Shows
The Michael Shermer ShowShermer Says 3: Weird Experiences, the Meaning of Dreams, and What Mark Twain Knew About RealityIn this episode, Michael Shermer explores anomalous experiences through personal anecdotes and historical examples. He reflects on how to balance healthy skepticism with open-mindedness, and how to reckon with the very real emotional significance of such experiences—regardless of the scientific explanations behind them.
2025-11-0831 minThe Michael Shermer ShowShermer Says: Why Secularists Are Turning to Religion, The Substitution Hypothesis, Sleep ParalysisAre we entering a Fifth Great Awakening—a cultural swing back toward religion? An increasing number of books and articles are calling for a religious revival. "We need religion to keep our society functioning." "People need meaning." Michael Shermer responds to and revisits the historical waves of religious fervor that shaped American life. He also asks what today's renewed interest in faith, spirituality, and meaning says about our culture. Featuring commentary on new books by Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Charles Murray, and a preview of Helen Pluckrose's new article for Skeptic.
2025-10-1842 minThe Michael Shermer ShowShermer Says: Debate Skills, 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, Autism, Vaccines, ANTIFA, Bari Weiss & CBS NewsFirst installment of our new series Shermer Says. Topics covered: Debate Skills Nobel Peace Prize 2025 Autism & Tylenol COVID Vaccines & Myocarditis ANTIFA Bari Weiss & CBS News New Skeptic Research Center Study
2025-10-1329 minThe Michael Shermer ShowWhy No One Thinks They're in a CultWhat really defines a cult—and why do smart, well-intentioned people get caught up in them? In this episode, Michael Shermer sits down with cult intervention specialist Ashlen Hilliard to explore the psychology of high-control groups and the people drawn into them. Her work has been featured in prominent media outlets like Hulu, NewsNation, HuffPost, and BET+. In 2022, Ashlen founded People Leave Cults, offering intervention and recovery resources for survivors and concerned loved ones. As one of the few Cult Intervention Specialists in the country, Ashlen consults with a team of experts to develop personalized intervention strategies fo...
2025-10-051h 13The Michael Shermer ShowWas Benjamin Franklin America's First Scientist?Michael Shermer sits down with economist and Franklin descendant Dr. Mark Skousen to explore the wit, wisdom, and modern relevance of Benjamin Franklin, the man who bridged science, politics, and philosophy like no other. Shermer and Skousen discuss Franklin's contributions to science, moral philosophy, economics, and religious thought, while asking: What would Franklin make of today's America—its economy, politics, and culture? Mark Skousen holds the Doti-Spogli Chair of Free Enterprise at Chapman University. Known as "America's Economist," he is the editor of Forecasts & Strategies, an award winning investment newsletter, and producer of FreedomFest, "the world's largest ga...
2025-10-011h 29
The Art Bell ArchiveOctober 17, 2004: The Skeptic's View - Michael ShermerMichael Shermer offers a rational counterpoint to paranormal claims, examining why extraordinary assertions require extraordinary evidence before acceptance by the scientific community. As publisher of Skeptic magazine and a prominent debunker of pseudoscientific claims, Shermer explains the psychological and cognitive factors that lead people to believe in phenomena that lack empirical support. His analysis covers the importance of controlled testing, peer review, and reproducible results in distinguishing genuine discoveries from wishful thinking or outright fraud. The conversation explores specific cases where paranormal claims have been thoroughly investigated and found wanting, as well as the methods skeptics use to evaluate extraordinary...
2025-09-272h 53The Michael Shermer ShowThe Assassination of Charlie Kirk: Shermer Reflects on Political ViolenceIn this solo commentary, Michael Shermer reflects on the assassination of Charlie Kirk and places it in the larger context of political violence, the psychology of radicalization, the dangers of false beliefs, and the role of free speech in intellectual discourse.
2025-09-1727 minThe Michael Shermer ShowThe Future of Space Exploration Amid NASA Mission ShutdownsIn this episode of The Michael Shermer Show, Michael Shermer interviews Alan Stern, a prominent planetary scientist and astronaut. Stern discusses his recent suborbital flight, the differences between government and private space initiatives, and the scientific implications of UFO sightings. He also shares insights about the evolution and future of space exploration, including details about the rarely talked about upcoming termination of dozens of already paid-for NASA missions. Alan Stern is a planetary scientist, astronaut, and author. NASA has selected him to be the first researcher NASA funded to fly to space as a crewmember aboard a...
2025-09-061h 05The Michael Shermer ShowCan We Prevent Aging? Eric Topol on Genes, Lifestyle, and AI in HealthcareIn this conversation, Michael Shermer and Dr. Eric Topol discuss the realties of aging, with particular focus on the role of AI in enhancing patient care and disease prevention, the importance of lifestyle factors, and the limitations of genetic testing in predicting health outcomes. Topol also explains the dangers of ultra-processed foods, their link to inflammation, and the role of GLP-1 drugs in promoting healthier eating habits. The conversation also covers diet, particularly the differences between chicken and red meat, and the significance of sleep for overall health. Plus, consumption of microplastics, cholesterol management and statins, the...
2025-08-181h 17The Michael Shermer ShowDrowning in Decisions: Do We Have Too Many Choices?In this episode, Michael Shermer speaks with historian Sophia Rosenfeld about how modern notions of personal choice—from Amazon shopping to Tinder swipes—emerged from centuries of cultural, religious, political, and economic transformation. Was there ever a time when choice wasn't synonymous with freedom? Why were early ideas of "common sense" and "free will" so limited? And what happens when choice itself becomes overwhelming? From Enlightenment ideals to the sexual revolution and the abortion debate, Rosenfeld traces how our expanding range of options—and the meaning we attach to them—has shaped everything from our romantic lives to our p...
2025-07-301h 26The Michael Shermer ShowAre We Alone? Martin Rees on Aliens, The Fermi Paradox & The Fate of HumanityWhat can a lifetime of scientific discovery teach us about the universe—and ourselves? In this wide-ranging conversation, Michael Shermer sits down with Lord Martin Rees, renowned cosmologist, astrophysicist, and former Astronomer Royal, to reflect on the forces that shape scientific success, from personal luck to cultural context. Rees shares insights on the mysteries of cosmology, the search for extraterrestrial life, and the paradoxes that still puzzle humanity. Rees also shares intimate reflections on his friend and Cambridge colleague Stephen Hawking, thoughts on Fermi's Paradox, and why some truths may forever lie beyond human comprehension. Th...
2025-07-231h 05The Michael Shermer ShowDebra Soh and Michael Shermer at FreedomFest 2025Michael Shermer in conversation with Debra Soh at FreedomFest 2025 in Palm Springs, CA. Video courtesy of FreedomFest. Additional FreedomFest videos can be viewed on CiVL.
2025-07-1419 minThe Michael Shermer ShowMichael Egnor X Christof Koch X Michael Shermer | A Debate on the Mind, Soul, and the AfterlifeA debate on the mind, soul, consciousness, and the afterlife. Michael Egnor, MD, is Professor of Neurosurgery and Pediatrics at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. He received his medical degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University and trained in neurosurgery at the University of Miami. He has been on faculty at Stony Brook since 1991. He is the neurosurgery residency director and has served as the director of pediatric neurosurgery and as vice-chairman of neurosurgery at Stony Brook Medicine. He has a strong interest in Thomistic philosophy, philosophy of mind...
