BOOK REVIEW

The War on Science

Is Krauss's book a timely defense of Western ideals, or does it fail to address the real political threat to the scientific process?

Published DEC 9

REVIEW

Above: Lawrence Krauss at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 15, 2016. Image credit: Isaiah Trickey/FilmMagic/Getty Images

The Spin

Right narrative

Lawrence Krauss’s "The War on Science" is a brave and timely defense of Western ideals of reason, merit, and free inquiry. Krauss rightly warns that universities — once the crown jewel of the Enlightenment — have succumbed to Leftist ideological capture, where politics outweighs truth. The essays expose how DEI mandates and moral dogmas corrode objectivity and skepticism, the very engines of progress and innovation in the West. Critically, Krauss thus urges scholars to resist this capture by reaffirming viewpoint diversity, tenure protections, and the courage to question orthodoxy without fear or compromise.

Aei

American Enterprise Institute on Youtube random biology

Left narrative

"The War on Science" pretends to defend reason for reason's sake, but spectacularly misses the real threat: the Trump administration’s attacks on vaccine programs, climate science, and federal funding for universities. Rather than confronting the most urgent dangers, it fixates on DEI, gender inclusion, and “woke” ideology, portraying progressive reforms as apocalyptic. By obsessing over trivial culture-war grievances, the book ignores the actual dismantling of scientific institutions, offering cover to those actively undermining the integrity, funding, and long-term stability of American science.

Liberal Currents Friendly Atheist Science

Narrative C

A preoccupation with political ideology misses the fundamental point of 'The War on Science.' While Krauss opposes the influence of left-leaning activism in academia threatening open debate, him similarly critiques the Trump administration's efforts to destroy educational institutions and undermine research efforts on the misconception that all scientists and academics are now 'woke.' Krauss deliberately draws together essays from individuals across the political spectrum in 'The War on Science' to illustrate that the scientific process should not be pulled into the current climate of partisanship.

Unherd