The book 'The Noble Lie' prompts reflection on the human tendency to take a strong position in the face of evidence for the supposed greater good, such as advocating for vaccines even when one's motivations may be complex. Although it may be tempting to deceive oneself into believing the motivation is noble, it is emphasized to advocate for the truth instead, as per the theory of moral sentiments by Adam Smith.
The Covid vaccine saved many lives but so many mistakes were made in how public health officials discussed it, implemented it, and assessed its effectiveness. Epidemiologist Vinay Prasad of the University of California, San Francisco talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about what went wrong, the costs of the mistakes that were made, and what we can do better the next time.