There is an issue you haven't mentioned in your article. You cite Hanson: "its proponents actively attempt to create the impression that the statement is highly reliable in its own domain". And one way they do this and it catches many of us on the wrong foot is through respectable (*) scientists who drift into other fields and on the basis of their good rep cause havoc. I had an evolution denying statistics professor, Newton had a side line in alchemy, and among climate change deniers and vakskeptiks a number of those people thrive (for visibility, speaking gigs, attention?)
Two links to Skeptical Inquirer to which you contribute yourself, I believe. Would you recommend subscribing to SI? For two or so years in the late 1990's I subscribed, enjoyed the magazine but it soon became a bit repetitive. There is only so much BS that can be debunked, it seems, and the anti-vaxers, UFO-boys and spoon benders show little innovation (well, the anti-vaxers sure had their share of attention recently).
I'll try that!
There is an issue you haven't mentioned in your article. You cite Hanson: "its proponents actively attempt to create the impression that the statement is highly reliable in its own domain". And one way they do this and it catches many of us on the wrong foot is through respectable (*) scientists who drift into other fields and on the basis of their good rep cause havoc. I had an evolution denying statistics professor, Newton had a side line in alchemy, and among climate change deniers and vakskeptiks a number of those people thrive (for visibility, speaking gigs, attention?)
(*) once respectable :)
Nice recommendations/selections 👍
Great links, Massimo, as usual!
Two links to Skeptical Inquirer to which you contribute yourself, I believe. Would you recommend subscribing to SI? For two or so years in the late 1990's I subscribed, enjoyed the magazine but it soon became a bit repetitive. There is only so much BS that can be debunked, it seems, and the anti-vaxers, UFO-boys and spoon benders show little innovation (well, the anti-vaxers sure had their share of attention recently).