Cailin O'Connor 'The war against truth and the social dynamics of alternative facts'

Series TwoIn this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interviewed Cailin O'Connor, who is an associate professor of logic and philosophy of science at the University of California. She's also the co-author of 'The Misinformation Age: How False Beliefs Spread' (published by Yale University Press.In our interview, we discuss Cailin's most recent writings on the subject of 'why we trust lies' re: the most effective misinformation starting with seeds of truth. In doing so, she explains the crucial importance of transparency and accountability, alongside her viewpoints on issues such as confirmation bias i.e. why what you believe depends on who you know; and how demonstrably false beliefs persist and spread - despite negative consequences for the people holding them. In an era where arguments rage about issues ranging from climate change (as the polar ice caps melt and forest fires burn) to the wearing of face masks (as millions have died of Covid-19), Cailin illuminates the social forces that explain the manipulation of 'false belief' and propaganda, and why we must understand both how that process works and trust the evidence, in order to fight back against misinformation. 

Om Podcasten

#TheNewAbnormal podcast (over 200,000 downloads…) focuses on understanding today and anticipating the future. Discussing these subjects via the stories and viewpoints of my guests has led to some fascinating conversations with activists, creatives, writers, philosophers, strategists, psychologists, lecturers, futurists, etc. Re: my bio, I'm a strategist, author and public speaker. My first book went to No1 in the business charts, whilst my second was shortlisted for the 'Business Book of the Year' Awards. ('The New Abnormal' is bought to you in partnership with The Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, a global leader in applying futures studies to solve strategic challenges. The Institute’s core offerings inc megatrend analysis, scenario planning, risk assessment, innovation processes, and strategic foresight re: helping clients to be #FuturesReady.) So, we hope you enjoy listening to the series! Please note that the podcast was set up during the early days of Covid, and is divided into Series One [2020-21] Series Two [2021-22] Series Three [2022-23].  All rights reserved. #TheNewAbnormal podcast series © Sean Pillot de Chenecey 2020