The U.S. scientific community has long led the world in research on such areas as public health, environmental science, and issues affecting quality of life. These scientists have produced landmark studies on the dangers of DDT, tobacco smoke, acid rain, and global warming. But at the same time, a small yet potent subset of this community leads the world in vehement denial of these dangers. Merchants of Doubt tells the story of how a loose-knit group of high-level scientists and scientific advisers, with deep connections in politics and industry, ran effective campaigns to mislead the public and deny well-established scientific knowledge over four decades. Remarkably, the same individuals surface repeatedly-some of the same figures who have claimed that the science of global warming is "not settled" denied the truth of studies linking smoking to lung cancer, coal smoke to acid rain, and CFCs to the ozone hole. "Doubt is our product," wrote one tobacco executive. These "experts" supplied it. Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway, historians of science, roll back the rug on this dark corner of the American scientific community, showing how ideology and corporate interests, aided by a too-compliant media, have skewed public understanding of some of the most pressing issues of our era.
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Review
Anyone concerned about the state of democracy in America should read this book (Al Gore )
Brilliantly reported and written with brutal clarity (Huffington Post )
It is tempting to require that all those engaged in the business of conveying scientific information to the general public should read it (Science )
A hard-hitting thriller ... also a meticulously researched history book and a portal into the world of real science ... A fascinating story (West Australian )
Excellent, important (Choice ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Brilliantly reported and written with brutal clarity (Huffington Post )
It is tempting to require that all those engaged in the business of conveying scientific information to the general public should read it (Science )
A hard-hitting thriller ... also a meticulously researched history book and a portal into the world of real science ... A fascinating story (West Australian )
Excellent, important (Choice ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Book Description
The troubling story of how a cadre of influential scientists have clouded public understanding of scientific facts to advance a political and economic agenda.
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 31 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A superbly written and meticulously researched book of the utmost importance
28 Jan 2011
Format:Hardcover
In 1988 the United States was on course to take remedial action to slow the pace of man-made global warming. But by the mid 1990s the issue was dead. This change was brought about by a small, loosely connected group of individuals, who used skills and techniques they had honed during earlier campaigns:
> on behalf of tobacco companies to deny the adverse health effects of smoking (when the tobacco companys' own scientists had known the truth for decades);
> on behalf of chemical companies to deny the existence of the ozone hole, and when that was established beyond doubt, to pretend that it was not caused by the release of CFCs;
> on behalf of the fossil fuel industry to deny that the burning of coal was the principle cause of acid rain;
> and other issues.
And again and again the same names, Singer, Seitz and Nierenberg in particular, keep cropping up.
This extraordinarily important book describes the history of each campaign in turn, and exposes the techniques of disinformation which proved, and continue to prove, so devastatingly effective, especially when people were being fed things they wanted to hear which allowed them to continue irresponsible behaviour. The power of a few determined mavericks to successfully undermine the combined expertise and authority of mainstream scientific bodies at the highest level is chillingly apparent.
The authority of the book, with its moderate, scholarly tone and its 64 pages of references, is all too evident. Indeed the reader can only wish that its appalling story were not so obviously true. But it does provide a convincing explanation for the biggest puzzle of all - what on earth it is that motivates these people, who presumably live on Earth like the rest of us, and some of whom must surely have grandchildren too. The answer has something to do with free market zealotry and passionate antipathy to regulation of any kind, but if the argument could be summarised in a review there would have been no need to write the book, or indeed to read it.
It is a gripping and fascinating read. Forget fiction like the Da Vinci Code, this is the real thing. I recommend it without the slightest hesitation.
> on behalf of tobacco companies to deny the adverse health effects of smoking (when the tobacco companys' own scientists had known the truth for decades);
> on behalf of chemical companies to deny the existence of the ozone hole, and when that was established beyond doubt, to pretend that it was not caused by the release of CFCs;
> on behalf of the fossil fuel industry to deny that the burning of coal was the principle cause of acid rain;
> and other issues.
And again and again the same names, Singer, Seitz and Nierenberg in particular, keep cropping up.
This extraordinarily important book describes the history of each campaign in turn, and exposes the techniques of disinformation which proved, and continue to prove, so devastatingly effective, especially when people were being fed things they wanted to hear which allowed them to continue irresponsible behaviour. The power of a few determined mavericks to successfully undermine the combined expertise and authority of mainstream scientific bodies at the highest level is chillingly apparent.
