Merchants of Doubt

How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming

Naomi Oreskes

Recommended By

Book Synopsis

"Merchants of Doubt" by Naomi Oreskes is a captivating and eye-opening exploration of the strategies employed by a group of influential scientists to cast doubt on pressing issues, such as climate change and the harmful effects of tobacco smoking.

Drawing on extensive research and interviews, Oreskes exposes the disturbing tactics utilized by these scientists to manipulate public opinion and delay necessary action. She reveals their connections to powerful industries and think tanks, which provide them with resources and platforms to spread their misleading narratives.

By delving into the historical context and examining case studies, the author reveals a pattern of scientists trading their expertise for personal gain, in an effort to undermine scientific consensus and perpetuate doubt. Oreskes sheds light on how this manipulation contributed to the delay in implementing effective policies, resulting in dire consequences for public health and the environment.

Through her meticulous analysis, Oreskes challenges readers to question the sources of information they encounter, and emphasizes the importance of recognizing and confronting the intentional spread of misinformation. She encourages a more critical approach to evaluating scientific knowledge and understanding the broader societal implications of doubting established facts.

"Merchants of Doubt" serves as a wake-up call, urging individuals, policymakers, and society as a whole to confront and reject the manipulation of scientific knowledge for personal and corporate interests. Oreskes empowers readers to recognize the dangers of doubt manipulation and take action, emphasizing the importance of supporting evidence-based decision-making in addressing pressing global challenges.

Explore More Books

See All
Lagom
Valuation
A Splendid Exchange
The Selfish Gene
Going Clear
The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide
The Doctrine of Deification in the Greek Patristic Tradition
The Upside of Stress
The Story of Civilization: Our Oriental Heritage
Journey to the Center of the Earth
The Invisible Gorilla
The Inimitable Jeeves
Foundation and Empire
The Fund
Win Bigly
Confessions of a Pricing Man
Statistical Consequences of Fat Tails
Googled
The Power Law
New Power
Alexander Hamilton
David Foster Wallace
Man, Economy, and State
Les Miserables
Richard Feynman
Trump: America First
Billion Dollar Whale
The Things They Carried
The Art of Asking
A Conflict of Visions
A Brief History of Intelligence
Race Matters
Primed to Perform
Coyote America
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
I am Anne Frank
Positioning
Amazon Unbound
Lincoln at Gettysburg
Men, Machines, and Modern Times
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
101 Reasons to Get Out of Bed
A Mind at Home with Itself
The Passage of Power
Cry, The Beloved Country
Sustainable Materials With Both Eyes Open
The Fourth Part of the World
The Creative Curve
Unravelling the Double Helix
Lolita
The Story of Design
The Complete Novels of Jane Austen
Globalization and its Discontents
Three Blind Mice
These Truths
Aware
Getting to Yes
Diet for a Small Planet
Between The World And Me
Steal Like an Artist
King, Warrior, Magician, Lover
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Walt Disney
Stretching the School Dollar
Inside The House of Money
Walden
Principles of Economics
Wind, Sand and Stars
Industrial-Strength Denial
How To Decide
Edison
A Guide To The Good Life
A Cure for the Common Company
Job Stacking
Decrypting Money
Marc's Mission
Build
Shattered
The Interpretation of Dreams
Xi Jinping: The Governance of China
The Future Is Asian
Natural Capitalism
Happiness
Bull by the Horns
Eradication
Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
Essentialism
My Life on the Road
Team of Teams
The Making of a Manager
No Rules Rules
The Essential Wooden
The TB12 Method
Skin In The Game
Hail Mary
Value Investing
Amusing Ourselves to Death
Moab Is My Washpot
Die With Zero
House On Fire