Description: Science and medicine have brought about many improvements in both the length and quality of human life. Nevertheless, at various times in history nations have rejected science in favor of pseudoscience. Faith in Fallacy brings together various examples of state science denial and its consequences, examining what they have in common and how they differ.
Review Quotes: "The book is unequivocal in denouncing the fakery and irresponsibility behind state-sanctioned pseudo-science and unflinching in describing the calamitous human consequences. Such clarity and moral compass is welcome, and this short book may help rally rational and humane response to current and future harms from science denial." -- Choice
"...Faith in Fallacy offers an engaging, well-structured and thought-provoking overview of the history of state-sanctioned science denial. By synthesizing cases from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, Powell illustrates the recurring tension between scientific knowledge and political authority. For scholars and general readers interested in the intersection of science, politics and public policy, the book provides a clear and timely introduction to one of the most pressing challenges facing contemporary societies: the persistent temptation to subordinate scientific evidence to ideological or political priorities." -- Laida Arbizu Aguirre, Metascience