186 Quotes by Michael Shermer

According to the Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness – a statement issued in 2012 by an international group of prominent cognitive neuroscientists, neuropharmacologists, neuroanatomists, and computational neuroscientists – there is a convergence of evidence to show the continuity between humans and nonhuman animals, and that sentience is the common characteristic across species.

The ultimate problem of utopian logic begins with a utilitarian calculus in which everyone will live in perfect harmony once we get rid of any dissenters who don’t see as clearly as the collective.

The recent medical controversy over whether vaccinations cause autism reveals a habit of human cognition – thinking anecdotally comes naturally, whereas thinking scientifically does not.

Survival machines could evolve to be completely selfish and self-centered, but there is something that keeps their pure selfishness in check, and that is the fact that other survival machines are inclined “to hit back” if attacked, to retaliate if exploited, or to attempt to use or abuse other survival machines first.

If I make $100,000 a year and Elon Musk makes $100,000,000 a year and we both see a doubling of our incomes, while I should be thrilled at my newfound fortune of $200,000, if I compare it to Musk’s massive $200,000,000, that comparative difference may feel worse, even though I’m better off and no one is worse off for the Tesla and SpaceX CEO’s fortune.

The Realistic Vision recognizes the need for strict moral education through parents, family, friends, and community because people have a dual nature of being selfish and selfless, competitive and cooperative, greedy and generous, and so we need rules and guidelines and encouragement to do the right thing.