Iris Tabak

Claims that depart from Western scientific consensus, such as the relationship between vaccines and autism or the flat shape of the earth are often disparaged. We aim to cultivate greater convergence with scientific consensus, from a stance that rejects attributing alternative explanations to heedless partisanship or emotional susceptibility. We focus on the 'flat earth' explanation, and examine argumentative moves, attention to evidence and knowledge co-construction in YouTube discussions between supporters and critics of 'flat earth.' We found that Flat Earth supporters engage in argumentation and meta-talk about evidence, even at least as frequently as the critics. These findings suggest that cultivating greater convergence on scientific consensus requires deep and nuanced approaches, because alternative explanations can be couched in scientific, deliberative, and argumentative structures.