Podcasts about believing brain

In this episode I have a special returning guest, the famous Dr. Michael Shermer on the show to discuss the interesting times our neighbours to the south are experiencing.  I'm hoping to discuss the polarization and the bias that have catalyzed conspiratorial thinking emerging around the Trump assassination attempt. Dr. Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He writes a weekly Substack column. 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, The Moral Arc, Heavens on Earth, and Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist.  Neil deGrasse Tyson has called him “a beacon of reason in an ocean of irrationality”. Support the podcast at patron.podbean.com/TheRationalView Make your voice heard on Facebook @TheRationalView

Why did atheist neuroscientist Philipp Koch recently lose a 25-year-old bet on consciousness? Why is 'panpsychism' in fashion? And could the latest research on the brain be pointing us back towards God? Justin speaks to scientists and philosophers such as Sharon Dirckx and Philip Goff on the surprising turn away from atheist materialism. Ex-atheist Jennifer Fulwiler shares her story of realising love must be more than brain chemistry and influential thinker Iain McGilchrist reveals how a new understanding of the mind is pointing us back to God. For Iain McGilchrist on Re-Enchanting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Gi9bfSwwI4 More info, book & newsletter: https://justinbrierley.com/surprisingrebirth/ Support via Patreon for early access to new episodes: https://www.patreon.com/justinbrierley/membership Support via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/brierleyjustin Support via Tax-deductible (USA): https://defendersmedia.com/portfolio/justin-brierley/ Buy the book or get a signed copy: https://justinbrierley.com/the-surprising-rebirth-of-belief-in-god/ Ep 25 show notes: https://justinbrierley.com/surprisingrebirth/the-believing-brain-how-iain-mcgilchrist-rediscovered-the-soul The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God is a production of Think Faith in partnership with Genexis, and support from The Jerusalem Trust & the Christian Evidence Society. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's disagreement is on whether or not extraterrestrial life exists. We've brought on two guests who are out of this world. ;)Dr. Avi Loeb is an astrophysicist and professor of Science at Harvard University. As head of The Galileo Project at Harvard, Dr. Loeb directs the search for evidence of extraterrestrials. Avi is also the author of more than eight hundred scientific papers and the books Interstellar and Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth.Dr. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine. He is the bestselling author of many books, including Why People Believe Weird Things and The Believing Brain. Michael is the host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University.Today we ask a wide range of important questions about extraterrestrial life:Do we already have evidence of intelligent extraterrestrial life?What would it take for us to all agree there are technological civilizations beyond earth?How does the media complicate our understanding of the subject?And why is there so much tension in the scientific community about this work? Show NotesFermi's question: where is everybody? [3:45]Addressing anomalies [6:45]Radio communication versus finding objects [10:00]Why media coverage loves “aliens” [12:00]Skepticism and anomalies [14:00]Disagreements in the scientific community [16:00]Real material evidence and the US government [21:00]Machine learning for observing anomalous objects [27:00]Steelmanning [31:30]What did you think about this episode? Email us at podcast@thedisagreement.com. You can also DM us on Instagram @thedisagreementhq.

Why do we have the tendency to believe things when they may not be true? Why do we project patterns, agency and meaning onto the world when sometimes there is none? How can we consider the probabilities of conspiracies to identify the ones that may be true? How do we encourage brave journalism that calls out conspiracies even by powerful institutions, in spite of the pejorative term ‘conspiracy theorist'? Today we have the uncomfortable topic of how our brains often believe things which aren't true. The topic fits perfectly with our theme for series 4 of Self-transcendence vs Self-delusion. Our innate ability to notice patterns in systems, assign agency and find meaning in the world are among the reasons we've evolved to become so successful at predicting, understanding and creating meaningful collaborations in the world. But the issue with these abilities is that we might make the mistake of thinking what the brain assigns to the world for our own survival, is necessarily true of the world itself. Sure our brains do track the truth but truth is not always what's needed for survival; so issues like negativity bias, confirmation bias and creating narrative stories that conveniently map onto our existing world view have become a deeply engrained part of our society. Add to this modern phenomena like the siloing of information by the internet into small echo chambers where only like minds come together; algorithmic amplification of memes led by the internet business model of “maximising engagement”; and decreasing trust in institutions, as economic inequality in the world increases exponentially, and you get a perfect storm of clashing beliefs about the truth. Fortunately, our guest today is one of the most established sceptical voices in science who reminds us that we need to track closely the difference between what can be collectively confirmed to be true, and what our brains project to be true from the inside out. He is of course, New York Times best selling author and founding publisher of Skeptic magazine Michael Shermer; he wrote for 18 years for the Scientific American. He's written nine books but today we're going to focus on his books “The Believing Brain” and his new release “Conspiracy: Why the rational believe the irrational”. What we discuss: 00:00 Intro 07:00 The philosophy of scepticism. 08:45 ‘Default to truth' 15:40 Moral truth VS moral relativism. 19:00 Scientific revolutions overturning consensus. 24:30 ‘The Believing Brain'. 25:40 The ability to see patterns in the chaos, and assign agency to them. 26:50 Evolution selects for assuming more things are real than not, just in case. 30:10 Bayesian inference: levels of confidence in being right or wrong. 32:40 ‘Agencicity', impugning patterns with intentional agency. 33:40 Most things happen randomly, and can't be predicted. 41:10 Assigning meaning to patterns in nature. 43:50 Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. 44:40 Teleology: goal directness in life. 47:50 Dennet - the intentional stance 48:50 Confirmation bias. 54:00 Algorithmic amplification. 57:40 There are many real conspiracies. 01:00:20 Tribal, proxy and paranoid conspiracism. 01:03:35 Being overly suspicious - negativity bias. 01:07:50 Critical thinking - how not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. 01:16:50 Conflict of interest in media - shareholders vs stakeholder interest. 01:18:40 The pejorative term ‘conspiracy theorist' demotivating brave journalism. 01:26:30 Reductionism and determinism evaluated. 01:32:20 Remote Viewing and psi phenomena: sceptics view. 01:46:30 The UFO phenomena: sceptics view. References: Michael Shermer, “The Believing Brain” Michael Shermer, “Conspiracy” Michael Shermer, “The Moral Arc” Scepticism 101 course: How to think like a scientist Remote viewing Stargate Program documentary “Third Eye Spies” Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal, and Leslie Kean - ‘Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money': The Pentagon's Mysterious U.F.O. Program', NYTimes article

