Not a Scientist
How Politicians Mistake, Misrepresent, and Utterly Mangle Science
Description
A straight-talking guidebook to the many ways our elected officials distort science to serve politics.
In 1980, Ronald Reagan created one of the most stupid talking points of all time: "I’m not a scientist, but...". Since then, politicians have repeatedly committed egregious transgressions against scientific knowledge prefaced by this seemingly innocuous phrase. Yet, as science journalist Dave Levitan reveals, that line is just the tip of the melting iceberg when it comes to rhetorical tools wielded to attack scientific findings that don’t cooperate with political agendas. Just listen to Mike Huckabee dismiss climate change as "a sunburn", Donald Trump suggest that vaccines cause autism or Todd Akin’s infamous invention of "legitimate rape". With a taxonomer’s eye, Levitan captures and categorises these deceptions by chapter, assigning delightful names like "The Butter-Up and Undercut", "The Literal Nitpick", "The Straight-Up Fabrication" and many more. His sharp humour dismantles America’s leaders’ deceptive arguments while illuminating the real science behind the worst soundbites from these elected non-scientists.
Reviews
"... deliciously mordant critique... A key handbook for an era of “alternative facts” and pressures on research." — Nature
"He [Dave Levitan] vividly demonstrates the nuance in data collection, that scientists can make mistakes, and beautifully constructs a metaphor of the body of science being constructed and reconstructed via layers of studies and discoveries over time." — Nature Astronomy
"It's a timely reference work–a kind of citizens' guide to identifying public untruths..." — The Irish Times
"Read this book. It’s not just timely, it could save
your future." — Physics World
"... it is an interesting read, and should be used as part of a larger toolkit to promote the correct use of science as evidence in policymaking." — Chemistry World