The authority of the book, with its moderate, scholarly tone and its 64 pages of references, is all too evident. Indeed the reader can only wish that its appalling story were not so obviously true. But it does provide a convincing explanation for the biggest puzzle of all - what on earth it is that motivates these people, who presumably live on Earth like the rest of us, and some of whom must surely have grandchildren too. The answer has something to do with free market zealotry and passionate antipathy to regulation of any kind, but if the argument could be summarised in a review there would have been no need to write the book, or indeed to read it.
It is a gripping and fascinating read. Forget fiction like the Da Vinci Code, this is the real thing. I recommend it without the slightest hesitation.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By SD900Ducati
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The only reason this book does not have a full 5 star rating, is because a few "flat earthers" are using this review as a forum to debate climate change!?
Ironically, a review of the very book which clearly, and startlingly, exposes the people highjacking that "debate" and many other issues. I can only assume that those reviewers never actually read the book.
The author/s have bravely done an astonishing amount of research to expose a denial industry, funding bad research, and publishing fraudulent misinformation to decieve the public. They cover this groups activities in some big issues over the decades, and present the information in an easy to read style.
This book had me constantly shaking my head in disbelief, and not wanting to put it down!
I firmly believe this book should be compulsory reading for every high school student, and at least every journalism student.
Ironically, a review of the very book which clearly, and startlingly, exposes the people highjacking that "debate" and many other issues. I can only assume that those reviewers never actually read the book.
The author/s have bravely done an astonishing amount of research to expose a denial industry, funding bad research, and publishing fraudulent misinformation to decieve the public. They cover this groups activities in some big issues over the decades, and present the information in an easy to read style.
This book had me constantly shaking my head in disbelief, and not wanting to put it down!
I firmly believe this book should be compulsory reading for every high school student, and at least every journalism student.
24 of 29 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant investigation of the fight against scientific truth about tobacco, acid rain and global warming
22 Dec 2010
By Rolf Dobelli
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
"As recently as 2007, 40% of Americans believed that scientific experts were still arguing about the realities of global warming." And, of course, they were not; global warming is a long-acknowledged, scientific fact, say science professor Naomi Oreskes and science writer Erik M. Conway. They show how "merchants of doubt" - a dedicated cabal of conservative scientists on the payrolls of industries and right-wing think tanks - have labored successfully over the decades to convince a broad spectrum of the public that the truth is not true, that scientific fact is merely opinion, that secondhand smoke will not kill you, that industrial pollution did not cause acid rain, that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) did not deplete the ozone layer and that global warming does not exist. In this jaw-dropping, meticulously researched work of science, politics and investigative journalism, Oreskes and Conway track the shockingly long history of widespread, willful dissemination of scientific fiction in the service of politics and profits. getAbstract recommends this sure-to-be classic to all those interested in the environment, in the processes of politics, science and media, and in learning the hard facts that underlie so much propaganda.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Here is the whole story
If you have been interested in global warming, the limits to growth and so on there is not all that much new material here, but newcomers to the debate will find the book extremely... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jens Guld
1.0 out of 5 stars
sorry but we have every right to doubt the IPCC
The author writes well but clearly only got the AGW religious to proof read the book. Since when was challenging science a bad thing ? Read more
Published 8 months ago by Johan RF
1.0 out of 5 stars
complete rubbish
another zealot who wants us all to fall for this rubbish. Research it yourself, its easy! There is no global warming, it is not caused by man, its just the natural weather cycles... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Daveegan06
1.0 out of 5 stars
Distortion of science
Ms Oreskes previously wrote about Wegener and the theory of continental drift, showing how his ideas were rejected by geologists in the 1930s. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Dr. P. R. Lewis
5.0 out of 5 stars
a very interesting read
At long last a book that tells it like it is, how influential people conspired to hide the truth about many of the issues that should be of concern to us all.
Published 13 months ago by M. Shubinsky
2.0 out of 5 stars
A great point - but....
The central fact of this book is that bug business has been paying off the same set of scientists for decades to prop up thier products which are bad for us - think... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Marc Munier
5.0 out of 5 stars
I cannot praise this book highly enough
Many will find it astonishing that, in 1980, an economist such as Thomas Schelling should have attempted to justify his "we don't need to do anything about climate change" argument... Read more
Published on 3 Mar 2011 by Martin Lack
1.0 out of 5 stars
Hot Air Goes Up In Smoke
I bought this book because a reviewer said it brought together the scientific rebuttal of the claims of climate change deniers. It does no such thing. Read more
Published on 25 Sep 2010 by Doubting Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars
A brilliant scientific history
To see the same names and the same institutions crop up time and time again, over decades, selling anti-science scepticism is jaw-dropping. Read more
Published on 29 Jun 2010 by John Samuel
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