Seeding doubt about settled science effectively confuses the public

Evidence

And it worked. Capitalizing on the idea that science had shown “no conclusive link” between cigarettes and cancer (for science can never do this for any two variables), the TIRC took out a full-page ad in numerous American newspapers—reaching 43 million people—which had the effect of creating confusion and doubt on a scientific question that was close to settled. — Lee McIntyre, Post-Truth, 64

Categorization

• CANDY: The single full-page ad reaching 43 million people to manufacture false balance on smoking is a striking, tweetable stat.
• XREF: This is the exact Merchants of Doubt ‘manufacturing uncertainty’ theme, now applied as groundwork for the book’s later post-truth argument. — connects to: Think tanks deliberately manufacture public doubt about settled science to shape policy — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 626; Manufactured doubt, not genuine debate, explains public confusion over climate science consensus — Lee McIntyre, Post-Truth, 75; Climate denial trades on manufactured doubt, not persuasion of scientists — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 927

Broader Connections

• Think tanks deliberately manufacture public doubt about settled science to shape policy #corroborates (0.95) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 626
• Manufactured doubt, not genuine debate, explains public confusion over climate science consensus #corroborates (0.95) — Lee McIntyre, Post-Truth, 75
• Climate denial trades on manufactured doubt, not persuasion of scientists #corroborates (0.90) — Philip Mirowski, Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste, 927