Carl Sagan's Demon-Haunted World as Social Commentary We humans have a sad tendency to make the same mistakes over and over again” (Sagan 424). Humans today have an understanding of the world around them that is far superior to that of their ancestors. Despite this, a growing number of people perpetually fail to scrutinize the subject to the degree necessary for self-evolution. According to Sagan, the inability to think scientifically seems to be the reason why most people commit to investing all their faith in as yet unproven phenomena such as UFOs and even religion. By investigating matters of global importance like these, Sagan attempts to ward off the demons of ignorance (Nickell 110). One of the strongest arguments Sagan makes is the examination of reported UFO "abductees." According to the author, the biggest problem in UFO abduction cases is the fact that the evidence is neither sought nor accepted by the subject. The slightest glimmer of the possibility of having been abducted almost always snowballs into the firmest belief that one has indeed been abducted. Even the strongest “evidence” can often be explained away as something much more rational than it appears to the “abductee.” For example, scars attributed to extraterrestrial experiences could very likely be due to unconscious acts of self-harm. Sagan argues that even claims of seeing aliens can be attributed to the brain's possible retention and subsequent projection of dreams. People have sometimes recalled events of contact with extraterrestrial life under hypnosis. But Sagan argues that hypnosis is mediocre enough for it to be recognized in court... in the middle of a newspaper... and in the sun and take a year to implement (324). These facts are not mentioned in hopes of instilling despair over the apparent lack of basic knowledge across America. Rather, Sagan's aim is to emphasize the need for a scientifically literate public (324). In summary, Sagan reports that the mistake that man continually makes is being led in wrong directions. He believes that “what [many people] wish to be true, they believe” (325). A dangerous number of people fail to doubt and question themselves and their environment. Acceptance of diverse ideas without requiring proof can only threaten to retard the progress of the human race. Work Cited Nickell, Joe. Looking for a miracle. New York: Prometheus Books, 1998. Sagan, Carl. The world haunted by demons: science as a candle in the dark. New York: random, 1996.

Essay / Carl Sagan's Demon-Haunted World as Social Commentary We humans have a sad tendency to make the same mistakes over and over again” (Sagan 424). Humans today have an understanding of the world around them that is far superior to that of their ancestors. Despite this, a growing number of people perpetually fail to scrutinize the subject to the degree necessary for self-evolution. According to Sagan, the inability to think scientifically seems to be the reason why most people commit to investing all their faith in as yet unproven phenomena such as UFOs and even religion. By investigating matters of global importance like these, Sagan attempts to ward off the demons of ignorance (Nickell 110). One of the strongest arguments Sagan makes is the examination of reported UFO "abductees." According to the author, the biggest problem in UFO abduction cases is the fact that the evidence is neither sought nor accepted by the subject. The slightest glimmer of the possibility of having been abducted almost always snowballs into the firmest belief that one has indeed been abducted. Even the strongest “evidence” can often be explained away as something much more rational than it appears to the “abductee.” For example, scars attributed to extraterrestrial experiences could very likely be due to unconscious acts of self-harm. Sagan argues that even claims of seeing aliens can be attributed to the brain's possible retention and subsequent projection of dreams. People have sometimes recalled events of contact with extraterrestrial life under hypnosis. But Sagan argues that hypnosis is mediocre enough for it to be recognized in court... in the middle of a newspaper... and in the sun and take a year to implement (324). These facts are not mentioned in hopes of instilling despair over the apparent lack of basic knowledge across America. Rather, Sagan's aim is to emphasize the need for a scientifically literate public (324). In summary, Sagan reports that the mistake that man continually makes is being led in wrong directions. He believes that “what [many people] wish to be true, they believe” (325). A dangerous number of people fail to doubt and question themselves and their environment. Acceptance of diverse ideas without requiring proof can only threaten to retard the progress of the human race. Work Cited Nickell, Joe. Looking for a miracle. New York: Prometheus Books, 1998. Sagan, Carl. The world haunted by demons: science as a candle in the dark. New York: random, 1996.

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