The Spread of Ignorance (bbc.com)

New submitter Eric Eikrem writes: BBC Future has just published an interesting article on Robert Proctor, a science historian from Stanford University, who studies how people or companies with vested interests spread ignorance and obfuscate knowledge. The spread of ignorance follows certain patterns, whether it is about tobacco or climate change. 'Proctor found that ignorance spreads when firstly, many people do not understand a concept or fact and secondly, when special interest groups -- like a commercial firm or a political group – then work hard to create confusion about an issue. In the case of ignorance about tobacco and climate change, a scientifically illiterate society will probably be more susceptible to the tactics used by those wishing to confuse and cloud the truth.'

Comments

Re:Nothing new

[iggymanz]

you are funny, as if religion is the only realm where this occurs. Let's not forget the stupidities of science and medicine and industry in the past five centuries to present either.

More FUD

[sithkhan]

If a climate model can't explain/show the past history of observed data, then how can it be relied upon to predict the future? Release all the data used for these claims, as well as the model. Isn't saving the world more important than being secretive with this information? Or is it more important to keep the incoming funding and celebrity? I don't know why Slashdot logged me out ... :/