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" In the long run, it is better to understand the way the world really is rather than how we would like it to be. "

Michael Shermer

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" We know evolution happened because innumerable bits of data from myriad fields of science conjoin to paint a rich portrait of life's pilgrimage. "

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" You have to know evolution to understand the natural world. And that cannot be a threat to people of faith. There's a serious problem if you are forced by your faith to reject the most well-supported theory in all of science. "

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" Mysteries once thought to be supernatural or paranormal happenings - such as astronomical or meteorological events - are incorporated into science once their causes are understood. "

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" We should be exploring consciousness at the neural level and higher, where the arrow of causal analysis points up toward such principles as emergence and self-organization. "

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" Scientists are skeptics. It's unfortunate that the word 'skeptic' has taken on other connotations in the culture involving nihilism and cynicism. Really, in its pure and original meaning, it's just thoughtful inquiry. "

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" When alien abductees recount to me their stories, I do not deny that they had a real experience. "

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" Conspiracies are a perennial favorite for television producers because there is always a receptive audience. "

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" Ever since college, I have been a libertarian - socially liberal and fiscally conservative. I believe in individual liberty and personal responsibility. "

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" Anecdotal thinking comes naturally; science requires training. "

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" For solving a surprisingly large and varied number of problems, crowds are smarter than individuals. "

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" I say you don't need religion, or political ideology, to understand human nature. Science reveals that human nature is greedy and selfish, altruistic and helpful. "

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" Tenure in any department is serious business, because it means, essentially, employment for life. "

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" As a social primate species, we modulate our morals with signals from family, friends and social groups with whom we identify because in our evolutionary past, those attributes helped individuals to survive and reproduce. "

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