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Pepijn van Erp

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Dutch mathematician and skeptical activist In this Dutch name, the surname is van Erp, not Erp.

Pepijn van Erp
van Erp in 2014
Born1972
Goirle, Netherlands
Alma materRadboud University Nijmegen
Known forInvestigating and criticising pseudoscience, conspiracy theories and fake news
Scientific career
FieldsMathematics
Pepijn van Erp's voice Recorded October 2016
Websitewww.pepijnvanerp.nl

Pepijn van Erp (born 1972) is a Dutch mathematician and skeptical activist.

Van Erp studied mathematics at the Radboud University Nijmegen, graduating in 1999. After graduating, Van Erp worked as a statistics consultant at the PTT. Between 2002 and 2005, he lived in Tanzania. Until 2012, Van Erp was secretary at the Stichting Nijmeegs Universitair Fonds (SNUF).

In 2011, Van Erp became involved with Stichting Skepsis, where he has served as board member since March 2012. Over a number of years, he has occupied himself with all sorts of dubious claims to determine whether they are scientific or pseudoscientific in nature.

In February 2013, Van Erp was one of several commentators who accused the editorial staff of talkshow De Wereld Draait Door to uncritically present the story of the heavily handicapped Niek Zervaas, who was alleged to have been able to communicate using facilitated communication, a practice characterised as pseudoscience. The editorial staff later admitted that they had been 'blinded' by the wondrous story of Niek's parents, and should have been more skeptical.

After van Erp criticised the ideas of American-Italian nuclear physicist Ruggero Santilli, the latter sued him, his webhost, and the chairman of Skepsis Foundation in 2016. The suit against the foundation was dismissed in August 2018 and shortly thereafter the suit against van Erp was settled.

In October 2016, the electronics company Philips planned to hold a workshop called "Energy Medicine meets technology" with speakers from companies developing an electroacupuncture device and an app for mapping meridians; after van Erp posted a blog describing his efforts to get information from the companies and criticizing these devices as pseudoscience and quackery, Philips cancelled the workshop.

He is also a chess player.

References

  1. ^ "Profiel: Pepijn van Erp". Joop.nl. VARA. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  2. Maarten Koller (4 June 2015). "Skeptics in the Pub Amsterdam: Psychology in the climate change debate: conspiracy theories & scientific fraud". KloptDatWel.nl. Stichting Skepsis. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  3. Bas van Werven, Judith Laane (27 December 2016). "Wordt 2017 van de complotdenkers en klimaatontkenners?". De Ochtendspits. BNR Nieuwsradio. Retrieved 27 December 2016. Full interview
  4. Haro Kraak (5 March 2013). "DWDD: 'We waren verblind door het wonder van Niek Zervaas'". de Volkskrant. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  5. "Skeptic Van Erp sued by Ruggero Santilli". ECSO. 3 November 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  6. Dersjant, Theo (20 July 2018). "Skepsis bijna blut door rechtszaak over artikel". Villamedia (in Dutch).
  7. "Skepsis wint proces van wetenschapper die in 'joodse criminele wetenschappers' gelooft | ThePostOnline". ThePostOnline (in Dutch). 13 September 2018.
  8. Aliëtte Jonkers (25 October 2016). "Philips staakt interne workshop 'energetische geneeskunde' om mogelijke kwakzalverij". de Volkskrant. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  9. "Elster Toren op plek gezet". De Gelderlander. 13 March 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.

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