Science is a way to not fool ourselves.
Carl SaganRead
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Exploring the Solar System symbolizes the start of humanity's next chapter, not its conclusion.
Carl Sagan's quote emphasizes that the exploration of the Solar System is not merely a scientific endeavor but a pivotal moment in human history that marks the beginning of our journey into a larger cosmos. It suggests that rather than being the end of our story, venturing into space and potentially settling on other worlds is an exciting frontier that opens up new possibilities for humanity's future.
Themes
Solar SystemExplorationHistoryFutureHumanity
In practice
Example use cases
During a space-themed event, to inspire attendees about the importance of exploration.
More from Carl Sagan
All quotes βHow 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
One of the reasons for its success is that science has a built-in, error-correcting machinery at its very heart. Some may consider this an overbroad characterization, but to me every time we exercise self-criticism, every time we test our ideas against the outside world, we are doing science. When we are self-indulgent and uncritical, when we confuse hopes and facts, we slide into pseudoscience and superstition.
Carl SaganRead
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