The Misinformation Age: How False Beliefs Spread

Cailin O’Connor · James Owen Weatherall

2019-09 · Tantor Media Inc · Skaito Chelsea Stephens

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The social dynamics of "alternative facts": why what you believe depends on who you know Why 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.

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Cailin O'Connor is associate professor of logic and philosophy of science at the University of California, Irvine.

James Owen Weatherall is professor of logic and philosophy of science at the University of California, Irvine, and author of the New York Times bestseller The Physics of Wall Street.

Chelsea Stephens has a longtime love and appreciation for the performing arts, with experience in on-stage acting, singing, and voice-over. Her love for reading books and the pursuit of the story led her to narration. She enjoys unfolding characters and bringing listeners into new worlds.