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The Demon-Haunted World
- Science as a Candle in the Dark
- Narrated by: Cary Elwes, Seth MacFarlane
- Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins
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The Demon-Haunted World
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Summary
A prescient warning of a future we now inhabit, where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace
“A glorious book... A spirited defense of science... From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought.” - Los Angeles Times
How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions.
Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms.
Praise for The Demon-Haunted World
“Powerful... A stirring defense of informed rationality... Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing.” - The Washington Post Book World
“Compelling.” - USA Today
“A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference... A testimonial to the power of science and a warning of the dangers of unrestrained credulity.” - The Sciences
“Passionate.” - San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Torkild Smith
- 18-01-22
A brilliant book
A very well formulated view on our world and how science will always prevail and protect us. That is as long as it is ethically (this may be discussionable!) done.
Carl Sagan have certainly left his footpronts!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- mr
- 24-12-22
A must read for most
An excellent listen for the science curious. Written so anyone cam get a grasp of the key facts that govern our lives.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- nonono
- 11-02-22
An absolute must listen for everyone.
Brilliant book, brilliantly performed. If you feel like the world is swirling into chaos, injustice, irrationalism and you are helpless to do anything about it, read this book. It digs deep to the root of these problems and gives us a way to get rid of them. Power to the people.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Gilles Guichard
- 11-12-21
A must read
A++++ Brilliant Book, I strongly recommend you read it, if you are asking yourself fondamentale questions that no one else is asking and often worry why you're asking yourself such questions! Then this book is for you. Gilles Guichard
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Vilius
- 03-10-19
Not as relevant
Excellent book! There are updated and more relevant books on topic now, but still great!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Damien Behan
- 12-01-24
Hmmm…yes and no.
As a book, its content as written is invaluable to any critical thinker. That’s not even in question.
But, note to anyone considering downloading it. It isn’t read by Seth MacFarlane, if it was, it would be a total joy to behold. Seth reads some of the intro credits and he reads chapter 12. That’s it! I feel very short changed on this.
Carl Sagan’s voice is more baritone and therefore it absolutely deserves a baritone narrator.
The narrator in this case has a voice more suited to a dramatic work of fiction, it is incompatible with a book of science, critical thinking and reasoning and I feel it takes away drastically from the experience of the Carl Sagan style of communication.
Where Seth does read, it is flawless. His tone, timing, intonation, emphasis in the right places and in the right way are a blessing.
Overall it’s wonderful, but Seth should have read the entire book, or at minimum the entire second half. Not just one chapter.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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- andrew
- 01-07-17
A light not dimmed
Excellent audio book of a great book from the much missed Carl Sagan. You must own this book.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mike GMT
- 07-12-21
Carl Sagan at his best
An exquisite insight in the mind of the best science promoter of the 20th century. Some arguments have acquired the patina of time, however the essence is still vivid in today's world.
Such a superb listening...
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Marcus
- 27-11-22
A book that our planet should live by!
Incredible piece of work by a remarkable human. Can’t recommend highly enough and will return to this often. Faultless performance and well read. This should be studied in schools and offices of government across the globe.
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- Thephou
- 16-04-24
A true classic
A true classics that is more current and on point then one would like to think.
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