Why People Believe Weird Things — Deep Dive (Pseudoscience, Belief & Self-Deception)
Welcome to Crisis in Perception.In this Deep Dive, we examine Why People Believe Weird Things by Michael Shermer, a foundational work in modern skepticism that explores why intelligent, well-meaning people are drawn to pseudoscience, conspiracy theories, superstition, and irrational belief systems.Shermer argues that belief often comes before evidence — not after — and that humans are natural pattern-seekers who frequently mistake coincidence for causation. Drawing on psychology, neuroscience, history, and case studies, he shows how cognitive biases, emotional needs, and social reinforcement…
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