The Brian Lehrer Show A 'Skeptic' on Finding the Truth
Jan 27, 2026
Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of Truth, is a longtime promoter of science and critical thinking. He discusses how to evaluate information, defends scientific methods against 'post-truth' claims, explores pluralistic ignorance and free speech, weighs evidence around UAPs and AI deepfakes, and distinguishes subjective versus objective claims about gender.
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Skepticism Is About Methods Not Belief
- Michael Shermer argues skepticism centers on science, rationality, and critical thinking rather than atheism or anti-religion.
- He says institutions and methods like the scientific method help communities determine what is most likely true.
'Post-Truth' Is Self-Refuting
- Shermer rejects the label 'post-truth' as self-refuting and emphasizes fallibilism: we can be wrong and must use methods to find truth.
- He urges rebuilding trust in expert institutions while acknowledging they sometimes err.
Silence Enables Tyranny
- Shermer explains pluralistic ignorance where individuals wrongly believe others accept a norm and therefore stay silent.
- He links this 'spiral of silence' to how dictators sustain regimes and stresses free speech to break it.
