Sagan, Carl

The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God

Average customer rating:

Searching for Heaven
Science meets Religion: Sci - 1, Rel - 0
Who speaks for science?
The Varieties of Scientific Experience - Review by Mario Baldassarrini
I Hope There Is A Heaven...

The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God
Carl Sagan
Manufacturer: Penguin Press HC, The
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1594201072

Book Description

On the 10th anniversary of his death, brilliant astrophysisist and Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Sagan's prescient exploration of the relationship between religion and science and his personal search for God. Carl Sagan is considered one of the greatest scientific minds of our time. His remarkable ability to explain science in terms easily understandable to the layman in bestselling books such as Cosmos, The Dragons of Eden, and The Demon-Haunted World won him a Pulitzer Prize and placed him firmly next to Isaac Asimov, Stephen Jay Gould, and Oliver Sachs as one of the most important and enduring communicators of science. In December 2006 it will be the tenth anniversary of Sagan's death, and Ann Druyan, his widow and longtime collaborator, will mark the occasion by releasing Sagan's famous "Gifford Lectures in Natural Theology," The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God. The chance to give the Gifford Lectures is an honor reserved for the most distinguished scientists and philosophers of our civilization. In 1985, on the grand occasion of the centennial of the lectureship, Carl Sagan was invited to give them. He took the opportunity to set down in detail his thoughts on the relationship between religion and science as well as to describe his own personal search to understand the nature of the sacred in the vastness of the cosmos. The Varieties of Scientific Experience, edited, updated and with an introduction by Ann Druyan, is a bit like eavesdropping on a delightfully intimate conversation with the late great astronomer and astrophysicist. In his charmingly down-to-earth voice, Sagan easily discusses his views on topics ranging from manic depression and the possibly chemical nature of transcendance to creationism and so-called intelligent design to the likelihood of intelligent life on other planets to the likelihood of nuclear annihilation of our own to a new concept of science as "informed worship." Exhibiting a breadth of intellect nothing short of astounding, he illuminates his explanations with examples from cosmology, physics, philosophy, literature, psychology, cultural anthropology, mythology, theology, and more. Sagan's humorous, wise, and at times stunningly prophetic observations on some of the greatest mysteries of the cosmos have the invigorating effect of stimulating the intellect, exciting the imagination, and reawakening us to the grandeur of life in the cosmos.

Customer Reviews:

Searching for Heaven.......2007-05-16

There are those who still contend Carl Sagan was not a "deep thinker". Perhaps they're correct, but the scope of his interests and his ability to impart them are unimpeachable. And peerless. The expressive and often humorous voice of science Sagan projected to an admiring public surely garnered a significant percentage of those students entering the discipline. If he left no other legacy, from plates on space probes or searching for alien life, that one is among the most admirable. Yet, that powerful intellect provoked many by issuing challenges to be answered. This collection of twenty-year-old lectures is one such thrown gauntlet. Presented to an audience which responded enthusiastically to his views, Sagan offered a redefinition of how they might view their god. As always, he did it with delightful wit and from a basis of extensive study and experience.

The Gifford Lectures centre on what's called "Natural theology". The term applies to using scientific methods to support theology. One can only hope that by 1985, the members of the audience knew of Sagan's thinking prior to his emergence on stage. From the opening lecture, "Reconnaissance of Heaven", Sagan strips away old mythologies relating how the cosmos worked. In nine lectures and a following question and answer session, he reveals the scope and workings of our universe that science has revealed. The key factor, of course, is "evidence". What we have learned about the world around us is derived from centuries of hard work by dedicated workers. The effort, performed in small, but incremental steps, has revealed a universe over 14 billion years old. It is populated by more galaxies than there are stars in our Milky Way, with each of those cosmic gatherings themselves populated by their own billions of stars. Yet, with all those fantastic numbers, Sagan reminds us, there is a uniformity among that host of fiery orbs. Sodium here is the same as that at the edge of our perception. Organic molecules, without which life could exist nowhere, are present everywhere. What are the odds that we humans are the sole intelligent life?

Extraterrestrial life and the implications arising from that possibility, form a sub-theme of the series. From the suggestion that so many stars exist, it naturally follows that many of them have planets, some of which ought to be capable of hosting life, perhaps even intelligent life. It's only logical that such life would also seek who might be residing as cosmic neighbours. Sagan explains the famous Drake Equation, which postulated the odds of such life existing. It hasn't been found, he admits, but that's no reason not to search for it. In his lectures, he supposes that in other places, intelligent life might last millions of years. That life might - ought - to be well in advance of ours. Furthermore, he contends, what does such life imply for our concept of a god who fashioned us and our beliefs? Is it rational, he asks, to think a universe as vast as ours should be initiated, let alone controlled, by a human-devised supernatural being?

Before an audience interested in nature and theology, Sagan posits a new concept of a god. Not one with supernatural powers and dabbling in affairs of a single species on a remote planet, but something different. This deity should represent the expanse and complexity of the universe we are only beginning to understand. He explains how older versions of deities hampered scientific investigation - they're still doing so. A new, less defined and more open concept of the spiritual aspect of the universe is in order. Entirely new religious experiences can derive from redefining our relationship to the universe, one more realistic and, in Sagan's view, much grander and more fulfilling. This concept, of course, underlies the book's title. By adapting William James' highly insightful, if less informed, work of human religiosity, Ann Druyan, Sagan's wife and collaborator, gave a "tip of the hat" to that earlier collection. "The Varieties of Religious Experience", a previous Gifford Lectures series, also sought a broadened sense of spiritual values. James' work needed little "updating", but Druyan offers some examples of what has been learned in the two decades since her husband's lectures to fill in meaningful details. Sagan would have applauded, since each new bit of information buttresses his case. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Science meets Religion: Sci - 1, Rel - 0.......2007-05-09

The Varieties of Scientific Experience is the transcript of Carl Sagan's 1985 Gifford Lectures at the University of Glasgow. The lectures are devoted to the topic of natural theology. Natural theology has traditionally been defined as the study of religion based on reason and experience, rather than faith and revelation. Essentially these brilliant lectures are Carl Sagan's ruminations on what I would call the philosophy of religion. Sagan addresses issues about the relevance of science to religion, arguments for and against the existence of God, the nature, value, and meaning of religion, and many others along the way that are central to our understanding of worship and religion today.

