Michael Shermer, Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, and Jeremy Rys discuss skepticism, UAPs, invisibility technology, conspiracy theories, and the deaths of influential figures. They touch on the need for extraordinary evidence for extraterrestrial life, credibility of UAPs, laser-induced plasmas, big pharma deception, hidden files of Roswell, evaluating likelihood of conspiracy theories, RFK Jr.'s claims, mind control experiments, and inconsistencies of 9/11 phone calls.

Everyone wants to be happy. The question “How can I be happy?” drives countless decisions across the world, and billions of dollars are spent on marketing a wide variety of answers to it. Increasing evidence shows, however, that unhappiness is on the rise. Already known to an audience of hundreds of thousands as “the therapist for everyone,” Dr. Saad contends that happiness is not merely a changeable mood, but a process toward which all people can strive by following basic steps known to humans for millennia; happiness can be measured and assessed, and strategies devised to achieve it. Drawing on scientific studies, the wisdom of ancient philosophy and religion, and his extraordinary personal experience as a refugee from war-torn Lebanon, Gad offers a provocative, helpful, and entertaining treatise on how to strive for happiness, win it, and keep it. Gad Saad, PhD, one of the best-known public intellectuals fighting the tyranny of political correctness, is a professor of marketing at the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University, where he held the Research Chair in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences and Darwinian Consumption from 2008 to 2018. A pioneer in the application of evolutionary psychology to consumer behavior, he is the author of The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption, The Consuming Instinct, and numerous scientific papers and the editor of the book Evolutionary Psychology in the Business Sciences. His previous bestselling popular trade book is The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense. His new book is The Saad Truth about Happiness: 8 Secrets for Leading the Good Life. Shermer and Saad discuss: operational definitions of the “good life,” “happiness,” and “well being” • emotions • eudaimonia (the pursuit of meaning) versus hedonism (the pursuit of pleasure) • genetics and heritability • cultural components • the Big Five (OCEAN) • marriage (mate selection) • health • exercise and stress reduction • religion • anti-fragility • a playful outlook and curiosity • variety (the “spice of life”) • what the ancient Greeks got right about living the good life • how failure may actually be a key to more happiness • persistence, grit, and risk taking • regret and the dark side of consumption and addictions.

Matt Ridley, an author and journalist, and Steven Pinker, a cognitive psychologist, join Michael Shermer, a science historian, to debunk popular misconceptions around key issues. They tackle the societal impacts of COVID-19, contrasting Sweden's approach with authoritarian measures. The trio dives into the complexities of DEI initiatives, the historical context of global conflicts, and the dual role of genetics in economics. Finally, they share an uplifting perspective on artificial intelligence, asserting its potential to enhance, rather than diminish, human capabilities.

Dr. Michael Shermer discusses death, immortality, and why we shouldn't fear it. Topics include dualism, self-awareness, motivation in relation to life expectancy and goal achievement, resource allocation for life extension, preserving human consciousness through cryonics and mind uploading, cryonics affordability and feasibility, and navigating nihilism, immortality, and academic pursuits in the face of mortality.

Renowned scientists, Michael Shermer and Rupert Sheldrake, engage in a head-to-head debate on accessing scientific knowledge. They discuss the limits of human understanding, rationality, materialism, prejudice, integrating alternative theories of physics, and the burden of proof in scientific debates.

Brian and Justin discuss an article in the New York Times alleging that magic has forgiven it's 50-year grudge with Uri Geller. Considering the subject matter of our Project Alpha investigation... World's Greatest Con disagrees. Also, an interview with Michael Shermer of Skeptic Magazine discussing the science and shame of being taken in by incorrect information and the legacy of Project Alpha.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry David, Elon Musk, and other guests join Scott Adams to discuss the future job market, bullshit spotting, causality of CO2 and heat, canceled by white Democrats, and the lack of information about a pilot incident.

Dr. Michael Shermer is an author, the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, a regular contributor to Time.com, and Presidential Fellow at Chapman University. His new book is Giving the Devil his Due, a defense of Free Speech and Open Inquiry in Politics, Culture and Science. He is also the author of The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies, and many others. He appeared on such shows as The Colbert Report, 20/20, Dateline, Charlie Rose, and Larry King Live (but, proudly, never Jerry Springer!). He has been interviewed in countless documentaries aired on PBS, A&E, Discovery, and other science and learning channels. He regularly contributes opinion editorials, essays, and reviews to: the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, Science, Nature, and other publications. His two TED talks, seen by millions, were voted in the top 100 of the more than 1000 TED talks.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael Shermer, a noted skeptic and science communicator, engages in a thought-provoking dialogue about the utility of beliefs in shaping our daily decisions. He discusses the vital role of free speech, especially when it challenges popular opinions. Shermer highlights the dangers of social signaling and mob mentality in modern discourse. The conversation emphasizes the importance of embracing diverse viewpoints to combat polarization and misinformation, while also touching on ethical dilemmas and life's purpose in the quest for truth.