What is Reddit's opinion of The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They Deny Science- and Reality?

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Some people are highly evidence and reason resistant/proof.

Those people tend to be on the right. They don't have the same degree of enlightenment values that the left has, which is why they are so underrepresented in academia and science, and reject so much of it. Thier main values are tribalistic, traditionalist, and religious(codeword 'family values'). People on the left think enlightenment values like rationality, evidence, and reason will persuade people on the right, because it's what persuades themselves but this assumption is not validated by the research. In fact, it shows that this approach has a backfire effect, where contrary evdience makes them believe their own view more strongly(WTF). If you really want to know how to sway conservative minds give <em>the republican brain</em> by Mooney a read... which goes deep into political psychology.

What sways conservative minds isn't reason and evidence, as people on the left think, and as conservative minds like to posture themselves. It's framing and emotional appeal.

It's the opposite: people have very little control over what they believe as a result of ancient evolutionary adaptations in our brains, but you're right in that it's partially related to feeling vindicated (among other things).

A good read on this very specific topic is "The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They Deny Science and Reality," but you can find evidence for this in lots of neuroscience texts.

https://www.amazon.com/Republican-Brain-Science-Science-Reality/dp/1118094514

Bestselling author Chris Mooney uses cutting-edge research to explain the psychology behind why today’s Republicans reject reality—it's just part of who they are.

From climate change to evolution, the rejection of mainstream science among Republicans is growing, as is the denial of expert consensus on the economy, American history, foreign policy and much more. Why won't Republicans accept things that most experts agree on? Why are they constantly fighting against the facts?

Science writer Chris Mooney explores brain scans, polls, and psychology experiments to explain why conservatives today believe more wrong things; appear more likely than Democrats to oppose new ideas and less likely to change their beliefs in the face of new facts; and sometimes respond to compelling evidence by doubling down on their current beliefs.  

Goes beyond the standard claims about ignorance or corporate malfeasance to discover the real, scientific reasons why Republicans reject the widely accepted findings of mainstream science, economics, and history—as well as many undeniable policy facts (e.g., there were no “death panels” in the health care bill).

Explains that the political parties reflect personality traits and psychological needs—with Republicans more wedded to certainty, Democrats to novelty—and this is the root of our divide over reality.

Written by the author of The Republican War on Science, which was the first and still the most influential book to look at conservative rejection of scientific evidence. But the rejection of science is just the beginning…

Certain to spark discussion and debate, The Republican Brain also promises to add to the lengthy list of persuasive scientific findings that Republicans reject and deny.

> Gay marriage and guns are non-issues here, but other than that our right-wing conservatives have a lot in common with Republicans.

I share your view on this. Having read The republican brain, it's actually creepy to see the parallels between NVA and the republicans.

I just heard there is a new book out about the Republican Brain. About how differently Reps and Dems think. Sounded interesting on the radio review. It may enlighten some.

edit: ok it's due out this week. link

I am 53. When I was about 43, and asked a question about my nephew in an autism group on a different app. (He was diagnosed with Asperger's, later the diagnosis was changed.)

During the conversation, someone said that I myself communicated like many autistic people. Well, with that and many other hints, I was finally diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder three years ago. But in the meantime, I stuck with that group.

What I saw was very little drama. I've told many people that this was common:

Person 1: I think this.

Person 2: You are wrong because of XYZ.

Person 1: Oh, you're right. I didn't know that. Thank you.

That was the extent of the drama. And that is how I always was. (I can't say that I've never, ever in my life stuck to my guns against all reasonable argument, but for the most part, I just want all the facts and will adjust my view of the world according to any new facts brought to my attention.)

I was always the, "Yes, but did you know...." person. And I always assumed everyone would want to learn new facts. Yes, many perhaps most people do not want to learn new facts. It upsets their world view.

There is a book you might be interested in. It is The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They Deny Science- and Reality Now, understand that this actually also covers Democrats who don't listen to science, i.e. facts to some extent. I know your question was not political, but this book is as much science as politics and talks about neurotypical humans. (I myself am neither Democrat nor Republican.) Even if you are Republican, the scientific findings documented in this book might be of interest if you really want to know why some people don't want to listen to facts and the truth.

It's a fact

Yeah that's what not learning history in school does.

www.amazon.com/Republican-Brain-Science-Science-Reality/dp/1118094514

I have to side with the study on this one

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> limited cognitive ability

Here is a great book : https://www.amazon.com/Republican-Brain-Science-Science-Reality/dp/1118094514

You will find both parties in the end are filled with stupid. Far left and Far right are both a problem that has developed from our education system. One is the failures of standard education (see the majority of republicans being undereducated) and the other is allowing far left liberal edict in higher education.

If you follow the educational divide you will see that college educated tend to be at least left leaning while those un/undereducated lean at least right. Of interest is that those that receive a solid high school education tend to be true independents.

You can reach back and there has always been a political divide however we reached a point of small tribalism with Bush jr. Followed further by Obama being elected. That is where politics jumped the shark. So for about 19 years we have had this us vs them mentality.

Where does all this lead to? Party leadership. If the leader of the tribe (either one) says something is bad those that are stuck in a tribal mindset will always side and beat their chest to be heard and push back against reason. I have seen normal republicans tried and true shift to tribalism, and I have seen the same for democrats throughout my years. The push themselves to go farther away from the center.

And that is just plain idiocy or a nicer way to put it limited cognitive ability

Science should never be political...but yet it always has been...always.

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>On April 12, 1633, chief inquisitor Father Vincenzo Maculani da Firenzuola, appointed by Pope Urban VIII, begins the inquisition of physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei. Galileo was ordered to turn himself in to the Holy Office to begin trial for holding the belief that the Earth revolves around the sun, which was deemed heretical by the Catholic Church.

Look just back to 1850 Ignaz Semmelweis who had 3 little words WASH YOUR HANDS and he was deemed crazy and discredited, he was put in an asylum for having a nervous breakdown since no one would believe him about hand washing saving lives where he died 14 days later after being beaten by the guards.

This one?

https://www.amazon.com/Republican-Brain-Science-Science-Reality/dp/1118094514

Fake it till you make it right. I gotta give your blind faith in yourself credit; it's without equal.

Here's some reading you may enjoy

Rofl! Ron Paul!

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Oh yeah, republitards love science! Remember when they said:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/06/paul-broun-evolution-big-bang_n_1944808.html

That was fun!

Here are a few more!

http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2012/03/its-not-your-imagination-republicans-really-dont-science

http://www.salon.com/2013/01/11/scientists_hate_the_gop_for_a_reason/

This book might explain why..:http://www.amazon.com/Republican-Brain-Science-Science-Reality/dp/1118094514

In conclusion

http://i.imgur.com/2cfsJnP.jpg http://i.imgur.com/8TcwHbx.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/The-Republican-Brain-Science-Science/dp/1118094514