Rating: 
Summary: A Call to Arms, er, Minds
Review: Carl Sagan has written books on a variety of sciences, from biology and evolution in The Dragons of Eden to astronomy in his well-known Cosmos. In this book, however, he examines the nature of science itself. This is a book that has been sorely needed.Too often, science is taught merely as a collection of facts and figures, rather than a process by which the truth about nature is discovered. Which is a shame, since that process can be used by anyone to disect the claims given by politicians and advertisers. Sagan tries to rectify this situation by explaining how scientists come up with explanations, devise experiments, and use rational debate to separate truth from mere speculation. He provides a list of errors in logic that allow the reader to spot a potential "bamboozle". And he ends with an impassioned plea that the American public needs to start thinking more critically, else we are helping to create a veritable monarchy by throwing away our voice and our responsibility. The one thing that will probably rile up the average reader the most would be when religion comes up. Sadly there have been many times when religion has been used as part of a con, such as Peter Popoff's "miraculous" knowledge of people's medical conditions (which were actually fed to him by radio), or the Donation of Constantine where a document was "found" deeding the Wesetern Roman Empire to the Catholic Church. There have been times when religion has exhorted its followers not to think for themselves, but to follow blindly. And there are times when religions have made pronouncements that are verifiable but contradict gathered evidence, such as the assertation that the earth is only a few thousand years old. Sagan shines a harsh light on these instances. However, I didn't see any passage that indicated that religion is a bad or even unnecessary thing. He even states, "I want to acknowledge at the outset the prodigious diversity and complexity of religious thought and practice over the millennia; the growth of liberal religion and ecumenical fellowship during the last century; and the fact that - as in the Protestant Reformation, the rise of Reform Judaism, Vatican II, and the so-called higher criticism of the Bible - religion has fought (with varying degrees of success ) its own excesses." In other words, religion has started using critical thinking of its own teachings. Science is an inescapable part of all our lives now. Not to understand its underpinings in the twenty-first century may not be just foolish, it could quite possibly be deadly. This book is an excellent first step in obtaining that understanding.
Rating:
Summary: A must to anyone involved in science
Review: Today's world is stuffed with "science", we all think ourselves as scientists (in a higher o lesser degree). Nobody wants to be ignorant in a world that values knowledge like we do. The problem with all this is that knowledge nowadays is extremely broad and I strongly doubt anybody masters all roots of modern science (people like Isaac Asimov don't grow on trees). So it's somewhat easy for the profane to get lost in a sea of information; not having a guide to help us discern between science and pseudoscience. I really think anyone concern or compromised with truth should read thoroughly this book. I recommend it as one of the best in the subject, besides it is easy reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Superb explanations. But Sagan fails to set an example...
Review: Carl Sagan says that critical thought and scientific knowledge are crucial for our future survival. He also warns against the baseless pseudoscience being sold to us by crackpots. I agree with him whole-heartedly on both counts. He deals extremely well with the problem of distinguishing real science from pseudoscience, especially in what he calls "The Baloney Detection Kit" - a list of the do's and don'ts on which critical thought should be based upon. This list should undoubtedly be part of every child's education. It is therefore unfortunate that Sagan himself sometimes breaks these rules. More specifically, he tends to a over-simplistic approach which only looks at the extremes: When discussing religion, there are only fundementalists and atheists. When discussing paranormal claims, there are the strict naturalists and the crackpots. And so on. This way of thinking quickly leads to trouble. Because after elegantly showing that the opposing view is wrong, Sagan mistakenly conclude that his own view must be right. But this is of-course false. The fact that fundamentalism is false doesn't mean that all concepts of a god should be scorned. The fact that crackpots so easily decieve their spectators does not mean that a serious study the paranormal is a waste of time. I am aware that this might seem as nit-picking. But I think that when a person buys a book whose main purpose is to explain critical thought, he deserves more.
Rating:
Summary: Cal Sagan is sorely missed
Review: Sagan really was a genius at making science topics easy to understand. In this instance, he takes on all the institutionalized stupidity and pseudoscience many of us have to deal with every day, and shows how it's different from real science. Just trivial things, really, like the fact that science is characterized by empirical data -- anathema to pseudoscience and religion, which urge us to believe. He outlines the scientific method, and goes into great detail discussing three recent witch-hunt phenomena: alien abductions, satanic cult activity, and recovered memory of childhood sexual abuse. In nearly all the cases of all three, the so-called memories were "recovered" by hypnotherapists. He makes a convincing case that the "memories" are implanted by the therapist. Of the less than 10 percent of us who are easily hypnotized, it's been demonstrated that nearly all are willing to make up a nightmare scenario that follows the cues suggested, however inadvertantly, by the therapist. Most fascinating.
