DENYING TO THE GRAVE:  WHY WE IGNORE THE FACTS THAT WILL SAVE US

Summary of a few good ideas.

Alan Silverstein, ajs@frii.com, posted Novembe 1, 2017

I haven't gotten around to reading this book yet, but a a friend
summarized for me the paragraph headings in the last chapter, and this
list seemed worth sharing.

Guiding Principles:

#1:  It is not simply uneducated people who make irrational health
     decisions.

#2:  It isn't about a simple "lack of information".

#3:  Empathy and evolutionary benefits may sometimes be at odds with
     rational thinking.

#4:  Hypothesis testing lends itself to an inability to profess absolute
     certainty, and people are uncomfortable with this.

#5:  People respond more to emotion than statistics, but charismatic
     leaders use emotion and scientists use statistics.

#6:  People have trouble changing their minds.

#7:  People have trouble understanding probability and risk.

Solutions:

#1:  Science must deal with increased access to various types of
     information via the internet.

#2:  Members of the media need to be better trained to understand what a
     valid scientific debate is and what it is not.

#3:  Scientists must be more sensitive to difficulties in communicating
     causality, people's discomfort with uncertainty, and their own
     weaknesses.

#4:  We need better childhood education about statistics and
     probability, in-depth understanding of the scientific method,
     places for error in science, development of critical thinking
     skills, and techniques to understand what's "good evidence."

#5:  We need healthcare professionals who can engage in motivational
     interviewing with people who have incorrect medical beliefs.

#6:  We all must examine our tendency to think uncritically and to place
     emotion over reason.

A Final Word:

Some people's views will never change.  But if we can reach those people
who are unsure and keep them from buying into incorrect scientific
ideas, then we can declare a triumph.  Undergirding our efforts to reach
people should always be understanding and compassion.  No one is immune
from bias, heuristics, or emotional decision making...

It is not our intention to promote a world in which people do not care
about stories, do not come together over issues that bother them, and do
not feel inspired by charismatic leaders.  But we do want to emphasize
that until we bring these psychological, emotional, and social forces
into the conversation, we will never get anywhere in the struggle
against dangerous, unscientific ideas...

By adding compassion, empathy, and emotion into this equation we will
finally be able to effectively help people make the crucial decisions
that will ultimately save their lives.