Michael Shermer on Deities for Atheists, Skygods for Skeptics: UFOs & ETIs

Dr. Michael Shermer distinguishes between two questions: (1) Are extraterrestrial intelligences (ETIs) out there somewhere in the cosmos? and (2) Have aliens come here? Evidence for both questions is considered in the larger context of why the issue so compels us to answer it almost religiously.

This lecture is part of a course that Dr. Shermer teaches at Chapman University called Skepticism 101: How to Think Like a Scientist which covers a wide range of topics, from critical thinking, reasoning, rationality, cognitive biases and how thinking goes wrong, and the scientific methods, to actual claims and whether or not there is any truth to them, e.g., ESP, ETIs, UFOs, astrology, channelling, psychics, creationism, Holocaust denial, and especially conspiracy theories and how to think about them.

SKEPTIC MAGAZINE BACK ISSUES MENTIONED IN THIS LECTURE

Skeptic 9.3 — A.I. and Theology of UFOs

Skeptic 10.1 — Roswell Requiem

Skeptic 11.1 — Medieval UFOs?

Skeptic 16.4 — The Man Who Invented Flying Saucers

Skeptic 18.4 — Ancient Aliens

RELATED READING

UFOs, Chemtrails, and Aliens: What Science Says

Junior Skeptic 37: Busted Myths

Junior Skeptic 57: Space Brothers from Venus

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[satyakamsharma]

Thanks Dr. Shermer for these lectures. I have watched all (which were released during this lockdown). I hope you keep releasing more!

[KenAmmi-Shalom]

The point about ETs as a "kind of stand-ins for gods" for Atheist is on point. For example, so many Atheists are ET-crazed that I wrote a chapter titled "Ancient Atheist Aliens" within my book "Fifty Shades of Gray Aliens" which does not feature quoting teenage bloggers but Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Carl Sagan, et al.

[ArcadianGenesis]

The difference between gods and aliens is: we can at least imagine what evidence for aliens would look like. We can't even imagine what evidence for a supernatural being would look like. How would you really know whether a supposed god was actually a god? How could you ever distinguish the difference between a god and an advanced alien?
"Any sufficiently advanced technology will be indistinguishable from magic." -Arthur Clarke

[ella-bthp]

I enjoyed this it was good to fall asleep to haha 😌😌 I think I'm just knackered lol peace all ✌️✌️❤️❤️

[davidanderson]

Excellent lecture, thank you. I must say... losing that beard (in the news clip) was one of your best moves. D.A., NYC

[andyzar]

Totally agree Shermer! I am a Catholic by the way haha. I know hard atheists that love Sci Fi, Aliens, Fantasy Novels etc, I think its because of all the reasons you posit here. Great data.

[JamesRichardWiley]

John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
Later he rose from the dead and floated up to his magic kingdom in the clouds. (His spacecraft)
This is solid biblical evidence that Jesus was an alien from another planet.

[MyStarPeopleExperiences]

The sacralization of ET is to be avoided at all costs. Resist belief. Better to know that ET exists among us.

[Jamie-Russell-CME]

Does the SETI project search for detection of intelligent signals in an alien broadcast validate the principles of the ID movement? Yes, and if you can't see it, your bias has overwhelmed you.

[George]

I am an atheist and yet have a deity. Mother Nature. She has but one commandment: My Way. She is the nurturer of all living things and mercilessly kills them each and every one.
She is the oracle of Truth. As with all oracles She always gives True but often misleading answers. The religion of the Scientific Method must be practiced diligently.
Deny her at your peril.

[MyStarPeopleExperiences]

Thanks Dr. Shermer.
You gave me the topic of my next video.
Showing that those that know ET exists have no need for meaning in the universe.
Thanks.

[lingcod]

Dr. Shermer, Good observations and clarity . . . as always. Forbidden Planet (movie) is my favorite scenario of a race of aliens (the Krell) having abilities that would be indistinguishable from a god. These aliens are also perfect example that addresses the subject of interstellar travel. Any civilization advanced enough for interstellar travel would have very little use of it. Why embark on a risky venture when you could achieve the same at home?
Most of these UFO "experts" don't understand basic physics. They fail to grasp the immense distances and tremendous resources required for interstellar flight. Why would aliens, of any design, travel to this planet . . . just to give cattle enemas? And if they had any malicious intend we would know about it right away. There has been sightings for decades, where do they hang out? under the ocean, behind the Moon, Idaho. It seems given the size of the universe advanced civilizations must exist, but I can't imagine any reason they would come here. Certainly not because we are interesting, albeit rather boring.

[stargazer]

When it comes to aliens planning a voyage to colonise us for resources, unless they planned a single trip specifically to our planet and they’ll need our resources to survive after that, it would be completely pointless for them to come here, since pretty much all Earth resources can be found in much more quantity in other solar systems.

Not only that, we tend to think that since the first radio broadcast 100 years ago we’ve been making radio noice to a radius of about 100 light years from us, but in reality, with exception of the Arecibo signal in 1974 which was very powerful signa specifically sent to the globular cluster M13, the rest of our radio bubble will dissipate much closer than the 100 light years mark. Meaning that, a civilisation beyond our radio bubble would never be able to detect us by radio, unless they are coincidently passing by with their spaceship.

And to add to the injury, if aliens had detected us with telescopes it would be from no more than 250 light years away, since about 250 years ago we began to alter our planet with industrial waste. The further a civilisation is, the further back in time they are seeing our planet because of the limitation of the speed of light, so don’t be expecting visitors from Andromeda any time soon.

[SuperTonyony]

I would invite everyone to read Peter D. Ward's book, "Rare Earth".

[cosmicsquid]

Thank you Michael Shermer. Unfortunately many imaginary Sky Friends still rule most of Planet Earth. Ask believers in any major religion.

[DeconvertedMan]

Its not three lights Michael, its five! There are five lights!

[DeconvertedMan]

I had a talk with a guy who thought that "god" was in fact, an advanced alien race - or something like that. Very strange. Its on my channel as "Alien Milsrow & me talk about why atheists are dumb & why there is a god. :)"

[andyzar]

I do think you are wrong about UAPs though, I think the weather balloon BS is more silly than aliens haha.