Michael Shermer delves into the investigation and debunking of pseudoscientific and supernatural claims, reflecting a deep engagement with the history of science and the promotion of skeptical inquiry. He writes for a broad audience, exploring the frontiers of human knowledge and belief. His work challenges readers to adopt critical thinking and a rational approach to the information they encounter in the modern world.
The author discusses how we should think about conspiracy theories, who believes them and why, which conspiracy theories are likely to be true or false and what criteria we can use to assess them, and what we should do to combat dangerous conspiracism and reestablish trust in our democratic institutions, in the media, and in one another -- Provided by publisher.
This book is for all readers who care about science and reason, humanism and secularism, the progress of humanity, and the advancement of morals and values. It also advocates for the protection and continued expansion of human rights, such as civil rights, women's rights, LGBT+ rights, and animal rights.
Exploring the complexities of the human mind, this work employs evolutionary psychology and cultural evolutionary theory to provide insights to an alien scientist. It delves into the origins of human behavior, thought processes, and cultural developments, offering a unique perspective on what makes humanity distinct. Through this imaginative lens, the book seeks to unravel the intricacies of human nature and the evolutionary factors that shape our psychology and culture.
An Intelligent Career is a playbook for the modern knowledge worker, with clear guidance and support on taking charge of your own destiny, seeking continuous learning, collaborating with others, recognizing and acting on fresh opportunities, determining when it is time to move on, and much more.
"In his most ambitious work yet, Shermer sets out to discover what drives humans' belief in life after death, focusing on recent scientific attempts to achieve immortality by radical life extentionists, extropians, transhumanists, cryonicists, and mind-uploaders, along with utopians who have attempted to create heaven on earth. For millennia, religions have concocted numerous manifestations of heaven and the afterlife, the place where souls go after the death of the physical body. Religious leaders have toiled to make sense of this place that a surprising 74% of Americans believe exists, but from which no one has ever returned to report what it is really like. Heavens on Earth concludes with an uplifting paean to purpose and progress and what we can do in the here-and-now, whether or not there is a hereafter" --
Collected essays from bestselling author Michael Shermer's celebrated columns in Scientific American For fifteen years, bestselling author Michael Shermer has written a column in Scientific American magazine that synthesizes scientific concepts and theory for a general audience. His trademark combination of deep scientific understanding and entertaining writing style has thrilled his huge and devoted audience for years. Now, in Skeptic, seventy-five of these columns are available together for the first time; a welcome addition for his fans and a stimulating introduction for new readers.
Synthesizing thirty years of research, psychologist and science historian Michael Shermer upends the traditional thinking about how humans form beliefs about the world. Simply put, beliefs come first and explanations for beliefs follow. The brain, Shermer argues, is a belief engine. Using sensory data that flow in through the senses, the brain naturally begins to look for and find patterns, and then infuses those patterns with meaning, forming beliefs. Once beliefs are formed the brain begins to look for and find confirmatory evidence in support of those beliefs, accelerating the process of reinforcing them, and round and round the process goes in a positive-feedback loop. In The Believing Brain, Shermer provides countless real-world examples of how this process operates, from politics, economics, and religion to conspiracy theories, the supernatural, and the paranormal. And ultimately, he demonstrates why science is the best tool ever devised to determine whether or not our beliefs match reality.
Bestselling author Shermer presents a comprehensive and provocative theory on how beliefs are born, formed, reinforced, challenged, changed, and extinguished.
How Biology and Psychology Shape Our Economic Lives
The book offers an engaging exploration of behavioral, evolutionary, and neuropsychology, presenting intriguing insights and stories that highlight the complexities of human behavior. Through captivating narratives, it delves into the science behind our actions and decisions, making complex concepts accessible and fascinating to readers. The author’s storytelling prowess enhances the understanding of psychological principles, making it an enlightening read for those interested in the intricacies of the human mind.
Takes a look at those who say the Holocaust never happened and explores the motivations behind such claims. This work shows how we can be certain that the Holocaust happened and, for that matter, how we can confirm any historical event.