Not Born Yesterday: The Science of Whom We Trust and What We Believe

Why do superstitions and prejudices persist, while scientific knowledge often encounters stubborn resistance in society? Why are masses susceptible to manipulation through crude technologies? How has the rapid development of social networks influenced our worldview? Hugo Mercier, a well-known cognitive psychologist who worked at leading research centers in France and the USA, seeks answers to these and other questions, challenging the entrenched belief that people are inherently gullible. He introduces the reader to the peculiarities of our perception of information, rethinking various phenomena from ancient and modern history — from the tragic episodes of the Peloponnesian War and the Salem witch trials to the election of Trump and persistent suspicion towards vaccination. By proving the fallacy of the belief in our inability to filter information, Mercier humorously warns against taking his arguments at face value.