Carl Sagan was the skeptic’s skeptic. He was adamant about demanding evidence, and being clear that claims of the paranormal and supernatural must provide evidence, strong evidence, or else they are without merit.
So it’s a little weird to know that he has a book coming out, 10 years after he died:
This year, however — a decade after his death from a rare bone-marrow disease — some of Sagan’s deepest thoughts on the ultimate questions are being brought to light in a newly rediscovered collection of lectures titled “The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God.”
The book, due for publication in November by The Penguin Press, is based on a series of talks Sagan gave at the University of Glasgow in 1985 as part of the Gifford Lectures on natural theology. After lying hidden for decades in Sagan’s archives, the transcripts of the nine taped lectures were rediscovered just a few months ago, said Ann Druyan, the scientist’s widow and longtime collaborator.
This sounds like a fantastic opportunity to once again be inside Sagan’s head, a place that I find fascinating, and endlessly wonderful.
I’m not the only one, either. Washington Post columnist, blogger, and science guy Joel Achenbach recently wrote about Sagan as well: The Sagan File. I like Joel’s writing: he’s funny, even silly, but it’s backed up by a keen intellect and an honest desire to talk about different aspects of science. I think you’ll like him too.
Nods to Larry Klaes for the info on Sagan’s new book.
May 18th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
Carl Sagan was such an inspiration to me as a child. And as an adault, I broke down and cried when I heard of his death — I’m not ashamed to admit it! I’ll have to watch out for this book.
May 18th, 2006 at 11:38 pm
“The Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be”
Evidence?
May 19th, 2006 at 4:37 am
“Evidence?”
By definition.
May 19th, 2006 at 8:00 am
I always liked Sagan. I once visited Cornell University for a weekend about 20 years ago. While there I figured I’d go to the Center for Radiophysics and hopefully bump into the guy. I got to the building, which was understandably rather empty due to it’s being a holiday weekend. But nevertheless, I found a directory and determined that his office was on an upper floor. I took the elevator up, strolled down the hall toward his office, and…
…it was completely empty. Nothing. Not even a desk. It was being repainted.
May 19th, 2006 at 11:32 am
As a teenager, I remember picking up a little paperback called “The Cosmic Connection” and I loved it and went onto read many of his books including
“Cosmos”. One of these days I will purchase the Cosmos series.
Sometimes though, Dr. Sagan could be a bit tiring though as a friend of my sister told me who happened upon the good professor from a distance. My friend yelled “Hey Carl” to which he replied “It’s Dr. Sagan to you”.
Whatever the man was personally like I will never know but I still think he was a tremendous writer.
I will, however, always will feel a connection to him because he died on my 40th birthday, December 20,1996.
May 19th, 2006 at 12:14 pm
P. Edward Murray sez: “I will, however, always will feel a connection to him because he died on my 40th birthday, December 20,1996.”
Doug Adams (of “Hitchhikers Guide” fame) died on my birthday in 2002. My wife’s grandmother died on my birthday in 1988. All of you out there reading this can feel safe for another year as we just passed this year’s anniversary of my trips around the sun on May 11.
- Jack
May 19th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
10 years since Sagan passed on? Wow, hard to believe.
Goes to show that rap artists aren’t the only ones with releases after they die.
The Science Channel also honor Sagan by showing his ‘Cosmos’ program. Great stuff!
May 19th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
Long before he died, he was ill for a time and recovered. I sent him a “get well” note that also had a few excited comments about the then upcoming Viking 1 and Viking 2 Mars Landers. Got a nice thank you letter back from Ann Druyan, which I’ve kept all these years.
May 19th, 2006 at 10:38 pm
I hope this new book sells billions & billions…
May 20th, 2006 at 1:13 am
I never thought I’d ever see a new book by Sagan, I can’t wait to order it.
I hope the contents aren’t too dated given that the lectures were 20+ years ago, the world has changed vastly since that time.
May 21st, 2006 at 1:10 am
Sagan’s 1985 Gifford Lectures at the University of Glasgow to be available in book form! Hooray!
I recently read Freeman Dyson’s 1985 Gifford Lectures at the University of Aberdeen – the book is titled Infinite in All Directions. Recommend them highly.
I gave my nephew Sagan’s The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark for his 16th birthday; he told me recently that he has actually begun to read it – now that he is a 19-year-old university student.
May 23rd, 2006 at 1:40 pm
[...] I’m really looking forward to reading this. Check out the Bad Astronomy Blog for more cool stuff like this. « Where’s Your Favorite Satellite? | [...]
November 5th, 2006 at 7:08 pm
To my favorite astronomer and pals. The next episode of Skepticality will feature an special interview. Dr. Michael Shermer speaks with Ann Druyan discussing among other topics, this book.
- Swoopy