Rating: 
Summary: Star Stuff & Books from the Ships
Review: Carl Sagan stood in the imaginary Library of Alexandria (in the first episode of Cosmos) "frustrated" that perhaps as many as one million papyrus books had been forever lost to science and future generations.
Using the same analogy, a future civilization finding "Cosmos" will marvel that at some past point in time, there was a teacher who attempted to explain the "Universe" to those who would listen. Although some of the scientific facts will have changed, the inspiration and devotion of the teacher will be evident. They will rightly conclude that this was an important man.
Rating:
Summary: Stands the test of time
Review: This review refers to the DVD box set of the 13-episode series, "Cosmos."
I first watched this series (not the original airing in 1980, but its late 80s re-playing) while I was in middle school, perhaps the summer between Grade 7 and 8. Though I had been interested in science as a young child, that interest had waned as I entered my teens. Still, after watching the first episode, "The Shores of the Cosmic Ocean" while siting in my basement trying to avoid the heat of a Saskatchewan sun, my interest in science emerged once more and I ended up watching the entire series. Years later, I decided to buy the "Cosmos" collector's edition. I was at first worried that the series would not have stood the test of time. My concerns were unfounded as I was once again transported on my own voyage of the imagination.
One thing that one will notice is that new footage has been added, such as images from the Hubble telescope. These new images are not obtrusive and even most purists will not object to their inclusion. Most of the discs also include updates on the science behind "Cosmos."
Though this point has been time and time again, perhaps the greatest legacy that Carl Sagan left to us is how he was able to popularize science for the masses. While presenting a picture of a vast universe, one in which humanity is neither noteworthy nor the end result of the universe's creation, Sagan does not make the viewer feel insignificant or forlorn. Rather, the viewer is filled with a sense of awe and is inspired by the possibilities the cosmos holds for our species. It really isn't hyperbole when I claim that, for many, "Cosmos" is a spiritual, as well as an intellectual, journey.
Rating:
Summary: A Vision for All Mankind
Review: After watching COSMOS for the third time, I am continously impressed by the bravery and insight of Dr. Sagan's vision for humanity. COSMOS's overarching theme is an introduction to the natural sciences for the general public. Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics are wonderfully reduced to their core concepts. Dr. Sagan may be the only person I know who manages to explain Einstein's special relativity without algebra. For those amongst the general public who wish to understand just what a four dimensioned universe is, there is no better series today than COSMOS. Dr. Sagan stays true to his populist belief that science belongs not only to the scientists, but to all humanity.However, anyone with a university degree will probably be familiar with the science Dr. Sagan speaks of. The shining jewel of COSMOS is not its scientific content, but its deeply humanistic message of hope. We have all heard about the cruelty of the so called "real world" and "human nature." But Dr. Sagan shows us that human bravery and intelligence has transformed our world for the better and that our world is what we make of it. In one of the most poignant moments of the entire series, Dr. Sagan describes the human longing for an explanation of the universe as an eternal part of our species. We, citizens of the 21st century, are the first generation of human beings priviledged with some of the answers to the questions that have fascinated our ancestors. Dr. Sagan also outlines the philosophy and history of science. This is especially essential to today's society in which science has become increasing gadgety. While cell phones, computers, the internet, designer drugs populate every segment of our society, the philosophy of critical thinking, factual analysis and of questioning every statement, the very heart of science remains as rare today as ever. Our present civlization is forever indebited to those brave men and women who choose the pain of truth rather the comfort of lies. For those who ever wondered how we human beings progressed from tribal hunters to technogical beings, Dr. Sagan's documentary provides a riveting account. Finally and perhaps most importantly, Dr. Sagan's documentary provides a unifying vision for the future of human kind. We have reached a time in the development of our species when the power in our hands is extraordinary. The destiny of our world and our species is fully in the our own hands. We can either use this power to continously squabble amongst ourselves, to fight our pointless wars and to poison our environment with blatant waste and race headlong to self annihilation, or... we can set aside our differences, recognize the fragility of our world and embrace the common destiny of humanity to explore the final frontier. Dr. Sagan does not pretend that this journey will be an easy one; every age and time has had those who would at the expense of our world, stirr up hatred, fear and greed. However, by showing that science is our candle in the dark, Dr. Sagan encourages each one of us to struggle against the irrationality and ignorance inside each of us to literally reach for the stars. From the beginning of time to the future of our world, Dr. Sagan's account of the struggle of the human mind to attain sentience is highly passionate while at the same time even and objective. Science, he describes, is the ultimate manifestation of our humanity, the quest of starstuff to understand itself. I am pleased to say that as the light from Dr. Sagan's house continue to pierce the darkness of Ithaca's gorges to inspire me, so too does his visionary work: COSMOS.
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