2025-06-251h 48The Michael Shermer ShowAndrew Doyle: Trapped Between Woke Dogma and Right-Wing PopulismWhat began as a call for justice has, in many cases, become an engine of conformity. In this searching conversation, Andrew Doyle (author, satirist, and cultural critic) joins Michael Shermer to unpack the trajectory of the woke movement: from its roots in anti-bigotry and awareness to its current entanglement with censorship, identitarian dogma, and ideological rigidity. Drawing on his new book, The End of Woke Doyle traces the intellectual history of contemporary activism, explores the authoritarian impulses emerging on both the left and the right, and makes the case for a return to classical liberalism as a...
2025-06-112h 13The Michael Shermer ShowNeanderthals and Us: A Complex Story of Coexistence and HybridizationIn this eye-opening episode, Michael Shermer chats with evolutionist Telmo Pievani about the surprising coexistence—and hybridization—of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. They discuss recent scientific discoveries, the evolving understanding of race and biology, and the crucial role of serendipity in advancing scientific knowledge. This episode offers a nuanced perspective on how unexpected findings continue to reshape our understanding of human origins and the scientific process itself. Telmo Pievani is Full Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Padua, where he covers the first Italian chair of Philosophy of Biological Scie...
2025-05-171h 33The Michael Shermer ShowIs Modern Life Making Us Miserable? What's Fueling the Mental Health Crisis & What Can Help?What does your diet have to do with your mood? Is mercury in fish really dangerous? Psychiatrist Dr. Drew Ramsey joins Michael Shermer to discuss the science behind nutritional psychiatry and how food, sleep, exercise, and social habits influence brain health. They explore why mental health issues are rising—especially among teens—and what role parenting, social media, and modern lifestyles play. The conversation also covers the effectiveness of SSRIs and other treatments, the role of inflammation in mental health, and the importance of sleep and tracking sleep quality. Drew Ramsey, MD is a board-certified psyc...
2025-05-101h 23The Michael Shermer ShowWhat Happened to the Intellectual Dark Web?Outside of the academics and activists whose ideology came to dominate the West in the second decade of the twenty-first century, arguably no group influenced public discourse as much as the Intellectual Dark Web. Challenging the intellectual and cultural orthodoxies that engulfed universities, the media, and big tech, this group—a loose collective of politically diverse intellectuals, commentators, and scholars critical of political correctness, identity politics, and cancel culture—relied on alternative platforms like podcasts, digital magazines, and YouTube to promote free speech, universal rights, and individual liberty. While the term is most commonly identified with...
2025-04-021h 19The Michael Shermer ShowDoes the West Need a Religious Revival? (Shermer Solo)A few reflections on religion following The Free Press debate in Austin, TX on February 27, 2025. Michael Shermer and Adam Carolla (atheists) faced off against Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Ross Douthat (Christians). You can watch the debate here: https://www.thefp.com/p/watch-does-the-west-need-a-religious
2025-03-1137 minThe Michael Shermer ShowWho Counts? Ethics in the Treatment of Animals and AIMichael Shermer and Jeff Sebo explore moral philosophy, focusing on animal rights, sentience, and consciousness. They discuss the definitions of morality, ethical pluralism, and the divide between consequentialism and deontology. The conversation examines who belongs in our moral circle, the ethics of insect farming, the future of animal agriculture, abortion, and whether advanced AI could be considered sentient beings or even co-citizens.
2025-03-081h 27The Michael Shermer ShowHalf a Thousand Episodes: Still Chasing TruthIn our 501st episode, Michael Shermer takes a moment to reflect on his long journey with skepticism and what he learned recording half a thousand episodes of this podcast. He shares his thoughts on what it means for something to be truly "real" by comparing our personal experiences with evidence-backed facts, tackles the challenge of controversial and extraordinary claims, and even explores how mystical ideas or literary works can offer their own kind of truth.
2025-02-1137 minThe Michael Shermer ShowRationality, Science Fiction, and Humanity's FutureGuy P. Harrison is an acclaimed author of nine thought-provoking books that encourage curiosity and critical thinking. In this engaging episode, he and Michael Shermer discuss how science fiction inspires us to think beyond the ordinary and explore the vast possibilities of human progress. From his latest work to his passion for rational dialogue, Harrison's insights are both inspiring and accessible. Shermer and Harrison tackle a diverse range of topics, including the societal value of science fiction, the flawed debates about religion and evolution, and why humanity might ultimately prevail despite existential threats like AI. They examine...
2024-12-101h 08The Michael Shermer ShowInventing God: Psychology of Belief and the Rise of Secular SpiritualityMichael Shermer interviews Jon Mills, a psychoanalyst and philosopher, on a variety of topics, including the evolution of psychoanalysis, the dynamics of therapeutic relationships, and the psychological roots of aggression and trauma. Mills explains Freud's lasting influence, the moral implications of aggression, and the role violence plays in society. The conversation also explores how trauma affects individuals and families across generations and the difficulty of understanding human behavior when faced with global challenges. The discussion extends to broader issues such as individuality, the struggles faced by modern youth, and the evolution of belief in God. Shermer and...
2024-11-191h 20The Michael Shermer Show2024 Election PostmortemIn this special solo episode, Michael Shermer reflects on the 2024 election.
2024-11-1425 minThe Michael Shermer ShowThe Most Important Election of My Lifetime … Again (Michael Shermer)In this solo episode, Michael Shermer discusses the upcoming election, reflecting on the historical context of past elections and the political polarization that has intensified over the years.
2024-10-3120 minThe Michael Shermer ShowMatt Ridley, Steven Pinker, and Michael Shermer Challenge Conventional NarrativesFrom the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the rise of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives and Artificial Intelligence, in this episode Steven Pinker, Matt Ridley, and Michael Shermer challenge conventional narratives and explore how we can continue to move forward. They discuss the state of democracy, autocracy, and the lessons learned from historical crises, while offering insights into how innovation, rationality, and education can lead us through challenging times. This session was presented at FreedomFest 2024. To see more speeches and sessions from FreedomFest, visit freedomfest.com/civl.
2024-09-1356 minThe Michael Shermer ShowSlavery, Enlightenment, and America's RefoundingMichael Shermer and Matthew Stewart explore the heretical philosophical roots of the American Republic, including Enlightenment influences and the Founding Fathers' religious beliefs. They discuss Epicurean and ancient Greek ideas, slavery's moral contradictions, and its role in causing the Civil War, with figures like John Brown and Frederick Douglass shaping abolitionist movements that ultimately led to emancipation. Matthew Stewart is an independent philosopher and historian who has written extensively about the philosophical origins of the American republic, the history of philosophy, management theory, and the culture of inequality. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, the Washington...
2024-09-1050 minThe Michael Shermer ShowPseudohistory Makes a Comeback on Tucker Carlson's ShowDuring a two-hour interview with Tucker Carlson, Darryl Cooper made sensational claims about the Holocaust and World War II, with Carlson calling him "the best and most honest popular historian in the United States." In this solo episode, Michael Shermer takes a critical look at the pseudohistory and historical revisionism presented by Cooper on Carlson's show.
