Denialism

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*The existence of [[Evolution]] (generally conflated with [[Big bang|Big Bang]] cosmology and [[abiogenesis]] by deniers)
 
*The existence of [[Evolution]] (generally conflated with [[Big bang|Big Bang]] cosmology and [[abiogenesis]] by deniers)
 
*The constitutional basis for the [[separation of church and state]] in the [[United States]]
 
*The constitutional basis for the [[separation of church and state]] in the [[United States]]
*The legal requirement to pay [[Tax protester|income tax]] (again, in the U.S.)
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*The existence of [[global warming]] by invocation of various [[Global warming conspiracy theory|conspiracy theories]]
+
  
 
In addition, [[heliocentrism]] and Einstein's theory of [[relativity]] have met opposition among some more fringe groups.  
 
In addition, [[heliocentrism]] and Einstein's theory of [[relativity]] have met opposition among some more fringe groups.  

Revision as of 03:07, 26 November 2007

Denialism is a methodologic school of Woo. It is the art of denying a well-evidenced fact in an authoritative way, despite lack of any empirically acceptable evidence.

Denialists tend to have wide variety of targets from the scientific to the political. The Hoofnagle boys at Denialism Blog on scienceblogs.com have described (using their "Denialists' Deck of Cards" series), how their tactics are remarkably similar. They use a witches brew of half-truths, sob stories[1], conspiracy theories and public relations (or spin) to try to force the public to ignore an important issue. Popular denialist targets include:


In addition, heliocentrism and Einstein's theory of relativity have met opposition among some more fringe groups.

Denialism has at times been a tool of national policy in some places, including Lysenkoism in the Soviet Union (denial of Mendelian genetics), the defeat of the Kyoto global warming treaty and requirements for abstinence-only sex education in the United States, and the attempted suppression of relativity as "Jewish science" in Nazi Germany.

See also

Footnotes

  1. (generally about the impending impoverishment of multimillion dollar companies, but often involving stories about how brown people/insert_other_religion_heres/small independent artists are going to steal our money, steal our identities, steal our country, steal our dogs and rape our women)
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