@@thend4427 Sure, I was pointing out another issue with many schools today, but it’s related to the fact that most schools have changed so little in the last century, on which I think we agree. The curriculum is also an issue, where a lot of what people learn in schools, never gets used in life.
It warms my hart watching a young person giving love to this book as well as the comments. Ive always felt this should be mandatory readind in schools. It doesnt tell you what to think but how to think using scientific principles to avoid b.s or baloney as Sagan put it. I look at the madness and magical thinking rotting America from the inside and wonder if it could have been reduced or even outright avoided if every citizen was armed with a baloney detection kit. The book was written in '95 and its as relevant today as it was then.
Great review! 👍🏻👏👏👏 It's encouraging to see someone of your generation absorbing and appreciating the importance of knowledge garnered from science, data, facts, and truth. In today's world of conspiracy theories and band wagons skepticism is essential.
Thank you so much! I believe thinking is essential (what a peculiar statement...) to living well with others. hopefully this review inspires some people to challenge what they think they know as fact.
I have been a scientific skeptic and a critical thinker for some 15 years and surprisingly I just got around to reading this book and wow! What an awesome read and resource to have!
Good review, tyvm.. “One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.” ― Carl Sagan ♥ The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
You did an excellent job with this review. I've read the book several times...Carl Sagan was...is inspirational. He created and hosted the television show Cosmos: A Personal Voyage and taught in Elementary schools. One of the best parts of the book...the Bologna Detection kit : "Arguments from authority carry little weight - “authorities” have made mistakes in the past. They will do so again in the future. Perhaps a better way to say it is that in science there are no authorities; at most, there are experts. Spin more than one hypothesis. If there’s something to be explained, think of all the different ways in which it could be explained. Then think of tests by which you might systematically disprove each of the alternatives. What survives, the hypothesis that resists disproof in this Darwinian selection among “multiple working hypotheses,” has a much better chance of being the right answer than if you had simply run with the first idea that caught your fancy. Try not to get overly attached to a hypothesis just because it’s yours. It’s only a way station in the pursuit of knowledge. Ask yourself why you like the idea. Compare it fairly with the alternatives. See if you can find reasons for rejecting it. If you don’t, others will. Quantify. If whatever it is you’re explaining has some measure, some numerical quantity attached to it, you’ll be much better able to discriminate among competing hypotheses. What is vague and qualitative is open to many explanations. Of course there are truths to be sought in the many qualitative issues we are obliged to confront, but finding them is more challenging. If there’s a chain of argument, every link in the chain must work (including the premise) - not just most of them. Occam’s Razor. This convenient rule-of-thumb urges us when faced with two hypotheses that explain the data equally well to choose the simpler. Always ask whether the hypothesis can be, at least in principle, falsified. Propositions that are untestable, unfalsifiable are not worth much. Consider the grand idea that our Universe and everything in it is just an elementary particle - an electron, say - in a much bigger Cosmos. But if we can never acquire information from outside our Universe, is not the idea incapable of disproof? You must be able to check assertions out. Inveterate skeptics must be given the chance to follow your reasoning, to duplicate your experiments and see if they get the same result."
Ordered the book today, can't wait to read it! Shipping from USA all the way to Georgia (Europe), so it's gonna take a little over a month or two sadly. Good review.
@@metoo9360 I did receive and have read it, I really enjoyed it. Many of the matters present in the book are still relevant and some even more so. Most important book i own, highly recommend.
@@leriku2270 yep it's more relevant today more than ever because we are reverting back to the days of ignorance, magical thinking, and superstition as well as the rise of fascism in America.
Now this is the kind of diversity I LOVE to see!!!! This young man is far and away ahead of most people on this planet. I love it!!!!! I wish him the BEST!!! Subscribed!
I just finished reading this book and it is more than eye-opening in respects to the social problems that we are experiencing today. Based on current trends it's easy to conclude that people would rather be entertained than enlightened, and people who are not enlightened/educated are easily lead astray. From crazy conspiracy theories, to climate change denial to the dumbing down of our education system- Sagan warned us 25 years ago, and yet here we are. SMDH I wish more people would read it. Thanks for the review
Hey tee! Thanks for your comment. I agree that the content in this book is important, but I would say that I am not mad at anyone for seeking entertainment. I feel most people do what they are taught, and to an extent your experience becomes a religion in that it is difficult to change. I hope people chose to learn, but that can be incredibly difficult if you were taught to value something else.
@@jordantremainebookreviews3728 You are correct, we do what we are taught, but at some point we grow and choose our own paths. We all need a release and some enjoyment. The problem is that as a society we affect each other's lives. All people won't share the same opinions, needs or desires, but if we are all educated we can make more reasonable and hopefully compassionate decisions. Carl Sagan was a brilliant man. Have you read "Pale Blue Dot"?
