One of Carl Sagan's most important messages for humanity

As a side note i was not sure were this belonged so mods fell free to move to a more appropriate forum if desired

These are some wise words from a very wise man

Those worlds in space are as countless as all the grains of sand on all the beaches of the Earth. Each of those worlds is as real as ours. In every one of them, there's a sucsession of incidence, events, occurences which influence its future. Countless worlds, numberless moments, an immensity of space and time. And our small planet, at this moment, here we face a critical branch-point in the history. What we do with our world, right now, will propagate down through the centuries and powerfully affect the destiny of our descendants. It is well within our power to destroy our civilization, and perhaps our species as well. If we capitulate to superstition, or greed, or stupidty we can plunge our world into a darkness deeper than time between the collapse of classical civilization and the Italian Renaissaince. But, we are also capable of using our compassion and our intelligence, our technology and our wealth, to make an abundant and meaningful life for every inhabitant of this planet. To enhance enormously our understanding of the Universe, and to carry us to the stars

reply to post by ninjas4321


"A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism."
Carl Sagan

the illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world.

Carl Sagan was an alright dude.

He sure was a brilliant man

"The idea that God is an oversized white male with a flowing beard who sits in the sky and tallies the fall of every sparrow is ludicrous. But if by God one means the set of physical laws that govern the universe, then clearly there is such a God. This God is emotionally unsatisfying... it does not make much sense to pray to the law of gravity."
Carl Sagan R.I.P

I'm glad there's a thread on Sagan. The other day on another thread about multiple dimensions a poster responded to a video of Sagan by saying something like, "well this Carl guy..." So I tried to make it clear that he's not just some guy.

Probably the most quotable of modern scientists.

Originally posted by ProspectPhilosopher
He sure was a brilliant man

"The idea that God is an oversized white male with a flowing beard who sits in the sky and tallies the fall of every sparrow is ludicrous. But if by God one means the set of physical laws that govern the universe, then clearly there is such a God. This God is emotionally unsatisfying... it does not make much sense to pray to the law of gravity."

May God rest his soul..

Originally posted by benrl

the illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world.

Carl Sagan was an alright dude.

Indeed. However, he was either an "alright dude", who kept the truth from us to protect his own status, or he lied to purposesfully mis-inform us..

When its comes to the likes of Sagan, every body ignores the elephant in the room, and that elephant is the simple fact ET are here, and 80% of the world are aware of it.

Originally posted by Sinny

When its comes to the likes of Sagan, every body ignores the elephant in the room, and that elephant is the simple fact ET are here, and 80% of the world are aware of it.

Awesome, where are they?

Pics or it didn't happen

What never cease to amaze me is the fact that everything goes in opposite direction, no matter how powerfull massages were delivered from great minds throughout history and lead me to believe that destiny of the earth and humankind has been already sealed. But despite that, I refuse to reject the idea of better and peacful world. I LOVE YOU ALL

Originally posted by blupblup

Originally posted by Sinny

When its comes to the likes of Sagan, every body ignores the elephant in the room, and that elephant is the simple fact ET are here, and 80% of the world are aware of it.

Awesome, where are they?

Pics or it didn't happen

Aha. I actually have a picture of my own sighting of two UFOs. If you view my thread history, go to the thread entitled "so where does that leave me?"

They are not spectacular piks, but its a fair representation of what I saw, I could see the large translucent orb a lot better with my eyes, than what my friends phone captured.

Unfortunately I didn't have a phone handy when the black saucer appeared to me.

Its okay, I get it, if you haven't seen one your self, you'll be full of doubt, I'd never gave the subject much thought until I randomly saw one.

It chose me

Any way, that link will provide you with my personal exsperiences.

S&F for Carl Sagan

reply to post by Sinny



I was actually joking... doing the usual ATS "pics or didn't happen" thing as a joke.

I've seen stuff, I'm sure many people have.... but alas, I was literally just yanking your chain.

reply to post by blupblup


Ohh sorry, hard to tell in what sense that terms used now, I see it every other day, consider my chain yanked! Aha.

reply to post by ninjas4321


A wise AND intelligent person, a very rare combination of traits. Dead too early, I say, as seems typical of those with high intellect coupled with a strong wisdom.

reply to post by Sinny

When its comes to the likes of Sagan, every body ignores the elephant in the room, and that elephant is the simple fact ET are here, and 80% of the world are aware of it.

It's a bit unfair to assume he knew anything more about ET than any other scientist.
Mr. Sagan honestly believed in the things he spoke about and chose his words very carefully.
He was not one to devote thought to baseless assumptions and being a scientist the burden of proof fell on him far heavier than the average human.
If he believed ET never visited earth then I respect him for that regardless of my personal opinion.

reply to post by ninjas4321

He had a better grasp 40 years ago on reality than most people do now.

Because most people are not scientists AND great thinkers, basically. Furthermore, most people can't communicate it well to others. That was something Carl Sagan could do.

Some of the greatest minds have eclipsed him, but they're few and far between.

Most of us, me included, are dumb as oxen and blind to reality for the foreseeable future.

You want to bat .4999? Then start batting with the pros! Open a science book, get out into the field! Get to work! You have a long ways to go. 20 years, at least. It's not easy. Not even. You're going to need to work long hours reading books and examining data and taking measurements in the field. Long hours writing papers and working with others to formalize and establish your work. Lots of math will have to be learned. Lots of hard contemplation and figuring when you'd rather be doing something else. You'll need to be doing this most every day for many hours and for 20 years.

Just take a basic Physics 101 class. I did. It proved to me that I'm not as smart as I think. In fact, it put humility in me and a reverence for people like Sagan, who have the mind and discipline for it.

With somebody like Sagan, chances are, you OWE him respect.

Now, me, I often didn't respect how difficult and complex construction and labor and industry jobs can be. I tend to have a philosophy and science bent. Pretty much, I'm prejudiced towards people who're not conceptual thinkers. But I've had to learn over the years that electricians and machinists and loggers and plumbers and others like them also deserve respect for their hard work and difficult to learn skills. While I still cannot find it in me to be really interested in those sorts of things - i'm just not that type of person - I still have an appreciation and respect for people who work in those fields.

this is my fave

reply to post by Sinny



I would have thought the might give it away

"We are a way for the cosmos to know itself" -Carl Sagan

There is more truth in this statement than most people realize, but I believe he knew!

reply to post by Darkblade71

I think you're suggesting that the cosmos is conscious?

Sort of like how we need others to really know ourselves?

All the statement implies is that, absent of universal intelligence, we (or other lifeforms) are needed to observe it. I don't think he was indirectly stating that the universe has consciousness.

If the universe isn't intelligent and there was no life, there'd be nothing to know the universe, unless something outside the universe was able to observe it and know it.

Ways that the universe can know itself:
1) Us or other lifeforms within the universe
2) The universe itself
3) Lifeforms outside this universe observing it and hence knowing it

All he acknowledged was that we're a way. He didn't expand on other ways.