The Future of God Debate
Sam Harris and Michael Shermer debate Deepak Chopra and Jean Houston on topics of evolution, quantum spirituality, and God.
My Stroke of Insight
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is an American neuroanatomist and author describes a harrowing near death experience.
Religion
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Michael Shermer is an American science writer, historian of science, and founder of the Skeptics Society. He was born on September 8, 1954, in Glendale, California.
Shermer has written several books on science, skepticism, and the history of science, including "Why People Believe Weird Things", "The Believing Brain", and "Heavens on Earth: The Scientific Search for the Afterlife, Immortality, and Utopia". He is also the editor-in-chief of Skeptic magazine and a frequent contributor to various publications and media outlets, including Scientific American and The Wall Street Journal.
As the founder of the Skeptics Society, Shermer has been a prominent advocate of scientific skepticism and critical thinking. The organization sponsors various activities and programs aimed at promoting science and debunking pseudoscientific and paranormal claims.
Shermer has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the American Humanist Association's Humanist of the Year award and the Balles Prize in Critical Thinking from the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He continues to write and speak on topics related to science, skepticism, and critical thinking.
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is an American neuroanatomist and author who is best known for her book "My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey". In 1996, she suffered a massive stroke that left her unable to speak, walk, read, or write. However, over the course of eight years of rehabilitation, she was able to fully recover.
Dr. Taylor's personal experience with stroke led her to study the brain and to become an advocate for stroke recovery and the exploration of the brain's potential. She is a frequent public speaker and has given numerous talks on TED about her experience and insights into the human brain. She is also a member of the National Speaker's Association and has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, 20/20, and CNN.
Victor Stenger was an American particle physicist, philosopher, and author who was born on January 29, 1935, and passed away on August 27, 2014. He was a professor of physics at the University of Hawaii and also worked on research projects at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland.
In addition to his work in physics, Stenger was also known for his writings on atheism, skepticism, and the philosophy of science. He authored numerous books, including "God: The Failed Hypothesis," "The Comprehensible Cosmos," and "Quantum Gods," which were highly influential in the atheist community.
Stenger was a prominent advocate of the view that science and religion are fundamentally incompatible, arguing that science provides a naturalistic explanation of the world and that there is no need for supernatural explanations. He was also a vocal critic of pseudoscience and paranormal claims, and argued that these were not supported by empirical evidence.
Richard Dawkins is an English evolutionary biologist, ethologist, and author. He was born on March 26, 1941, in Nairobi, Kenya. Dawkins is best known for his popular science books, particularly "The Selfish Gene" (1976) and "The God Delusion" (2006), which have become bestsellers and provoked controversy for their criticism of religion.
Dawkins is also known for his work in promoting atheism and scientific skepticism, and for his contributions to the field of evolutionary biology. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and has been awarded numerous prizes for his scientific and literary work. Dawkins is currently an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and continues to write and speak on topics related to science, evolution, and religion.
Dr. Susan Blackmore is a British writer, lecturer, and broadcaster, best known for her work on the science of consciousness, memes, and paranormal phenomena. She was born on July 29, 1951, in London, England.
Blackmore has a Ph.D. in parapsychology from the University of Surrey and has conducted research on the paranormal, including near-death experiences, out-of-body experiences, and telepathy. However, she has since become a critic of paranormal claims and has written several books on the subject, including "The Meme Machine" and "Consciousness: An Introduction".
Blackmore is also a prominent advocate of secularism and a vocal critic of religion. She has spoken out against religious beliefs and practices, arguing that they are not supported by evidence and can lead to harmful consequences.
Blackmore has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to science and skepticism, including the British Psychological Society's Book Award and the Ig Nobel Prize for her research on the effects of listening to opera on driving ability.
Vilayanur Subramanian Ramachandran, commonly known as V. S. Ramachandran, is an Indian-American neuroscientist and author. He was born on August 10, 1951, in Tamil Nadu, India.
Ramachandran is known for his work in the field of neuroscience, particularly in the areas of neurology and cognitive psychology. He has conducted extensive research on phantom limb syndrome, synesthesia, and the neural basis of consciousness, among other topics.
Ramachandran has published numerous scientific papers and several books, including "Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind" and "The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human". He has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to science, including the Presidential Lecture Award from the American Academy of Neurology and the Henry Dale Medal from the Royal Institution of Great Britain.
