This morning, I came across a review on a recently released book. The book is called "The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe: How to Know What's Really Real in a World Increasing Full of Fake" by Dr. Steven Novella.
This may be an interesting read for those Aspies that have evolved into independent thinkers - nonconformist.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is the Swiss-Army knife for skepticism about the world around us. Steven Novella is a trained neurologist and along with his colleagues at the New England Skeptical Society, has been podcasting on science and skepticism since 2005 – in podcasting years that makes them one of the adults in the room. The book provides, as promised, a guide to the tools of skepticism, presented in an easily readable, enjoyable style.
Novella makes the distinction of skepticism from both cynicism, “…doubt as a social posture,” and being a contrarian, “reflexively opposed to all mainstream opinions.” Skepticism, for Novella, is not a noun but the practice of doubting, a verb. Skepticism, in its noun form, can be the antithesis of faith; but as a verb, it is a means of exploring all of our beliefs, not merely the scientific ones.
The Skeptics' Guide To The Universe - A Useful Toolkit
The book opens with a quote by Douglas Adams "There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another which states that this has already happened."
Even the chapter titles of this book are of interest. For example one is titled "Pareidolia"
[Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon in which the mind responds to a stimulus, usually an image or a sound, by perceiving a familiar pattern where none exists.]
Another is titled "Hypnagogia"
[Hypnagogia, also referred to as "hypnagogic hallucinations", is the experience of the transitional state from wakefulness to sleep: the hypnagogic state of consciousness, during the onset of sleep.] Although I am probably more interested in Hypnopompic which is the transitional state from sleep to wakefulness.
For a quick peek into this book: The Skeptics Guide to the Universe
I guess I will add this book into my reading list.
03 Oct 2018, 8:27 am
