The Demon-haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark"A glorious book . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought." ; *Los Angeles Times "POWERFUL . . . A stirring defense of informed rationality. . . Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing." ; *The Washington Post Book World How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don't understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions. Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms. "COMPELLING." ; *USA Today "A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference. . . . A testimonial to the power of science and a warning of the dangers of unrestrained credulity." ; *The Sciences "PASSIONATE." ; *San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle |
From inside the book
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... understand it . But if they called everything divine which they do not understand , why , there would be no end of divine things . ” Instead of acknowledging that in many areas we are ignorant , we have tended to say things like the ...
... understand the subtle Doctrine of Free Will . Or : How can there be an equally godlike Father , Son , and Holy Ghost in the same Person ? Special plead : You don't understand the Di- vine Mystery of the Trinity . Or : How could God ...
... understand , doesn't it follow that it's too hard for us to criticize knowledgeably ? Then the bamboozle has free rein . So how is shamanistic or theological or New Age doctrine different from quantum mechanics ? The answer is that even ...
Contents
Science and Hope | 23 |
The Man in the Moon and the Face on Mars | 41 |
Aliens | 61 |
Copyright | |
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