2024-09-0625 minThe Michael Shermer ShowThe Logic of Nuclear Policy: Deterrence and MAD Explained.As if 2024 couldn't get any weirder, tensions in the Middle East have escalated with the United States sending one of our nuclear submarines to the Mediterranean as a deterrent signal to Iran that they better think twice about attacking Israel. That sub, the Ohio-class USS Georgia, carries non-nuclear cruise missiles. But 14 of our 18 Ohio-class submarines have nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles—each sub has in its belly the nuclear equivalent of all the bombs dropped in World War II. Multiply that by 14 and let your imagination be properly staggered. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have pushed into Russian territory an...
2024-08-2343 minThe Michael Shermer ShowUFO Sightings Around the World: A Comprehensive HistoryAfter the Flying Saucers Came explores the global fascination with UFOs, tracing its origins to the summer of 1947 when a pilot's sighting in Washington State sparked widespread reports of "flying saucers." This phenomenon, fueled by Cold War anxieties and space age aspirations, captivated the world, leading to disputed government inquiries, sensational news stories, and a fervent community of ufologists. Author Greg Eghigian delves into how UFO sightings and alien encounters have shaped cultural and scientific debates, influenced by fears of conspiracies, hoaxes, and the allure of extraterrestrial life. He chronicles the evolution of UFO discourse across the United States...
2024-08-031h 48The Michael Shermer ShowMichael Shermer Reflects on the Trump Assassination AttemptIn this episode, we explore the conspiracy theories surrounding the July 13 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump. Despite the evidence suggesting the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, acted alone, numerous theories have emerged. These include claims that the Secret Service staged the event, foreign governments were involved, and the shooter was part of Antifa or backed by Never-Trumper Republicans. We delve into why such theories gain traction, examining cognitive and emotional factors like event magnitude, proportionality bias, anomaly hunting, personal incredulity, hindsight bias, patternicity, agenticity, uncertainty bias, and teleological thinking. While some legitimate questions remain unanswered, we emphasize the importance...
2024-07-1755 minThe Michael Shermer ShowAmerica and the Israeli-Palestinian ConflictShermer and Journo discuss: who really owns land? • British Mandate • Theodore Herzl • Zionism, Judaism, and Israel • territorial disputes • Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement), Hezbollah (Party of God), and terrorism • Palestinian grievances • The Palestinian cause • Is Israel a colonial conquering empire? • Is Israel an apartheid state? • Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement • Gender Apartheid • Arabs, Muslims, and Palestinians as separate identities • Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) • Islam and Islamism • justice and its demands • Freedom and individual autonomy as the starting point. Elan Journo's most recent book is What Justice Demands: America and the Israeli Palestinian Conflict (2018). He is co-author of Failing to Confront Islamic Totalitariani...
2023-10-271h 50The Michael Shermer ShowRobert Sapolsky on Free Will and DeterminismMeet Jared Diamond and Michael Shermer: https://skeptic.com/event Robert Sapolsky is the author of A Primate's Memoir, The Trouble with Testosterone, and Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers. His most recent book, Behave, was a New York Times bestseller and named a best book of the year by the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. He is a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University and the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant." His new book is Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will. Shermer and Sapolsky discuss: free will...
2023-10-171h 53The Michael Shermer ShowArmageddon in the Middle East? (David Wolpe)Shermer and Wolpe discuss: what happened to Israel's vaunted security apparatus, intelligence agency and military readiness? • Zionism, Judaism, and Israel • Palestine, Palestinians, and the Gaza strip • Hamas, Hezbollah, and terrorism • U.S. support for Israel • Iran, the Iran Deal, and why they support terrorists • The Biden Administrations culpability in releasing/sending $16 billion to Iran • Shia and Sunni similarities and differences • why students & student groups are pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel • The rise of anti-Semitism and proximate/ultimate causes • The Abraham Accords • Two-State Solution. David Wolpe was named The Most Influential Rabbi in America by Newsweek and one of the 50 Most Influential Jews in the...
2023-10-1357 minThe Michael Shermer ShowBIG ANNOUNCEMENTDon't miss this! Michael SHELLENBERGER, Jared DIAMOND, Peter BOGHOSSIAN, and Michael SHERMER. LIVE & IN-PERSON, DEC. 1–3. "It's not a conference… it's better!" A weekend of workshops, live podcast recordings, great food, and a unique opportunity to hang out with our speakers.
2023-09-2603 minThe Michael Shermer ShowEvidence of Aliens? Harvard Astronomer Avi LoebDid Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb discover the remnants of an interstellar meteor in the form of spherules on the ocean floor? Could they be of alien origin? In today's special edition of The Michael Shermer Show the guest, Harvard astrophysicist Dr. Avi Loeb announces that he has discovered material from a large interstellar object from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean near Papua New Guinea in an expedition he led over the summer. The object, which he labels IM1—Interstellar Meteor 1—collided with Earth nearly a decade ago and was tracked by U.S. government satellites, which gave...
2023-08-291h 31The Michael Shermer ShowMichael Shellenberger on UFO WhistleblowersShermer and Shellenberger discuss: the original article in Debrief • the authors Leslie Kean and Ralph Blumenthal • why this story was not covered by the New York Times or the Washington Post • whistleblower David Grusch and his claim that the U.S. government and its allies have in their possession "intact and partially intact craft of non-human origin," along with the dead alien pilots • claims of the many types of alien ships and alien beings, and that the aliens might be multi-dimensional in nature • that there is a sophisticated cover-up by the military of which even the POTUS isn't aware • what Shellen...
2023-06-1459 minThe Michael Shermer ShowIs the Government Hiding Aliens?A commentary on the latest UAP/UFO story about the whistleblower and the government UFO retrieval program. In this special episode of The Michael Shermer Show, Dr. Shermer addresses the latest claims by a whistleblower that the U.S. government and its allies has spacecraft that are "off-world," meaning extraterrestrial in nature. If true, it would be one of the greatest discoveries in human history, but is it, in fact, true? Very very unlikely, for a number of reasons that Dr. Shermer considers as he puts this story into historical context after 30+ years o...
2023-06-0832 minThe Michael Shermer Show344. What is a Woman, Anyway?In this special episode of the Michael Shermer Show Dr. Shermer comments on current events surrounding trans matters and reads his in-depth essay on the subject, originally published as one of his regularly Skeptic columns on Substack.
2023-04-2636 min
SkepticHow To Think About the Resurrection, Audio editionOn this Easter 2023, let us reflect on what is arguably the greatest miracle ever performed—the raising from the dead the body, life, and person known as Jesus of Nazareth. This miracle is believed by over 2.6 billion people—a third of humanity—to be true. Is it? Was Jesus really raised from the dead? Like the apostle Thomas, I have my doubts. Here is the audio edition of this Skeptic column…Skeptic is a reader-supported publication. All subscription monies go to the Skeptics Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming...
2023-04-1318 min
SkepticQuestions for Christians and Other Religious Believers, Audio EditionPerhaps—and here hope springs eternal—religious believers might consider the skeptical admonitions of Oliver Cromwell in his letter to the general assembly of the Church of Scotland on August 3, 1650:Is it therefore infallibly agreeable to the Word of God, all that you say? I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken.Skeptic is a reader-supported publication. All monies go to the Skeptics Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Michael Shermer is the Publ...
2023-03-3117 minThe Michael Shermer Show335. Jennifer Michael Hecht on How to Find Meaning, Purpose, and Happiness in Everyday LifeWe have calendars to mark time, communal spaces to bring us together, bells to signal hours of contemplation, official archives to record legacies, the wisdom of sages read aloud, weekly, to map out the right way to live ― in kindness, justice, morality. These rhythms and structures of society were all once set by religion. Now, for many, religion no longer runs the show. So how then to celebrate milestones? Find rules to guide us? Figure out which texts can focus our attention but still offer space for inquiry, communion, and the chance to dwell for a dazz...
2023-03-251h 35
SkepticRebel with a Cause—the Life & Science of Douglas J. Navarick, 1946-2022, audio editionSkeptic is a reader-supported publication. All monies go to the Skeptics Society. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit promoting science and reason. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Michael Shermer is the Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University. His many books include Why People Believe Weird Things, The Science of Good and Evil, The Believing Brain, The Moral Arc, and Heavens on Earth. His new book is Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational. ...
2023-03-0130 min
SkepticThe New Revisionism, audio editionIn light of Russia’s war on Ukraine, the changing political landscape of Europe and the EU, the UN, and NATO, the rise of China, the ever present conflicts in the Middle East, and the always contentious issue of race and politics that both informs and colors our political debates in the U.S. and elsewhere, I thought I would publish here my essay from the revised edition of my book Denying History, originally published in 2000 and updated in 2009. Much of my analysis of topical hot-button issues in 2009 remains relevant today. It reveals to what extent history—what happened in t...
2023-02-2240 min
SkepticDarwin Matters, audio editionSkeptic is a reader-supported publication. All monies go to the Skeptics Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.Michael Shermer is the Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University. His many books include Why People Believe Weird Things, The Science of Good and Evil, The Believing Brain, The Moral Arc, and Heavens on Earth. His new book is Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational. This essay was based, in...
2023-02-1624 min
SkepticChatGPT, Conspiracies, and AI-Human Relations, audio editionSkeptic is a reader-supported publication. All monies go to the Skeptics Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.Michael Shermer is the Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University. His many books include Why People Believe Weird Things, The Science of Good and Evil, The Believing Brain, The Moral Arc, and Heavens on Earth. His new book is Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational. This essay was based, in part, on Why Darwin...
2023-02-1406 minThe Michael Shermer Show320. Massimo Pigliucci — How to Live a Good Life and Create a Just SocietyIn this episode Michael Shermer speaks with the stoic philosopher and evolutionary biologist Massimo Pigliucci on how to apply the ancient wisdom of stoicism to our personal lives and to our society. Shermer and Pigluicci discuss: his journey from Rome to New York • evolutionary biology • stoic philosophy • can there be a science of meaning and morality? • ultimate questions • desire, action, depression, suicide, anger, anxiety, love, and friendship • practical spiritual exercises • how to react to situations • teaching virtue to politicians • philosophy and politics • character and leadership • the nature of evil. Massimo Pigliucci is the K. D. Irani Professor of Philoso...
2023-01-312h 06
SkepticProtopian Politics & the Future of Nationalism, audio editionNote: The latest issue of Skeptic magazine, Vol. 27, No. 4, is devoted to Nationalism Matters (in keeping with our 2022 thematic issues of Trans Matters, Abortion Matters, and Race Matters; in 2023 we will address Economic and Money Matters, Energy Matters, Education Matters, and Health Matters). In this issue we solicited articles to make the case for nationalism, the case against nationalism, the rise of Christian and religious nationalism, political polarization, rigged election conspiracy theories, why nations are becoming more secular, and why America is so religious. My contribution, a shortened version reprinted here, is based on a portion of the last...
2023-01-0920 min
SkepticAlternative Civilization and Its Discontents, Audio editionSkeptic is a reader-supported publication. Paid subscriptions go to the Skeptics Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Watch the 3 hour and 35 minute debate on Joe Rogan’s podcast between myself, Graham Hancock, and Randall Carlson here.Graham and I have since buried the hatchet and become friends.After that debate we devoted an issue of Skeptic magazine to the idea of an advanced lost civilization. Purchase this issue of Skeptic here.Skeptic is a reader-supported publication. Paid subscriptions go...
2022-12-3143 min
SkepticWho Really Killed JFK? Audio editionSkeptic is a reader-supported publication. Subscriptions go to the Skeptics Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Michael Shermer is the Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University. His many books include Why People Believe Weird Things, The Science of Good and Evil, The Believing Brain, The Moral Arc, and Heavens on Earth. His new book is Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational. Get full access...
2022-12-1812 min
SkepticThe Non-Magisterium of Religion, Audio editionMichael Shermer is the Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University. His many books include Why People Believe Weird Things, The Science of Good and Evil, The Believing Brain, The Moral Arc, and Heavens on Earth. His new book is Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational. Get full access to Skeptic at michaelshermer.substack.com/subscribe
2022-12-1130 minThe Michael Shermer Show303. Michael Shermer — Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the IrrationalMichael Shermer discusses his new book Conspiracy, out October 25, 2022. In Conspiracy Shermer: reviews and integrates evolutionary, psychological, social, cultural, political, and economic conditions that fuel conspiracy theories presents his own original three-tiered theoretical model of Proxy Conspiracism, Tribal Conspiracism, and Constructive Conspiracism classifies and systematizes conspiracy theories in order to tease apart their different causes (incl. JFK's assassination, the 9/11 Truth movement, Pizzagate, QAnon, the Big Lie, Project MKULTRA, Operation Paperclip, and the perennial conspiracy theories surrounding UFOs) offers his Conspiracy Detection Kit on how to tell if a conspiracy theory is true, false, or undecidable and suggests how...
2022-10-2532 min
SkepticRace Matters, audio editionOrder the latest issue of Skeptic on “Race Matters” hereWe have three cover stories on various aspects of race and I.Q., race and sports, and race as a social construct (click on links to order):###Michael Shermer is the Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University. He is the author of Why People Believe Weird Things, The Believing Brain, Heavens on Earth, and Giving the Devil His Due. His new book is Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irra...
2022-10-1229 minThe Michael Shermer Show286. Kevin McCaffree — How Societies Change and WhySince the dawn of social science, theorists have debated how and why societies appear to change, develop and evolve. Today, this question is pursued by scholars across many different disciplines and our understanding of these dynamics has grown markedly. Yet, there remain important areas of disagreement and debate: what is the difference between societal change, development and evolution? What specific aspects of cultures change, develop or evolve and why? Do societies change, develop or evolve in particular ways, perhaps according to cycles, or stages or in response to survival necessities? How do different disciplines — from sociology to anthropology to ps...
2022-07-091h 45The Michael Shermer Show283. Michael Strevens — The Knowledge Machine: How Irrationality Created Modern ScienceShermer and Strevens discuss: irrationality and how it drives science • the scientific method • the knowledge machine • irrationality • the replication crisis, what caused it, and what to do about it • verification vs. falsification • the iron rule of explanation • Bayesian reasoning vs. falsification • climate/evolution skeptics • model dependent realism • morality • humanism • theistic arguments for: God, origin of life, morality, consciousness • known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns • Why should we believe Anthony Fauci? • how to evaluate media sources of science. If is science so powerful why did it take so long — two thousand years after the invention of philosophy and mathematics — for the human...
