The Borderlands of Science: Where Sense Meets Nonsense
Written by Michael Shermer
Narrated by Grover Gardner
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
Shermer argues that science is the best lens through which to view the world, but he recognizes that it's often difficult for most of us to tell where valid science leaves off and borderland science begins. To help us, Shermer looks at a range of topics that put the boundary line in high relief. For instance, he discusses the many theories of everything that try to reduce the complexity of the world to a single principle, and shows how most fall into the category of pseudoscience. He examines the work of Darwin and Freud, explaining why one is among the great scientists in history, while the other has become nothing more than a historical curiosity. He also shows how Carl Sagan's life exemplified the struggle we all face to find a balance between being open-minded enough to recognize radical new ideas but not so open-minded that our brains fall out. And finally, he reveals how scientists themselves can be led astray, as seen in the infamous Piltdown Hoax.
Michael Shermer's enlightening volume will be a valuable aid to anyone bewildered by the many scientific theories swirling about. It will help us stay grounded in common sense as we try to evaluate everything from SETI and acupuncture to hypnosis and cloning.
Michael Shermer
Michael Shermer (born September 8, 1954) is an American science writer, historian of science, founder of The Skeptics Society, and editor-in-chief of its magazine Skeptic, which is largely devoted to investigating pseudoscientific and supernatural claims. The Skeptics Society currently has over 55,000 members. Shermer engages in debates on topics pertaining to pseudoscience and religion in which he emphasizes scientific skepticism. Shermer is producer and co-host of the 13-hour Fox Family television series Exploring the Unknown which was broadcast in 1999. From April 2001 to January 2019, he was a monthly contributor to Scientific American magazine with his Skeptic column. He is also a scientific advisor to the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH). Shermer was once a fundamentalist Christian, but ceased to believe in the existence of God during his graduate studies. He also describes himself as an advocate for humanist philosophy as well as the science of morality.
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Reviews for The Borderlands of Science
74 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I like Michael Shermer and find his skeptical approach to be extremely fair, tending to the understated. The title attracted me, but I found this book to be uneven and tedious, which is disappointing.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Not so much a book as a collection of essays. At least, it seems that way. The level of detail and purpose vary from chapter to chapter, making for a bumpy ride. It's all worthwhile but a reader shouldn't feel bad about skipping past any that seem tedious. Likely, in the next, will be a topic to inspire further interest and research.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Not so much a book as a collection of essays. At least, it seems that way. The level of detail and purpose vary from chapter to chapter, making for a bumpy ride. It's all worthwhile but a reader shouldn't feel bad about skipping past any that seem tedious. Likely, in the next, will be a topic to inspire further interest and research.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I have all of Shermer's books. His book "Why People Believe Weird Things" made me realize there were other people 'out there' like me (skeptics). I found this the least readable of his books, however.