ED23F-04
Motivated Rejection of (Climate) Science: Causes, Tools, and Effects

Tuesday, 15 December 2015: 14:40
102 (Moscone South)
Stephan Lewandowsky, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia; University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Abstract:
Although the relevant scientific community long ago settled on the conclusion that human economic activities are causing climate change through the emission of greenhouse gases, a small but vocal number of dissenters remains unconvinced by the evidence. I examine the cognitive and motivational factors that underlie the rejection of scientific evidence, and I illustrate the techniques by which contrarians seek to shape public debate and mislead the public. I also suggest that contrarian activities have seeped into the scientific community and have arguably altered the interpretation of the risks posed by climate change.