My favorite Sagan quote is this: "One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It is simply to painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back." Carl Sagan
There are so many great Sagan quotations. One of my favorites : “If we offer too much silent assent about mysticism and superstition - even when it seems to be doing a little good - we abet a general climate in which scepticism is considered impolite, science tiresome, and rigorous thinking somehow stuffy and inappropriate.”
Consider that you are not falling for it. You are part of a growing awareness made possible by the internet. Critical thinking however is needed. Having access to a way to open the eyes is better than closing them. Be careful for the charlatans in science who also may promote certainty of the spiritual realm.
Thank critical thinking and science, I was able to break free from a religious cult after 36 years in it. Science is my new religion, and people like Sagan are my new “god’s”.
Now there was another interesting man. I wrote to him years ago regarding the ending of Robots & Empire and asked him if he had envisaged this ending and he said, no - it was how it came out. So humbled he took the time to write back.
@@LouiseKernow2024 So amazing, another one of my childhood heroes. Reading I, Robot changed my outlook on all things scientific and pushed me to be an engineer.
Anyone who read Asimov sci-fi stories knows once you picked the book up you couldn't put it down. And his interviews you can't turn away from. He was extremely interesting to listen to.
Every time I watch a Sagan video, it breaks my heart. 27 years later it's almost as if we haven't learned anything and He would be so disappointed and the same time we really need someone like him being a candle in today's darkness
no one would listen....people are entranced with pop culture and deep thinking and reflection is relegated to the introverts, geeks, nerds, hermits.....its not cool to understand what is happening to us....
It's sad he was spot on. We didn't listen. All I can do for my kids is to add this: Time for a 3rd party in congress (SCIENCE). They need to have a voice not just a resource of information .
1 Corinthians 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 that no flesh should glory in his presence.
I've been listening to some of Isaac Asimov's interviews this week. He too was a science popularizer and a skeptic of religious and pseudo-science claims. He passed in 1992.
At 80 years old i still can't read "the pale blue dot" without a tear for the wisdom beyond the scientific knowledge that mankind has lost. His influence has emotionally influenced me for life in the best way
I have his photo and that picture of Terra, from all that distance away in my cube at work. It still blows my mind everyday when I look at it how we are just a little blue pixel in a moat of dust a part of an inconsequential part of an arm in an average galaxy among an incalculable number of other galaxies, and possibly universes!
The point of _Pale Blue Dot_ is that some of us need to leave Earth and the solar system because of dangers known and unknown that might threaten our long-term survival. Even if we can move asteroids to avoid another extinction-causing impact, there might be comets or interstellar asteroids that we can't intercept in time. One problem though is that space is incredibly dangerous. So in the short term if we have dozens, hundreds or 1000 people in near-Earth orbit, on our moon, Mars and the near-Earth asteroids, they will be at extreme risk of death or medical problem that could be more-easily treated on Earth.
Exquisite way to explain your love and admiration for whom to my mind is possibly one of the most amazing intellects of modern times .. And not many know that Carl was a life long user of cannabis … And attributed many of his ideas to the assistance of this medicine ! I now wonder what he would make of all these UAPs being seen all over the Earth.
You are familiar with the "public" Carl Sagan. In his reactions to friends and family, it is said, by THEM, that he was quite arrogant and demanding. But they had their reasons to love him, anyway......
@@sherrymiller2302 Yes, so say we all that are above the average intelligence. I have learned in my years to just nod and smile as family and friends say obviously inaccurate or simply wrong things. The familial connection is greater than the truth, because of their egos. As a nuclear engineer I can somewhat understand what an intelligence like Sagan must have gone through when interacting with "the others".
Carl Sagan was such a brilliant man. He could understand complexities & then explain them to the average person in understandable terms. That is such a gift. I miss him tremendously.
We lost something when we lost Carl Sagan. I believe there are people who come and go in the world and each of their minds are as valuable as the Library of Alexandria. When we lost them, it’s as tragic as the burning of that same library.
