Science Salon

Ask a question and participate in future episodes of the show. Religion in the twenty-first century is alive and well across the world, despite its apparent decline in North America and parts of Europe. Vigorous competition between and within religious movements has led to their accumulating great power and wealth. Religions in many traditions have honed their competitive strategies over thousands of years. Today, they are big business; like businesses, they must recruit, raise funds, disburse budgets, manage facilities, organize transportation, motivate employees, and get their message out. Economist Paul Seabright argues that religious movements are a special kind of business: they are platforms, bringing together communities of members who seek many different things from one another—spiritual fulfilment, friendship and marriage networks, even business opportunities. Their function as platforms is what has allowed religions to consolidate and wield power, which can be used for good and for harm. Paul Seabri

Max Boot’s revelatory biography of Ronald Reagan, a decade in the making, offers a nuanced portrait of the actor-turned-politician who ushered in a transformative conservative era in American politics. Despite his fame, Reagan remained enigmatic even to those closest to him. Boot’s work, avoiding both hagiography and criticism, charts Reagan’s epic journey from Depression-era America to “Morning in America.” The biography provides fresh insights into key aspects of Reagan’s presidency, including “trickle-down economics,” the Cold War’s end, and the Iran-Contra affair. Boot’s definitive work stands as a compelling presidential biography, rivaling any in recent decades. The author, a Russia-born naturalized American historian and foreign policy analyst, brings his expertise to this comprehensive examination of Reagan’s life and legacy. Shermer and Boot discuss Reagan’s early life, his political evolution from a liberal to a conservative, his presidency, and the impact of his policies on modern conservatism. Boo

Since Hamas’s attack on Israel last October 7, the term “settler colonialism” has become central to public debate in the United States. A concept new to most Americans, but already established and influential in academic circles, settler colonialism is shaping the way many people think about the history of the United States, Israel and Palestine, and a host of political issues. This short book is the first to examine settler colonialism critically for a general readership. By critiquing the most important writers, texts, and ideas in the field, Adam Kirsch shows how the concept emerged in the context of North American and Australian history and how it is being applied to Israel. He examines the sources of its appeal, which, he argues, are spiritual as much as political; how it works to delegitimize nations; and why it has the potential to turn indignation at past injustices into a source of new injustices today. A compact and accessible introduction, rich with historical detail, the book will speak to readers

Dr. Theodore Schwartz’s book Gray Matters: A Biography of Brain Surgery offers a comprehensive exploration of neurosurgery, a field barely a century old that profoundly connects two human beings. The book delves into the history of how early neurosurgeons came to understand the complex human brain and how this challenging specialty emerged. Drawing from his own cases and various archives, Schwartz provides insights into the practical aspects of brain surgery and its life-or-death nature. The book covers a wide range of brain-related topics that have long captivated public interest, including famous cases like JFK’s assassination and President Biden’s brain surgery, as well as the NFL’s management of CTE. Dr. Schwartz also discusses the field’s latest advancements and tackles philosophical questions about the unity of self and free will. As a practicing neurosurgeon and professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, Schwartz brings a unique perspective to this cultural and scientific history of a mind-blowing human ende

Biologist Colin Wright joins the podcast to explore one of today’s most contentious topics: the intersection of biological sex and gender. Drawing on his expertise in animal behavior and evolutionary biology, Colin breaks down key concepts such as biological sex, gender identity, and gender dysphoria. He also examines the shift in societal definitions of what it means to be a man or woman, and how these evolving perspectives fit with long-standing biological principles. This session was presented at FreedomFest 2024. To see more speeches and sessions from FreedomFest, visit freedomfest.com/civl.

AI could bring unprecedented advancements in science and technology, but Gary Marcus, in Taming Silicon Valley, warns it might also lead to democracy’s collapse or even human extinction. With Big Tech manipulating both the public and government, are we prepared for the consequences of AI’s unchecked power? Marcus urges that the choices we make today will define our future. Can we harness AI’s potential without losing control? Exposing AI’s flaws and Big Tech’s grip on policymakers, Marcus offers eight solutions to avert disaster—from ensuring data rights to enforcing strict oversight. But will governments act in time? Marcus calls for citizens to push for change before it’s too late. Will we rise to the challenge, or let AI’s future be shaped by a few, for their own gain? Shermer and Marcus discuss various aspects of AI, including the current state of AI, AGI, and Generative AI like ChatGPT, and the AI we should aim for. They explore the key problems to solve, the 12 biggest threats of Generative AI, and the

From the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the rise of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives and Artificial Intelligence, in this episode Steven Pinker, Matt Ridley, and Michael Shermer challenge conventional narratives and explore how we can continue to move forward. They discuss the state of democracy, autocracy, and the lessons learned from historical crises, while offering insights into how innovation, rationality, and education can lead us through challenging times. This session was presented at FreedomFest 2024. To see more speeches and sessions from FreedomFest, visit freedomfest.com/civl.

