Ancient Greeks such as Aristarchos and Demokritos, guessed correctly, reasoning well, that the Earth orbits the sun, and that matter is comprised of atoms. But that was not science. Science is a method of observation, questioning, investigation, tests, and reporting.

According to the scientific method as applied to civics, we, the people, vote on certain remedies, try them out, and if they fail, we pragmatically try something else. Actually, that last never happens. We go on to new attempts, but the old failures continue to be funded and staffed and enforced. He has no solution for that.

Ferris does deliver a good history, especially of the American revolution as the triumph of citizen scientists.