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Carl Sagan, (1934-1996)
Explorer of the Cosmos, Journeyman of the Mind
By Elz
Cuya
An artist's conception of Voyager
I as it passes Jupiter. Should an alien spaceship stumble across
it, they would discover a golden record, "a message to the universe,"
inspired and partially designed by Dr. Carl Sagan. It contains 115
images, including maps and anatomical charts, greetings in 55 different
languages, the natural sounds of the earth, such as birds and whales,
and different musical selections.
Our discussion of popular space projects, such as SETI@home
and, on some level, ClubMir,
would be incomplete without paying tribute to the man who inspired
them and who spent his life bringing science to the layperson. Carl
Sagan -- scientist, philosopher, and poet -- popularized science,
an otherwise cold discipline reserved for the academic world. And
with his eloquence and humanity, Sagan brought science to the foreground
for all of us to poke at, question and marvel.
His 1980's television series Cosmos discussed other galaxies,
challenged our notions of planetary systems, and probed the origins
of life. But unlike most scientists, Sagan didn't dismiss the topics
of science that captivated people's imaginations and fantasies such
as astrology, UFO's, the possibility of extraterrestrial life and
the theories of space travel.
His other works, including the novel, Contact explored
religion and the existence of God. In these explorations, Sagan
mastered the rationality of the world, without diminishing his reverence
and wonder for the universe. In regards to the afterlife, Sagan
said, "I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful
thinking. The world is so exquisite, with so much love and moral
depth that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories
for which there is little good evidence. Far better it seems to
me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and be grateful
everyday for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides."
Sagan further noted that "You can't convince a believer of anything,
for their belief is not based on evidence, it's based on a deep
seated need to believe." Yet Sagan never took the elitist stance
as a disciple of the scientific world. He humanized it, making it
less sterile. He renamed the scientific method, "The Baloney Detection
Kit." And he admitted that science at times had been wrong. However,
if a hypothesis is wrong, "it provides a structure to find out what's
right." Indeed, Sagan had the ability to enlighten the world while
at the same time, humbling us in our humanity.
While Sagan is not responsible for the discovery of any scientific
law theorem, or Truth, what he has accomplished during his short
life is perhaps more important. He stood on the platform of reason,
and taught us to experience the world against the backdrop of the
scientific method. He never discovered Truth, as Truth
has always been. What he did do, is give Truth a voice, and
opened us to the possibility of doing the same for ourselves.
But as science goes, new ideas must survive the most rigorous standards
of evidence and scrutiny. And Sagan never stopped scrutinizing.
"Somewhere," Sagan said, "something incredible is waiting to be
known."
Sources:
"A Pale Blue Planet Mourns the Passing of a Passionate Scientist."
Scientific American. January, 1997.
Sagan, Carl. Billions and Billions. (Ballantine
1997)
Photo Credit: Images of Jupiter and Voyager were
provided by NASA and then artistically combined.
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