Michael Shermer is a science historian, founder of the Skeptics Society, and editor of Skeptic magazine. He has degrees in Psychology, Biology, and a PhD in the History of Science. Shermer became a skeptic in 1983 and has written books on the subject, including Why People Believe Weird Things. He refers to himself as a non-theist and focuses on seeking the truth in his work, which includes titles such as Denying History and Why Darwin Matters.
Science historian and writer Michael Shermer is popularly known as the founder of the Skeptics Society and a columnist for Scientific American magazine. Additionally, Shermer is the editor of Skeptic magazine, a publication that focuses on the scientific investigation of events said to be associated with the paranormal, as well as claims based on questionable scientific approaches. Here are some background on the life and work of Michael Shermer.
Born on September 8, 1954, Michael Brant Shermer graduated from Pepperdine University in 1976, earning degrees in Psychology and Biology. Two years later, Shermer earned a Masters in Experimental Psychology from California State University, Fullerton. A PhD in the History of Science was granted to Shermer by Claremont Graduate University in 1991.
During the years of his higher education research, Michael Shermer dabbled in a number of practices, theologies and philosophies as part of his desire to acquire more knowledge. Among the activities he alternately embraced and then rejected were Rolfing, pyramid power, fundamentalist expressions of Christianity, and massage therapy. According to Shermer’s statements, he officially became a skeptic on August 6, 1983, after spending several months under the tutelage of a nutritionist who ultimately turned out not to have an accredited college degree. Many of his experiences planted the seeds for his 1997 book, Why People Believe Weird Things.
While Michael Shermer is sometimes referred to as an atheist, he prefers to refer to himself as a non-theist and tends to embrace the foundations of humanist understanding. Shermer’s drive to seek the truth has influenced the kinds of books he writes, as well as the other projects he chooses to pursue. Many of the titles Shermer chooses for his books speak directly to the subject. Michael Shermer’s currently available titles include Denying History: Who Says The Holocaust Never Happened and Why Do They Say It?, The Science of Good and Evil, and Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design.
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