The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

Not that Sagan has ever failed to battle absurdity whenever he came upon it. In previous books, he has delivered jabs at astrology, parapsychology, various obviously nutty notions in cosmology, and prayer. In this present book, he rears back and produces roundhouse blows of far greater impact. Having seen an earlier manuscript of this book, I perceive here in the published version a stronger and less restrained Carl Sagan.

The opening chapter [which was excerpted in part in the March/April 1996 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER] is well worth the price of admission all by itself. After explaining what science is all about, Sagan gets to a definitive point at which he shows how it differs from religion and superstition. This is a section that every skeptic will find quite valuable when arguing the case for science and against antiscience. It's a clearly reasoned examination of points that we often find difficult to express.

He then launches into a delicious and riveting explanation, as an example of science at its best, of how Einstein's revolution of physics was not a denial of previous work, but an exciting expansion of known views of the universe. In effect, he shows us that Newton was not wrong but merely limited in scope by the tools available to him. The wonderful ability of science to correct itself upon the presentation of better data is clearly demonstrated here.

One of Sagan's admonitions particularly struck me as worthy of being communicated to every science classroom when science is first introduced to students:

Finding the occasional straw of truth awash in a great ocean of confusion and bamboozle requires vigilance, dedication, and courage. But if we don't practice these tough habits of thought, we cannot hope to solve the truly serious problems that face us - we risk becoming a nation of suckers, up for grabs by the next charlatan who saunters along.

Very properly, Sagan also points out the perils of relieving naive persons of their delusions about the paranormal. His understanding of people fitting the description of the "Believer Type" is awesome, and he knows from experience that they are not easily led to reason. Their lack of knowledge about the real world, and of how it actually works, lies behind their delusions. Sagan suggests that "they know everything about Atlantis, but not a thing about DNA."

An episode that he relates particularly well involves "Carlos," a channeler who invaded Australia briefly and proved that the media can be willingly seduced so long as they are convinced that surrender to bunk will increase ratings, circulation, and general satisfaction of the consumer who adores being hornswoggled and will pay for that privilege. Jose Luis Alvarez, the young American "performance sculptor," took on the media Down Under in a whirlwind campaign that culminated in a one-night appearance at the Sydney Opera House, with teary-eyed devotees clutching crystals and being told ridiculous things by Carlos, such as "Gravity is simple; it is more natural for things to fall down than to fall up!" When Alvarez's hoax was revealed to be a work of performance art commissioned by TV's Channel Nine, the victims in the media were unrepentant. Why are we not surprised?

In connection with the Alvarez creation, and the failure of the media to provide any responsible investigation of the actual facts behind it, it is proper to note that Harry Edwards, a prominent and outspoken figure in the Australian skeptical community, was invited on one TV show to dispute the reality of the claims of Carlos, and promptly revealed - correctly - the modus operandi for Carlos's pulse-stopping trick, a demonstration that had wowed the press and was seen several times in TV interviews of the young "guru." Edwards's direct explanation was ignored by everyone, and the subsequent confirmation of his evaluation - when the hoax was finally revealed - must have been a great satisfaction to him and to the skeptical movement.

Sagan sums up such matters as the Roswell "crashed flying saucer" episode in two succinct paragraphs, giving it as much attention as it really deserves. Later he discusses "UFO abductees" who declare that they have been kidnapped and whisked off to Venus or another unlikely spot to have their reproductive systems examined and tinkered with. These colorful and popular characters often report very similar physical appearances for the aliens who grabbed them, and Sagan points out that

The believers take the common elements in their stories as tokens of verisimilitude, rather than evidence that they [the abductees] have contrived their stories out of a shared culture and biology.

Taking what could be considered easy shots at the fare that has been and is being offered us on television, the author points out that the "In Search Of . . ." series began each episode with a gentle disclaimer stating that the writers were simply not presenting a properly balanced view of the subjects discussed. He says,