2022-06-251h 32The Michael Shermer Show276. Andrew Yang — Not Left. Not Right. Forward.Michael Shermer speaks with Andrew Yang about the Forward Party, the future of politics in a party duopoly, political partisanship, and how to bring about the change we need. This conversation is based on Yang's new book Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy. Shermer and Yang discuss: why we have a political duopoly, instead of, say, 7 parties like in Germany • ranked-choice voting and open primaries • gerrymandering and voting restriction laws and policies • the Rational Public • fairness doctrine • local journalism, newspapers, and TV stations • term limits • nonpartisan primaries • data as a property right • Department of Technology • Universal Basic Inco...
2022-05-311h 07The Michael Shermer Show258. Jacek Kugler — Putin & Power Transition Theory: China, Russia, and UkraineMichael Shermer speaks with Professor of International Relations, Dr. Jacek Kugler, about his Power Transition Theory which states that an even distribution of political, economic, and military capabilities between contending groups of states is likely to increase the probability of war; peace is preserved best when there is an imbalance of national capabilities between disadvantaged and advantaged nations; the aggressor will come from a small group of dissatisfied strong countries; and it is the weaker, rather than the stronger power that is most likely to be the aggressor. Shermer and Kugler discuss: Power Transition Theory and how...
2022-03-291h 25The Michael Shermer Show251. Kelly Weill on Flat Earthers, Conspiracy Culture, and Why People Will Believe AnythingSince 2015, there has been a spectacular boom in a nearly 200-year-old delusion — the idea that we all live on a flat plane, under a solid dome, ringed by an impossible wall of ice. It is the ultimate in conspiracy theories, a wholesale rejection of everything we know to be true about the world in which we live. Where did this idea come from Michael Shermer speaks with journalist Kelly Weill whose work covers extremism, disinformation, and online conspiracy theories in current affairs. The conversation is based on her book Off the Edgewhich tells a powerful story about belief, polarized re...
2022-03-011h 42The Michael Shermer Show229. Fritjof Capra on Patterns of Connection: Is there a Tao of physics? Is life a web? Is humanity at a turning point?Michael Shermer speaks with scientist, educator, activist, and accomplished author, Fritjof Capra, about the evolution of his thinking over five decades. In this conversation, based on Capra's book, Patterns of Connection, Shermer and Capra discuss: what it means to be spiritual in an age of science, nuclear energy and why Capra thinks we don't need it and Shermer thinks we do, 50 years of progress or regress, limitations of models and theories of reality, limitations of analogies between western physics and eastern mysticism, mind and consciousness, and why Capra is hopeful for the future of humanity.
2021-11-231h 36The Michael Shermer Show219. In-Person Conversation (in Shermer's Home) with Steven Pinker on Rationality: What it is, Why it Seems Scarce, Why it Matters in Shermer's HomeIn this conversation with Steven Pinker on his new book Rationality, the Harvard psychologist and Michael Shermer discuss how today humanity is reaching new heights of scientific understanding — and also appears to be losing its mind. How can a species that developed vaccines for COVID-19 in less than a year produce so much fake news, medical quackery, and conspiracy theorizing? Pinker rejects the cynical cliché that humans are simply irrational — cavemen out of time saddled with biases, fallacies, and illusions. After all, we discovered the laws of nature, lengthened and enriched our lives, and set out the benchmarks for ratio...
2021-10-191h 49The Michael Shermer Show205. Richard Dawkins on evangelizing for evolution, science, skepticism, philosophy, reason, and rationality, based on his book Books Do Furnish a Life: Reading and Writing ScienceIn episode 205, Michael Shermer speaks with Richard Dawkins, the author of The Selfish Gene, voted The Royal Society's Most Inspiring Science Book of All Time, and also the bestsellers The Blind Watchmaker, Climbing Mount Improbable, The Ancestor's Tale, The God Delusion, and two volumes of autobiography, An Appetite for Wonder and Brief Candle in the Dark. He is a Fellow of New College, Oxford and both the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Literature. In 2013, Dawkins was voted the world's top thinker in Prospect magazine's poll of 10,000 readers from over 100 countries. This episode is heavily edited...
2021-09-011h 27The Michael Shermer Show201. Michael Shermer on Evolution, I.D. Theory, Consciousness, Morality, Gullibility, and Nothing (AMA # 7)In this AMA Dr. Michael Shermer answers your questions about evolution and creationism, intelligent design theory, the hard problem of consciousness, the origins of morality, how science deals with anomalies, to what extent humans are naturally rational or irrational / skeptical or gullible, and why there is something rather than nothing.
2021-08-181h 13The Michael Shermer Show200. Philip Zimbardo on the Nature & Nurture of Good & EvilAugust 15 marks the 50th anniversary of day one of the Stanford Prison Experiment — one of the most controversial studies in the history of social psychology. In this conversation, Michael Shermer speaks with renowned social psychologist and creator of the Stanford Prison Experiment Philip Zimbardo, exploring the mechanisms that make good people do bad things, how moral people can be seduced into acting immorally, and what this says about the line separating good from evil. His book, The Lucifer Effect, explains why we are all susceptible to the lure of "the dark side." and how situational forces and group dynamics ca...
2021-08-151h 49The Michael Shermer Show198. Bernardo Kastrup on the Nature of Reality: Materialism, Idealism, or SkepticismIn this expansive conversation, Michael Shermer speaks with Bernardo Kastrup, the executive director of Essentia Foundation. His work has been leading the modern renaissance of metaphysical idealism, the notion that reality is essentially mental. He has a Ph.D. in philosophy (ontology, philosophy of mind) and another Ph.D. in computer engineering (reconfigurable computing, artificial intelligence). Shermer and Kastrup discuss: materialism, idealism, dualism, monism, panpsychism, free will, determinism, consciousness, the problem of other minds, artificial intelligence, out of body and near-death experiences, model dependent realism, and the ultimate nature of reality.
2021-08-072h 13The Michael Shermer Show193. Chris Edwards on Educational Reform and Thought ExperimentsMichael Shermer speaks with Chris Edwards about educational reform, his study and teaching of world history, the problems in K–12 education, the zip-code model vs. the seat time model of education and how they result in massively different educational outcomes, how "no child left behind" left children behind, federal vs. state educational systems, cheating scandals and what to do about them, the future of education in a world of free (or nearly free) online learning, comparing the U.S. educational system to other countries. Shermer and Edwards also discuss thought experiments, based on Edwards' latest book, Thought Experiments: History an...
2021-07-172h 03The Michael Shermer Show185. Stephen Meyer — Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries that Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe (and why Shermer remains skeptical)Beginning in the late 19th century, many intellectuals began to insist that scientific knowledge conflicts with traditional theistic belief — that science and belief in God are "at war." Philosopher of science Stephen Meyer challenges this view by examining three scientific discoveries with decidedly theistic implications. Building on the case for the intelligent design of life that he developed in Signature in the Cell and Darwin's Doubt, Meyer claims that discoveries in cosmology and physics coupled with those in biology help to establish the identity of the designing intelligence behind life and the universe. Previously Meyer refrained from attempting to an...
