Michael Shermer: Why people believe strange things

http://www.ted.com Why do people see the Virgin Mary on cheese sandwiches or hear demonic lyrics in "Stairway to Heaven"? Using video, images and music, professional skeptic Michael Shermer explores these and other phenomena, including UFOs and alien sightings. He offers cognitive context: In the absence of sound science, incomplete information can combine with the power of suggestion (helping us hear those Satanic lyrics in Led Zeppelin). In fact, he says, humans tend to convince ourselves to believe: We overvalue the "hits" that support our beliefs, and discount the more numerous "misses."

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• Shermer
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• entertainment
• faith
• illusion
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• science

[ianfmason]

Good, but odd coming from a man who has blind faith in banking de-regulation and laissez faire capitalism.

[azmustang]

And when we make it to December 22, 2012... What would that mean? That it would be a great day to begin embracing reason, facts, and science? Or will there be more excuses, and a revised date for end times? I say we call December 22, 2012 the day of REASON, throw away these silly mystical beliefs, and embrace the magic of reality. Who's with me?

[justafase]

Dude. I need that dowsing rod!

[SippinonMickeys]

No transitional forms? Really? None? Start with the carnivore family tree fork of the caniforms & feliformes, that's really easy to do. Them come on back. Or don't because you'll understand just how wrong you are. 

[octanetube]

Get off the meds

[godscuttingyoudown]

Fins evolving into feet is still and educated guess from white people that have only existed the last 10,000 years

all that talk about man living 500,000 years ago that's black people. fact the olmecs and Mayans kept records of star movement for the last 750,000 years, and the celestial calendar perfectly predicts the stages of evolution going back 10 million years; yet this is not in western books because it makes whites people science inferior keep you arrogance in check white boy

[429Cage]

Of all the prominent modern "celebrity" skeptics, Shermer has always stricken me as one of the most "down to earth". Great video.

[marcmeup1]

IS Mike on coke? I've not seen him wearing his superstitious shit kickers so vehemently before! Nor rub his nose so much. He, he!

Love to all y'als brains. X

[GDop26]

5:25 all I heard there was the symphony of science from him. Oh fantastic.

[GDop26]

*transitional* sorry. :P

[GDop26]

Oh oh oh, don't forget the walking catfish, a living 'traditional animal'.

[bigglyguy]

Don't need to look at fossils for that. On Borneo and various parts of SE Asia are 'mudskippers', fish that spend a fair bit of time jumping about out of the water.