A deceptive practice where individuals invoke "evidence-based" as a rhetorical shield to legitimize their positions while ignoring, misrepresenting, or selectively applying evidence. The evidence-based charlatan uses the language of empiricism to claim authority, but their engagement with evidence is superficial—citing studies that support their view while ignoring contradictory findings, demanding impossible standards of evidence from opponents, and treating their own preferred evidence as self-evidently correct. They weaponize "evidence-based" to shut down debate, positioning themselves as the rational party and all alternatives as unscientific. The charlatanism lies in using the idea of evidence to avoid the actual work of evidence evaluation, turning a valuable methodological commitment into a performative identity.
Example: "He demanded randomized controlled trials for his opponents' claims while citing blog posts as evidence for his own. Evidence-Based Charlatanism: using the language of rigor to avoid the practice of it."
by Abzugal March 22, 2026
Get the Evidence-Based Charlatanism mug.I bought that Chevy from a carlatan who told me it was in great shape. It broke down on my way home.
by Knucklebuster June 23, 2018
Get the carlatan mug.A type of Charismatic christian who carry around fold-able chairs and offer healing.They sit you in the chair and tell you that whatever ailment you have is caused by having "one leg shorter than the other". They duly pray for your leg and behold! It appears to grow. One of the oldest parlour tricks in the book.
Just seen a couple of those Chairlatan healers in the precinct again. Told me I had one leg shorter than the other. So I told him that he had one neuron shorter than the other.
by IAIN_D September 6, 2018
Get the Chairlatan Healer mug.Someone who uses a AI to do everything. They offload their work and thinking to a large language model and ultimately stop thinking for themselves. Their heavy use of AI also leads to a Dunning-Kruger effect because they confuse the palatable, easy-to-understand output produced by models like Chat-GPT with their own understanding of the topic. A mix of Chat(-GPT) and (char)latan. Derogatory.
Bob: Since when does Alec know so much about the history of conflict in the Middle East?
Drew: Oh, don't be fooled by what he's saying. He just spent twenty minutes talking with Chat-GPT about it and now thinks he's a total expert. He doesn't even know how long this conflict has been going on. He's a total Chatlatan. Next thing you know he'll be trying to get you to buy his online course on the topic!
Drew: Oh, don't be fooled by what he's saying. He just spent twenty minutes talking with Chat-GPT about it and now thinks he's a total expert. He doesn't even know how long this conflict has been going on. He's a total Chatlatan. Next thing you know he'll be trying to get you to buy his online course on the topic!
by burntroux July 2, 2025
Get the chatlatan mug.That kid over there is a changatang
by steve chang May 25, 2011
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