Sagan, C. The Varieties of Scientific Experience, Penguin Books, London, 2006
Introduction: Ann Druyan pulled together a file of Sagan’s lectures notes from files in making this book. From the perspective of space, earth is a tiny blue dot, not special. The title is a take off of W. James book The Varieties of Religious Experience. Sagan from Wikepedia: (November 9, 1934 – December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, science popularizer, and science communicator in the space and natural sciences. During his lifetime, he published more than 600 scientific papers and popular articles and was author, co-author, or editor of more than 20 books. In his works, he advocated skeptical inquiry and the scientific method. He pioneered exobiology and promoted the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI). He was of Jewish background, but his father was not very religious.
Sagan became world-famous for his popular science books and for the award-winning 1980 television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which he narrated and co-wrote.[2]
My note: His perspective appears that of a Naturalist, not believing in God.
Chap. 1 Nature and Wonder. This gives many beautiful pictures of space and its details, emphasizing the smallness of earth. Space is mostly darkness with spots of light.p2. Worlds are born and die in vast times.p.28 The book as a whole is poorly referenced.
Chap. 2 Retreat from Copernicus p.33-61 There is a tendency in history for man to project our knowledge from our feelings onto others and on to the universe and objects. Animism is an example. Man and Aristotle also initially thought the stars revolved around the earth. Copernicus noted that the turned and orbited and the stars were relatively stationary: Because this was not in vogue and controversial he kept this quiet. Galileo picked up on it and was persecuted by the Catholic Church. Newton noted that the planets circle the sun in an elliptical and zodiacal plane in same direction.p43 The rings of Saturn are a fine plane of particles. Wikipedia: The rings of Saturn are the most extensive planetary ring system of any planet in the Solar System. They consist of countless small particles, ranging in size from micrometres to metres,[1] that from clumps that in turn orbit about Saturn. The ring particles are made almost entirely of water ice, with some contamination from dust and other chemicals. The total mass of the rings is about 3 x 1019 kg. This is a small fraction of the total mass of Saturn (about 50 ppb) and is just a little less than the moon Mimas.[13] They are 99.9 % water ice. They periodically clump and unclump. Data from the Cassini space probe indicate that the rings of Saturn possess their own atmosphere, independent of that of the planet itself. The atmosphere is composed of molecular oxygen gas (O2) produced when ultraviolet light from the Sun interacts with water ice in the rings. Chemical reactions between water molecule fragments and further ultraviolet stimulation create and eject, among other things, O2. According to models of this atmosphere, H2 is also present. The O2 and H2 atmospheres are so sparse that if the entire atmosphere were somehow condensed onto the rings, it would be about one atom thick.[17] The rings also have a similarly sparse OH (hydroxide) atmosphere. Sagan stated pg.47 that the rings are thinner than a piece of paper, while Wikipedia stated at places they are up to 10 m thick. Wikipedia: Saturn’s rings may be very old, dating to the formation of Saturn itself. There are two main theories regarding the origin of Saturn’s rings. One theory, originally proposed by Édouard Roche in the 19th century, is that the rings were once a moon of Saturn (named Veritas; a Roman goddess who hid in a well) whose orbit decayed until it came close enough to be ripped apart by tidal forces (see Roche limit).[24] A variation of this theory is that the moon disintegrated after being struck by a large comet or asteroid.[25] The second theory is that the rings were never part of a moon, but are instead left over from the original nebular material from which Saturn formed. It seems likely however that they are composed of debris from the disruption of a moon about 300 km in diameter, bigger than Mimas. The last time there were collisions large enough to be likely to disrupt a moon that large was during the Late Heavy Bombardment some four billion years ago.[26] Sagan noted that due to conservationof angular momentum the disc flattens(p.48). My note- the example does not support Sagan’s assertion that this is how planets formed by agglomeration of the ring particles into a planet. The data indicated that the moon disintegrated into particles and not vice versa. The flattening would tend to spread rather than clump material perpendicular to the plane.
