Carl Sagans Cosmos

[torchbearer]

You can find them here: http://www.guba.com/all/search?query=cosmos&set=5&x=0&y=0

[anaconda]

You can find them here: http://www.guba.com/all/search?query...&set=5&x=0&y=0

Awesome, torchbearer. Carl Sagan was an amazing guy. I would love to see a Paul/Sagan ticket. if Carl was still with us.

[PlzPeopleWakeUp]

nt

[Xenophage]

Carl Sagan was a brilliant dude and an articulate defender of reason, but he was no Ron Paulitician.

I'm not entirely sure of his political views, but I do know he wasn't entirely capitalist. A friend of mine once corresponded with him via written letters after reading "The Demon Haunted World", and Carl Sagan expressed an extreme distaste for Rand's political and ethical positions.

[Truth Warrior]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan

[Hiki]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan

Ummm... Yeah?

[constitutional]

I like Carl Sagan too, everybody does. But what the hell is this thread doing here?

[torchbearer]

"In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe. "
-Carl Sagan

[torchbearer]

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[Truth Warrior]

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan

[torchbearer]

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan

Ever seen this interview he did on CNN?
http://www.guba.com/watch/2000869562?duration_step=0&fields=23&filter_tiny=0&pp=40&query=cosmos&sb=10&set=-1&sf=0&size_step=0&o=22&sample=1223965482:9e98c19b8bb6172af8df45265781ec2b dd9fd9e9

You, especially, need to hear his wise words.

[pacelli]

Billions and Billions!

[PaulineDisciple]

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." -- Carl Sagan

"The Cosmos is all there is, all there was, and all there ever will be." CarlSagan

Where is the evidence for this extraordinary claim. Wouldn't Sagan have to be omniscient to make such a bold assertion?

[torchbearer]

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[Verad]

"Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong."
-Carl Sagan

[SWATH]

"In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe. "
-Carl Sagan

I remembered as "you must first invent the universe"

"but then again...I could be wrong"

[torchbearer]

I remembered as "you must first invent the universe"

"but then again...I could be wrong"

I pulled it from a quote site, so you could be right.
He uses apple pie in the cosmos series, but in discussion about atoms.

[SWATH]

I pulled it from a quote sight, so you could be right.
He uses apple pie in the cosmos series, but in discussion about atoms.

I own the series on DVD and I've read all of his books. They don't make 'em like him anymore. That apple pie scene always made me hungry, what with the dough and the green apple and all.

"but then again...I could be wrong" is a qualifier he liked to use at the end of when discussing something in a way that one would conclude he was as sure of his theory as anything. His statement would convey that he was opened minded enough to know that no matter how much you delved into and studied a subject, to the point of your perspective being correct beyond the shadow of a doubt, you could also, ultimately, be completely wrong.

[torchbearer]

I own the series on DVD and I've read all of his books. They don't make 'em like him anymore. That apple pie scene always made me hungry, what with the dough and the green apple and all.

"but then again...I could be wrong" is a qualifier he liked to use at the end of when discussing something in a way that one would conclude he was as sure of his theory as anything. His statement would convey that he was opened minded enough to know that no matter how much you delved into and studied a subject, you could be completely wrong.

Have you ever seen this cnn interview?
http://www.guba.com/watch/2000869562?duration_step=0&fields=23&filter_tiny=0&pp=40&query=cosmos&sb=10&set=-1&sf=0&size_step=0&o=22&sample=1223965482:9e98c19b8bb6172af8df45265781ec2b dd9fd9e9

[SWATH]

No, but I'm watching it now. Pale Blue Dot is one of the greatest books ever. The dream sequence in Cosmos about the end of civilizations and their subsequent entries into the encyclopedia galactica was powerful.

[SWATH]

I tend to think that if Ron Paul was absent this election, and Carl Sagan was still alive, then he would endorse Dennis Kucinich. However, I would like to think that Carl would endorse Ron Paul after having received a Ron Paulitics education.

[torchbearer]

I tend to think that if Ron Paul was absent this election, and Carl Sagan was still alive, then he would endorse Dennis Kucinich. However, I would like to think that Carl would endorse Ron Paul after having received a Ron Paulitics educated.

Well, when asked if he was a socialist, he said no.
The only thing is.. he believes the government had the obligation to protect the environment and educate the people.
I think he had a little too much faith in the government... though the government did get us to the moon... so he may have been seeing it from that perspective.
The government to do what isn't profitable. Not that I agree with that, but it could be reasoned.

I do share his concern for the environment and for the need to explore space. How we get there is the question we should be debating.

[rancher89]

Totally off base comment

I catered a very private party (25-30 people) where he was the guest. He was amazing first hand, even to the mere server that I was.

Back on topic

I will always remember his comment about aliens--- the number of possible planets that could sustain life in the universe (both - as we know it), TIME and the near impossibility of all of these factors coinciding to produce an alien species capable of space flight that could reach us at the time when we could recognize them as such. I don't have the quote, but it struck me--the immenseness of time and space and life. I was maybe 21 at the time and had no college education, but had read a lot and I came from a family that talked about such things at the supper table (my dad was a big Sci Fi fan.) It made a big impression.

[torchbearer]

Totally off base comment

I catered a very private party (25-30 people) where he was the guest. He was amazing first hand, even to the mere server that I was.

Back on topic

I will always remember his comment about aliens--- the number of possible planets that could sustain life in the universe (both - as we know it), TIME and the near impossibility of all of these factors coinciding to produce an alien species capable of space flight that could reach us at the time when we could recognize them as such. I don't have the quote, but it struck me--the immenseness of time and space and life. I was maybe 21 at the time and had no college education, but had read a lot and I came from a family that talked about such things at the supper table (my dad was a big Sci Fi fan.) It made a big impression.

