Science is a way to not fool ourselves.
Carl SaganRead
Centuries hence, when current social and political problems may seem as remote as the problems of the Thirty Years' War are to us, our age may be remembered chiefly for one fact: It was the time when the inhabitants of the earth first made contact with the vast cosmos in which their small planet is embedded.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on humanity's first contact with the cosmos, emphasizing our small place in the universe.
Carl Sagan's quote contemplates the future perception of our era, suggesting that while many social and political issues may fade in significance over time, our monumental achievement in reaching out to the cosmos will endure. It highlights the significance of exploring and understanding our place in the universe, reminding us of the larger context in which our lives unfold.
Themes
CosmosUniverseExplorationHumanitySignificance
In practice
Example use cases
A speaker at a science conference might use this quote to inspire curiosity in space exploration.
More from Carl Sagan
All quotes →In more than one respect, the exploring of the Solar System and homesteading other worlds constitutes the beginning, much more than the end, of history.
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How smart does a chimpanzee have to be before killing him constitutes murder?
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The hole in the ozone layer is a kind of skywriting. At first it seemed to spell out our continuing complacency before a witch's brew of deadly perils. But perhaps it really tells of a newfound talent to work together to protect the global environment.
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There is a reward structure in science that is very interesting: Our highest honors go to those who disprove the findings of the most revered among us. So Einstein is revered not just because he made so many fundamental contributions to science, but because he found an imperfection in the fundamental contribution of Isaac Newton.
Carl SaganRead
The simplest thought, like the concept of the number one, has an elaborate logical underpinning.
Carl SaganRead
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