ORG:Carl Sagan: Prophet of Scientism  by David N. Menton

   Carl Sagan has gained international attention through his popular
writings on science and especially through his 13 part television
series "Cosmos". In all of these, Sagan says he presents only
scientific facts or scientific theories supported by scientific
evidence. What has often emerged in his popular writings and television
appearances, however, is only a tissue of empirical science covering a
great bulk of unprovable speculation liberally laced with Sagan's own
philosophical and religious views of life. Sagan's religion is not so
much one of science as it is of "scientism."

   Scientism is the belief that the assumptions, methods and even the
speculations of science are equally appropriate, if not essential, for
the proper understanding of all knowledge including religion. Scientism
explicitly denies both the special revelation of truth and the
existence of a sovereign, supernatural and eternal being. In the
religion of Scientism, the Cosmos (matter, energy, time and space) is
believed to be eternal and the only ultimate reality. Scientism teaches
that all things have their being and origin in the intrinsic properties
of nature. It follows that if gods were to exist, they too would only
be a part and product of nature. The social and philosophical
implications of Scientism for man are embodied in the religion of
Secular Humanism. Sagan's scientistic religious beliefs and
pronouncements are well documented in his own books:

   "Broca's Brain", New York, Random House, 1979 "The Cosmic
Connection", New York, Anchor Press, 1973 "Cosmos", New York, Random
House, 1980 "Life in the Universe", San Francisco, Holden-Day Inc.,1966

   Sagan, who insists that evolution is a fact not a theory, that "we
(humans) are the products of a long series of biological accidents" and
thus concludes that "in the cosmic perspective there is no reason to
think that we are the first or the last or the best" ("The Cosmic
Connection" p.52). Carl Sagan was a student of the
evolutionist-astronomer Harlow Shapley who once said "some piously
record 'In the beginning God', but I say in the beginning hydrogen."
Shapley appears to believe that hydrogen is a colorless and odorless
gas which, given enough time, turns into people! Shapley's most famous
student reflects this same atheistic materialism when in his book
"Cosmos", Sagan confidently asserts that "the world was not made by the
gods, but instead was the work of material forces interacting in
nature" (p.177). Naturally, such beliefs have profound implications for
the nature of man, and so it is not surprising when Sagan says of
himself "I am a collection of water, calcium and organic molecules
called Carl Sagan" (p.127). In a logical extension of his crass
materialism, Sagan insists that all of our human traits - loves and
hates, passions and despairs, tenderness and aggression are simply the
result of "minor accidents in our immensely long evolutionary history"
(p.282). In a lame attempt to find some sense of purpose and meaning in
a human consciousness born of "minor accidents" Sagan proposes that "We
make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the
depth of our answers" (p.193). As a further extension of this "boot
strap" Sagan maintains that man has evolved by mere chance to the point
where he can now take over and direct his own evolution (p.320). With
this, the ultimate goal of Scientism and Secular Humanism is finally
achieved; man becomes his own creator and thus "god". One way Sagan
believes that man can ensure his own continued evolution is to rid
himself of his violent nature by encouraging the fondling of infants
and sexual activity among adolescents (p. 331).

   In a recent syndicated interview, Joan Sannders Wixen asked Carl
Sagan about his views on the future of man. Sagan replied "I feel in
order to survive we someday must be able to give up our allegiance to
our nation, our religion, our race and economic group and think of
ourselves more as just a temporary form of life under the creation of a
power beyond our comprehension" (St.Louis Globe-Democrat, Oct. 6,
1980). Sagan concludes that if man is to worship anything greater than
man himself, it should be something which amounts to the pagan worship
of nature. In his book "Cosmos", Sagan proposes the stars and the Sun
as being a more worthy object of worship than Jehovah. "Our ancestors
worshiped the Sun, and they were far from foolish. And yet the Sun is
an ordinary, even a mediocre star. If we must worship a power greater
than ourselves, does it not make sense to revere the Sun and stars?"
(p.243).

   Neither does Sagan overlook "mother earth" in his proffered religion
and urges us to listen to her voice as well. "Some part of our being
knows this is from where we came. We long to return. These aspirations
are not, I think, irreverent, although they may trouble whatever gods
may be" ( p.5). In any event, Sagan appears to think it most unlikely
that "the gods" will be troubled since he reminds us that "it is said
that men may not be the dreams of the gods, but rather that the gods
are the dreams of men" (p.257). In his book "UFO's--A Scientific
Debate", Sagan freely admits that "science has itself become a kind of
religion." In fairness to legitimate science it should be emphasized
that it is Sagan's Scientism that has become a religion. Empirical
science must depend on observability, repeatablility and testability of
all phenomena it would seek to explain. True science of this kind has
never been found to be in conflict with the Bible.

   Why is it then that so many public schools in our country manage to
get away with teaching the religions of Scientism and Secular Humanism
even in the face of widespread efforts to erect a "wall of separation"
between church and state? Where is the indignation and litigation of
the American Civil Liberties Union who seem to fancy them selves as the
"watch dog" against the inroads of religion in our public schools? Has
the ACLU decided that there are acceptable and unacceptable religions
for our public schools? Can, indeed, any teacher discuss the origin of
the universe, and particularly the origin of man and his "values", with
out teaching or discussing religion? It seems unlikely that there can
be such a thing as "religion free" education on many of those subjects
that most intrigue man. We are led to conclude that all schools are to
at least some degree "religious schools", it is only a question of
which religion is being taught.

   Finally, we might ask why Carl Sagan, of all people, was invited, at
considerable expense, to address the recent conference of Catholic
educators and librarians in St.Louis? Are these educators unaware of
Sagan's openly professed beliefs? Could it actually be that some of
these Catholic educators share these beliefs?
