Virtuous Nonsense

Lawrence M. Eppard is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Shippensburg University and Director of the Connors Institute for Nonpartisan Research and Civic Engagement. He specializes in economic and racial inequalities, poverty and social welfare, and modern American epistemological dysfunctions. He lives in Pennsylvania. Jacob L. Mackey is an Associate Professor of Classics at Occidental College. He specializes in Greek and Latin languages and literature, ancient religions, ancient childhood, and approaches to ancient cultures that are informed by the cognitive sciences. He is a co-founder of the non-profit organization Free Black Thought. He lives in California. Lee Jussim is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Rutgers University. He specializes in social psychology broadly and social perception specifically—the study of how people perceive, think about, and judge others. He lives in New Jersey. Michael Shermer is executive director of the Skeptics Society and founding publisher of Skeptic magazine.

• Foreword by Michael ShermerINTRODUCTION 1 Tribal Epistemology Is a Bipartisan Problem Lawrence M. Eppard, Jacob L. Mackey, Lee Jussim & Steven Sloman2 The Bias That Divides UsKeith Stanovich3 “Misinformation” Isn’t Just on the RightMatthew YglesiasINSTITUTIONAL PROBLEMS4 Universities Must Choose One TelosJonathan Haidt5 Ideological Diversity in the AcademyMusa al-Gharbi6 The Institutionalization of Ideology in SociologyCarl Bankston III7 Ideology and the Behavioral SciencesApril Bleske-Rechek, Michael H. Bernstein & Robert O. Deaner8 Who Should You Trust?Anthony Fowler9 Science Journalism and Progressive IdeologyJames B. MeigsSEX & GENDER10 The Ideological Subversion of BiologyJerry A. Coyne & Luana S. Maroja11 Don’t Downplay Progress Toward Gender EqualityLee Jussim12 Explaining the Gender Pay GapLawrence M. Eppard & Katie Bonomo13 Equal Pay MythsKay S. Hymowitz14 The Modern Dismissal of BiologyRobert Lynch15 Evidence and the Transgender MovementLeor Sapir16 Minors and the Transgender MovementKay S. Hymowitz17 From Fringe Academic Theory to LawLeor SapirRACIAL INEQUALITY18 Problems with Implicit Bias ResearchCarol Tavris19 The Questionable Science of MicroaggressionsLee Jussim20 Race and Police ShootingsRobert VerBruggen21 “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot”Michael Huemer22 Dubious Research on Racial InequalityMichael Jindra & Arthur Sakamoto23 Exaggerations about Standardized TestsApril Bleske-Rechek & Daniel Robinson24 Testing and the War on RealityCraig Frisby25 Slavery Was Not Unique to AmericaKay S. Hymowitz26 Tough Conversations on Diversity and MeritHeather Mac DonaldCANCEL CULTURE, IDENTITY POLITICS & MORE27 The Harper’s LetterVarious Signatories28 What Is Cancel Culture?Carol Tavris29 What to Do When You’re CancelledIlya Shapiro30 The Downside of Identity PoliticsKarl Zinsmeister31 Family Breakdown DenialistsKay S. Hymowitz32 Being Honest about Single ParenthoodMona Charen33 In Defense of Free MarketsJohan Norberg34 The Good Times Are Now?Lawrence M. Eppard & Jacob L. Mackey35 Climate Catastrophizing Doesn’t HelpMona CharenPARTING THOUGHTS36 Attacks on Reality from the Left-WingJacob L. Mackey & Lawrence M. Eppard37 The Virtuous Lies We TellJacob L. Mackey38 The Dangers of Progressive MythsMichael HuemerEpilogue: White Doctors and Black BabiesJacob L. Mackey & Dave GilbertBibliographyAbout the Editors

"Virtuous Nonsense is where shibboleths go to die. Wide-ranging, bracing, and engaging, this collection of essays is a one-stop shop for understanding today’s attacks on truth and liberal democracy. If you care about the integrity of science and the reputation of academia—and we all should—this is a book to read, ponder, and give."—Jonathan Rauch, senior fellow, Brookings Institution, and author of The Constitution of Knowledge