2021-05-291h 58The Michael Shermer Show182. A Conversation With UFOlogist Alan Steinfeld on How Believers and Skeptics Think About UFOsIn this episode, Michael Shermer speaks with explorer of consciousness and the emcee of Contact in the Desert (the largest UFO event in the country), Alan Steinfeld, who for over 30 years has hosted and produced the weekly television series New Realities in New York City. In his book, Making Contact, Steinfeld has edited together multiple perspectives on what he claims can no longer be denied: UFOs and their occupants are visiting our world. The volume contains original writings by the leading experts of the phenomena such as: the former head of the Harvard Medical school of psychiatry and an...
2021-05-181h 48The Michael Shermer Show162. Benjamin Friedman — Religion and the Rise of CapitalismIn episode 162 of The Michael Shermer Show, Michael speaks with one of the nation's preeminent experts on economic policy, Benjamin Friedman, about his new book Religion and the Rise of Capitalism — a major reassessment of the foundations of modern economic thinking that explores the profound influence of an until-now unrecognized force — religion. Critics of contemporary economics complain that belief in free markets — among economists as well as many ordinary citizens — is a form of religion. And, it turns out, that in a deeper, more historically grounded sense there is something to that idea. Contrary to the conventional historica...
2021-03-061h 52The Michael Shermer Show161. Roy Richard Grinker — Nobody's Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental IllnessFor centuries, scientists and society cast moral judgments on anyone deemed mentally ill, confining many to asylums. In episode 161 of The Michael Shermer Show, Dr. Shermer speaks with anthropologist Dr. Roy Richard Grinker about his book Nobody's Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental Illness which chronicles the progress and setbacks in the struggle against mental-illness stigma — from the 18th century, through America's major wars, and into today's high-tech economy. Drawing on cutting-edge science, historical archives, and cross-cultural research in Africa and Asia, Grinker takes readers on an international journey to discover the origins of, and variances in, ou...
2021-03-021h 02The Michael Shermer Show152. Politics & Truth — Michael Shermer Responds to Critics of His Commentary "Trump & Truth"Dr. Michael Shermer received a lot of interesting and constructive responses to episode 151, his commentary on the events of January 6, 2021 — the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters. In episode 152, Shermer responds to critics, reminding us that the truth or falsity of a claim of any kind that can be adjudicated by science and reason applies not just to astrologers, psychics, UFO proponents, and Big Foot hunters (all of which we cover in Skeptic magazine), but to conspiracy theories, including and especially those in the realm of politics, economics, and ideology, which as we've seen matters very much to th...
2021-01-1721 minThe Michael Shermer Show151. Trump & Truth — A Commentary by Michael Shermer "Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities." — Voltaire In this monologue commentary on the events of January 6, 2021, Dr. Shermer applies causal inference theory to Trump's speech that morning, the violent assault on the Capitol that followed, the banning of Trump off social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, the fears on the Right of social media censoriousness on the Left, the breaking up of big tech social media companies, and related topics, including what it means to "believe" a conspiracy theory.
2021-01-1246 minThe Michael Shermer Show149. The After Time: The Future of Civilization After COVID-19In this special episode of the Science Salon podcast, the last of 2020, Dr. Michael Shermer offers some reflections on 2020, starting with race and the Black Lives Movement, putting it into perspective from other books he read this year, along with podcast guests who appeared in 2020, such as Shelby Steele. Dr. Shermer recently read Isabel Wilkerson's book Caste and Ibram X. Kendi's book How to Be an Anti-Racist, and offers some thoughts on them, along with other issues competing for our attention of ills troubling society, including class conflicts, income inequality, lack of education, anti-Semitism, far-left illiberalism, and religious indoctrination...
2020-12-2943 minThe Michael Shermer Show148. Have Archetype — Will Travel: The Jordan Peterson PhenomenonIn this special episode of the Science Salon podcast Dr. Michael Shermer reflects on the recent resurrection of Jordan Peterson, the resurgent criticism of him and why so many people attack him, why similar such unwarranted attacks have been made against public intellectuals like Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris today, and of Stephen Jay Gould and Carl Sagan in the past. Dr. Shermer then reads his essay of this title that was originally published in Skepticmagazine 23.3 (2018), and on skeptic.com, and is reprinted in his essay collection Giving the Devil His Due.
2020-12-2241 minThe Michael Shermer Show139. Shelby Steele — Shame: How America's Past Sins Have Polarized Our Country & the film What Killed Michael Brown?The United States today is hopelessly polarized; the political Right and Left have hardened into rigid and deeply antagonistic camps, preventing any sort of progress. Amid the bickering and inertia, the promise of the 1960s—when we came together as a nation to fight for equality and universal justice—remains unfulfilled. As Shelby Steele reveals in Shame, the roots of this impasse can be traced back to that decade of protest, when in the act of uncovering and dismantling our national hypocrisies—racism, sexism, militarism—liberals internalized the idea that there was something inauthentic, if not evil, in the A...
2020-10-201h 38The Michael Shermer Show138. Douglas Murray — The Madness of 2020In this special episode of the Science Salon Podcast, Michael Shermer catches up with Douglas Murray one year after the publication of his bestselling book The Madness of Crowds, which was featured in Science Salon # 87 in October 2019. Murray's book is now out in paperback with an Afterword update on all that has happened the past year, one of the most momentous in living memory. Shermer and Murray discuss: why he wasn't "cancelled" after The Madness of Crowds was published and became a bestseller, what people should do if they're cancelled, shamed, mobbed, or accused of being racist, misogynist, tr...
2020-10-161h 12The Michael Shermer Show137. Marta Zaraska — Growing Young: How Friendship, Optimism, and Kindness Can Help You Live to 100From the day her daughter was born, science journalist Marta Zaraska fretted about what she and her family were eating. She fasted, considered adopting the keto diet, and ran a half-marathon. She bought goji berries and chia seeds and ate organic food. But then her research brought her to read countless scientific papers and to interview dozens of experts in various fields of study, including molecular biochemistry, epidemiology and neuroscience. What Marta discovered shattered her long-held beliefs about aging and longevity. A strong support network of family and friends, she learned, lowers mortality risk by about 45 percent, while exercise...
2020-10-131h 34The Michael Shermer Show133. Michael E. McCullough — The Kindness of Strangers: How a Selfish Ape Invented a New Moral CodeIn this sweeping psychological history of human goodness — from the foundations of evolution to the modern political and social challenges humanity is now facing — psychologist Michael McCullough answers a fundamental question: How did humans, a species of self-centered apes, come to care about others?Ever since Darwin, scientists have tried to answer this question using evolutionary theory. McCullough shows why they have failed and offers a new explanation instead. From the moment nomadic humans first settled down until the aftermath of the Second World War, our species has confronted repeated crises that we could only survive by changing our beha...
2020-09-151h 55The Michael Shermer Show128. Michael Shellenberger — Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us AllMichael Shellenberger has been fighting for a greener planet for decades. He helped save the world's last unprotected redwoods. He co-created the predecessor to today's Green New Deal. And he led a successful effort by climate scientists and activists to keep nuclear plants operating, preventing a spike of emissions. But in 2019, as some claimed "billions of people are going to die," contributing to rising anxiety, including among adolescents, Shellenberger decided that, as a lifelong environmental activist, leading energy expert, and father of a teenage daughter, he needed to speak out to separate science from fiction. His conclusion: "Climate change...
