Is America living in a “post-truth” era? In this episode of Book Club, Dr. Michael Shermer — founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of "Truth: What It Is, How to Find It, and Why It Still Matters" — joins Michael for a wide-ranging conversation about belief, evidence, and critical thinking in a complicated age. Shermer addresses the recent surge of UFO and UAP claims, explaining why decades of investigation have left him unconvinced of extraterrestrial visits. From conspiracy theories and alternative facts to AI-generated deepfakes and declining trust in institutions, the discussion explores how we determine what’s real — and why skepticism remains essential. Are we more gullible than ever? Can truth survive politics, social media, and artificial intelligence? And what does healthy skepticism actually look like? A thoughtful, timely conversation about how to separate fact from fiction — and why it still matters. Original air date 12 February 2026. The book was published on 27 January 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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