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Show 596: Skeptic, Bob Novella

Jessica Schab interviews skeptic podcaster, Bob Novella!

Bob Novella, is a co-founder and Vice-President of the New England Skeptical Society. He co-hosts along side his brothers Steven and Jay Novella the very popular Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe podcast – the show is dedicated to promoting critical thinking and science literacy through insightful content and resources including an award-winning weekly podcast.

Bob is the writer of the blogs for SGU’s Rogues Gallery, a Youtube channel called Alpha Quadrant 6 and he is a speaker at NECSS -New York City’s Biggest Celebration of Science & Skepticism. He has also written numerous articles that are widely published in skeptical literature.

Bob’s scientific interests lie in the extremes, from the gargantuan to the infinitesimal: astronomy and cosmology to particle physics and quantum mechanics. He is especially fascinated by the human capacity for self-deception and anticipated future technologies such as nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and human augmentation.

Listen to the show here!

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Show 570: Professional Mentalist and Skeptic, Mark Edward

Professional Mentalist and Skeptic, Mark Edward

Psychics, Mentalists, Magicians, oh my… 

Mark talks with us about his career as a mentalist who never really believed he was psychic. His cross from the New Age world to the world of science and skepticism wasn’t always an easy one, but he has made a name for himself nevertheless. He believes former New Age believers and the like are uniquely suited to help the country in these days of “fake” media and blatant disregard for truth.

Audio can be found here!

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Show 565: Feminist, Atheist Comedienne, Kate Smurthwaite

Feminist, Atheist Comedienne, Kate Smurthwaite

Kate Smurthwaite is a left-wing feminist & atheist stand-up comedian and political activist. She preforms all over the UK, and around the world at major clubs including The Comedy Store, Soho Comedy Club, and The Stand, and she also writes for publications from Cosmopolitan to both The Guardian and The Independent and is the Vice Chair and Media Spokesperson for campaign group Abortion Rights UK.

Kate is often a http://www.viagrabelgiquefr.com/ guest on news and debate shows and is well known for her forthright opinions and campaigning work. Appearances include the BBC’s flagship political debate show Question Time as well as BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, and BBC Radio 4 The Moral Maze. In 2012 Radio 4’s Four Thought series included a 15-minute program written and performed entirely by Kate about sexist humour and sexism in comedy.

Audio can be found here!

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Show 563: Chris Shelton; Former Scientologist

Chris Shelton: Former Scientologist Tells His Story…

(From Chris’s Website): “I used to be a Scientologist and got myself out of that situation in late 2013. As part of my road out of that mess, I discovered skepticism and the whole subject of critical thinking. It was an epiphany for me and a very important step on my road to recovery. No one wants to think that they were duped or made a fool of, and no one wants to think that they could be so easily deceived. Once I started learning about logic and reason, I made it my mission in life to spread this new “gospel” so as to help others in their lives.”

Audio can be found here!

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Show 556: Massimo Pigliucci on Stoicism

Massimo Pigliucci on Stoicism

(From Publisher): Whenever we worry about what to eat, how to love, or simply how to be happy, we are worrying about how to lead a good life. No goal is more elusive. In How to Be a Stoic, philosopher Massimo Pigliucci offers Stoicism, the ancient philosophy that inspired the great viagra cost emperor Marcus Aurelius, as the best way to attain it. Stoicism is a pragmatic philosophy that focuses our attention on what is possible and gives us perspective on what is unimportant. By understanding Stoicism, we can learn to answer crucial questions: Should we get married or divorced? How should we handle our money in a world nearly destroyed by a financial crisis? How can we survive great personal tragedy? Whoever we are, Stoicism has something for us – and How to Be a Stoic is the essential guide.

Audio can be found here!

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Show 553: Susan Blackmore

Equal Time welcomes Susan Blackmore back to the show!

Where can you draw a line between spirituality and (scientific) skepticism? Is there a way to find a balance between the two without believing in supernaturalism? How does the new work in consciousness studies and neuroscience help us better understand what is “real” or imagined?

On this show, ex parapsychologist, current psychologist and scientific skeptic Susan Blackmore will discuss her own experience as well a her recent books, The Meme Machine, and Seeing Myself (about OBE’s).

Audio can be found here!

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Show 547: The EOF Project w/ Jessica Schab and Diego Fontanive

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One of the core topics we discuss on this show, probably since we first went on the air in the summer of 2002, is how do we understand how people think, why they think as they do, and how can we help people develop better thinking skills. If change is going to take place, it will have to come from you and me, and not the ruling or monied classes. But changing minds is a prerequisite for social change, and in a society unable to think clearly, changing people minds — that is, away from the confused thinking which has brought us the ‘age of Trump’ — becomes an impossible task. Enter Diego Fontanive and Jessica Schab and the EOF Project: Evolve your Thinking.
Audio can be found here!
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Show 523: Michael Shermer: Skeptic

Michael Shermer: Skeptic

From a 10-step “Baloney Detection” guide to investigations into alien abductions, 9/11 conspiracy theories,  Creationism, therapeutic magnetism, and Bigfoot, Dr. Michael Shermer has made it his life’s work to think critically about — well — everything! His new book, Skeptic, presents readers with the tools necessary to do the same concerning a variety of innocent but misguided assumptions, baloney, bunkum, balderdash, and bullsh*t.

Host Matthew LaClair interviews Dr. Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic Magazine, founder of the Skeptics Society, and author of over 15 books including Why Darwin Matters, The Believing Brain, The Moral Arc, and the subject of our discussion, Skeptic: Viewing the World with a Rational Eye.

In addition to Dr. Shermer’s books and magazine, he is also a monthly columnist for Scientific American, a regular contributor to Time.com and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University.

Audio can be found here!