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The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
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Publisher's Summary
An entertaining and all-encompassing guide to skeptical thinking for the age of misinformation.
In this tie-in to their popular The Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast, Steven Novella, along with 'Skeptical Rogues' Bob Novella, Cara Santa Maria, Jay Novella and Evan Bernstein, explain the tenets of skeptical thinking and debunk some of the biggest scientific myths, fallacies and conspiracy theories (anti-vaccines, homeopathy, UFO sightings and many more.) They'll help us try to make sense of what seems like an increasingly crazy world using powerful tools like science and philosophy.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is your guide through this maze of modern life. It covers essential critical thinking skills as well as giving insight into how your brain works and how to avoid common pitfalls in thinking. They discuss the difference between science and pseudoscience, how to recognise common science news tropes, how to discuss conspiracy theories with that crazy colleague of yours and how to apply all of this to everyday life.
As fascinating as it is entertaining, this enthralling audiobook is your essential guide to seeing through the fake news and media manipulation in our increasingly confusing world.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio on our Desktop Site.
Critic Reviews
"A fantastic compendium of skeptical thinking and the perfect primer for anyone who wants to separate fact from fiction." (Richard Wiseman, author 59 Seconds)
"Thorough, informative, and enlightening...If this book does not become required reading for us all, we may well see modern civilisation unravel before our eyes." (Neil deGrasse Tyson, author of Astrophysics for People in a Hurry)
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- claus steinenböhmer
- 12-06-2019
Must have to learn to think.
This book is essential to have an understanding of critical thinking. There's a clear description of common thinking flaws as well as how to deal with them.
The logical fallacies often encountered when dealing with proponents of pseudoscience are carefully disected in order for the reader to understand.
It would be nice if audible would let us have chapter names to make it easier to go through again for those of us who have yet to maser using the bookmarks.
1 person found this helpful
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- John Trimble
- 28-01-2019
Thoughtful
wonderful. insightful and beautifully written. it's not that the book will make you cynically sceptical... just thoughtfully and critically sceptical.... loved the numerous examples given to provide evidence for claims.
1 person found this helpful
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- Brian Laurikainen
- 08-01-2019
Critical Thinking Can Be Taught!
With so much nonsense in the world masquerading as knowledge this book couldn’t be more timely. Recommend for everyone, but particularly those struggling to navigate the endless streams of pseudoscience, woo, fad diets, and science “breakthrough” headlines that never materialize. Inoculate yourself from errors in thinking, and be better at separating truth from falsehood. Becoming a “skeptic” is about thinking critically and careful discernment not naysaying. Let the SGU be your guide!
1 person found this helpful
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- Joshua
- 06-01-2020
Classic SGU
Narration was great, after years of listening to the SGU podcast, hearing more of Dr Steve was very familiar.
Unlike most books I've completed recently; this book may have been better read than listened to. So many occasions I caught my mind wandering after an interesting sentence, only to have to repeat the last minute or two, get caught wandering at the same spot, and around we go again...
I tend to disagree with the autbors and publishers choice of single narrator, single style. I really would have preferred to listen to each of them narrate their own part, as they had written it. This may however just be a text vs voice thing though.
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- Stephen Anastasi
- 01-01-2020
Excellent, but...
I very much liked this book... except. I found the narrator's otherwise excellent presentation drove me crazy when he missed a 't' in certain words, such as 'impor-ant'. Drove me crazy. Apart from this, this was an excellent book.
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- Kindle Customer
- 27-11-2019
Mandatory Reading for Life
Dr Novella expresses what I have believed, largely, since I was a child. There is no point in reading it if you are genetically programmed to be arrogant and always believe you are right but for the non-primitive, open minded, it is absolutely wonderful.
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- Anonymous User
- 24-08-2019
Outstanding
An excellent book about the most important skill a person can have. Interesting and motivating its a great listen to recommend to friends and family to promote critical thinking.
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- Michael J. Morris
- 27-03-2019
Excellent factual and enjoy experience
Mister Novela gave a great performance. The book is an extremely valuable resource, I learned a lot and found the experience enjoyable.
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- lindsay
- 21-03-2019
Can’t tell if this is real or not
This book made me doubt my preconceived ideas of what paper was, but now I know so thanks book.
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- Richard
- 02-01-2019
Required Reading
Should be required reading in every school on the planet. How to think critically, how to avoid faulty thinking and scams. Well written, quite thorough but starts at the basics. You need to read this, and get as many other people as you can to read it also.
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- Csaba Turkosi
- 07-10-2018
A great follow-up to Sagan's Demon-Haunted World
The members of the SGU have done an outstanding job summarizing their experience as skeptics and science enthusiasts. It is a useful and healthy habit to review one's most closely held beliefs and this audiobook provides example after example of misguided and self-deceiving individuals who fail to apply critical thinking to their assumptions. We could all use some skepticism in our lives to protect us from charlatans, conspiracy theorists and our own tendencies toward self-deception. I'm so glad to have this in my library and I hope it reaches a wide audience!
