Yes, there is an -ology for that. And yes, we’re airing this episode -– with a ton of 2025 updates -– because it’s never felt more relevant. Dr. Robert Proctor is a Stanford professor of the History of Science and co-edited the book “Agnotology: The Making & Unmaking of Ignorance,” having coined the word 30 years ago. We chat about everything from tobacco marketing, to the sugar lobby, to racial injustice, horse vision, the psychology of the Flat Earther movement, which countries have the highest rates of climate denial, empathy, how to navigate difficult conversations and why it's critical to dismantle the systems of willful ignorance, starting locally.

Dr. Robert Proctor’s book: "Agnotology: The Making and Unmaking of Ignorance"

His 2021 book: Science and the Production of Ignorance: When the Quest for Knowledge Is Thwarted.

Donations in Dr. Proctor’s name went to: SavingBlackLives.org and the Public Health Advocacy Institute

An additional donation went to The National Black Law Students Association

More episode sources and links

Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes

Other episodes you may enjoy: Eschatology (THE APOCALYPSE)

Sponsors of Ologies

Transcripts and bleeped episodes

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!

Follow Ologies on Instagram and Bluesky

Follow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTok

Editing by Steven Ray Morris and Jarrett Sleeper of Mindjam Media

Encore editing by Jake Chaffee and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions

Additional encore producing by Mercedes Maitland

Managing Director: Susan Hale

Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth

Transcripts by Aveline Malek

Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

Theme song by Nick Thorburn