Junk Science: An Overdue Indictment of Government, Industry, and Faith Groups That Twist Science for Their Own Gain

by Dan Agin

"A passionate, minutely informed, and scrupulously fair analysis of all the abuses and misuses of science that are rampant today―a clarion call to action that concerns us all."―Oliver Sacks, M.D., author of Awakenings and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

The American public is suffering from a rampage against reason by special interests in government, commerce, and the faith industry. In Junk Science , Dan Agin offers an overdue indictment of the groups that twist science for their own gain.

Provocative, comprehensive, and hard-hitting, Agin argues from the center that we will pay a heavy price for the follies of people who consciously distort the public's understanding of the real world. With entertaining candidness, he reveals the data faking, reality ignoring, fear mongering, and outright lying that contribute to intentionally manufactured public ignorance. Agin outs the factions twisting scientific data to maintain riches and power in sections

-- "Buyer Beware" (genetically modified foods, aging, and tobacco companies)
-- "Medical Follies" (chiropractics, health care, talk therapy)
-- "Poison and Bombs in the Greenhouse" (pollution, warfare, global warming)
-- "Religion, Embryos, and Cloning"
-- "Genes, Behavior, and Race"

We already pay a heavy price for many groups' conscious manipulation of the public's understanding of science, and Junk Science arms us with understanding, cutting through the fabric of lies and setting the record straight.

"Agin is one angry empiricist...focused, extremely articulate, skilled in debate, and above all, dedicated only to what can be experienced through the senses and duplicated in the laboratory."-- Chicago Sun-Times

"An eye- and brain-opener, fraught with insight and plenty of astute observations and illustrative cases-in-point."-- The San Diego Union-Tribune

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Sociology, Politics, Business, Skepticism, Psychology

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think he has a good idea here, but in the end, he ends up being just as dogmatic and one sided as the people he's portraying. I think it's great that the author wants to show people how they are being tricked, because they are, but I think the language in this book is aimed at people who are more science purists. I have to say, given that I study science, I already knew about all these issues, and I just felt that the author would alienate people who were more in the middle and just curious. He's very forceful and really treats the reader like they aren't very bright. Actually, he kind of talks down to everyone. Apparently politicians, doctors, scientists, etc are all a bunch of greedy people who just want to make money.

In summary, I like the concept, I think it's good to expose fraud, but in the end the author did so in such a way that to me would turn more people against him than win them to his side. Could just be me and the hats I wear as a scientist, public servant, and all around curious person who enjoys hearing other views on things.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched, feebly written.

[Christina Heredia · Rating 2 out of 5]

needs to be updated- info out of date

[Christopher Heckman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Important information, but covers the same ground as a lot of other books on the same subject.

I've half-joked that corporations would box up gravel and sell it as candy if they were allowed to. Evidently this isn't that far from the truth.

I disagree with the author's recommendation at the end, that science be taught from the point of view of collecting and evaluating evidence. He mentions that knowing that "frogs are amphibians" isn't really what science is about, and to parallel that, mathematics is more than knowing how to add fractions (especially in the era of calculators).

The evaluation aspect belongs more to mathematics than science in general: Speaking as a mathematician, mathematics is more about logic and reasoning correctly. An introductor logic course should be a requirement for graduation from high school, which would go a large way towards minimizing the acceptance of junk science.

[Anna Engel · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Junk Science" provides very brief summaries of very complex topics that involve more than just science. For example, he glossed over hundreds of years of history about the Galilean/Copernican theory of the solar system, which involved so much more than just visual observation. There are much better books--hell, documentaries--about the topic of junk science.

Agin also talks down to the reader, as though their either stupid or resistant to the facts he's presenting. Or both. Rather than trying to be convincing, he just says, "Dr. Agin gives your this evidence."

[Pedro Enguita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Las mentiras de la ciencia es un libro de divulgación científica que ataca todo lo que es "mala ciencia" o, mejor dicho, que pretende hacerse pasar por ciencia.

Cubre un amplio espectro del conocimiento:
1 - Ciencia, pseudociencia y dogmas
2 - Fraudes científicos
3 - Dietas
4 - Transgénicos
5 - Longevidad
6 - Tabaco
7 - Farmacéuticas
8 - (pseudo)médicos
9 - (pseudo)terapeutas
10 - Contaminación
11 - Armamento y terrorismo
12 - Calentamiento global
13 - Creacionismo
14 - Células madre
15 - Clonación
16 - Genes y conducta
17 - Raza

No tengo ninguna queja del contenido del libro, con el que, en términos generales, estoy bastante de acuerdo. Es riguroso, no se casa con nadie salvo con la ciencia y cubre un amplio espectro pero presenta algunas carencias:

1 - A veces habla para los ya convencidos o los que ya saben del tema. Por ejemplo, cuando critica a quienes niegan el cambio climático, no estaría de más enumerar las evidencias disponibles, aunque sea a título introductorio. Del mismo, modo al criticar las pseudoterapias, tampoco vendría mal que detallara en qué consisten o por qué carecen de base científica.

