Science is a way to not fool ourselves.
Carl SaganRead
Science is based on experiment, on a willingness to challenge old dogma, on an openness to see the universe as it really is. Accordingly, science sometimes requires courage - at the very least the courage to question the conventional wisdom.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Science involves experimentation and a willingness to challenge established beliefs.
In this quote, Carl Sagan emphasizes that the essence of science lies in its foundation upon experimentation and the courage to question longstanding beliefs. He suggests that true scientific inquiry requires not only intellectual openness but also the bravery to confront and possibly discard conventional wisdom that may no longer hold true, thereby allowing for a deeper understanding of the universe.
Themes
ScienceExperimentCourageTruthWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote in a speech at a science fair to inspire young scientists.
More from Carl Sagan
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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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If anybody says he can think about quantum physics without getting giddy, that only shows he has not understood the first thing about them.
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