Briefly, Sagan is against it. He holds that the "God Hypothesis" is weak, that much of religion is based on outmoded myth, that religion is no longer necessary, that religion is mostly negative in its influence on society. The value of Sagan's book, whether or not you accept his conclusions, are his clarity of thought and expression, his focused use of data and reason, his wide knowledge of science and religion, and his ability to express his ideas forcefully and engagingly. At the very least, and it really is much much more, The Varieties of Scientific Experience is a tour through the major issues in the philosophy of religion from the perspective of one who is skeptical about the status and value of religion.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in philosophy of religion, basic questions about the evidence for and against the central claims of Christianity, the relevance of current scientific research and results to issues in religion.

Among the very positive features of The Varieties of Scientific Experience are Sagan's authoritative position in the fields of astronomy and astrophysics. This man knows what he is talking about when he invokes science. Incidentally there are also beautiful pictures of nebulae, galaxies, and so on. There is also a brief recounting of the history of scientific cosmology. Among the other nice things about The Varieties of Scientific Experience is that the appendix contains excerpts from the question and answer periods after the lectures. This is not to be missed. It's intense--and his answers to sometimes hostile questions demonstrate Sagan's gentle but razor-sharp dialectical brilliance.

Sadly The Varieties of Scientific Experience is tragically mistitled. Even the subtitle "A personal view of the search for god" gives no sense of the breadth, power, and importance of this book, nor its central concern with grippingly relevant issues of reason, experience, science, and religion. Some of the discussion is a bit dated since Sagan is partly focused on the insanity of the Cold War arms race. This hardly diminishes the value of this masterpiece of analysis of religion.

Who speaks for science?.......2007-05-07

I miss Carl Sagan (and I know I'm not the only one). No one in my generation - and possibly ever - spoke for science and rational thinking so eloquently. Here he starts in his familiar realm of astronomy and works his way into fundamental philosophical questions, like the nature of morality and the existence of God. Along the way, he shows a breathtaking erudition. His familiarity with evolutionary history isn't too dramatic, but when he starts off addressing existence proofs of God by working his way through ones from Hindu theologians, I'm impressed.

Since I basically agree with Sagan about just about everything, I wasn't in a position to be persuaded. However, I'd like to think that anyone not so familiar or comfortable with the skeptical, scientific point-of-view would find Sagan's views at least worthy of serious consideration.

The Varieties of Scientific Experience - Review by Mario Baldassarrini.......2007-05-06

I have enjoyed immensely reading this book. I recommend itThe Planets

I Hope There Is A Heaven..........2007-04-30

...so that I can meet you there when I die.
...so that you can teach to me all your wisdom.
...so that I can thank you in person.

Your loss to us was great, but your life was greater.

Hope to one day see you on the other side...

Average customer rating:

A Highly Recommended Read
Watch the movie; avoid the book
Sagan reminds me of Asimov
A possible 'Best Book Among All' for me
Amazing

Contact
Carl Sagan
Manufacturer: Simon Schuster Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0671434004

Amazon.com

It is December 1999, the dawn of the millennium, and a team of international scientists is poised for the most fantastic adventure in human history. After years of scanning the galaxy for signs of somebody or something else, this team believes they've found a message from an intelligent source--and they travel deep into space to meet it. Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Sagan injects Contact, his prophetic adventure story, with scientific details that make it utterly believable. It is a Cold War era novel that parlays the nuclear paranoia of the time into exquisitely wrought tension among the various countries involved. Sagan meditates on science, religion, and government--the elements that define society--and looks to their impact on and role in the future. His ability to pack an exciting read with such rich content is an unusual talent that makes Contact a modern sci-fi classic.

Book Description

La única novela que escribió, Carl Sagan imagina una gran aventura, el primer encuentro del hombre con otros seres inteligentes.

Customer Reviews:

A Highly Recommended Read.......2007-06-14

There are not a lot of books that I read from cover to cover without setting down for a break now and then. But this is one of them. I was enthralled with this book from word one and loved every word of it.

If you have seen the movie, yes, there are some differences. Different good? Different bad? I don't know, I think some will like the book better and others the movie. I thought they were equally fantastic and told best by their medium of communication.

The basic plot remains unchanged. Earth realizes that man is not alone when messages from Vega start appearing. Using the "language" of mathematics it is easy to tell that this is not random noise from the universe (an echo of the big bang maybe?) but a message from an intelligent life form from outer-space. And within the basic message is another message, instructions on how to build a machine. What does the machine do? How do Earthlings respond to the message? How does religion become effected by the messages and the realization that we are not alone?

There are two wonderful things I really like about this story, both well portrayed in the movie and the book. The first is the message. If aliens were to communicate with us, how would they best do it. I love how easily Carl Sagan figures it out. We all have a common language no matter which corner of the universe you are from: mathematics. Everything is mathematics that people after the Renaissance could figure out... all that is required is a bit of technology to pick up the message. In the book, mathematics plays a bigger role especially at the end of the story when the aliens find a message within pi (you know, 3.1415....). Carl Sagan shares with us the message, which actually made me laugh. One because it was rather creative. But two because it probably isn't too far off of what Douglas Adams would have come up with. But I think it made the story interesting none-the-less.

The second is how this story is shown from the points of view of many peoples. How would religion react? Government? The skeptics? The believers? Many reactions are shown by various groups and I appreciated the depth of characters that are in this book and even shown in the movie.

If you are looking for a good read, pick this up. It isn't just a good story, it is also told very well by the author. If you liked the movie then you've most definitely got to give this book a go. You won't be disappointed.

Watch the movie; avoid the book.......2007-04-25

If you are a fan of the movie version starring Jodie Foster, you will HATE this book.

Carl Sagan was a brilliant scientist, but a fictional writer, he was not. Instead of creating compelling characters, great dialogue, and a moving plotline, Sagan's Contact is filled with government and science community hearings that go on forever and ever.

Almost every character and every plot and character point in the book is different from the movie--but the movie is infinitely better.

For one, you cannot follow who is who nor are able to understand enough about any characters (sometimes even Ellie) to even connect name to information about them. Ellie, for example, never developes a relationship of any depth with Palmor Joss. In fact, Joss is a very minor character in Sagan's version, a lesser religious figure opposed to the machine. Instead, she's in love with Der Herr (whoever that really is?) and has a live-in relationship with him.

The machine has five people who go, not just Ellie.

Even Hadden is different and far less important than he is in the movie.

This would be okay if Sagan's work was well written and sound as a piece of fiction. But it's not. it's confusing, hard to follow, and just not very well constructed. The characters are flat and uninteresting.

I found reading this book a chore.

I gave it away to a used book store as soon as I finished reading it!

Sagan reminds me of Asimov.......2006-12-04

Science fiction/fantasy written by someone who knows science is refreshing. Reminds me of Asimov. Or a more accessible Feynman. I mean that it the best way possible.

