shermer
Michael Shermer: Why people believe strange things
www.ted.com Why do people see the Virgin Mary on cheese sandwiches or hear demonic lyrics in "Stairway to Heaven"? Using video, images and music, professional skeptic Michael Shermer explores these and other phenomena, including UFOs and alien sightings. He offers cognitive context In the absence of sound science, incomplete information can combine with the power of suggestion (helping us hear those Satanic lyrics in Led Zeppelin). In fact, he says, humans tend to convince ourselves to believe: We overvalue the "hits" that support our beliefs, and discount the more numerous "misses."
CFI-NYC | Michael Shermer: The Believing Brain
On June 9, 2011, the Center for Inquiry-New York City and NYC Skeptics hosted noted skeptic and bestselling author Michael Shermer for a talk about his new book, "The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies—How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths." The event was held at the Auditorium on Broadway. This is the full video, including both the talk and question-and-answer session. Correction: Michael Shermer is not executive director of NYC Skeptics, but of the Skeptics Society. Our apologies. For more: www.centerforinquiry.net/nyc www.nycskeptics.org
Michael Shermer: The pattern behind self-deception
www.ted.com Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things -- from alien abductions to dowsing rods -- boils down to two of the brain's most basic, hard-wired survival skills. He explains what they are, and how they get us into trouble.TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http Watch a highlight reel of the Top 10 TEDTalks at www.ted.com
Ask Michael Shermer Anything
SALE TODAY: Learn Piano on iOS bit.ly BuyMichael Shermer's newest book here: amzn.to Michael Shermer is the author of The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths. He is also the founding publisher of Skeptic Magazine, the executive director of the Skeptics Society, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, the host of the Skeptics Distinguished Science Lecture Series at Caltech and an adjunct professor at Claremont Graduate University. Michael has written 15 books, including Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time; How We Believe: Science, Skepticism, and the Search for God; The Mind of the Market: How Biology and Psychology Shape Our Economic Lives; and Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design.
Shermer on Larry King Live with the UFOlogists
A couple of times a year, in between his celebfest of stars, Larry King hosts the UFOlogists who regale the talk show king with an endless parade of blurry photographs, grainy videos, and breathless tales of government coverups and conspiracies. This night Larry included a couple of skeptics: Michael Shermer of Skeptic magazine and Buzz Aldrin, of Apollo 11 fame, who described his own UFO experience during his trip to the moon (it turned out to be one of the rocket panels carried out with them).
Michael Shermer: Baloney Detection Kit
The first video from RDF TV! With a sea of information coming at us from all directions, how do we sift out the misinformation and bogus claims, and get to the truth? Michael Shermer of Skeptic Magazine lays out a "Baloney Detection Kit," ten questions we should ask when encountering a claim. The 10 Questions: 1. How reliable is the source of the claim? 2.Does the source make similar claims? 3. Have the claims been verified by somebody else? 4. Does this fit with the way the world works? 5. Has anyone tried to disprove the claim? 6. Where does the preponderance of evidence point? 7. Is the claimant playing by the rules of science? 8. Is the claimant providing positive evidence? 9. Does the new theory account for as many phenomena as the old theory? 10. Are personal beliefs driving the claim? Download Quicktime version (Small): cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com Quicktime Large: cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com Mp3 audio only: cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com Get the RDF TV podcast through iTunes! itunes.apple.com If you enjoy the video, and would like to help us make more videos like this, please consider donating $1 (or any other amount you'd like) to The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. Donate here: richarddawkins.net Presented by The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science ( http ) Produced by The Richard Dawkins Foundation and Michael Shermer Directed by Josh Timonen Animation by Pew 36 Animation Studios ( www.pew36.co.uk ) Music by Neal Acree ( www.nealacree.com ...
Michael Shermer: Why Darwin Matters
Michael Shermer, the founding publisher of Skeptic Magazine, argues Why Darwin Matters: Evolution, Intelligent Design and the Battle for Science and Religion in this talk presented by the Division of Biological Sciences and the Helen Edison Lecture Series at the University of California, San Diego. Series: Helen Edison Lecture Series [5/2009] [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 15584]
Michael Shermer Tests Acupuncture
One of the oldest forms of so-called alternative or complementary medicine is the ancient Chinese art of acupuncture, now claimed by many to be a science. Michael Shermer goes in search of what is behind acupuncture through interviews and getting himself poked!
