Why People Believe Weird Things by Michael Shermer

Why People Believe Weird Things



Download Why People Believe Weird Things




Why People Believe Weird Things Michael Shermer
Language: English
Format: mp3

Description:

Few can talk with more personal authority about the range of human beliefs than Michael Shermer. At various times in the past, Shermer has believed in fundamentalist Christianity, alien abductions, Ayn Rand, megavitamin therapy, and deep-tissue massage. Now he believes in skepticism, and his motto is 'Cognite tute - think for yourself.' This updated edition of Why People Believe Weird Things covers Holocaust denial and creationism in considerable detail, and has chapters on abductions, Satanism, Afrocentrism, near-death experiences, Randian positivism, and psychics. Shermer has five basic answers to the implied question in his title: for consolation, for immediate gratification, for simplicity, for moral meaning, and because hope springs eternal. He shows the kinds of errors in thinking that lead people to believe weird (that is, unsubstantiated) things, especially the built-in human need to see patterns, even where there is no pattern to be seen. Throughout, Shermer emphasizes that skepticism (in his sense) does not need to be cynicism: 'Rationality tied to moral decency is the most powerful joint instrument for good that our planet has ever known.'

Reviews
According to Reason magazine, 'Shermer's episodic book covers a wide range of subjects, in a wide range of manners. He takes ritual jabs at such old debunker punching bags as ESP and UFOs (through UFOlogy's newest twist, alien abduction of humans). You'll also find cogent debunkings of strange phenomena such as fire walking and psychics who can discover 'unknowable' facts about strangers. The longest sections of the book take on the more-substantive issues of creationism and Holocaust denial.'
It was given 4 out of 5 stars by popularscience.co.uk, which said 'In this classic, originally published in 1997 but reviewed in a new UK edition, he gives a powerful argument for taking the sceptical viewpoint'
According to Los Angeles Times, 'Shermer's directly written book is the perfect handbook to thrust on anyone you know who has been lured into conforming paranoias that circulate amid the premillenial jitters.'
The Independent Thinking Review wrote, 'This is a book that deserves to be widely read. Skeptics and critical thinkers can learn from it, but more importantly, it's a book to give those who maybe aren't as skeptical as you, those who need some clear and reasonable arguments to gently push them in a more critical direction. Read this book yourself: buy it for someone whose mind you care about.'



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Download audiobook Why People Believe Weird Things mp3
Audiobook Why People Believe Weird Things mp3 by Michael Shermer
Audio book Why People Believe Weird Things mp3 by Michael Shermer