He noted the design argument and how many laws of physics and physical constants are fine tuned for life. To counter this he offers the multi-universe theory where different universes would have different laws of physics and constants. p59 Ross, an expert astronomer, noted that the multi-universe theory has weaknesses: 1. There is no physical evidence for other universes with different laws of physics. 2. If another universe did have different laws of physics and life, this would discourage the trans-spermia theory, where life from other planets was planted on earth. If this life operated on different laws of physics it would not survive on earth, nor would it survive space travel. 3. If the laws of physics vary widely in space, then we have no uniform basis for investigating space.
Chap. 3 the Organic Universe. P.63 Sagan makes the point of God of the gaps where progressively men believing in God’s truth progressively are overturned by science. My note: This has some obvious exceptions: Sagan cited Aristotle as having an incorrect geocentric view and he did not believe in God; while Galileo had the correct view and did believe in God. In fact many of the great scientists he cited did believe in God. Sagan noted the research on comets that shows they have some elementary organic molecules, C2, NH2 and CN.p 75 Gasses and compounds condense out at different temperatures: Silica first near mercury, water vapor near earth, methane near Jupiter and Saturn. There should be preferential condensing out of Methane at the out parts of the solar system. Meteorites contain some organic matter.p80 The rings of Uranus may contain organic matter.p84. Wikipedia said they represent a disintegrated moon. Viking I,II showed Mars contain almost no organic matter(p.91). Titan a moon of Saturn, contains some organic matter and water. Amino acids and some proteins have been produced in the lab for organic molecules and UV light.p98 He noted that the earth was not suitable for life until 4 billion yrs ago. And live began in Stromatolites 3.5 Billion yrs ago.p99
Chap. 4 Extraterrestrial Intelligence p.103 Most of the chapter focuses on the Drake equation which is an equation to calculate the # of technical civilizations in the universe. He tells why it is difficult to correspond with other universe civilizations: mainly the distance and speed of light problem with them being hundreds of light yrs away. Tofflemire addresses this question in appendix 3 of Evidences for God and His Creations: Nature, the Flood and the Bible: A Summary Apologetics Book Assembling a Puzzle. After 37 yrs. of searching and $60 million spent, no evidence of radio signal feed back has been found (Heeren p.74,245). Italian physicist Enrico Fermi suggested in the 1950s that if technologically advanced civilizations are common in the universe, then they should be detectable in one way or another. (According to those who were there, Fermi either asked “Where are they?” or “Where is everybody?”) This is called the Fermi paradox and is not mentioned in Sagan’s book. He compares looking for EI like looking for an angel. However, an angel is a spiritual being, and EI a physical one of higher intelligence.
Chap. 5 ET Folklore p.125-45 The Chap. dwells mostly on UFO’s and notes most reports are false; he says there is little physical evidence for them. Then he relates this to Christian miracle reports being false also.
Chap.6 The God hypothesis p.147 He cites many different views of God by different religions and speakers at the Gifford Lectures on Natural Theology: Paul Tillich denied God as a supernatural power or being; so did Spinoza(P.149). He notes that the many different religious views are inconsistent. He makes the point that one’s religious belief is strongly influenced by his parents and culture. He makes fun of the Judeo-Christian view because many hold to a young earth. He says none the traditional western arguments for God are convincing. The cosmological argument: Counters:1. an oscillating universe could exist forever by expanding and collapsing and this is the Hindu view. 2 he also says we should question who created God and why we know he is eternal. He also questions if the 2nd law of thermo would apply to the universe. P.158; and shouldn’t it apply to God also? He rules out the design argument: 1. saying Darwin’s theory of evolution explains the increase in complexity. 2 and by definition of the anthropic principle he rules out he need of considering the fine tuning.. 3 He acknowledges there is order in the universe but also disorder and notes some stars explode and disrupt galaxies. He discounts the moral argument saying many animals have codes of behavior and motherly instincts for their young’s survival. He implies these instincts came from natural selection. He says we can see what is good for our species, for our community and our nation and will pursue it.p.159 The ontological argument: He said Anslem framed it in terms of God being perfect, but Kreeft gives it as below.
The Ontological Argument as devised by Anselm p. 69
A. It is greater for a thing to exist in the mind and in reality than in the mind alone.
B. God means that than which a greater cannot be thought.
C. Suppose God exists in the mind but not in reality.
D. Then a greater than God could be thought of (one that also has reality)
E. But this is impossible, for God is that than which a greater cannot be thought. Sagan says it is a matter of definitions and not convincing.
