Carl Sagan was one of the most renowned scientists of the 20th century, and his words still resonate today. From his famous quote about the universe being within us and his musings about the magnificence of the cosmos, to his thought-provoking views on religion and science, Sagan’s words remain a source of inspiration and insight for many. In this article, we explore 50 of his most inspirational quotes.
- “We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.”
- “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff.”
- “Science is not only a disciple of reason but, also, one of romance and passion.”
- “For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”
- “The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.”
- “Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere.”
- “When you make the finding yourself – even if you’re the last person on Earth to see the light – you’ll never forget it.”
- “A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism.”
- “One glance at a book and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for 1,000 years. To read is to voyage through time.”
- “We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.”
- “It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out.”
- “The brain is like a muscle. When it is in use we feel very good. Understanding is joyous.”
- “Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people.”
- “If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe.”
- “Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.”
- “A religion old or new, that stressed the magnificence of the universe as revealed by modern science, might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths.”
- “We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever.”
- “The universe is a pretty big place. If it’s just us, seems like an awful waste of space.”
- “We are all connected; To each other, biologically. To the earth, chemically. To the rest of the universe atomically.”
- “We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the depth of our answers.”
- “The truth may be puzzling. It may take some work to grapple with. It may be counterintuitive. It may contradict deeply held prejudices. It may not be consonant with what we desperately want to be true. But our preferences do not determine what’s true.”
- “It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”
- “To make us feel small in the right way is a function of art; men can only make us feel small in the wrong way.”
- “We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever.”
- “It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out.”
- “The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent.”
- “The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.”
- “The universe is a pretty big place. It’s bigger than anything anyone has ever dreamed of before.”
- “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.”
- “A religion old or new, that stressed the magnificence of the universe as revealed by modern science, might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths.”
- “We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever.”
- “Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people.”
- “Knowing a great deal is not the same as being smart; intelligence is not information alone but also judgment, the manner in which information is coordinated and used.”
- “Science is not only a disciple of reason but, also, one of romance and passion.”
- “The universe is a pretty big place. It’s bigger than anything anyone has ever dreamed of before.”
- “We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the depth of our answers.”
- “The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.”
- “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
- “The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.”
- “We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever.”
- “We are all connected; To each other, biologically. To the earth, chemically. To the rest of the universe atomically.”
- “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff.”
- “Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies, you will not find another.”
- “The cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be.”
- “Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.”
- “The brain is like a muscle. When it is in use we feel very good. Understanding is joyous.”
- “For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”
- “A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism.”
- “We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.”
- “Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people.”
Sagan’s understanding of the universe was vast and his belief in its magnificence was unparalleled. He often spoke of the “pale blue dot”, an image of Earth taken from the Voyager 1 spacecraft which is now 6.4 billion kilometers away from Earth. Sagan’s words about this image reveal his awe and reverence for the universe and its greatness. He said, “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.”
Sagan also spoke often of his fascination with the universe, of its grandness and mystery, and of its power to fill us with wonder. He said, “If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.” In this quote, Sagan reminds us that the universe is the source of all of our creation, that it is the foundation of everything, and that its beauty and complexity cannot be overstated.
Sagan’s appreciation for science and its ability to expand our understanding of the universe was also evident in many of his quotes. He said, “Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality.” This quote reveals Sagan’s belief that science can help us to explore and comprehend the mysteries of the universe and to learn more about the nature of life. He also said, “The universe is a pretty big place. If it’s just us, seems like an awful waste of space.” This quote further exemplifies Sagan’s belief that the universe is filled with mystery and that its vastness warrants exploration and study.
Sagan’s views on religion were also highly regarded. He believed that religion and science should not be in conflict, and that both are valid ways to explore and understand the universe. He said, “Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality. When we recognize our place in an immensity of light-years and in the passage of ages, when we grasp the intricacy, beauty, and subtlety of life, then that soaring feeling, that sense of elation and humility combined, is surely spiritual.” In this quote, Sagan reminds us that the study of science can help us to appreciate and understand the universe, and that it can lead to spiritual understanding and growth.
The quotes of Carl Sagan have had a lasting impact on the way we view the universe and our place in it. His reverence for the universe, his fascination with science and its ability to expand our understanding, and his belief that religion and science should not be in conflict are all inspiring and thought-provoking themes that can be found in his quotes. These quotes continue to provide us with insight and inspiration to this day.
Carl Sagan was an American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science communicator.
Carl Sagan was an American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science communicator. He is best known for his work as a science popularizer and communicator, and he was also a highly successful author, producing works such as Cosmos, Pale Blue Dot, and The Demon-Haunted World.
Carl Sagan was born on November 9, 1934 in Brooklyn, New York.
Carl Sagan attended the University of Chicago, where he earned his B.A. in 1955 and his Ph.D. in 1960.
Carl Sagan received numerous awards and honors, including the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, the National Academy of Sciences Public Welfare Medal, and the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction.
Carl Sagan wrote numerous books, including Cosmos, Pale Blue Dot, and The Demon-Haunted World.
Carl Sagan died on December 20, 1996 at the age of 62.
Carl Sagan’s legacy includes his work as a science popularizer and communicator, his books, and his numerous awards and honors.
Carl Sagan believed in the scientific method, the importance of scientific skepticism, and the power of science to improve the human condition.
Carl Sagan made numerous discoveries, including the first direct evidence of the greenhouse effect on Venus, the first detection of organic molecules in interstellar space, and the first detection of the solar wind.