The book touches on many subjects, including academic egos, technology, religion vs science, science vs government, government vs government. The book revolves around the means that some totally unthinkable culture might communicate a complex message. The latter was of course Sagan's passion and was the whole reason for the book.

It also touches on issues such as Your Sneaky Government, sexuality, and sexual bias with a 70's academic slant (not in an in-your-face way however.)

Basically, everything Sagan had to deal with is represented. He says the characters aren't real. I think he's lying :-D

What happens in the book? Sometime in the mid-to-late 80s, a dedicated, brilliant, and somewhat boring radio-astromomer is Director of a radio astronomy facility. One of her dishes gets an interesting signal. Of course, things snowball. The novel finishes sometime in the beginning of the new millinium... That's all the spoilers you get!

How did it read? Pretty good. The characters tend to be a very believable mix of pettiness, heroism, strength, brilliance, and quirkiness. Even the heroine has her share of issues.

Recommended. While I rated it a 4, it was more of a 3 in a literary sense, but it is a _worthwhile_, thought-provoking book. It made me want more science and didn't give it. Sagan's such a tease.

A possible 'Best Book Among All' for me.......2006-11-07

I get goosebumps every time when I think at the idea of this book!
Carl Sagan (unlike it has been suggested here in other reviews) was trying to believe in God but he wanted some scientific proof of that, which of course would have made that science and not religion.
Well, the end of the book comes up with an idea to reconcile the 2 seemingly opposite ideas!

Only a person like Carl Sagan could have come up with something like that! Oh, and the movie! It does not even touch any of this area, so consider reading almost like a 'different' book.

Amazing.......2006-08-27

He became so famous as an astronomer that it's easy to forget he was one heck of a fine wordsmith as well. Yes he was. You've watched six shows, at most, on PBS. Sesame Street, Are You Being Served, Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, Red Dwarf, and Cosmos with Carl Sagan. If you're brighter than me, throw in The McNeil-Lehrer Report or its sequel. But that's it.

Why COSMOS? Well, if I type "billions and billions" in quotes, you hear his voice in your head. Yes you do. The man made astronomy interesting because he was a wordsmith.

CONTACT is a novel by Carl Sagan. Copyright 1985, which works for me. I read it when it was new. Back in my security guard days, down in Tampa Florida. (Yo Bob!) I later saw the film, very well done, with Jodie Foster, but I can't remember it. One of the advantages of getting old.

How does the book stand the test of time? So well that I'm gonna recommend you get it right now. Of course the science is spot on, since this is Carl Sagan. If we ever do hear from somebody not of this earth, this is how it'll happen. But that's a given. What's easy to forget is that Sagan gave us some very well-drawn characters from his world in an eminently readable style. And, as always, accessible science that makes you marvel at the possibilities. Keep in mind that I've probably never used the word "marvel" in a book or movie review before. I'm too old and jaded to marvel. But heck, I marveled.

As if that weren't enough, he had so much fun predicting the future. This far down the road, we can see where he misfired, which was almost never. We can enjoy how accurate he often was. This is where he let his subtle humor roam free, and we can love him for his wit. These are the traits I didn't catch 20 years ago, because I was looking for aliens. Which he also delivers, somewhat, but I don't even care at this point. I just know I love this book.

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

Average customer rating:

Both Challenges and Incorporates "New Age" Thinking
to bad--Your Lost---This book is clueless
an essential work
What an idiot!
Excellent!

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
Carl Sagan , and Ann Druyan
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345409469
Release Date: 1997-02-25

Amazon.com

Carl Sagan muses on the current state of scientific thought, which offers him marvelous opportunities to entertain us with his own childhood experiences, the newspaper morgues, UFO stories, and the assorted flotsam and jetsam of pseudoscience. Along the way he debunks alien abduction, faith-healing, and channeling; refutes the arguments that science destroys spirituality, and provides a "baloney detection kit" for thinking through political, social, religious, and other issues.

Book Description

"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

"POWERFUL . . . A stirring defense of informed rationality. . . Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing."

*The Washington Post Book World

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.

"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

Customer Reviews:

Both Challenges and Incorporates "New Age" Thinking.......2007-06-15

World-renowned astronomer Carl Sagan-- who died of cancer several years ago-- has written a book which is both challenging and inspiring to anyone who has ever questioned "New Age" methods and findings, and perhaps especially to those who haven't. Yet his book is likely to be one which many in the New Age community would overlook, to their own peril. Sagan is relentlessly scientific, and simultaneously embraces with warmth the concept of spirituality. I find it both impressive and intriguing that his "defense" of science is both intensely inspiring and even lyrical. Sagan makes it clear that, far from intending to invalidate spiritual viewpoints, he sees science and spirituality as not only complimentary, but mutually reinforcing. Sagan himself notes that he has often been misunderstood. His disappointment that he can find no evidence to support the idea of extraterrestrial existence and other paranormal phenomena is palpable. He sincerely wants to believe that he could, say, communicate with his dead parents, whom he dearly misses. It's simply that he finds no evidence for this. On matters of the paranormal, Sagan might best be described as AGNOSTIC. He passionately advocates development of our openness as well as our skepticism, while always maintaining a sense of reverence and wonder. Part of Sagan's purpose is to debunk pseudoscience-- of which he includes much of New Age thinking --even as he deepens our appreciation of science. So why would anyone in the New Age community wish to read it, let alone deem it valuable, let alone crucial for the expansion of the New Age Movement? Because Sagan injects clear-headed thinking and a critical eye to many New Age claims. He enlightens us as to where New Age thinking corresponds to verifiable "external reality," and where it falls short. Perhaps even more importantly, he show us how the Scientific Method can be used to weigh the evidence, so that we are free to draw our own conclusions based on verifiable criteria. This can only strengthen our self-trust, our commitment, and our resolve to pursue our ideals along certain lines. It seems to me that the more New Age ideas can be validated in our own eyes as well as the eyes of the rest of the community, the more acceptance these ideas will gain. The New Age Movement comprises a broad spectrum, and advocates ideas promoting inner and outer peace; more humane social, political, and economic institutions; mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health and well-being; personal growth and wisdom; and of course more loving and fulfilling relationships. But New Age Believers, take heart! For an interesting contrast, try checking out Michael Talbot's The Holographic Universe, which purports to scientifically explain the paranormal. The latter is another wonderful book and excellent counterpoint to Sagan's. Sagan's book is fascinating, informative, enlightening and thought-provoking. His book adds a valuable and possibly crucial contribution to our understanding and ability to evaluate certain Human Potential endeavors. This book can only be a boon to New Age Consciousness AND science. It will greatly benefit any thinking or skeptical person.

to bad--Your Lost---This book is clueless.......2007-06-02

What can I say,
The Devil is preety good at covering stuff up. He uses even the best Scientist and astronomers to crush anything spiritual.

