It’s tempting to think of anti-science sentiments, such as the current pushback against COVID vaccination, as the disparate sum of misinformed individuals. But Lee McIntyre, author of the recent book, How to Talk to a Science Denier, has found otherwise.
“All science denial is really organized. It’s a campaign,” explains McIntyre. “And as a campaign it deserves some pushback, which is what I do.”
In this Purple Principle Part Two of our Holiday Survival Kit, we learn from Lee McIntyre how artful pushback must be to reach skeptical counterparts with identities defined by anti-science belief.
In the episode, we first discuss Lee’s background in the philosophy of science, then his decision to leave the relative comfort of scholarly research to engage with science deniers. Here he learns firsthand the surprisingly common elements across such disparate groups as flat earthers, GMO skeptics, and anti-vaxxers.
“They all followed the same reasoning strategy,” McIntrye tells us. “They cherry-picked facts, believed in conspiracy theories, engaged in illogical reasoning, relied on fake experts, and thought that science had to be perfect in order to be believed.”
Do you have friends, colleagues, or family members prone to anti-science beliefs?
Then join us on Episode Two of the Celebration & Polarization, Holiday Survival Kit: When Anti-Science Makes the Menu for helpful insights from Philosopher of Science, Lee McIntyre. His latest book, How to Talk to A Science Denier, comes at a time when these difficult discussions are vital to our families, our workplaces, and our democracy.
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