You are very lucky indeed.

[rancher89]

In more ways than most people will ever know........

[pacelli]

Totally off base comment

I catered a very private party (25-30 people) where he was the guest. He was amazing first hand, even to the mere server that I was.

Back on topic

I will always remember his comment about aliens--- the number of possible planets that could sustain life in the universe (both - as we know it), TIME and the near impossibility of all of these factors coinciding to produce an alien species capable of space flight that could reach us at the time when we could recognize them as such. I don't have the quote, but it struck me--the immenseness of time and space and life. I was maybe 21 at the time and had no college education, but had read a lot and I came from a family that talked about such things at the supper table (my dad was a big Sci Fi fan.) It made a big impression.

I think it is completely within rational thought to consider the notion of extraterrestrial civilizations. Whether they have contacted our planet or interacted with certain groups on our planet is an argument which will eventually be vetted in time.

I've personally been out to area 51 and needless to say, there's nothing to say about it. It's hot as hell in the desert, and was a long drive from Vegas.

[torchbearer]

I think it is completely within rational thought to consider the notion of extraterrestrial civilizations. Whether they have contacted our planet or interacted with certain groups on our planet is an argument which will eventually be vetted in time.

I've personally been out to area 51 and needless to say, there's nothing to say about it. It's hot as hell in the desert, and was a long drive from Vegas.

If you traveled lights years across the galaxy to another civilization, would you just buzz by some hicks out in a remote trailer park then head home?
I think alien life is very possible, but travel between stars is very difficult. It would require a high degree of technology and huge expense.

[SWATH]

The distances in space between objects is so unbelievably, astoundingly, fantastically remote that only an alien civilization with vastly advanced technology, enough to travel the distances of space through some other means other than linearly, could even have a prayer of coming into contact with us. Whether this has already happened or not I have no idea, but that would be the scenario if it did.

[pacelli]

If you traveled lights years across the galaxy to another civilization, would you just buzz by some hicks out in a remote trailer park then head home?
I think alien life is very possible, but travel between stars is very difficult. It would require a high degree of technology and huge expense.

If I had the technology to travel light years across the galaxy to another civilization, then I would probably have the technology to bend space-time to make the trip shorter. If such a civilization exists, it is probably one out of a billion. I'd probably also have a very important scientific reason for making such a trip (such as genetic re-engineering) rather than an evaluation of mullets.

Also our understanding of life and physical reality is probably limited because we examine the universe from a human, earth-based perspective. If they exist, it is possible that extraterrestrial civilizations have an entirely different history and rate of technological progression, based on their own characteristic understanding of science. As an example, imagine if our solar system had two active stars, and our planet had more than 1 moon. I think our understanding of the physical laws of the universe would be quite different, and perhaps this would impact on our technological development.

[rancher89]

If I had the technology to travel light years across the galaxy to another civilization, then I would probably have the technology to bend space-time to make the trip shorter. If such a civilization exists, it is probably one out of a billion. I'd probably also have a very important scientific reason for making such a trip (such as genetic re-engineering) rather than an evaluation of mullets.

Also our understanding of life and physical reality is probably limited because we examine the universe from a human, earth-based perspective. If they exist, it is possible that extraterrestrial civilizations have an entirely different history and rate of technological progression, based on their own characteristic understanding of science. As an example, imagine if our solar system had two active stars, and our planet had more than 1 moon. I think our understanding of the physical laws of the universe would be quite different, and perhaps this would impact on our technological development.

They could be silica based, not carbon, octopeds--etc

Also, if they had the technology to bend space/time why not the capability for extending their lifespan? and who says our lifespan is the norm.......

[Dary]

Did ya'll know that Carl was a lover of the herb?

I have a question.

Would it have been possible for the universe to come into existence before it actually did?

I don't mean our understanding of when it did or if we have the age of the universe correct or not. I'm talking about the actual physical event.

My understanding is that time began when the big bang went boom.

So, if it were possible for the universe to come into existence before it actually did, then time would have had to exist before the big bang happened right?

Even the word "when" seems counterintuitive to me, because there was no "when".

If it couldn't have happened before, and it couldn't have happened after, then how could it have happened at all?

How is it that at one point it could have happened, when there were no "points" to begin with?

[SWATH]

I have a question.

Would it have been possible for the universe to come into existence before it actually did?



http://www.thesocialcentre.com/images/kramer2.jpg

You just blew my mind

[torchbearer]

Did ya'll know that Carl was a lover of the herb?

I have a question.

Would it have been possible for the universe to come into existence before it actually did?

I don't mean our understanding of when it did or if we have the age of the universe correct or not. I'm talking about the actual physical event.

My understanding is that time began when the big bang went boom.

So, if it were possible for the universe to come into existence before it actually did, then time would have had to exist before the big bang happened right?

Even the word "when" seems counterintuitive to me, because there was no "when".

If it couldn't have happened before, and it couldn't have happened after, then how could it have happened at all?

How is it that at one point it could have happened, when there were no "points" to begin with?

It is very possible that there was a previous universe before the big bang...
LIke Douglas Adams stated, once someone figures out the meaning to Life, The Universe, and Everything... the universe resets.

[torchbearer]

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[torchbearer]

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[torchbearer]

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[torchbearer]

No, but I'm watching it now. Pale Blue Dot is one of the greatest books ever. The dream sequence in Cosmos about the end of civilizations and their subsequent entries into the encyclopedia galactica was powerful.

Was the pale blue dot one segment?
the only one i saw is on google video, called "wanderers". where can i see the rest?

[torchbearer]

http://eternalmessage.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/earth-pale-blue-dot.jpg
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader", every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.

[torchbearer]

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