Why do we have the tendency to believe things when they may not be true? Why do we project patterns, agency and meaning onto the world when sometimes there is none? How can we consider the probabilities of conspiracies to identify the ones that may be true? How do we encourage brave journalism that calls out conspiracies even by powerful institutions, in spite of the pejorative term ‘conspiracy theorist'? Today we have the uncomfortable topic of how our brains often believe things which aren't true. The topic fits perfectly with our theme for series 4 of Self-transcendence vs Self-delusion. Our innate ability to notice patterns in systems, assign agency and find meaning in the world are among the reasons we've evolved to become so successful at predicting, understanding and creating meaningful collaborations in the world. But the issue with these abilities is that we might make the mistake of thinking what the brain assigns to the world for our own survival, is necessarily true of the world itself. Sure our brains do track the truth but truth is not always what's needed for survival; so issues like negativity bias, confirmation bias and creating narrative stories that conveniently map onto our existing world view have become a deeply engrained part of our society. Add to this modern phenomena like the siloing of information by the internet into small echo chambers where only like minds come together; algorithmic amplification of memes led by the internet business model of “maximising engagement”; and decreasing trust in institutions, as economic inequality in the world increases exponentially, and you get a perfect storm of clashing beliefs about the truth. Fortunately, our guest today is one of the most established sceptical voices in science who reminds us that we need to track closely the difference between what can be collectively confirmed to be true, and what our brains project to be true from the inside out. He is of course, New York Times best selling author and founding publisher of Skeptic magazine Michael Schermer; he wrote for 18 years for the Scientific American. He's written nine books but today we're going to focus on his books “The Believing Brain” and his new release “Conspiracy: Why the rational believe the irrational”. What we discuss: 00:00 Intro 07:00 The philosophy of scepticism. 12:00 Oppenheimer quote - the freedom to doubt dogma to progress science. 15:40 Moral truth VS moral relativism. 19:00 Scientific revolutions overturning consensus. 24:30 ‘The Believing Brain'. 25:40 The ability to see patterns 26:50 Evolution selects for assuming more things are real than not, just in case. 30:10 Bayesian inference: levels of confidence in being right or wrong. 32:40 ‘Agencicity', impugning patterns with intentional agency. 36:50 Identical twin studies 41:10 Assigning meaning to patterns in nature. 44:40 Teleology: goal directness in life. 48:50 Confirmation bias - cherry picking data to belong in groups with certain beliefs 57:40 There are many real conspiracies. 01:00:20 Tribal, proxy and paranoid conspiracism. 01:03:35 Being overly suspicious - negativity bias. 01:07:50 Critical thinking - how not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. 01:16:50 Conflict of interest in media 01:18:40 The pejorative term ‘conspiracy theorist' demotivating brave journalism. 01:26:30 Reductionism and determinism evaluated. 01:32:20 Remote Viewing and psi phenomena: sceptics view. 01:46:30 The UFO phenomena: sceptics view. References: Michael Schermer, “The Believing Brain" Michael Scheremer, “Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational” Michael Schermer, “The Moral Arc” Scepticism 101 course: How to think like a scientist Remote viewing Stargate Program documentary “Third Eye Spies” Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal, and Leslie Kean - ‘Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money': The Pentagon's Mysterious U.F.O. Program', NYTimes article

