2005-06-17
� 2:35 p.m.
Sagan conversation - Introduction
This is a little deeper than the stuff you'll usually find in my diary, but it's worth the read, I think. I'll be posting this in several parts, the conversation will actually follow in part 2. This is an email conversation I had with someone who I barely knew, he's the husband of a former coworker of mine. The whole things stemmed from this email that I sent out to some friends concerning the brilliance of Carl Sagan. Here's the precursor: Hello everyone, In my studies of astronomy, sciences, faith, and philosophy, I've come across a great many profound thinkers and ideas. Very few in the modern world are as powerful and erudite as the great Carl Sagan. While he was often mimicked, ("billions and billions..") he was always respected. He had a talent for words, and the ability to explain advanced scientific concepts to laymen in ways that were both understandable and interesting. To date, there are still books he's written that I have yet had the pleasure of reading, but that will change. I offer for you here a few paragraphs from his 1994 book "Pale Blue Dot", as introduced by a friend of the late Carl Sagan, who's name is James Randi. This link will take you to the site of the James Randi Educational Foundation, which I encourage you to explore if you're so inclined. At very least, please read the first portion of this article in which Dr. Sagan describes the Earth. It's one of the most eye-opening passages of text I've ever read. Sagan
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