2020-08-111h 32The Michael Shermer Show119. Howard Bloom — Einstein, Michael Jackson, and Me: A Search for the Soul in the Power Pits of Rock and RollHoward Bloom — called "the greatest press agent that rock and roll has ever known" by Derek Sutton, the former manager of Styx, Ten Years After, and Jethro Tull — is a science nerd who knew nothing about popular music. But he founded the biggest PR firm in the music industry and helped build or sustain the careers of our biggest rock-and-roll legends, including Michael Jackson, Prince, Bob Marley, Bette Midler, Billy Joel, Billy Idol, Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, David Byrne, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Queen, Kiss, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run DMC, ZZ Top, Joan Jett, Chaka Khan, and one...
2020-06-091h 57The Michael Shermer Show85. Deepak Chopra — Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite PotentialIn this conversation long-time adversaries and now friends Michael Shermer and Deepak Chopra make an attempt at mutual understanding through the careful unpacking of what Deepak means when he talks about the subject-object split, the impermanence of the self, nondualism, the mind-body problem, the nature of consciousness, and the nature of reality. Shermer also pushes Deepak to translate these deep philosophical, metaphysical, and psychological concepts into actionable take-home ideas that can be put to use to reduce human suffering and help people lead lives that are more meaningful and purposeful. In the book Deepak includes a survey...
2019-10-0155 minThe Michael Shermer Show75. Charles Fishman — One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission that Flew us to the MoonOn this July 16th, the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, Michael Shermer speaks with veteran space reporter Charles Fishman who has been writing about NASA and the space program for more than 30 years. In One Giant Leap he delivers an all-new take on the race to the Moon that puts Apollo into a new perspective in American history. Yes, the Apollo astronauts are the well-known and well-deserved public heroes of the race to the Moon. But the astronauts didn't make the trip possible. It took 410,000 people to make the moon landings achievable. Every hour of spaceflight for Apollo...
2019-07-161h 32The Michael Shermer Show71. Dr. Michael Shermer — What is Truth?In this live podcast event hosted by the Santa Barbara Science Salon in conjunction with the Skeptics Society and the Unitarian Society, co-hosted by Dr. Whitney Detar, Dr. Shermer reflects on the question "What is Truth?" in the context of his lifelong search to understand why people believe weird things. What is a weird thing and how do we know what is true? This is what is known as the demarcation problem, and Dr. Shermer provides numerous examples of the difficulty of drawing a clear demarcating line between science and pseudoscience. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes it's not.
2019-06-171h 08The Michael Shermer ShowAMA-5. Dr. Michael Shermer — "Are the Miracles of JesusIn this AMA special Dr. Shermer conducts a postmortem on his debate with the evangelical Christian theologian Luuk van de Weghe, with Windmill Ministries, before an audience of about 400 people, the vast majority of which were evangelicals. Dr. Shermer argues in the affirmative to the debate proposition that the miracles of Jesus are unbelievable. In this postmortem Dr. Shermer elaborates on his notes for the debate, suggesting ways to think about miracles from a scientific or naturalistic perspective. The debate took place on March 30, 2019 in Sequim, Washington, and was moderated by Justin Brierley. Listen to...
2019-04-2127 minThe Michael Shermer ShowAMA-4. Dr. Michael Shermer — The Problem of EvilIn this Ask Me Anything, Dr. Shermer performs a postmortem on his debate/dialogue on with Dr. Brian Huffling at the Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday February 23, 2019. The specific topic was: "Is the Reality of Evil Good Evidence Against the Christian God?" Watch the video of the debate. This is an exercise in the difference in thinking between a Christian philosopher/theologian/apologist and a secular scientist/humanist/atheist. Dr. Huffling focused on purely philosophical arguments about the nature of God, evil, omniscience, omnipotence, and moral perfection, whereas Dr. Shermer concentrated on specific...
2019-03-0321 min
The Michael Decon ProgramMichael Shermer - Cognitive DissonanceDr. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the Science Salon Podcast, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers Why People Believe Weird Things and The Believing Brain, Why Darwin Matters, The Science of Good and Evil, and The Moral Arc. His new book is Heavens on Earth: The Scientific Search for the Afterlife, Immortality & Utopia.
Michael welcomed Dr. Shermer back to the program, once more. This time the topics of discussion span out across the latest with Jussie...
2019-02-221h 02
The Michael Decon ProgramMichael Shermer - Cognitive DissonanceDr. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the Science Salon Podcast, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers Why People Believe Weird Things and The Believing Brain, Why Darwin Matters, The Science of Good and Evil, and The Moral Arc. His new book is Heavens on Earth: The Scientific Search for the Afterlife, Immortality & Utopia. Michael welcomed Dr. Shermer back to the program, once more. This time the topics of discussion span out across the latest with Jussie Smollett & the media...
2019-02-221h 02The Michael Shermer ShowAMA-3. Dr. Michael Shermer — Ask Me Anything!The Jordan Peterson Phenomenon In this short AMA Michael Shermer answers a single question: "What is your opinion of Jordan Peterson?" Dr. Shermer is asked this question in nearly every public appearance he makes, along with regular emails and social media queries he receives. At a November 2018 public event with Richard Dawkins, in the Q&A, he and Shermer received no less than four questions about Jordan Peterson, even though Jordan was not the topic of the dialogue between Dawkins and Shermer. Watch that edited clip reel from that dialogue. Clearly there is m...
2019-01-2235 minThe Michael Shermer ShowAMA-2. Dr. Michael Shermer: Ask Me Anything!In his second Ask Me Anything, recorded on the final day of 2018, Dr. Shermer reviews the latest issue of Skeptic magazine, introduces upcoming podcast guests Rachel Kleinfeld (A Savage Order: How the World's Deadliest Countries Can Forge a Path to Security), Bruce Schneier (Click Here to Kill Everybody: Security and Survival in a Hyper-Connected World), Mark W. Moffett (The Human Swarm: How Our Societies Arise, Thrive, and Fall), and Jared Diamond (Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis). Dr. Shermer also discusses his book publishing plans for 2019, including an essay collection of his last 70 Scientific American columns...
2019-01-081h 16The Michael Shermer Show46. Zac Sechler interviews Michael Shermer about Why People Believe in GodIn this unusual Science Salon we bring you an interview of Dr. Shermer by Zac Sechler, a high school senior at Grace Prep High School in State College, PA. Zac is interested in studying areas such as religion, science, and history. He plans on studying history in college and hopes to work in the education field. This interview was for his Senior Project, on studying different worldviews that people hold on religion, and why they believe what they believe. Dr. Shermer's contribution was as an atheist and skeptic, although as he points out to Zac, atheism and skepticism are...
