He tried unsuccessfully for weeks to develop his skills before realizing he had been duped. The pair is upfront about telling audiences that they are about to trick them, and then they trick them, thus proving how easy it is to be fooled. This belief in retaining a healthy skepticism, or doubt, is a long tradition among magicians.
Some magicians believe it is their responsibility to educate people about the origins of magic.
In other words, the honest magician makes no claims of possessing supernatural powers. Randi, in turn, was heavily influenced by the great Harry Houdini, who spent much of his time debunking the false mediums of his day. Like Houdini, he has offered a great deal of money to the person who could scientifically prove possession of supernatural powers. In the early 1920s, Houdini joined a panel of scientists belonging to Scientific American magazine. Read more about James Randi's efforts to expose modern-day frauds.