26. Dr. Stephen T. Asma — Why We Need Religion

The Michael Shermer Show

Michael Shermer

Dialogue, Science, Reason, Michaelshermer, Natural Sciences, Skeptic

4.4 • 921 Ratings

🗓️ 22 June 2018

⏱️ 82 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this dialogue Dr. Michael Shermer talks with philosopher Stephen T. Asma, a Professor of Philosophy and Founding Fellow of the Research Group in Mind, Science, and Culture at Columbia College, Chicago. His new book is Why We Need Religion, in which he argues that, like art, religion has direct access to our emotional lives in ways that science does not. Yes, science can give us emotional feelings of wonder and the sublime—we can feel the sacred depths of nature—but there are many forms of human suffering and vulnerability that are beyond the reach of help from science. Different emotional stresses require different kinds of rescue. Unlike secular authors who praise religion’s ethical and civilizing function, Asma argues that its core value lies in its emotionally therapeutic power. Asma and Shermer also discuss the relationship of science and religion, why people believe in God, atheism vs. agnosticism, the “new atheists”, humanism and the need for social and spiritual community, and other hot topics.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is your host, Michael Sherman, and you're listening to Science Salon, a series of conversations with leading scientists, scholars and thinkers about the most important issues of our time.
0:17.0	If you enjoy the video, audio, and written content we produce, please show your support by making a donation at Skeptic.com slash donate, or a monthly pledge at patreon.com slash skeptic.
0:35.0	Your ongoing patronage is vital to our organization's mission to promote science and critical thinking.
0:42.0	My guest today is Dr. science and critical thinking.
0:42.8	My guest today is Dr. Stephen Asma
0:46.4	and his new book is Why We Need Religion.
0:49.6	Let me give you the proper introduction here.
0:51.2	He's the professor of philosophy at Columbia College
0:54.2	Chicago where he's also a senior fellow of the research group Mind, Science, and
0:59.1	Culture. He's the author of 10 books including the evolution of imagination on monsters and
1:05.2	unnatural history of our worst fears and the gods drink whiskey.
1:10.1	That would have been a favorite of Christopher Hitchins.
1:12.1	That's right.
1:13.0	Especially if it's a Johnny Walker Black.
1:16.0	So you write regularly for the New York Times,
1:18.0	Chronicle of Higher Education, Aon, and of course,
1:21.0	Skeptic magazine.
1:22.0	Right, that's right.
1:23.0	And so, I thought before we get into the weeds of the book,
1:28.0	I would mention that when this came across my desk, I thought,
1:31.0	oh no, Stephen's gone over to the other side.
1:33.0	He's in Joel O'Eldstein's mega church now.
	...

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