'Hey Bill Nye, How Do I Engage Skeptics in Meaningful Climate Change Discussion?' #TuesdaysWithBill

'Hey Bill Nye, How Do I Engage Skeptics in Meaningful Climate Change Discussion?' #TuesdaysWithBill

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Danny Miller is at odds with many of his friends; they don’t believe in climate change, but he does. It’s a predicament Bill Nye can lend some guidance on; science skeptics and climate change deniers have been one of his longest uphill battles in the public sphere.

So what is Nye’s advice for having meaningful discussions with climate change deniers and perhaps even bringing them slowly around to see reason? Nye admits that public figures who deny climate change have been alarmingly successful at casting doubt over the credibility of science so, as a starting point, it’s important to choose your language carefully. The word 'theory' has lost its integrity in recent years – it seems like anyone these days can have a theory. "I have a theory it’s raining outside," Nye jokes, with a hint of sadness. So understanding and relaying the real definition of the word to people you don’t see eye to eye with can be a crucial tool.

Most people hear the word "theory" and assume it’s an idea or statement in need of proof. A scientist hears the word "theory" and recognizes it as certifiable fact because it’s been proven. A hypothesis is one thing, that’s the first step towards an idea becoming a theory. When a hypothesis is proven, then it is a theory. So climate change theory isn’t a wishy washy idea people can choose to believe in or not; it’s backed by data, and is a concrete concept.

Bill Nye's most recent book is Unstoppable: Harnessing Science to Change the World.
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BILL NYE:

Bill Nye, scientist, engineer, comedian, author, and inventor, is a man with a mission: to help foster a scientifically literate society, to help people everywhere understand and appreciate the science that makes our world work. Making science entertaining and accessible is something Bill has been doing most of his life.

In Seattle Nye began to combine his love of science with his flair for comedy, when he won the Steve Martin look-alike contest and developed dual careers as an engineer by day and a stand-up comic by night. Nye then quit his day engineering day job and made the transition to a night job as a comedy writer and performer on Seattle’s home-grown ensemble comedy show “Almost Live.” This is where “Bill Nye the Science Guy®” was born. The show appeared before Saturday Night Live and later on Comedy Central, originating at KING-TV, Seattle’s NBC affiliate.

While working on the Science Guy show, Nye won seven national Emmy Awards for writing, performing, and producing. The show won 18 Emmys in five years. In between creating the shows, he wrote five children’s books about science, including his latest title, “Bill Nye’s Great Big Book of Tiny Germs.”

Nye is the host of three currently-running television series. “The 100 Greatest Discoveries” airs on the Science Channel. “The Eyes of Nye” airs on PBS stations across the country.
Bill’s latest project is hosting a show on Planet Green called “Stuff Happens.” It’s about environmentally responsible choices that consumers can make as they go about their day and their shopping. Also, you’ll see Nye in his good-natured rivalry with his neighbor Ed Begley. They compete to see who can save the most energy and produce the smallest carbon footprint. Nye has 4,000 watts of solar power and a solar-boosted hot water system. There’s also the low water use garden and underground watering system. It’s fun for him; he’s an engineer with an energy conservation hobby.

Nye is currently the Executive Director of The Planetary Society, the world’s largest space interest organization.
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TRANSCRIPT:

Danny Miller: Hello Bill. My name is Danny Miller. Politically I tend to be conservative. I believe that anthropogenic global warming is real and that the Big Bang Theory and evolution are perfectly valid theories. Obviously this puts me at odds with most people in my demographic and I find that conversations with my peers on these topics usually develop into arguments on some other random subject entirely. My question to you is why are these topics so politically charged in the matters of science and not politics and how do I engage into meaningful conversation? Thank you for answering.

Bill Nye: Danny. Danny. Danny. You have touched on a subject that I find
fascinating and I've spent a lot of time on myself so I'm really glad you asked this. But when it comes to...

[neilrobinson]

Even if it isn't real. Renewable energy is still an amazing thing. Unlimited energy is something everyone can get onboard with

[peterdollins]

The Fossil fuel companies also employ the same advertising people who denied smoking caused most lung cancer for 50 years or so. Lots of blood on their hands. Never knew about the mosquitoes though I live in London.

[FINALB]

Send this video to Trump and supporters.

[TornSoul]

To be fair, all future movements on climate change require policy to enact. The problem is politics have become a sport, highly publicized, and full of money. It splits us up into teams just like sports. It's pretty fucked up. We can't progress anywhere while it's like that. Maybe that's the point.

[jordanw]

But...but...





I have ice cubes in my freezer!!!!

[yomama]

bill nye, can you please talk about judith curry's remarks regarding her uncertainty that global warming is human caused? She's clearly well~educated on the topic. Did she get a grant? Does she need something to fight with people about characteristically? or is she putting forward legitimate scepticism?

[yungsloth]

This man's my favorite Conservative by far

[partisanliberal]

The key question disciples like Nye are powerless to answer: What proof do you have to show climate change remediation tactics actually work? When you resort to belittling and name calling (i.e. "deniers") your credibility diminishes.

[ValaShen]

Even if you don't believe in climate change, what's wrong with trying to live a cleaner and better life on this planet? If we can, why not try?

[jodicompton]

A really useful strategy is to ask questions. To use the astrology example, you might say, "How does it work that the constellations of the Zodiac, pictures made from stars, influence human behavior?"

If they come back with answers like, "Everything in the universe is in motion all the time. How can we not be influenced by those vast physical forces?" you'd come back with, "Okay, but how do you get from that to 'Today is a good day to open a conversation with a co-worker?"

Asking questions works for two main reasons: It makes people realize how little they know about what they believe, and it makes them feel they're being listened to, not shouted down.

One footnote: Be sure you have facts at hand and can cite your sources for your own arguments. People are quick to turn this method around on you, and if you can say, "Well, a 2014 meta-analysis of studies by Stanford showed they'll realize you're not just blowing smoke.

[Maceta]

Somebody send this to the President Elect.

[epicarcher]

bill you're smart and all but today is Monday I think

[bboyfan]

the crazy thing is... it's science. if you are presented with the facts and evidence and have any understanding of how climate works you literally cannot reasonably doubt it.

[phaedrusalt]

By definition, skeptics are the ones who are "on the side of science". Those who blindly follow dogma are religious.

[mindfulskills]

Bill, Your elucidation of the predictive character of scientific theories is so useful! Thanks!

[stillkickin]

Nature doesn't "care" what we do, but we have the capacity to adjust the course of nature by what we do.
Chip away...

[DeadUnicornClub]

Great video Mr. Nye. It's always great to point out that discovery ends (making predictions about the world and seeing if they are true) once you invoke God. Real understanding about our natural world only occurs when you try to figure out those natural processes instead of relying on a creator to make sense of those things for you. Thinking for yourself, becoming a true skeptic, is to throw out old beliefs not for the sake of being a skeptic, but to accept well researched and explained phenomena as fact. If you throw out actual good data for no other reason than it doesn't jive with your already held beliefs, then you are not a skeptic. You're just a denier.... or rather in denial.

[mcconkeyb]

Denial might be the a driving force, but overall we use hydrocarbon fuels because they are the cheapest available. If someone could provide a energy form that rivals the costs of hydrocarbon fuels then change will happen. Yes I know many people will argue that if we don't switch then the current economy will be destroyed, but no one ever in history has been able get people pay more today to save money tomorrow!

[rhuttner]

Nice to see a fellow Christian who believes in Climate change and evolution.

[Kousaburo]

We don't debate climate skeptics, we jail them! Ain't that right Mr. Comedian?