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Bad Science

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Bad Science

By: Ben Goldacre
Narrated by: Rupert Farley
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About this listen

We are constantly bombarded with inaccurate, contradictory and sometimes misleading information - until now.

Ben Goldacre masterfully dismantles the dubious science behind some of the great drug trials, court cases, and missed opportunities of our time. He also shows us the fascinating story of how we know what we know, and gives us the tools to uncover bad science for ourselves.

©2008 Ben Goldacre (P)2010 WF Howes Ltd Biological Sciences Physics Science Thought-Provoking Medicine

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All stars
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This book was very factual and most enjoyable in places. The narration was excellent and really captured the authors' passion, which could be misconstrued as arrogant, even pompous. I however found Goldacre's sarcastic delivery of information quite humorous. I would have given four stars but quite a substantial amount of material was repeated unnecessarily and the book could have easily been shorter. Overall, I definitely recommend but it's not a book that I would listen to again.

Well written but repetitive

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What did you like most about Bad Science?

Ignorance is not bliss and Ben Goldacre highlights that fact beautifully in this book.

His assertion of the importance of questioning our sources of information and challenging ourselves to be mindful and objective, as far as possible, is both apt and timely. We are bombarded from all sides by information, so never has it been more important to be able to distinguish the genuinely noteworthy from the lazily headline grabbing.

Any additional comments?

For a book which I agree with so much, it made me surprisingly angry at times. Whilst it is mainly a good point quite well made, it tends towards being patronising.

As both a Humanities graduate and a teacher (both of which come under rather extensive scrutiny in the book), I felt almost attacked. Yes, I have a BA and MA, but I also know my way around the Cambridge Book of Statistical Tables and SPSS (though not Stata, I admit). As a university graduate, I am more that passingly familar with critical thinking, analysis of sources and the evaluation of evidence. The notion that simply because I am not a Science graduate I could not possibly know/understand/care about these things is both offensive and contrary to the message of the book: anyone can understand this if they want to.

Dr Goldacre also invited teachers to join doctors in the world of evidence-based practice. It is appalling to think that he has clearly assumed that this is the case rather than actually asking a teacher. We do action research in our classrooms. We research which methods are appropriate and apply them. There are vast numbers of journals constantly publishing research on just that. We have studied questions around practice and are mindful of them, to suggest otherwise is simply false. Certainly, it is not the case that all teachers conduct research, but neither is it the case for all doctors.On a different note, I also disliked how much he implied, or in some cases flat out stated, that to disagree with him was to be wrong. I am a fan of nuance and discussion and this attitude kills it dead. Even if your overall point is correct, that doesn't mean it doesn't need refinement and as an academic, you should always be open to that.

There were a host of points that niggled, but overall, that does not detract from the importance of the book. Read it, listen to it, but as the book itself asks, do so with an objective, critical mind.

Important but patronising

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Great book and I really enjoyed it throughly.
My only issue was the audio issues throughout. Skipping and quality issues. Not knowing if I missed a sentence or section as a result.

Great book but...

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This is one of the best books I've read on audible!

the topic is important, well researched, written up perfectly. You will never look at science in the media or the market place the same ever again.

The book is also funny. I mean laugh out loud funny! It is written with such dripping sarcasm, and that sarcasm is delivered by the narrator PERFECTLY.

Everyone should read this, for fun AND for facts!

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The author explains how science works and evenhandedly and brilliantly exposes many who profit from scamming people through bad science, from alternative medicine quacks to big pharma advertisement excesses and from bad science reporting in the media to fake scientists. I wonder how much money and lives would be saved if everybody on this planet read Bad Science.

Enlightening and entertaining

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I enjoyed the frank and comprehensive break down of the relationship between science and society and those aspects that lead to problems.

Great overview of science in society

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The author seems to forget half way through that he falls victim to confirmation bias when it comes to media stories. I wasn't expecting a book entirely on medicine given the title but interesting non the less (hint there is more science than pub med). Otherwise nice content and solid narration.

little much ragging on the media but good content.

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Wish I had read this book 10 years ago !

Very informative , stimulating and thought provoking . Narration was excellent and in a casual but persuasive style.
Required reading for the non scientist and has stimulated me to look further into a couple of subject areas.

Thought provoking

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the narrator had a sneering arrogant preachy tone throughout, I almost have up several times.

reasonable ideas let down by awful narration.

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Any additional comments?

This is an interesting book. Gives an insight into some of the bad things in science. When I was young we were given milk at school as it was "good for us". Then later they told us it was "not so good for us". Now it is "good for us" again. This is the trouble with science. It is only as good as the day it is written and this book shows that.

Interesting

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