How do you talk to a climate denier or anti-vaxor? You take the evidence seriously, seeing what it is. And in some cases, you can offer a better explanation for their evidence than tat and that satisfies the problem. In some cases, you're just not going to succeed. It's just not going to work. But i think that that approach of being like, why do you think that and what does it do for you? Why?" Can at least give you a sense of epathetic understanding of where they're coming from - but also give you a tool by which to continue the conversation.
Everyone has heard of the term “pseudoscience”, typically used to describe something that looks like science, but is somehow false, misleading, or unproven. Many would be able to agree on a list of things that fall under its umbrella — astrology, phrenology, UFOlogy, creationism, and eugenics might come to mind. But defining what makes these fields “pseudo” is a far more complex issue. Given the virulence of contemporary disputes over the denial of climate change and anti-vaccination movements — both of which display allegations of “pseudoscience” on all sides — there is a clear need to better understand issues of scientific demarcation. Shermer and Gordin explore the philosophical and historical attempts to address this problem of demarcation.