About Me
Reginald Vaughn Finley, Sr. (born in 1974) is an Informal Science Educator, Critical Thinking Advocate, and Genealogist. He is also a US Army Veteran and served overseas during Operation Able Sentry in 1995. In 1999, he also worked for a time as a "phone psychic" with the Psychic Network in which he learned first-hand how people fool themselves into believing the strangest of things. Finley gave a talk about this experience at a Center for Inquiry conference in 2001 and later published his experiences in multiple languages all over the world.
At age 24, while attending St. Leo College, he studied philosophy and religion and soon became interested in the ill-effects of mal-thinking. In his community, he recognized a trend towards anti-intellectualism, a disdain for independent thought, and a general lack of respect for any scientific concept that went against the theological status quo. Seeing this imbalance in his community, Finley decided to take it upon himself to challenge what he saw as far too much common-thinking. Finley soon began identifying himself as an Infidel, Critical Thinking Advocate, Theological Noncognitivist, and many other wholesome identifiers.
Lacking a formal education or even experience in radio, at age 25, Reggie launched an 11 year internet media career (1999-2010) focusing on educating the public about science, philosophy, ethics, freethought, and the value of Critical Thinking. Finley's Programs: "The Debate Hour" , "Freethought Media", "Infidel Radio", and "The Infidel Guy Show" featured personalities from across the philosophical spectrum, including scientists Michio Kaku and Richard Dawkins, lawyers Eddie Tabash and Michael Newdow, creationist Kent Hovind, Ali Sina of Faith Freedom International, biologists Massimo Pigliucci & Neil Shubin, and seasoned skeptic Michael Shermer, founder of the Skeptics Society.
At its end, at the age of 36, Finley produced over 600 programs. I.G., as fans called him, frequently identified himself as just a regular guy. His shows were never top quality nor were they designed to impress the intelligensia, but he always had interesting guests on that helped challenge and change the thinking of hundreds of thousands around the world.
He has also made a number of media appearances himself including being featured in the Sacramento Bee, CFI's Television Show, ABC News, Cincinatti's 700WLW, Michio Kaku's Program (Visions), The Young Turks, and dozens more. Finley's family appeared on ABC's reality show Wife Swap on November 28, 2005, when his then wife (Amber) switched places with the wife of a devout Christian pastor.
After the meteoric rise of youtube and the Financial Crisis of 2007, Finley returned to corporate America and rarely conducted any more programs. After the death of his mother in 2011, he began to reinvent himself and created a new informal science education program called The Fun Scientists LLC.
Finley went on to achieve his formal education earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development, at Amridge University(2011) and went on to complete a Master of Education Degree from SUNY at Buffalo specializing in The Public's Understanding of Science(2013). He is currently earning a Master of Science in Biology from Clemson University. After he completes his second Masters he intends to finish his PhD in Science Education. His research interests lie in The Application of Critical Thinking in Managerial Decision-Making as well as Investigating How Cultural Beliefs Impact the Public Understanding and Acceptance of Science.
Finley now volunteers for various science-oriented non-profits with aspirations of moving into a full-time Education Director position. He is also pursuing an educator position teaching subjects such as: Critical Thinking, the Philosophy of Science, Persuasive Communication, Logic and Rhetoric, Biology, Human Development, Human Motivation, and dozens more.
Finley has contemplated conducting a new program which would reflect his maturation over the years as well as reflect newly acquired knowledge and perspectives obtained during his University education and abroad.
In his freetime, he enjoys movies with his family, reading non-fiction (in particular science news), web mastering, and studying as many free courses he can at Alison, Coursera, EdX and Khan Academy.
