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Carl Sagan Fans

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For fans of Carl Sagan's writings and productions like Cosmos and The Demon Haunted World. No one else in recent memory did more to bring science to the masses than Sagan. Join a group of others who enjoy his work!

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Latest Activity: Jan 10

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The Eternally Curious Carl Sagan

Carl Sagan had a curious mind for his entire life. In his book The Demon Haunted World he lamented the death of curiosity in high school students that he attributed in part to parents' obsession with either having an answer or making a question sound stupid when asked by their children.

Despite his critics, many in the scientific community itself, Sagan brought the human story of science to people, recognizing the responsibility to educate people in a way that spoke first to their humanity and second to their logic. We will do well to emulate this approach in the 21st century as we contend with all manners of illogic and unreason that he warned of in The Demon Haunted World.

His PBS series Cosmos still stands alone as a pinnacle of achievement in science communication. I wrote an essay for the ten-year-anniversary of his death entitled "The Eternally Curious Carl Sagan". You can read it here:

http://joshuagough.blogspot.com/2007/06/eternally-curious-carl-sagan.html

Sagan reading a passage from his book Pale Blue Dot

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Comment by Reason Voyager on October 15, 2011 at 5:56pm: sagan%201.jpg

Comment by Happy Happy, Joy joy on August 13, 2011 at 9:52am: Me too, Kelvin. :)

Comment by Lyra Silvertongue on July 28, 2011 at 10:34pm: Hey Kelvin, me too! Almost finished. There is so much good stuff in there.

Comment by Kelvin Hilerio on July 28, 2011 at 9:58pm: Currently reading the demon haunted world.

Comment by Marc Draco on July 25, 2011 at 3:19pm: Are you looking for the eBook?

Comment by Marc Draco on July 25, 2011 at 2:52pm: It's from Contact (1985).

Comment by Donegal on March 26, 2011 at 5:08pm: If anyone is interested in book clubs, The Atheist Book Club on GoodReads.com is getting ready to read The Demon Haunted World starting April 1st.

Comment by Prog Rock Girl on March 6, 2011 at 2:25pm: Well said Michael, and I feel the same way Tez!

Comment by Tezcatlipoca on March 5, 2011 at 1:22pm: Awesome and appropriate words, Michael. Sagan taught me that you don't need superstition to be inspired. Phenomena are sufficiently sublime to engender the combined feeling of being both infinitesimal and essentially connected to pretty much everything ("essential" is not a word I throw around liberally).