2 - El tono en ocasiones resulta inadecuado, puede parecer demasiado dogmático para aquel que no esté previamente convencido de lo que afirma el autor. Resulta tajante, por ejemplo, al criticar el creacionismo, si hay algún creacionista que se lea el libro no va a entender a qué vienen las críticas. Del mismo modo, al defender la investigación con células madre tampoco da pie a una posible réplica.

En resumen, un buen libro, que resulta riguroso y cubre un amplio espectro, aunque entra demasiado rápido en materia, faltándole un poco de introducción al asunto a tratar.

[Jessica Hillis]

Skipped around and read only the entries that interested in me, of which there were few.

[Jorge · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un título muy grande para el libro. Ese título es más clickbait que otra cosa.

[Juan Pablo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is well written for a general audience. It goes into various topics such as pollution, gmo's, diet, to how the addictive affects of tobacco were intentionally hidden from the public, science (mis)used in information given about public safety & warfare, to stem cells, cloning & race. On all of these various topics it gives a general overview of how this misinformation is spread & some key players in the spread of said misinformation. If you are not familiar with some of the topics or the misinformation spread on any of the topics that are talked about in the book, I think the particular sections are good introductions to them. On each topic, the author doesn't just simply state that misinformation is spread, he shows how it is done & how the public & our leaders are mislead. It's not a perfect book, but I found very little to take issue with considering the style of the book. It's a book on various topics, so the space used for each topic is limited. To gain a better understanding on any one topic, you would have to find books that are especially for that particular topic. It's a good introduction for the topics discussed. Understanding things as they are as opposed to how any particular group would like us to see it I think can help people better understand the things we deal with & will allow people to move ahead with decisions with much needed clarity. I think it's a good book to gain some general knowledge on topics that are relevant & important to the society we live in.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book so far, but my only complaint would be that it's a little too dogmatic. If your entire belief systems and worldview are derived from published, peer-reviewed journals, you won't notice anything. I'm a big believer in science, but I have to say, I'm still a little unsure of the long term implication of widespread genetically modified foods. As the author says, hey, it's already been going on for seven years now. Clearly we were all worryworts since nothing has happened! (Not a direct quote obviously). I also believe in "alternative medical treatments" (I think he was actually scowling as he wrote this section) such as yoga and acupuncture. Granted, some of the other treatments listed were a little on the fringe side even for me, but I don't think we can all be considered luddites (this term is used a LOT) for being open minded. Overall, great case studies of how scientists are bought/influenced by drug companies, biotech companies, silenced by governments (thanks Bush!), or twisted by the media. I found this book to be a strange combination of detailing how some scientists have mislead their peers and fraudulently published data, and then ridiculing people who believe in alternative medicine because there's is little to no hard science to back it up. But I have to say, it's definitely been thought provoking and has generated many conversations between me, a registered nurse, and my husband the scientist.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly one of the most depressing books I have ever read, but one that really needs to be read more widely. It really highlights the damage done to science and to progress in the US in recent years. Science and reason have been the main victims of the culture wars of the last 25 years or so. Hopefully with the Republican failure to win back government in 2012 there will be some re-assessment done and the medieval influence of the religious right and the big spending of the corporations will be reviewed. I think the former is more likely than the latter. Sometimes when I listen to Republican politicians and religionists talking I wonder if the Enlightenment ever happened! Don't get me started about Fox News! Anyway, this is an excellent read and although it gets a bit dry about three-quarters through, it is definitely worth persevering. The section on pharmaceuticals and alternative medicines was thoroughly frightening! Highly recommend it.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This and other books are important for building a healthy foundation of intellectual skepticism, a quality which I wish more people had. I wish this book had been longer, though, and its topics more thoroughly discussed - I'm not completely convinced, for example, that psychiatry is as useless as Agin thinks.

[Lauren Linhares · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could not finish. I can't stand when books/any form of media attempts to prove a point or provide counter-arguments but does so in a way that's just as biased and semi-slanderous as what they're arguing against. I should have known it would be like that, no book about science with a logical point of view just throws "AUTHOR'S NAME, PhD." on the front.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the author makes some very good points, he writes in a fashion that is somewhat harsh, blasting anyone who holds belief in the supernatural. However, he has good advice, especially for politicians. I recommend this book to all politicians or those who aspire to be politicians!

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. It raises important concerns in many different areas, and always goes right to the point. Which may be a problem to some - perhaps the tone could be softer. Anyway, the author is completely right to be enraged about what happens when science is twisted.

[Russell · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's easy to shine a light on a problem, but hard to propose solutions to people problems.

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just starting reading this book

[Squintsquadknittr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started skimming and gave up. I have no doubt it contains some good information but I couldn't stand the author's arrogant, condescending tone.

[Leo Saumure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! no punches pulled in his criticisms, although he may have strayed a little outside science and into policy a few times, it was still a great book.