Science is a way to not fool ourselves.
Carl SaganRead
Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on humanity's isolation in the universe and the responsibility we have to cherish and save our planet.
Carl Sagan's quote highlights the insignificance of Earth within the vastness of the cosmos, emphasizing that we cannot rely on external forces to rescue us from our self-destructive tendencies. It serves as a poignant reminder of our responsibility to care for our planet and each other, as we are alone in this vast universe.
Themes
PlanetCosmosResponsibilityHumanityLoneliness
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during environmental awareness campaigns to stress our responsibility towards the earth.
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.
Carl SaganRead
The simplest thought, like the concept of the number one, has an elaborate logical underpinning.
Carl SaganRead
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