How to Talk to a Science Denier: Conversations with Flat Earthers, Climate Deniers, and Others Who Defy Reason
- Length: 264 pages
- Edition: 1
- Language: English
- Publisher: The MIT Press
- Publication Date: 2021-08-17
- ISBN-10: 0262046105
- ISBN-13: 9780262046107
- Sales Rank: #47397 (See Top 100 Books)
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.
Contents Introduction 1. What I Learned at the Flat Earth Convention 2. What Is Science Denial? The Elements of Science Denial The Motivational and Psychological Roots of Science Denial 3. How Do You Change Someone’s Mind? Changing Minds within an Experimental Setting Breakthrough Changing Minds in the Real World 4. Close Encounters with Climate Change The Origins and Causes of Climate Denial The Maldives: Ground Zero for Climate Change 5. Canary in the Coal Mine Current Situation 6. Genetically Modified Organisms: Is There Such a Thing as Liberal Science Denial? Genetically Modified Organisms 7. Talking with Trust Friends in the Time of COVID The Conversation of My Life So Is GMO Resistance an Example of Liberal Science Denial? 8. Coronavirus and the Road Ahead Outside Interference Lessons from Coronavirus: Unify and Conquer The Cure for Post-Truth Epilogue Acknowledgments Notes Introduction Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Bibliography Index
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