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.
- ISBN10 039335332X
- ISBN13 9780393353327
- Publish Date 6 May 2017 (first published 17 January 2017)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Imprint WW Norton & Co
- Format Paperback
- Pages 272
- Language English