Critica Commentary is a place for discussion of all things related to denial of scientific evidence and health and science literacy. Here you will find longer pieces about particular topics, such as medical misdiagnosis and conflicts of interest, as well as interviews with key people working at the intersection of health policy, science journalism, science education, and psychology, among other fields. You may also find guest posts by authorities in the field as well as by people with fascinating stories to share and analyses of recent news articles, studies, and current events. If you are interested in writing something for Critica, please contact us here.
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Are We Guilty of ‘Pathologizing’ Science Denial?
A recent article in The Guardian by Daniel Sarewitz touched on the concept of treating science denial like a “disease.” In Denying to the Grave, we argued that people who refuse to accept scientific evidence do not do so because of ignorance or pathology but rather because of deeply rooted psychological processes common to all […]
Pharmacists’ Role in Fighting Science Denial
If you’ve ever picked up a prescription or gotten a seasonal flu vaccine at your local pharmacy, you have no doubt come in contact with an increasingly important type of healthcare provider in the healthcare system: retail pharmacists. Retail pharmacists, many of whom work for large pharmacy chains such as CVS and Walgreens, are increasingly […]
What Can Neuroscience Tell Us about Racism?
Have you ever seen a headline claiming that neuroscience can now explain some large, complex phenomenon such as ethics, free will, creativity, or genius? If you have, you’re certainly not alone. As Gary Stix commented in an excellent piece for Scientific American, “The steady flow of new studies that purport to reduce human nature to a […]
How Doctors Think When They Make the Wrong Diagnosis
Making the right diagnosis is the heart and soul of medicine. Making the wrong diagnosis can have disastrous consequences. In medical school, we were told to approach diagnosis by starting with the “differential diagnosis,” a consideration of all the possibilities. Then, we would use data from the patient’s history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and imaging […]