#618 Lee McIntyre - How to Talk to a Science Denier
RECORDED ON JANUARY 28th 2022.
Dr. Lee McIntyre is a Research Fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University. He is interested in comparative methodology across the natural and social sciences. He is the author of books like Post-Truth, and The Scientific Attitude: Defending Science from Denial, Fraud, and Pseudoscience. His new book is How to Talk to a Science Denier: Conversations with Flat Earthers, Climate Deniers, and Others Who Defy Reason.
In this episode, we focus on How to Talk to a Science Denier. We characterize a science denier, and talk about the five tropes of science denial. We discuss how politics and ideology influence science denial. We talk about the strategies people can use to engage with science deniers. We discuss the social aspects of science denial. We talk about philosophers who deny the epistemology of science. We talk about how science tends to be counterintuitive, and what to do when there is not enough information. We discuss the different types of science deniers. Finally, Dr. McIntyre gives us a guide on how to first approach a science denier.
Time Links:
Intro
What is a science denier? And the five tropes of science denial
Politics and ideology
Is it possible to change the minds of science deniers?
Strategies to engage with them, and three levels of engagement: inoculation, intervention, and overturning belief
An example of a hardcore science denier
The social aspects of science denial
More sophisticated kinds of science denier
When science is counterintuitive
What to do when there’s not enough information?
Different types of science deniers
Want to engage a science denier? Try this!
Follow Dr. McIntyre’s work!
Follow Dr. McIntyre’s work:
University page: https://bit.ly/37CKVi9
Website: https://bit.ly/3KTXRkW
ResearchGate profile: https://bit.ly/37t4dWs
Amazon page: http://amzn.to/37rXQmp
How to Talk to a Science Denier: https://amzn.to/3npErul