Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time
by Michael Shermer
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Book Summary Information
Author: Michael ShermerForeword: Stephen Jay Gould
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-09-01
ISBN: 0805070893
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Book Reviews of Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time
Book Review: "why people believe weird things", or stupid stuff people believe and how it is stupid
Summary: 3 Stars
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 that explains to you why these types of things are stupid you wont go wrong picking up this book. "Why People Believe Weird Things" is useful in demonstrating to the reader critical thinking skills as the author lucidly put his skills to use in examining each weird case. Oddly enough, however, there is not too much to be found on *why* people believe some of this stuff. I would recommend to readers "Coercion" by Douglas Rushkoff for an excellent breakdown of exactly why and how people believe "weird" stuff. Rushkoff's analysis of cults and the psychology of their victims is alone worth the price of that book. While not necessarily of primary interest to prospective buyers of this book, I do want to note that I have a problem with author Micheal Shermer and that led me to recycling this book out of sheer disgust. Turns out what constitutes a "weird" belief is somewhat in the eye of the beholder you see. I find it very weird that professionally skeptical Shermer believes all our lives are improved and quality of life increases when there is a Republican in the White House -which is what he has written. Very weird to me. I also find much that libertarians believe is weird but maybe that's just me. So, I learned of the professional skeptic's right-wing beliefs. Then I read a simplistic, ill-informed and jingoistic article by Shermer on World War 2 history in which he attacks historians and it was utterly ripped to shreds by a couple of readers of Skeptic Magazine. All I can say is credit is to be given to the magazine for allowing it's editor to be embarrassed. Micheal Shermer, as far as I am concerned, is reminder that in our efforts to be good skeptics we must be ever diligent in consistently applying our critical thinking skills to all our beliefs.
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