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Science Denial: Lessons and Solutions
Friday, November 2, 2018
The New York Academy of Sciences, 7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich St Fl 40, New York
The outright repudiation of scientific facts is a longstanding, global phenomenon, and the negative consequences are vast for science, public health, global conservation, and beyond.
There is no single way to categorize those who deny science, complicating efforts to overcome science denial. It arises in all strata of education and political ideology, with diverse motivations. Importantly, it is frequently not a dismissal of all science (e.g., someone might accept climate change, but reject vaccines). Having increased scientific knowledge is only marginally protective against science denial, and at times can lead to increased polarization.
In response to this complex and pressing global challenge, this event will gather the world's leading communications, political science, psychology, and behavior researchers with historians, public health officials, and science outreach experts for a 1-day symposium to delve into the history and cultural motivations of, challenges presented by, and future solutions to science denial.
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The panel discussions and keynote lecture for this event will be available via Livestream, watch them here.
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Friday
November 02, 2018
Registration and Breakfast
Welcoming Remarks
Session I: The History of Science Denial and its Consequences for Global Health
Panel Discussion
Speakers
Audience Q&A
Networking Coffee Break
Session II: Understanding the Spread of Science Denial
Panel Discussion
Speakers
Audience Q&A
Networking Luncheon
Keynote Lecture: Denial or Distrust? On Not Solving the Wrong Problem
Speaker
“Science denial” is a flat term for a complex reality. It implies that science is a single thing, a storehouse of truths that no one should deny. When denial persists, the recommended solution is better communication, so people will hear and understand the facts that scientists have discovered. Yet, scientific controversies tell a more complicated story. Skepticism toward particular scientific facts rarely corresponds to a wholesale rejection of science. Nor is ignorance necessarily the cause of rejection. Instead, refusal to accept a scientific consensus may reflect doubts about scientists’ motivations, their ways of working, or the purposes and benefits of their research. To realign public beliefs with established facts, we need more than an insistence on the facts themselves. We need to rebuild trust in science — a difficult task in a time of political polarization and loss of confidence in experts and institutions. Answers may lie in recognizing that science, like democracy, involves reason and engagement, not merely a search for truth and facts.
Session III: Overcoming Science Denial: Studying the Successes and Failures
Panel Discussion
Speakers
Audience Q&A
Networking Coffee Break
Session IV: Elevating Science in Public Policy and Public Discourse
Panel Discussion
Speakers