How to Talk to a Science Denier

Conversations with Flat Earthers, Climate Deniers, and Others Who Defy Reason

Dados Bibliográficos

ID20006798
AutoresLee Mcintyre (0000-0003-0607-8151, autor correspondente), Lee C Mcintyre
Ano2021
Páginas264
Data de publicação2021-08-17
Open AccessNão
TipoBOOK
PeriódicoHow to Talk to a Science Denier (SOURCE_BOOK)
EditoraThe MIT Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.7551/mitpress/13918.001.0001
OpenAlexW4244417662
Open LibraryOL34138453M
ISBN9780262366724
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas22
Referências citadas15

Can we change the minds of science deniers? Encounters with flat earthers, anti-vaxxers, coronavirus truthers, and others. “Climate change is a hoax—and so is coronavirus.” “Vaccines are bad for you.” These days, many of our fellow citizens reject scientific expertise and prefer ideology to facts. They are not merely uninformed—they are misinformed. They cite cherry-picked evidence, rely on fake experts, and believe conspiracy theories. How can we convince such people otherwise? How can we get them to change their minds and accept the facts when they don't believe in facts? In this book, Lee McIntyre shows that anyone can fight back against science deniers, and argues that it's important to do so. Science denial can kill. Drawing on his own experience—including a visit to a Flat Earth convention—as well as academic research, McIntyre outlines the common themes of science denialism, present in misinformation campaigns ranging from tobacco companies' denial in the 1950s that smoking causes lung cancer to today's anti-vaxxers. He describes attempts to use his persuasive powers as a philosopher to convert Flat Earthers; surprising discussions with coal miners; and conversations with a scientist friend about genetically modified organisms in food. McIntyre offers tools and techniques for communicating the truth and values of science, emphasizing that the most important way to reach science deniers is to talk to them calmly and respectfully—to put ourselves out there, and meet them face to face

Aesthetics · Denial · Environmental ethics · Epistemology · Face (sociological concept) · Fake news · Hoax · Media studies · Misinformation · Paranormal · Political science · Psychoanalysis · Science communication · Science education · Social science · Sociology · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Law · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Philosophy · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Pseudoscience · Public opinion · Reasoning · Science · Social aspects · Truthfulness and falsehood