A terrible statement unless he gets away with it" -- The state of nature: tribal truth -- Booting reality: the rise of networked knowledge -- The constitution of knowledge -- Disinformation technology: the challenge of digital media -- Troll epistemology: "flood the zone with shit" -- Canceling: despotism of the few -- Unmute yourself: pushing back.

Analyzing trends in American disinformation and conspiracy, Rauch reaches back to the parallel eighteenth-century developments of liberal democracy and science to explain what he calls the "Constitution of Knowledge"--our social system for turning disagreement into truth. By explicating the Constitution of Knowledge and probing the war on reality, Rauch posits a defined understanding of truth and free inquiry, with discussion of how and why they should be defended. Provided by publisher.