Science is a way to not fool ourselves.
Carl SaganRead
It goes with a courageous intent to greet the universe as it really is, not to foist our emotional predispositions on it but to courageously accept what our explorations tell us.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of recognizing and accepting the universe as it truly is, without letting our emotions distort our understanding.
Carl Sagan encourages us to confront the universe with courage and openness, advocating for a mindset that seeks to understand reality based on empirical explorations rather than preconceived emotional biases. This perspective is essential for true knowledge and growth, calling us to embrace the truth of our discoveries, no matter how challenging or perplexing they may be.
Themes
CourageUniverseTruthUnderstandingExploration
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture about scientific exploration and honesty.
More from Carl Sagan
All quotes →In more than one respect, the exploring of the Solar System and homesteading other worlds constitutes the beginning, much more than the end, of history.
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How smart does a chimpanzee have to be before killing him constitutes murder?
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The hole in the ozone layer is a kind of skywriting. At first it seemed to spell out our continuing complacency before a witch's brew of deadly perils. But perhaps it really tells of a newfound talent to work together to protect the global environment.
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There is a reward structure in science that is very interesting: Our highest honors go to those who disprove the findings of the most revered among us. So Einstein is revered not just because he made so many fundamental contributions to science, but because he found an imperfection in the fundamental contribution of Isaac Newton.
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The simplest thought, like the concept of the number one, has an elaborate logical underpinning.
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