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Sagan shows why learning to think in a contingent universe is ... well ... absolutely necessary. My reaction first reading the book was, "I've known for a long time that something's wrong. Now I know what." The discussions the author engages in in the book are eye-openers.
I cannot recommend this book to those who are highly sensitive about their credos, but on other hand, I don't think more open-minded religious people will at all see this as the scathing attack many opinion-makers have attribut ...more
I cannot recommend this book to those who are highly sensitive about their credos, but on other hand, I don't think more open-minded religious people will at all see this as the scathing attack many opinion-makers have attribut ...more
I read this book around 9 years ago, so I'm pretty fuzzy on the details, but this book was perhaps the most important, life-changing read of my life. My interest in science and rationality is owed more to this book than any other. In short, this book is a classic in the promotion of science and rational scepticism. As I recall, Sagan takes a more diplomatic approach towards religion than the New Atheists, arguing that religion is fine insofar that it is amenable to scientific discovery. I'm goin
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This was an excellent book! It should be mandatory reading for high school students.
Sagan's book is a predecessor to Sam Harris' "The End of Faith". However, I feel that Sagan is a much more literary writer. This book is a nice-drive-down-a-country-road read while Harris' book is more of a get-on-down-the-road read. I really enjoyed this book because it was so comfortable.
Many of the points and arguments in this book are not new, in fact few of them are, but Sagan's style and interesting approach (the world is demon-haunted?!)to the points refresh them and asks the reader to re ...more
Many of the points and arguments in this book are not new, in fact few of them are, but Sagan's style and interesting approach (the world is demon-haunted?!)to the points refresh them and asks the reader to re ...more
What a loss Carl Sagan was. In the same vein as Richard Feynman. Well, his writings remain and this is a nice little book that is enlightening on the degree to which the ancient baggage of superstition remains with us; although its clothing may change, it persists. Often its presence is menacing rather than quaint and nostalgic. One quibble: Carl manages to cover the famous "Carlos"/Sixty Minutes hoax without mentioning Richard Carleton. If you ain't read this book and you want to know what that
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Didnt need Sagans help with my balogney detector. A dull book.......
Jun 18, 2008
Colleen
marked it as to-read
Jun 30, 2008
Samuel
marked it as to-read
Sep 06, 2008
♥
marked it as to-read
