The Propaganda of “Science Deniers”: Why Do They Deny Evidence?

The phrase “science denier” has become a common weapon in public debate. At first glance it sounds serious, even damning. Who would want to deny science, the enterprise that gave us electricity, antibiotics, and space travel? Yet the vagueness of the phrase is the key to its use as a propaganda tool.

Most people don’t deny that the moon exists. Even the few who claim it’s a hologram are not treated as a serious problem. Likewise, no one denies that water boils at a certain temperature or that plants carry out photosynthesis.