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. “Passionate.” - San Francisco Examiner-ChronicleĬarl Sagan served as the David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences and Director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University. A testimonial to the power of science and a warning of the dangers of unrestrained credulity.” - The Sciences “A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference. Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing.” - The Washington Post Book World A stirring defense of informed rationality.

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. 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. 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.Ĭasting 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. From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought.”- Los Angeles Times A prescient warning of a future we now inhabit, where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace

The demon haunted world hardcover