Information About

Denialism




Denialism is a term used to describe the position of governments, business groups, interest groups or individuals who reject propositions that are strongly supported by scientific or historical evidence and seek to influence policy processes and outcomes accordingly.See, e.g., 1 The term has been used in relation to ' Holocaust Denial ', ' AIDS Reappraisal ',2 Cotton, John L. and Randall J. Scalise. AIDS Denial is Pseudoscience . Department of Physics
Southern Methodist University.345 and '.7

The terms "denialism", "denialist" and "denier", which have been in use since the mid-1990s, are generally viewed by those so labeled as Pejorative since they carry the implication that the person or group denies scientific or historical truths. Those to whom the term 'denialists' is applied have used terms such as 'revisionist' , ' Skeptic ', 'contrarian', or ' Dissident ' to describe their own position.


METHODOLOGY AND TACTICS

Denialism is a form of Propaganda , and covers a spectrum of activities from simply like-minded individuals signing letters of dissent to elaborate and professional grey or Black Propaganda campaigns that incorporate legitimate Advertising and Marketing agencies using False Flag tactics.

Denialism can arise from personal ideologies, corporations seeking greater profits or to safeguard profits, industry groups seeking to protect markets from damaging facts and information, political groups seeking to further agendas, or combinations of these working in concert as interest groups on issues of mutual interest. Despite the disparity between these groups and the motives behind them, the tactics used by denialists are largely similar. Common features include:Mark Hoofnagle, "What is Denialism?" March 18, 2007.
  • ''', March 12, 2007.

  • Selectivity - Relying upon discredited or flawed work supporting their idea while dismissing more credible work or presenting discredited or superseded papers to make a field look like it's based on weak research. The selective use of evidence by denialists includes Quote Mining and Cherry Picking .

  • False Experts - Citing paid, partisan scientists or self-appointed 'experts,' often from an unrelated field, inflating favorable 'evidence' while discounting the contradictory, often while misrepresenting the significance of each. Train wreck, thy name is Egnor! Orac. Respectful Insolence, March 12, 2007

  • Impossible expectations - Seeking to prevent the implementation of sound policies or acceptance of a theory by citing the absence of 'complete' or 'absolute' knowledge.

  • '''Misrepresentations and , Straw Man , Appeal To Consequences , and Argument By Metaphor . An example of the misuse of metaphors and analogies is the Watchmaker Analogy . A common misrepresentation used in the Intelligent Design Movement is the intentional use of the term Darwinism when what is being objected to is evolution. An example of an appeal to consequences is the common Neo-creationist claim that an acceptance of evolution (Darwinism) leads to social ills such as the atrocities committed by Hitler's Nazi regime. Does Darwinism Devalue Human Life? Richard Weikart. The Human Life Review. Discovery Institute, March 1 2004.


Additional propaganda techniques that, while sometimes convincing, are not necessarily valid include: Flag-waving , Glittering Generalities , Intentional Vagueness , Oversimplification , Rationalization , Slogans , Stereotyping , Testimonial , Unstated Assumption .


IDEOLOGICAL DENIALISM

Ideologies that conflict with commonly accepted scientific theories or facts can drive their holders to engage in personal forms of denial to favor personal beliefs or to avoid having to reconcile those beliefs with evidence that contradicts them. The dead hand of denialism Edwin Cameron . Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg), April 17, 2003.

Common forms of denialism arising from ideologies are holocaust denial, AIDS reappraisal, the 4(8): e256


CORPORATE DENIALISM

International corporations such as "denial industry".


POLITICAL DENIALISM

The current Bush Administration's replacement of previous science advisors with industry experts or scientists tied to industry and its refusal to submit the August 13, 2007.8 The general class of Genocide Denial , of which Holocaust Denial is a subset, is another form of political denialism.See, e.g., Elizabeth Strakosch (2005) "The Political Methodology of Genocide Denial" {Link without Title}


CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND CRANKS

Denialism also takes the form of Conspiracy Theories , such as The Government Blew Up The World Trade Center , not terrorists, and the Apollo Moon Landing Hoax Accusations .

Mark and Chris Hoofnagle, brothers who have worked together in identifying the activities of activists and defining the topic, say Cranks are a common form of denialist.Mark Hoofnagle. Crank HOWTO Denialism Defined. Denialism Blog. ScienceBlogs. May 31, 2007. Chris, an attorney and consumer protection advocate, is the author of ''The Denialists' Deck of Cards'' which defines the common attributes of denialism.Chris Hoofnagle. Denialists' Deck of Cards: An Illustrated Taxonomy of Rhetoric Used to Frustrate Consumer Protection Effort .


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