A book, based on the author's 2016 Tanner Lectures at Princeton University, that provides a new argument for why we should trust science.
Naomi Oreskes is professor of the history of science and affiliated professor of Earth and planetary sciences at Harvard University. Her books include The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View from the Future and Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming.
"New Zealand Listener's Best Book of 2019"
"One of FiveBooks' Best Climate Books of 2019"
"Oreskes joins a distinguished line of thinkers who explain why we
should trust the findings of the scientific community . . . [and]
clearly reminds readers that science has consistently brought home
the bacon."
*Kirkus Reviews*
"Why Trust Science? is an optimistic analysis of the opportunities
that exist for enhancing public trust in science. This book should
be mandatory reading for anyone who is part of the scientific
endeavor."---Elisabeth Gilmore, Science
"[A] fascinating new book . . . in a field with few reasons to be
cheerful, it is both enlightening and encouraging. Once we begin to
understand the size of the chasm that separates science’s outsiders
and insiders, as Oreskes clearly does, we can at least start to
design a bridge."---Michael Brooks, New Scientist
"Two features of science, [Oreskes] claims, account for its
trustworthiness: its ‘sustained engagement with the world’ together
with ‘its social character.’ Her emphasis on the second feature may
surprise readers used to thinking of science as a tidy epistemic
enterprise neatly insulated from social influence, but this view
emerges clearly from her sober review of studies of science by
historians, philosophers, sociologists, and anthropologists during
the past half century."---Philip Kitcher, Boston Review
"A compelling argument in favour of experts."---Hettie O’Brien, New
Statesman
"For both its evidence-based rigor and striking honesty, Why Trust
Science? by Naomi Oreskes should be required reading for everyone
in scholarly communications. Addressing the broadest view of
science possible — from the experimental to the historical — this
book offers crisp, accessible writing and draws important
connections to our world of research dissemination and
publishing."---Lettie Conrad, The Scholarly Kitchen
"Naomi Oreskes challenges easy answers."
*New Scientist*
"A marvellous, up to date, thorough historical survey of science
and its processes."---John R. Helliwell, Journal of Applied
Crystallography
"The decline of trust in science is one aspect of a much wider
social issue, and the author gives a detailed survey of various
perspectives from history and philosophy of science including many
of the best-known names in the field."---David Lorimer, Paradigm
Explorer
"Oreskes' definition of science provides us with the best knowledge
we can philosophically hope to get."---Ed Gibney, The
Philosopher
"A fascinating and accessible read that considers numerous domains
and issues to bring the reader to Oreskes’ ultimate point, that
trustworthy science depends on consensus, diversity, and
methodological openness and flexibility."---Jeff Share, Journal of
Sustainability Education
"Why Trust Science? is an incredibly important work, bringing the
history of science into something of a thinker’s field guide to the
pursuit of knowledge. It is sharply written and, beyond being
merely informative, it is sage. Wherever the reader stands on the
for or against science divide, Oreskes’ determined and open-minded
curiosity is infectious, as is her earned belief in science.
Hopefully, it will encourage more scientists and science-lovers to
spread the good word."---Katherine Oktober Matthews, Riding the
Dragon
"Oreskes is eloquent, insightful and bold. At a time where we are
still confronted by climate change deniers and the anti-vaccine
movement . . . it is easy to see why a book like this is so
important. . . . This thought-provoking, timely and comprehensive
book is a must-read."---Joanna Florence Sparks, Chemistry World
"This book is well worth the effort for anyone concerned about
climate change, protection of biodiversity, and other issues that
involve science advising policy. Insights from Naomi Oreskes can
bolster our arguments countering the anti-science, anti-expertise,
anti-intellectual forces at work in the world today."---John Miles,
National Parks Traveler
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