The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark (Random House, 1995)

Carl Sagan · c. 1995

Carl Sagan did not write this page.

Every claim below was made in this book, quoted word for word and numbered in the order the piece makes them, so you can read it there rather than take our word for it. The book prints chapter headings its extracted text does not preserve, so the claims below are in the book's order but not grouped. The sentence above each quote is our reading of the claim, not their wording. Each quote was checked against a stored copy of the page at build time; where the two differ, the quote is the fact.

Our reading
Depending on science while almost no one understands it is a prescription for disaster

Their wordsWe have also arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. This is a prescription for disaster.
Our reading
The method of science matters far more than its findings

Their wordsThe method of science, as stodgy and grumpy as it may seem, is far more important than the findings of science.
Our reading
Science is not just compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of it

Their wordsScience is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality.
Our reading
Once people have been bamboozled long enough, they tend to reject evidence of the bamboozle

Their wordsOne of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle.
Our reading
Science is far from perfect, but it is the best instrument of knowledge we have

Their wordsScience is far from a perfect instrument of knowledge. It's just the best we have.

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