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  • Published: 10 May 2012
  • ISBN: 9781446438848
  • Imprint: Transworld Digital
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 416
Categories:

The Geek Manifesto

Why science matters




A compelling and entertaining and very persuasive call to arms for scientists, engineers, skeptics, rationalists - all geeks, secret geeks and wannabe geeks everywhere...Shortlisted for the Political Book Awards Polemic of the Year 2012.

Whether we want to improve education or cut crime, to enhance public health or to generate clean energy, we need the experimental methods of science - the best tool humanity has yet developed for working out what works. Yet from the way we're governed to the news we're fed by the media we're let down by a lack of understanding and respect for its insights and evidence. In The Geek Manifesto Mark Henderson explains why and how we need to entrench scientific thinking more deeply into every aspect of our society. A new movement is gathering. Let's turn it into a force our leaders cannot ignore.
This edition includes an appendix: 'A Geek Manifesto for America' by David Dobbs.

  • Published: 10 May 2012
  • ISBN: 9781446438848
  • Imprint: Transworld Digital
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 416
Categories:

About the author

Mark Henderson

Mark Henderson, the Science editor of The Times, is an award-winning journalist who has covered science for The Times since 2000, building a reputation as one of the UK's most respected and best connected journalists in the field. As well as covering science news he is a regular contributor to comment pages and played a pivotal role in founding their science supplement, Eureka, for which he writes features and a regular column about science and politics. Freelance writing includes recent work for the British Medical Journal, Prospect, and the Royal Society's 350th anniversary programme.
He is an accomplished broadcaster for TV and radio, whose recent appearances include BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC4's 'Dinner with Portillo', BBC Breakfast, Sky News, LBC and BBC R4's 'Material World'. He is also a regular panellist at the Royal Institutio, the Wellcome Collection and the Cheltenham Sciece Festival. In 2011 Mark Henderson was awarded the European Cancer Reporter Prize and the Royal Statistical Society Prize for statistical excellence in journalism.

Praise for The Geek Manifesto

[Mark Henderson's] writing is urgent and for today ...I would, if I could, force every politician in the land to read this book and act .

Nick Cohen, Observer

The Geek Manifesto is the most compelling, engaging and entertaining account I’ve read of the relationship between science and politics .,, Geek or non-geek, this is a manifesto we should all feel able to endorse.

James Wilsdon, Financial Times

A passionate rallying cry for more scientific, evidence-based judgment in public life

James Urquhart, FT Weekend

A powerfully argued case for scientific understanding and methods to play a central role in the national conversation

The Observer

A rallying cry... it is impossible not to admire Henderson’s focused anger at the lack of science in policy making and his passion to change things.

Angela Saini, New Scientist

an entertaining call to arms for scientists, engineers, skeptics, rationalists and fans of the scientific method

Engineering & Technology

In this timely and important book, Mark Henderson explains why Geeks are on the march - and why the world will become a better place as a result.

Tim Harford

Long overdue ... If you care about science or politics you'd be a food not to read this. Five Stars.

Guru Magazine

Mark Henderson's new book shows that CP Snow's 'Two Cultures' are still all too apparent in today's society, and also charts the frustrating tussle for power between forces of irrationality and the rational over recent years. Henderson advances a compelling argument that we shouldn't be ashamed of rational thinking, but instead, we need to recognise and embrace the importance of science in our politics, education, economy and culture.

Professor Alice Roberts

Powerful and important, The Geek Manifesto eloquently lays out a programme to make the UK a more rational and therefore prosperous and successful country. And it's not that hard to do! Base policy decisions on evidence, invest in our knowledge-based economy by supporting education and research, and above all promote reason above opinion. Everyone interested in importing the scientific method into public life should read this book, and then lobby their MP!

Professor Brian Cox

Should be required reading for those with an interest in science. But more importantly it should be read by those for whom science is a closed book or a source of suspicion.

The Word

superb... Required reading for those who love science and recognise the need to ‘geek the vote’

Douglas Kell

The Geek Manifesto should be required reading for all those who question the value and importance of science.

Manjit Kumar, Independent

The revenge of the geeks begins here. Mark's trenchant defence of facts and evidence should be read by every seeker after truth in the country.

David Lipsey, Labour peer and former Government advisor

With over a decade of experience as the science correspondent for the Times, Henderson has seen it all. Today science is enjoying unprecedented coverage in the media and recognition in popular culture. Here is the account of how and why this has happened, how science works and how it is perceived, warts and all.. Fascinating stuff.

Jim Al-Khalili