This man was 100% the reason I turned toward science as a career. The Cosmos series and his book The Demon Haunted World literally changed my life. He died 20 years ago. RIP.
4:08 - "If we are not able to ask skeptical questions, to interrogate those who tells us something is true, to be skeptical of those in authority; then we're up for grabs for the next charlatan, political or religious, that comes ambling along." -Carl Sagan
It was more than a decade after he died that I ran into the famous clip from Cosmos where he explains higher dimensions. That clip lead me to watch the entire series and that, quite literally, changed my life. I do believe I am a better person because of the legacy of this man.
the domesticating dogs and how that 1 act of wisdom from humans to say maybe some of these animals could help us survive and possibly even protect us and possibilities could be amazing. A single act of thought that literally propelled us up the food chain and even today a protector in your home of an intelligent animal...some trial and error im sure but an example of what knowledge has done for us and the need for science and free thought is incredibly beneficial to our species. No im not doing whole religion vs science or politics...never ending fights cant win and a waste of time and energy to try to change deep seeded bias and belief.
Marcia Palomar I didn’t see any hate. Saw a little anger. I disagree with Sagans humanism. Sagan says religion gets in way of science, but his science also disagrees with God.
@@charles-y2z6c, you likely are a better puncher. My shoulders, wrists, and elbows can't do the hard hitting anymore. Guess the many years of doing it has taken its toll on this old man. That being said, I still box the robot but hit it softer. Sure is a lot of fun and nice workout.
@@2fast2block I know where you are coming from. As I get older my body heals much slower. I need more time between punching workouts. I make sure the speed bag isn't as hard too. I do enjoy it still and you are right, its a great workout, builds confidence in your soul too. I am going to favorite your stuff on my channel.
More & more, in my senior years, I read, listen & watch Carl Sagan. In this terrifying world we are living in, I feel I can find some peace & sense through his philosophy. We desperately need another Carl Sagan…
@@bathie2636 You seem like a real smart person to still be hung up on trump over words and not policy, while the actual standing president threatens the very nature of intellectualism in this country. The man cannot form a coherent sentence, let alone tell you which planet Jupiter is from the sun, or explain in general terms M-theory. Neither can trump I’m not defending either, but you’re just incredibly narrow minded for not acknowledging what’s happening in front of your face.
I fall asleep listening to Segan about 2-3 nites per week on average for the last several yrs. I’ve re-listened to Pale Blue Dot at least a dozen times. He’s brilliant and an amazing orator, with beautiful articulation, voice cadence and flow. Tell your kids to listen to this man, to read his work. Let’s keep Segan alive
I agree 100%! I adored him as a little girl, then in high school watching Cosmos, and now reviewing his countless speeches. PBD is on my Playlist for meditation and to help me sleep. What a kind soul he was....
@@poweraccountabilityleague6877 No, it's the right - always has been, always will be. Conservatives go out of their way to destroy public education in favor of private/charter schools.
"Being a scientist" doesn't mean working as a Scientist to make a livin in a society. A Scientist is any man of Science, which means a Human being who learnt this tool among others to understand where and why he is there. I may not work as a scientist in the future, but as a student, I will learn every bit of Science I can before leaving school someday.
I wish people didn't report some posts as spam, it's always a good thing to show how ignorant some people are in their comments. Offer a good rebuttal instead of resorting to censoring these fools.
It isn't spam, it's troll talk. Who knows what they believe ? They sense deep truth and then parasitically attach to it and try to get attention. To anyone who reads forums and RU-vid comments, they're pretty obvious. Rebuttals just feed the drama llama. The WORST thing you can do to those people, is just ignore them.
***** Not at all ! Sometimes decent people can use a little guidance out there in the troll-infested Web. Just like you, I am most definitely the judge of spam and trollhood in my life. The proliferation of parasites that came with the miraculous Interwebs must make us all better censors of things for ourselves. They die when we do not allow them to attach : through censorship in the form of ignoring them. They're one type of that variety of parasite that survives by wasting your time, and liking it.