Sam Harris is an American author, philosopher, neuroscientist, and podcast host. He was born on April 9, 1967, in Los Angeles, California.
Harris is known for his work in the fields of philosophy, neuroscience, and ethics, and is a prominent advocate of secularism, rationalism, and scientific skepticism. He has written several bestselling books, including "The End of Faith", "Letter to a Christian Nation", and "Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion".
Harris is also the host of the "Making Sense" podcast, where he interviews guests on a wide range of topics related to science, philosophy, politics, and culture. He is a co-founder and CEO of the meditation app "Waking Up", which offers guided meditation sessions and lessons on mindfulness and spirituality.
Harris has been a controversial figure due to his criticisms of religion, his advocacy for scientific realism, and his views on controversial political issues. Nonetheless, he remains a highly influential figure in the fields of neuroscience, philosophy, and ethics.
Christopher Hitchens was a British-American author, journalist, and critic, born on April 13, 1949, in Portsmouth, England. He was known for his sharp wit, intellectualism, and his criticisms of religion and politics.
Hitchens wrote for several prominent publications throughout his career, including The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, and The Nation. He authored several books, including "God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything", "The Portable Atheist", and "Hitch-22: A Memoir". He was also a frequent public speaker and debater, often arguing against religious beliefs and advocating for secularism.
In addition to his work on religion, Hitchens was also a vocal critic of political leaders and policies, particularly those related to war and foreign policy. He was a strong supporter of the Iraq War, which led to some controversy and criticism of his views.
Hitchens was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2010 and passed away on December 15, 2011, in Houston, Texas. Despite his controversial views, he remains a prominent and influential figure in the world of journalism, writing, and criticism.
Thomas Metzinger is a German philosopher and professor of theoretical philosophy at Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany. He is known for his work in the philosophy of mind, consciousness studies, and ethics. Metzinger is particularly interested in questions of selfhood, subjectivity, and the nature of conscious experience. He has published numerous books and articles, including "The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self," which has been translated into over 20 languages and is widely regarded as a seminal work in the field of philosophy of mind. Metzinger is also the director of the MIND Group, an interdisciplinary research group focused on the study of consciousness.
Bruce Hood is a British experimental psychologist and author, known for his work in the field of developmental psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience. He was born on November 1, 1956, in Burnley, England.
Hood has conducted extensive research on the development of the human mind and brain, particularly with respect to social cognition and the origins of beliefs, superstitions, and magical thinking. He has written several books, including "SuperSense: Why We Believe in the Unbelievable", "The Self Illusion: How the Social Brain Creates Identity", and "The Domesticated Brain".
In addition to his research, Hood is also a popular science communicator and has made numerous appearances on television and radio programs, including BBC Radio 4's The Infinite Monkey Cage and BBC Two's Horizon. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and the Royal Society of Edinburgh and has received several awards for his contributions to science and education.
Hood is currently a professor of developmental psychology at the University of Bristol and continues to conduct research and write on topics related to the human mind and brain.
Julien Musolino is a cognitive scientist and a professor of psychology at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA. He received his PhD in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and his research focuses on language, reasoning, and cognitive development. He is particularly interested in the nature of the human mind and how it relates to our ability to reason about abstract concepts and language. He has written a book titled "The Soul Fallacy: What Science Shows We Gain from Letting Go of Our Soul Beliefs" which discusses the science behind why the idea of the soul is not supported by scientific evidence. He has also written articles for various popular media outlets such as Scientific American and Psychology Today.
Daniel Dennett is an American philosopher, writer, and cognitive scientist. He was born on March 28, 1942, in Boston, Massachusetts.
Dennett is known for his work in the philosophy of mind and cognitive science, particularly for his contributions to the study of consciousness and the nature of free will. He has written several influential books, including "Consciousness Explained", "Darwin's Dangerous Idea", and "Freedom Evolves".
Dennett is also a vocal advocate for secularism and a critic of religion, arguing that religious beliefs and practices can be harmful and that science provides a more reliable means of understanding the world. He has been a frequent contributor to debates on topics such as the existence of God and the relationship between science and religion.
Dennett has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Erasmus Prize, the Jean Nicod Prize, and the Richard Dawkins Award. He is currently a professor of philosophy at Tufts University and continues to write and speak on topics related to philosophy, cognitive science, and religion.