The Demon-Haunted World; Science As A Candle In The Dark

No cover

Carl Sagan: The Demon-Haunted World; Science As A Candle In The Dark (1996, Ballantine)

Paperback, 436 pages

English language

Published April 4, 1996 by Ballantine.

ISBN:
978-0-7472-7745-3
Copied ISBN!

View on OpenLibrary

5 stars (5 reviews)

17 editions

-

4 stars

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)

Eye opening? Grim? Depressing? Optimistic? Let’s just call it a roller coaster.

5 stars

Context on why I was sent this epub from my friend in the first place:

I was perplexed over people’s obsession with the most bizarre nonsense. Astrology, crystal healing, modern witchcraft, and many more things I see all too often. My friend suggested this book and sent me over an epub as they felt it’d give nice context around the phenomenon.

Well, I have a much deeper understanding of the issue after reading this book. Sagan deeply loves science and has made me view science in a completely new light, it’s truly inspirational. I’m doing so, he covers pseudoscience and the many wonders of why we believe in things we believe in. Little did I know my questions of why people believe crystals cure cancer has a lot to do with our belief in witches (leading to thousands of burned women at the stake just a few centuries ago) and …

avatar for kaybee

rated it

5 stars
avatar for rebel_liest

rated it

5 stars