The argument from consciousness: He says animals have consciousness, so it is not convincing. Man’s consciousness is advanced with retrospection and prospection, reasoning, questioning and logic, however. Sagan also raised the problem of evil and why would a good God allow it? Also why would god allow the earth and things to be imperfect?
Chap. 7 the Religious Experience p 16-89 Cultural anthropology deals with remote tribes and a Kung hunter-gather tribe that has little male dominance. A different tribe the Jivaro has male dominance and do not hug their children. James Prescott studied these tribes and noted that tribes where children are hugged and teenagers can have sex lack social dominance hierarchies. However tires where there is not hugging and affection, have strong dominance and more violence. In more developed societies this corresponds to those with a military rule and dominance vs. these with a democratic structure. Animism was described by James Frasier in the book the Golden Bough. Some tribes also have animal sacrifices to appease the Gods. Sagan then relates this to the Judeo tradition of animal sacrifices. He questions the value of prayer and says it should be subject to statistical studies but then doesn’t cite any study results. He notes how chemicals and drugs can affect or emotional stability and pain reactions. Some are taken and some naturally generated in the body. Some tribes and modern man take hallucinogens to have religious experiences. A. Huxley and T. Leary favored LSD. He asserts one of the advantageous of religion to rulers and society is that it often gives people morals standards and makes them content with their lot. An afterlife of better conditions is promised. He likes bowing to God to bowing to a ruler and the idea of being in submission. It is somewhat rare that an established religious body will confront their rulers and revolt. I note there is a difference in being in submission to a true God that loves us, than to a false God or ruler. It is not logical to obey a false God.
Chap.8 Crimes against Creation: P198 His perspective noted that traditions including religions were handed down from parent to child in societies for practical purposes. In old history they changed slowly but now change more rapidly: travel and communication have speeded up. Sagan states that most of the planets in the solar systme have had some satellite observation, with landing on the moon, Mars and Venus. No life current has been found; although the conditions may be possible for life on Titan, the moon of Saturn. He gives a simplified explanation of the dinosaur extinctions a by giant asteroid 65 million yrs ago. He cites increased iridium deposits then. My note: this is greatly oversimplified as there were man other dinosaur fossils burred up to 180 million yrs before this and there are many differing theories of how they were killed and buried (Snelling p.746). There is evidence that many dinosaur age fossils were buried by rapid flood and sediment depositions, not indicative of a massive asteroid explosion which could have torn the bones apart and scattered them helter-skelter. Sagan states the prime objectives of society should be to preserve the human species prevent nuclear war and maintain good ecology on earth. He stated religions should be judged on how they achieve these purposes. He acknowledges that our environment is fined tuned for life, but there are many extinct species. He states even with nuclear war, some life like cockroaches, ants and bacteria may well survive. My note: This logic does not completely follow: If there is no purpose or meaning to live and we are evolved from molecules over millions of yrs, why is human life even valuable? Why are we more valuable than the ant? Also why couldn’t we re-evolve from molecules over eons of time as evolutionary theory states? Evolution is random action of molecules with no purpose, but perhaps tuned for survival. Why haven’t the many extinct species re-evolved, if evolution is so good?
Chap. 9 The Search p.213 Quote Leo Tolstoy “Without knowing what I am and why I am here life is impossible” To answer the question Sagan says the following: We are very intelligent beings, we evolved from molecules and primates(p.218). We have ethical and moral responsibilities, but he doesn’t say where they come from. We are members of groups and societies that are now bigger. We are more interdependent now. We differ over philosophies and world views but should not let them dominate us. There should be a commandment to learn and figure things out. He implies knowledge leads to good behavior. He implies the Bible endorses the divine right of Kings and of slavery. My note: It was mainly Christians that lead the fight against slavery. America was founded on Christian traditions for democracy. He cites the French and Russian revolutions as good and eliminating kings. Both of these were non religious and were huge massacres of people. Marxism resulted in the loss of individual rights, great human right violations worse than those under a king. He states “if we ever find out who we are and where we came from we have failed.” He implies we only find this out by science.