Rating:
Summary: Required Reading for School Boards
Review: This was one of the late Carl Sagan's last books, and it is certainly one his most important. We live in a credulous society, a culture that seems to be incapable of critical thinking. That's an extremely dangerous situation. When a majority of U.S. citizens believe in astrology; when a voter can read a newspaper expose' on dial up fortune-telling scams and then dial a 900 number in order to decide what to do; well, it doesn't bode well for our country. To some extent, Sagan oversold himself in the late 1980's and early 1990's. His eager sincerity was even parodied - "billyuns and billyuns - but he was an engaging science writer and popularizer. In this book he stepped a bit outside of that usual role, and made some critical and important points about our culture. No thoughtful citizen can read this book, look around and fail to be concerned. I'd make this book required reading, not for students, but for school board members and teachers. If the average citizen is credulous to the point of embarrassment - and that's pretty clearly the case - the solution has to involve the educational system, and especially those in charge. We are not teaching our citizens and future citizens to think critically. In Sagan's phrase, "Extravagant claims require extravagant evidence." For better or worse, the life of the world is logic, and the ability to reason is as important as the ability to read and the ability to do arithmetic. And if you think it's not a problem, you need to read this book, or just attend the public comments portion of a school board meeting, or read the letters to the editor in your newspaper. You should read this book. You should act on the message of this book. Not just because it is a thoughtful, entertaining treatment of an important issue. But because that issue hasn't gone away; and it seems to be getting worse.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Book
Review: This book should be mandatory reading for all students in University, if not High School. Rather than wasting time memorizing facts and dates, students should first learn how to critically evaluate information.
Segan passionately and articulately argues that pseudoscience and anti-science is a threat to our species - that ignorance of true science, belief in the paranormal, and lack of critically thinking skills is keeping us from attaining true enlightenment. I highly recommend this book to anyone who seeks the truth about life, the human condition, and the universe in which we life.
Rating:
Summary: Why some things don't add up.
Review: In light of the world's current problems with the violence brought on in the name of religion, Sagan offers a rare insight into the foundations of myth and mysticism without an offensive attitude. What was weird and obscene in the 1300's is equally as odd and dangerous today. Heavily footnoted and developed in a logical manner, Sagan pulls the reader through the history of the supernatural with evidence and logic as he ends up demonstrating that we all must think for ourselves if we want true enlightenment. This book will upset those who accept the un-provable as proof and a lack of evidence as evidence. Although some passages labor heavily in science, the scope of the lesson and the message is well within the reach of all who wonder why things don't make sense. After all, what is more valuable, turning water to wine or curing a disease with an orange peel?
Rating:
Summary: The Demon Haunted World- or- "let's diss pseudoscience"
Review: You may find this hard to imagine, especially if you've read this book, but I was in the 6th grade when I read it. My best friend, who then was a sophomore, lent it to me. It truly is a great read.
I reccomend it to anyone who wants to know about the history of science- this book is chock full of stories and humour!
It's quite interesting and cleared up a lot of my misconceptions about the pseudosciences.
Read it!
Rating: 
Summary: boring
Review: I think the most relevant comment I've seen is from Cathy Sahu above, "Who Are You Talking to, Dr. Sagan?" I'll save you 457 pages: Science = good If you don't believe in alien abductions the book is nothing more than preaching to the choice. And pretty poor preaching to the choir at that. The book attempts to be encyclopedic and ends up having as much depth as your average encyclopedia article. Sagan ignores evidence contrary to his position. He glosses over difficulties his position brings up in order to offer a more unified-looking front. He loves science but seems uninterested in the science of science, having absolutely nothing to say about the philosophy of science.
Rating: 
Summary: Being politically correct...
Review: Just finished this book. Overal impression - good, but a little too soft, like Sagan is afraid to scare off the reader by being harsh on pseudoscience, religions, new age gurus and the like. Well, it might be on purpose as well, you have to be careful - America is a greate country in many ways, but you can major in basketball here :-).
Besides critisizing air heads I would like to see more examples on how exciting and, I'd say, miraculous scientific discoveries are without pulling in all the stuff the grows of which this book is trying to oppose. I suspect Sasgan might have another book on this...
I gave it 4 points.
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