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The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
 
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The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark (Paperback)

by Carl Sagan (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 480 pages
  • Publisher: Ballantine Books; Reprint edition (1 Mar 1997)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0345409469
  • ISBN-13: 978-0345409461
  • Product Dimensions: 20.8 x 14 x 1 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 11,724 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #4 in  Books > Mind, Body & Spirit > Paranormal & Unexplained Phenomena > Unexplained Mysteries
    #33 in  Books > Science & Nature > Nature > Education
    #37 in  Books > Science & Nature > Mathematics > Popular Maths

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
Carl Sagan muses on the current state of scientific thought, which offers him marvellous opportunities to entertain us with his own childhood experiences, the newspaper morgues, UFO stories and the assorted flotsam and jetsam of pseudoscience. Along the way he debunks alien abduction, faith-healing and channelling, refutes the arguments that science destroys spirituality, and provides a "baloney detection kit" for thinking through political, social, religious and other issues. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

26 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (26 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Why science is essential, 2 Jun 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: The Demon-haunted World (Paperback)
Carl Sagan's book makes clear that human ignorance can lead to some pretty weird, and potentially dangerous, belief systems, such as the belief in alien abductions, or the belief in witches. What is actually frightening is that people hold on to some of these beliefs, despite the overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary. The book contains some sobering examples of human ignorance, plus some of its causes. The book also contains a sample of some remarkable letters Sagan has received in the past few years, and a D.I.Y. baloney detection kit.

I found the book a highly accessible and passionate defence of scientific thinking. Sagan's take home message is that science does not necessarily rid the world of its beauty. On the contrary, a scientific perspective can reveal some truly amazing things that we can not perceive with our senses, such as the structure of the atom. I can recommend the book to everyone; I actually read it twice.

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37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Message of Rational Hope and Despair at Mysticism, 2 Aug 2004
By A Customer
This book, more than any other on this theme, subjects many of the popular delusions and superstitions that hold back and threaten the very existence of human society, against the "gold standard" of rational, scientific thought and method.

According to Sagan, our heads are full of confusion and misinformation and there are forces that wish to keep it that way. Unfortunately, the status quo is dangerous.

To wake from a slumber of indoctrination, media propaganda and self-delusion, read this book, in one sitting, as the perfect antidote.

I enjoyed this book so much that I have read and re-read it many times over. I've given copies to my dearest friends. This is an intellectual tour-de-force of a book. With every reading, I muse on how preciuous and rare clear and incisive thinkers with a voice that can reach everyone are. Carl Sagan is sorely missed.

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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars TOOLKIT FOR AN OPEN MIND, 25 Jan 2005
My view is that this book should be compulsory reading for the entire world. Why? Because essentially it provides the reader with a toolkit for separating what might be true from the absolute rubbish. Essential reading for this age of what Richard Dawkins terms "the new ignorance" . BUY BUY BUY. and give as gifts.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Demon -Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
An excellent book by a much missed voice of reason. My only criticism is that Mr Sagan is much too gentle in his criticism of religion. Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. Rutley

1.0 out of 5 stars The Gospel According to St Carl.
Carl Sagan, the great American space scientist and extraterrestrial investigator. An honest, down-to-earth chap who believed in the classic guiding principles of science -... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. R. P. J. Martin

5.0 out of 5 stars Sharpen your critical reasoning skills
It's hard enough to understand how Sagan could know as much about astronomy as he did, let alone the possibility of extra-terrestrial life. Read more
Published 14 months ago by calmly

5.0 out of 5 stars It changed how I think!
This book was given to me when I was 15 and it literally changed how I think!

The book covers things like pseudoscience and how we should all consider things rather... Read more
Published 16 months ago by S. Galer

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb book for the questioning mind
Do you like to question things? Well you should like this book.

There are two keys aspects to this book:
1. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Alex Ireland

4.0 out of 5 stars Well worth reading...
As a widely acclaimed scientist, Carl Sagan has written an important book at the dawn of a new millennium, advocating science and debunking credulous claims of the supernatural... Read more
Published 18 months ago by J. Dicker

5.0 out of 5 stars At night a candle's brighter than the sun...
The blurb on the back cover says; "...Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks...witchcraft, faith healing and UFOs" - this he does but it is not really the main point of the... Read more
Published on 16 Jun 2007 by C. A. Gallagher

2.0 out of 5 stars Not as promised
If you are expecting this book to "examine and authoritatively debunk" many paranormal systems you will be disappointed. Read more
Published on 31 May 2007 by A reader

5.0 out of 5 stars More than one candle power...
I was first introduced to Carl Sagan, along with most of the public, through the series `Cosmos'. Perhaps I can be forgiven for not having heard of him prior to that, given I was... Read more
Published on 28 April 2006 by Kurt Messick

5.0 out of 5 stars More than one candle power
I was first introduced to Carl Sagan, along with most of the public, through the series `Cosmos'. Perhaps I can be forgiven for not having heard of him prior to that, given I was... Read more
Published on 22 Dec 2005 by Kurt Messick

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