Smart people believe weird things because they are skilled at defending beliefs they arrived at for non-smart reasons.
Michael ShermerRead
Science operates in the natural, not the supernatural. In fact, I go so far as to state that there is no such thing as the supernatural or the paranormal.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the distinction between the natural world studied by science and beliefs in the supernatural.
Michael Shermer's quote asserts that science is grounded in the understanding and investigation of the natural world, rejecting the existence of supernatural phenomena. By stressing that there is no validity in the supernatural or paranormal, Shermer encourages a worldview that relies on empirical evidence and rational thought rather than beliefs unfounded in scientific inquiry.
Themes
ScienceNaturalSupernaturalParanormalKnowledge
In practice
Example use cases
In a science class discussing the limitations of scientific inquiry.
More from Michael Shermer
All quotes βBeing deeply knowledgeable on one subject narrows one's focus and increases confidence, but it also blurs dissenting views until they are no longer visible, thereby transforming data collection into bias confirmation and morphing self-deception into self-assurance.
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How can we find spiritual meaning in a scientific worldview? Spirituality is a way of being in the world, a sense of oneβs place in the cosmos, a relationship to that which extends beyond oneself. . . . Does scientific explanation of the world diminish its spiritual beauty? I think not. Science and spirituality are complementary, not conflicting; additive, not detractive. Anything that generates a sense of awe may be a source of spirituality. Science does this in spades. (158-159)
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But because we live in an age of science, we have a preoccupation with corroborating our myths.
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Iβm a skeptic not because I do not want to believe, but because I want to know.
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My libertarian beliefs have not always served me well. Like most people who hold strong ideological convictions, I find that, too often, my beliefs trump the scientific facts.
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