The Demon-Haunted World
Also known as The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
Carl Sagan's 1995 case for the scientific method and skeptical thinking.
At a glance
Key ideas
The dragon in my garage, Nine tools, Twenty fallacies …
See all 4Criticism
Richard Lewontin, Paul Trachtman, Length
See all 3Connections
Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan
See all 2
Also on this page: Key facts · Links · Sources · Related pages
- Sagan explains the scientific method to general readers and argues for skeptical thinking.
- Science is a way of thinking, not just a body of knowledge, and works because it corrects its own errors.
- He offers a "baloney detection kit" of tools and common fallacies for testing claims.
- He applies it to witches, UFOs, ESP and faith healing.
Why it matters
- It is a standard introduction to critical thinking; the skeptical movement counts it as an important book.
Key facts
- Author
- Carl Sagan; four of its 25 chapters written with Ann Druyan1
- Published
- 19951
- Reception
- A New York Times bestseller1
Key ideas
-
The dragon in my garage1
An invisible, floating, heatless dragon that no test can detect is no different from no dragon at all.
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Nine tools1
Independent confirmation, debate, distrust of authority, several hypotheses, not clinging to your own, quantifying, every link in the chain, Occam's razor, falsifiability.
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Twenty fallacies1
Including ad hominem, argument from authority, appeal to ignorance, special pleading and observational selection.
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Test new ideas1
New ideas should face skeptical thinking and rigorous questioning.
Criticism
-
Richard Lewontin1
In the New York Review of Books, said Sagan does not show how he used the scientific method to find a human bent for science.
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Paul Trachtman1
In Smithsonian, said Sagan splits the universe into science and irrationality.
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Length1
Reviews in the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times found it too long.
Connections
Written by
- Carl SaganPerson
- Ann DruyanFour of the 25 chapters
Links
Sources
Last checked against its sources today
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