Authors@Google: Michael Shermer
Michael Shermer discusses his book "Mind of the Market" as part of the Authors@Google series. How did we evolve from ancient hunter-gatherers to modern consumer-traders? Why are people so irrational when it comes to money and business? Bestselling author Dr. Michael Shermer argues that evolution provides an answer to both of these questions through the new science of evolutionary economics. Drawing on research from neuroeconomics, Shermer explores what brain scans reveal about bargaining, snap purchases, and how trust is established in business. Utilizing experiments in behavioral economics, Shermer shows why people hang on to losing stocks and failing companies, why business negotiations often disintegrate into emotional tit-for-tat disputes, and why money does not make us happy. Employing research from complexity theory, Shermer shows how evolution and economics are both examples of a larger phenomenon of complex adaptive systems. Along the way, Shermer answers such provocative questions as: Do our tribal roots mean that we will always be a sucker for brands? How is the biochemical joy of sex similar to the rewards of business cooperation? How can nations increase trust within and between their borders? Finally, Shermer considers the consequences of globalization and what will happen if nations allow free trade across their borders. This event took place January 29, 2008 at Google Headquarters in Mountain View, CA. For more information about Michael Shermer, visit: www ...
Skeptic Michael Shermer on Atheism, Happiness, and the Free Market
Whether they're intelligent design advocates, psychics, or 9/11 truthers, Skeptic Magazine's Founding Publisher Michael Shermer says the world is full of people who believe weird things. Shermer sat down with Reason.tv's Tim Cavanaugh at Libertopia 2010 in Hollywood to discuss why self-help gurus aren't the key to happiness, what the New Atheist movement hopes to accomplish, why liberals accept evolution but not free markets, and why he switched from global warming skepticism to acceptance. Approximately 9 minutes. Camera by Adam Hawk Jensen and Zach Weissmueller. Edited by Weissmueller. Music by Bjorn Fogelberg (Magnatune Records). Visit Reason.tv for downloadable versions. Subscribe to Reason.tv's YouTube channel to receive automatic notification when new material goes live.
Michael Shermer Tests the Polygraph and Lie Detection Part 1
Can the polygraph machine really scientifically measure if someone is lying, or are all those graphs and numbers just pseudoscience in the service of law enforcement? Can we tell if someone is lying to us by their body language or facial expressions? Michael Shermer puts both the polygraph and lie detection to the test in this dramatic episode that features OJ's jury consultant lie detection expert.
Michael Shermer Decodes the Bible Code
The Bible Code claims that hidden in the first five books of the Bible in its original Hebrew text are hidden messages in code that made predictions thousands of years ago about current events, such as the assassination of JFK and the end of the world. In this episode Michael Shermer decodes the Bible Code and reveals it to be a form of numerology that serves as a supreme example of pattern-seeking (and finding) behavior of which we are so skilled.
Michael Shermer at the Reason Rally Wash. DC 3/24/2012
How could you not admire someone who can get under Deepak Chopra's skin so quickly and effectively? He's like a ninja assassin skeptic.
Deepak Chopra, Michael Shermer, Chapman University
"Is there an Ultimate Reality?" and if yes, "Can it be accounted for by science such as mathematics, biology and physics?" Hear from Deepak Chopra, Michael Shermer and a panel of scientists address these questions during a recent special event at Chapman University, in the Folino Theater. Available at iTunes U itunes.apple.com
Michael Shermer Firewalking Across Hot Coals
Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine and monthly columnist for Scientific American, tries his hand at firewalking barefoot across 1000-degree red hot coals and doesn't get burned. Dr. Shermer provides a scientific explanation for the mysterious phenomenon.
Michael Shermer Spoonbending
Ever since the 1970s, spoonbending (and the bending of other cutlery, metal bars, and the like) has been held up as physical evidence for telekinesis, a form of PSI in which thoughts alone can allegedly be employed to alter the physical environment. In this episode, Michael Shermer attends a seminar on spoonbending and discovers the power of group think to actually bend metal!
Michael Shermer Out of Body Experiment
Michael Shermer travels to Laurentian University in Sudbury, Canada, to strap on the "God Helmet" in neuroscientist Michael Persinger's lab that duplicates out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, alien abductions, and other paranormal phenomena.
Michael Shermer on the Science of Good and Evil at TAM 2
In this talk from 2004, Dr. Michael Shermer (founder of The Skeptics Society and editor-in-chief of Skeptic Magazine) discusses "The Science of Good and Evil."
