Summary:
- Agnotology is the study of how ignorance, doubt, and misconceptions are deliberately created and propagated, often for political or commercial gain.
- This article discusses how corporations and interest groups can use tactics like cherry-picking data, sowing confusion, and spreading misinformation to cast doubt on established scientific facts, such as the link between smoking and lung cancer or the reality of climate change.
- The article highlights how agnotology is a powerful tool for undermining public understanding of important issues and delaying necessary actions, and calls for greater awareness and resistance to these deceptive practices.