Bad Science

Bad Science
Ben Goldacre
Fourth Estate, 2009

I picked up this book on impulse and am glad I did; in a sense you could say it's changed my life. I like to think of myself as a critical thinker, but the extent to which even I accept bullshit especially in the form of media science stories is quite frightening. What this book does is giving you an opportunity to -- at least to some extent -- choose for yourself. It encourages you to chase up data, look at the methods and statistics behind the stories, in order to examine them with a critical eye. I've already managed to puncture two folk science myths since I started reading it, and it feels good to know that I'm at least a little bit harder to deceive now when everything no longer sounds plausible because it's "complicated and sciencey". I strongly recommend this book to anyone who's spent too much money on hyped-up "miracle cures", or who worries sick over "new breakthroughs" showing that previously-thought harmless substances will in fact kill you instantly. Or just anyone who wants to be a bit better-informed.

Rating: Impressive