Of coarse this book is garbage and I suggest that everyone who likes this book to please take yourself and your scientific thinking out of the box.

In the next coming years people you are gonna see some serious evil spirtual activity and because you have polluted yourselves with closing your mind of to it, you won't know or be ready for the things that are going to occur.

an essential work.......2007-06-01

I'm surprised by some of the negative reviews of this excellent and enjoyable book. It seems to boil down to religious people who are offended by his agnosticism and perhaps paranormal true-believers who don't appreciate someone trying to debunk their favorite theory. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, it's just inconceivable to me that someone wouldn't like this book. Carl Sagan was a brilliant and humane man who was deeply concerned about the credulity of his fellow humans in an age when nuclear weapons, pollution,disease and overpopulation have the potential to destroy us if we don't make wise and well-reasoned decisions.

Carl Sagan was not hostile to religion except where it made claims about the physical world that were/are manifestly false, or where he saw people making cruel or unwise decisions on the basis of that religion. He was an astronomer and spent much of his adult life peering into the void of space and exploring other worlds. He knew how vast and intricate and elegant our universe truly is and was humbled before it. His worry that he expressed in nearly everything he wrote, and especially in this book, was that too many people seem to be out of touch with physical reality and thus prone to every charlatan and crook and crack-pot theory that comes along. He wanted people to understand how science and logic worked, and why scientific theories were different than say conspiracy theories.

If you read nothing else from this book, at least read over the 'Baloney Detection Kit' chapter. It's a simple and straight forward guide to the scientific method and logical fallacies. They constitute an essential set of mental tools that everyone should be taught in elementary school. You don't have to turn your back on your faith to be skeptical. There may well be some basis to stories of UFOs or ESP or something along those lines, but as with religion there are definitely swindlers and con-men out there too. This book attempts to debunk a great many of these beliefs, but more importantly it seeks to show you how to avoid being taken in by the con.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the clash between reality and pseudo-reality.

What an idiot!.......2007-04-26

Wow... just wow, this dude has no F-ing clue what he's talking about. Was he even trying? If this is the best skeptics can do to promote their ignorant, hypocritical view of what they consider science vs. pseudoscience, then that is all the more reason to believe in the paranormal!

This book is so pathetically devoid of information, the arguments within are so hypocritical when not illogical and baseless, I feel sorry for him if he is actually as stupid as he sounds in this book.

If I had met him I'd be glum just like the driver guy he describes in the beginning of the book, whose belief in ancient civilization like Atlantis and Lemuria he glibly dismisses due to lack of scientific evidence. That degree of brainlessness -he can't even grasp the difference between history and science!!- is depressing. I wouldn't know what to say; "No words... they should have sent... a poet..."

If you want to be an informed person, if you want a real candle in the dark, read works by Laura Knight-Jadczyk and David Icke.

Excellent!.......2007-04-23

Carl Sagan rules!

He's a deep sensitive being that doens't throw out the heart in the name of the head!

He's a tremendous model in my mind - and heart - for critical scientic thinking. WOW!

Saying all that, there is still room for the mystery and the beauty and power of the unknown and the miracles that do transpire in what we call Life.

ENJOY!!

.:.

Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space

Average customer rating:

Pale Blue Dot
Perspective from Pluto
Let's take the first steps
A great sequel to Cosmos
For those who like illustrated sermons

Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space
Carl Sagan
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0679438416
Release Date: 1994-11-08

Book Description

"FASCINATING . . . MEMORABLE . . . REVEALING . . . PERHAPS THE BEST OF CARL SAGAN'S BOOKS."
--The Washington Post Book World (front page review)

In Cosmos, the late astronomer Carl Sagan cast his gaze over the magnificent mystery of the Universe and made it accessible to millions of people around the world. Now in this stunning sequel, Carl Sagan completes his revolutionary journey through space and time.

Future generations will look back on our epoch as the time when the human race finally broke into a radically new frontier--space. In Pale Blue Dot Sagan traces the spellbinding history of our launch into the cosmos and assesses the future that looms before us as we move out into our own solar system and on to distant galaxies beyond. The exploration and eventual settlement of other worlds is neither a fantasy nor luxury, insists Sagan, but rather a necessary condition for the survival of the human race.

"TAKES READERS FAR BEYOND Cosmos . . . Sagan sees humanity's future in the stars."
--Chicago Tribune

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

Pale Blue Dot.......2007-01-04

This was very interesting reading. Carl has a wonderful way of relating science, technology and his vision in very understandable language.

Perspective from Pluto.......2006-08-19

As I write this review, scientists around the world are in one more tizzy about whether Pluto is a planet, and exactly what a planet is.
They are missing the boat, or spaceship as it were. Pick up a copy of Carl Sagan's "Pale Blue Dot," and it becomes clearer. Just take the much longer view, courtesy of Sagan's vivid and creative mind.

No matter how many times I read it, the look back at our solar system by the Voyager 1 spacecraft in 1990 stimulates my imagination in a huge way. After passing the orbit of Pluto and visiting Neptune and its spectacular moon Triton,the Voyager 1's camera turned back and took a family portrait of the solar system....caught in a mosaic of 60 pictures, saved on the ship's tape recorder and then slowly, over a period of three months, sent back to big radio telescopes on Earth.
The camera caught not only Earth (the pale blue dot), but also Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Pluo and Mars were too small and Mercury was lost in the glare of the Sun.
Just think, a look back at all of us, from a place I dream of being ---out past the orbit of Neptune/Pluto, but will never get to. It boggles the mind to even estimate how long it will take to get any human to that distant vantage point. But here it is ....a wonderful book which covers this, and so many other space marvels. Buy it and keep it close to your bed for months and months of inspiration.
Earl

Let's take the first steps .......2006-04-13

This book really focuses on something I believe is of uttermost importance for human kind: our long-term survival as a species and the essential role of space exploration. Many ideas and facts presented in Pale Blue Dot have already been expressed elsewhere, not least in science-fiction, but here they are collected and presented to us in a formidable way, with the focus on the potentially new era awaiting us where we would finally quit our Earth cocoon and start expanding through the Universe. As a scientist, I believe that this is a realistic view even if it definitely won't happen in our lifetimes. Sagan gives very convicing arguments why it is necessary to take the first steps in this direction: now, without delay!

