Sometimes I think I can see specific insights Carl has, as directly stemming from his recreational enjoyment of marijuana smoking. I'm not disparaging these insights, they are virtually all logically sound and rationally defensible. Its just that they are non-obvious, highly unconventional ways of viewing phenomena and humanity that we either typically take for granted or are oblivious to altogether. I think the most striking example of this is when he states that "We are (ie. human consciousness) the universe experiencing itself" in Cosmos. It seems like new agey piffle at first glance, but if you know a little about physics; the big bang, stellar nucleosynthesis, formation of planets, etc. chemistry and biology; evolution, hypothetical origins of life, brain complexity and neurology; then the statement takes on a whole new reality. We are the product of a mechanistic material universe and so we actually seem to be at least one of the ways that the universe 'knows itself'. These sorts of insights, while they could have been made in a completely sober state, bear the earmarks of cannabis influenced rumination. But whatever the method he arrived at these deep truths about nature, we should be eternally grateful. Some of us miss you so much Carl.

awesome, thanks for that gluonium.

THIS man was a shinning example of what a scientist is supposed to be. An enabler of knowledge, a great teacher, a humanist, and a pacifist.

I like how he says "Some wars of aggression have recently been stopped or curtailed because of a revulsion felt by the people in the aggressor nations. The old appeals to racial, sexual and religious chauvanism and to rabid nationalist fervor are beginning not to work." An interesting phenomenon indeed.

Man! He sounds almost exactly like Agent Smith's "Morpheus-as-hostage monologue" from 'The Matrix'. See @1:19.

Sorry, dupe.

http://www.videosift.com/video/Carl-Sagan-We-Are-One-Planet

Hate to be the bad guy...
(well... sometimes I don't, but usually)

*discard

Discarding this post - discard requested by member Fletch.