Science is a way to not fool ourselves.
Carl SaganRead
The simplest thought, like the concept of the number one, has an elaborate logical underpinning.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Even the most straightforward ideas can have complex foundations.
Carl Sagan's quote emphasizes that seemingly simple concepts, such as the basic idea of 'one', are often built upon intricate and profound logical structures. This highlights the importance of recognizing the depth and complexity underlying our basic beliefs and assumptions about the world.
Themes
ThoughtLogicSimplicityComplexityPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture about critical thinking, one might use this quote to illustrate the hidden depth in basic concepts.
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.
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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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