A great sequel to Cosmos.......2005-03-09

The title of this book refers to Earth- all that our planet is in the big scheme of things is a Pale Blue Dot, as photographed by the Voyager spacecraft, departing our solar system. It's very humbling. Sagan went before his time, and didn't even get to see the landing of Mars Pathfinder in 1997, but that mission was renamed "The Sagan Memorial Mars Station." Whereas Cosmos talked about the past and future of space travel, this book talks about the future. It's written 20 years after "Cosmos" so builds upon what that book says. It used many charts and interesting pictures and graphs. This is better than "Cosmos" in my opinion, and is my favorite book ever.

For those who like illustrated sermons.......2004-12-06

Although Pale Blue Dot is ostensibly Sagan's magnum opus on "the human future in space" much of it is consumed with the human past on earth. The first five chapters are concerned with the intellectual history of scientism. Sagan provides a full blown apologetic for the scientific method and harshly criticises those who have stood in its way. Those up for criticism are almost exclusively Christian and largely Roman Catholic. Whether the seminary student in Contact, or his constant vigilance against any form of belief in the Imago Dei, Sagan seems unable to escape the influence of religion. If you read Isaac Asimov's The Roving Mind you have read this.

The second unannounced section of the book is concerned with the current state of scientific understanding of the universe. This is mostly limited to a discussion of the planets and moons of our solar system but occasionally deals with other star systems. As this book was published in 1994 much of cutting edge astronomy is long past this point. The pictures are therefore worth at least as much as the text. One criticism is that with so many beautiful pictures of the solar system available why did Sagan include so many paintings of what things might look like? Perhaps he had a secret liking for the Eastern tradition and included them as icons.

The third section of the book deals with the human future in space. Sagan proposes that eventually humans must leave earth or face extinction. We will either destroy our environment or eventually be hit by a large chunk of annihilation. He therefore proposes various Sci-Fi methods by which we might attempt to colonise the other planets, the asteroid zone, and the larger galaxy. For good measure he throws in his SETI project which is the subject of Contact. On so many levels Sagan has replaced god with E.T. and this book is ultimately more politico-religious than scientific.

Buy this book in large edition for the pictures and an entertaining story or buy a real astronomy book and go outside and look at the stars if you can still see them through the smog.

The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

Average customer rating:

A masterpiece science for the average reader
Sagan, the polimat
great book
C'mon, its Carl Sagan!
dragons of eden

The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence
Carl Sagan
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345346297
Release Date: 1986-12-12

Book Description

Dr. Carl Sagan takes us on a great reading adventure, offering his vivid and startling insight into the brain of man and beast, the origin of human intelligence, the function of our most haunting legends--and their amazing links to recent discoveries.
"A history of the human brain from the big bang, fifteen billion years ago, to the day before yesterday...It's a delight."
THE NEW YORK TIMES

Customer Reviews:

A masterpiece science for the average reader.......2007-06-12

A reviewer at the "Boston Globe" asked: "How can I persuade every intellignet person to read this important and elegant book?" There are so many great lines and passages in this book that even now it is timely.

Buy the Ballantine paperback edition with the wonderful mural-like foldout showing an ape man and woman as Adam and Eve in a Garden of Eden that includes dinosaurs.

Sagan, the polimat.......2007-05-13

I really miss him. Just picture it: Carl Sagan debating the climate crisis... or the Iraqui war... Well, this book shows his caractheristic polimatic veiw of knowledge: not separated boxes and disciplines, but a way of thinking, using both, creativity and skepticism to approach nature in its most complex subject: the human self, the misteries and intricacies of our brains and the resulting mind states, wich some call "mind", Sagan and Druyan at its best.

great book.......2007-01-16

This is a fascinating read on the subject of the development of human intelligence and how our species evolved morals, etc. The book is a very good summary of information packaged for the layman but with deep and thought-provoking insights that could serve to stimulate the thinking of experts in the field. Sagan's style is very humorous and engaging.

I give this book the demotion to four stars for only one reason: it was a book very much ahead of its time, but it was published over thirty years ago and much of the research cited in it is now obsolete.

C'mon, its Carl Sagan!.......2006-11-10

I love love loved this book. Some might think its dry, but I love the way he writes, simple, but verbosive enough to make interesting. He always makes a point and backs it up, most of the book is evolution of the human brain, and proved highly insightful, and told me some stuff I never even thought of. If you love learning, defently get this book.

dragons of eden.......2006-11-06

This book is an excellent account of how human intelligence probably evolved. It should be compulsary reading for all students majoring in phychology.

Average customer rating:

Truly a page turner.....
What a wonderful book
Replication Bomb
My bible
Important book...

Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors
Carl Sagan , and Ann Druyan
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345384725
Release Date: 1993-09-07

Book Description

"Dazzling...A feast. Absorbing and elegantly written, it tells of theorigins of life on earth, describes its variety and charaacter, and culminates in a discussion of human nature and teh complex traces ofhumankind's evolutionary past...It is an amazing story masterfully told."
FINANCIAL TIMES (LONDON)
World renowned scientist Carl Sagan and acclaimed author Ann Druyan have written a ROOTS for the human species, a lucid and riveting account of how humans got to be the way we are. It shows with humor and drama that many of our key traits--self-awareness, technology, family ties, submission to authority, hatred for those a little different from ourselves, reason, and ethics--are rooted in the deep past, and illuminated by our kinship with other animals. Astonishing in its scope, brilliant in its insights, and an absolutely compelling read, SHADOWS OF FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS is a triumph of popular science.

Customer Reviews:

Truly a page turner............2007-05-11

This is the most readable scientific book I have read in many years.
And what a subject:Taking on the history of life and making it a page turner! Truly a work of great intellect, art and love. Would that more scientists had the ability to communicate as Carl Sagan and Ann Druyen do in this amazing book.

What a wonderful book.......2007-02-20

Although a Carl Sagan fan since I was a student, I never heard of this book. I learned about it by hearing it mentioned on a radio show on NPR. I am now about halfway through it, and I can't believe that I never read this book before. A required read for anyone interested in science, and more specifically, our place as humans in terms of the larger cosmos. Well-written, insightful, and containing page after page of beautiful connections and observations.

Replication Bomb.......2006-12-21

"Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" takes as its subject nothing less than the origin of life on Earth. The book is epic in scope, ranging from the gravitational collapse of interstellar clouds and the evolution of solar systems to the first appearance of self-replicating molecules on Earth. Probably starting between 4 and 3.5 billion years ago, the initial self-replicating molecules - having arisen by a chain of random processes - initiated the essentially non-random processes of natural selection and the story goes on from there.

The story that Sagan and Druyan are telling is about us, the human animal: where we come from and what ancestral `shadows' follow us and as a result of these considerations, where we are headed. Instead of portraying a nature `red in tooth and claw', Sagan and Druyan show how cooperation is a key feature of life, beginning with the earliest stromatolite colonies. This theme is carried forward and explored in later chapters which examine the bases of ethics, altruism, compassion and caring in our primate relatives. The book also examines the roots of aggression, xenophobia, and dominance hierarchies and the prevalence of these phenomena in the primate world especially.

This is an engaging and educational read, well worth the reader's effort. However, there are also several drawbacks that deserve to be mentioned. Sagan and Druyan go to considerable lengths to convince the reader of the similarities between humans and the other primate species. They especially stress the close genetic relationship between humans and chimpanzees and point out that while humans have consistently tried to erect barriers between themselves and the nonhuman animals, these barriers are illusory. For example, language is often mentioned as the sole preserve of Homo sapiens. And yet, studies with vervet monkeys and experiments with chimpanzees and bonobos have demonstrated that a rudimentary capacity for language (including the ability to perform abstractions) exist in species besides humans. The point that Sagan and Druyan are trying to make is that we humans vary from the other animals not so much in kind (quality), but rather in degree (quantity). This point is well taken but in emphasizing the similarities between humans and other animals (including our close primate relatives) we should not be overly zealous in the other direction. There are many similarities between humans and chimpanzees, sure, but there are also obvious, non-trivial differences that likewise deserve to be mentioned. After all, unlike the chimpanzees, who to present day inhabit the same environments that their million-year old ancestors have inhabited, humans have spread to just about every part of the globe and are actively exploring the near reaches of the universe. The tendency to emphasize the close genetic relationship between humans and chimpanzees while glossing over the differences is rampant in popular books about human evolution (for example, Jared Diamond's "The Third Chimpanzee").

"Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" is subtitled as a `Search for Who We Are', aiming to give an account of the `orphan's file' (the orphan being the human race). However, the book is primarily devoted to the discussion of nonhuman animals, with no mention of important human landmarks such as the discovery of agriculture, for example, and the rise of civilizations and states. To be fair, the authors acknowledge this in the book's epilogue, with the promise that the story remains to be continued. Another drawback is that the book's first few chapters, which give an account of the birth of our sun and the emergence of our planet, are not quite convincing - emphasizing poetic eloquence perhaps somewhat to the detriment of giving a clear account.

Despite the drawbacks this is recommended reading, along with Sagan's "The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence." Sagan may have his share of detractors but his ability in making science accessible was commendable.

My bible.......2006-10-07

I devoured this book and I want to pass my copy onto everyone that I think can benefit from reading it, which is everyone. Taking a quote from Fight Club, "we are not special," sure that's not completey true, we are a little special but we are also MORE just like every other animal.

If you're interested in evolution, anthropology, archaeology, and/or any other related field, check this book out. Or even better yet challenge a fundy to read it.

Important book..........2006-01-02

I think this is a very important book. Honest and direct to the point. After reading this book with an open mind you'll have to ponder and evaluate all the things that you believe in out of fear or faith.
Yes, your existence is an accident. Maybe the whole human race was an accident. Nature doesn't care about justice and life just move ahead without a plan and sometimes this process of selection or of survival of the fittest brings out "good" results but we also see the bad ones....So ...use your days, enjoy the life you have and respect your fellow travelers in this tiny planet...and be certain that when you die you will go back to where you were before you were born.... into nothingness..
Your genes will live in your children and that is all there is to it...

Average customer rating:

Sagan's first book a real treasure...
The single best scientific book on intelligent life in the universe
Great Read
An Absolutely Essential Read
This is the first rational book to address the probability..

Intelligent Life in the Universe
Carl Sagan , and I. S. Shklovskii
Manufacturer: Holden-Day
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0816279136

Customer Reviews:

Sagan's first book a real treasure..........2006-11-15

I was very happy to find this book on a visit to a local used book store (where interestingly enough I also found a copy of the first book published under John F. Kennedy's name being "Why England Slept").

Though I've been a big Carl Sagan fan since reading Cosmos, Dragons of Eden, Broca's Brain, Contact and his other eighties works back during my college days I was always curious to see if he was just as good when he first started writing.

And the answer of course was...duh, of course yes.

Though admittedly one third of the book (relating to cosmic origins) is dated because it was written over forty years ago, the remaining two thirds -- relating to the origins of life generally and speculations on the possibilities of life elsewhere -- actually hold up amazingly well.

Sadly, as it relates to the later topic, being the search for intelligent life elsewhere, part of the reason why Sagan's book still holds up is because of the paucity of research that has actually been done.

In this way, this wonderful book becomes both a commentary on Sagan's abounding foresight and the lack of foresight so obvious in those academicians who've failed to follow in his able footsteps.

The single best scientific book on intelligent life in the universe.......2005-12-07

I used this book as an undergrad in a 400 level Astronomy class. At the time, the book was a real challenge for me in that I wanted to understand the mathematical and physical foundations of intelligent life. By the end of the course, and the book, I was, and have remained, absolutely convinced that intelligent life is plentiful in the universe, at least as can be "proved" mathematically using our physical laws. I was also convinced that human type life is in fact highly unlikely to be duplicated elsewhere in the universe. Finally, it is likely that many of this other intelligent life is perhaps vastly superior to our own. No, I'm not a nut, and I'm not a scientist, but I am convinced, even in the absence of physical evidence. Read this book, you'll make your own mind up. One warning, this is not "light reading". It is a college level textbook, that if you stay with it, will reward you in the end. What a shame we have lost such a great mind as Carl Sagan. To date, no one has stepped up to replace him.

Great Read.......2003-06-26

If you are interested in this issue, I highly recommend the book. This book is extremely thorough, so thorough it could be used as a textbook on an astrobiology class. It was written in the sixties so yes its out of date here and there, but much of the information is surprisingly current. You also get a great early taste of Sagan's writing style.

An Absolutely Essential Read.......2003-01-17

I first read this book in the early 1970s, and have read many
since then, and it pained me somewhat to find that the book is now out of print. I can honestly say this is still, without any doubt
in my mind, the *best* starting place for the study of astronomy,
cosmology, astrobiology/xenobiology (call it what you will) and
all things extraterrestrial. The book gives you all the background information available at the time of its publication to understand
problems that are still profound to this day, in a step by step
method that is both an absorbing read and and a good bit of education in itself. Invaluable for both its conclusions and for the historical background it gives to current issues, well illustrated and beautifully far reaching, I most highly recommend this rare and wonderful book.

This is the first rational book to address the probability.........1998-02-09

of life elsewhere inthe universe.

I read it first sometime in the late Sixties or early Seventies as an undergrad in engineering/physics/math. Carl Sagan created a wonderful book which has stayed with me over the course of almost 30 years now.

