Book
The Demon-Haunted World
Science & Health
Philosophy & EthicsWhat is The Demon-Haunted World in the Agency editorial?
The Demon-Haunted World is a book by Carl Sagan. In Issue.25, the edition cites it as the source of his famous line about grasping the universe as it really is, in a passage that contrasts Sagan's scientific cosmology with the author's own worldview.
In short
In Issue.25, The Demon-Haunted World is introduced in a passage about Carl Sagan and cosmology. The edition describes Sagan as a scientist whose cosmological lens was grounded in science, leaving no space for religions, magic, myths, gods or unicorns. It then says he famously wrote in The Demon-Haunted World: 'For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.' The author responds with a respectful but disagreeing 'I respect that Mr. Sagan, but for me, it sounds boring,' setting up the edition's argument that everyone approaches the world through their own cosmology.
Key facts
- What passage from the book is quoted?
- 'For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.'
- How does the author react to the quote?
- With respectful disagreement: 'I respect that Mr. Sagan, but for me, it sounds boring.'
- In what argument does the book appear?
- In a passage about cosmology as a personal lens, contrasting Sagan's science-grounded lens with the author's point that even Sagan needed his own cosmology to interpret the world.
What is The Demon-Haunted World?
The Demon-Haunted World is a book by Carl Sagan, published in 1995. These identification facts come from outside the editions and are marked for verification.
How does it appear in Issue.25?
In Issue.25, the book is cited in a passage about Carl Sagan and cosmology. The edition describes Sagan as a scientist who viewed human existence through a cosmological lens grounded in science, with no space for religions, magic or myths. It quotes the famous line from The Demon-Haunted World about grasping the universe as it really is. The author then respectfully disagrees, calling Sagan's view boring and using the contrast to argue that every person approaches the world through their own cosmology, including their values, assumptions and sense of truth.
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Also from these editions: concepts
Also from these editions: terms
Related concepts
- Carl SaganCarl Sagan was an American astronomer and science communicator, the presenter of the series Cosmos and the author of The Demon-Haunted World. The Agency editorial names…
- CosmologyCosmology is the branch of philosophy and astrophysics that investigates the origin, fundamental structure, and overarching order of the universe. In broader…