Shermer & Purdom Interview at Creation Museum
Dr Michael Shermer and Dr Georgia Purdom talk at the Creation Museum. About Michael: www.michaelshermer.com About Georgia: www.answersingenesis.org Ken Ham blogged about us being there, you can see a photograph of us by the ark there. :) blogs.answersingenesis.org
Michael Shermer Learns the Art of Con Games Part 1
The art of the con is as old as civilization, employing the skills of deception, misdirection, and the psychology of human greed and the desire to get something for nothing. In this episode Shermer employs a professional con artist to teach him the fine art of conning people.
A Video Introduction to Skeptic magazine by Michael Shermer
Dr. Michael Shermer, the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine and the Executive Director of the Skeptics Society, introduces Skeptic magazine. Josh Timonen producer, videographer: Josh Timonen
Michael Shermer Learns the Art of Con Games Part 2
The art of the con is as old as civilization, employing the skills of deception, misdirection, and the psychology of human greed and the desire to get something for nothing. In this episode Shermer employs a professional con artist to teach him the fine art of conning people.
Michael Shermer on How to Fake UFO Photographs
The best evidence that UFOs represent spacecraft from other worlds consists of grainy photographs, blurry videos, and anecdotes about things that go bump in the night. In this episode Michael Shermer shows how easy it is to fake UFO photographs, enlisting the help of children and disposable cameras to create convincing photographic evidence that even fooled experts!
Michael Shermer - Transhumanism, The Singularity and Skepticism
Micheael Shermer is interviewed about his views on the future of AI, the Technological Singularity, Transhumanism, and skepticism. This is not something that Michael Shermer usually talks about. Michael also spoke at the Singularity Summit in the US (www.singularitysummit.com ) this year (2011). Footage taken at the Think Inc conference in Melbourne 2011. Please leave comments!
Michael Shermer Explores Graphology, Part 1
Graphology, or handwriting analysis, claims that personality characteristics such as introversion and extraversion can be inferred from the form and structure of letters, words, and sentences (introverts, for example, are said to write in smaller letters, extraverts in larger letters). Shermer puts graphology to the experimental test, showing that if you do not already know the personality characteristic you are looking for in the handwriting, graphology is no better than chance.
Reason Rally 2012 - Michael Shermer
Michael Shermer speaks at the 2012 Reason Rally in Washington DC.
Michael Shermer at FSGP
video.rationalresponders.com http www.margaretdowney.com http www.rationalresponders.com
Holocaust Deniers with Michael Shermer
Bestselling Learn Guitar on Android! bit.ly BuyMichael Shermer's newest book here: amzn.to Michael Shermer is the author of The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths. He is also the founding publisher of Skeptic Magazine, the executive director of the Skeptics Society, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, the host of the Skeptics Distinguished Science Lecture Series at Caltech and an adjunct professor at Claremont Graduate University. Michael has written 15 books, including Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time; How We Believe: Science, Skepticism, and the Search for God; The Mind of the Market: How Biology and Psychology Shape Our Economic Lives; and Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design.
The Evolution of Fairness - Michael Shermer
Complete video at: fora.tv Psychologist Michael Shermer argues that our concept of "fairness" in economics has evolved over time. ----- Michael Shermer discusses his newest book The Mind of the Market: Compassionate Apes, Competitive Humans, and Other Tales from Evolutionary Economics. Psychologist Michael Shermer, the author of nine previous books, including the bestselling Why People Believe Weird Things, is a columnist for Scientific American, the publisher of Skeptic magazine, and the founder and director of the international Skeptics Society. - Tattered Cover
Michael Shermer Debunks James Van Praagh & Psychics
Michael Shermer explains how psychic James Van Praagh appears to talk to the dead by using such mentalism tricks as cold reading and hot reading.
Michael Shermer - The Threat of Pseudoscience
This half hour lecture is from the McGill University's Lorne Trottier Public Science Symposium on the confrontation and threat of pseudoscience in contemporary society. As a leading figure in this movement, Dr. Michael Shermer is more than qualified to speak on many of the issues. His down-to-earth style coupled with his laundry list of first hand encounters with the baloney of our day make this presentation (as well as many of his others) an absolute treat to watch. I myself do not own the copyright to this material. As stated previously, this was filmed, funded, and produced by McGill University, and so far as I can tell, this is their intellectual property. I have uploaded it here so that it may reach a greater audience and showcase the truly great work of the presenter and the hosts. If anyone should wish for me to take it down, I would oblige.
