Has anyone here read Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World?

Absolutely, and I've read it several times. It should be on everyone's bookshelf. Carl Sagan was one of our greatest minds ever.

And here's a quote from the book, for the benefit of Ken:

"Think of how many religions attempt to validate themselves with prophecy. Think of how many people rely on these prophecies, however vague, however unfulfilled, to support or prop up their beliefs. Yet has there ever been a religion with the prophetic accuracy and reliability of science? ... No other human institution comes close."

Carl Sagan

I read it a few years ago and enjoyed it. I remember the stuff on the reptilian brain was really interesting to me in college. I think Sagan had an open mind and paid attention to how big the universe is (he was skeptical that we're alone!). Sagan just wasn't so dogmatic about his science, he liked the unknown. I've found that a lot of his cronies are the opposite...they think they know it all yet they call themselves "skeptics". Sagan had a lot to offer and though I see his flaws I often wonder what he would think of some of the crazy scientific discoveries of the past decade.

I read it years ago, it's one of the few I keep around. I wasn't to fond of his novel I have to admit. "Cosmos" on PBS was a great TV show that went far beyond Astronomy.

I wonder if Ken realizes he's speaking ill of the dead. Hardly a very pious act.

Anyone wondering who we're talking about here's a link.

One of the best books ever. I use his Baloney Detection Kit often in YA!

We need to teach other how to be critical thinkers and not blind believers.

Sagan had atheist views of religion but he always said, "I maybe wrong". How many people of religion are willing to say this? His wife said that he did not want to believe things, he wanted to know.

Not yet, but his Cosmos is amazingly good reading.

Yes, that's one of my favorite books to loan people (I wonder who currently has my copy...) along with 'Why People Believe Weird Things', 'Bad Medicine', and 'Voodoo Science' (which I also highly recommend).

Why would you read such nonsense? from a guy with ZERO evidence? Sagan is a skeptic who hates God. He doesnt want proof.

Plus hes a hypocrite. He thinks we all came about by accident from stardust. So he has faith in the "accidental force" There is no proof of an accidental force so hes contradicting himself. This is the biggest joke I have ever seen and man clearly in denial of his rejection of God.

A long time ago. Awesome book.