Today, more and more people around the globe are using scientific evidence to figure out what works鈥攊n health, government and business as well as conservation, schools and parenting. This wasn鈥檛 always the case. This book tells the story of the evidence revolution鈥攁 worldwide movement that promotes evidence-based thinking鈥攁nd shows how it can help us all, especially in an age of alternative facts.
For many years, most medical advice was based on doctors鈥� opinions and conventional wisdom, not solid science. Helen Pearson describes how evidence-based medicine swept the world in the 1990s鈥攂ecoming the predominant form of medicine practiced today鈥攁nd how the idea that evidence should guide decisions is quietly transforming a host of other fields as well. Do police patrols reduce crime? Do performance appraisals boost job performance? Do welfare programs help the poor? Do smaller classes aid learning? Do smartphones harm teenagers? At a time when science is under attack and questionable claims run rampant, Pearson underscores the importance of evidence in all facets of our lives, empowering each of us to sift fact from falsehood and misinformation from the truth.
Essential reading for the rational-minded, Beyond Belief is an engaging portrait of the mavericks, visionaries and rebels who share the simple belief that decisions based on evidence make the world a better place.
“Who knew that a book about evidence and the ways we use it—or sometimes fail to do so—could be so fascinating? Well, Helen Pearson, obviously, and her book, Beyond Belief, is such a wonderfully told, factual exploration of human history, culture and knowledge that it really should not be missed.”—Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Poison Squad: One Chemist’s Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
“A captivating account of the struggle to move medicine and policy from flimsy hunches to hard evidence. Full of astonishing stories and remarkable insights across all aspects of life, from clinical care to crime and climate change, Beyond Belief will change your outlook on what it means for something to be effective.”—Adam Kucharski, author of Proof: The Art and Science of Certainty
“We all must lead our neighbors and policymakers to recognize the power of evidence, and critically, to get and apply evidence that is both solid and useful. With many well-chosen examples from medicine, conservation, policing, and family life, Pearson shows you how it is done.”—Rush D. Holt, former US Representative from New Jersey
“Helen Pearson writes about evidence with warmth and rare clarity, making its history accessible and its revolution feel real. She embraces the messy, uncertain nature of evidence while showing why it remains deeply relevant. In today’s world of AI and geopolitical tension, this book gently but firmly reminds us why evidence still matters for decision making.”—Karla Soares-Weiser, CEO of Cochrane Collaboration
“A very readable and interesting book that addresses a topic of both current interest and importance, taking a strong stand in favour of evidence-based policy and practice.”—Nancy Cartwright, coauthor of The Tangle of Science
“This timely examination of the rise of ‘evidence-based’ approaches, which have spread across a host of decision-making disciplines affecting all of us, is characterized by excellent writing combined with a wealth of interviews that enrich the narrative. In an era of alternative facts and attacks on science, the victory of the ‘evidence revolution’ is somewhat tenuous and contested—but that’s all the more reason for a book like this.”—Scott Harris Podolsky, Harvard Medical School
“An incredibly engaging book that illustrates why we should care about good quality evidence. The book is unique in its very human interpretation of how and why the evidence-based movement has progressed across a wide range of disciplines. I was fascinated to read about the experiences and motivations of the people bringing about the movement and the different perspectives and pathways that have led to its wider adoption.”—Zoe Davies, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), University of Kent
“Helen Pearson’s inspiring and hopeful book makes a strong case: evidence isn’t just for experts. It’s a source of empowerment and progress for all.”—Karim Bschir, University of St. Gallen
