Michael Shermer Quotes

A collection of quotes by Michael Shermer.

Michael Shermer is a well-known American science writer, historian of science, and the founder of The Skeptics Society. Born on September 8, 1954, in Glendale, California, Shermer developed a deep interest in science and skepticism from an early age. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Pepperdine University and later obtained a master’s degree in experimental psychology from California State University.

Shermer has authored numerous books that explore various aspects of skepticism, science, and pseudoscience, including "Why People Believe Weird Things" and "The Moral Arc: How Science and Reason Lead Humanity toward Truth, Justice, and Freedom." He is also a regular contributor to popular magazines and newspapers, such as Scientific American, The Wall Street Journal, and Skeptic magazine, which he co-founded.

Through his writing and public speaking engagements, Shermer promotes critical thinking and scientific inquiry, challenging unfounded beliefs, superstitions, and conspiracy theories. He is a staunch advocate of skepticism and is known for debunking paranormal claims and pseudoscientific beliefs.

As a prominent figure in the skeptical movement, Shermer has lectured at numerous universities and conferences, sharing his views on science, reason, and the importance of evidence-based thinking. He has also appeared on various television shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Colbert Report, bringing scientific skepticism to a wider audience.

Overall, Michael Shermer is recognized as a leading voice in the promotion of scientific skepticism, challenging unfounded beliefs and encouraging critical thinking to better understand the world around us.

Intelligent Design is a remarkably uncreative theory that ab

Intelligent Design is a remarkably uncreative theory that abandons the search for understanding at the very point where it is most needed. If Intelligent Design is really a science, then the burden is on its scientists to discover the mechanisms used by the Intelligent Designer. (80)

Michael Shermer

Science Evolution Intelligent Design

Finally, from what we now know about the cosmos, to think th

Finally, from what we now know about the cosmos, to think that all this was created for just one species among the tens of millions of species who live on one planet circling one of a couple of hundred billion stars that are located in one galaxy among hundreds of billions of galaxies, all of which are in one universe among perhaps an infinite number of universes all nestled within a grand cosmic multiverse, is provincially insular and anthropocentrically blinkered. Which is more likely? That the universe was designed just for us, or that we the universe as having been designed just for us?

Michael Shermer

Science Creation Intelligent Design Universe Cosmos Species Darwinism Galaxies Multiverse

There are many sources of spirituality; religion may be the

There are many sources of spirituality; religion may be the most common, but it is by no means the only. Anything that generates a sense of awe may be a source of spirituality. Science does this in spades.

Michael Shermer

Religion Science

Believers can have both religion and science as long as ther

Believers can have both religion and science as long as there is no attempt to make A -A, to make reality unreal, to turn naturalism into supernaturalism. (125)

Michael Shermer

Religion Science Evolution Intelligent Design Creationism Darwinism

Scientific prayer makes God a celestial lab rat, leading to

Scientific prayer makes God a celestial lab rat, leading to bad science and worse religion.

Michael Shermer

Religion

We know evolution happened because innumerable bits of data

We know evolution happened because innumerable bits of data from myriad fields of science conjoin to paint a rich portrait of life's pilgrimage.

Michael Shermer

Science

Anecdotal thinking comes naturally science requires training

Anecdotal thinking comes naturally science requires training.

Michael Shermer

Science

But the power of science lies in open publication, which, wi

But the power of science lies in open publication, which, with the rise of the Internet, is no longer constrained by the price of paper.

Michael Shermer

Science

When you put your hand to the plow, you can't put it down un

When you put your hand to the plow, you can't put it down until you get to the end of the row.

Alice Paul

Smile

But because we live in an age of science, we have a preoccup

But because we live in an age of science, we have a preoccupation with corroborating our myths.

Michael Shermer

Science

Religious faith depends on a host of social, psychological a

Religious faith depends on a host of social, psychological and emotional factors that have little or nothing to do with probabilities, evidence and logic.

Michael Shermer

Faith

Through no divine design or cosmic plan, we have inherited t

Through no divine design or cosmic plan, we have inherited the mantle of life's caretaker on the earth, the only home we have ever known.

Michael Shermer

Design