Peter Boghossian joined two of his favorite Michaels for Spectrum Street Epistemology in Santa Barbara, California. Bestselling authors and esteemed public intellectuals Michael Shermer and Michael Shellenberger discussed a number of topics ranging from religion to alien life. Peter began with a claim that elicited points of agreement and disagreement: “Christianity is a better bulwark against ‘woke' than humanism.” This opens a discussion of nihilism, objective vs. subjective views of reality, and moral realism and pragmatism. They consider the primal (and political) rejection of free speech, history's moral arc, the limits of knowledge, and epistemic humility. Both gentlemen clarify their views on alien life and Mr. Shellenberger, a Christian, identifies the “most important” Biblical passage. Michael Shellenberger is an author, investigative journalist, and the founder & president of Environmental Progress, a nonprofit research organization. He also co-founded the California Peace Coalition, an alliance of parents of children killed by fentanyl and parents of homeless addicts. Michael is the author of “Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility” (with Ted Nordhaus), “Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All,” and most recently, “San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities.” Peter and Michael published “Woke Psychopathology: A Taxonomy” in October 2023. Michael Shermer is the world's leading skeptic and Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine. He hosts the podcast The Michael Shermer Show and is a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. Dr. Shermer is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestsellers “Why People Believe Weird Things” and “The Believing Brain.” His latest book is “Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational.” Watch this episode on YouTube.

Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He writes a weekly Substack column. 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, The Moral Arc, Heavens on Earth, and Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist. Jeremy Rys has a B.S. degree in Physics from Bridgewater State University and is a co-founder of APEC the Alternative Propulsion Engineering Conference an academic think tank of scientists, engineers, and inventors who explore the potentials of new physics and technologies including metamaterials, warp drives, ion thrusters, laser induced plasmas, invisibility cloaks, and other "Alien" technologies. - He is also an avid researcher of alternative history and the history behind classified programs and covert operations. He also enjoys researching scientific controversies and conspiracy theories. Find Michael Shermer at: https://www.skeptic.com/ - https://michaelshermer.com/Find Jeremy Rys at: https://www.altpropulsion.com/ - https://alienscientist.com/ ***** Join DarkHorse on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/ A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3at Check out the DHP store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://www.darkhorsestore.org/ Theme Music: Thank you to Martin Molin of Wintergatan for providing us the rights to use their excellent music. ***** Jeremy Sources:JFK -- https://www.youtube.com/@AmericasUntoldStories https://spartacus-educational.com/JFKwhiteR.htm https://www.jfkpaine.com/the-story/ RFK -- Autopsy Records https://www.grunge.com/799514/tragic-details-found-in-robert-f-kennedys-autopsy-report/ "RFK Must Die" by Shane O'Sullivan William Joseph Bryan Jr. - MKULTRA Hypnotist 9/11 -- The Armageddon Planners: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/03/the-armageddon-plan/302902/ Bremer on 9/11 giving the official theory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLdR87wQK_0 The Pentagon Renovations: https://digwithin.net/2012/01/01/a-small-world/ "Another 19" by Kevin RyanSupport the show

Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, 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, The Moral Arc, Heavens on Earth, Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist, Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational, and was a monthly columnist for Scientific American for 18 years. He 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 University. He has been a college professor since 1979, also teaching at Occidental College, Glendale College, and Claremont Graduate University, where he taught a transdisciplinary course for Ph.D. students on Evolution, Economics, and the Brain. EPISODE LINKS: - Michael's Website: https://michaelshermer.com/ - Michael's Channel: https://youtube.com/@skepticmagazine/ - Michael's Books: https://tinyurl.com/5t4ef2zr - Skeptic: https://www.skeptic.com/ TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) - Introduction (0:42) - The Null Hypothesis (5:00) - Popperian Falsification & Bayesian Reasoning (13:41) - Ontology vs Epistemology (18:39) - Anthropomorphising God & The Fermi Paradox (25:08) - Non-Human Biologics & Teleology (35:32) - The Lamarckian Fallacy (40:15) - Skepticism 101 (Biases & Fallacies) (55:45) - Hard Problem of Consciousness & Mind-Body Skepticism (1:02:15) - Navigating Beyond Materialism (1:08:43) - Free Will (Self-Determined) & Moral Responsibility (1:30:36) - Idealogies & Conspiracies (1:37:38) - Sentience & Metacognition (1:46:27) - Extraterrestrials & Artificial Intelligence (1:53:27) - Protopia (1:59:48) - Signal Detection Problems & Truth (2:04:15) - Magic & Illusions (2:08:46) - Conclusion CONNECT: - Website: https://tevinnaidu.com/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drtevinnaidu - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtevinnaidu/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/drtevinnaidu/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtevinnaidu/ For Business Inquiries: info@tevinnaidu.com ============================= ABOUT MIND-BODY SOLUTION: Mind-Body Solution explores the nature of consciousness, reality, free will, morality, mental health, and more. This podcast presents enlightening discourse with the world's leading experts in philosophy, physics, neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, AI, and beyond. It will change the way you think about the mind-body dichotomy by showing just how difficult — intellectually and practically — the mind-body problem is. Join Dr. Tevin Naidu on a quest to conquer the mind-body problem and take one step closer to the mind-body solution. Dr Tevin Naidu is a medical doctor, philosopher & ethicist. He attained his Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery degree from Stellenbosch University, & his Master of Philosophy degree Cum Laude from the University of Pretoria. His academic work focuses on theories of consciousness, computational psychiatry, phenomenological psychopathology, values-based practice, moral luck, addiction, & the philosophy & ethics of science, mind & mental health. ===================== Disclaimer: We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of our publications. You acknowledge that you use the information provided at your own risk. Do your research. Copyright Notice: This video and audio channel contain dialog, music, and images that are the property of Mind-Body Solution. You are authorised to share the link and channel, and embed this link in your website or others as long as a link back to this channel is provided. © Mind-Body Solution

The world's leading skeptic, author Michael Shermer, explains what it would take for him to believe claims of extraterrestrial visitation. Michael follows Pierre-Simon Laplace's principle, popularized by Carl Sagan: “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” Michael has bet $1,000 that irrefutable evidence of human contact with aliens will not materialize by the end of next year. So far, he has no takers. Peter and Michael discuss the brain as “an engine of belief” and how the human desire for transcendence and moralization leads people to extend their confidence beyond the warrant of the evidence. Education is one antidote to this cognitive malady, and Michael promotes teaching children statistics, probability, and how to “think like scientists”.  Peter and Michael also discuss organizational splintering (including in the skeptic and atheist movement), fashionable beliefs, why believers in alien visitations aren't interested in SETI, Bayesian reasoning, the deep state, true conspiracies, Dr. Paul Hotez vs. RFK Jr., childhood gender transition, and Michael's forthcoming book, Truth.  Dr. Michael Shermer is the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. Michael wrote a monthly column for Scientific American for 18 years. He is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestsellers Why People Believe Weird Things and The Believing Brain. His latest book is Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational.  Twitter: @michaelshermerYou can watch this conversation on YouTube!

Dr. Michael Shermer: Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the Executive Director of the Skeptics Society, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. 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, The Moral Arc, and Heavens on Earth. His new book is Conspiracy: Why The Rational Believe The Irrational.Michael Shermer's Website: - https://michaelshermer.comIn this episode, we cover:Why The Rational Believe The Irrational.Conspiracies During The 2024 Presidential Election.Are We Heading Towards a Civil War?Sports and Trans Rights.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, here's what to do next:Subscribe now to learn from the world's most brilliant minds.Share this episode with a friend.Rate the show on Apple Podcasts & Spotify.------Highlights00:00 Intro01:23 Michael's Trajectory04:30 Defining Skepticism06:06 Can Science Answer the Question of Meaning?09:57 What Are the Key Challenges We Face Today.14:28 How Much Can We Trust Our Modern Scientific Tools?19:20 The Emergence of Ideology Becoming Identity.22:44 Why The Rational Believe The Irrational.27:17 The Twitter Files Conspiracy.34:30 How To Distinguish Signal From Noise on Twitter.37:03 Conspiracies During The 2024 Presidential Election.43:10 Are We Heading Towards a Civil War?47:52 Sports and Trans Rights.51:20 What is Epistemic Humility?52:50 One Conspiracy Theory That Blew Michael's Mind?55:35 What Are Some Conspiracy Theories That Michael is Keeping a Mind On?59:30 Closing Remarks.----

Dr. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101.For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He writes a weekly Substack column.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, The Moral Arc, Heavens on Earth, Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist and Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational.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 University. He has been a college professor since 1979, also teaching at Occidental College, Glendale College, and Claremont Graduate University, where he taught a transdisciplinary course for Ph.D. students on Evolution, Economics, and the Brain.Websitesmichaelshermer.comskeptic.commoralarc.orgBooksConspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the IrrationalHow We Believe: Science, Skepticism, and the Search for GodWhy People Believe Weird ThingsThe Believing BrainFollow him on Twitter @michaelshermer.

