Why we are mistaken - Asi book key ideas Kuznetsova "On the Internet, someone is wrong!"
Books / / December 19, 2019
Is it true that homeopathy has no side effects, GMOs contain genes, and the meat is bad for health? Asya Kazantsev exciting writes about issues that cause the most heated arguments. Explains why this book from the publisher Corpus useful to read for everyone.
Asya Kazantsev
Science journalist and popularizer of science. In the first book, "Who would have thought! How the brain makes us do stupid things, "won" the Illuminator "- a prestigious award in the field of scientific and popular literature. She worked in the publications of "Around the World", Slon.ru, the BBC, "Troitsky Variant - Science", "Health" and others. A graduate of St. Petersburg State University Biology Department.
In the book "On the Internet, someone is wrong," Asya Kazantsev collected the issues that cause the most heated debate, and says that on this occasion the scientific community thinks. For example, if dangerous GMOs? Is it true that men are smarter than women? Each statement Asya argues, supported by the description of research or experiment.
Myths and misconceptions appear even when there are well proven and tested scientific theory. Why it happens?
One reason is that the amount of information in today's world is so huge that to grasp its ordinary man, far from science, is virtually impossible. Plus, every day new information is becoming more and more. How in such a flow to understand what is true and what is not, what discoveries They deserve attention and which do not bear practical value? This was referred to in the final part of the book: how to seek and find reliable scientific information.
Why we're wrong
It would seem, average century are long gone, but 32% of our fellow citizens believe that the sun revolves around the Earth, and 29% believe that people lived together with the dinosaurs. Perhaps you chuckling to himself over these people. But make a mistake easily. You yourself can be the victim of common misconceptions
Why much we take for granted? Asya identifies three main reasons.
- We like the familiar. In psychology there is a concept of "cognitive ease": we like all habitual and familiar. We are comfortable to see what we expect to see. criticality of thinking and verification of the facts, on the other hand, requires mental effort.
- We trust people. Under the pressure of the majority, we believe even improbable things. Especially if it is not about some abstract majority, and about the people that we like, where we want to be like. If they have some kind of error, most likely we will also maintain it.
- We love patterns. The random coincidences we like to find a relationship. Find meaning where it is not (and find) - a natural human tendency.
Why do you need to get rid of misconceptions
Twelve myths in the book Asya divided into three groups:
- medical (e.g., whether vaccination leads to autism whether acupuncture reliable method of treatment);
- scientific (whether GMOs are dangerous);
- life (if the meat is harmful to health, is it possible to be gay because of the promotion).
In some cases, to know the truth is vital. For example, Asya tells the story of Nozifo Bengu, a resident of South Africa, who died of AIDS in 32 years. Once diagnosed with HIV, Nozifo received conventional antiretroviral therapy. But then switched to an alternative treatment instead of medicines drinking lemon juice, eat garlic and ginger. As a result, the disease has started and it ended sadly. But the most terrible and savage in this story is that the woman did it under the influence of state propaganda.
Misconceptions can spread so widely that you can hear them from the mouth of a very authoritative, important and representative people. In this light, it becomes clear why it is so important critical thinking and the ability to determine the accuracy of the information.
Of course, in the book there are chapters that do not raise issues relating to the life, health and security. But they are no less useful. For example, learn more about homeopathy, you will save more money in your wallet, and do not spend it on a well-publicized drug dummy. Some chapters simply interested in reading for the overall development.
Why you need this book
The book is in fact universal. It will be interesting to read for people of different age, social status and level of education. All we sometimes argue, and all of us sometimes do not have enough information to prove their case.
Asya bit disingenuous when he says that her book - an indispensable guide for holivarov online. Contents of the book is much broader, more interesting and complicated than usual discussions on the web. After reading you will be attentive to any new information. In addition, you are sure to learn a lot of research and experiments in various fields: medicine, psychology, Sociology, biology.
Another indisputable advantage of the book - it is read in one breath because of the author's accurate observations, humor, self-irony. Reading a book, "On the Internet, someone is wrong," like a conversation with a knowledgeable friend.
Asya proves: to understand the scientific problem, do not necessarily have to be a specialist. And even in the huge flow of information, you can navigate.
"On the Internet, someone is wrong! Scientific studies have contentious issues, "Asya Kazantsev
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