Demon Haunted
Did you ever watch people as they are checking out at the grocery store and push their cart by the gossip rags that declare, "Man with Six Heads Found in Utah," or "Aliens Revisit Woman for Tenth Year in a Row"? Even if not buying the paper, the shopper often either picks it up and reads some of the stories or steals a look when it appears that no one is looking. There is something about the strange and unusual that attracts people. At best, individuals read the stories and laugh. In the worse case scenario, they actually believe the articles. Unfortunately, says popular scientist Paul Sagan, too frequently people do not have enough skepticism and will accept bunk as truth.
Demon-Haunted: Science as a Candle in the Dark, Sagan's last book before his death last year, discredits such pseudo-scientific beliefs as faith-healing, palm-reading and alien abductions and condemns those who are gullible and easily misguided. He says that the demon-haunted world is one where people would much rather hear and believe unbelievable stories like the 900-year-old-man found alive in the mountains than understand some of the basic premises of science and technology.
Because of his true love and belief in science, Sagan took it personally anytime anyone would yawn at science but would instead become intrigued with something like the strange powers of the pyramids. In the book, he notes that belief in the supernatural may have deep psychological sources, but it is maintained by people's lack of understanding of the scientific method. Pseudo-science adopts something like the posture of science, but actually is simply an impostor.
Candle in the Dark is the title of a mostly Biblically-based book published in 1656 that attacked witch hunts as a scam "to delude the people." The author, Thomas Ady, decried the fact that anything...
Despite the fact that these programs are making every effort to not present a "balanced view" of the topics they cover, they still incite a "thirst" for the topic. In fact, by producing such "wonder" regarding phenomena that is explainable via the scientific method and a skeptical approach, these programs are actually motivating readers to perform their own research and studies on these topics. Such research could certainly inspire
He is both likeable and credible in his delivery. His topic is one that arouses anger in many, because their faith does not allow them to see his truth. Is it only Sagan's truth? This analysis illustrates that through clear presentation, concise case building, appeal to emotion on a familiar level, and common values, that the truth belongs to everyone. He does not profess to have all the answers.
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