Heavens on Earth

The Scientific Search for the Afterlife, Immortality, and Utopia

By: Dr. Michael Shermer

Narrated by: Dr. Michael Shermer, David Smalley

Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

In his most ambitious work yet, Shermer sets out to discover what drives humans' belief in life after death, focusing on recent scientific attempts to achieve immortality by radical life extentionists, extropians, transhumanists, cryonicists, and mind uploaders, along with utopians who have attempted to create heaven on earth.

For millennia, religions have concocted numerous manifestations of heaven and the afterlife, the place where souls go after the death of the physical body. Religious leaders have toiled to make sense of this place that a surprising 74 percent of Americans believe exists but from which no one has ever returned to report what it is really like.

Heavens on Earth concludes with an uplifting paean to purpose and progress and what we can do in the here and now, whether or not there is a hereafter.

©2018 Dr. Michael Shermer (P)2018 Dr. Michael Shermer

truth telling Michael Shermer was fair

The author explored the possibilities honestly and belittled no one. Michael's book made me want to read or listen to more of his works. David Smalley was a great choice for his amazing voice and I appreciated hearing the author narrating. I must say, I could listen to David read the entries in a phone book in his voice and feel content. Please Michael write more. Your material is understandable and just makes sense. It is clear that you are brilliant and are writing this to help the masses. Thank you.

Interesting and very well done

The subject matter is fascinating and Shermer is a brilliant guy. I highly recommend this book.

A Poignant Work of Scientific Liturature

In his book, “Heavens on Earth,” Michael Shermer does a wonderful job of addressing and debunking many of the anti-aging theories. Additionally, he provides rational arguments as to why humans cling to these theories despite the discouraging evidence. He addresses the ethereal aspects of new-aged religions, the cultish draw of technologic immortality, the way we think as we approach death, and how people are fooled into thinking they've experienced life-after-death or that a child could be the reincarnated soul of a dead pilot. I was impressed with the respect he showed our varied human belief systems even as he methodically dissected the tender flesh to reveal the brittle bones upon which they were built. This is a book for thinkers, written by a thinker, and it garners my highest praise and respect. Well done!

Great food for thought

Engrossing book. covers all attempts to extend life beyond its current bounds, and their short comings. As well as the dangers of utopian fantasies when people try to force them into existance.

Excellent Book

Very thought provoking, informative and intellectually honest. People seem to forget that we are the lucky ones to be alive.

Fascinating subject as told by a brilliant author!

This is an absolutely fascinating book about the SCIENTIFIC search for the afterlife, immortality, and utopia. I have read most of Dr. Michael Schermer's books, but this is one of his best! He fully documents all his assertions with scientific studies or experiments. Dr. Schermer is a confirmed skeptic, and he publishes SKEPTIC magazine to which I subscribe. He has monthly lectures at Caltech by world famous philosophers, scientists, authors, etc. I liked the book so well I purchased a hard copy.

While I have the utmost respect for Dr. Schermer, I disagree with him about authors reading their own books which he favors. In my experience, authors (with a few exceptions) should NEVER read their own books. The classic mistake that an author reading his/her own book is that the volume of the speech fluctuates from loud to very soft. Often, the author "trails off" at the end of a sentence. I wish that Dr. Schermer would engage a professional reader, but in an author interview it appears he is always going to read his own books. His co-reader on this book has a very deep voice which many times is difficult to hear clearly.

Great book. Makes you think.

Well thought out and researched. Really enjoyed the discussion of the Utopian societies that we have tried and the technology/medicine views that we will eventually outsmart death.

The audio is very quiet though. It needs to be renormalized and compressed to turn the levels up.

Heaven is Here

I loved it. It sets a basic point to live in the here and now. Highly recommended.

Overall great

Important message is live now and don’t miss your life hoping for the next which likely will no go beyond 120. Awesome breadth of information. Now...when standard narrators keep mispronouncing scientific terms, I give them a pass. But when the author does, it gives me pause and forces me to question how familiar they are with the science they are using in their book. Shermer is great, but I am confused about multiple mispronunciations.

Great scientific and philosophical perspectives

A clear and direct critique of historical and modern views of the afterlife and eternal life. Showing that most views struggle to withstand even modest scrutiny. Whether it’s heaven, reincarnation, or the singularity, Michael Shermer will make you think a little bit more deeply about what living means.