Calling bullshit : the art of skepticism in a data-driven world
by Bergstrom, Carl T. (Author), West, Jevin D. 1977- (Author)
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Summary
"The world is awash in bullshit, and we're drowning in it. Politicians are unconstrained by facts. Science is conducted by press release. Startup culture elevates bullshit to high art. These days, calling bullshit is a noble act. Based on Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West's popular course at the Univers... Full description
Summary: |
"The world is awash in bullshit, and we're drowning in it. Politicians are unconstrained by facts. Science is conducted by press release. Startup culture elevates bullshit to high art. These days, calling bullshit is a noble act. Based on Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West's popular course at the University of Washington, Calling Bullshit is a modern handbook to the art of skepticism. Bergstrom, a computational biologist, and West, an information scientist, catalogue bullshit in its many forms, explaining and offering readers the tools to see through the obfuscations, deliberate and careless, that dominate every realm of our lives. They instruct readers to ask: Who is saying it? How do they know? What do they have to gain by persuading me? Are the numbers or results too good or too dramatic to be true? Is the claim comparing like with like or apples and oranges? Is it confirming your personal bias? In this lively guide to everything from misleading statistics to "fake news," Bergstrom and West help you recognize bullshit whenever and wherever you encounter it--in data, in conversation, even within yourself--and explain it to your crystal-loving aunt or casually racist uncle. Now more than ever, calling bullshit is crucial to a properly functioning community, whether it be a circle of friends, a network of academics, or the citizenry of a nation"-- These days, calling bullshit is a noble act. Bergstrom and West provide a modern handbook to the art of skepticism. Cataloging bullshit in its many forms, they explain and offer readers the tools to see through the obfuscations, deliberate and careless, that dominate every realm of our lives. From misleading statistics to "fake news," Bergstrom and West help you recognize bullshit whenever and wherever you encounter it-- in data, in conversation, even within yourself. -- adapted from publisher info |
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Physical Description: |
xiv, 318 pages : illustrations, map ; 25 cm |
Bibliography: |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 289-307) and index. |
ISBN: |
9780525509202 0525509208 9780525509189 0525509186 9780593229767 0593229762 |
Author Notes: |
Jevin D. West is an associate professor in the Information School at the University of Washington. He is the director of UW's Center for an Informed Public and co-director of its DataLab, where he studies the science of science and the impact of technology on society. He also coordinates data science education at UW's eScience Institute. |