Michael Shermer and Matthew Stewart explore the heretical philosophical roots of the American Republic, including Enlightenment influences and the Founding Fathers’ religious beliefs. They discuss Epicurean and ancient Greek ideas, slavery’s moral contradictions, and its role in causing the Civil War, with figures like John Brown and Frederick Douglass shaping abolitionist movements that ultimately led to emancipation. Matthew Stewart is an independent philosopher and historian who has written extensively about the philosophical origins of the American republic, the history of philosophy, management theory, and the culture of inequality. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review, among other publications. In recent years he has lived in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles, and is currently based in London. He is the author of Nature’s God: The Heretical Origins of the American Republic and An Emancipation of the Mind: Radical Philosophy, the

From precognitive dreams and telepathic visions to near-death experiences, UFO encounters, and beyond, so-called impossible phenomena are not supposed to happen. But they do happen—all the time. Jeffrey J. Kripal asserts that the impossible is a function not of reality but of our everchanging assumptions about what is real. How to Think Impossibly invites us to think about these fantastic (yet commonplace) experiences as an essential part of being human, expressive of a deeply shared reality that is neither mental nor material but gives rise to both. Thinking with specific individuals and their extraordinary experiences in vulnerable, open, and often humorous ways, Kripal interweaves humanistic and scientific inquiry to foster an awareness that the fantastic is real, the supernatural is super natural, and the impossible is possible. Jeffrey J. Kripal holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University. He is the author of numerous books, including The Superhumanities: Histo

During a two-hour interview with Tucker Carlson, Darryl Cooper made sensational claims about the Holocaust and World War II, with Carlson calling him "the best and most honest popular historian in the United States." In this solo episode, Michael Shermer takes a critical look at the pseudohistory and historical revisionism presented by Cooper on Carlson's show.

In Disbelief: The Origins of Atheism in a Religious Species, Will Gervais explores the interconnected nature of religious belief and atheism in human psychology. Gervais proposes that understanding religion requires solving two evolutionary puzzles: the Puzzle of Faith, examining how Homo sapiens became uniquely religious, and the Puzzle of Atheism, investigating how disbelief exists within this religious species. This approach yields a comprehensive theory explaining both faith and atheism, shedding light on humanity’s religious evolution and the current trend of abandoning belief. Gervais draws on cognitive science, cultural evolution, and evolutionary psychology to challenge existing theories of religion. Will Gervais, PhD, is a prominent cultural evolutionary psychologist specializing in the scientific study of atheism. His research, featured in major media outlets, bridges cultural evolution, evolutionary psychology, and cognitive science. Gervais’s interdisciplinary work has earned him recognition as a

Dr. Ben Goertzel is a multidisciplinary scientist, entrepreneur, and author, originally from Brazil. He currently resides on an island near Seattle after living in Hong Kong. He leads prominent AI organizations like the SingularityNET Foundation, OpenCog Foundation, and the AGI Society, which hosts an annual Artificial General Intelligence conference. Goertzel is also deeply involved in AI development through organizations like Rejuve, Mindplex, and Cogito, and serves as a musician in Jam Galaxy Band, the first-ever band led by a humanoid robot. Additionally, he played a key role in the creation of the Sophia robot at Hanson Robotics and now works on the development of Grace, Sophia’s sister, at Awakening Health. Goertzel's research spans fields such as artificial intelligence, cognitive science, natural language processing, and theoretical physics, resulting in over 25 scientific books and 150 technical papers. He frequently lectures at global conferences and has an extensive background in academia, having e

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. It’s no different when it comes to UFO frenzy. There is a need to separate fact from fiction in UAP claims. In this episode, Shermer delves into the growing interest in UAPs (formerly UFOs), especially in light of UFOlogist Lue Elizondo’s book Imminent. Elizondo claims the U.S. government has long been aware of extraterrestrial intelligence, backed by reports of unidentified craft surveilling military sites. The episode explores these bold assertions and the tension between believers and skeptics, including scientists like Avi Loeb and institutions like the Department of Defense, which have disputed such claims. Listeners interested in extraterrestrial intelligence, UFOs, and government secrecy will find this discussion compelling. Shermer reflects on historical UFO figures like Bob Lazar and Travis Walton, questioning their credibility while exploring the widespread belief in imminent “disclosure” of alien contact. Through interviews with experts and analysis

The stated goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are often reasonable, if not noble—to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Yet, as more and more people are discovering, DEI as commonly practiced isn’t a natural extension of past civil rights movements or an ethical framework for opposing discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, etc. Rather, it is inextricably connected with an illiberal and authoritarian ideology—Critical Social Justice—that demands adherence to its tenets and punishes any dissent from its dogma. Even the mildest questions about Critical Social Justice claims—that all white people are racists, that all underrepresented minorities are oppressed, that sex and gender differences have no biological basis, that censorship is a necessary good—are regularly met by DEI trainers and HR officers with pat commands: “Educate yourself,” “Do the work,” “Listen and learn.” At work, raises, promotions, and future employment often depend on our nodding approval of such c