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- Amazon Customer
- 20-03-2019
A book everyone should read or listen
I first bought the book. Then I bought five more books so that I could give them away to my friends. Finally I bought this podcast so that I could recap some of the parts on my commute. It is great at presenting and sharpening your tools of sceptical thinking in a way that is educational and sometimes even humorous. It can be a bit harder to read than an average novel, since it really requires your focus. But when you're done, it also functions as a encyclopedia of sceptical thinking. I have more than once had to return to this book when picking apart an argument or constructing my own - verifying that the logic is sound and that the premise is known and agreed upon by both parties.
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- Amazon Customer
- 16-03-2019
Your escape to reality
It was great and a pleasure to listen to. Steve Novella is a great reader and I always love to listen to the podcast as well. Long time listener and this book was long overdue.
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- Sinikka
- 20-11-2018
Concise and clear, but not much new for an SGU fan
Loved it, but couldn't help thinking that this is the book that OTHER people should read. Preaching to the choir a bit.
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- taylor hernandez
- 19-10-2018
awesome book.
This is an excellent guide to scientific skepticism. a lot of chapters covering all kinds of phenomena. Great listen.
Dosn't matter whether you're a skeptic or not.
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- Tim
- 08-12-2019
Essential reading
This is a modern primer on rational and critical thinking written by one of the foremost proponents of scientific skepticism.
Entertaining and educational, this is not to be missed
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- Jason Hehir
- 17-10-2019
A vital and timely guide to critical thinking
Having been an avid listener of the SGU for over a decade I was always going to enjoy this book. That being said, it really does fulfill its remit of being the go to reference for all things critical thinking. Whether it's an explanation of logical fallacies, how to interpret science reporting in the media or how to deal with illogical family members, this book covers all that you need to know to think critically and, most importantly, to spot flaws in your own judgement and mental processes. This is a timeless book that will stand many readings and should always be near at hand to help you on your critical journey through the universe.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Alistair Davies
- 19-08-2019
Didn't quite hit the spot
I've listened to all the PodCasts, so thought I'd give the book a try. For someone new to skepticism it would provide a good primer.
For people who are very familiar with the Pod Cast, there's not much new here.
As a very minor point, Steve Novella's delivery sounds more like he's lecturing the listener - it gets a little irritating at times, or perhaps that's me.
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- Joel
- 10-07-2019
Amazing
Loved it! Felt proud to not have any of my current beliefs challenged (although definitely some of my old beliefs) except maybe to be a bit more skeptical about research on the microbiome. Highly recommend. This should be mandatory learning at school.
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- Sohio
- 03-07-2019
Excellent audiobook
I've listened to the SGU podcast for years and love the format - have wanted a place to go to find out specific information about different topics for a long time. This is it. If you want to change how you think and appreciate the world on a different level then listen to this audiobook. My only issue is you can't go back. So take the red pill and wander down the rabbit hole with Steve. Kinda wish the chapters written by the other rogues were read by them but that might come in time or the next book. Well done SGU.
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- Wolfie's Wibbles
- 07-05-2019
SGU fan enjoys SGU book
I'd definitely recommend this as an introduction to skepticism and for fans of the show.
As always with Skeptics guide productions I can hear the amount of work that went into getting the tone and accessibility right whilst keeping the level of detail intact. I've listened to the SGU for years so most of the concepts weren't new but there are some more recent examples and it's great to have all of this in one place. Steve's delivery is good too, only a couple of missteps
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Steve
- 07-05-2019
brilliant
Well written and narrated.
Brilliant for helping you understand how to approach ideas and belief systems. It points out our biasis and flaws of the way we look and approch ideas. Breaks down many falsely held beliefs to why they are misunderstood, the thinking behind them and the flaws in the logic.
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- Rob T
- 23-04-2019
Definitive guide to skepticism
Really detailed and informative guide for anyone interested in skepticism. This was an enjoyable listen covering a wide array of topics including heuristics, psychology, logic etc. I enjoyed most the advice about how to approach scepticism with friends and family
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- Mr. M. Johnson
- 02-01-2019
The perfect summary of the scientific and how to address the pseudoscientific
Fantastic book for those interested in science and skepticism but also accessible to those who are looking to understand a scientific method and perspective. Feels like a enlightening homage and modernisation of Sagan.
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- Michael
- 20-12-2018
Excellent. Thank you.
First off, this is such a good book. There where so many topics that I had kind off heard off but to have them laid out so clearly and concisely is terrific. I'm definitely going to be listening again.
Also the narrator has a very pleasant voice
Thank you