Dr. Michael Shermer is the Founder of Skeptic magazine and the Executive Director of The Skeptics Society. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers Why People Believe Weird Things, The Believing Brain, Why Darwin Matters, The Science of Good and Evil, The Moral Arc, Heavens on Earth, Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist and his new book is called Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational. He has also delivered two popular TED talks, appeared on Oprah, The Colbert Report, 20/20, Dateline, Charlie Rose, Larry King Live, Joe Rogan (7 times) and now, in what is clearly the highlight of his career (lol), he finds his way to TYP-HQ. 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 University. He has been a college professor since 1979, also teaching at Occidental College, Glendale College, and Claremont Graduate University, where he taught a transdisciplinary course for Ph.D. students on Evolution, Economics, and the Brain. Enjoy. michaelshermer.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode 278 of Hidden Forces, Demetri Kofinas speaks with Michael Shermer. Michael is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine. He hosts his own podcast, “The Michael Shermer Show,” and is the best-selling author of books like “The Believing Brain, “Giving the Devil His Due,” “The Moral Arch,” “The Mind of the Market,” and many more. Shermer's latest book titled "Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational" presents an overarching review of conspiracy theories—who believes them, why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them. Long a fringe part of the American political landscape, conspiracy theories are now mainstream: 147 members of Congress voted in favor of objections to the 2020 presidential election based on an unproven theory about a rigged electoral process promoted by the mysterious group QAnon. But this is only the latest example in a long history of ideas that include the satanic panics of the 1980s, the New World Order and Vatican conspiracy theories, fears about fluoridated water, speculations about President John F. Kennedy's assassination, and the notions that the Sandy Hook massacre was a false flag operation and 9/11 was an inside job. The purpose of today's conversation is to provide you with a framework for thinking about conspiracies—what they are, the different types of conspiracies that exist, and why we believe in them. You will also learn how to distinguish between real conspiracies and imagined ones and what we can do as a society to tilt the information landscape toward producing more accurate models of the world without resorting to censorship or the policing of thought and information. You can access the full episode, transcript, and intelligence report to this week's conversation by going directly to the episode page at HiddenForces.io and clicking on "premium extras." All subscribers gain access to our premium feed, which can be easily added to your favorite podcast application. If you want access to our Hidden Forces genius community, which includes Q&A calls with guests, access to special research and analysis, in-person events, and dinners, you can learn more at HiddenForces.io/subscribe. feel free to send an email to info@hiddenforces.io and I or someone from our team will right back to you. If you have further questions, feel free to send an email to info@hiddenforces.io, and Demetri or someone else from our team will get right back to you. If you enjoyed listening to today's episode of Hidden Forces you can help support the show by doing the following: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | CastBox | RSS Feed Write us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Subscribe to our mailing list at https://hiddenforces.io/newsletter/ Producer & Host: Demetri Kofinas Editor & Engineer: Stylianos Nicolaou Subscribe & Support the Podcast at https://hiddenforces.io Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @hiddenforcespod Follow Demetri on Twitter at @Kofinas Episode Recorded on 10/21/2022

On episode 149, we welcome Michael Shermer to discuss why people believe in conspiracy theories; focusing on the evolutionary perspective: better to be safe than sorry, the proxy: that they're symbols to, or natural inferences from, more fundamental beliefs, the tribal: they further unite us with our communities; how they're maintained through cognitive biases; Leon's past conspiratorial mindset and his beliefs about global conspiracies; real conspiracies and why they're more likely to be caused by few people and have a narrow goal/effect; 2Pac's murder and why we struggle with accepting that celebrities can be killed randomly; the real conspiracy that fostered World War I; how to effectively talk to conspiracy theorists; the difficulty of debunking theories that explain every major political event with one fundamental cause; and why and how wars and international conflicts are reduced over time. Michael Shermer is a science writer, historian of science, founder of The Skeptics Society, and Editor in Chief of its magazine Skeptic, which is largely devoted to investigating pseudoscientific and supernatural claims. 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, The Moral Arc, and Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist. He's the host of the largely popular podcast, The Michael Shermer Show, and his newest book, out on October 25, 2022 is called Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational.  | Michael Shermer | ► Podcast | https://www.skeptic.com/michael-shermer-show ► Website | https://michaelshermer.com ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/michaelshermer ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/michaelshermer1 ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/Michael.Brant.Shermer ► Books | https://amzn.to/3MZ9qJh Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32208666

Michael Shermer is a longtime figure in the New Atheist movement that arose in the early 2000s. He is the Founding Editor of Skeptic Magazine, the host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University, where he teaches Skepticism 101. His new book, Conspiracy: Why The Rational Believe The Irrational, looks at the psychological processes and societal forces that cause people, often en masse, to believe outlandish stories and theories. In this conversation, Michael talks with Meghan about a range of subjects, including what makes certain conspiracy theories take hold, what "cognitive dissonance" really means, why even military pilots can't be trusted when it come to UFO sightings, and how he went from being a born again Christian to a committed atheist. They also discuss the state of the heterodox movement and ask whether tribalism can be solved with a tribe.   Guest Bio:    Dr. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University, where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American and he now writes a weekly Substack column. He is the author of many books, including the New York Times bestsellers Why People Believe Weird Things and The Believing Brain.

Dr. 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. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers including 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.Visit: https://michaelshermer.com/ and https://www.skeptic.com/

Dr. 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. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers including 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.Visit: https://michaelshermer.com/ and https://www.skeptic.com/

Dr. 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. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers including 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.

Peace Radicals Episode 61- Dr. Michael Shermer Founding Publisher of Skeptic Magazine & Skeptics Society & New York Times Best Selling Author. Dr. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He writes a weekly Substack column. 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, The Moral Arc, Heavens on Earth, and Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist.

In this episode, with Michael Shermer we discuss conspiracy theories, group identities and differences, tribalism, systematic racism, religion and more. Michael Shermer, who is the founding publisher of Skeptic Magazine, the host of the Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University, where he teaches the class Skepticism 101. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist at Scientific American. He's the author of several New York Times bestsellers, including Why People Believe Weird Things, The Believing Brain, Why Darwin Matters, the Moral Arc and more.

