Michael Shermer Bio | Wiki
Michael Shermer ( Full name: Michael Brant Shermer) is an American author, The Skeptics Society’s executive director, science historian, and science writer. He is the founding publisher of a publication that focuses on investigating pseudoscientific and supernatural claims called Skeptic magazine.
As an author, Michael has published over a dozen books. He is best known for his engagement in debates on pseudoscience as well as religion. in those debates, Michael emphasizes scientific skepticism. Previously, he served as the co-producer and co-host of a 13-hour Fox Family television series called Exploring the Unknown broadcast in 1999. Michael served as a contributor to a monthly Skeptic column to Scientific American magazine from April 2001 to January 2019.
Michael was once a fundamentalist Christian but he ceased to believe in the existence of God while in graduate school. Although he accepts the labels such as agnostic, nontheist, and atheist, Michael prefers to be called a skeptic. Also, he describes himself as an advocate for humanist philosophy and the science of morality.
Michael Shermer Age
He was born on September 8, 1954, in Los Angeles, California, United States of America. Michael is 67 years old.
Michael Shermer Height
He is a man of average stature. Michael stands at a height of 5 ft 7 in ( Approx 1.7m).
Michael Shermer Family
He was born to his parents in Los Angeles, California, United States of America. Michael is part of Greek and German ancestry. He grew up in Southern California, primarily in the La Cañada Flintridge area. Micheal’s parents divorced when he was only 4 years old but they later remarried. He grew up alongside a step-sister, two half-sisters, and two step-brothers. Michael accompanied his stepfather several times a year on hunting excursions pursuing games such as ducks, quail for food, and doves.
Michael Shermer Wife
He married his wife, Jennifer Graf on June 25, 2014. She is a native of Cologne, Germany. Michael’s sister Tina had the honor to perform the ceremony after she was was ordained online for the occasion. As of 2007, Michael and his family resided in Altadena, California.
Michael Shermer Education
He started his senior year of high school in 1971. By then, the evangelical movement was growing in popularity in the USA. Michael embraced Christianity at the behest of a friend. He joined the Glendale, Presbyterian Church where he observed a sermon delivered. He evangelized door-to-door for 7 years. At “The Barn” in La Crescenta, California, Michael attended an informal Christian study fellowship group where he enjoyed the social aspects of religion, especially the theological debates.
In 1992, he graduated from Crescenta Valley High School and later joined Pepperdine University with the intent of pursuing Christian theology. Apart from taking Bible courses, Michael studied the writings of C.S. Lewis. He agreed and accepted the university’s teachings as a valid guide for behavior despite school restrictions that included a ban on dancing and visiting the dorm rooms of the opposite sex.
Michael changed his major to psychology after learning that doctoral studies in theology required proficiency in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Aramaic. In 1976, he graduated from Pepperdine earning a BA in psychology. From there, he joined California State University, Fullerton where he studies experimental psychology. He began questioning his religious beliefs after discussions with his professors along with studies in the natural and social sciences.
Michael Shermer Podcast | Skeptic
In 1994, Michael made a guest appearance on Donahue to respond to Bradley Smith’s and David Cole’s Holocaust denial claims. He also appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show the following year to challenge Rosemary Altea’s psychic claims. During that period, ( Between 1995 and 19950, Michael made several appearances on NBC’s daytime paranormal-themed show called The Other Side. Michael had proposed a skepticism-oriented reality show to the producers but his proposal did not move forward.
Fox Family Channel picked up the series several years later. Michael co-produced and co-hosted the Fox Family TV series titled Exploring the Unknown in 1999. The series was viewed by Michael as a direct extension of the work done at the Skeptics Society as well as Skeptic magazine, budgeted at approximately $200,000 per episode with a neutral title chosen to broaden viewership.
Michael Shermer Podcast
In 2004, he guest appeared in an episode of Penn & Teller’s Bullshit!. In this, Michael argued that events in the Bible constitute “mythic storytelling”, instead of events described literally. The show’s hosts supported Michael’s stance by expressing their own atheism. The Bible: Fact or Fiction? episode sought to debunk the notion that the Bible is an empirically reliable historical record. Opposing Michael was a professor of ancient history at Western Michigan University called Paul Maier.
From 2006 to 2008, Michael presented at the three Beyond Belief events. In addition to that, he has presented at a number of TED conferences with 2003 “Why people believe strange things,” 2010 “The pattern behind self-deception,” and 2015″Reasonable Doubt.” Michael has repeatedly debated Deepak Chopra, e.g in March 2010 on the ABC News program Nightline
At the first Reason Rally in Washington, DC in 2012, Michael was among the three guest speakers. This event was attended by thousands of atheists and Michael gave a talk titled “The Moral Arc of Reason.”He took part in an Intelligence Squared debate titled “Science Refutes God” in the same year where he was paired with Lawrence Krauss, and opposing Dinesh D’Souza and Ian Hutchinson. He made an appearance in the 2014 documentary Merchants of Doubt. Currently, Michael serves as an occasional guest on the official podcast of Skeptic called Skepticality.
Michael Shermer Book
In 2002, he published a book titled In Darwin’s Shadow: The Life and Science of Alfred Russel Wallace: A Biographical Study on the Psychology of History which was based on his dissertation. In 2001, Michael published a book titled The Borderlands of Science where he rated some noted scientists for gullibility toward “pseudo” or “borderland” ideas. He co-authored a book in 2002 titled Denying History: Who Says the Holocaust Never Happened and Why Do They Say It? alongside Alex Grobman. This book examined and refuted the Holocaust denial movement. Michael published another book in 2006 titled Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design. Before that, he has published a book titled Science Friction: Where the Known Meets the Unknown in 2005
Michael Shermer Salary
Currently, Michael serves as an occasional guest on the official podcast of Skeptic called Skepticality. He earns an average salary of $77,486 per year.
Michael Shermer Net Worth
from his career as an author, writer, and journalist, Michael has managed to accumulate an estimated net worth of $2,487,925.
Who Is Michael Shermer
Michae is an American author, The Skeptics Society’s executive director, science historian, and science writer. He is the founding publisher of a publication that focuses on investigating pseudoscientific and supernatural claims called Skeptic magazine.
How Old Is Michael Shermer
Michael is a 67-year-old American author and podcaster who was born on September 8, 1954, in Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Is Michael Shermer Married
Michael Jennifer Graf, on June 25, 2014. She is a native of Cologne, Germany. As of 2007, Michael and his family resided in Altadena, California.