This is the Safari online edition of the printed book.

“Comprehensive, readable, and replete with current, useful examples, this book provides a much-needed explanation of how to be a critical consumer of the scientific claims we encounter in our everyday lives.”

–April Cordero Maskiewicz, Department of Biology, Point Loma Nazarene University

“Seethaler’s book helps the reader look inside the workings of science and gain a deeper understanding of the pathway that is followed by a scientific finding–from its beginnings in a research lab to its appearance on the nightly news.”

–Jim Slotta, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto

“How I wish science was taught this way! Seethaler builds skills for critical thinking and evaluation. The book is rich with examples that not only illustrate her points beautifully, they also make it very interesting and fun to read.”

–Julia R. Brown, Director, Targacept, Inc.

Don’t Get Hoodwinked! Make Sense of Health and Science News...and Make Smarter Decisions!

Every day, there’s a new scientific or health controversy. And every day, it seems as if there’s a new study that contradicts what you heard yesterday. What’s really going on? Who’s telling the truth? Who’s faking it? What do scientists actually know—and what don’t they know? This book will help you cut through the confusion and make sense of it all—even if you’ve never taken a science class! Leading science educator and journalist Dr. Sherry Seethaler reveals how science and health research really work...how to put scientific claims in context and understand the real tradeoffs involved...tell quality research from junk science...discover when someone’s deliberately trying to fool you...and find more information you can trust!  Nobody knows what new controversy will erupt tomorrow. But one thing’s for certain: With this book, you’ll know how to figure out the real deal—and make smarter decisions for yourself and your family!

Watch the news, and you’ll be overwhelmed by snippets of badly presented science: information that’s incomplete, confusing, contradictory, out-of-context, wrong, or flat-out dishonest. Defend yourself! Dr. Sherry Seethaler gives you a powerful arsenal of tools for making sense of science. You’ll learn how to think more sensibly about everything from mad cow disease to global warming–and how to make better science-related decisions in both your personal life and as a citizen.

You’ll begin by understanding how science really works and progresses, and why scientists sometimes disagree. Seethaler helps you assess the possible biases of those who make scientific claims in the media, and place scientific issues in appropriate context, so you can intelligently assess tradeoffs. You’ll learn how to determine whether a new study is really meaningful; uncover the difference between cause and coincidence; figure out which statistics mean something, and which don’t.

Seethaler reveals the tricks self-interested players use to mislead and confuse you, and points you to sources of information you can actually rely upon. Her many examples range from genetic engineering of crops to drug treatments for depression...but the techniques she teaches you will be invaluable in understanding any scientific controversy, in any area of science or health.

^   Potions, plots, and personalities: How science progresses, and why scientists sometimes disagree

^   Is it “cause” or merely coincidence? How to tell compelling evidence from a “good story”

^   There are always tradeoffs: How to put science and health claims in context, and understand their real implications

^   All the tricks experts use to fool you, exposed! How to recognize lies, “truthiness,” or pseudo-expertise

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 9 Ratings

Truth, Real Truth, and Science. - 2009-07-19
Reviewer Rating:
I think Lies, Damned Lies, and Science may be the most important book of the decade. Seethaler's style is a bit iffy, the documentation could be more complete and better arranged, the figures could be better, and she doesn't address the term "risk factor". But her book performs the single most-needed service in modern America: it debunks media-mediated science, and shows you how you can debunk it for yourself.

People believe the Earth is getting warmer (known for a century), the polar ice caps are melting (they do at the end of every ice age), and human activity is causing it (the evidence is sketchy at best).

People believe smoking causes lung cancer; but there are millions of smoking octogenarians, and millions of lung cancer victims who never saw a cigaret in their lives.

People believe there is "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol; but there is really only cholesterol, a chemical manufacured by all vertebrate bodies.

Yes, your body makes chemicals; everything is a chemical.

The important thing about Seethaler's book is not so much that it shows up fallacies like these, but that it shows, step by step, what an intelligent reader can do to find his own way through them. She suggests we consider the source of the info (is it a stake-holder?), the science itself (mere correlation is not cause-and-effect), and all the possible ramifications of policy (what will be the real-world price of new measures some advocate propounds?). In an era when Science is funded and regulated by Government, and Government is generated by the People, it is more important than ever that people relearn the ability to read with skepticism and discrimination.

If global warming is merely natural and not man-made, then reducing our energy-consumption could compromise our technology at the very moment we need it most. Seethaler's book might prevent a catastrophe like that.