Charles Fort, a maverick writer, fascinated by bizarre occurrences like flying saucers, Bigfoot, and frogs raining from the sky, scanned newspapers and magazines for reports of anomalies, advancing a philosophy that saw science as a small part of a larger system where truth and falsehood constantly transformed. His work found a following of skeptics who questioned not only science but also the press, medicine, and politics, led by the adman and writer Tiffany Thayer, who founded the Fortean Society. Joshua Blu Buhs argues in Think to New Worlds that the Fortean movement provided tools to expand the imagination, explore the social order, and demonstrate power dynamics, inspiring science fiction writers, avant-garde modernists, and post-World War II flying saucer enthusiasts to uncover the hidden structures of reality in an ever-expanding universe filled with unexplained occurrences and visionary possibilities. Joshua Blu Buhs is a scholar of the overlap of politics, biology, and ecology in twentieth-century Am

As if 2024 couldn't get any weirder, tensions in the Middle East have escalated with the United States sending one of our nuclear submarines to the Mediterranean as a deterrent signal to Iran that they better think twice about attacking Israel. That sub, the Ohio-class USS Georgia, carries non-nuclear cruise missiles. But 14 of our 18 Ohio-class submarines have nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles—each sub has in its belly the nuclear equivalent of all the bombs dropped in World War II. Multiply that by 14 and let your imagination be properly staggered. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have pushed into Russian territory and Putin is outraged at the invasion. How far can Ukraine go before Putin uses his battlefield tactical nukes in response? In this solo episode, Michael Shermer discusses the threat of nuclear annihilation and explores the evolutionary origins of our moral emotions and logic of deterrence based on game theory. Focus of the analysis: the need to reduce nuclear stockpiles and shifting the taboo from us

In his book Of Boys and Men and through his work at the American Institute for Boys and Men, Richard V. Reeves addresses the growing crisis facing boys and men in modern society. He argues that economic and social changes have left many males struggling in education, work, and family life, while institutions and laws have failed to adapt. Reeves criticizes both conservative and progressive politicians for their inability to provide effective solutions. He emphasizes that addressing these issues doesn’t undermine gender equality; rather, it’s possible to support both men and women simultaneously. Reeves highlights that while women still face disadvantages in areas like pay and leadership, men—especially those from minority or low-income backgrounds—are falling behind in other aspects of life. His approach aims to provide innovative solutions to these complex challenges without compromising the goal of gender equality. Richard Reeves is the founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM). B

In her autobiographical book On the Warpath, archaeologist Elizabeth Weiss recounts her battles on the front lines of the culture war in academia. Her opposition to the reburial of Native American remains, her insistence that indigenous knowledge is not science, and her fight against political correctness have exposed her to numerous controversies, including a court case, cancel culture campaigns, and the university shutting her out of its collection over a photograph of her holding a skull. Weiss tells the story of her fight for science against superstition and her attempts to promote free speech and academic freedom, while examining the current challenges facing universities through her battles against absurdities such as attempts to bar “menstruating personnel” (formerly known as women) from curation facilities and plans to declare X-rays sacred for repatriation to Native Americans. Elizabeth Weiss is a controversial and world-renowned anthropology professor, specializing in the analysis of human skeletal

Life as No One Knows It by Sara Imari Walker tackles the challenging question of defining life, a problem as complex as understanding consciousness or matter’s existence. Walker argues that current definitions are inadequate for comprehending life’s origins or potential extraterrestrial forms. She proposes that solving this puzzle requires revolutionary thinking and an experimentally verifiable theory. This is crucial for both creating life in laboratories and searching for it on other planets. Walker suggests a new paradigm for understanding physics and life, exploring the work of innovative scientists who are reframing fundamental questions about the universe. The book concludes with a bold theory for identifying and classifying life, applicable beyond Earth. It’s a rigorous yet accessible work that celebrates life’s mystery while demonstrating physics’ explanatory power. Sara Imari Walker is an astrobiologist and theoretical physicist focused on the origin and discovery of life. She's a professor at Arizon

As cryptocurrency surged in popularity during the pandemic, many were drawn by the promise of wealth and revolutionizing sectors like finance, art, and politics. Figures like FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried became emblematic of this new era, but his meteoric rise was marred by scandal as his aggressive, profit-driven tactics led to one of the biggest financial fraud cases in U.S. history. Unlike idealists like Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin, Bankman-Fried’s approach mirrored the risky financial practices that triggered the 2008 crisis. Cryptomania delves into the crypto industry’s tumultuous 20 months, exposing its male-dominated, overhyped world, and chronicling the clash between profiteers and visionaries, the creation of speculative bubbles, and the human toll of its inevitable collapse. Andrew R. Chow is a correspondent for Time who covers technology, culture, and business. He has written four Time cover stories, including about the impacts of the AI corporate arms race and a prescient profile of Vitalik Buterin mo