World Model · podcast knowledge graph

Weaponizing Uncertainty: How Tech is Recycling Big Tobacco’s Playbook

2025-03-20 · 51 min · episode 106 · 19 entities

episode page audio

Asserted relationships

  • → references Merchants of Doubt book
    0.74
    evidence rules-v5
    ntal—it's often strategically manufactured. Historian Naomi Oreskes, author of "Merchants of Doubt," reveals how industries from tobacco to fossil fuels have deployed a calculate
  • → references Silent Spring book
    0.70
    evidence rules-v5
    omi Oreskes and Eric Conway "The Big Myth” by Naomi Oreskes and Eric Conway "Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson "The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair Further reading on the clas
  • → hosted by Center for Humane Technology person
    0.55
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed author/publisher: Center for Humane Technology
  • → recommended Silent Spring book
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    omi Oreskes and Eric Conway "The Big Myth” by Naomi Oreskes and Eric Conway "Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson "The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair Further reading on the clas
  • → recommended Merchants of Doubt book
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    ntal—it's often strategically manufactured. Historian Naomi Oreskes, author of "Merchants of Doubt," reveals how industries from tobacco to fossil fuels have deployed a calculate
  • → discusses Society & Culture concept
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Society & Culture
  • → discusses Technology company
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Technology
  • → discusses Relationships concept
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Relationships
  • → discusses Government company
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Government
  • 0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed author/publisher: The Center for Humane Technology, Tristan Harris, Aza Raskin

Entities found in this episode

books 6

  • mentioned Merchants of Doubt book
    0.87
    evidence rules-v5
    ntal—it's often strategically manufactured. Historian Naomi Oreskes, author of "Merchants of Doubt," reveals how industries from tobacco to fossil fuels have deployed a calculate
  • mentioned Silent Spring book
    0.82
    evidence rules-v5
    omi Oreskes and Eric Conway "The Big Myth” by Naomi Oreskes and Eric Conway "Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson "The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair Further reading on the clas
  • references Merchants of Doubt book
    0.74
    evidence rules-v5
    ntal—it's often strategically manufactured. Historian Naomi Oreskes, author of "Merchants of Doubt," reveals how industries from tobacco to fossil fuels have deployed a calculate
  • references Silent Spring book
    0.70
    evidence rules-v5
    omi Oreskes and Eric Conway "The Big Myth” by Naomi Oreskes and Eric Conway "Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson "The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair Further reading on the clas
  • recommended Silent Spring book
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    omi Oreskes and Eric Conway "The Big Myth” by Naomi Oreskes and Eric Conway "Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson "The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair Further reading on the clas
  • recommended Merchants of Doubt book
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    ntal—it's often strategically manufactured. Historian Naomi Oreskes, author of "Merchants of Doubt," reveals how industries from tobacco to fossil fuels have deployed a calculate

concepts 6

companys 5

persons 2

Episode description as stored
One of the hardest parts about being human today is navigating uncertainty. When we see experts battling in public and emotions running high, it's easy to doubt what we once felt certain about. This uncertainty isn't always accidental—it's often strategically manufactured. Historian Naomi Oreskes, author of "Merchants of Doubt," reveals how industries from tobacco to fossil fuels have deployed a calculated playbook to create uncertainty about their products' harms. These campaigns have delayed regulation and protected profits by exploiting how we process information. In this episode, Oreskes breaks down that playbook page-by-page while offering practical ways to build resistance against them. As AI rapidly transforms our world, learning to distinguish between genuine scientific uncertainty and manufactured doubt has never been more critical. Your Undivided Attention  is produced by the  Center for Humane Technology . Follow us on Twitter:  @HumaneTech_ RECOMMENDED MEDIA “Merchants of Doubt” by Naomi Oreskes and Eric Conway   "The Big Myth” by Naomi Oreskes and Eric Conway  "Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson  "The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair   Further reading on the clash between Galileo and the Pope   Further reading on the Montreal Protocol   RECOMMENDED YUA EPISODES Laughing at Power: A Troublemaker’s Guide to Changing Tech   AI Is Moving Fast. We Need Laws that Will Too.   Tech's Big Money Campaign is Getting Pushback with Margaret O'Mara and Brody Mullins   Former OpenAI Engineer William Saunders on Silence, Safety, and the Right to Warn CORRECTIONS: Naomi incorrectly referenced Global Climate Research Program established under President Bush Sr. The correct name is the U.S. Global Change Research Program. Naomi referenced U.S. agencies that have been created with sunset clauses. While several statutes have been created with sunset clauses, no federal agency has been. CLARIFICATION: Naomi referenced the U.S. automobile industry claiming that they would be “destroyed” by seatbelt regulation. We couldn’t verify this specific language but it is consistent with the anti-regulatory stance of that industry toward seatbelt laws.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.