Promoting the need for truthful information to foster a democracy built on trust.
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The Fondation Descartes

The Fondation Descartes is a citizen-based, non-partisan, and independent European foundation dedicated to information-based issues.

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The Fondation Descartes is structured around three main bodies: a board of directors chaired by Jean-Philippe Hecketsweiler; a scientific advisory board led by Gérald Bronner; and a permanent team headed by Laurent Cordonier, director of research.

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Each year, the Fondation Descartes publishes an in-depth study on one of its key topics related to disinformation: conflicts, health, or climate. Explore these publications in full.

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In Praise of Reason: Why Rationality Matters for Democracy

Michael Lynch
01/01/2012
Why does reason matter, if (as many people seem to think) in the end everything comes down to blind faith or gut instinct? Why not just go with what you believe even if it contradicts the evidence? Why bother with rational explanation when name-calling, manipulation, and force are so much more effective in our current cultural and political landscape? Michael Lynch's In Praise of Reason offers a spirited defense of reason and rationality in an era of widespread skepticism--when, for example, people reject scientific evidence about such matters as evolution, climate change, and vaccines when it doesn't jibe with their beliefs and opinions. 
Topic :  Critical Thinking  
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Format :    
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Edition :  MIT Press  
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Country :  United-States 
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Language  :  English 
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