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The Republican Brain

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The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They Deny Science — and Reality
AuthorChris Mooney
LanguageEnglish
SubjectsConservatism in the United States, Republican Party (United States), Antiscience
PublisherWiley
Publication date
2012
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint
Pages327
ISBN9781118094518
OCLC773429781

The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They Deny Science — and Reality is a 2012 book about the psychological basis for many Republicans' rejection of mainstream scientific theories, as well as theories of economics and history, by the American journalist Chris Mooney.

Reception

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The Financial Times gave the book a favorable review, describing it as an "intelligent, nuanced and persuasive account" of psychological differences in political behavior.[1]

Alissa Quart, in a New York Times opinion piece, cited conservative writers Alex Berezow and Hank Campbell who equated Mooney's argument with eugenics.[2][3] It was criticized by American conservative Jonah Goldberg,[4] who tried to associate it with "conservative phrenology". Mooney responded, stating that Goldberg had mispresented his book in several respects.[5] Mooney also stated that Goldberg exhibited "precisely the traits he seeks to deny: ideological defensiveness, a lack of nuance, and a deeply unwarranted and overconfident sense of certainty".[5] Mooney later rebutted a similar criticism by Andrew Ferguson and stated that Ferguson dismissed science himself while attacking the book.[6]

Paul Krugman wrote in The New York Times that Mooney makes a good point: the personality traits associated with modern conservatism, particularly a lack of openness, make the modern Republican Party hostile to the idea of objective inquiry.[7]

Publication information

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Mooney, Chris (2012). The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They Deny Science — and Reality. Wiley. ISBN 9781118094518.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Wilsdon, James (28 April 2012). "Political animals". Financial Times. Retrieved 2012-07-03.
  2. ^ Quart, Alissa (23 November 2012). "Neuroscience: Under attack". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-04-24.
  3. ^ Berezow, Alex (26 April 2012). "Are Republicans genetically inferior to Democrats?". Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  4. ^ Goldberg, Jonah (30 April 2012). "Republicans have bad brains?". USA Today (Column).
  5. ^ a b Mooney, Chris (3 May 2012). "Goldberg misunderstands Republican Brain". Letters. USA Today.
  6. ^ Mooney, Chris (14 May 2012). "The Weekly Standard slams The Republican Brain". Science Progress.
  7. ^ Krugman, Paul (19 November 2012). "Views differ on age of planet". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-04-24.
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