It's good to know that he was hopeful about his disease. Very upsetting to hear it today though. I'm so glad that his efforts live on and that I can read his work or see him speak on here any time. A very special person indeed
"The long dreamless sleep." One of the most powerful lines that he had ever said. We have been lucky to live in a day where no one ever dies digitally. We will never know the sound of Galileo's voice, but children in the future will see and hear this amazing man convey his most inward thoughts. A man for all time.
"But one thing that it has done, is to enhance my sense of appreciation for the beauty of life. And of the universe, and the sheer joy of being alive. ... Every moment, every inaminate object, and to say nothing of the exquisite complexity of living beings... Yeah, you imagine missing it all, and suddenly it's *so* much more precious." "May you live a long time. Thank you very much."
It would be difficult to fill his shoes in this modern era where so many people seem to think that consensus reality is really just a matter of personal opinion, and that the scientific community is full of nefarious types who have entered into a cabal with the goal of “taking away people’s freedom”
My father was a scientist that also passed away from cancer when I was a young child. My family fell apart afterward and I had a very tough time growing up.. When my father wasn't there, Carl Sagan was a great inspiration. I'm now grown up with a great career in egnineering and a deep belief in the value of science. Thank you for your gift Dr. Sagan.
What? Engineering involves using mathematical equations and scientific knowledge to solve problems. It's a type of applied science, a field of study that also includes medical and veterinary sciences. Engineers perform research, design devices, structures and chemical compounds and test the effectiveness of their prototypes.
Yep Yep - You might enjoy watching a famous PBS special that was broadcast in 1998 across the nation. Life Beyond Earth, by Timothy Ferris. Tim was the guy that made the Gold records for Carl Sagan to put aboard the Voyager spacecrafts. It ran as a 2-hour documentary and it's beautifully narrated by Ferris himself throughout the full run. You can just look it up, as it's available in RU-vid for free, by title and Tim Ferris's name, when you see it come up with a thumbnail icon showing the earth below photographed by the space station. I believe the runtime is 1 hour and 48 minutes. It has something in there for everyone. I played the 2-hour special for my students when I taught astronomy as an adjunct professor in 2004 at a local University here in Portland Oregon. At the end, as they're sending out a message to space to ask for a reply from any possible aliens listening out there, just before the credits begin to roll on the screen, it reads - for Carl Sagan.
I wish he would have lived long enough to see what an amazing tool for spreading knowledge the internet has become. I would have loved to get his insight on that.
***** Ya, but if we continue to teach people how to reason and not just regurgitate information, I have enough faith in humanity that logic and compassion will eventually win.
***** you're probably right. I try to believe that people want to learn from humanities mistakes and think independently but realistically, most people will fight, with vitriol, anything that contradicts their world view or comfort zone. I guess the earlier comment is something I WANT to believe.
***** same goes to you, deal with the fact that we are all unique individuals, stop trying to make everyone think like you. Let it go and be happy for what we have evolved to be, to think that everyone will have a scientific mind is like talking about some fairy tale.
I think Carl passed away not long after this interview. He was such a great man, so deeply loved and sorely missed by many people who never even met him. In a sense his energy still lives in in the cosmos in the form of binary digital information that people can still enjoy. You are so much loved. Dr Carl Sagan. x
When logic prevails!!...The Logical Legend that was Mr Carl Segan. Wish he was still around.... he was a lovely, humble, conscientious human in this sometimes chaotic world.✌from London.
+Alex Shi God will forgive you if you believe so you can rape, kill, murder and torture anyone you like! That is as long as you are a TRUE Christian though! If you are not a Christian then you are evil no matter what type of person you are and no matter how nice you are to others and you deserve to burn in hell!
Sagan said he never actually says, “billions and billions”, but, rather Johnny Carson used that expression in a skit referencing Sagan. Carson loved and admired Sagan.
