Science is a way to not fool ourselves.
Carl SaganRead
That we can now think of no mechanism for astrology is relevant but unconvincing. No mechanism was known, for example, for continental drift when it was proposed by Wegener. Nevertheless, we see that Wegener was right, and those who objected on the grounds of unavailable mechanism were wrong.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Skepticism towards new ideas should not dismiss their potential truth.
Carl Sagan emphasizes that the absence of a known mechanism should not invalidate a theory. He illustrates this with the example of continental drift, which faced skepticism until evidence validated Wegener's proposal. This quote reminds us that just because we cannot yet explain something does not mean it is false; we must remain open to new ideas and discoveries.
Themes
AstrologyScienceSkepticismKnowledgeTheory
In practice
Example use cases
In a science class discussion about the validity of fringe theories.
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