2018-11-2746 minThe Michael Shermer Show44. Dr. David P. Barash — Human Nature Through a Glass BrightlyHumans have long seen ourselves as the center of the universe, the apple of God's eye, specially-created creatures who are somehow above and beyond the natural world. This viewpoint — a persistent paradigm of our own unique self-importance — is as dangerous as it is false. In this conversation with Michael Shermer based on his new book Through a Glass Brightly, noted biologist and evolutionary psychologist David Barash explores the process by which science has, throughout time, cut humanity "down to size," and how humanity has responded. Shermer and Barash also explore how evolutionary psychology became politicized, with the Right embracing it a...
2018-11-061h 33The Michael Shermer Show39. Heather Mac Donald — The Diversity Delusion: How Race and Gender Pandering Corrupt the University and Undermine Our CultureIn this riveting review of the campus craziness investigative journals, writer, and lawyer Heather Mac Donald and Michael Shermer dive deep into the root causes of what has gone wrong on college campuses, in corporations, and in government agencies, over the decades that has led to a crisis in higher education … and beyond. Race and gender form the core of Identity Politics, which Mac Donald and Shermer discuss in dunking the myth that American society in general — and academia in particular — are rampant environments of bigotry and prejudice. Just the opposite is the case, as there has never been a safe...
2018-09-261h 39The Michael Shermer Show37. Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson — Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the MilitaryIn this deep dive into the history of science and war, and the strange but productive alliances that have been formed over the centuries—particularly those between astrophysicists and politicians, governments, military, and corporations—Neil deGrasse Tyson and Michael Shermer cover centuries of history and the many facets of science policy that have brought us to the modern world of space telescopes, GPS, and the Internet, along with guided missiles, nuclear weapons, and smart bombs delivered by drones. The conversation focuses primarily on Tyson's new book, Accessory to War, co-authored with his long-time Natural History editor Avis Lang, which is a...
2018-09-121h 22
The Michael Decon ProgramDr. Michael Shermer - is god there?Episode 111: Heavens On Earth Dr. Michael Shermer is the Publisher of Skepticmagazine, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. He is the author of Why People Believe Weird Things, Why Darwin Matters, The Science of Good and Evil, and The Moral Arc. His new book is Heavens on Earth: The Scientific Search for the Afterlife, Immortality & Utopia. Dr. Shermer received his B.A. in psychology from Pepperdine University, M.A. in experimental psychology from California State University, Fullerton, and his Ph.D. in the history of science from Claremont Graduate...
2018-08-2759 min
The Michael Decon ProgramDr. Michael Shermer - is god there?Episode 111: Heavens On Earth Dr. Michael Shermer is the Publisher of Skepticmagazine, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. He is the author of Why People Believe Weird Things, Why Darwin Matters, The Science of Good and Evil, and The Moral Arc. His new book is Heavens on Earth: The Scientific Search for the Afterlife, Immortality & Utopia. Dr. Shermer received his B.A. in psychology from Pepperdine University, M.A. in experimental psychology from California State University, Fullerton, and his Ph.D. in the history of science from Claremont Graduate...
2018-08-2759 minThe Michael Shermer Show33. David Quammen — The Tangled Tree: A Radical New History of LifeIn this dialogue with one of the best nature and science writers of our generation, David Quammen and Michael Shermer discuss his new book on the history of one of the most exciting revolutions in evolution and genetics that is unfolding before our eyes. In the mid-1970s, scientists began using DNA sequences to reexamine the history of all life. Perhaps the most startling discovery to come out of this new field—the study of life's diversity and relatedness at the molecular level—is horizontal gene transfer (HGT), or the movement of genes across species lines. It turns out that...
2018-08-151h 24The Michael Shermer Show31. Amy Alkon — Unf*ckology: A Field Guide to Living with Guts and ConfidenceIn this unique conversation Michael Shermer talks with the science writer and weekly advice columnist Amy Alkon about her new book, Unf*ckology: A Field Guide to Living with Guts and Confidence. She calls her book a "science-help" book, instead of "self-help" because she grounds her recommendations in solid science. Her hilarious anecdotes are there just to illustrate a scientific point. She also debunks widely-accepted but scientifically unsupported notions about self-esteem, shame, willpower, and more and demonstrates that: Thinking your way into changing (as so many therapists and self-help books advise) is the most inefficient way to go...
2018-07-311h 36The Michael Shermer Show30. Dr. Ralph Lewis — Finding Meaning in a Meaningless UniverseIn this wide-ranging conversation Michael Shermer talks with the author of the new book Finding Purpose in a Godless World: Why We Care Even if the Universe Doesn't, Dr. Ralph Lewis. Dr. Lewis is a psychiatrist at the University of Toronto who works with cancer patients and others facing death. They often face existential crises, so Dr. Lewis—himself an atheist—has developed techniques to help people cope that do not depend on any one religion. His new book is about how human purpose and caring, like consciousness and absolutely everything else in existence, could plausibly have emerged and evol...
2018-07-251h 23The Michael Shermer ShowAMA-1. Dr. Michael Shermer — Ask Me Anything!In this first Ask Me Anything (AMA) Dr. Shermer attempts to answer as many questions as possible in a reasonable time among the hundreds submitted by readers. There were so many good ones, in fact, that he will produce a second AMA on these, as well as new ones submitted when we put out a call shortly. In AMA # 1 the questions are roughly grouped in the following categories: Science and Skepticism God, Jesus, and Religion Free Will Jordan Peterson Human Nature Future of Humanity Miscellaneous Read a list of the questions answered in this AMA: https://www...
2018-07-101h 01The Michael Shermer Show26. Dr. Stephen T. Asma — Why We Need ReligionIn this dialogue Dr. Michael Shermer talks with philosopher Stephen T. Asma, a Professor of Philosophy and Founding Fellow of the Research Group in Mind, Science, and Culture at Columbia College, Chicago. His new book is Why We Need Religion, in which he argues that, like art, religion has direct access to our emotional lives in ways that science does not. Yes, science can give us emotional feelings of wonder and the sublime—we can feel the sacred depths of nature—but there are many forms of human suffering and vulnerability that are beyond the reach of help from scie...
2018-06-221h 22The Michael Shermer Show22. Dr. Gregory Berns — What It's Like to Be a Dog…and Other Adventures in Animal NeuroscienceIn this wide-ranging dialogue (recorded on September 1, 2017) on the nature of consciousness Dr. Michael Shermer talks with Dr. Gregory Berns, Distinguished Professor of Neuroeconomics and Director of the Center for Neuropolicy and Facility for Education and Research in Neuroscience. Dr. Berns is famous for his use of fMRI to study canine cognitive function in awake, unrestrained dogs. The goals of his research are to non-invasively map the perceptual and decision systems of the dog's brain and to predict likelihood of success in service dogs. He also uses diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to reconstruct the white matter pathways...
2018-04-161h 09The Michael Shermer Show20. Dr. Michael Shermer — Heavens on Earth: The Scientific Search for the Afterlife, Immortality, and UtopiaIn his most ambitious work yet—a scientific exploration into humanity's obsession with the afterlife and quest for immortality—bestselling author and skeptic, Michael Shermer, sets out to discover what drives humans' belief in life after death, focusing on recent scientific attempts to achieve immortality along with utopian attempts to create heaven on earth. For millennia, religions have concocted numerous manifestations of heaven and the afterlife, and though no one has ever returned from such a place to report what it is really like—or that it even exists—today science and technology are being used to try to m...
2018-03-2555 min