A Warning From Carl Sagan on Scientific Ignorance
ClimateCrocks.com: Just before his death, Carl Sagan warned us about the […]
Date Posted:
January 1, 2014
ClimateCrocks.com: Just before his death, Carl Sagan warned us about the perils of a technological society where fewer and fewer people know, or care, what science says.
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totally agree… so many warnings and ppl tend to ignore them… science
became the new god. a nice quote:
Life would again have to make superhuman efforts, “as in a battle”, to
break open for himself a path through the truths created by the sciences
which dream of being but cannot see it in waking reality
― Lev Shestov
Extremely interesting and some of the same things have been concerning me
for a while :/ .. I feel like we are approaching a tipping point on this
issue :(
via upworthy
http://www.upworthy.com/a-science-icon-died-17-years-ago-in-his-last-interview-he-made-a-warning-that-gives-me-goosebumps-5?c=ufb1
This is so true. Listen and fully understand it.
Everything we do is linked by technology with science being the backbone.
Unfortunately few in congress care to support or know much about it.
Cuts to NASA and the National Science Foundation are part of the problem
Carl Sagan warned about nearly twenty years ago. Great interview by CBS’s
Charlie Rose. #twt
A giant of human thought predicting 2013 in 1996.
What a great man.
Four “thumbs down” for this video?! That exactly shows what the problem is.
industrialist elites will use any technique in order to continue reaping
profit until they no longer can or are chastise by society and made to
stop. With the latter they will use and abuse religion, science,
philosophy, general ignorance to delay and obfuscate society’s ability to
stop their damaging practices.
Shortly before he died seventeen years ago, Dr Carl Sagan was interviewed
about the drastic need for science education in a world which depends
entirely on science but where so many people are scientifically indifferent.
I do not think the situation has improved, either here in Australia or in
America. The indifference to science manifests itself as ignorance, often
leading to opposition and contempt.
The prophets of religion got it mostly wrong but Carl Sagan was always
right.
Carl Sagan and government.
Carl Sagan on a more scientific government, and society.
Predicted? What’s true now about what he said that wasn’t in 1996 when he
said it?
He hit everything right on the head…especially about the skeptical on
what is told by others
You can see, in the comments here, people affected by the very thing he was
trying to warn about.
Those with extreme ignorance of science are easily duped into fearing said
science and blaming it on problems that don’t exist. And so when someone
comes along to ensure them that they will fix those problems they gullibly
accept this ‘help.’
“The republicans have just abolished their own office of technology
assessment”
That’s probably a good thing.
One might say.. Prophetic.
via +Upworthy
Dr. Sagan was absolutely right. And you can see it today – American
politics, culture, and economies have not been able to keep up the rate of
scientific and technological advancement. Have we reached a tipping point?
Perhaps this is the reason why the fervently religious seem crazier than
ever, why some people are so drawn to the past, and why some are afraid of
the future.
I think this can – and will – change. All we need to do is educate.
“… otherwise we don’t run the government, the government runs us.”
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to
criticize.”
In his last interview, CARL SAGAN predicted the DANGEROUS MIX between
POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY and people’s deep IGNORANCE ABOUT SCIENCE and their
incapability to elect representatives capable of making wise decisions
about what direction science and technology should advance.
Carl Sagan and Government_ Charlie Rose.wmv
Prescient words from wisdom passed too soon. I think the technologies we
are seeing today would delight and terrify Sagan.
h/t +Casey McKinnon
Next week, Carl Sagan will have been dead for 18 years. His last televised
interview was with Charlie Rose, and it was amazing.
Throughout his career, Carl consistently had one clear vision and his
endeavors as a popularizer of science were actually only a means to try to
make his vision a reality.
His message was always that knowledge is the most important tool for
freedom, peace, and fulfillment of humankind’s true potential. That was his
vision: to see humankind rise above it’s pettiness and become something
greater than it ever had been, because he believed we could.
I do too.
Do you?
Carl Sagan and Government_ Charlie Rose.wmv
thankfully I think it’s changing, though not fast enough. Eventually people
need to realize that if they want to be part of the changing world instead
of simply watching it from the sidelines, they need to educate themselves
in the sciences and learn to think critically about how science can be
responsibly utilized to drive change.
Do not rely on public education systems to drive knowledge into you. They
are crippled and will continue to remain crippled by the powers that be.
You need to explore on your own. In the age of information ignorance is a
choice
Frighteningly accurate.
And in his autobiography this joker claims he gained his best insights into
science while toking on weed! Calling others charlatans is the expert pot
calling the kettle black.
Damn straight the government runs us. But which government runs us? It’s
NOT the United States government. The United States government was
SURRENDERED by econometric treaty over 60 years ago to a type 1
civilization. That is the executive branch of the New World Order. Congress
illegally ratified the treaty making this new world type 1 civilization an
ILLEGAL entity. HOWEVER, that does not matter as long as they have TOP DOWN
CONTROL over your lives because, after all, who can make war with a type 1
civilization? The answer is….enlightened people who are willing to stand
for righteousness, truth and honor. If that no longer exists then
march…MARCH toward a new world order. DO IT already and get this over
with. If not, then FIGHT the friggin tyrants! Fight by lawfully
revitalizing the powers back into the hands of the people, by State
statute. Organize your communities and work with your State legislators.
