The misinformation age: how false beliefs spread [electronic resource] / Cailin O’Connor, James Owen Weatherall.
Material type:
TextLanguage: English Publisher: London, United Kingdom : Yale University Press, 2019Copyright date: ©2019Description: xii, 266 pages : online resourceContent type: text Media type: computer Carrier type: online resourceISBN: 9780300241006 (eISBN)Subject(s): Social Psychology -- Science | History -- Social science | Media StudiesAdditional physical formats: Printed edition:: No titleLOC classification: BF323.E7 .O23 2019Online resources: e-book Full-text access
In:
JSTOR EBASummary: The social dynamics of "alternative facts": why what you believe depends on who you knowWhy should we care about having true beliefs? And why do demonstrably false beliefs persist and spread despite consequences for the people who hold them? Philosophers of science Cailin O'Connor and James Weatherall argue that social factors, rather than individual psychology, are what's essential to understanding the spread and persistence of false belief. It might seem that there's an obvious reason that true beliefs matter: false beliefs will hurt you. But if that's right, then why is it (apparently) irrelevant to many people whether they believe true things or not?In an age riven by "fake news," "alternative facts," and disputes over the validity of everything from climate change to the size of inauguration crowds, the authors argue that social factors, not individual psychology, are what's essential to understanding the persistence of false belief and that we must know how those social forces work in order to fight misinformation effectively.
| Item type | Current library | Collection | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-Books | MEF eKitap Kütüphanesi | Jstor e-Book - EBA | BF 323 .E7 .O23 2019 (Browse shelf (Opens below)) | Available | JSTOR00023 |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 215-250) and index (pages 253-266).
The social dynamics of "alternative facts": why what you believe depends on who you knowWhy should we care about having true beliefs? And why do demonstrably false beliefs persist and spread despite consequences for the people who hold them? Philosophers of science Cailin O'Connor and James Weatherall argue that social factors, rather than individual psychology, are what's essential to understanding the spread and persistence of false belief. It might seem that there's an obvious reason that true beliefs matter: false beliefs will hurt you. But if that's right, then why is it (apparently) irrelevant to many people whether they believe true things or not?In an age riven by "fake news," "alternative facts," and disputes over the validity of everything from climate change to the size of inauguration crowds, the authors argue that social factors, not individual psychology, are what's essential to understanding the persistence of false belief and that we must know how those social forces work in order to fight misinformation effectively.