Dr. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. 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, The Moral Arc, Heavens on Earth, and Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist. Follow him on Twitter @michaelshermer. @MythVision Podcast @Skeptic Agenticity, the tendency to confuse patterns with a central agency. (God must of shot lightning at us) Patternicity, the tendency to find meaningful patterns in random noise. (Seeing Jesus' face on toast) Also, how fundamentalist theists use Deist arguments to defend belief systems that are not backed by any sound data. https://michaelshermer.com/ https://www.skeptic.com/ Derek Lambert: https://mythvisionpodcast.com/ #MichaelShermer #TheBelievingBrain #DerekLambert #MythVision #Gnostic #GnosticInformant --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/nickel-city-chronicles/message

Wellbeing is not just about the state of our body, but the human being that resides within it.  If our beliefs and expectations can turn an inert treatment into healing, through the phenomenon of the placebo effect, what impact can our beliefs and emotions have on our general wellbeing?  Most people will readily acknowledge that exercise, nutrition, and sleep are critical to our wellbeing.  What about our beliefs, relationship with others and our connection to engaging in work that matters?  In doing and being what we are made for?  In this episode I explore the mental models we use to frame and interpret our experiences.   How can we identify the models that work for us, elevating our level of wellness, while challenging and reframing those that don't?  What are the consequences of silencing what is so deeply embedded in who you are that it roars out of you, because it needs to be expressed in the world?  

We're talking about Books That Make You Hesitant to Believe in UFOs The U.S. government has revealed that UFOs, or UAPs (Unidentified Ariel Phenomenon) are, in fact, real. They have the footage. Former president Obama confirmed not long ago on TV: “What is true, and I'm actually being serious here, is that there is footage and records of objects in the skies that we don't know exactly what they are.” The staple program “60 Minutes” aired an episode featuring interviews with pilots and other officials putting their experiences on the record. And there's the footage from the Navy off the coast of San Diego, there for all to see. No one is denying it any more -- UFOs are real. Except, perhaps, for our guest today. Professional skeptic Michael Shermer is not so hot to jump on the UFO train. In our chat, he deals with a number of questions pertaining to the growing discussions about this topic, from his own personal stance to hypothetical fallout scenarios from having a once-derided “conspiracy theory” turn out to be true, and what people may make -- or not make -- of any announcement to come. A New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Shermer has written countless books such as The Moral Arc, Why People Believe Weird Things, The Believing Brain, The Science of Good and Evil, and his most recent, Giving the Devil His Due. He is also the Publisher of Skeptic Magazine, host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and Presidential Fellow at Chapman University. You've seen him speaking in many documentaries and shows as the go-to “clear the air” skeptic. He's also participated in numerous debates on religion and spirituality. Find out more on Books That Make You. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Dr. 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. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers including 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. Visit: https://michaelshermer.com/ and https://www.skeptic.com/ For Your Listening Pleasure all the radio shows available on The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network with our compliments, visit - https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv. Our radio shows archives and programming include: A Different Perspective with Kevin Randle; Alien Cosmic Expo Lecture Series; Alien Worlds Radio Show; America's Soul Doctor with Ken Unger; Back in Control Radio Show with Dr. David Hanscom, MD; Connecting with Coincidence with Dr. Bernard Beitman, MD; Dick Tracy; Dimension X; Exploring Tomorrow Radio Show; Flash Gordon; Imagine More Success Radio Show with Syndee Hendricks and Thomas Hydes; Jet Jungle Radio Show; Journey Into Space; Know the Name with Sharon Lynn Wyeth; Lux Radio Theatre - Classic Old Time Radio; Mission Evolution with Gwilda Wiyaka; Paranormal StakeOut with Larry Lawson; Ray Bradbury - Tales Of The Bizarre; Sci Fi Radio Show; Seek Reality with Roberta Grimes; Space Patrol; Stairway to Heaven with Gwilda Wiyaka; The 'X' Zone Radio Show with Rob McConnell; Two Good To Be True with Justina Marsh and Peter Marsh; and many other! That's The ‘X' Zone Broadcast Network Shows and Archives - https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv *** AND NOW *** The ‘X' Zone TV Channel on SimulTV - www.simultv.com The ‘X' Chronicles Newspaper - www.xchroniclesnewspaper.com

Dr. 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. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers including 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.Visit: https://michaelshermer.com/ and https://www.skeptic.com/For Your Listening Pleasure all the radio shows available on The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network with our compliments, visit - https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv.Our radio shows archives and programming include: A Different Perspective with Kevin Randle; Alien Cosmic Expo Lecture Series; Alien Worlds Radio Show; America's Soul Doctor with Ken Unger; Back in Control Radio Show with Dr. David Hanscom, MD; Connecting with Coincidence with Dr. Bernard Beitman, MD; Dick Tracy; Dimension X; Exploring Tomorrow Radio Show; Flash Gordon; Imagine More Success Radio Show with Syndee Hendricks and Thomas Hydes; Jet Jungle Radio Show; Journey Into Space; Know the Name with Sharon Lynn Wyeth; Lux Radio Theatre - Classic Old Time Radio; Mission Evolution with Gwilda Wiyaka; Paranormal StakeOut with Larry Lawson; Ray Bradbury - Tales Of The Bizarre; Sci Fi Radio Show; Seek Reality with Roberta Grimes; Space Patrol; Stairway to Heaven with Gwilda Wiyaka; The 'X' Zone Radio Show with Rob McConnell; Two Good To Be True with Justina Marsh and Peter Marsh; and many other!That's The ‘X' Zone Broadcast Network Shows and Archives - https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv*** AND NOW ***The ‘X' Zone TV Channel on SimulTV - www.simultv.comThe ‘X' Chronicles Newspaper - www.xchroniclesnewspaper.com

