Michael Shermer

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==Sexual misconduct accusations==
 
==Sexual misconduct accusations==
One of Shermer's longstanding opponents in the skeptic community has been [[PZ Meyers]] who wrote several blog posts personally critical of Shermer, alleging that he was egotistical<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2013/01/16/the-delicate-ego-of-mr-michael-shermer/]</ref>, sexist<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2012/12/21/an-experiment-why-do-you-despise-feminism/]</ref> and irrational[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2013/01/23/shermers-false-equivalencies/].  On August 8, 2013, PZ Myers posted on his ''Pharyngula'' blog at Freethought Blogs a message from an unnamed woman claiming that Michael Shermer had [[rape]]d her.<ref>PZ Myers, [http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2013/08/08/what-do-you-do-when-someone-pulls-the-pin-and-hands-you-a-grenade "What do you do when someone pulls the pin and hands you a grenade?"], ''Pharyngula'', August 8, 2013.</ref>  According to the alleged victim, "at a conference, Mr. Shermer coerced me into a position where I could not consent, and then had sex with me."  She also stated that "I reached out to one organization that was involved in the event at which I was raped, and they refused to take my concerns seriously," that "5 different people have directly told me they did the same to them," and that she was sharing this information in order to warn others.  Myers' later updated his blog entry with an account from another woman, who claimed that Shermer plied her with drink at an atheist event and "was very flirty".   
+
One of Shermer's longstanding opponents in the skeptic community has been [[PZ Meyers]] who wrote several blog posts personally critical of Shermer, alleging that he was egotistical<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2013/01/16/the-delicate-ego-of-mr-michael-shermer/ The delicate ego of Michael Shermer]</ref>, sexist<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2012/12/21/an-experiment-why-do-you-despise-feminism/ An experiment, why do you despise feminism]</ref> and irrational<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2013/01/23/shermers-false-equivalencies/ Shermer's false equivalencies]</ref>.  On August 8, 2013, PZ Myers posted on his ''Pharyngula'' blog at Freethought Blogs a message from an unnamed woman claiming that Michael Shermer had [[rape]]d her.<ref>PZ Myers, [http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2013/08/08/what-do-you-do-when-someone-pulls-the-pin-and-hands-you-a-grenade "What do you do when someone pulls the pin and hands you a grenade?"], ''Pharyngula'', August 8, 2013.</ref>  According to the alleged victim, "at a conference, Mr. Shermer coerced me into a position where I could not consent, and then had sex with me."  She also stated that "I reached out to one organization that was involved in the event at which I was raped, and they refused to take my concerns seriously," that "5 different people have directly told me they did the same to them," and that she was sharing this information in order to warn others.  Myers' later updated his blog entry with an account from another woman, who claimed that Shermer plied her with drink at an atheist event and "was very flirty".   
  
 
Bloggers in the [[atheist]]/[[skeptic]]/[[feminist]] community were quick to react and take sides, despite the absence of verifiable evidence regarding the accusations, and it soon became the blogosphere's drama of the week, rehashing many of the divisions endemic in the atheist community since the "[[Elevatorgate]]" kerfuffle.<ref>Some examples: [http://freethoughtblogs.com/carrier/archives/4419], [http://www.atheistrev.com/2013/08/more-internet-vigilantism-as-shermer.html], [http://thetimchannel.wordpress.com/tag/michael-shermer], [http://thepigmancometh.com/2013/08/11/pz-myers-accuses-michael-shermer-of-rape], [http://www.skepticink.com/prussian/2013/08/12/about-the-shermer-allegations]</ref><!-- According to bloggers, Shermer and Meyers do have quite a history of agitating each other. How much if at all that plays into this account, is unknown.  (I'm not sure if this should be included, as it's highly rumor level - godot)-->
 
