The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the DarkNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the renowned astronomer and author of Cosmos comes a “powerful [and] stirring defense of informed rationality” (The Washington Post Book World) in a world where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace. LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE WINNER • “Glorious . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought.”—Los Angeles Times How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience, New Age thinking, and fundamentalist zealotry and the testable hypotheses of science? Casting a wide net through history and culture, 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. He examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies as witchcraft, faith healings, 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. |
Contents
My Teachers | xi |
The Most Precious Things | 1 |
Science and Hope | 23 |
Copyright | |
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alien abduction American ancient Ann Druyan asked astrology believe called Carlos century child Christian civilization claims course criticism crop circles culture cure demons described disease Donation of Constantine dream Earth Edward Teller electric ence especially evidence example experience explain extraterrestrial face faith faith healer feel flying saucers hallucinations hoax human hydrogen bomb idea imagination incubi intelligence invention James Randi knowledge large numbers lives look Mars matter Maxwell memories ment million mind Nature never nuclear patients percent perhaps physicist physics planet political programs pseudoscience quantum mechanics questions radio Ramtha reason religion religious reported satanic scientific scientists seems sexual abuse skeptical Soviet Soviet Union spacecraft stars story teach teachers television tell therapists there's things tion torture true truth UFOs understand Universe weapons witch wonder