Interview - Barbara Hofer and Gale Sinatra on Science Denial
Jonathan and Chris talk to Dr. Barbara Hofer and Dr. Gale Sinatra, the authors of the book Science Denial: Why It Happens and What to Do About It. It’s a course in skepticism 101 as they discuss decision-making, doing your own research, and the post-truth era. 1:46 Why write a book about science denial now? 4:50 Irrational decision-making 6:17 Politicizing science and manufacturing doubt 16:30 Just asking questions and doing your own research 22:51 How to refute misconceptions and a note on the backfire effect 30:43 Patience and empathy in the time of the pandemic 32:38 Algorithmic literacy 33:55 Are the deniers aware of the true reasons for their science denial? 36:00 The post-truth era 39:32 Solutions for harm reduction * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl. To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/. Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out! Links: 1) The book Science Denial: https://www.sciencedenialbook.com/ 2) The Debunking Handbook: https://www.climatechangecommunication.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/DebunkingHandbook2020.pdf