Why It’s So Hard to ‘Follow the Science’
This is a free edition of Deep Shtetl, a newsletter about the unexplored intersections of politics, culture, and religion. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.
These days, it’s hard to figure out who to believe, what to believe, and how to persuade others to believe.
For many, the coronavirus pandemic has been an exercise in epistemic whiplash. At the outset, the public was told to continue normal life and not buy masks; then they were told to lock down and always wear masks. Effective COVID vaccines were created, but many people rejected them in whole or in part, including high-profile politicians and podcasters like Joe Rogan.
Social media has enabled scientists to share their findings directly with the public, but it has also led to confusion and conspiracy theories as people attempt to sort through an avalanche of complex and conflicting content. In this hyper-politicized information environment, experts like Anthony Fauci have been alternately lionized and demonized. Taken together, it feels like we are experiencing an unprecedented breakdown in scientific trust. But are we?
For decades, Steven Shapin has taught the history of science at Harvard University, where I was fortunate to be his student. Among other publications, he is the author of the fantastically titled book . In other words, he’s been studying the exact problems we are facing today