I am 56 years old...Carl Sagan will be in my mind forever...I will be always thankfull for what has tought me....and the ones who made the series "Cosmos" possible....whatever....I'm just a guy somewhere in the world....but the world is my country....and science is my religion....
Would you rather sit on a tree stump, get an ass splinter, and die from infection the next time you take a shit or live in the 21st century with access to nearly infinite knowledge, freedom, and the ability to relax instead of being a naked hunter gatherer?
I regret not knowing about this genius earlier. It would have been a revelation and given me courage to follow my heart and pursue a career in science.
Carl Sagan faced a lot of challenges he did his best to deliver the meaning of science in a very simple way but during 70's and 80's more people were narrow thinking even the tv interviewer didn't understand him well enough. Carl Sagan was True and Great scientist.
Sagan opened a door that had always been shut for me, and for that I'll always be grateful to him. He was like that cool uncle you hardly ever see, who knows just a shitload about everything, and send you postcards and amazing little birthday gifts from around the world, and you just can't wait to talk to him next time he's in town. And one of the things that I valued most about him was that, due to the broadness of his education, he didn't automatically discount anything he didn't agree with. He'd studied culture as well as science at university, and had a cross-section of knowledge to draw on that today's super-specialized education doesn't provide. So religion and philosophy were interesting cultural and social phenomena even though they were factually nonsensical, not just stupid crap that could be ignored. I started feeling the effect of his death in the way these things are discussed publicly within a very few years. I think that because of his very public profile, he put a brake on the sort of virulent nastiness that is so prevalent today. He kind of stood in the middle, trying to make a bridge, and by his calm demeanor and politeness, he set an example which is sorely, SORELY lacking today. He just went too soon.
I love how Carl talks. He talks in a way that doesn't put down anyone, but instead to try and get people to not take certain things as literal, unwavering ether. What he says about being up for grabs with authority is a *major* issue still seen in the modern world today, as many nations, states, cities, schools, what have you, are all led by people who are seldom questioned. I think a key thing our culture ought to do is allow one to question authority, wherever it arrises.
Carl Sagan died too young. I would have loved to have my children grow up learning from this genius. The way he spoke and explained things was so easy to understand. I wonder what he would say about the path that technology has taken. I think he would be disapointed about two things about where we are, close to 2015. First is that the technology right now is being driven by war, and comunication that brings people further apart. Second their is a growing majority here in the USA and many other country's that have rejected established scientific theories and taken a literalist view of the bible, Koran, and have rejected facts such as evolution, geologic processes, and are living in a doomesday scenerio with the end of the world is right around the corner with God pulling them up to heaven at the rapture.
At 19:04, when discussing the possibility of his death, you can see him glance at the camera. I think in that moment, he was acutely aware of how the world would miss him. He remained humble, but he wasn’t wrong in the slightest.
I love and miss this genius of a man with all of my heart. His series, Cosmos (and esp. the reboot with Neil deGrasse Tyson) is indescribably thought-provokingm, astounding and thoroughly engaging. His wife, Ann Druyan, is equally as brilliant and a phenomenal writer. Dead at 62. Damn. Damn. DAMN!
Carl Sagan was such a beautiful human being, we miss him so much, a great scientist and humanist, and always so generous to his "opponents" He certainly changed my outlook on life,and I thank him for it.
As a kid I grew up with Carl Sagan but I didn't appreciate him as much as I do now and now he is so much more accessible, at least video's of him anyway. But now I have Neil deGrasse Tyson and he the the Sagan for my daughters generation tough she is only 6, but I am appreciating him enough for the two of us for now. But I wonder what Carl would think of the world now, so much of what he fought for has failed while so much of what he worked on lives on. He almost makes me want to believe there is a heaven.
Carl's influence is even greater now than it was when he produced Cosmos. Now he is more recognized and I wish he could see this. I introduced him to my girlfriend and she enjoyed his show quite much. She even made a poster for me with one of his quotes :)
I gotta wonder, Tom, that your despair of your daughter comes from the tv politics of fear and confusion. Don't worry so much. She's online, and couldn't give a fig about tv. ;p
If you close your eyes and listen to this, it's as if the man is sitting across the table from you TODAY. That is a hallmark of a truly great speaker and communicator.
