Science is a way to not fool ourselves.
Carl SaganRead
I believe that in every person is a kind of circuit which resonates to intellectual discovery-and the idea is to make that resonance work
Interpretation
What this quote means
Every individual has the potential for intellectual discovery, and it's important to activate that potential.
Carl Sagan emphasizes the inherent capacity for intellectual curiosity within each person. He suggests that like a circuit that can resonate, individuals have the ability to connect with knowledge and ideas, and the goal is to harness and amplify this resonance to foster discovery and understanding.
Themes
IntellectualDiscoveryCuriosityPotentialKnowledge
In practice
Example use cases
In a graduation speech to inspire students to pursue their passions.
More from Carl Sagan
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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.
Carl SaganRead
The simplest thought, like the concept of the number one, has an elaborate logical underpinning.
Carl SaganRead
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