• Not a Scientist

  • How Politicians Mistake, Misrepresent and Utterly Mangle Science
  • By: Dave Levitan
  • Narrated by: Kevin Pariseau
  • Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (64 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Not a Scientist  By  cover art

Not a Scientist

By: Dave Levitan
Narrated by: Kevin Pariseau
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.95

Buy for $19.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

An eye-opening tour of the political tricks that subvert scientific progress.

In 1980, Ronald Reagan created one of the dumbest 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 categorizes 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-elbowed humor dismantles our leaders' deceptive arguments while illuminating the real science behind the worst soundbites from our elected non-scientists.

©2017 Dave Levitan (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Not a Scientist

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    34
  • 4 Stars
    18
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    34
  • 4 Stars
    15
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    33
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting and Timely Book

The author did a good job of standing up for science without being partisan as well as equipping the reader with useful tools to analyze political rhetoric against scientific true. I enjoyed the book and thought the voice performance was great.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

We've never needed a book like this more

This book is an excellent way to begin thinking critically over how politicians present science. As science policy becomes increasingly important in our daily lives it behoves us all to have the skills to recognize when or politicians are misrepresenting the science we use to guide us.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Clearly has something against conservatives.

I would have preferred an unbiased perspective against politicians, instead, the author is clearly biased and this demeans the message he is trying to make.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful