Michael Shermer
Author Giving the Devil His Due, Host Science Salon Podcast, Publisher Skeptic Magazine, Presidential Fellow Chapman University.
Thought Leader
#5 The New Center
Last synced from Twitter 16m ago
The Inquiry - How did North Korea get the Bomb? - BBC Sounds
BBC Music - BBC 40h 1 tweets
Exploring how the secretive state has acquired nuclear weapons
Michael Shermer How did North Korea get the Bomb? Revealing BBC 23-minute program on how the regime cobbled together the parts, fissile material, and instructions to put it all together. Only a matter of time before they figure out how to mount them on long-range missiles 40h
In Outrage Over Its Bunk Science, Goop Finds Fuel for Growth
Undark Magazine 7d 6 tweets
Science advocates despise the dubious health products peddled by Goop. But the brand's forthcoming Netflix show suggests the denunciations don't matter.
Michael Shermer Here's a different type of "backfire effect": criticizing someone/something on social media only fuels enthusiasm for them/it. To wit, I've hammered Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow's dubious "health products" company, and now it looks like I've aided & abetted it! 3d
Putin Pays Backhanded Tribute to Democracy
The Atlantic 3d 1 tweets
In his new bid to cling to power, Russia’s authoritarian president pretends to obey constitutional norms.
Michael Shermer It's a type of moral progress: "For all the power that Putin wields in Russia, very few people can rule a country in the 21st century without at least a veneer of democratic procedure. Putin has always paid lip service to 'democracy' and 'freedom'." 3d
Afterlife breakthrough? Scientist’s shock 'place soul goes to' after death theory revealed
Express.co.uk 5d 2 tweets
A SCIENTIST quizzed on the possibility of life after death shockingly claimed “you’re going to this place where there is nothing” during a podcast with Joe Rogan.
Michael Shermer LOL classic click bait: apparently I reveal where the soul goes after death. Answer: This place called “nowhere”. Afterlife breakthrough? Scientist’s shock 'place soul goes to' after death theory revealed 5d
Michael Shermer Interesting Express found an image to represent the "nothing" we go to after we die, a stairway to heaven where... "it's whispered that soon, If we all call the tune Then the piper will lead us to reason And a new day will dawn For those who stand long" 5d
'Jeopardy!: The Greatest of All Time' crowns Ken Jennings winner
USA TODAY 5d 1 tweets
Ken Jennings went into Tuesday's 'Jeopardy!' GOAT episode ahead of his rivals; now he's won bragging rights and the $1 million prize
Michael Shermer I'll take GOATs for $1 million, Alex. He is ! Greatest of All Time. Who is Ken Jennings? Congrats & thanks for elevating mind games to Super Bowl status. You could almost say you're the Tom Brady of Brains but Bostonians might object 5d
Bobby Duffy — Why We’re Wrong About Nearly Everything: A Theory of Human Misunderstanding
Michael Shermer - Skeptic 6d 2 tweets
In Science Salon # 99 Michael Shermer speaks with Bobby Duffy about his research into public perception across more than 40 countries, offering a sweeping account of the stubborn problem of human delusion: how society breeds it, why it will never go...
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Michael Shermer SCIENCE SALON #99 with Bobby Duffy Why We’re Wrong About Nearly Everything —do men really have more sexual partners than women? —why we lie about almost everything —why we are more polarized politically —why we are not living in a post-truth era —and more 6d
Michael Shermer ICYMI... My conversation with Bobby Duffy on... Why We’re Wrong About Nearly Everything (and what we can do about that problem) 49h
Moral Politics (book) - Wikipedia
En.wikipedia.org 65d 2 tweets
Michael Shermer Conservatives say they are pro-life but are for executing prisoners (even if some innocent), cutting food stamps, reducing welfare programs, etc. Why? Strict-father says eye for an eye (capital punish); irresponsible adults need discipline not unearned $ 7d
Sir Roger Scruton, RIP
Power Line - Power Line 8d 3 tweets
Very sad news from England this morning of the passing of Sir Roger Scruton at the age of 75 after a long battle with cancer over the last year. Sir Roger deserves to be considered the greatest conservative thinker and writer of the last...
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Michael Shermer “A writer who says that there are no truths, or that all truth is ‘merely relative,’ is asking you not to believe him. So don’t.” —Sir Roger Scruton, 1944-2020. RIP 8d
Steven pinker | thoughts of an intellectual
IntellectInterviews 15d 7 tweets
Steven Pinker is one of the greatest and sanest minds of our time - a true polymath who uses scientific data to guide us. He is a Johnstone Professor at Harvard University and the author of many books. He shares his thoughts with us on topics like...
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Michael Shermer Treat people as individuals, not members of groups: "identity politics, with its notion of group-based power reassignment, is not the appropriate response to the undeniable existence of racism, sexism and homophobia; the principle of equal rights is." 9d
We Should Go to Mars
National Review 11d 1 tweets
Fears that water-consuming microbes from the Red Planet would desiccate Earth are absurd.
