Carl Sagan’s Demon Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark can be
effectively summed up as a guide to critical thinking as a platform to weigh
reason against pseudoscience and religion.
The book opens with Sagan recalling an experience sharing a cab and
having a conversation with an intelligent yet misguided man and the realization
that unsound reason and pseudoscience is prevalent in today’s world because it
may often seem more exciting than actual scientific fact. The remainder of the book attempts to guide
the reader to think rationally and critically when evaluating unreasonable or
suspicious claims. Sagan explains that claims
of paranormal activity, demons, angels, extraterrestrials, faith-healing, and
fortune telling can all be explained or disproved by modern science.
My favorite portion of the book is
the chapter titled “Newton’s Sleep.”
This chapter functions as a subtle rebuke of many religious claims while
still respecting that there are many religions that can co-exist with modern
science. However, religion becomes
dangerous when it attempts to limit critical and impartial thinking. While religions like modern Catholicism can
be compatible with science, many still rely on keeping their followers in the
dark scientifically, even to the point of claiming that anything less than
complete blind faith is sinful and will result in eternal damnation. Sagan quotes William Blake’s Auguries of Innocence:
He who shall teach the Child
to Doubt
The
rotting Grave shall ne’er get out.
He
who respects the Infant’s Faith
Triumphs
over Hell and Death.
This discouragement of a
healthy doubt and criticism of religious claims is still a large part of many
faiths. Alarmingly, this are not just the message of a crude religion from an
under-developed nation, but also the hallmark of the religions claimed by some
of the Western world’s most influential leadership. Below is a Bill Maher segment explaining the
presence of religion on American politics.
As a result, politics and laws become subject
to pseudoscience and asininity of religion, negatively affecting many lives and
limiting medical advancements among other things. In addition, these concepts go directly
against the principles to becoming a fairminded thinker as outlined in the
course’s first lecture. Independence
(being able to figure things out by yourself) and courage (not being afraid to
question your beliefs) are two of the principles that are contrary to what
religious leaders instruct their followers to do. Sagan’s critical analysis of religions’ hindrance
on modern science is a bit milder than I would have expected from him, but it
is respectable that he takes a tactful approach of the subject and acknowledges
that not all religion is incompatible with science. In fact, he explains that
in some cases, they can complement each other.
As a person who was
raised in a home heavily influenced by the teachings of an ancient book used as
a guide to explain every un-explainable situation, and taught to use that same
book to encourage hate and discrimination before learning to think for myself,
I have enjoyed Carl Sagan’s work since being introduced to it eight years ago. I first read A Demon Haunted World as a high-school senior and it was a major
factor in my ability to eventually utilize critical thinking and rationalism in
my approach to what I had been taught my entire life.
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