Bill Nye, “The Science Guy,” whose grasp of science is questionable, also seems to lack a basic understanding of the U.S. Constitution, as Michael Bastasch reports for the Daily Caller.
“Well, first of all, I think denying climate change is in nobody’s best interests,” Nye told Vox in a recent interview. “But I also think denying science in general is in no one’s best interests.”
“When you have people denying this basic process, and how we all got here, it’s offensive to me intellectually,” Nye added. “And I happen to think it’s unpatriotic. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution says the government shall ‘promote the progress of science and useful arts.’”
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“So if you’re a politician looking to derail the progress of science, I think you’re not doing your job,” Nye said. “I want voters and taxpayers to recognize this. Do you really want to vote for somebody who doesn’t believe in the scientific method — and doesn’t believe that we defeated smallpox? Do you really want that person running your government?”
Nye’s invocation of Article 1, Section 8 to shame lawmakers skeptical of global warming — basically a tactic to shame Republicans — omits a key part of the section that sort of ruins his point.
Here’s Section 8 in its entirety: “To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.”
The clause does not relate to Congress deferring to the scientific method, but rather it allows lawmakers to create a system of patents and copyrights for inventors. In fact, this part of Section 8 is referred to as the “Copyright Clause.” It is not in fact called the “Scientific Method Clause.”
