The Demon-Haunted World

Science as a Candle in the Dark

por ,

Paperback, 480 páginas

Idioma English

Publicado el 24 de febrero de 1997 por Ballantine Books.

ISBN:
978-0-345-40946-1
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(2 reseñas)

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.

25 ediciones

reseñó The Demon-Haunted World de Carl Sagan

Same conspiracy theories, different time

Started off a bit weak but was well written and compelling by the end. Possibly a bit too much time spent on aliens.

Considering this book was published in 1997, it still applies today. I took away a note that conspiracy theories just evolve and fill a fundamental default need when we don't understand or are confronted with uncomfortable things.

Sagan emphasises a need for education, the scientific method, and critical thinking. I don't think he'd be happy how that has trended since writing this.

Something that interests me is how I see the supposed scientific method corrupted and used as a weapon by conspiracy theories and people pushing them. There's lots of calls for citizen science, making your own observations, and trusting yourself over experts.

It feels like that's not a bad thing, if only it could be channeled into something positive - not just people finding things that …

reseñó The Demon-Haunted World de Carl Sagan

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Really enjoyed the first few chapters devoted to debunking stuff like alien abductions and ESP, promoting an approach to the world that is both filled with curiosity and wonder but also critical. I was paralyzingly afraid of a lot of this stuff as a kid and still get creeped out when I'm alone or in a bad mental state, so it was a nice comfort read in that regard. The latter chapters were kind of over the place and a bit self-indulgent, from responses to his work on this topic to [mostly valid] whining about not enough science funding, the state of education, and how democracy is definitely gonna collapse if we don't do something ASAP about the widespread culture of superstition and gullibility (RIP)

Temas

  • Science/Mathematics
  • Popular works
  • Literacy
  • Science
  • Study and teaching
  • Controversial Knowledge
  • Philosophy & Social Aspects
  • Science / Philosophy & Social Aspects
  • General
  • Methodology

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