Bloggers in the [[atheist]]/[[skeptic]]/[[feminist]] community were quick to react and take sides, despite the absence of verifiable evidence regarding the accusations, and it soon became the blogosphere's drama of the week, rehashing many of the divisions endemic in the atheist community since the "[[Elevatorgate]]" kerfuffle.<ref>Some examples: [http://freethoughtblogs.com/carrier/archives/4419], [http://www.atheistrev.com/2013/08/more-internet-vigilantism-as-shermer.html], [http://thetimchannel.wordpress.com/tag/michael-shermer], [http://thepigmancometh.com/2013/08/11/pz-myers-accuses-michael-shermer-of-rape], [http://www.skepticink.com/prussian/2013/08/12/about-the-shermer-allegations]</ref><!-- According to bloggers, Shermer and Meyers do have quite a history of agitating each other. How much if at all that plays into this account, is unknown.  (I'm not sure if this should be included, as it's highly rumor level - godot)-->

Revision as of 22:35, 2 September 2013

Shermer says: get on yer bike!

Michael Shermer (b. September 8, 1954) is an American historian of science, writer, professional skeptic, and ex-professional cyclist.

He is a noted "skeptical agnostic non-theist," the author of many writings on skepticism, and the founder of the American Skeptic Society.

Contents

A modern Paul

Like Paul, Shermer found his way on the long (bike) road to Damascus Mt. Elbert, in Colorado, when he realized that all the prayer, New Age pyramids, meditation, and homeopathy would not take the pain of 10 years of cycling away, and that these remedies and the philosophies behind them were all bunk. Like Paul, Shermer began to preach and teach, writing for Scientific American in the Skeptics column, writing books like Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time[1] (as well as the far more exciting Cycling: Endurance and Speed[2]), and lecturing across the US on topics ranging from Holocaust denial to creationism.[3]

Useful comparisons to John, George, and Ringo are less forthcoming, however.

Inverse stopped clock?

Shermer leans heavily libertarian and is known to be less than introspective where economic issues are concerned; occasional hilarity results with the rest of the skeptical community (one incident featured a thoroughly inept attempt to map economic freedom onto the Kardashev scale).

While Shermer's other work has been well received, his book Mind of the Market has been widely criticized in skeptical circles for being mostly full of bullshit pop evolutionary psychology used in order to rationalize his libertarianism.[4] This has led some to say there are "two Michael Shermers," "skeptical Shermer" and "libertarian Shermer." Others contend he never really stopped drinking the Randroid Kool-Aid. Of course, he has denied these charges.[5]

Initially an "environmental skeptic," Shermer returned to the warm embrace of reality, saying that "data trumps politics."[6]

Sexual misconduct accusations

One of Shermer's longstanding opponents in the skeptic community has been PZ Meyers who wrote several blog posts personally critical of Shermer, alleging that he was egotistical[7], sexist[8] and irrational[9]. On August 8, 2013, PZ Myers posted on his Pharyngula blog at Freethought Blogs a message from an unnamed woman claiming that Michael Shermer had raped her.[10] According to the alleged victim, "at a conference, Mr. Shermer coerced me into a position where I could not consent, and then had sex with me." She also stated that "I reached out to one organization that was involved in the event at which I was raped, and they refused to take my concerns seriously," that "5 different people have directly told me they did the same to them," and that she was sharing this information in order to warn others. Myers' later updated his blog entry with an account from another woman, who claimed that Shermer plied her with drink at an atheist event and "was very flirty".

Bloggers in the atheist/skeptic/feminist community were quick to react and take sides, despite the absence of verifiable evidence regarding the accusations, and it soon became the blogosphere's drama of the week, rehashing many of the divisions endemic in the atheist community since the "Elevatorgate" kerfuffle.[11]

Shermer has categorically denied any wrongdoing and issued a cease and desist order against Myers, threatening a lawsuit against Myers unless Myers removes the offending blog entry and issues a full retraction and apology.[12][13]

Quotes

  • "On the deepest level, our brains are wired up to believe just about everything we encounter..."[14]
  • "Science is the best tool we ever devised. It's the only hope we have," he said. But "it's counterintuitive. People are not naturally inclined to think skeptically and scientifically."[14]

See also

External links

Footnotes

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