logo
episode-header-image
May 2021
27m 21s

The Skeptic’s Case for Free Speech | Mic...

Iai
About this episode

Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes

If we put barriers up to silence 'unpleasant' ideas, what's to stop the silencing of any discussion? Professional sceptic and bestselling author of 'Giving the Devil his Due' Michael Shermer explores the dangerous possibility of a world without free speech.

Michael Shermer is the founder of The Skeptics Society, the editor-in-chief of its magazine 'Skeptic', and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University, where he teaches Skepticism 101.

There are thousands of big ideas to discover at IAI.tv – videos, articles, and courses waiting for you to explore. Find out more: https://iai.tv/podcast-offers?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=the-skeptic's-case-for-free-speech

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Aug 20
The limits of nothingness | Peter van Inwagen
From philosophy to science, metaphysics to psychology, the idea of 'nothing' is central to the universe, existence and experience as a whole. But the nature of 'nothing' is even more bewildering than we might first imagine. Parmenides argued that non-being is impossible because t ... Show More
27m 44s
Aug 12
Is free will an illusion? The chemistry of freedom | Patrick Haggard, George Ellis, Jennifer Hornsby
The question of free will - and whether we have it or not - is age-old across philosophy, religion, and human thought in general. Having free will allows us to have meaning, responsibility, reward and punishment. Yet discoveries in neuroscience have put our ability to choose, out ... Show More
40m 10s
Aug 5
Has the world gone to Hell? | Slavoj Žižek on fascism, shame, and dirty jokes
Žižek: "Trump did what The Left couldn't"As we look around at the state of the modern world, it's very easy to get disheartened - and that's putting it lightly! From pointless wars and endless suffering to the decline of social bonds and trustworthy institutions, there really is ... Show More
41m 11s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2023
On Skepticism: Michael Shermer & Jeremy Rys on DarkHorse
Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years he was a monthly columnist for Scientific American. He writes a weekly Su ... Show More
2h 24m
Jun 2021
If You Love Conspiracy Theories (Or Know Someone Who Does), Watch This | Michael Shermer on Conversations with Tom
Check out our sponsors:  Butcher Box: Bacon for Life is back! New members get a package of FREE bacon in every box for the life of the subscription at ButcherBox.com/impact Podcorn: Learn more at https://podcorn.com/podcasters/ Better Help: Get 10% off your first month at https:/ ... Show More
1h 41m
Jun 2023
Who Are The Visitors & Why Are They Here - Guest : Whitley Strieber
Author Whitley Strieber has endured a lifetime of bizarre encounters with a non-human intelligence. In his 1987 blockbuster "Communion", Strieber described a series of terrifying intrusions by seemingly alien creatures he called The Visitors. The book sold millions of copies, was ... Show More
1h 46m
May 2024
#368 — Freedom & Censorship
Sam Harris speaks with Greg Lukianoff about free speech and cancel culture. They discuss the origins of political correctness, free speech and its boundaries, the bedrock principle of the First Amendment, technology and the marketplace of ideas, epistemic anarchy, social media an ... Show More
42m 47s
May 2023
Conspiracy Expert: How to Spot a True Conspiracy Theory - Michael Shermer
Michael Shermer is an American science writer, historian of science, executive director of The Skeptics Society, and founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, a publication focussed on investigating pseudoscientific and supernatural claims. He is the author of over a dozen books, t ... Show More
1h 3m
Mar 2021
A Book Isn’t A Mirror. It’s A Door!
“A couple weeks ago, we talked about Fran Lebowitz’s secret to be immensely rich. They also happen to be a secret to empathy and understanding. There has been a big push lately for diversity and inclusion in books and television. This is important, obviously, because any system t ... Show More
3m 12s
Nov 2023
Robert Shiller: Encore presentation of Nobel Prize Talks
”Pursuing expertise doggedly can't be the goal for everyone because being specialised means losing some breadth of understanding. We need both kinds of people." – In this podcast episode recorded in 2014 economist Robert Shiller speaks about technology and the role he thinks it w ... Show More
48m 56s
Feb 2021
Here’s Where You’ll Find True Beauty
“As we’ve discussed before, John Adams was one of those people whose racing mind gave them little rest. He was always doing, doing, doing and more dangerously, always thinking, thinking, thinking. His friends saw the pain this caused him and he saw it himself. As he said many tim ... Show More
3m 40s