The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God“Ann Druyan has unearthed a treasure. It is a treasure of reason, compassion, and scientific awe. It should be the next book you read.” —Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith “A stunningly valuable legacy left to all of us by a great human being. I miss him so.” —Kurt Vonnegut Carl Sagan's prophetic vision of the tragic resurgence of fundamentalism and the hope-filled potential of the next great development in human spirituality The late great astronomer and astrophysicist describes his personal search to understand the nature of the sacred in the vastness of the cosmos. Exhibiting a breadth of intellect nothing short of astounding, Sagan presents his views on a wide range of topics, including the likelihood of intelligent life on other planets, creationism and so-called intelligent design, and a new concept of science as "informed worship." Originally presented at the centennial celebration of the famous Gifford Lectures in Scotland in 1985 but never published, this book offers a unique encounter with one of the most remarkable minds of the twentieth century. |
From inside the book
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Page 12
... way , is also the first explicit state- ment anywhere that the stars we see in the night sky are part of a concentration of stars that we now call the Milky Way Galaxy , one with a specific shape and a specific center . There are a vast ...
... way , is also the first explicit state- ment anywhere that the stars we see in the night sky are part of a concentration of stars that we now call the Milky Way Galaxy , one with a specific shape and a specific center . There are a vast ...
Page 23
... galaxy , in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius , the sky is rippling with suns , altogether a couple of hundred thousand million suns , making up the Milky Way Galaxy . As far as we can tell , the average star is in no major way ...
... galaxy , in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius , the sky is rippling with suns , altogether a couple of hundred thousand million suns , making up the Milky Way Galaxy . As far as we can tell , the average star is in no major way ...
Page 24
... Milky Way Galaxy , through which we are seeing M31 and two of its satellite galaxies . Now , imagine that this is our galaxy . We are looking at a great concentration of stars in the center , so close together that we cannot make out ...
... Milky Way Galaxy , through which we are seeing M31 and two of its satellite galaxies . Now , imagine that this is our galaxy . We are looking at a great concentration of stars in the center , so close together that we cannot make out ...
Page 27
... Milky Way Galaxy in the direction of the Hercules Cluster . What we are seeing here are more galaxies beyond the Milky Way . ( In fact , there are more galaxies in the universe than stars within the Milky Way Galaxy . ) That is , there ...
... Milky Way Galaxy in the direction of the Hercules Cluster . What we are seeing here are more galaxies beyond the Milky Way . ( In fact , there are more galaxies in the universe than stars within the Milky Way Galaxy . ) That is , there ...
Page 28
... galaxies from what are called quasars . There are other explosions , maybe small quasars . In fact , the Milky Way Galaxy itself has had a set of explosions from its center , some thirty thousand light - years away . And if , as I will ...
... galaxies from what are called quasars . There are other explosions , maybe small quasars . In fact , the Milky Way Galaxy itself has had a set of explosions from its center , some thirty thousand light - years away . And if , as I will ...
Contents
THE ORGANIC UNIVERSE | 63 |
EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE | 103 |
IMPLICATIONS | 125 |
THE GOD HYPOTHESIS | 147 |
THE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE | 169 |
CRIMES AGAINST CREATION | 191 |
THE SEARCH | 213 |
SELECTED Q A | 223 |
Acknowledgments | 261 |
Index | 275 |
Other editions - View all
The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God Carl Sagan Limited preview - 2006 |
The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God Carl Sagan No preview available - 2007 |
The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God Carl Sagan No preview available - 2007 |
Common terms and phrases
apparent argument astronomical believe called century certainly Christian civilization clear clearly comet consider course culture direction don't Earth enormous entire evidence example existence experience extraterrestrial extremely fact Figure galaxy give gods goes hand happen hope human hundred idea imagine intelligence interesting issue it's kind later laws least Lectures less light live look Mars material matter means million mind molecules Moon move nature never nuclear objects orbit organic origin ourselves physics planet possible powerful present produced quantum mechanics question radio reason religion religious remarkable seems sense solar system sort space species stars suggest suppose surely talking tell there's things thousand tion true truth turns understand United universe