Science is a way to not fool ourselves.
Carl SaganRead
I believe that the extraordinary should be pursued. But extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Extraordinary claims deserve thorough evidence to support them.
Carl Sagan emphasizes the importance of evidence when encountering remarkable assertions. While he encourages the pursuit of extraordinary ideas and phenomena, he warns that such claims must be backed by substantial proof to be considered credible, thus highlighting a critical aspect of scientific inquiry and skepticism.
Themes
ExtraordinaryEvidenceClaimsScienceSkepticism
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate on the existence of UFOs, this quote can be used to emphasize the need for solid proof.
More from Carl Sagan
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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.
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The simplest thought, like the concept of the number one, has an elaborate logical underpinning.
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