Scholars pay a lot of attention to knowledge but tend to ignore ignorance, even though ignorance defines many parts of our world. Think climate denial, anti-vaxxers, filter bubble myopia, etc. Here we explore the history of ignorance through case studies, focusing on how cigarette makers created the template for climate change denial and how can science can be used to produce ignorance. We'll look at rhetorical strategies to produce dis- and misinformation, and how these can be overcome. Students will produce a research paper tracing the origins and impact of a particular form of ignorance.
5 units · Letter (ABCD/NP)
Scholars pay a lot of attention to knowledge but tend to ignore ignorance, even though ignorance defines many parts of our world. Think climate denial, anti-vaxxers, filter bubble myopia, etc. Here we explore the history of ignorance through case studies, focusing on how cigarette makers created the template for climate change denial and how can science can be used to produce ignorance. We'll look at rhetorical strategies to produce dis- and misinformation, and how these can be overcome. Students will produce a research paper tracing the origins and impact of a particular form of ignorance.
Offered in Autumn 2025 at Stanford University.