@@teethompson7756 I had a friend tell me once that compassion is an “advanced human trait” .... You make a good point about the self responsibility. I think we gain more autonomy over time, and are never completely out of control of our thoughts even since birth. I have found in my experience it can be tricky to balance the judgement and compassion of a situation, and that everyone is in a different place. I try more to judge out of understanding than condemnation, and do things (like this channel and the podcast I run) to encourage others to think critically and allow their thoughts to be challenged. I have not read pale blue dot. Sounds like a book about earth?
@@jordantremainebookreviews3728 Yes, it's about Earth and our place and thoughts about the Universe. I recommend the audiobook read by Sagan himself and another man whose name I can't recall. I don't follow any podcast but I do hope yours does well. The world does better when sound voices and opinions like yours are shared. Best of luck to you!
Even with all the education in the world, people will still believe bullshit. There are educated (if not many) YECs, flat earthers, QAnons, etc. The important thing is not knowledge, but the way to acquire knowledge. It's not about what you think, it's about how you think. Being able to admit when you're wrong, shed biases, and recognize subjectivity/objectivity is more important than knowing any particular fact.
the whole “baloney” or however it’s spelled seems interesting because as a young kid I always noticed that many people would be like sheep and just follow the crowd while I would think twice about what boat I jumped in ya know so I think this book might be a good pickup to finally understand that
Thank you very so much . Great! Can you recommend some books similar to the Demon Haunted World and Sapiens? My friends and I are done with them.What should we read next?
love this book. one of the things you just hinted here but didn't mention explicitly - was how the book points out exactly how f'ed up we are WITHOUT the scientific method guiding our thoughts. The whole part about the malleus maleficarum was just horrific. This totally fantasized method was used widely to decide who was a witch was used for hundreds of years to burn thousands of people, and the book goes into great detail on its train of thought and how it was implemented. I look around today and everywhere I see these non-thinking ideologies spring up and pray that we don't get consumed by one; its all too easy to fall into these traps and I really wish that we could make everybody read and understand this.
Hey Greg! Thanks for your comment. I do agree there is a trouble about today with the common form of thought... that said, I do not think this is a new problem - one we just have new tools to monitor like the internet. One of the main reasons I do these book reviews is to encourage the public to challenge themselves and read interesting things because I believe strongly in a better world where people think outside of themselves. That said, I do not think a person can or should force something on someone that doesn't want it. To try and encourage people I promote ideas and thinking in everyway I can- Hosting community discussions (outside of pandemic) book reviews, podcasting are some of the things I put out to inspire the world I want to live in. Its not a fix everything overnight solution, but its also not a sugar pill. I'm curious if you have any ideas on what a person can do to contribute to a solution? you seem passionate about something important!
@@jordantremainebookreviews3728 yeah I'm passionate about things because we now face a real choice; whether or not we continue with technological advancement and improving the human condition or we fall back into disarray; its already happened multiple times in history and it could happen again. One thing that I think that you could do is interview people who write these books and try to advance their cause; people like Jared Diamond, Robert Sapolsky, Steven Pinker, Kurt Andersen, Vaclav Smil. Read their books, write down questions about them along with questions that are generic in nature (what most concerns you about the world today, etc). Ask them who inspired them, and add to the list of people to interview people they mention. Crowdsource the questions that you ask by opening it up on a forum. Before interviewing, ask the AUTHORS THEMSELVES which questions THEY wish to be asked. Do some research with seasoned interviewers (Charlie Rose, Lex Fridman) and note down interesting generic questions they ask. Do practice interviews with people you find interesting to get your technique down before approaching them. Anyways just a thought. In another life I'd probably be doing the same, I'm an engineer that is way too involved in my job to do this, but it sounds like you are pretty motivated to take up such a challenge.
I can't recommend the book enough either. It should be required reading in every high school's curriculum (as Mina Guta recommends below); and should be part of every household's library for reference.
Jordan Peterson? I think there are a good many things out there that may not be easy to understand but are defiantly worth it. I did a review on one of his books that might help with your question. ua-cam.com/video/jPdxS4EDsLQ/v-deo.html
@@jordantremainebookreviews3728 definitely. I really liked Contact, the book but also enjoyed the movie. I was going to try and reach out to you about a collaboration I'm doing (a top 210 sci fi list) with other BookTubers doing cameos...wasn't sure how to reach out to you or if it was OK to bring it up here...
@@FIT2BREAD Well I have seen the movie - Its my good friend's favorite so he dragged me in (good movie BTW). and I replied to your other comment a while ago... you can email me at jordantremaine3@gmail.com
Looking back on this from 2024 - how much of the stupidity of the past 4 years could have been avoided if this book were required reading for the past 25 years…
I thought that book was Fd up! I was like wtf???? (Good and bad) Still reading it on page 200 I agreed with everything until he started to talk about victims of violence. Im not talking about the ones that believe in ufo but presenting victims as people that can distort ( which is true to cope with reality) can be an argument also against real victims of violence...but still have a few chapters to read.
Hey Betzy, thanks for the comment This book has a lot of content, and I think sometimes different people may use different words to describe the same thing. I usually do not agree 100% with anyone on all issues, but I do think that everyone has some good ideas and thought. I’d be curious to hear what you thought of the book as a whole when you finish
Its like carl predicted our current world cause that's how trump was running our country...with how he didn't want to listen to science and other things going on
This book is tremendous. Our country and world would be much improved were everyone to read and consider it.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!!
Same with The Unplugged alpha by Richard cooper, naval ravikants book etc
I'm about 2/3 of the way through this. It should be required reading in our school curriculum.
Schools are so behind in their curriculum they really need to change things..its been the same for over 100 years
@@thend4427
Indeed.
@@thend4427 ik. Too many kids learn that learning is a chore 😢 Life long learning people! You can grow or you can die
@@topdog5252🤔 I don't think u understood what I'm trying to say
@@thend4427 Sure, I was pointing out another issue with many schools today, but it’s related to the fact that most schools have changed so little in the last century, on which I think we agree. The curriculum is also an issue, where a lot of what people learn in schools, never gets used in life.
Carl Sagan changed my life.
Critical thinking and goodwill are the only things that will save mankind.
It warms my hart watching a young person giving love to this book as well as the comments. Ive always felt this should be mandatory readind in schools. It doesnt tell you what to think but how to think using scientific principles to avoid b.s or baloney as Sagan put it. I look at the madness and magical thinking rotting America from the inside and wonder if it could have been reduced or even outright avoided if every citizen was armed with a baloney detection kit. The book was written in '95 and its as relevant today as it was then.
Great review! 👍🏻👏👏👏
It's encouraging to see someone of your generation absorbing and appreciating the importance of knowledge garnered from science, data, facts, and truth. In today's world of conspiracy theories and band wagons skepticism is essential.
Thank you so much!
I believe thinking is essential (what a peculiar statement...) to living well with others. hopefully this review inspires some people to challenge what they think they know as fact.
I have been a scientific skeptic and a critical thinker for some 15 years and surprisingly I just got around to reading this book and wow! What an awesome read and resource to have!
Good review, tyvm.. “One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”
― Carl Sagan ♥ The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
Yea, one of my favorite books and would be much more practical as standard high school reading than some of the books I was assigned back then.
Amazing review! Keep it up!
You did an excellent job with this review. I've read the book several times...Carl Sagan was...is inspirational. He created and hosted the television show Cosmos: A Personal Voyage and taught in Elementary schools.
One of the best parts of the book...the Bologna Detection kit :
"Arguments from authority carry little weight - “authorities” have made mistakes in the past. They will do so again in the future. Perhaps a better way to say it is that in science there are no authorities; at most, there are experts.
Spin more than one hypothesis. If there’s something to be explained, think of all the different ways in which it could be explained. Then think of tests by which you might systematically disprove each of the alternatives. What survives, the hypothesis that resists disproof in this Darwinian selection among “multiple working hypotheses,” has a much better chance of being the right answer than if you had simply run with the first idea that caught your fancy.
Try not to get overly attached to a hypothesis just because it’s yours. It’s only a way station in the pursuit of knowledge. Ask yourself why you like the idea. Compare it fairly with the alternatives. See if you can find reasons for rejecting it. If you don’t, others will.
Quantify. If whatever it is you’re explaining has some measure, some numerical quantity attached to it, you’ll be much better able to discriminate among competing hypotheses. What is vague and qualitative is open to many explanations. Of course there are truths to be sought in the many qualitative issues we are obliged to confront, but finding them is more challenging.
If there’s a chain of argument, every link in the chain must work (including the premise) - not just most of them.
Occam’s Razor. This convenient rule-of-thumb urges us when faced with two hypotheses that explain the data equally well to choose the simpler.
Always ask whether the hypothesis can be, at least in principle, falsified. Propositions that are untestable, unfalsifiable are not worth much. Consider the grand idea that our Universe and everything in it is just an elementary particle - an electron, say - in a much bigger Cosmos. But if we can never acquire information from outside our Universe, is not the idea incapable of disproof? You must be able to check assertions out. Inveterate skeptics must be given the chance to follow your reasoning, to duplicate your experiments and see if they get the same result."
Excellent video. This book is one of my favorite works and I will never forget it.
Ordered the book today, can't wait to read it! Shipping from USA all the way to Georgia (Europe), so it's gonna take a little over a month or two sadly. Good review.
Did you receive the book yet and have you had a chance to read it?
If so, what did you think?
@@metoo9360 I did receive and have read it, I really enjoyed it. Many of the matters present in the book are still relevant and some even more so. Most important book i own, highly recommend.
@@leriku2270 yep it's more relevant today more than ever because we are reverting back to the days of ignorance, magical thinking, and superstition as well as the rise of fascism in America.
An amazing book. Whoever read this book, Consider yourself a gifted special human being.
A must read for the masses of today.
Carl Sagan is truly one of the great humans. Can’t wait to read this and get into his mind
Thank you for this great book review. Hope you make more videos.
Now this is the kind of diversity I LOVE to see!!!! This young man is far and away ahead of most people on this planet. I love it!!!!! I wish him the BEST!!! Subscribed!
Great video - subscribed! (Also, you've convinced me to get it on audiobook 😊 )
Hi. I just bought the book. Nice review.Thanks
THANK YOU CURRENTLY READING IT RN IN MY PHILOSOPHY COURSE IT REALLY IS A GOOD BOOK AND HES AMAZING WRITER ASIDE FROM BEING A SCIENTIST
You did a good job explaining the book. Reading it is still a whole different experience. This should be a text book!
I just finished reading this book and it is more than eye-opening in respects to the social problems that we are experiencing today. Based on current trends it's easy to conclude that people would rather be entertained than enlightened, and people who are not enlightened/educated are easily lead astray. From crazy conspiracy theories, to climate change denial to the dumbing down of our education system- Sagan warned us 25 years ago, and yet here we are. SMDH
I wish more people would read it. Thanks for the review
Hey tee!
Thanks for your comment. I agree that the content in this book is important, but I would say that I am not mad at anyone for seeking entertainment. I feel most people do what they are taught, and to an extent your experience becomes a religion in that it is difficult to change. I hope people chose to learn, but that can be incredibly difficult if you were taught to value something else.
@@jordantremainebookreviews3728 You are correct, we do what we are taught, but at some point we grow and choose our own paths. We all need a release and some enjoyment. The problem is that as a society we affect each other's lives. All people won't share the same opinions, needs or desires, but if we are all educated we can make more reasonable and hopefully compassionate decisions.
Carl Sagan was a brilliant man. Have you read "Pale Blue Dot"?
@@teethompson7756 I had a friend tell me once that compassion is an “advanced human trait” ....
You make a good point about the self responsibility. I think we gain more autonomy over time, and are never completely out of control of our thoughts even since birth. I have found in my experience it can be tricky to balance the judgement and compassion of a situation, and that everyone is in a different place. I try more to judge out of understanding than condemnation, and do things (like this channel and the podcast I run) to encourage others to think critically and allow their thoughts to be challenged.
I have not read pale blue dot. Sounds like a book about earth?
@@jordantremainebookreviews3728 Yes, it's about Earth and our place and thoughts about the Universe. I recommend the audiobook read by Sagan himself and another man whose name I can't recall.
I don't follow any podcast but I do hope yours does well. The world does better when sound voices and opinions like yours are shared.
Best of luck to you!
Even with all the education in the world, people will still believe bullshit. There are educated (if not many) YECs, flat earthers, QAnons, etc.
The important thing is not knowledge, but the way to acquire knowledge. It's not about what you think, it's about how you think.
Being able to admit when you're wrong, shed biases, and recognize subjectivity/objectivity is more important than knowing any particular fact.
Carl Sagan predicted the world today in 2024! That man was a genius!
I got the book, honestly one of the best books I've ever read and I haven't even finished it.
the whole “baloney” or however it’s spelled seems interesting because as a young kid I always noticed that many people would be like sheep and just follow the crowd while I would think twice about what boat I jumped in ya know so I think this book might be a good pickup to finally understand that
I think this is the kind of book that should be high school reading + classroom discussion
Thank you for the review!
I agree an excellent book and I have two copies one for me one to lend out.
Thank you. I have now ordered the book.
Hope you enjoy it!
Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm you convinced me to start reading it :)
Thank you very so much . Great! Can you recommend some books similar to the Demon Haunted World and Sapiens? My friends and I are done with them.What should we read next?
love this book. one of the things you just hinted here but didn't mention explicitly - was how the book points out exactly how f'ed up we are WITHOUT the scientific method guiding our thoughts. The whole part about the malleus maleficarum was just horrific. This totally fantasized method was used widely to decide who was a witch was used for hundreds of years to burn thousands of people, and the book goes into great detail on its train of thought and how it was implemented.
I look around today and everywhere I see these non-thinking ideologies spring up and pray that we don't get consumed by one; its all too easy to fall into these traps and I really wish that we could make everybody read and understand this.
Hey Greg! Thanks for your comment. I do agree there is a trouble about today with the common form of thought... that said, I do not think this is a new problem - one we just have new tools to monitor like the internet.
One of the main reasons I do these book reviews is to encourage the public to challenge themselves and read interesting things because I believe strongly in a better world where people think outside of themselves. That said, I do not think a person can or should force something on someone that doesn't want it.
To try and encourage people I promote ideas and thinking in everyway I can- Hosting community discussions (outside of pandemic) book reviews, podcasting are some of the things I put out to inspire the world I want to live in. Its not a fix everything overnight solution, but its also not a sugar pill. I'm curious if you have any ideas on what a person can do to contribute to a solution? you seem passionate about something important!
@@jordantremainebookreviews3728 yeah I'm passionate about things because we now face a real choice; whether or not we continue with technological advancement and improving the human condition or we fall back into disarray; its already happened multiple times in history and it could happen again.
One thing that I think that you could do is interview people who write these books and try to advance their cause; people like Jared Diamond, Robert Sapolsky, Steven Pinker, Kurt Andersen, Vaclav Smil. Read their books, write down questions about them along with questions that are generic in nature (what most concerns you about the world today, etc). Ask them who inspired them, and add to the list of people to interview people they mention. Crowdsource the questions that you ask by opening it up on a forum. Before interviewing, ask the AUTHORS THEMSELVES which questions THEY wish to be asked. Do some research with seasoned interviewers (Charlie Rose, Lex Fridman) and note down interesting generic questions they ask. Do practice interviews with people you find interesting to get your technique down before approaching them.
Anyways just a thought. In another life I'd probably be doing the same, I'm an engineer that is way too involved in my job to do this, but it sounds like you are pretty motivated to take up such a challenge.
Is this book related to the previous book; Cosmos?
Good review, good book
Broh, chapter 24 makes sad in a way how the " witches " had not any chance to live
Yea. It’s crazy to see how some people get put into really difficult situations like that
I can't recommend the book enough either. It should be required reading in every high school's curriculum (as Mina Guta recommends below); and should be part of every household's library for reference.
Why recommend JP? I don’t understand him with his jargons.
Jordan Peterson?
I think there are a good many things out there that may not be easy to understand but are defiantly worth it. I did a review on one of his books that might help with your question.
ua-cam.com/video/jPdxS4EDsLQ/v-deo.html
why you look like Phil Ivey, tiger woods, and Pharrell all put together
It's such a great book. What book or books do you recommend when you are done reading it? Thank you so much.
ua-cam.com/video/TRIPeA0um7Q/v-deo.html
Have u read CONTACT by Sagan?
I have not. Seems like you are a bit of a Sagan fan
@@jordantremainebookreviews3728 definitely. I really liked Contact, the book but also enjoyed the movie. I was going to try and reach out to you about a collaboration I'm doing (a top 210 sci fi list) with other BookTubers doing cameos...wasn't sure how to reach out to you or if it was OK to bring it up here...
@@FIT2BREAD Well I have seen the movie - Its my good friend's favorite so he dragged me in (good movie BTW). and I replied to your other comment a while ago... you can email me at jordantremaine3@gmail.com
cool review man dooe
Glad you liked it
Looking back on this from 2024 - how much of the stupidity of the past 4 years could have been avoided if this book were required reading for the past 25 years…
I could have gave the same review and not even read it
I thought that book was Fd up! I was like wtf???? (Good and bad) Still reading it on page 200 I agreed with everything until he started to talk about victims of violence. Im not talking about the ones that believe in ufo but presenting victims as people that can distort ( which is true to cope with reality) can be an argument also against real victims of violence...but still have a few chapters to read.
Hey Betzy, thanks for the comment
This book has a lot of content, and I think sometimes different people may use different words to describe the same thing. I usually do not agree 100% with anyone on all issues, but I do think that everyone has some good ideas and thought. I’d be curious to hear what you thought of the book as a whole when you finish
👍
Bra the dumbing down has reached global scale, the educational system is still the same since the industrial revolution ✌
Its like carl predicted our current world cause that's how trump was running our country...with how he didn't want to listen to science and other things going on
excellent book, good review