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Overview

Science has given us modern medicine and a deep understanding of the universe. It’s also responsible for many technological advances that people use every day, such as cell phones and computers. However, there are some who think science is arrogant or boring. They say it limits our view of the world too much, or doesn’t give enough credit to things like astrology or religion.

The following key points are based on Carl Sagan’s work and show why criticism of his work is unfounded. The key points delineate how our development as a species depends on our understanding science rather than superstition.

In this article, you’ll learn why astrology is nonsense; why there are no credible witnesses to alien abductions; and how scientists need to improve their public relations.

Big Idea #1: Scientists rely on skepticism and critical thinking to understand how the universe works.

When you look at the moon, what do you see? Throughout history, people believed they saw a man’s face. However, today we’re sure that it isn’t really there. Instead, it’s just an illusion caused by craters on the moon.

But how can we know that there is no man in the moon? Scientists have proven this by using powerful telescopes to examine the surface of the moon. Science generally accepts all ideas, even ones about a man on the moon, but it tests them thoroughly. It tries to explain why things happen and considers every possible explanation before choosing one which seems most logical.

For example, if you were to explain how your finger got burned by a dragon’s breath, you would have to prove that there are no other more likely explanations for the burn.

If your idea doesn’t hold up to the scientific method, it won’t be accepted by other scientists. They will constantly challenge and test your ideas until they are proven true or false. The scientific method is fortified by a constant skepticism that jettisons bad ideas and singles out good ones.

Skeptics are critical thinkers who question established scientific theories and practices. Copernicus was a great example of this, as he challenged the common belief that the earth is at the center of our solar system by proposing a heliocentric model instead.

The best scientific theories are the ones that have been proven by the most experiments.

Big Idea #2: Many people are uninterested in science and don’t understand its methods.

A recent study shows that most Americans have trouble explaining the difference between scientific theories and statements like “ghosts exist.” In other words, they are scientifically illiterate. They don’t understand what science is or how it’s different from superstitious beliefs. Most importantly, they don’t understand how the scientific method can differentiate between truth and myth.

Because of this, it’s hard for most people to tell the difference between real science and pseudoscience. It’s also why about a quarter of Americans believe in astrology despite there being no evidence that its predictions are anything more than coincidences.

Scientists speculate that people identify with horoscopes because they are written in such general terms. A French scientist sent the same horoscope to hundreds of Parisians, and it was received positively by everyone who read it. The reason for this is that the horoscope was written in very vague language so anyone could relate to it.

The author then asked Parisians if they thought that horoscopes were accurate. The majority of them said yes, even though the signs often didn’t match their own personality.

Some people believe in pseudoscience and superstition because they appeal to peoples’ emotions, rather than rational thought. For example, some people love the mystery and excitement of reading tarot cards to predict their future relationships, while others find it hard to get excited about the facts of science.