Simon Singh

[[File:Simon_Singh.jpg|thumb|165px|Simon Singh]]{{skepnav|1}}

'''Simon Singh''' {{lived|1964|}} is a [[United Kingdom|British]] physicist and [[science]] [[author]]. His books include [[Fermat's last theorem|''Fermat's Last Theorem'']], ''Big Bang'', ''Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial'', and, of course, ''The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets''.

==BCA lawsuit==

Singh was sued by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) following allegations of libel due to his (correct) characterization of [[chiropractic]] woo as "bogus". The offending article was removed from ''[[The Guardian]]'' pending the result of the legal process, but is now available again.<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/apr/19/controversiesinscience-health The Guardian - Beware the spinal trap]</ref> It's possible that the litigation [[Streisand effect|raised the profile]] of the more crank positions of chiropractic medicine well above what people previously thought.

In a more recent turn, the BCA published (and quickly retracted) an allegation that Singh was motivated by malice — a defamatory statement that opens up the possibility for Singh to counter sue the ass off the BCA (we at Rational Wiki aren't saying he ''should'' follow such childish litigation, but we won't lose sleep if he does).<ref>[http://jackofkent.blogspot.com/2009/10/bca-defame-simon-singh.html Jack of Kent - BCA Defame Simon Singh]</ref> This was summed up quite nicely in the Science, Reason and Critical Thinking blog.<ref>[http://crispian-jago.blogspot.com/2009/10/bca-press-statement.html Science, Reason and Critical Thinking - The BCA Press Statement]</ref>

On April 1 2010, Singh won an appeal that granted him the right to use a defence of fair comment.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8598472.stm Science writer Simon Singh wins libel appeal], BBC News</ref> The BCA vowed that they would appeal, but finally dropped the case on April 15.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8621880.stm Case dropped against Simon Singh], BBC News</ref>

He is the chair of the ''Good Thinking Society''.

==Books==
* ''Fermat's Last Theorem'' (1997) — on the namesake theorem in number theory. [[Special:Booksources/978-1857025217|ISBN 978-185702521]]
* ''The Code Book'' (1999) — a history of [[cryptography]]. [[Special:Booksources/978-1857028799|ISBN 978-1857028799]]
* ''Big Bang'' (2004) — origins of the [[universe]]. [[Special:Booksources/0007193823|ISBN 0007193823]]
* ''Trick or Treatment?: Alternative Medicine on Trial'' (2008) (with [[Edzard Ernst]]) — critical of [[alternative medicine]]. [[Special:Booksources/0593061292|ISBN 0593061292]]
* ''The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets'' (2013) — [[mathematics]] in ''[[The Simpsons]]''. [[Special:Booksources/1620402777|ISBN 1620402777]]

==See also==

*[[Ben Goldacre]]
*[[Chilling effect]]
*[[Skeptics in the Pub]]
*[[Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij]]

==External links==
* [https://simonsingh.net/ Singh's website]
* [https://goodthinkingsociety.org/ Website] of the Good Thinking Society
* {{wpa|Simon Singh}}
* {{wpa|Good Thinking Society}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Simon}}

[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:British people]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Categories: Authors, British people, Living people