THE UPSURGE OF IRRATIONALITY: PSEUDOSCIENCE, SCIENCE DENIALISM AND POST-TRUTH
Critical thinking, the general capacity for the critical assessment of arguments and scientific literacy, face several problems that hinder both its public acceptance and its screening by responsible institutions. Although social irrationality is not a novel issue, its sophisticated use by social movements that, flirting with pseudoscience, seek to exploit negligence in decision-making is rising. In this regard, many of these contemporary forms of motivated irrationality show harmful political implications, such as “alternative facts”, climate change denial, radical gender studies, etc., in contexts as crucial as educational, health or environmental public policies.
Disputatio, Philosophical Research Bulletin cordially invites authors interested in reflecting or in presenting a systematic investigation about contemporary forms of collective irrationality that come into well-documented conflict with critical thinking and scientific knowledge. Articles can be interdisciplinary, considering for different standpoints a wide thematic spectrum: pseudo-theory promotion (homeopathy, psychoanalysis, intelligent design), science denialism (of vaccines, flat-earthers, etc.), and post-truth as an attitude of rejection of evidence and critical discussion, flourishing nowadays in postmodern politics. This broad thematic spectrum aims to offer freedom to the authors, nevertheless, monograph will not include merely informative or uncritical articles.