Recent polls suggest that fewer than 40 percent of Americans believe in Darwin.s
theory of evolution, despite it being one of science.s best-established findings.
More and more parents are refusing to vaccinate their children for fear it causes
autism, though this link can been consistently disproved. And about 40 percent of
Americans believe that the threat of global warming is exaggerated, despite near
consensus in the scientific community that manmade climate change is real.

Why do people believe bunk? And what causes them to embrace such pseudoscientific
beliefs and practices? Noted skeptic Massimo Pigliucci sets out to separate the
fact from the fantasy in this entertaining exploration of the nature of science,
the borderlands of fringe science, and.borrowing a famous phrase from philosopher
Jeremy Bentham.the nonsense on stilts. Presenting case studies on a number of
controversial topics, Pigliucci cuts through the ambiguity surrounding science
to look more closely at how science is conducted, how it is disseminated, how it
is interpreted, and what it means to our society. The result is in many ways
a .taxonomy of bunk. that explores the intersection of science and culture at
large.

No one.not the public intellectuals in the culture wars between defenders and
detractors of science nor the believers of pseudoscience themselves.is spared
Pigliucci.s incisive analysis. In the end, Nonsense on Stilts is a timely
reminder of the need to maintain a line between expertise and assumption.
Broad in scope and implication, it is also ultimately a captivating guide for
the intelligent citizen who wishes to make up her own mind while navigating
the perilous debates that will affect the future of our planet.

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