Carl Edward Sagan

Carl Edward Sagan (November 9, 1934 – December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, astrobiologist, and highly successful science popularizer.



He pioneered exobiology and promoted the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI).
He is world-famous for writing popular science books and for co-writing and presenting the award-winning 1980 television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.

A book to accompany the program was also published.

He also wrote the novel Contact, the basis for the 1997 film of the same name starring Jodie Foster.

This book has one of the most moving concepts that I have ever seen. Although just fiction, (we think) it tells the story of how we meet the first extra-terrestials and how a message is discovered deep, deep inside the equation for pi, ( π = 3.14159265…etc. etc) that proves the existence of God.

Sagan also assembled the first physical message that was sent into space: a gold-anodized plaque, attached to the space probe Pioneer 10, launched in 1972. Pioneer 11, also containing the plaque, was launched the following year.

He continued to refine his designs and the most elaborate such message he helped to develop and assemble was the Voyager "Golden Record" that was sent out with the Voyager space probes in 1977.

Sagan taught a course on critical thinking at Cornell until his death on this day in 1996 from a rare bone marrow disease.

Quotes from Carl;

*The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers.
But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.

*If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe.

*In every country, we should be teaching our children the scientific method and the reasons for a Bill of Rights. With it comes a certain decency, humility and community spirit. In the demon-haunted world that we inhabit by virtue of being human, this may be all that stands between us and the enveloping darkness.

*It is of interest to note that while some dolphins are reported to have learned English -- up to fifty words used in correct context -- no human being has been reported to have learned dolphinese.

*One glance at a book and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for 1,000 years. To read is to voyage through time.

*The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.

*Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people.

AND ON RELIGION:

*A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism.

*Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source

*Skeptical scrutiny is the means, in both science and religion, by which deep insights can be winnowed from deep nonsense.

*Where we have strong emotions, we're liable to fool ourselves.

*In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time someting like that happened in politics or religion.
- Carl Sagan, 1987 CSICOP Keynote Address

He will be missed, a billion times!

Your sad scribe;
Allan W Janssen

Allan W Janssen is the author of The Plain Truth About God-101 (what the church doesn't want you to know!) at; www.God-101.com
And the petition to have people mind their own business instead of yours at; http://www.petitiononline.com/moses/petition.html