Cover Image: June 2002 Scientific American Magazine See Inside

The Shamans of Scientism [Preview]

On the occasion of Stephen W. Hawking's 60th trip around the sun, we consider a social phenomenon that reveals something deep about human nature

By Michael Shermer















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Michael Shermer

Image: BRAD HINES

In 1998 God appeared at Caltech.

More precisely, the scientific equivalent of the deity, in the form of Stephen W. Hawking, delivered a public lecture via his now familiar voice synthesizer. The 1,100-seat auditorium was filled; an additional 400 viewed a video feed in another hall, and hundreds more squatted on the lawn and listened to theater speakers broadcasting this scientific saint's epistle to the apostles.


This article was originally published with the title The Shamans of Scientism.



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