DO IT! Don’t just sit there like dingalings. lol
*“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody
understands anything about science and technology,”* Sagan said. *“And this
combustible mixture of ignorance and power, sooner or later, is going to
blow up in our faces.”*
Completely agree with Carl Sagan people without education cannot make
the right laws about technology :))
Sagan is totally correct. Pseudoscience is a danger, especially when those
who believe it are dictating political policy. That’s why belief in science
is pretty much my only precondition for who I vote for.
It unfortunate that evolution deniers, global warming deniers, and GMO
deniers actually get elected to office.
be skeptic about anything about abiogenesis or evolution and bam…. you
are an idiot. why? because you don’t believe nonlife can be life. even
though it cannot be repeated.
We couldn’t agree more with Carl Sagan – it’s vital that people understand
the bases of our civilisation: #science and #technology.
And our aim is to be a part of that!
https://publons.com/about/
Carl Sagan and Government_ Charlie Rose.wmv
#government #politics #policy #evidence #skepticism
+Deckard Cain +YogaFire +Yvigny Goncharov abiogenesis and evolution are
theories trying to explain how we came by. Abiogenesis explains nonlife to
life, evolution explains non intelligent to intelligent.
All trying to prove origin of life. Abiogenesis has never been repeated.
Evolution , because of time needed to observe, has also never been
observed. And cannot be repeated, even with organisms with very short
lifespan, like fruitfly.
So I become a skeptic of the status quo and an automatic idiot.
Sagan’s Warning. A prophecy concerning science and society and truer words
were never spoken.
A Republican Congressman Broun, also an MD rejects Evolution.
Famous surgeon & Republican speaker Ben Carson MD also rejects “Evilution”.
Carbon dating was not the 1st social network started 6000 years ago.-(
All the mind control/ stalking “Paranoid Style” videos on YT by the
thousand are not
made by batcrazy paranoids. Most are deliberately made to manufacture doubt
& confusion across the www. Alex Jones & Glenn Beck are very sane PR ppl in
the biz of making the real sound like fiction & fictional conspiracy sound
real. IOW, to create a separate reality that resonates with T-Party
radically conservative interpretations of same. Separate news, separate
education, faith based economics, Conservapedia,
their own “science” financed by Big T, tobacco, Koch etc.
A PSA, please be skeptical of things.
The biggest threat to science the that scam called religion. Science is the
seeking of the truth about our universe while religions is about obscuring
the truth.
Old ppl = Danger!
+NDSPTuba am sorry I do not need flu shots every year. and even to consider
flu virus turning into new strains they are still flu virus. no one has
observed a flu virus evolving into something else. they are always viruses,
and forever will be. no one has billions of years to wait to see what will
become of the flu virus if given billions of years. so your argument is
invalid. Darwinian evolution is an assumption. not observable.
also God isn’t a magical fairy.
“Science is…
A truly powerful statement from a man who really got me interested in
science as a kid.
“If we don’t understand it, then who’s making the decisions about science
and technology? Just some members of Congress?” – Carl Sagan
I miss you so much Carl.
Prescience, powerful, scary words….
The government does now run our lives.
So true. Remember to be skeptical!!!
What would you tell your 14-year-old self?
My advice would be really -boring: keep on with science subjects, because
understanding of science will be so important in your future life. I’ve
held seminars in No. 10 about graphene and quantum theory, which I love
doing. But I have to read up a lot before I get started. So: a little more
on the physics and chemistry, please, David.
David Cameron ~ Prime Minister
90% of the people who believe in the Bible have never read the Bible. Go
ahead and try to prove me wrong on that.
Ayn Rand is exactly the kind of charlatan he was talking about.
Even she would have swallowed a bottle of speed if she had ever
seen the movies Atlas Shrugged 1 & 2 based on her book.
Objectivist & Libertarian porn. Sat through 20 minutes of 2.
Thank goshness I didn’t have to pay for it.
Schools are a joke. I was told by a teacher that “Evolution is not
important” and we didn’t read the chapter. Then when I got to college. The
Biology professor said “Look, I know how your schools are around here.
Forget everything” It was a nice change.
I was never a fan of Carl Sagan but look at the crap that seeks too replace
him>>>>
the “Nasa End of Mankind”, Nibiru, Call From Another Galaxy, Ha!