His appreciation for the beauty of life as he neared death brought tears to my eyes. He is a perfect example of what it means to feel ontological awe. I think science helps us to feel that awe.
he was an awesome bloke , people like him should be in charge of our countries instead of the morally corrupt scum every government in the word is full of
agreed mate , i just luv sagans thoughts , ideals , logic and the way he spoke ,the world truly was a much sadder place the day he died , if a man like this was president , imagine the direction the world would be heading
Dr. Sagan was prescient, he nailed the condition of willful ignorance we have today. We certainly needed this beacon of intellectual curiosity the past 27 years.
17:25 - Sagan's erroneous view of science and the way overestimating of technological progress is clearly shown here. Sagan died in December of 1996, just 7 months after this interview.
Especially starting at 7:15 through 10:00, as this is where most people, [biblical literists especially] have trouble reconciling with what is being discussed here about understanding the scientific methods. Carl Sagan describes it so well.
I was steeped in hatred and anger at the time I saw this. I very quickly had to set that down and listen to the words of this amazing man. He changed my life and made me see the connection we all have to one another and to the universe itself. We are all made of star stuff and I can't express in words how much I miss this amazing and irreplaceable person. Hating someone for something as ridiculous as the color of their skin or their faith makes no sense. It's time we start to see the beauty in all of us and celebrate the potential within us all.
I met my all-time hero Carl Sagan 3 years before his passing. Shaking his hand was one of the greatest moments in my life. Over the decades since I often feel sad about the discoveries on Mars and about the universe as a whole that he missed and how much joy he would have gained from that knowledge.
My favorite Carl Sagan quote came when he was asked, "it seems that through the ages humans have created a mythological framework involving a higher spiritual power, but with that being impossible to prove where does that leave us" and his reply "on our own" is so simple and demanding accountability that it's perfect.
Impossible to prove? Of course you can " prove" it. Don't believe shit just because some dick says it man. That's ultimate stupidity , and very sad in your case.
He warned us about our fate 25 years ago and yet we march blindly into the abyss. Carl was an amazing individual and very rare in his intelligence and humanity. I am sure we all remember when Jay Leno went out into the streets to interview average people and found that they knew almost nothing about anything. We even have morons in Congress. Imagine that!
We need more people like this amazing scientist, my grandfather introduced me to Carl Sagan when I was a kid, he used to watch Cosmos and I used to sit next to him and watch, and my mind just exploded. I certainly agree humanity is at a huge risk, and scientific way of thinking is the way to bring order back to this world. But there is also a reality behind all of this, unfortunately we have more poor people in this world than people with enough money to provide with education to their kids, and that is creating a huge amount of ignorance, in addition to all other stuff considered as first necessity, and those which are our future, are not prepared to handle it, that is what we should afraid the most at this point. A complete lack of values, living in a society who values more a smartphone than spending an entire day with their family... sad times are ahead.
@@thomasjefferson1010 To me it means that the human brain is capable of thinking many ways. A person can think scientifically, artistically, spiritually, socially, culturally, politically, competitively, compassionately, economically, etc. Thinking scientifically is one of many ways of thinking.
I was so bummed out when Carl Sagan died.My wife could tell it and she was like a coach to me to get off my ass and start using my telescope again.I still get down when I think about him and his death.Neil deGrasse Tyson really helped me a bunch and I also like Michio Kaku.
While I enjoy all three I don't think Tyson or Kaku can really hold a candle to Sagan and the legacy he left behind. They both were inspired by him, he was the original.
Life has value because we don't live forever. You will never value something that you cannot lose. Please learn that important life lesson. No pun intended.
One of the greatest man on our planet. Deep respect! He will live on forever as quality always does. And he will inspire all coming generations for sure
Charlie Rose is still working. He's currently interviewing daily on public broadcasting here in Oregon. If he's here, he should be available elsewhere.