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Michael Shermer The great space engineer on why we should go to Mars (commenting on mine and others articles on governing Mars), and why 1 article is "hands down the most absurd piece ever penned about the purported danger of back contamination from Mars." 11d
Title not found
Thegreatcoursesplus.com 12d 2 tweets
Michael Shermer Announcement: I am honored to announce that the Science Salon podcast () is now partnering with The Great Courses Plus, the streaming service that allows you to hear any lecture from any of hundreds of courses. 1st month free at: 12d
Michael Shermer This week’s Great Courses Plus listen: Liberty on Trial. One of the best courses in the catalogue. Hard to believe people had to sue to get freedoms we take for granted today (eg, interracial marriage). Subscribe here for free for first month: 8d
Before the ‘Final Solution’ There Was a ‘Test Killing’
Nytimes.com 12d 4 tweets
Too few know the history of the Nazi methodical mass murder of disabled people. That is why I write.
Michael Shermer Evil happens gradually, 1 small step at a time, 15 volts each to 450 volts, which most people reach if they start low. How do you get Germans to kill Jews in gas chambers? You start by getting them to kill disabled/handicapped people: Aktion T4 12d
the goop lab with Gwyneth Paltrow | Trailer | Netflix
YouTube 14d 2 tweets
the goop lab with Gwyneth Paltrow is a six-episode series, guiding the deeply inquisitive viewer in an exploration of boundary-pushing wellness topics, inclu...
Michael Shermer I've posted a number of high quality Netflix films and series here, and praised their production values. I guess it was inevitable though... The Goop Lab, where flapdoodle reigns, flimflam rules, & Gwyneth Paltrow puts things into skin and vaginas. 12d
Only 1 Champ Will Be ‘The Greatest of All Time’ | J!Buzz | Jeopardy.com
Jeopardy.com 13d 1 tweets
This is it. The epic primetime event that brings you the matchup you’ve been waiting for: Ken Jennings, Brad Rutter and James Holzhauer. The three biggest winners in Jeopardy! history return to the stage for a showdown to decide – once and for all –...
Michael Shermer Tonight begins the Jeopardy! GOAT championship series. Should be epic...and humbling. The Super Bowl of brainiacs. The Tour de France of intellects. The World Series of minds. 13d
Heavens on Earth
Audible.com 13d 1 tweets
Check out this great listen on Audible.com. 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,...
Michael Shermer Thank you Gordana. Available in fine audio bookstores everywhere... 13d
Michael Shermer with Robert Pennock — An Instinct for Truth: Curiosity and the Moral Character of Science
Michael Shermer - Skeptic 13d 2 tweets
In Science Salon # 98 Michael Shermer speaks with Robert Pennock about his new book An Instinct for Truth: Curiosity and the Moral Character of Science. Taking a virtue-theoretic perspective, Pennock explores curiosity, veracity, skepticism,...
Michael Shermer Science Salon #98 Robert Pennock An Instinct for Truth Curiosity and the Moral Character of Science —anomalies —outsiders in science —why scientists are skeptical of UFOs, ESP, bigfoot etc —falsification —naturalistic fallacy & the Is-Ought problem 13d
Michael Shermer A weekend listen suggestion: philosopher Robert Pennock on: —the moral nature of science —anomalies in science —fraud in science and why it happens —the Is-Ought problem —autonomous vehicles ethics —why scientists are skeptical of UFOs, ESP, big foot etc. 9d
Ricky Gervais, Man of the People
Quillette 14d 13 tweets
In a room filled with self-absorbed narcissists, one brave, slightly less self-absorbed narcissist had the balls to speak truth to power—and his name is Ricky Gervais. If courage had a face, it would be a slightly overweight, pasty British...
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Michael Shermer What? It was my understanding that in U.S. acting school students take courses in history, poli-sci, & international relations, and subscribe for life to Foreign Affairs, so that they can comment intelligently on world affairs. 14d
"Drone" Photo over Nebraska - Actually a Boeing 737
Metabunk 15d 1 tweets
Your Favorite Internet Astrologer Wrote a Book
Jazmine Hughes - Nytimes.com 16d 6 tweets
Chani Nicholas doesn’t want to tell you who you are, but who you can be.
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Michael Shermer Astrology for iGeners. This is not your Ok Boomer astrology! The New York Times gives a glowing review of an astrology book when the author admits: “My work—every horoscope, all of it—is just me talking to myself.” Yup. 15d
Ten Years Away…and Always Will Be (a Review of Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans)
Michael Shermer - Skeptic 15d 1 tweets
Peter Kassan reviews Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans by Melanie Mitchell (Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 2019).
Michael Shermer Ten Years Away…and Always Will Be Good review essay by Peter Kassan of Melanie Mitchell's book Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans Human level intelligence for AI/computers is a long way off (e.g., no AI gets this photo) 15d