Three Views of Carl Sagan
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Uploaded by MichaelShermer on Nov 2, 2009
In this Skeptics Distinguished Lecture Series talk at Caltech from 1999, three science biographers take an illuminating look back over the life and legacy of one of the 20th Century's most celebrated astronomers.
First, Michael Shermer analyzes Carl Sagans career to test common claims (such as the idea that Sagans popularizing interfered with his scientific research). Shermer reveals the true nature of the so-called Sagan Effect.
Then, William Poundstone (author of Carl Sagan: A Life in the Cosmos) provides an entertaining look at Sagans lesser known interests — especially his marijuana use (and the media fascination with that revelation).
Keay Davidson (author of Carl Sagan: A Life) rounds out the event with a discussion of Sagans ideas about exobiology and nuclear proliferation.
Order the DVD:
http://www.skeptic.com/productlink/av086
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0:21:45 Was Carl strong about his atheism? Because I recall reading that he thought atheism means gnostic atheism and regarded himself as agnostic (instead of agnostic atheist, which is what he was)
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@amaxamon No big deal. PowerPoint started as a program to easily make slides and transparencies. Then it became common to skip the hard-copy step, and project the slides directly from the computer.
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@stormshaman I'm not young, I guess I never thought much abt powerpoint! I'd just assumed since he's using the ol' overhead projector (which i prefer, anyway). Cheers.
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@amaxamon You think 1997 was before PowerPoint? How young are you?
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free views go to = df37c013.any.gs
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@summerofplums Correlation is not evidence. Nothing can be said of it without more study.
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Happy (77th) Birthday, Dr. Sagan. With thanks.
2 months ago 3
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And his other biographer is Philip Seymour Hoffman!!
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OM"G" (ha ha) Sagan's biographer is Hector Hammond!! ;)
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In the days before power point...
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@summerofplums I admit that you can add harmful things to Cannabis, you can add Crystal Meth to corn flakes, should corn flakes thus be avoided? For the same reason I don't buy Cannabis off anonymous criminals, I will not buy cornflakes, or orange juice, or cough syrup from an anonymous criminal. Not because I don't trust cornflakes or orange juice or cough syrup! But obviously because I don't trust anonymous criminals, you shouldn't confuse the two.
FuckFacts 11 months ago 27
"Facts an' facts, an' t'ings an t'ings: dem's all a lotta fockin' bullshit. Hear me! Dere is no truth but de one truth, an' that is the truth of Carl Sagan. -Bob Marley
sambryant11 2 years ago 6