We need to stop calling everyone who questions science, you now stupid. A lot of these people can be very intelligent, but have been misled and to these structural issues. We don't want to write off people who aren't right there with us all the time. And i'll go back to the first example i gave, of this woman in the news the other day who said, well, i was sceptical for a long time, but that's one thing i don't wantto be ignorant. I want to stay sceptical, but not ignorant. Thanks for coming on the show.
Michael Shermer speaks with Gale Sinatra and Barbara Hofer about the key psychological explanations for science denial and doubt that can help provide a means for improving scientific literacy and understanding — critically important at a time when denial has become deadly. Sinatra and Hofer offer tools for addressing science denial and explain both the importance of science education and its limitations, show how science communicators may inadvertently contribute to the problem, and explain how the internet and social media foster misinformation and disinformation. The authors focus on key psychological constructs such as reasoning biases, social identity, epistemic cognition, and emotions and attitudes that limit or facilitate public understanding of science, and describe solutions for individuals, educators, science communicators, and policy makers. If you have ever wondered why science denial exists, want to know how to understand your own biases and those of others, and would like to address the problem, this book will provide the insights you are seeking.