Zach, I grew up with Carl Sagan. Grew up on cosmos, followed him
everywhere he went on TV. He was like a dad when I didn't have a
dad, and he got me fascinated by science. No, he was no atheist.
Times were different then * they weren't so black-and-white as
they are today. He fought against the excesses in religion and
science and politics * but had no trouble with mainstream
anything. And one of his famous interviews, he foresaw a future
religion that's based on science * kind of pantheism that was
modifiable. So don't put black-and-white as coming out of his
mouth * because it didn't.
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today's form of atheism did not exist back then in the 80s. It's
only through the efforts of Dawkins and those of the new atheist
movement from the mid to late 90s onwards, that you find the
kind of radical religious atheism that you find today. I believe
science has the best opportunity for answers * but please, take
it down off of its pedestal. I've worked with scientists * at
pharmaceutical industry for a few years * they do their best *
but they're human. Don't make a religion out of science *
scientism has been the worst trend of the past 18 years.
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I miss the hell out of Carl Sagan ever since he died * between
him, joseph Campbell, Douglas Adams (who WAS atheist but again,
not the sort you see today) and george carlin - they shaped my
worldview * unafraid to see bullshit whatever it lies, and
campbell fed the Monomyth which allows me to see it even in non
religious areas, anytime somebody has a hero on a pedestal.
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You won't find certainty in science * but you will find
heuristics.
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People typically associate heuristics with engineering * but
when it comes down to it, it's the backbone of science as well -
scientists can sometimes get a little cocky if They get popular.
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Remember * certainty is a human emotion. We may have codified it
* but it's still an emotion.
Oh, that's just theoretical physicists. They don't practice
science - they practice speculation. If you want real science *
go to working biologists * or better still, Chemists. I'm not
talking about the ones with the big mouths, but the ones whose
work we don't see and whose names we don't know * they have my
respect.I'm distinguishing between working biologists from
theoretical biologists * Who do lots of talking but no real
work.