This was an amazing interview with Carl Sagan he was a man of great belief, and his knowledge of the the universe ,was always a pleasure to listen to him speak, I wish I had met him when he was alive there are so many questions I would have liked to ask him about space and the universe, RIP Carl sadly missed but never forgotten 🙏🏽
He is missed more today, in a sense than he was in 1996, for today the need for a scientific leader that can illuminate the idiocy of politicians mostly entirely scientifically illiterate, is ever more necessary. Saddening...
You didn't actually listen to what he was saying. Being a true scientist by definition means having an open mind. Believing everything in a book written by humans thousands of years ago and taking it as the literal truth or as a moral lawbook in today's world, and refusing new knowledge, is inherently close minded. You are spouting rhetoric that has no basis.
@@dustman96 I watched this interview and there was nothing presented by Carl Sagan except, opinion which he is entitled to however, what was radically missing was the Fact that many Devout Christians, have a long History of Scientific Discovery in which there was no conflict between their work and their Faith. Thomas Jefferson was praised yet not one word addressing the fact that he was a Devout man of Faith. Faith is not the "Belief in the absence of evidence" as stated by Carl who is clearly a Devout Atheist. He is the very definition of the closed minded in his approach to science and, I suspect everything else in life. His statement that "Science is a way of Thinking" confirms that he's closed minded. There are many things that Science cannot and have no capacity to answer. I'll bet you cannot think of one? Scripture was written by men however inspired by GOD. Faith has nothing to do with believing in GOD, only Faith in what GOD promised to Christian Believers in his Word. If you believe in GOD because of Faith you are an idiot. I don't believe in anything absent evidence because I'm a natural skeptic. You will never believe in GOD until you seek and find the evidence. This is why, you a closed minded individual on GOD have no basis to believe because, you never did the work required and I'm not talking about reading a couple of books. Newton, Galileo, Mendel, Pasteur, Linnaeus, George Washington Carver come to mind, were among the Greatest Scientists in past History. Rene Descarte in his "Discourse on Method", the father of the Scientific Method has a chapter on the Proof of God' Existence. GOD' Word is not a book but a library of books written over the last 7 thousand years not 2,000 that give a consistent message. Yes, the New Testament is approx 2,000 years old and is the most investigated work in History, along with the Old Testament yet there has never been a False Statement found because, It would be broadcast throughout the World and forever by Atheists, who would never allow Christians to forget it if there was. That in itself would be a Miracle if written by mere men yet I suspect you don't believe in miracles. Scripture is so accurate, it is the basis for Archeological Discoveries in the Old World. Research Scientific Discoveries that were stated in the Old Testament, several thousand years ago that we only found True and accurate in the 19th Century. If you can open your mind long enough to research just these, maybe you will have a change of heart. Carl Sagan needs to be congratulated on his creation of a great t.v. show "Cosmos" that did inspire many to research.
When Dr. Sagan died I felt like I lost my father. He was truly the most influential individual in my life and his books and television shows inspired me like no other. Its a shame that no one since has emerged to take up the challenge of promoting common sense, critical thinking,science, skepticism and responsible technology.
Greg is obviously a moron troll, Left-wing libtard. There was nothing in my post that was political so leave your political opinions at the door because you wouldn't recognize true libertarian-conservative ideology if it smacked you upside your communist cranium.
Death To Liberalism There was nothing in your post about politics, but your username is an advertisement for your political beliefs. If you weren't expecting people to notice it, you're fairly naive. And you can do all the justifying you want, but Carl Sagan was a liberal, so his comment saying that it's odd that a person who hates liberalism looks up to a liberal isn't really that out of bounds.
"a combustible mixture of ignorance and power" - Sagan 1996 *Donald Trump removes USA from Paris Climate Agreement because "they're laughing at us" * -2017
The magic of his language, the artistry of his words, they still resonate to this day. I'm so pleased and gratified that we have recordings of his voice.