Ayaan talks with Michael Shermer about the hijacking of the scientific method, science being used as a political tool, vaccine hesitancy, and more. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years, he was a columnist for Scientific American. He is the author of Why People Believe in Weird Things, The Believing Brain, Why Darwin Matters, The Science of Good and Evil, The Moral Arc, Heavens on Earth, and Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist. Follow him on Twitter @michaelshermer or visit his website: www.skeptics.com; www.michaelshermer.com.

Ayaan talks with Michael Shermer about his journey in and out of religion, the ten commandments of freedom of speech, and the concept of moral politics. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years, he was a columnist for Scientific American. He is the author of Why People Believe in Weird Things, The Believing Brain, Why Darwin Matters, The Science of Good and Evil, The Moral Arc, Heavens on Earth, and Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist. Follow him on Twitter @michaelshermer or visit his website: www.skeptics.com; www.michaelshermer.com.

ABOUT THIS EVENT: Despite our best efforts, we’re all vulnerable to believing things without using logic or having proper evidence—and it doesn’t matter how educated or well read we are. But there is a method for avoiding such pitfalls of human nature, and it’s called skepticism. By using rational inquiry and seeing subjects from a scientific perspective, we can approach even the most sensitive claims with clear eyes to ultimately arrive at the truth. In this lecture Dr. Shermer will surprise, challenge, and entertain you, you will learn how to think, not just what to think—and you’ll come to understand why extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. You’ll discover how skepticism can help differentiate between real science and pseudoscience, as well as between “scientific” history and pseudohistory—distinctions that have serious educational and political implications. As you learn how our brains work to form beliefs, you’ll examine the classic fallacies of thought that lead us to experience mistakes in thinking and to form bad arguments in favor of our beliefs. Is there a God? Is there life after death? Is there a basis for morality without God? Skepticism 101 doesn’t shy away from controversial questions, nor does it give final answers. What it offers are methods and hard evidence for rationally evaluating various claims and positions, and an opportunity to understand why you believe what you believe. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Dr. Michael Shermer is the Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the Science Salon podcast, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He is the author of a number of New York Times bestselling books including: Heavens on Earth, The Moral Arc, The Believing Brain, Why People Believe Weird Things, Why Darwin Matters, The Mind of the Market, How We Believe, and The Science of Good and Evil. His new book is Giving the Devil His Due, a defense of free speech and free inquiry. His two TED talks, viewed nearly 10 million times, were voted in the top 100 of the more than 2000 TED talks. 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 University. He has been a college professor since 1979, having also taught at Occidental College, Glendale College, and Claremont Graduate University. As a public intellectual he regularly contributes Opinion Editorials, book reviews, essays, and articles to The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Science, Nature, Quillette, Aeon, and other publications. This project is part of a national program entitled “Scientists in Synagogues,” a grass-roots initiative run by Sinai and Synapses in consultation with the American Association for the Advancement of Science Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion, and funded by the John Templeton Foundation, along with other individual donors. DONATE: http://www.bit.ly/1NmpbsP​​​​​​​ For podcasts of VBM lectures, GO HERE: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/learning-library/ https://www.facebook.com/valleybeitmi...​ Become a member today, starting at just $18 per month! Click the link to see our membership options: https://www.valleybeitmidrash.org/become-a-member/

Michael Shermer is one of the world's most prominent skeptics - founder of The Skeptic Society and editor of its magazine Skeptic. Once a fundamentalist Christian, Michael has spent his career uncovering the workings and causes of our 'Believing Brain'.“Our brains are wired to think more like lawyers than scientists - to win arguments, to bolster what we already believe...”We evolved to discern patterns in the world around us. When our ancestors ate the wrong mushroom, they very quickly learnt to link it to their upset stomach. Discovering patterns is the way humans learn. But humans are sometimes too good at it: we ‘discern' patterns where none exist, and we infuse them with agency.Listen to Michael and Turi discuss the two key evolutionary drivers of belief:Patternicity - our tendency to find patterns in both meaningful and meaningless data.Agenticity - our tendency to infuse patterns with meaning, intention, and agency.And learn more about:The evolutionary origins of beliefWhere conspiracy theories come fromDopamine: the belief drugWhat Twin Studies teach us about the Heritability of beliefHow to keep a healthy mindAnd B.F Skinner's famous pigeon experiment, which shows all animals exist on the belief spectrum.“Belief comes quickly and naturally, skepticism is slow and unnatural, and most people have a low tolerance for ambiguity.”Michael ShermerMichael Shermer is a science writer, historian of science, founder of The Skeptics Society, and editor-in-chief of its magazine Skeptic. He's also the author of The Believing Brain and most recently, Giving the Devil his Due on the free speech wars raging across the West.More on this episodeLearn all about the Parlia Podcast here.Meet Turi Munthe: https://www.parlia.com/u/TuriLearn more about the Parlia project here: https://www.parlia.com/aboutAnd visit us at: https://www.parlia.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dr. 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. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. 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, The Moral Arc, and Heavens on Earth. His new book is Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist. Learn more: https://michaelshermer.com/

