Zac Sechler interviews Michael Shermer about Why People Believe in God
In 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.
Daniel de Visé — On Comebacks in Sports and Life
Shermer speaks with Daniel de Visé about one of the greatest athletes in American history, three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond. They also discuss: Lance Armstrong and the era of using Performance Enhancing Drugs in sports and the ethics of how something can be immoral if everyone is doing it. Shermer explains his game theory analysis of cheating and how to tilt the incentive matrix to encourage fair play among all agents in a system, and more…
Dr. David P. Barash — Human Nature Through a Glass Brightly
Humans have long seen ourselves as the center of the universe. This viewpoint — a persistent paradigm of our own unique self-importance — is as dangerous as it is false. In this Science Salon 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.
Dr. Jonathan Haidt — Coming Apart
A lecture by and follow-up discussion with Dr. Jonathan Haidt about the excessive divisiveness of American politics and culture the past several years.
Dr. Clay Routledge — The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything
Shermer speaks with psychologist Clay Routledge about: the evolution of motivation and goals in animals and humans • what a “purpose driven life” really means • how atheists and nonbelievers can create meaningful and purposeful lives • the self, personal identity, and existential psychology • why people believe in God and fear death • why religious people live longer and healthier lives • why one-third of atheists believe in some type of life after death • free will as a
Dr. Debra Lieberman — That’s Disgusting! Objection: Disgust, Morality and the Law
In Science Salon # 41, Dr. Lieberman considers disgust and its impact on the legal system to show why the things that we find stomach-turning so often become the things that we render unlawful.
Dr. Kwame Anthony Appiah — Who Am I? Who Are You? The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity
Shermer and Appiah discuss: the 5 “Cs” of identity — Creed, Country, Color, Class, and Culture — and what they tell us about who we are, or at least who we think we are. Dr. Appiah’s work explores the nature and history of the identities that define us. It challenges our assumptions about how identities work. Appiah shows how identities are created by conflict and presents a bold new theory of identity: a ringing philosophical statement for the anxious, conflict-ridden
Heather Mac Donald — The Diversity Delusion: How Race and Gender Pandering Corrupt the University and Undermine Our Culture
In this riveting review of the campus craziness investigative journalist, 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.
Dr. Yuval Noah Harari — 21 Lessons for the 21st Century
In this dialogue with one of the most interesting minds of our time, the Hebrew University historian and best-selling author (Sapiens, Homo Deus), Dr. Yuval Noah Harari, he and Dr. Shermer discuss: history, work, liberty, equality, community, civilization, nationalism, religion, immigration, terrorism, war, humility, God, secularism, ignorance, justice, post-truth, science fiction, education, meaning, meditation, and more…
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson — Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military
In Science Salon # 37, Michael Shermer and Neil deGrasse Tyson take a 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.
Dr. Jonathan Haidt — The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting Up a Generation for Failure
In this fascinating dialogue Dr. Haidt and Dr. Shermer discuss what has been going wrong on many college campuses in the last few years. Speakers are shouted down. Students and professors say they are walking on eggshells and are afraid to speak honestly. Rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide are rising—on campus as well as nationally. How did this happen?
Dr. Tali Sharot — The Influential Mind: What the Brain Reveals About Our Power to Change Others
Cognitive neuroscientist Tali Sharot takes us on a thrilling exploration of the nature of influence. She and Shermer discuss how we can influence, for example, climate deniers to accept climate science, anti-vaxxers to accept vaccines, and creationists to accept evolution. It turns out, for example, that many of our instincts—from relying on facts and figures to shape opinions, to insisting others are wrong or attempting to exert control—are ineffective, because they are incompatible with how people’s minds operate.
Colin McGinn — Paradoxes, Puzzles, and Philosophy
In their second Science Salon conversation Michael Shermer and Colin McGinn discuss paradoxes and puzzles of philosophy, pseudo-questions, realism v. antirealism, how to deal with unknown unknowns, immortality and the nature of the self and soul.
David Quammen — The Tangled Tree: A Radical New History of Life
In Science Salon # 33, Michael Shermer talks with David Quammen, one of the best nature and science writers of our generation, about his new book on the history of one of the most exciting revolutions in evolution and genetics that is unfolding before our eyes.
Nina Teicholz — The Big Fat Surprise About Diet and Nutrition
In Science Salon # 32, Michael Shermer talks with investigative journalist Nina Teicholz about the scientific literature on diet and nutrition, the link (or lack thereof) between dietary cholesterol and heart disease, the history of the government’s recommendation of what constitutes a healthy diet and why they got it so wrong, statins and heart disease, exercise and nutrition, and much more…
Amy Alkon — Unf*ckology: A Field Guide to Living with Guts and Confidence
Science writer and weekly advice columnist Amy Alkon 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 about it. Shermer and Alkon also get into the #metoo movement, evolutionary psychology, politics, depression, suicide, Jordan Peterson, and other fascinating topics.
Dr. Ralph Lewis — Finding Meaning in a Meaningless Universe
In Science Salon # 30, Michael Shermer talks with University of Toronto psychiatrist Dr. Ralph Lewis, the author of the new book Finding Purpose in a Godless World: Why We Care Even if the Universe Doesn’t about helping cancer patients (and others facing death) to cope without depending on religion.
Colin McGinn — Mysterianism, Consciousness, Free Will, and God
After Colin McGinn commented publicly, and critically, on Michael Shermer’s Scientific American column on the mysteries of consciousness, free will and God, Shermer invited the philosopher on this podcast to discuss the topics in detail in order for everyone to glean a deeper understanding. A fruitful conversation ensued on these and other important topics.
Michael Shermer — Ask Me Anything # 1
Shermer answers 28 questions from listeners and subscribers about: science and skepticism; belief in God, Jesus, and religion; free will; Jordan Peterson; human nature; climate change; UFOs; ADHD; repressed memories; freedom of speech; medical quackery; capital punishment; and the future of humanity.
Dr. Edward J. Larson — On Faith and Science
Distinguished historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edward Larson and Michael Ruse, philosopher of science and Gifford Lecturer, offer their distinctive viewpoints on the sometimes contentious relationship between science and religion.
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