The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

A 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

ISBN-13: 9780345409461

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

Publication Date: 02-25-1997

Pages: 480

Product Dimensions: 5.51(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.78(d)

Carl Sagan served as the David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences and Director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University. He played a leading role in the Mariner, Viking, Voyager, and Galileo spacecraft expeditions, for which he received the NASA Medals for Exceptional Scientific Achievement and (twice) for Distinguished Public Service. His Emmy- and Peabody–winning television series, Cosmos, became the most widely watched series in the history of American public television. The accompanying book, also called Cosmos, is one of the bestselling science books ever published in the English language. Dr. Sagan received the Pulitzer Prize, the Oersted Medal, and many other awards—including twenty honorary degrees from American colleges and universities—for his contributions to science, literature, education, and the preservation of the environment. In their posthumous award to Dr. Sagan of their highest honor, the National Science Foundation declared that his “research transformed planetary science . . . his gifts to mankind were infinite." Dr. Sagan died on December 20, 1996.

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Chapter 1
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Excerpted from "The Demon-Haunted World"
by .
Copyright © 1997 Carl Sagan.
Excerpted by permission of Random House Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

	Preface: My Teachers	xi
1.	The Most Precious Thing	1
2.	Science and Hope	23
3.	The Man in the Moon and the Face on Mars	41
4.	Aliens	61
5.	Spoofing and Secrecy	79
6.	Hallucinations	97
7.	The Demon-Haunted World	113
8.	On the Distinction Between True and False Visions	135
9.	Therapy	151
10.	The Dragon in My Garage	169
11.	The City of Grief	189
12.	The Fine Art of Baloney Detection	201
13.	Obsessed with Reality	219
14.	Antiscience	245
15.	Newton's Sleep	265
16.	When Scientists Know Sin	281
17.	The Marriage of Skepticism and Wonder	293
18.	The Wind Makes Dust	307
19.	No Such Thing as a Dumb Question	319
20.	House on Fire	337
21.	The Path to Freedom	353
22.	Significance Junkies	367
23.	Maxwell and the Nerds	379
24.	Science and Witchcraft	401
25.	Real Patriots Ask Questions	421
	Acknowledgments	435
	References	439
	Index	449

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