Amazon.com

Cosmos was the first science TV blockbuster, and Carl Sagan was its (human) star. By the time of Sagan's death in 1996, the series had been seen by half a billion people; Sagan was perhaps the best-known scientist on the planet. Explaining how the series came about, Sagan recalled:

<blockquote>I was positive from my own experience that an enormous global interest exists in the exploration of the planets and in many kindred scientific topics--the origin of life, the Earth, and the Cosmos, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, our connection with the universe. And I was certain that this interest could be excited through that most powerful communications medium, television.</blockquote>

Sagan's own interest and enthusiasm for the universe were so vivid and infectious, his screen presence so engaging, that viewers and readers couldn't help but be caught up in his vision. From stars in their "billions and billions" to the amino acids in the primordial ocean, Sagan communicated a feeling for science as a process of discovery. Inevitably, some of the science in Cosmos has been outdated in the years since 1980--but Sagan's sense of wonder is ageless. --Mary Ellen Curtin

Book Description

The best-selling science book ever published in the English language, COSMOS is a magnificent overview of the past, present, and future of science. Brilliant and provocative, it traces today's knowledge and scientific methods to their historical roots, blending science and philosophy in a wholly energetic and irresistible way.

Customer Reviews:

It gets you thinking..........2007-05-24

Science/atronomy always seemed too complex as i'm a lay person who is terrible at maths etc.so i been shy of these kinds of books.This book is a hive of understandable provocative information.It explains how vast vast can be.And that 2 things are evident-universe has infinite time and its constantly re-organising itself.It made me see that change is a small hop to mutation given enough time and the book explains the process from sub-atomic to life.Anyway now i've come up with my bold and eccentric belief that God is no more than a life-of-its-own-super-concious-collective spin-off that's been snowballingfrom from everything that has ever lived on the planet for the last 3-4 billion years (yes other living planets have their own Gods)and didn't create the Universe.If the universe/s are truly infinite then they truly are backwards in time too.So no need for a Creator.However i disagree how Sagan merely implys God is a figment of our imagination as all good scientists do.The collective human super-conciousness should be thing we meditate and aspire to connect with or science means nothing because we are flawed. Perhaps because God is not in charge of EVERYTHING !and Religion tends to make a mess of this evolving process because of its ego-centricity.This is a facinating book. These are some of the ideas i thought of from it but 'Cosmos' is full of hundreds of others.There is a useful out-line of the development of science through the ages and a tantalising glimpse of what the ancient Greeks were able phathom way ahead of their time.Just WHAT was in the library of Alexandria before it was destroyed?
PS:But i question- are scientists the best for communicating with alien life forms?Guys Guys, on our space probe, keep representing our numbers simple!The difference between 2 rocks/stars etc from 5 is as ** or ***** etc and from there decimals can be explained.Instead they use shapes that give no clue to quantity.Poor Sagan a tad too idealistic i feel about super intelligent aliens-their intelligence likely to be entirely different from ours. Meanwhile our first radio communications zinging away at the speed of light through space transmit largely spam.We are too back-ward to get rid of it either....

A Masterpiece.......2007-05-16

Cosmos has profoundly influenced me on a real, tangible, continual, daily basis. Sagan convinced me of the precious nature of our existence. Sagan effectively explains the vastness of our solar system, our star cluster, our galaxy, the entire universe via using brilliant, easy to understand analogies. After completing the book, I felt profoundly connected to every human-being on the planet. The beauty of our existence becomes truly apparent, however the tragedy and foolishness behind conflict, crime, war, hatred, bigotry and zealotry also becomes unbearably clear.

AWESOME [brilliant] .......2007-04-19

Before Cosmos, I used to live on earth. After Cosmos, I live on earth, in the milky way galaxy, in this vast and ever-expanding (and maybe contarcting) universe!

Carl Sagan's Most Popular Work.......2007-04-16

The late great astronomer put his all into this effort, and nearly three decades later, Cosmos is still an engaging read. From his relating of Eratosthenes' method for correctly calculating the earth's circumference 2300 years ago to speculation on the possibilities of resurrecting three abandoned spacecraft designs, Sagan presents a grand, optimistic, and powerful view of the universe and our innumerable connections to all of it at every scale. Whether one reads the book on its own or in concert with the video series, this is an indispensible journey for all who have curiosity about science and nature.

A little out there.......2007-02-11

Sagan mixes a little fantasy in with some good science. He has an interesting style that makes for a good read.

Carl Sagan's Cosmic Connection: An Extraterrestrial Perspective

Average customer rating:

Infectious enthusiasm
Worth reading
Digressions? Yeah!
The Musings of A Great Intellect
"Must" reading for all Sagan fans

Carl Sagan's Cosmic Connection: An Extraterrestrial Perspective
Carl Sagan
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521783038

Book Description

In 1973, Carl Sagan published The Cosmic Connection, a daring view of the universe, which rapidly became a classic work of popular science and inspired a generation of scientists and enthusiasts. This seminal work is reproduced here for a whole new generation to enjoy. In Sagan's typically lucid and lyrical style, he discusses many topics from astrophysics and solar system science, to colonization, terraforming and the search for extraterrestrials. Sagan conveys his own excitement and wonder, and relates the revelations of astronomy to the most profound human problems and concerns: issues that are just as valid today as they were thirty years ago. New to this edition are Freeman Dyson's comments on Sagan's vision and the importance of the work, Ann Druyan's assessment of Sagan's cultural significance as a champion of science, and David Morrison's discussion of the advances made since 1973 and what became of Sagan's predictions. Who knows what wonders this third millennium will reveal, but one thing is certain: Carl Sagan played a unique role in preparing us for them.

Customer Reviews:

Infectious enthusiasm.......2004-05-31

Carl Sagan's "The Cosmic Connection" is an enjoyable and easy-to-read survey of science and astronomy, circa 1973. Sagan's passion for his subjects comes through loud and clear in the essays that comprise this book. Reading this book is a little like watching "Cosmos" -- you're struck by the breadth of Sagan's knowledge and charmed by his imagination and wide-eyed enthusiasm for his topics. Sagan has a flair for making science accessible to the masses. He explores topics such as planetary exploration, the origins of life, and, of course, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Readers who liked "A Brief History of Time" will probably enjoy "The Cosmic Connection." The epilogue, which provides a year 2000 update for many of the chapters, is a valuable addition to this classic book.

Worth reading.......2003-05-13

Sure this isn't Sagans best book, it was one of his earliest. But its definitely a great read, full of profound thoughts.

