Paperback, 480 pages
English language
Published Feb. 24, 1997 by Ballantine Books.
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.
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.
Quite a hard read because of the subject matter but also at times I felt the examples were too many to make a point. Overall in great sympathy with points being made and certainly the closing chapters are as relevant today as they ever were.
If Carl Sagan was alive today I think he would probably cry if he saw the state of the world. He wrote this book as a kind of wake up call to the people and the government, he pointed out how bad the education system is, he tries to get people to understand how important science is, he warns us not to watch so much crap on TV, go out and get some real-life experiences and he warns us about the government abusing the bill of rights.
Well it looks like everybody has ignored him, in fact to me things feel worse, education is still really bad (always with the cutbacks) in the UK the classes can be huge and kids can get ignored. The rubbish that is on TV is so bad that I have read over 100 books this year, the first time this has ever happened to …
If Carl Sagan was alive today I think he would probably cry if he saw the state of the world. He wrote this book as a kind of wake up call to the people and the government, he pointed out how bad the education system is, he tries to get people to understand how important science is, he warns us not to watch so much crap on TV, go out and get some real-life experiences and he warns us about the government abusing the bill of rights.
Well it looks like everybody has ignored him, in fact to me things feel worse, education is still really bad (always with the cutbacks) in the UK the classes can be huge and kids can get ignored. The rubbish that is on TV is so bad that I have read over 100 books this year, the first time this has ever happened to anybody since the TV was invented (True fact!) and as for the government, at least they are working hard protecting the rich.
Carl has written an interesting book here, he has a brilliant sense of humour and having a chapter in the middle with some of the letters he got from his "fans?" was a touch of class, just lightens the mood a bit for the second half, I do find it amazing that some of these people were actually able to write.
This is one of the most thought provoking books I've had the pleasure to read, Sagan (autocorrect changes it to Satan... Interesting) has taught me all about the baloney detector and that Jesus is conspiring with Aliens to eventually take over the world. (True Fact)
Blog review: felcherman.wordpress.com/2020/04/06/the-demon-haunted-world-science-as-a-candle-in-the-dark-by-carl-sagan/
I just finished reading this book. I knew when I started reading it that it was going to be a good book because I'm familiarised with Sagan work, but I din't know that this book was essentially a shout for sceptic thinking. I was not into this kind of reading but it was with delight and awe that I read Carl Sagan expose all the demons of this world and the way of fighting then, recommend it to everyone.
I just finished reading this book. I knew when I started reading it that it was going to be a good book because I'm familiarised with Sagan work, but I din't know that this book was essentially a shout for sceptic thinking. I was not into this kind of reading but it was with delight and awe that I read Carl Sagan expose all the demons of this world and the way of fighting then, recommend it to everyone.
There's one thing I don't like about this book: that it took me this long to finally read it.
Carl Sagan is one of my personal heroes (of the "if you could meet any person in history..." variety) who first inspired me at the age of 10 when his Cosmos TV series screened in Australia. Such a knowledgeable, well-read and intelligent man exhibited such a sense of wonder at the universe, whether it be a drop of pond water on a slide under a microscope to stellar nurseries in nebula, taught me that it's possible to discuss, debate or argue with someone with a conflicting viewpoint without making it personal. Even his skepticism (nearly always) had a good-natured, patient, almost paternal quality about it. By his actions he taught me that you don't have to be nasty, dismissive or derogatory - even if receiving that treatment yourself - when wearing …
There's one thing I don't like about this book: that it took me this long to finally read it.
Carl Sagan is one of my personal heroes (of the "if you could meet any person in history..." variety) who first inspired me at the age of 10 when his Cosmos TV series screened in Australia. Such a knowledgeable, well-read and intelligent man exhibited such a sense of wonder at the universe, whether it be a drop of pond water on a slide under a microscope to stellar nurseries in nebula, taught me that it's possible to discuss, debate or argue with someone with a conflicting viewpoint without making it personal. Even his skepticism (nearly always) had a good-natured, patient, almost paternal quality about it. By his actions he taught me that you don't have to be nasty, dismissive or derogatory - even if receiving that treatment yourself - when wearing one's skeptic hat. I wish more people realised that.
But you know who he was, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this...
This book effectively contains his final words to the world, before his untimely death a year after publication. It teaches the scientific method and demonstrates its application and ease of misapplication in nearly every facet of our lives (including economics), and illustrates the legendary Baloney Detection Kit that many skeptics will have cobbled together out of personal experience: understanding of basic logical fallacies, our tendency towards anthropocentrism and naturalistic fallacies, and - without malice - outlines history's failure to apply such basic concepts. It contains a lot more - I'll leave it to you to read the table of contents from Amazon, etc.
You need to read this book. Whether you're in high school or retired, religious or not, scientist or layperson, housewife or corporate CEO, everyone will gain something out of it. If the thought of such a printed tome is daunting, then the audiobook version is an excellent alternative.
I agree with everything he says, but does he have to take so long to say it?
A book with a very important point, but one unlikely to be read by those who don't already know just how important science is to our quality of life.
A book with a very important point, but one unlikely to be read by those who don't already know just how important science is to our quality of life.
Great work in which Sagan dispells the myths of pseudoscience and encourages skeptical thought and devotion to true science.
Purchasable
Purchasable
https://www.downpour.com/the-demon-haunted-world.https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781531888169-the-demon-haunted-world.