Includes bibliographical references (p. 279-310) and index.

Introduction: equations to refute Einstein -- Politics, facts, and brains. Prelude: liberal fresco on a prison wall ; Denying minds ; Smart idiots -- The "nature" hypothesis: dangerous certainty. Political personalities ; For God and tribe ; Don't get defensive ; Are conservatives from the amygdala? -- Enter the "environment": turning against change. A tale of two Republicans ; The science of Fox News -- The truth: who's right, who's wrong, and who updates. The reality gap ; The Republican war on economics ; The Republican war on history ; What the frack is true? -- The political laboratory. A liberal confronts new data -- Conclusion: rescuing reality.

"From climate change to evolution, the rejection of mainstream science among Republicans is growing, as is the denial of expert consensus on the economy, American history, foreign policy and much more. Why won't Republicans accept things that most experts agree on? Why are they constantly fighting against the facts? Science writer Chris Mooney explores brain scans, polls, and psychology experiments to explain why conservatives today believe more wrong things; appear more likely than Democrats to oppose new ideas and less likely to change their beliefs in the face of new facts; and sometimes respond to compelling evidence by doubling down on their current beliefs."--Publisher description.