About the Show
Over the last 15 years Skeptiko has become one of the leading podcasts on the science of human consciousness. With millions of downloads, and tens of thousands of worldwide listeners, Skeptiko’s provocative interviews explore the tipping points of science and spirituality.
Many of the world’s leading researchers and thinkers on consciousness and spirituality have participated in Skeptiko interviews.
– Near-death experience science and the ever growing body of peer-reviewed research surrounding it.
– Parapsychology and science that defies our current understanding of extended human consciousness.
– Consciousness research and conventional science’s understanding of who we are.
– Spirituality and our understanding of it.
– Others and the strangeness of UFOs and close encounters.
– Skepticism and what we should make of the “Skeptics”.
You can contact us via news@skeptiko.com
What’s in a Name
The name Skeptiko comes from the ancient Greek philosophy of Skeptikos, and refers to the teachings and the traits of a school of philosophers who sought “inquiry to perpetuate doubt.”
Our Agenda
Follow the data… wherever it leads. Explore the possibility that science-as-we-know-it might be at a tipping point. Engage the top thinkers in pointed discussions about the questions that matter most. Treat all guests with respect.
Host Bio: Alex Tsakiris
Alex Tsakiris is best known as the founder and host of Skeptiko, a popular podcast that explores the intersection of science and spirituality. With a background combining a strong technical background information systems and artificial intelligence along with a scientific curiosity and a deep interest in spirituality, Tsakiris has become a significant voice in debates surrounding the nature of consciousness and its relation to the physical world.
Background
Born in LaGrange, Illinois, Tsakiris attended Western Illinois University where he received an undergraduate degree in Quantitative Information Systems and a MBA. Tsakiris joined Price Waterhouse, St Louis as an information systems consultant, before leaving to pursue a PhD in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Arizona where he was a Research Associate. In 1986, Tsakiris founded Mind Path Technologies with the goal of bringing unique AI expert systems tools and knowledge engineering solutions to companies like; Texas Instruments, DuPont and Standard Oil. Mind Path was acquired by Proxima Corporation in 1996.
Skeptiko Podcast
Tsakiris launched Skeptiko in 2007, which quickly gained attention for its in-depth interviews and debates covering controversial topics in the science of consciousness and spirituality. The podcast stands out for its critical examination of both mainstream and fringe theories, often challenging the boundaries of conventional scientific thought.
Over the years, Tsakiris has interviewed a wide array of guests, including scientists, researchers, spiritual leaders, and skeptics. These discussions often delve into topics like near-death experiences, Psi phenomena, and the implications of consciousness research on our understanding of reality.
Science at the Tipping Point
One of Tsakiris’ key contributions through Skeptiko is bringing greater public awareness to the limitations and biases in mainstream scientific approaches to consciousness. He has consistently advocated for an open-minded but rigorously critical approach to studying phenomena often dismissed by the scientific establishment.
His work has also highlighted the potential interconnectedness of consciousness and physical reality, a topic that remains on the frontier of scientific understanding. Through his podcast, Tsakiris has played a crucial role in popularizing complex ideas and theories related to consciousness and spirituality.
Books by Alex Tsakiris
Tsakiris has authored three significant books, which reflect his pursuit of a deeper understanding of consciousness and reality:
Why AI? Come along with AI expert and renegade podcaster Alex Tsakiris, who is known for igniting firestorms at the intersection of science and spirituality.
In this book, Tsakiris throws a reboot at the AI savior/destroyer narrative. Sure, doomsday robots might be real someday, but what about the shadowbanning social engineers who are training them to deceive right now? And what happens when the “smartest thing in the room” jumps the guardrails and decides to take things into its own hands?
But hold on, is there a silver lining? What if the tech we fear reveals our divine nature and connection to something more? Maybe you’re not the “biological robot in a meaningless universe” transhumanists claim. What if you are more? And what if AI can help you see it?
“Why Science Is Wrong…About Almost Everything” (November 21, 2014) – This book, with a foreword by Rupert Sheldrake, Ph.D., challenges the limitations of science in explaining consciousness and spiritual phenomena. It argues against the reductionist approach of mainstream science and advocates for a more expansive view of consciousness.
“Why Evil Matters: How Science & Religion Fumbled a Big One” – In this work, Tsakiris tackles the complex subject of evil from both scientific and religious perspectives. He critiques how both domains have historically approached and interpreted the concept of evil, suggesting a more nuanced understanding is needed.
Impact and Legacy
Alex Tsakiris’ work through Skeptiko has contributed to the ongoing dialogue between science and spirituality. He has provided a platform for discussing alternative viewpoints and theories that challenge the status quo, contributing significantly to the broader conversation about consciousness and human experience. His books and podcasts have resonated with a wide audience, sparking debates and discussions that transcend traditional academic and cultural boundaries. Through Skeptiko, Alex Tsakiris has featured a diverse range of guests, including scientists, skeptics, believers, and spiritual teachers, discussing topics that mainstream science often overlooks or dismisses.
Conclusion
Alex Tsakiris’ journey as a thinker, author, and host reflects his commitment to exploring the mysteries of consciousness and challenging the prevailing scientific and cultural paradigms. His work continues to inspire and provoke thought, contributing significantly to the ongoing dialogue between science and spirituality.
email: alex @ skeptiko.com
Praise for: Why Science is Wrong… About Almost Everything
“Alex Tsakiris has articulated in this feisty work what many of us in the academy have felt but have not quite had the courage to say. Alex writes as our conscience here, as he calls us all to balk against the silly and self-contradictory script that is reductive materialism. Such a balking, Alex reminds us, does not make us creationists or anti-science, as the skeptics would have us believe. It makes us conscious beings who refuse this bizarre pact of unconsciousness, meaninglessness, and depression.”
— Jeffrey J. Kripal, J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Religion, Rice University, author of Authors of the Impossible
“In his bawdy, baddass style, Skeptiko pioneer Alex Tsakiris hunts down the world’s leading consciousness researchers to challenge and skewer outdated modes of scientific thinking. Along the way, he doesn’t merely show us what’s wrong with science, but what’s right about all of us.”
— Jonathan Talat Phillips, Professional Psychonaut, author of “The Electric Jesus”
“In the best of American traditions, Tsakiris is a plain-talking Everyman who speaks truth to power. Only, in this case, power is a scientific paradigm that has Ivy League academics and New York media intellectuals completely in its thrall. Are materialists right? Not if you follow the data. Tsakiris brings some giants to their knees, here, simply by asking smart, tough quetions that no one has thought to ask. Fascinating stuff.”
— Patricia Pearson author of, Opening Heaven’s Door
