The Demon-Haunted World

Science as a Candle in the Dark

De: Carl Sagan

Narrado por: Cary Elwes, Seth MacFarlane

A prescient warning of a future we now inhabit, where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace

“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

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.

Praise for The Demon-Haunted World

“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

©1996 Carl Sagan (P)2017 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

The importance of rational skepticism.

An amazing read, I wasn't sure what to expect coming in and found myself pleasantly surprised. although there is a rather large chunk of the book devoted to UFO'S the message of Sagan comes through very clear. And the narration brings energy to the book that could have just as easily become monotonous.

A peek into Carl Sagan's thinking ...

Written for everyone this audiobook covers principles of human decency and advancement in general terms easily accessible to the non-scientist. It's timeless - written long ago but so germane to life in 2017. Loved this one.

excellent skeptical primer

have waited a long time for this to come out on audio. it didn't disappoint.

My favorite book ever.

Sagan was excellent at explaining the wonders of science to the masses. Some parts of this book are now a bit dated since in some chapters he uses data from the 80s and 90s; after all, it was written in the mid-90s, but it is still my favorite read / listen. To listen to this was a joy, with Cary Elwes reading most of the story, and Seth MacFarlane reading a few chapters as well. Ann Druyan read the introduction. Great, great narration.

Relating to the book's age, there were at least two instances where Carl addresses about two things that happened after he wrote the book. He talks about how General Relativity is dependent on and would unravel without gravitational waves, which have never been detected. In 2016, LIGO detected them! In another part of the book he maligns those who believe in the face and structures on Mars (as interpreted from Viking I images) and hoped that future Mars missions with high definition cameras would photograph these areas and set the record straight. This happened. NASA's Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter took high definition pictures that showed that these structures were optical illusions and not the product of an advance race on Mars.

Carl tackles numerous subjects in this book. He is an eloquent writer.

This book should be required reading in America, a country that still embraces pseudoscience and superstition. I can't rate this book high enough.

Required Reading

The book wandered at times, and perhaps spent too much time on certain topics, especially in the beginning. However, it's important to complete the book from beginning to end in order to grasp the overall messages and themes which are immensely important, especially in this day and age. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like detailed and vivid examples of how science and skepticism function. Unfortunately, I'm not certain the needed audiences would put forth the time, effort, patience, and critical thought necessary to hear, let alone understand, the meaning and importance of the topics discussed.