Word of the Day: Agnolotogy

[frandroid]

YorkU prof Lorraine Code named distinguished woman philosopher for 2009

One aspect of this research comes from Code’s interest in agnotology, the willful or culturally induced sustaining of ignorance. She alludes to practices of tobacco and pharmaceutical companies presenting research that sows the seeds of reasonable doubt in the minds of the public about the ill effects of their products. The issue of climate change is also frequently represented as contentious as a way of blocking actions and remedies. Code calls the matrix of understanding and ways of seeing the world the “social imaginary”.

You could call the Bush administration, the whole conservative movement as agnotologist...

Also, what a great last name for a philosopher.

Comments

[everynewmorning.livejournal.com]

Her name and academic calling is the stuff of cyberpunk wet dreams.

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

Creepy avatar, dude.

Cyberpunk wet dreams. I'm having some of these thinking about Ruby on Rails lately...

[theoria.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately her course on feminist epistemology wasn't being offered when I was doing my doctoral coursework.

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

My partner took a course with her and she found it quite difficult and rewarding...