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Denialism: How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress, Harms The Planet, And Threatens Our Lives (2009)

by Michael Specter(Favorite Author)

3.66 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1594202303 (ISBN13: 9781594202308)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Penguin Press HC, The

review 1: He briefly notes a lot of denialism in the introduction, then goes into depth in chapters on vaccines, organic food, supplements, racial differences in medicine and Genetically Modified Organisms. From a political point of view, I'm disturbed that all of these are (as far as I can see) leftie things. Why not have chapters on climate change, sex ed, evolution, etc.? I read a book on conspiracy theories a while ago, ant the author of that book was even-handed and I think that makes more sense. There's also the problem that he doesn't seem to understand statistics (i.e. there are not one billion people that go to bed hungry EVERY night. The one billion hungry figure says that there are one billion people that go to bed hungry sometimes) and there were a few other science thin... moregs that I don't think are right (I'm not sure that the compounds gotten by charring swordfish on a grill are more dangerous than the mercury in it). His grasp of political science is also a bit naive (the solution to hunger in Africa is to get better governments). Still worth reading if you're interested in this stuff.
review 2: This book examines a set of public misimpressions about science. Spector leaves aside denialism of issues like climate change, and zeroes in on areas that might be more associated with the political left (although not restricted to the left). This includes raw milk, dietary supplements, organics, GMO, denial of the causes of aids, and vaccines. This is an excellent account of those issues, and why the popular views are wrong or at least not particularly sophisticated. But this fails to address the question seriously of why people have turned from science in the first place (and it's more complicated then describing people as either disingenuous or idiots). less

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