From Myths to Memes: The Diffusion of (Pseudo-)Scientific Beliefs

We live in an age of science and technology, yet people are very vulnerable to weird beliefs. Does this mean that humans are by nature highly gullible and irrational creatures? 

In this lecture, Stefaan Blancke will explore the diffusion of (pseudo-)scientific beliefs and the factors that contribute to human susceptibility to irrational beliefs. It will become clear that people are in fact quite sceptical and selective about the sort of beliefs they adopt. Why then do irrational beliefs persist

About the speaker
Stefaan Blancke is Assistant Professor of Philosophy of Science at Tilburg University and a member of the Tilburg Center for Moral Philosophy, Epistemology and Philosophy of Science (TiLPS).

His main interests are history and philosophy of science, pseudoscience, human (ir)rationality, cultural evolution, culture and cognition, and the public understanding of science. His current research focusses on the role of reasons in cultural phenomena such as science, morality, and the self.