Beyerstein's warmth and intelligence, said
his daughter Lindsay, who has set up a commemoration on her blog,
majikthise.typepad.com.
Beyerstein was not only a committed academic, but a caring father to Lindsay and
his son Loren, 25.
"He was a very loving and supportive dad. He was always teaching my brother and
me," Lindsay said.
The family is planning to scatter his ashes, and a larger celebration of
Beyerstein's life is being planned by the SFU psychology department in the fall.
"The number one thing he always used to tell me is if you don't believe in an
afterlife, you live on in the way that people remember you, and all you can hope
for is to do your best and leave the world a little bit better than you found
it," Lindsay said. "And I think he would like to be remembered as somebody who
left the world a bit better than he found it."
© The Vancouver Sun 2007