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Bill Nye Does Not Speak for Us and He Does Not Speak for Science

blogs.scientificamerican.com

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Re: Bill Nye Does Not Speak for Us and He Does Not Speak for Science

#71

Post by oh_sigh »

craig1f wrote: post #43
toomuchtodo wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t care for Bill Nye or Neil deGrasse Tyson personally, but science needs every advocate in these dark times.

A bad advocate undoes the work of a good advocate. Bill Nye doesn't really use scientific methods. His last show was a mess, because he made assertions he didn't back up. Bill Nye has done good work on the past, but he is undoing the work he has done lately.

If you get children pumped up about science and the natural world, does it matter if you don't use scientific methods?

Re: Bill Nye Does Not Speak for Us and He Does Not Speak for Science

#72

Post by mcguire »

nsxwolf wrote: post #11

This is batshit insane. Bill Nye is a darling of leftist pop culture. He is a vociferous opponent of anything or anyone even a hair to the right of center. Trump derangement syndrome is so extreme that simply attending the SOTU is all it takes for Scientific American to completely turn on this guy. People really need to take a deep breath and take a step back from the ledge. This is a childish embarrassment.

This is a guest opinion piece, not from the editors of SA.

Re: Bill Nye Does Not Speak for Us and He Does Not Speak for Science

#73

Post by mcguire »

explorigin wrote: post #4

Bill Nye is trying to further science by working with NASA. Scientific American is trying to politicize that act.

Nye is the guest of of the nominee for the head of NASA, who had previously introduced legislation to remove NASA's Earth observation mission. (https://blog.ucsusa.org/rachel-licker/would-jim-bridenstine-...)

Re: Bill Nye Does Not Speak for Us and He Does Not Speak for Science

#74

Post by nsxwolf »

mcguire wrote: post #72
nsxwolf wrote: post #11

This is batshit insane. Bill Nye is a darling of leftist pop culture. He is a vociferous opponent of anything or anyone even a hair to the right of center. Trump derangement syndrome is so extreme that simply attending the SOTU is all it takes for Scientific American to completely turn on this guy. People really need to take a deep breath and take a step back from the ledge. This is a childish embarrassment.

This is a guest opinion piece, not from the editors of SA.

Why print it? Can I get an opinion piece in there?

Re: Bill Nye Does Not Speak for Us and He Does Not Speak for Science

#75

Post by manicdee »

FiatLuxDave wrote: post #65
dkarl wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He isn't just doing business with the government, talking with policy-makers, or showing up to make sure his side is represented. He's attending a formal event as the official guest of a partisan politician. They aren't there to talk or work or negotiate. They're there to appear . And Bill Nye has offered his appearance, his own personal halo, to an enemy of science and an enemy of many decent values that scientists…

To quote Spock, "There's an old Vulcan proverb: Only Nixon could go to China."

You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

Elon Musk already learned that lesson.

Re: Bill Nye Does Not Speak for Us and He Does Not Speak for Science

#76

Post by dogma1138 »

wnevets wrote: post #68
dogma1138 wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He wasn’t anti GMO he was saying that transgenics needs more study which might be correct. We can’t feed the world without GMOs but splicing genes from cuttlefish into tomatoes to make them produce a specific protein might have some consequences down the line we aren’t aware of yet.

he specifically mentions GMOs https://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2016/10/why_bill_nye_c...

Not exactly the anti-GMO crowd pretty much muddled the distinction between Transgenics and GMOs.

On more “scientific” forums including popular science like Star Talk Nye always explained that it was Transgenics that he had concerns about and using GMOs when talking to a crowd which already decided that GMOs only applies to cucumbers which were spliced with chicken DNA was pretty much the only way to go.

Re: Bill Nye Does Not Speak for Us and He Does Not Speak for Science

#77

Post by bb88 »

dkarl wrote: post #50
volgo wrote: post #2

This is ridiculous. They're claiming that merely associating himself with the government is a tacit support of Trump's attack on science. Bill is there to promote NASA's space exploration initiative. If you withdraw from participating in the government for the mere reason that it's connected to Trump in general, you're not gonna push any of your agendas forward.

He isn't just doing business with the government, talking with policy-makers, or showing up to make sure his side is represented. He's attending a formal event as the official guest of a partisan politician. They aren't there to talk or work or negotiate. They're there to appear . And Bill Nye has offered his appearance, his own personal halo, to an enemy of science and an enemy of many decent values that scientists…

There are lots of issues other than climate science that need debate. And demonizing the other side for their beliefs doesn't help.

It's one thing if you want to be critical of their ideas, but attack the ideas, stop attacking the people.

Re: Bill Nye Does Not Speak for Us and He Does Not Speak for Science

#78

Post by bb88 »

ScottBurson wrote: post #66
volgo wrote: post #2

This is ridiculous. They're claiming that merely associating himself with the government is a tacit support of Trump's attack on science. Bill is there to promote NASA's space exploration initiative. If you withdraw from participating in the government for the mere reason that it's connected to Trump in general, you're not gonna push any of your agendas forward.

That was my first reaction too, but I think the authors make a good case that by attending with Rep. Bridenstine , Nye tacitly displays support for a right-wing anti-science agenda. If he went as a guest of Nancy Pelosi, say, it would send a very different message.

If I have dinner with a climate denier, does that make me one too? Or does it mean I just want to enjoy dinner with someone that happens to be a climate denier?

Re: Bill Nye Does Not Speak for Us and He Does Not Speak for Science

#80

Post by darbytan »

ScottBurson wrote: post #66
volgo wrote: post #2

This is ridiculous. They're claiming that merely associating himself with the government is a tacit support of Trump's attack on science. Bill is there to promote NASA's space exploration initiative. If you withdraw from participating in the government for the mere reason that it's connected to Trump in general, you're not gonna push any of your agendas forward.

That was my first reaction too, but I think the authors make a good case that by attending with Rep. Bridenstine , Nye tacitly displays support for a right-wing anti-science agenda. If he went as a guest of Nancy Pelosi, say, it would send a very different message.

Both Bridenstine and Pelosi are cynical opportunists. It would be the same message for me either way.
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