Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time
UFO abductionstelevision psychicscreationismHolocaust denial. Faced with the rapid changes and anxieties of modern life, many people are turning to the alluring comforts of pseudoscience and the occult. In Why People Believe Weird Things, Michael Shermer explores the very human reasons we find these otherworldly phenomena, conspiracy theories, and cults so appealing.In this program, Shermer shows how the eternal search for meaning and spiritual fulfillment often results in our thinking being led astray by extraordinary claims and controversial ideas-particularly in the realms of superstition and the supernatural. A compelling portrait of our immense capacity for self-delusion, Why People Believe Weird Things celebrates the scientific spirit and the joy to be found in rationally exploring the world's greatest mysteries, even if many of the questions remain unanswered. more
- For:$7.49
- Info:
- Tags:
01:52Biology as Ideology: The Doctrine of DNA
This is my review of Biology as Ideology, written by R.C. Lewontin
01:33On the Shoulders of Giants: The Great Works of Physics and Astronomy
On the Shoulders of Giants: The Great Works of Physics and Astronomy, Other, Books
01:18The Making of the Atomic Bomb
My review of The Making of the Atomic Bomb, a great non-fiction, historical drama about the...
02:14The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
This is my review of the book The Demon-Haunted World written by Carl Sagan
02:12The Final Theory: Rethinking Our Scientific Legacy
This is my review of The Final Theory, written by Mark McCutcheon
| title,desc | merchant | price | seeit |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Why People Believe Weird Things Audio...
UFO abductions, television psychics, paranormal phenomena, skeptics and believers alike, find themselves debating... |
|
See it |
*Shipping costs are based on an estimate of the lowest shipping rate available within the contiguous US, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. Only merchants with this product in stock are listed (Merchants with this product back ordered have been removed from this list).
Do you see a pricing error? Please let us know by filling out a simple form: Click here
ProductReviews71/100 (100 Reviews)
Recent Reviews
- 1/5
- From: Amazon
- Posted: Oct-16-2009
- Shermer Motto Is Just As Wierd
Shermer believes people think for themselves. Where is the self initiating force in the universe? Nowhere. We have a brain that interacts with the environment. We experience things and based on the consequences of those behaviors we...
- read full review | report as inappropriate
- 3/5
- From: Amazon
- Posted: Sep-23-2009
- "why people believe weird things", or stupid stuff people believe and how it is stupid
The book does a fine job rationally dissing and debunking fringe and/or unscientific beliefs like Holocaust denial (which gets a disproportionate chunk of the book), creationism, ghosts and witch crazes -so if your looking for a book...
- read full review | report as inappropriate
- 4/5
- From: Amazon
- Posted: Aug-17-2009
- Thought-provoking, but poorly titled
Though I don't usually highlight books, I kept a highlighter handy while reading this one, because it's full of excellent insights backed by impressively thorough research. Author and Skeptic magazine publisher Michael Shermer astutely...
- read full review | report as inappropriate
- 2/5
- From: Amazon
- Posted: Jul-27-2009
- Misleading Title led to a very "slow read"
I expected to read a fun book about why people believe weird things as that is the title. However, shame on me for not skimming the book more carefully in the book store. I thought a chapter on cults would explain in details how people...
- read full review | report as inappropriate
Selected Reviews
- 4/5
- From: Amazon
- Posted: Aug-17-2009
- Thought-provoking, but poorly titled
Though I don't usually highlight books, I kept a highlighter handy while reading this one, because it's full of excellent insights backed by impressively thorough research. Author and Skeptic magazine publisher Michael Shermer astutely...
- read full review | report as inappropriate
- 3/5
- From: Amazon
- Posted: Sep-23-2009
- "why people believe weird things", or stupid stuff people believe and how it is stupid
The book does a fine job rationally dissing and debunking fringe and/or unscientific beliefs like Holocaust denial (which gets a disproportionate chunk of the book), creationism, ghosts and witch crazes -so if your looking for a book...
- read full review | report as inappropriate
- 1/5
- From: Amazon
- Posted: Oct-16-2009
- Shermer Motto Is Just As Wierd
Shermer believes people think for themselves. Where is the self initiating force in the universe? Nowhere. We have a brain that interacts with the environment. We experience things and based on the consequences of those behaviors we...
- read full review | report as inappropriate
SimilarProducts
-
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, New Edition
-
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief
-
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
-
This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession
-
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief
-
The Making of the Atomic Bomb
-
The Sciences: An Integrated Approach
-
A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe: Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science
-
The Poetics of Space
-
The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA