Rephonic
Artwork for The Michael Shermer Show

The Michael Shermer Show

Michael Shermer
Artificial Intelligence
Consciousness
Nuclear Weapons
Mental Health
Evolution
Philosophy
Free Speech
UFO Sightings
Neuroscience
Truth
Cold War
Climate Change
Morality
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Natural Selection
Psychology
Happiness
Social Media
Ufos
Language

The Michael Shermer Show is a series of long-form conversations between Dr. Michael Shermer and leading scientists, philosophers, historians, scholars, writers and thinkers about the most important issues of our time.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes631Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Natural SciencesScience

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Michael Shermer Show

Latest Episodes

How do men and women differ? Where do the differences come from? And how do they shape modern life?

Drawing on a century of research and a billion years of evolution, Steve Stewart-Williams explains why many sex differences appear despite socializa... more

Michael Shermer makes the case that the U.S. Founding Fathers were not only steeped in Enlightenment values on which the Declaration of Independence was based, but they were also scientists searching to discover moral truths and values on which to ba... more

YouTube

John Demjanjuk lived for decades as a retired autoworker in suburban Cleveland. Then investigators accused him of being "Ivan the Terrible," one of the most notorious guards at Treblinka. What followed was one of the strangest and most troubling Nazi... more

YouTube

Michael Shermer has been appointed to the newly formed UAP Science Advisory Council, formed at the request of the White House and in coordination with the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the Office of the Director of National Intelligenc... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Massimo Pigliucci
Author, philosopher, and evolutionary biologist; KD. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York
Episode: Massimo Pigliucci on Doubt, Moral Courage, and Living Without Illusions
Cathy Young
Writer at The Bullwork; columnist and editor with a long career in journalism
The Bullwork, Newsday, Reason Magazine
Episode: Cathy Young: Why Free Societies Need Free Speech
Eddie McNamara
Author of Zodiactually; former 9-11 first responder, police officer, Penthouse columnist
Author of Zodiactually; Brooklyn Hardcore
Episode: The Zodiac Killer Wasn't Real
Carissa Veliz
Associate Professor at the Institute for Ethics in AI, University of Oxford
University of Oxford
Episode: How Algorithms Use Your Data to Control You
Batya Ungar-Sargon
Orthodox Jew, Maga Left; columnist for The Free Press; host of Batya on NewsNation
The Free Press; NewsNation
Episode: Batya Ungar-Sargon: Why the Left Sees Jews Differently Now
Jon Mills
Canadian Philosopher and Psychoanalyst; author/editor of Woke, a Critique of Social Justice Ideology
University of Essex; Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology at Adelphi University; New School for Existential Psychoanalysis
Episode: From Equality to Equity: How Social Justice Becomes Ideology
Jennifer Doleac
Executive Vice President of Criminal Justice at Arnold Ventures; economist; author
Arnold Ventures
Episode: Can Science Fix Criminal Justice?
Gad Saad
Public intellectual, author, professor
John Molson School of Business, Concordia University; Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom
Episode: Gad Saad: When Empathy Becomes Dangerous
Simone Stolzoff
Journalist and author from San Francisco
Journalist and author
Episode: Why We Cling to Certainty, Conspiracies, and Bad Predictions

Host

Michael Shermer
Host of long-form conversations with leading scientists, philosophers, historians, and writers. Known for skeptical inquiry and rigorous discussion; founder of The Skeptic Society and editor of Skeptic Magazine.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 2.2k ratings
  • Silent war in IR

    Please talk about our future in Iran. Because “now” doesn’t have any meaning. I am a young person who doesn’t know what should l do about my job ,my education and my life. We have many subjects to study and learn about and let the world to improve anthropology problems. Think about “people” problems in Iran in these days.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    nazaninash
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Great intelligent podcast

    Real thinking regarding fundamental human nature discussion, I love it

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    A leaf in the fall
    United States2 months ago
  • Always compelling and entertaining.

    A truly favorite listen.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Zed_55
    United States3 months ago
  • Disappointing

    I’ve been following Michael shermer for years, ever since I discovered his skepticism 101 course, which was nothing short of transformational for me. I’ve read several of his books and been a listener of the podcast for a long time. He’s recently been sliding further and further to the right, which is fine since I like to hear different points of view. My problem is that he will have guests on who say blatantly false things and use wildly illogical reasoning and he never calls them on any of it.... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Savage 6300
    United States3 months ago
  • Do books, not blurt out anti-woke BS. So sad.

    Michael used to do book reviews with the author. No longer. He just spouts anti-woke insanity. He’s true colors come out, and they’re very hateful.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    DrM1ke
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality intellectual debates; occasionally polarizing on hot topics.
Guest diversity and challenging questions are frequently praised.
Thoughtful, rigorous discussions with interesting guests and ideas.
Some listeners value the depth and skepticism; others feel bias and partisanship.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why We Cling to Certainty, Conspiracies, and Bad Predictions
Q: What do you mean by uncertainty?
Uncertainty is a sense of doubt that prevents progress; it can paralyze people, but reframing it as a precursor to learning allows us to move forward and adapt.
Not Monsters. Not Madmen. Just Men.
Q: What else is going to ask you about some of this stuff?
The discussion moves toward comparisons with Milgram and Zimbardo, the psychology of followers versus leaders, and how that informs our understanding of obedience, ethics, and how societies resist autocracy.
Not Monsters. Not Madmen. Just Men.
Q: Go over those points again?
The first point is to reinforce critical thinking in education to help assess credible sources; the second is to make voting easier for qualified voters to cast ballots; the third is a controversial idea that political candidates undergo psychiatric examinations, which the guest argues is not a simple disqualification.
What Turns Sand Into Cells? How Nonliving Matter Becomes Alive
Q: So Dr. Cronin, what is the core idea behind assembly theory and how does it help distinguish life from non-life?
Assembly theory proposes that life is characterized by high molecular complexity and a high assembly index, meaning molecules are built through a long, low-entropy sequence of steps. This complexity, reflected in a measurable assembly index, serves as a robust signature that differentiates life-bearing chemistry from random non-living chemistry. It provides a testable framework to detect life and understand how chemistry transitions into biology.
What Really Prevents Cognitive Decline
Q: How early should you intervene for best results?
Earlier is better. The patient must maintain daily functioning and address modifiable factors early; once significant memory loss or inability to recognize people occurs, reversal becomes unlikely, but lifestyle improvements can still slow decline and improve quality of life.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Michael Shermer Show

What is The Michael Shermer Show about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Long-form conversations that explore science, philosophy, history, and culture through skeptical inquiry and rigorous questioning. Episodes typically feature deep dives with leading thinkers on topics like free speech, cosmology, cognitive health, religion, leadership, and social dynamics, often balancing empirical evidence with thoughtful critique. Highlights include nuanced debates on technology, society, and humanity's future, plus historically informed analyses that connect ideas across disciplines. The show tends to attract listeners who value analytical rigor, intellectual curiosity, and constructive dialogue, even when topics are controversial or polarizing. A notable strength is the ability to host diverse, high-caliber guests and t... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Michael Shermer Show?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Michael Shermer Show. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Michael Shermer Show and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Michael Shermer Show get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Michael Shermer Show, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Michael Shermer Show?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Michael Shermer Show, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Michael Shermer Show have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Michael Shermer Show has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Michael Shermer Show?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Michael Shermer Show:

1. The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss
2. Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
3. Quillette Podcast
4. Making Sense with Sam Harris
5. Conversations with Coleman

How many episodes of The Michael Shermer Show are there?

The Michael Shermer Show launched 8 years ago and published 631 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Michael Shermer Show?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Michael Shermer Show?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Michael Shermer Show from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Michael Shermer Show?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Michael Shermer Show. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Michael Shermer Show?

Recent guests on The Michael Shermer Show include:

1. Massimo Pigliucci
2. Cathy Young
3. Eddie McNamara
4. Carissa Veliz
5. Batya Ungar-Sargon
6. Jon Mills
7. Jennifer Doleac
8. Gad Saad

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days