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

by Carl Sagan Narrated by Cary Elwes, Seth MacFarlane, Ann Druyan

Overview

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. Introductory music from the original score for COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey composed by Alan Silvestri, used with permission from Cosmos Studios, Inc. and Chappers Music. All rights reserved. Special thanks to Fuzzy Planets, Inc.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Eminent Cornell astronomer and bestselling author Sagan debunks the paranormal and the unexplained in a study that will reassure hardcore skeptics but may leave others unsatisfied. To him, purported UFO encounters and alien abductions are products of gullibility, hallucination, misidentification, hoax and therapists' pressure; some alleged encounters, he suggests, may screen memories of sexual abuse. He labels as hoaxes the crop circles, complex pictograms that appear in southern England's wheat and barley fields, and he dismisses as a natural formation the Sphinx-like humanoid face incised on a mesa on Mars, first photographed by a Viking orbiter spacecraft in 1976 and considered by some scientists to be the engineered artifact of an alien civilization. In a passionate plea for scientific literacy, Sagan deftly debunks the myth of Atlantis, Filipino psychic surgeons and mediums such as J.Z. Knight, who claims to be in touch with a 35,000-year-old entity called Ramtha. He also brands as superstition ghosts, angels, fairies, demons, astrology, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster and religious apparitions. (Feb.)

Library Journal

A Pulitzer Prize-winning astronomer argues that scientific illiteracy and our new-found suspicion of the rational threatens democratic institutions.

From the Publisher

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

“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

OCTOBER 2017 - AudioFile

Although this audiobook contains information that was last released in 1997, it is still relevant because we humans continue to confuse myths with testable science. One only needs to read widely shared stories to see the effects of this error on such phenomena as immunizations, climate change, and alien abduction. The narration of this thoughtful audiobook is divided among Ann Druyan, who was Sagan’s wife; Seth McFarlane, who reads the preface; and Cary Elwes, who carries the narration for the rest of the book. Elwes has a gentle British accent and a playful lilt to his voice that reflects the author’s homey and accessible style. He does his best to keep the audiobook moving, but its sheer size is a bit of an obstacle, and Elwes sometimes gets lost in the words. Still, Sagan’s warning is real, and Elwes delivers it credibly. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169932911
Publisher:	Brilliance Audio
Publication date:	05/30/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1
(Continues…)

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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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