I am buying a half-dozen copies to give as presents to all the Vegans, self-appointed health experts, and armchair environmentalists I know, and another half-dozen to hand out to nuts on street-corners.

Only four stars ("risk factors" should definitely have been addressed), but thanks to Seethaler for a desperately-needed eye-opener.

How to detect junk science - 2009-04-27
Reviewer Rating:

There are many (well, more than a few) books about errors and
fraud in science. The common term is junk science. They tell
you what to believe. The better ones tell you why you should
believe what they tell you is the truth. But junk science books
also tell you what to believe, and sometimes provide reasons
why you should believe their claims. How can you tell who to
believe? Sherry Seethaler tells you how you can sort out the
claims and reach sound conclusions.

In the Watergate era, "follow the money" led to the truth.
this book offers 10 powerful lines of questioning to help you
get past honest errors and fraudulent science. The only nit
I can pick with the book is that some of the web sites recommended
for additional information have some of their content with
popular trends, giving them apparent reliability they do not
deserve. Hunt for an opposing view. Vigorous debate tends to
reveal the truth. Three web sites I have found useful are
wattsupwiththat dot com, junkfoodscience dot com, and
climateaudit dot org.

The same approach, critical evaluation of claims, has been applied
to other areas. David Hackett Fischer wrote for historians in
"Historians' Fallacies : Toward a Logic of Historical Thought"
but the work is useful for readers of history and readers in
general. My Amazon review ended with "This is a book worth
rereading every few years. " Jeremy Bentham's work on
Political Fallacies is also fine, and more general than the
title implies.

The Truth Is Out There... - 2009-07-20
Reviewer Rating:
Sherry Seethaler's //Lies, Damned Lies, and Science// is educational, insightful, and useful.

This book comes out at the perfect time, as there is a growing controversy over global warming and whether or not strong legislation should be written to reduce carbon emissions. Seethaler makes a compelling overall argument that one must consider the source and the science before reasoning a conclusion.

With huge political hype and partisan backing of certain initiatives, Seethaler's book is an intriguing read and counterpoint to the growing list of books further hyping trends with dubious scientific backing.

The moral? Use all information at hand to make a reasoned judgment and understand when science is used correctly to back up a point and when it is twisted.

This would make a great gift for that special someone who may be just a little bit susceptible to believing anything they are told. Even if you disagree with some of the points in this book, it is a compelling read.

Reviewed by
Susie Kopecky

Foray into Scientific Literacy for the General Public - 2009-07-10
Reviewer Rating:
This book teaches a learner, any learner how to analyze an issue, any issue! It's a primer to scientific literacy and understanding and recommended for not only the public reader, but also school and college students.

Superb! Indeed it delivers what it promises. A must read! - 2009-06-24
Reviewer Rating:
Nowadays is becoming difficult to separate wheat from chaff, whether you are concerned about your health, transgenic foods, or global warming, the media and advocacy groups (on all sides of the issue) are distorting and politicizing real science. Often just one scientific paper is enough to reject a product or technology, and no longer is publication in a technical or scientific journal enough to guarantee findings we can trust. Where is our rational thinking?

Lies, Dammed Lies, and Science is a good book to start if you are not familiar with a given subject and you want to understand why so many contradictions and controversies are discussed in the media and scientific journals. Written for the laymen, this book will help you to do your own rational thinking even if you lack a background in science. The author is very courageous as she uses plenty of cases considered taboo, politically incorrect, or settled science (meaning that normal scientific skepticism is not allowed). You will be surprise to learn that many mainstream theories and paradigms are not as mature nor as settled as they are being sold to the public. We all need to understand how real science works and evolves, and deal adequately with scientific uncertainty. Often there is no black and white, and as explained in the book, we have to overcome our built-in capacity to oversimplify and avoid uncertainty. In a very concise but comprehensive way, the book also analyzes how policy making must proceed in light of the normal uncertainties and controversies typical of scientific research. The author also presents a very honest criticism of the "precautionary principle", which was applied by the European Union to ban genetically engineered food.

Mrs Seethaler delivers what she promises, a handy toolkit to allow you to do your own debunking of the bombardment of "scientific facts" we are exposed every day by the media, politicians, lobbing groups, and NGOs. Excellent book, highly recommended, every serious science teacher and journalist should at least take a peek at this book. The truth is out there and the public deserves to know!

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