Science is a way to not fool ourselves.
Carl SaganRead
We are made of stellar ash. Our origin and evolution have been tied to distant cosmic events. The exploration of the cosmos is a voyage of self-discovery.
Interpretation
What this quote means
We are fundamentally connected to the universe, and exploring it helps us understand ourselves.
Carl Sagan's quote emphasizes our cosmic origins and how the elements in our bodies are formed from stars that exploded in the universe. It suggests that the quest to understand the cosmos is not just about space exploration but is also a profound journey that reveals insights about our own existence and identity.
Themes
CosmosSelf-DiscoveryOriginEvolutionExploration
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of space exploration, one might say, 'As Carl Sagan wisely pointed out, the exploration of the cosmos is a voyage of self-discovery.'
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.
Carl SaganRead
How smart does a chimpanzee have to be before killing him constitutes murder?
Carl SaganRead
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.
Carl SaganRead
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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If you come from mathematics, as I do, you realize that there are many problems, even classical problems, which cannot be solved by computation alone.
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