Personally, I would be delighted if there were a life after death, especially if it permitted me to continue to learn about this world and others, if it gave me a chance to discover how history turns out.
Dr. Carl Sagan
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
absence evidence
The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.
ambition harmony human universe perfect
All of the books in the world contain no more information than is broadcast as video in a single large American city in a single year. Not all bits have equal value.
information city world cities single american books americaandamericans
In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken', and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen
change science good minds hear argument scientists arguments view
That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every 'superstar,' every 'supreme leader,' every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there - on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
home history human hopeful suffering earth mankind joy mother saint lives king astronomy sinner child politician civilization hero young teacher father morals leader dust coward religions corrupt creator hunter confident love
Who are we? Where do we come from? Why are we this way and not some other? What does it mean to be human? Are we capable, if need be, of fundamental change, or do the dead hands of forgotten ancestors impel us in some direction, indiscriminately for good or ill, and beyond our control? Can we alter our character? Can we improve our societies? Can we leave our children a world better than the one that was left to us? Can we free them from the demons that torment us and haunt our civilization? In the long run, are we wise enough to know what changes to make? Can we be trusted with our own future?
progress change character human future children world control good direction wise mankind astronomy free civilization hands leave dead run torment forgotten demons left ancestors
If we long to believe that the stars rise and set for us, that we are the reason there is a Universe, does science do us a disservice in deflating our conceits?
belief science reason universe stars rise
You can't convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it's based on a deep seated need to believe
belief deep evidence
We've arranged a civilization in which most crucial elements profoundly depend on science and technology.
technology science civilization elements
I also wish that the Pledge of Allegiance were directed at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, as it is when the President takes his oath of office, rather than to the flag and the nation
rights nations flag president nation constitution presidency
The surface of the Earth is the shore of the cosmic ocean. From it we have learned most of what we know. Recently, we have waded a little out to sea, enough to dampen our toes or, at most, wet our ankles. The water seems inviting. The ocean calls. So
earth water sea ocean learned wet cosmic
I am often amazed at how much more capability and enthusiasm for science there is among elementary school youngsters than among college students.
college science school enthusiasm students
But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.
genius fact brothers
You have to know the past to understand the present.
history past present understanding understand
chance life death history world learn discover
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