Book · 2011 · Science
Merchants of Doubt
How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming
- mentions
- 10
- people
- 6
- podcasts
- 3
- episodes
- 10
- critical mentions
- 0
A fantastic book by Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway that really goes over this all the way into climate change about how science is used to try to undermine policy action.
What they say about it
- Praises the book“that's a really good book”2
The best things said about it
Everybody should read.
That's a really good book.
Joe Rogan The Joe Rogan Experience · Jun 2018 Think tanks have been set up to basically influence public thought and point out like scientists aren't 100% certain, scientists aren't 100% certain.
Where and when it comes up
Mentions per year
How it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
6 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway is a rigorous investigative book that exposes how a small group of influential scientists systematically obscured public understanding of major scientific issues, from tobacco smoke to climate change, to protect corporate interests. The work has been widely recommended and discussed across episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience and Stuff You Should Know. Josh Clark strongly urged listeners to read the text, pointing out how corporate think tanks have historically manufactured artificial scientific uncertainty to delay policy action and influence public opinion. Andrew Dessler similarly praised the book for tracing how scientific figures have been weaponized to undermine environmental regulations. Joe Rogan and various guests, including Barbara Freese, frequently referenced both the book and its documentary adaptation while discussing how specific witnesses testified before Congress and how doubt was weaponized across multiple industries. On Behind the Bastards, Robert Evans also referenced Oreskes's research to explain how corporate propaganda obscured severe environmental crises, such as the destruction of the ozone layer by nuclear testing. Across all these discussions, the book is highlighted as an essential expose on the mechanics of corporate misinformation, illustrating how the manipulation of scientific debate can successfully stall vital public health and environmental policies for decades.
Every mention
Joe Rogan see the documentary merchants of doubt' know it's a great documentary 4
“see the documentary merchants of doubt' know it's a great documentary”
“GRC merchants of doubt' no what's that one”
“there's a scene actually merchants of doubt' we've seen that we see the same thing going on with CWD”
“what is the name of that merchants of doubt' merchants of doubt', yeah that's a great smoke man, that's a really good book”
Josh Clark There's a book again, I think I mentioned it, called Merchants of Doubt. Oh yeah, everybody should read. 2
“Well, plus also that it's been proven um I've mentioned that book before, The Merchants of Doubt that think tanks have been set up to basically influence public thought and point out like scientists aren't 100% certain, scientists aren't 100% certain.”
“There's a book again, I think I mentioned it, called Merchants of Doubt. Oh yeah, everybody should read.”
Andrew Dessler in fact i was gonna say you know that's the fantas a fantastic book uh by naomi oreskes and eric conway tha… 1
“in fact i was gonna say you know that's the fantas a fantastic book uh by naomi oreskes and eric conway that really goes over this all the way into climate change about how science is used to try to undermine policy action”
Barbara Freese Fred singer actually was one of the witnesses who was also in merchants of doubt' who goes and and he gets… 1
“Fred singer actually was one of the witnesses who was also in merchants of doubt' who goes and and he gets to testify before Congress”
Bernie Sanders and um i'm sure some of it has to do with lobbyists and some of it has to do with merchants of doubt that g… 1
“and um i'm sure some of it has to do with lobbyists and some of it has to do with merchants of doubt that go out there and seed the world with disinformation to try to increase their profits and continue the practices that they're currently enjoying”
Robert Evans In her book, Merchants of Doubt, Arescus traces how nuclear testing did huge damage to the ozone layer. 1
“In her book, Merchants of Doubt, Arescus traces how nuclear testing did huge damage to the ozone layer.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“we had talked about just before the podcast the film merchants of doubt”