Ignorance, Lies, Hogwash, and Humbug: The Value of Truth and Knowledge in Democracies

Harvard HKS

Is truth dead? Despite unprecedented access to information, “alternative” facts compete with actual facts, fake news with mainstream news, and expert knowledge with gut hunches and whatever feels correct. Such is the so-called post-truth era. Can democracies survive it? This course examines the extent, causes, and consequences of the post-truth era. We will explore ignorance, misinformation, conspiracy theories, science denialism, declining trust in expertise, polarization,…