  Brian Keating Interviews Skeptic Magazine publisher and author of “Giving The Devil His Due” Michael Shermer. Get Michael Shermer’s Books here: GIVING THE DEVIL HIS DUE HEAVENS ON EARTH THE MORAL ARC:  Find Show Notes and Links here Dr. 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. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. 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, The Moral Arc, and Heavens on Earth. His new book is Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist. Follow Michael on Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaelshermer and Brian Keating here: https://twitter.com/drbriankeating Michael regularly contributes opinion editorials, essays, and reviews to: the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, Science, Nature, and other publications. He wrote 214 consecutive monthly columns for Scientific American. He appeared on such shows as The Colbert Report, 20/20, Dateline, Charlie Rose, Oprah, and Larry King Live (but, proudly, never Jerry Springer!). He has been interviewed in countless documentaries aired on PBS, A&E, Discovery, The History Channel, The Science Channel, and The Learning Channel. Dr. Shermer was the co-host and co-producer of the 13-hour Family Channel television series, Exploring the Unknown. His two TED talks, seen by millions, were voted in the top 100. 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 University. He has been a college professor since 1979, also teaching at Occidental College, Glendale College, and Claremont Graduate University, where he taught a transdisciplinary course for Ph.D. students on Evolution, Economics, and the Brain. Watch Michael Shermer discuss Losing the Nobel Prize with Brian Keating on SCIENCE SALON # 70 Topics discussed in this extended interview include: M Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. 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 putting out a false narrative… shocking I know. The complete lack of self-awareness in America & how social media is now used as a weapon. Turning his back on god?

------------------Support the channel------------ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thedissenter PayPal: paypal.me/thedissenter ------------------Follow me on--------------------- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedissenteryt/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheDissenterYT Dr. Michael Shermer is an American science writer, historian of science, founder of The Skeptics Society, and editor-in-chief of its magazine Skeptic. He's also the author of 19 books, including Why People Believe Weird Things; The Science of Good and Evil; Why Darwin Matters; The Believing Brain; and, more recently, Heavens on Earth: The Scientific Search for the Afterlife, Immortality, and Utopia. Here, we talk about his latest book, Heavens on Earth; the afterlife, immortality and utopia; terror management theory; social experiments on political utopias; scientific utopias; the concept of protopia; progress; morality; skepticism; pseudoscience and how to combat it. -- O Dr. Michael Shermer é um divulgador de ciência americano, historiador de ciência, fundador da The Skeptics Society, e editor-chefe da sua revista, Skeptic. É também o autor de 19 livros, incluindo Why People Believe Weird Things; The Science of Good and Evil; Why Darwin Matters; The Believing Brain; e, mais recentemente, Heavens on Earth: The Scientific Search for the Afterlife, Immortality, and Utopia. Aqui, falamos sobre o seu último livro, Heavens on Earth; a vida depois da morte, imortalidade e utopia; a “terror management theory”; experiências sociais com utopias políticas; utopias científicas; o conceito de protopia; progresso; moralidade; ceticismo; pseudociência e como combate-la. -- Skeptic website: https://www.skeptic.com/ Heavens on Earth European version: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heavens-Earth-Scientific-Afterlife-Immortality/dp/1472140613 Heavens on Earth original version: https://www.amazon.com/Heavens-Earth-Scientific-Afterlife-Immortality/dp/1627798579 Support Skeptic on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/skeptic More books by Dr. Shermer and others at Skeptic: https://shop.skeptic.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SS&Category_Code=B Dr. Shermer's Twitter handle: @michaelshermer -- A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS: KARIN LIETZCKE, ANN BLANCHETTE, JUNOS, SCIMED, PER HELGE HAAKSTD LARSEN, LAU GUERREIRO, RUI BELEZA, MIGUEL ESTRADA, ANTÓNIO CUNHA, CHANTEL GELINAS, JIM FRANK, JERRY MULLER, FRANCIS FORD, AND HANS FREDRIK SUNDE! I also leave you with the link to a recent montage video I did with the interviews I have released until the end of June 2018: https://youtu.be/efdb18WdZUo And check out my playlists on: PSYCHOLOGY: https://tinyurl.com/ybalf8km PHILOSOPHY: https://tinyurl.com/yb6a7d3p ANTHROPOLOGY: https://tinyurl.com/y8b42r7g

Dr. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, 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.

Billions of people across the world and throughout time have held strong metaphysical beliefs—whether religious in nature, or more supernatural or spiritual. This year's World Science Festival dared to ask what science can tell us about religion, spirituality and our belief instinct—without passing judgement.