Jacoby-Shermer debate, 1/10
[This is part 1 of Dr Jacoby's opening statement, refuting the existence of God.] The debate between international Christian speaker Douglas Jacoby and agnostic and skeptic Michael Shermer took place Saturday June 23, the highlight of the 2007 International Apologetics Conference, sponsored by the Apologetics Research Society. The debate topic: Does God Exist? Dr. Shermer is one of the three or four most famous atheist / agnostic scholars in the world, author of 12 books and President of the Skeptics Society. He has held dozens of debates, appeared on Oprah, 20/20, Dateline, Tom Snyder, Larry King Live and The History Channel. Dr. Jacoby, director of the Athens Institute of Ministry, has spoken in hundreds of cities in some 80 nations. This exciting event was held before a packed house, with an overflow crowd watching close circuit monitors outside the venue. Kedron Jones (Board member of ARS) was moderator and affable host. Shermer and Jacoby both bring their best analytical skills to this debate. The interchange is lively, with both speakers willing to concede points made by their opponent. You will benefit greatly from weighing the arguments put forth. Douglas' clear and incisive arguments for the existence of God are persuasive. He argues from cosmology (both its creation and its complexity). and the unmistakable fact that moral absolutes are part of reality. Shermer makes the case that religions are socially constructed, historically dependent, and that the faith you ...
Jacoby-Shermer debate, 3/10
[This is part 1 of Dr Shermer's opening statement, refuting the existence of God.] The debate between international Christian speaker Douglas Jacoby and agnostic and skeptic Michael Shermer took place Saturday June 23, the highlight of the 2007 International Apologetics Conference, sponsored by the Apologetics Research Society. The debate topic: Does God Exist? Dr. Shermer is one of the three or four most famous atheist / agnostic scholars in the world, author of 12 books and President of the Skeptic Society. He has held dozens of debates, appeared on Oprah, 20/20, Dateline, Tom Snyder, Larry King Live and The History Channel. Dr. Jacoby, director of the Athens Institute of Ministry, has spoken in hundreds of cities in some 80 nations. This exciting event was held before a packed house, with an overflow crowd watching close circuit monitors outside the venue. Kedron Jones (Board member of ARS) was moderator and affable host. Shermer and Jacoby both bring their best analytical skills to this debate. The interchange is lively, with both speakers willing to concede points made by their opponent. You will benefit greatly from weighing the arguments put forth. Douglas' clear and incisive arguments for the existence of God are persuasive. He argues from cosmology (both its creation and its complexity). and the unmistakable fact that moral absolutes are part of reality. Shermer makes the case that religions are socially constructed, historically dependent, and that the faith you ...
Michael Shermer - Why People Believe Weird Things - Part 1/11
Ever wonder why people believe in UFO abductions, mind-reading, reincarnation, urban legends, not to mention "scientific creationism" and the pernicious myth that the Holocaust never happened? Dr. Michael Shermer, the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, is a genuine ghost-buster, a relentless crusader against superstition and pseudoscience. Based on his bestselling book, Why People Believe Weird Things, Dr Shermers lecture will debunk junk science, bad science, voodoo science, pathological science, pseudoscience, and plain old nonsense. The event will be filled with humour,insight, and personal anecdotes - a highly entertaining wake-up call that has proved a hit on college campuses. Dr. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the Executive Director of the Skeptics Society, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, the host of the Skeptics Distinguished Science Lecture Series at Caltech, and Adjunct Professor of Economics at Claremont Graduate University. Dr. Shermers latest book is The Mind of the Market, on evolutionary economics. His last book was Why Darwin Matters: Evolution and the Case Against Intelligent Design, and he is the author of Science Friction: Where the Known Meets the Unknown, about how the mind works and how thinking goes wrong. His book The Science of Good and Evil: Why People Cheat, Gossip, Share Care, and Follow the Golden Rule, is on the evolutionary origins of morality and how to be good without God. He wrote a ...
Jacoby-Shermer Debate, 5/10
[This is Dr Jacoby's cross-examination of Dr Shermer.] The debate between international Christian speaker Douglas Jacoby and agnostic and skeptic Michael Shermer took place Saturday June 23, the highlight of the 2007 International Apologetics Conference, sponsored by the Apologetics Research Society. The debate topic: Does God Exist? Dr. Shermer is one of the three or four most famous atheist / agnostic scholars in the world, author of 12 books and President of the Skeptic Society. He has held dozens of debates, appeared on Oprah, 20/20, Dateline, Tom Snyder, Larry King Live and The History Channel. Dr. Jacoby, director of the Athens Institute of Ministry, has spoken in hundreds of cities in some 80 nations. This exciting event was held before a packed house, with an overflow crowd watching close circuit monitors outside the venue. Kedron Jones (Board member of ARS) was moderator and affable host. Shermer and Jacoby both bring their best analytical skills to this debate. The interchange is lively, with both speakers willing to concede points made by their opponent. You will benefit greatly from weighing the arguments put forth. Douglas' clear and incisive arguments for the existence of God are persuasive. He argues from cosmology (both its creation and its complexity). and the unmistakable fact that moral absolutes are part of reality. Shermer makes the case that religions are socially constructed, historically dependent, and that the faith you adhere to and the god you ...
