The Skeptics Society & Skeptic magazine

Shermer and Gervais explore the nature of religion, various belief systems, and atheism’s prevalence and perception. They delve into the cognitive foundations of faith, evolutionary perspectives on religion, and its historical and societal roles. The discussion covers the adaptive nature of belief, religious diversity, and the impact of religion on personal and social well-being. They also consider the future of belief systems and potential alternatives to traditional religion.

In this week’s eSkeptic, Gary Whittenberger examines Miklos Jako’s “Soft Theism” God postulated in Jako’s article “In Defense of Soft Theism,” which appeared in Skeptic Magazine 19.2 (2014). Whittenberger argues that, when considering the origins of existence, we don’t need to step outside the boundaries of science.

In this week’s eSkeptic, Michael Shermer announces his workshop “Science, Spirituality & the Search for Meaning” at the Esalen Institute this August; also, James N. Gardner, the author if Biocosm, reviews Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel Dennett.

In this week’s eSkeptic, Stephen Hawking says that the Pope told him not to study the beginning of the universe; David Ludden reviews The Psychology of Religious Fundamentalism by Ralph W. Hood, Jr., Peter C. Hill, and W. Paul Williamson.

In this week’s eSkeptic, Kenneth W. Krause reviews Laurence R. Tancredi’s book, Hardwired Behavior: What Neuroscience Reveals About Morality.

In this week’s eSkeptic, Michael Shermer reviews Daniel C. Dennett’s book Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon.

In this week’s eSkeptic, Kenneth W. Krause reviews The Psychological Roots of Religious Belief: Searching for Angels and the Parent-God by M.D. Faber.

In this week’s eSkeptic, Michael Shermer explores his theory of the evolution of morality in relation to George W. Bush in his opinion editorial “The Divinity of Politics: Throughout History, Leaders Have Claimed a Supernatural Link.”