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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
A fantastic book that I also read in my undergraduate psychology degree that I think everyone should have to read in their lives on how to not take research and newspaper articles that report on research and the bias that they have, really incredibly interesting and gets that critical thinking going!
challenging
informative
medium-paced
challenging
funny
informative
medium-paced
An important book if you want to debunk quacks and understand the media's role in promoting it.
Ben Goldacre doesn't hold any punches:
whether it's diet (nutrition) fads, homeopathy, SSRIs, moisturising creams or antivaxxers, everyone and everything gets dismantled. I wish more people would have read this book prior to the covid-19 pandemic, but then again people will always look for easily digestible "alternative facts"
whether it's diet (nutrition) fads, homeopathy, SSRIs, moisturising creams or antivaxxers, everyone and everything gets dismantled. I wish more people would have read this book prior to the covid-19 pandemic, but then again people will always look for easily digestible "alternative facts"
A truly wonderful, horrifying, amusing, eye twitching read.
Made me get angry at the stupidity of humanity while also teaching me new things. I thank Ben for his efforts, they are even today, over 15 years after release, still more than necessary. Most examples in this book can be replicated 1:1 in this exact year with new, more idiotic examples. It’s horrific but also slightly entertaining how simple science can still be so so so so wrongly shared.
Made me get angry at the stupidity of humanity while also teaching me new things. I thank Ben for his efforts, they are even today, over 15 years after release, still more than necessary. Most examples in this book can be replicated 1:1 in this exact year with new, more idiotic examples. It’s horrific but also slightly entertaining how simple science can still be so so so so wrongly shared.
Enjoyable non-fiction read. Have to admit I enjoyed the first half or so more than the second. Am not sure if it that was simply because I am more fascinated by the topics in the first part, or if the latter sections got too technical for me. Also, his MMR argument (though I agree with him) felt too wordy and more like someone with a particular bugbear / vendetta rather than just arguing the case and leaving it for people with common sense to see.
funny
informative
medium-paced
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Every once and a while I read a book and think "I should buy this for everyone I know..." This is one of those books.
But unlike some of those books, this book is not long and is written to the general public--and seasoned with humor. (For those who care the audio book has a wonderful British narrator.)
In Bad Science, Ben Goldacre does a fabulous job weaving explanations of true science into criticisms of the bullshit we see and hear every day. But he doesn't only pick the low hanging fruit of alternative medicines like homeopathy, he criticizes popular nutritionism for insufficiently supported claims of antioxidants, vitamin C, and more.
Then he goes on to show that he isn't in bed with Big Pharma (while pointing out many alternative medicine entities who are...) and he is faithful to science by laying his guns on the pharmaceutical industry too.
Finally, he criticizes the media for all of it. It's their inability to understand science, evidence, or weigh claims; their lust for catchy headlines; and their making shit up.
This is truly a book that everyone needs to read.
But unlike some of those books, this book is not long and is written to the general public--and seasoned with humor. (For those who care the audio book has a wonderful British narrator.)
In Bad Science, Ben Goldacre does a fabulous job weaving explanations of true science into criticisms of the bullshit we see and hear every day. But he doesn't only pick the low hanging fruit of alternative medicines like homeopathy, he criticizes popular nutritionism for insufficiently supported claims of antioxidants, vitamin C, and more.
Then he goes on to show that he isn't in bed with Big Pharma (while pointing out many alternative medicine entities who are...) and he is faithful to science by laying his guns on the pharmaceutical industry too.
Finally, he criticizes the media for all of it. It's their inability to understand science, evidence, or weigh claims; their lust for catchy headlines; and their making shit up.
This is truly a book that everyone needs to read.