Ologies with Alie Ward   /     Agnotology (WILLFUL IGNORANCE) Updated Encore with Dr. Robert Proctor

Summary

Yes, there is an -ology for that. And yes, we’re airing this episode -– with a ton of 2025 updates -– because it’s never felt more relevant. Dr. Robert Proctor is a Stanford professor of the History of Science and co-edited the book “Agnotology: The Making & Unmaking of Ignorance,” having coined the word 30 years ago. We chat about everything from tobacco marketing, to the sugar lobby, to racial injustice, horse vision, the psychology of the Flat Earther movement, which countries have the highest rates of climate denial, empathy, how to navigate difficult conversations and why it's critical to dismantle the systems of willful ignorance, starting locally.

Subtitle
Yes, there is an -ology for that. And yes, we’re airing this episode -– with a ton of 2025 updates -– because it’s never felt more relevant. Dr. Robert Proctor is a Stanford professor of the History of Science and co-edited the book “Agnotolog
Duration
01:20:03
Publishing date
2025-02-12 08:00
Link
https://www.stitcher.com
Contributors
  Alie Ward
author  
Enclosures
https://pdst.fm/e/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/0bDcdoop59bdTYSfajQW/stitcher.simplecastaudio.com/89060b63-e603-4297-b6e8-5a654e50244e/episodes/0c4e5d3b-9595-4b01-8ef9-f3c1cf194153/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=
audio/mpeg

Shownotes

Yes, there is an -ology for that. And yes, we’re airing this episode -– with a ton of 2025 updates -– because it’s never felt more relevant. Dr. Robert Proctor is a Stanford professor of the History of Science and co-edited the book “Agnotology: The Making & Unmaking of Ignorance,” having coined the word 30 years ago. We chat about everything from tobacco marketing, to the sugar lobby, to racial injustice, horse vision, the psychology of the Flat Earther movement, which countries have the highest rates of climate denial, empathy, how to navigate difficult conversations and why it's critical to dismantle the systems of willful ignorance, starting locally. 

Dr. Robert Proctor’s book: "Agnotology: The Making and Unmaking of Ignorance"

His 2021 book: Science and the Production of Ignorance: When the Quest for Knowledge Is Thwarted.

Donations in Dr. Proctor’s name went to: SavingBlackLives.org and the Public Health Advocacy Institute

An additional donation went to The National Black Law Students Association

More episode sources and links

Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

Other episodes you may enjoy: Eschatology (THE APOCALYPSE)

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Editing by Steven Ray Morris and Jarrett Sleeper of Mindjam Media

Encore editing by Jake Chaffee and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions

Additional encore producing by Mercedes Maitland

Managing Director: Susan Hale

Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth

Transcripts by Aveline Malek 

Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

Theme song by Nick Thorburn