The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the DarkA prescient warning of a future we now inhabit, where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace “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 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. Praise for The Demon-Haunted World “Powerful . . . A stirring defense of informed rationality. . . Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing.”—The Washington Post Book World “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 |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - aadyer - LibraryThingA good and relatively comprehensive look at the late 20th century‘s approach to science and the development of interest in science. This was wide-ranging, looking at issues such as witchcraft, aliens ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - ejakub - LibraryThingGreat read and reminder of logical, critical, scientific thinking. Sagan takes you on a journey of logic. This is a great reminder to those in the scientific community why our work is so important and a great introduction to those outside the world of science, its process and use. Read full review
Contents
| 23 | |
The Man in the Moon and the Face on Mars | 41 |
Aliens | 61 |
Spoofing and Secrecy | 79 |
Hallucinations | 97 |
The DemonHaunted World | 113 |
On the Distinction Between True and False Visions | 135 |
Therapy | 151 |
Antiscience | 245 |
Newtons Sleep | 265 |
When Scientists Know Sin | 281 |
The Marriage of Skepticism and Wonder | 293 |
No Such Thing as a Dumb Question | 319 |
The Path to Freedom | 353 |
Maxwell and the Nerds | 379 |
Science and Witchcraft | 401 |
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Common terms and phrases
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Bibliographic information
| Title | The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark A Ballantine Book |
| Author | Carl Sagan |
| Edition | reprint |
| Publisher | Random House Publishing Group, 2011 |
| ISBN | 0307801047, 9780307801043 |
| Length | 480 pages |
| Subjects | › Science / Philosophy & Social Aspects Science / Reference Science / Research & Methodology |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |