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Home > Dictionary of Science Quotations > Scientist Names Index S > Carl Sagan Quotes > Contradiction

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Carl Sagan
(9 Nov 1934 - 20 Dec 1996)

American astronomer, exobiologist and writer remembered for popularizing astronomy and science, especially with his public television series Cosmos. Its accompanying book spent seventy weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. He was an adviser to NASA for the Mariner, Voyager, and Viking unmanned space missions.



At the heart of science is an essential balance between two seemingly contradictory attitudes—an openness to new ideas, no matter how bizarre or counterintuitive they may be, and the most ruthless skeptical scrutiny of all ideas, old and new. This is how deep truths are winnowed from deep nonsense.
— Carl Sagan
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark (1997), 304.
Science quotes on:  |  Attitude (84)  |  Balance (82)  |  Contradiction (69)  |  Counterintuitive (4)  |  Deep (241)  |  Essential (210)  |  Heart (243)  |  Idea (881)  |  Matter (821)  |  Most (1728)  |  New (1273)  |  Nonsense (48)  |  Old (499)  |  Openness (8)  |  Ruthless (12)  |  Scepticism (17)  |  Scrutiny (15)  |  Seemingly (28)  |  Skeptical (21)  |  Truth (1109)  |  Two (936)  |  Winnow (4)

The major religions on the Earth contradict each other left and right. You can’t all be correct. And what if all of you are wrong? It’s a possibility, you know. You must care about the truth, right? Well, the way to winnow through all the differing contentions is to be skeptical. I’m not any more skeptical about your religious beliefs than I am about every new scientific idea I hear about. But in my line of work, they’re called hypotheses, not inspiration and not revelation.
— Carl Sagan
Contact (1997), 162.
Science quotes on:  |  Belief (615)  |  Call (781)  |  Care (203)  |  Contention (14)  |  Contradict (42)  |  Contradiction (69)  |  Earth (1076)  |  Hear (144)  |  Hypothesis (314)  |  Idea (881)  |  Inspiration (80)  |  Know (1538)  |  Major (88)  |  More (2558)  |  Must (1525)  |  New (1273)  |  Other (2233)  |  Possibility (172)  |  Religion (369)  |  Religious (134)  |  Revelation (51)  |  Right (473)  |  Scepticism (17)  |  Scientific (955)  |  Skeptical (21)  |  Through (846)  |  Truth (1109)  |  Way (1214)  |  Winnow (4)  |  Work (1402)  |  Wrong (246)

The truth may be puzzling. It may take some work to grapple with. It may be counterintuitive. It may contradict deeply held prejudices. It may not be consonant with what we desperately want to be true. But our preferences do not determine what's true. We have a method, and that method helps us to reach not absolute truth, only asymptotic approaches to the truth—never there, just closer and closer, always finding vast new oceans of undiscovered possibilities. Cleverly designed experiments are the key.
— Carl Sagan
In 'Wonder and Skepticism', Skeptical Enquirer (Jan-Feb 1995), 19, No. 1.
Science quotes on:  |  Absolute (153)  |  Approach (112)  |  Asymptote (2)  |  Asymptotic (2)  |  Cleverness (15)  |  Closer (43)  |  Consonant (3)  |  Contradict (42)  |  Contradiction (69)  |  Counterintuitive (4)  |  Design (203)  |  Desperation (6)  |  Determination (80)  |  Determine (152)  |  Do (1905)  |  Experiment (736)  |  Finding (34)  |  Grapple (11)  |  Key (56)  |  Method (531)  |  Never (1089)  |  New (1273)  |  Ocean (216)  |  Possibility (172)  |  Preference (28)  |  Prejudice (96)  |  Puzzle (46)  |  Puzzling (8)  |  Reach (286)  |  True (239)  |  Truth (1109)  |  Undiscovered (15)  |  Vast (188)  |  Want (504)  |  Work (1402)

Wherever possible, scientists experiment. Which experiments suggest themselves often depends on which theories currently prevail. Scientists are intent of testing those theories to the breaking point. They do not trust what is intuitively obvious. That the Earth is flat was once obvious. That heavy bodies fall faster than light ones was once obvious. That bloodsucking leeches cure most diseases was once obvious. That some people are naturally and by divine decree slaves was once obvious. That there is such a place as the center of the Universe, and that the Earth sits in that exalted spot was once obvious. That there is an absolute standard of rest was once obvious. The truth may be puzzling or counterintuitive. It may contradict deeply held beliefs. Experiment is how we get a handle on it.
— Carl Sagan
In The Demon-Haunted World: Science As A Candle in the Dark (1995), 36.
Science quotes on:  |  Absolute (153)  |  Belief (615)  |  Contradict (42)  |  Contradiction (69)  |  Counterintuitive (4)  |  Cure (124)  |  Decree (9)  |  Depend (238)  |  Disease (340)  |  Divine (112)  |  Do (1905)  |  Earth (1076)  |  Exalt (29)  |  Exalted (22)  |  Experiment (736)  |  Fall (243)  |  Faster (50)  |  Flat (34)  |  Handle (29)  |  Leech (6)  |  Light (635)  |  Most (1728)  |  Obvious (128)  |  People (1031)  |  Point (584)  |  Possible (560)  |  Prevail (47)  |  Prevailing (3)  |  Puzzling (8)  |  Rest (287)  |  Scientist (881)  |  Slave (40)  |  Test (221)  |  Themselves (433)  |  Theory (1015)  |  Trust (72)  |  Truth (1109)  |  Universe (900)  |  Wherever (51)


See also:
  • 9 Nov - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Sagan's birth.
  • Carl Sagan - context of quote “Advances in medicine and agriculture” - Medium image (500 x 250 px)
  • Carl Sagan - context of quote “Advances in medicine and agriculture” - Large image (800 x 400 px)
  • Carl Sagan - context of quote A Subject Called Chemistry - Medium image (500 x 350 px)
  • Carl Sagan - context of quote A Subject Called Chemistry - Large image (800 x 600 px)
  • Carl Sagan: A Life in the Cosmos, by William Poundstone. - book suggestion.
  • Booklist for Carl Sagan.

Carl Sagan Thumbnail In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion. (1987) -- Carl Sagan
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Carl Gauss
Paul Feyerabend
- 90 -
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Lise Meitner
Charles Babbage
Ibn Khaldun
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- 80 -
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- 70 -
Samuel Morse
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Robert Fulton
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- 60 -
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Karl Popper
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James Watson
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- 50 -
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- 40 -
Pierre Fermat
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- 30 -
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Richard Feynman
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- 20 -
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- 10 -
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