The Demon-Haunted World

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark is a 1996 book by Carl Sagan.

The Demon-Haunted World is intended to explain the scientific method to laypersons, and to encourage people to learn critical or skeptical thinking. The book explains methods to help distinguish between ideas that are considered valid science, and ideas that can be considered pseudoscience. Sagan states that when new ideas are offered for consideration, they should be tested by means of skeptical thinking, and should stand up to rigorous questioning.

Sagan claims that if a new idea continues in existence after an examination of the propositions, they should then be acknowledged as a supposition. Skeptical thinking essentially is a means to construct, understand, reason, and recognize valid and invalid arguments. Wherever possible, there must be independent validation of the concepts whose truth should be proved. He believed that reason and logic would succeed once the truth is known. Conclusions emerging from a premise, and the validity of the premise, should not be discounted or accepted because of favor.

Through these tools, the benefits of a critical mind and the "self-correcting" nature of science can take place. Sagan provides a skeptical analysis of several kinds of superstition, fraud, pseudoscience and religious beliefs, such as God, witches, UFOs, ESP, and Faith Healing.

Reference
Sagan, Carl, "The Demon-Haunted World: Science As a Candle in the Dark". Ballantine Books, March 1997 ISBN 0345409469 480 pgs. 1996 hardback edition: Random House, ISBN 0-394-53512-X, xv+457 pages plus addenda insert (some printings).


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