[…] Young People, Future Generations and Nature A case for compensation for climate change destruction A Warning From Carl Sagan on Scientific Ignorance Planet likely to warm by 4C by 2100, scientists […]
We’ve arranged a society based on science & technology in which nobody
understands anything about science and technology. Power+Ignorance
Carl Sagan and Government_ Charlie Rose.wmv
I’m glad I don’t live in a democracy. My government makes decisions based
upon merit and nobility; not majority rule. ^^;
*Carl Sagan in 1996 said our society depends on science in every way, yet
very few of us understand it at all.*
Money in politics is one major issue, but it is not the only thing
destroying our society. Technology, and the fact that people who understand
technology are so few and so specialized, have guaranteed that only the
wealthy and powerful can take full advantage of it. A corrupt and powerful
government/corporate ruling class pays knowledgeable people very well to
harness the power of science, producing technology that is used to control
people of lower class.
In this interview, Sagan was more concerned about nuclear
proliferation — the a military class has the power to destroy the whole
planet elite, is ostensibly accountable to the people who know nearly
nothing about it.
But there is no shortage of examples in our generation. The recent *NSA
scandal* and the continued persecution of whistleblowers. Out-of-control *costs
of health care* is another issue resulting from science being controlled
only by the wealthy elite. *Global warming* is monster that is even more of
a problem because of socially engineered ignorance.
I believe even problems like unemployment somehow tie into the
disgraceful scientific ignorance of our society. The ruling class only
looks out for themselves, the only work available is the work that exists
to protect the interests ruling class. If you are not working to that end,
you will not find employment.
We may be able to solve the problem of money in politics, we may
even see a constitutional amendment. But that won’t solve the whole
problem. Scientific literacy needs to improve, worldwide, but especially in
the United States, or the problems we face now will persist for
generations, or destroy us entirely.
Carl Sagan isn’t as bright of a person as his desire for fame implies.
What he is using is what we in philosophy call part of the “end of history”
fallacy. His idea is that we live in an age of the most modern technology,
implying that we live in it in a way we did not before. This debate of
religion versus science and technology has been going on for 200 years.
There is nothing special about the modern day.
He points to the fact that congressmen don’t have a background in science,
and there is a good reason for this. Scientists collect and analyze data.
Scientists do not apply their knowledge, they just try to stream the
knowledge to those who can apply it. Policymaking and science are
different disciplines and should be separated. The scientists are welcome
to present their arguments, and should be given a more intent ear than most
people, but there are very good reasons for scientists not getting involved
in decision making because there is a lot of non-science that has to be
taken into consideration.
Scientists are specialists. A biologist will never be prepared to comment
on sociology, etc… Policymakers need to listen to and make sense of
arguments where they may not necessarily have all the information, but
where they can get just enough to know the correct course of action.
It’s not a perfect system, but…
Keep in mind that the USSR had one of the world’s most extensive scientific
programs. They spent far more on R&D than any other country on the planet,
far more than the United States during the Cold War. The USSR is not with
us today because of their overreliance on science.
well…. I guess we’re fucked now
A Science Icon Died 17 Years Ago. In His Last Interview, He Made A Warning
That Gives Me Goosebumps. Carl Sagan and Government_ Charlie Rose.wmv
Without education, the government runs us.
Carl Sagan and Government_ Charlie Rose.wmv
And right there is the strongest argument for good education that there is.
Carl Sagan inspired a generation of scientists with his work in and out of
the classroom. But he didn’t always present science with cheer. In this
clip, he passionately defends science with a grave warning. It’s something
we all need to hear.
From:
http://www.upworthy.com/a-science-icon-died-17-years-ago-in-his-last-interview-he-made-a-warning-that-gives-me-goosebumps-5?c=reccon1
His last interview. Sage advice as true now as then
Carl Sagan, my hero! =)
Absolutely!
There seems to be a renewed war on science from many fronts.
Politicians don’t want people to develop a good skeptical BS detector..
Here’s my home boy.
Who could have guessed how utterly prophetic Carl Sagan could have been?
He’s right.
You do not need to know everything science has to teach us. But you do need
to know how to understand what science tells us. Something missing entirely
too much not only in USA, UK, or first world countries, but the whole of
the world is far too illiterate when it comes to science. Especially when
science has such an impact on every person on the planet.
This is great. First time I’ve seen this clip.
Carl Sagan’s words are very much true today.
A fine mind and a true humanitarian.
Interesting.
Is the public scientific knowledge reaching a level where we, the public,
loose control?
#Nerri
Carl Sagan was, and still is, The Shit.
A great mind with a great #warning about #science and #technology
It as been a while, but he was – and still is – right in my opinion; as the
risks have only increased!
I’ve been saying the same things in discussions lately, arguing against the
“You can’t ask me about Technology, I am just not good at that” attitudes.
Carl Sagan is amazingly insightful years before most of us saw it coming.
The Venus Project
Carl Sagan: “Its a thing Jefferson lay great stress on: wasn’t enough, he
said to enshrin some rights and in the constitution or Bill of Rights. The
people had to be educated and they had to practice their skepticism in
their education otherwise we don’t run the government, the government runs
us.”
Insightful! Unfortunately science and money go hand in hand only when
science can be lucrative. A brighter scientific future for the human race
does not interest capitalism
I’m skeptical about whether those words are his.