Cosmos
by Carl Sagan
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Book Summary Information
Author: Carl SaganEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1985-10-12
ISBN: 0345331354
Number of pages: 324
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780345331359
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Cosmos
Book Review: A testament to Carl Sagan's convictions
Summary: 3 Stars
As the years go by, this book ceases to be an up-to-date popularization of astronomy, and more of a testament to Carl Sagan's convictions and optimism with science. As a youth, was enchanted by the series, and grateful for the important principles and fact about science was being taught. We need scientists; we need to popularize science; we need to do all of this necessary hard research that raises our standard of living.
Nevertheless, there are several problems with Sagan's approach. The first is with evolution. His fundamental error is category mistake: evolution is not primarily a scientific question, but a historical question, with the science being an auxiliary in reconstructing the historical event.
Secondly, Sagan confuses "science fact" (empirically verifiable data), with his rhetorical flights of fancy. Whenever he uses weasel words--"perhaps," "undoubtedly," without a question, "it is safe to assume"--you know that the science has ended, and Sagan's tall tales are beginning. For example, chapter 7 contains a stream of thought passage about primitive life. Unless Sagan's is claiming to be undergoing past-life regression like "The Star-Rover," this passage is scientifically invalid. Additionally, Sagan provides no disclaimers, and so an unnecessary burden is shifted to the reader in sifting the wheat from the chaff.
Another fundamental error has to do with extra-terrestrial civilizations. He has two fatal assumptions. First, he assumes that these civilizations are more advanced than we are: "Their science and technology would be far beyond ours" (258), "We must be the most backwards technical civilization in the galaxy." (255). Since we have not had any contact (ahem!), he cannot possibly know this. The real question is--why does Sagan believe this? An why does he constantly uses these as-yet-to-be-discovered aliens as his amanuenses? And why does he attach so much mystical hope in these unknown, and as-yet-to-be-proved-to-exits beings?
The other assumption is that these ETs will be benevolent. In another book, Sagan has a chapter called "When Scientists Know Sin," denouncing Teller and SDI. If human scientist know sin, why not the ET scientists also?
We need the military: self-preservation is the first law of nature, and government's first function is maintaining law and order and protecting life, liberty, and property (Federalist 3),. Alexander Hamilton observed, "Is it not time to awake from the deceitful dream of a golden age and to adopt as a practical maxim for the direction of our political conduct that we, as well as the other inhabitants of the globe, are yet remote from the happy empire of perfect wisdom and perfect virtue?" (Federalist 6) This is not just for political scientists, but also to our hypothetical ET visitors.
In the concluding paragraphs to chapter 12, Sagan, once again, is spinning a tall tale: he speculates about the insights we would receive on art, politics, religion, and so forth. The problem is that if ETs had a different biology, then they would have a different morality.
For example, in "Speaker For the Dead," Orson Scott Card has an alien race of that, when killed, turn into trees, unlike humans who die when killed. Consequently, "Thou shalt not kill" would be meaningless for such an alien species. In fact, it would be detrimental, since preserving live would hinder this next level of progression.
The same thing applies to politics. James Madison said, "But what is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself." (Federalist, 51).
Government for humans, for angels, and for aliens, would of necessity be different due to their different natures. In fact, it is quite possible that ET morality would be totally irrelevant. And the same thing applies for philosophy, religion, art, and most anything else. We have no hard data--we do not know.
Another problem has to do with his passive anti-Christianity. Admittedly, during the Middle Ages and early renaissance, the Roman Church was hard on the astronomers. As a Mormon, I agree with him. However, he paradoxically denounces Western Christianity, yet he puts credence in every other non-Christian creation myths: after citing aboriginal Australian, Chinese, Pacific Island, and the Popol Vuh creation stories, he points out their flaws, then quickly adds "But those other creation stories are worthy of our deep respect." (Ch 10, p.213).
Behind this paradox is the incorrect notion of a "Nobel Savage." As a counterpoint, I suggest King Kalakaua's "The Legends and Myths of Hawaii." The first reason is that you see that anciently, the early Hawaiians had their own prejudices and turf wars, no different that Renaissance Italy. Secondly, for some reason, the early Hawaiian legends are identical to those in the Hebrew Scriptures (33-35).
So Sagan, with these flights of fancy, is violating his own rule: "whatever is inconsistent with the facts must be discarded." (Ch. 13, p. 276)
Over all, this book is a mixture of good and bad--90% good, 10% bad. Over time, it is slowly getting dated, but that is because we are making so many advances in science. And this is what Carl Sagan would want.
PS--"Sex was invented" (p. 282). Doesn't the word invented imply an inventor? Oops!
Summary of Cosmos
The best-selling science book ever published in the English language, COSMOS is a magnificent overview of the past, present, and future of science. Brilliant and provocative, it traces today's knowledge and scientific methods to their historical roots, blending science and philosophy in a wholly energetic and irresistible way.Cosmos was the first science TV blockbuster, and Carl Sagan was its (human) star. By the time of Sagan's death in 1996, the series had been seen by half a billion people; Sagan was perhaps the best-known scientist on the planet. Explaining how the series came about, Sagan recalled:
I was positive from my own experience that an enormous global interest exists in the exploration of the planets and in many kindred scientific topics--the origin of life, the Earth, and the Cosmos, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, our connection with the universe. And I was certain that this interest could be excited through that most powerful communications medium, television.
Sagan's own interest and enthusiasm for the universe were so vivid and infectious, his screen presence so engaging, that viewers and readers couldn't help but be caught up in his vision. From stars in their "billions and billions" to the amino acids in the primordial ocean, Sagan communicated a feeling for science as a process of discovery. Inevitably, some of the science in Cosmos has been outdated in the years since 1980--but Sagan's sense of wonder is ageless. --Mary Ellen Curtin
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