Digressions? Yeah!.......2001-10-28

This book is a mix of thoughts by Carl Sagan, which he mainly dictated while crossing North America in a car. Well, it shows! It jumps from interesting paragraphs to useless personnal experiences, and the final result is a short text that is confusing, and (but that's not his fault) outdated. Read "Cosmos" and "Pale Blue Dot", they are much better.

The Musings of A Great Intellect.......2001-04-15

While it was first published over twenty five years ago and new scientific knowledge has rendered some of the "facts" and conclusions invalid, this book is still one that will fascinate you. For Sagan's writings are not about the knowledge of the moment but about grand, overwhelming ideas. Known to most people through his television appearances and his popular science books, he was a man with very impressive scientific credentials. A driving force in setting the priorities of planetary probes, his formidable intellect and powers of persuasion helped change the missions in many important ways.
Carl Sagan was a man deeply committed to the scientific method, the rule of reason and the exploration of space. His passion comes through very clearly in these essays, although he never descends to the level of being preachy. Towards the end of his life, he started to grow understandably pessimistic about the continued lack of exploration of the universe beyond the limits of the blue planet. Like so many of us, he is saddened by the lack of a vision that would drive the human race to establish an extraterrestrial presence beyond low Earth orbit.
Other issues that he deals with are the consequences of contact with another civilization and how we may recognize it when it occurs and what our response should be. These are very fundamental questions that the human race should consider. It is hard to imagine any other event that could have a more profound impact on how humans view themselves and their role in the cosmos. I agree with the premise of the Star Trek movie "First Contact", where the first contact with an extraterrestrial unites humanity in a way never before thought possible.
Humans will always continue to examine our place in the grand scheme and what all of the immensity of the universe really means. As long as we continue to produce beings of the caliber of Carl Sagan, our future is a bright one. His intellect and ability to excite were both first rate and I do not know how anyone could read these essays and not be moved by the quality of his reasoning.

"Must" reading for all Sagan fans.......2001-03-02

The late Carl Sagan was one of the most popular, influential, and successful interpreters of astronomy to the American public. In 1973 he published "The Cosmic Connection". He offered a daring view of the universe and his seminal work became a classic of popular science, inspiring a generation of scientists and non-specialist general readers with an enthusiasm for all aspects of science in general, and astronomy in particular. Now Cambridge University Press has reissued a new edition of Sagan's influential book, enhanced with Freeman Dyson's commentary on Sagan's vision and on the importance of "The Cosmic Connection"; Ann Dryan's assessment of Sagan's cultural significance as a champion of science; and David Morrison's discussion of the advances made over the past 30 years and what became of Sagan's predictions. Carl Sagan's Cosmic Connection is "must" reading for all Sagan fans and anyone interested in how his views and predictions have held up over the past three decades of rapid advances in the science of astronomy and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Billions & Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium

Average customer rating:

At the end of a remarkable life
A brilliant mind but dangerous
Feel Smarter, BE smarter !
A very important book
Good but Too Much About the Environment

Billions & Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium
Carl Sagan
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345379187
Release Date: 1998-05-12

Book Description

In the final book of his astonishing career, Carl Sagan brilliantly examines the burning questions of our lives, our world, and the universe around us. These luminous, entertaining essays travel both the vastness of the cosmos and the intimacy of the human mind, posing such fascinating questions as how did the universe originate and how will it end, and how can we meld science and compassion to meet the challenges of the coming century? Here, too, is a rare, private glimpse of Sagan's thoughts about love, death, and God as he struggled with fatal disease. Ever forward-looking and vibrant with the sparkle of his unquenchable curiosity, Billions & Billions is a testament to one of the great scientific minds of our day.

Customer Reviews:

At the end of a remarkable life.......2007-05-16

As he knowingly faced the end, Sagan bravely shared his views on a number of subjects: science, politics, philosophy, and the environment. Here are the departing words from a man who spent his life in search of knowledge about nature, not in pursuit of wealth. His admonitions come across as genuine, and his motivations are altruistic. He suggests that some of mankind's present course is noble, while some of it may be terminally perilous. He wisely advises us to choose the path of progress, not the path of confrontation and destruction.

This is an atypical Sagan work. Those wanting him to stick strictly to science will have to modify their expectations somewhat. There's a good amount of science here, but this is his final public farewell to everyone he loved, knew, or influenced. To me, it's a profoundly moving work.

A brilliant mind but dangerous.......2006-12-05

I remember watching Cosmos on television when I was a kid. I didn't question him then or for some time after. The book is entertaining, with good story telling. Sagan makes many excellent points and he is easily understood. These are his final words before his death. If you are looking for hard science, this isn't the book. Politics and propaganda enter a few chapters. Carl was a brilliant mind but dangerous.

Carl discusses society, ethics, morality, rules to live by, and gives us a feel for large numbers. Life maybe not that scarce? His philosophy on a better world is all well and good, but he forgets or ignores there is true evil in the world. He concludes that God and the supernatural as myth, but falls in the same trap by treating theory as fact. What is the amazing brain of evolution, where does it come from? He gives us no real answers. He does not realize or purposely ignores problems with his theories. The new fear is the environmental and climatic warnings. According to Sagan, at the time this book was written, we should be in dire straights in the near future--are we? Is life as fragile as he says? His thoughts come from a secular humanist mind. I still recommend the book.

How does he propose such world wide changes, except by government intervention?

"Our ancestors came from the trees"------------what???????

Wish you well
Scott

Feel Smarter, BE smarter !.......2006-10-17

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Sagan never claims to have ALL the answers, but encourages the reader to think in a non-conventional fashion. As a community college instructor of the Natural Sciences, I appreciate Sagan's ability to describe and relate the micro- and macroscopic nature of the universe. Each chapter reads well on its own. Especially enjoyed the chapter on the myths of Croseus and Cassandra and their applicability to today's political approach towards current environmental and social issues.

A very important book.......2006-09-15

I have read this book a couple of times and I think it's value lies in making you want to go out and protect the enviroment, work for peace, increase science education, etc..... I liked it because he was a wonderfully eloquent person and really made you want to understand more about the enviroment. I also enjoyed demon haunted world and would recommend either book.

Good but Too Much About the Environment.......2006-09-03

I was eager to read this book after, 'Demon-Haunted World' because it seemed to be the next thing anyone who reads Sagan would typically suggest. It starts off quite interesting but soon goes on and on about our neglect of the environment. This continues for several chapters and gets quite tedious at times. I do realize and understand that the environment deserves our strict attention but I really did not expect so much of this book to be devoted to it. Anyway, towards the end the book picks up again like it started. Sagan and his wife write about the issue of child abortion and finally, a chapter devoted to his struggle with a terminal illness. Overall light reading but not quite as good as, 'Demon-Haunted World'.

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