Intelligent Design the Future Egnor vs. Shermer: God, Science, and the Search for Truth
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Apr 1, 2026 
Michael Shermer, historian of science and founder of Skeptic Magazine, explores truth, skepticism, and the methods for finding reliable beliefs. He debates whether morality and cosmic order are discovered or constructed. They spar over fine-tuning, causation, Aquinas’ arguments, origins of life, and where reason should leave us on questions of God and science.
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Fallibilism And Scientific Methods For Truth
- Michael Shermer emphasizes fallibilism: we can be wrong about anything so beliefs should be held probabilistically.
- He applies scientific methods like Bayesian reasoning, correlation versus causation, and signal detection to assess truth claims in science and policy.
Moral Law Points Toward A Mind
- Michael Egnor argues moral law feels objective and must come from a mind, not mere human fabrication.
- He frames the dilemma as Euthyphro: either God arbitrarily defines good or God embodies goodness, implying morality is discovered from a divine source.
Moral Truths As Discoverable Like Math
- Michael Shermer contends moral truths are discoverable like mathematical truths, grounded in human nature and flourishing.
- He analogizes moral discovery to math: innate rudiments plus reasoning yield necessary conclusions (e.g., reduce suffering equals moral good).
