Carl Sagan is known by most of us who are into the “Cosmos”. Indeed, for many of us, he is one of the main reasons why we love astronomy so much. He certainly is for me. Or should I say was for me?
His television series “Cosmos” was transformational for the young generation I inhabited. Not to mention for the adults too. It was a sort of “astronomy for all” book from the 19th century writ large as a televised series for all the world to see. People know Carl Sagan because of it.
Sagan’s advocacy for critical thinking is commendable for it is crucial that we realize the secrets of the Cosmos with the most rigorous analysis possible. We realize that the haunted human imagination has caused unneeded harm and damage to the world. But there are other things that might cause damage, and that is the truth itself…or the too long withheld truth.
Sagan is the reason why the truth was important to me. Without his work my interest in the possibility of ancient artifacts in our solar system may never have taken root.
Getting to the “truth” is not an easy quest. When to withhold the facts of science must be equally challenging. I can now say after 30 years of investigating the Cydonia problem and all of its solar system wide implications that Carl Sagan walked both sides of the fence of truth.
In this series dealing with the “secrets” of Carl Sagan we will examine what things Sagan may have known, speculate on why he kept them secret, and realize at the same time the necessity for critical thinking that is such a hallmark of his work. And, in being fair, why withholding the truth may have been a wise decision for its time…after all, he “was no dummy”.