Can we change the minds of science deniers? Encounters with flat earthers anti-vaxxers
coronavirus truthers and others. Climate change is a hoax--and so is coronavirus. Vaccines are
bad for you. These days many of our fellow citizens reject scientific expertise and prefer
ideology to facts. They are not merely uninformed--they are misinformed. They cite
cherry-picked evidence rely on fake experts and believe conspiracy theories. How can we
convince such people otherwise? How can we get them to change their minds and accept the facts
when they don't believe in facts? In this book Lee McIntyre shows that anyone can fight back
against science deniers and argues that it's important to do so. Science denial can kill.
Drawing on his own experience--including a visit to a Flat Earth convention--as well as
academic research McIntyre outlines the common themes of science denialism present in
misinformation campaigns ranging from tobacco companies' denial in the 1950s that smoking
causes lung cancer to today's anti-vaxxers. He describes attempts to use his persuasive powers
as a philosopher to convert Flat Earthers surprising discussions with coal miners and
conversations with a scientist friend about genetically modified organisms in food. McIntyre
offers tools and techniques for communicating the truth and values of science emphasizing that
the most important way to reach science deniers is to talk to them calmly and respectfully--to
put ourselves out there and meet them face to face.
