The Scientific Attitude

Defending Science from Denial, Fraud, and Pseudoscience

By: Lee McIntyre

Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain

Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Attacks on science have become commonplace. Claims that climate change isn't settled science, that evolution is “only a theory”, and that scientists are conspiring to keep the truth about vaccines from the public are staples of some politicians' rhetorical repertoire. Defenders of science often point to its discoveries (penicillin! relativity!) without explaining exactly why scientific claims are superior. In this book, Lee McIntyre argues that what distinguishes science from its rivals is what he calls "the scientific attitude" - caring about evidence and being willing to change theories on the basis of new evidence. The history of science is littered with theories that were scientific but turned out to be wrong; the scientific attitude reveals why even a failed theory can help us to understand what is special about science.

McIntyre offers examples that illustrate both scientific success and failure. He describes the transformation of medicine from a practice based largely on hunches into a science based on evidence; considers scientific fraud; examines the positions of ideology-driven denialists, pseudoscientists, and "skeptics" who reject scientific findings; and argues that social science, no less than natural science, should embrace the scientific attitude.

©2019 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

evidence evidence evidence

PhD here. Scientist in training since 2005. This book proposal is superior to almost all other courses and books in the subject and clearly distinct what is science, pseudoscience and not science at all. enjoy

A Must Listen and Read

Outstanding insight into what is science - not steps - not tests - but attitude and truth seeking.

The Ghost in The Scientific Machinery

McIntyre’s book will probably be one I refer back to often in conversation with others about the nature of science and its superior approach to deep understanding. The shift away from methodological demarcation and towards a clarification of the attitudinal dimension that colors scientific inquiry was a breath of fresh air. The discussion of the social sciences in the context of the scientific attitude and the history and evolution of medicine was also something I’d never considered before. Moreover, this book has accomplished one more thing, besides the clearly stated purpose of defending science from pretenders and charlatans, and that is it makes me want to learn how to defend science better myself and share with others the uniqueness of science and the privileged status it deserves. McIntyre’s book is a masterpiece. I recommend everyone and their mother read it.

One of my new favorite books

Before picking up this book, I had never even heard of the philosophy of science, but that’s exactly what Lee McIntyre does. I can’t even express how important I think it is that all of us (yes, even us non-scientists) know how to separate good vs. bad science. We saw crazy conspiracies and whacky theories during the COVID pandemic and anyone with a lab coat was trying to speak as an authority. Social media has made it easier for people to push their pseudoscientific remedies to people looking for some type of physical or psychological relief. And worst of all, we have Big Pharma pushing all sorts of medications on us, and as a recovering prescription drug addict, this is a topic that I care about deeply. All of this seems like it’s too much too grasp and dissect, but Lee McIntyre brings it all down to one simple philosophy, and that’s the scientific attitude.

In this book, Lee presents one of the most nuanced conversations about scientific research that I’ve ever read. He lays out his thesis that scientists and researchers from all fields must adopt a simply scientific attitude, which will help science do what it does better, which is to get us closer to the truth. The scientific attitude discusses the importance of being aware of your own possible biases and why scrutiny through peer review is so important.

What I thought was really cool about Lee and his own way of thinking and analyzing issues is that he gives people the benefit of the doubt. When discussing scientific fraud, he helps the reader realize that scientists are human, and sometimes they make mistakes just like the rest of us. He also recognizes that some people may be critical of his view of what the scientific attitude is because some people are gatekeepers and make really strict boundaries for what is or isn’t science. At the end of the day, Lee wants us to keep progressing and making discoveries about all aspects of life and the universe, and this means being ethical, skeptical, and humble in order to achieve this by using the scientific attitude.

So, even though you’re probably like me and aren’t a scientist, everyone should read this book because we can all benefit from the scientific attitude.

Essential, Clearly Argued

The author clearly describes the scientific attitude, following empirical evidence, forming hypotheses to fit that evidence, and changing hypotheses in light of subsequent evidence. The author then shows the consequences of the scientific attitude being upheld and flouted alike, making the case for its necessity. Best to get the message directly from the author. Highest recommendation.

Could not get through book

I am struggling to get through this audiobook which is too academic to listen to while driving! it is like listening to a research paper which is fine to read, skim redundancies but the repetition of words were grating on my ears. Hearing sentences use the phrases scientific method, unscientific research, pseudoscience multiple times in a sentence was maddening! The narrator doesn't help make it more engaging either! I heard the author on a podcast talk about his approach in talking to science deniers in a way they feel listened to & that he's turned them around to science. I really wanted this advice in how to be considerate & create a thoughtful case for them to see science as not threatening their beliefs. Halfway through the jargon & dry academia, I need to move on! The one positive of the book was a story of medical science that was interesting.