Michael Shermer on FSM...addresses lone Pastafarian
Dr. Michael Shermer, President of the Skeptic Society, addresses the existence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, blessed be his noodly appendages, (At 4:00) while addressing the mistaken beliefs of the world's false religions. Without confirming the proven existence of our saucy saviour, he does demonstrate some concern about the theological rift that afflics the world's vast Pastafarian community: The noodle-width schism which threatens to tear apart the social fabric of the one true religion. Such a calamity would inevitably call into question the future survival of the human species and must be averted at all costs. PASTAFARI OF THE WORLD: We must stick together against those who would use our internal noodle-width debate to diminish the value of our faith. Resist the tyranical evil of those who wage war on our one true noodle goodness. We must starch united against those who would conspire to manipulate the world's pasta markets and profit unfairly from the rising price of pasta! They try to convince us to stock up on rice. NEVER! This may be our last chance! So please, stir the sauce slowly! PASTAFARI OF THE WORLD UNITE!! Pasta Akhbar. Ramen. , , The debate between international Christian speaker Douglas Jacoby and agnostic and skeptic Michael Shermer took place Saturday June 23, the highlight of the 2007 International Apologetics Conference, sponsored by the Apologetics Research Society. The debate topic: Does God Exist? The debate: www.youtube.com
Michael Shermer tests the Polygraph and Lie Detection Part 2
Can the polygraph machine really scientifically measure if someone is lying, or are all those graphs and numbers just pseudoscience in the service of law enforcement? Can we tell if someone is lying to us by their body language or facial expressions? Michael Shermer puts both the polygraph and lie detection to the test in this dramatic episode that features OJ's jury consultant lie detection expert.
Michael Shermer Explores Graphology, Part 2
Graphology, or handwriting analysis, claims that personality characteristics such as introversion and extraversion can be inferred from the form and structure of letters, words, and sentences (introverts, for example, are said to write in smaller letters, extraverts in larger letters). Shermer puts graphology to the experimental test, showing that if you do not already know the personality characteristic you are looking for in the handwriting, graphology is no better than chance.
Michael Shermer on Charlie Rose on Pseudoscience, Part 1
Michael Shermer discusses Carl Sagan, science, pseudoscience, and the paranormal on PBS's Charle Rose, during his book tour for Why People Believe Weird Things.
Think Inc, Imaginary Friends, zomgitscriss, Michael Shermer and peter popoff
The Think Inc Conference website is here: thinkinc.org.au Imaginary Friends is here: imaginaryfriendsshow.com To donate an item to the ebay auction please send an email to: dprjones24hourblogtvformsf@gmail.com The MSF/Doctors without Borders page is here: www.ebay.com The Schedule for the event is here: spreadsheets.google.com If you are not aware of the MSF/Doctors without Borders charity event this weekend then WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS???? The webite with all the details is here: dprjonesmsf.wordpress.com
Michael Shermer at TAM 2011
Author Michael Shermer on "The Believing Brain: From Ghost and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies -- How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths."
Michael Shermer vs William Dembski on intelligent design
g12er's video from February 18, 2007 Michael Shermer vs William Dembski on the subject of intelligent design, also known as creationism. This is from August 16th, 2005. Shermer has some comments on his website about it. Funny Dembski mentioned the bacterial flagellum, which was argued by Michael Behe at the Dover trial, but was explained by scientists through evolution. See the decision in the Dover trial, which refers to it. www.michaelshermer.com ==Behe and Krauss== [link needed] ==Ruse and Dembski== [link needed]
Michael Shermer 1/5 (The Amazing Meeting 3)
Dr. Michael Shermer is the founder of Skeptic Magazine as well as author of "The Science of Good & Evil", Why People Believe Weird Things", "Why Dawkins Matters", and many other great works. At The Amazing Meeting 3 Shermer gave a great presentation and spoke about his then new book "Science Friction".
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