Chris Mooney on "The Science of Why We Deny Science"

The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies' Center for Neurotechnology Studies presented a Special CNS Lecture, "The Science of Why We Deny Science," with journalist and commentator Chris Mooney on Friday, October 21.
Chris Mooney writes, "We all know that people deny science and the facts constantly--on science based issues like climate change and evolution, but also on resolvable issues in politics: where was the president born? Does the health care reform create death panels? Did the stimulus bill create millions of jobs, only a few, or did it destroy jobs? Did Iraq have weapons of mass destruction? Moreover, we know that when faced with the facts, people don't change their minds or let go of false ideas--quite the contrary, they often believe them more strongly than before. Such facts are rightly disturbing to scientists and skeptics, but there's a reason why they occur--and indeed, thanks to new advances in psychology and neuroscience, they can be scientifically explained. The implications for communication, and for persuasion, are profound."

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