Critique Essay on- Why we Believe in Unbelievable

Question: Discuss about Critique essay on Why we believe in unbelievable? Answer: The essay Why we believe in unbelievable written by Michael Shermer will prove an excellent writing for those who believe in superstitions and enjoy dipping into the issues and ideas of creationism, dualism, essentialism and strongly believe in institutions. After reading the essay, the most enjoyable and the new thing we can find is the look at repugnance and hatred and why few people find such particular incidents or things like accident of Princess Diana and 9/11 attack abhorrent and why other people do not find them objectionable. Also in the authors text the same concept has been contradicted in the conclusion through which we can develop the meaning of super sense as a way of bringing together the whole world in some kind of a order. It is very unlikely that we can get rid from all this beliefs, it exits in our society and will be there in the future too. The main reason of its existence it that it is a key for our functioning as a social animal. After reading the authors writing I feel that the history of the modern civilization can be better described in a slow and steady carving of supernatural beliefs. In todays time we do not worship most of the Gods which we and our ancestors were worshipping. Gone are those days when we use to believe in astrology, numerology, witches, ghosts which people claimed to be psychics. Today is the time of modern thoughts where we are favouring women to work, to vote, and pursue professional careers and also promoting inter racial marriages. Above all the advancement in our thoughts have reach to such a peak where we are accepting homosexuals and sooner will accept it as a norm. There was a time when all these things were considered wrong and was a hatred topic to be discussed and such repugnance is posted as super sense by the author in his writings. But such claims begs a question for me, that if we are able to defeat or conquer such irrational and irrelevant symptoms of super senses then w hy we should not expect ourselves to overcome other things from which we are repulsed without any good reason. For eg like stem cell, genetically modified organisms and science of human genetic engineering are scientific researches which have a valid proof and we should accept such inventions instead of considering them as super senses. As per the 2009 poll, Americans have accepted that they still believe in Angels and devils instead of believing in science of evolution. Through the text Shermer tries to look for answers why do people believe in those things which the scientists consider to be unbelievable. Skepticmagazine founding publisher Shermer (The Mind of the Market: Compassionate Apes, Competitive Humans, and Other Tales from Evolutionary Economics, 2007, etc.) writes entertainingly about the scientific basis of belief. There are times where scientists do believe in few unproven things like origin of universe, big bang theory to which scientists are trying hard to prove the results of experiments against the null hypothesis (Collins Harper). Through the essay the Shermer throws light on conspiracy theories of 9/11 attack which brought down the twin towers and believe in extra sensory perceptions which are replicated by the magicians. Above all the author has fully tried to make us believe in our lives. To an y situation when we jump to make false conclusions is like a recognition pattern made by our mind that has been evolved from our ancestors. Even the animals and birds can anticipate the danger and fast respond to their environment. A quote written by the author explains that we as humans have an emotional leap of faith which is required beyond any reason. When we are rushing to the airport and suddenly the road gets blocked due to land slide making us to miss the flight. After an hour we get to know that the particular flight got crashed and all passengers died on spot. Grefter Amanda argues that Reality is Relative: Our quest for an objective view of the world is thwarted by our personal beliefs. Amanda clearly states that this is our personal beliefs that God saved our life. If we are religious, then we will definitely presume the falling of tree as a miracle and the proof that God is with us and he saved our life. But if we are not practical then we will definitely consider this situation as an incredible fortunate fluke. Thus these two interpretations of ours on the same event has been exemplified by Amanda that our belief comes first followed by our explanations. So the next question comes from where does our beliefs come from, according to Shermer they comes from our ability to see patterns in noise, real or imaginary world and our tendency to relate our mind and intentions to such patterns. Such skills of patternicity are evolved from ancestors which makes us to believe in angels, devils, ghosts and God. According to the neuroimaging studies, our belief into angels and devils is almost equal to our belief in one plus one is two. Therefore Shermer explains that we cannot eliminate our superstitious learning because people believe weird things because of our evolved needs to believe non-weird things. Shermer has oddly organized his writing. His cognitive biases will surely make the rational readers to think again and will feel to recognize the flaws in their thinking and will definitely start evaluating their beliefs. Shermer has showed his awareness and concern that he is too a part of such flawed thinking and by sharing such personal belief has made Shermer a forever trustworthy guide. After reading the text our quest for objective reality comes on peak on which Shermer answers that science is our immense hope which gives answers to all our beliefs and dis-beliefs. By reading Shermer text and his book The Believing Brain it is clear that there are superstitious beliefs prevailing in our culture, ages and society. Shermer says that it is the only way through which we can gather knowledge and can move ahead keeping our individual lenses of belief behind. I would recommend this essay of Shermer to those who are sick of identifying in politely settling of garrulous distractions of life. Work Cited Grefter Amanda. Reality is Relative: Our quest for an objective view of the world is thwarted by our personal beliefs. (2011). Web March 3, 2016. Collin Harpers. Super sense: why we believe in the unbelievable The Skeptics dictionary. Web March 4, 2016. Shermer Michael. Conspiracy theories: Why we believe in unbelievable. Web Nov 16, 2013. Shermer Michael, Stephen Jay Gould. Why people believe in Wierd things: Pseudoscience, superstition, and other confusion of our time. (2002). Web March 4, 2016. Bruce Hood. Why we believe in the unbelievable. (2009). Web March 4, 2016.