A prescient warning of a future we now inhabit where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy
theories play to a disaffected American populace "A glorious book . . . A spirited defense of
science . . . From the first page to the last this book is a manifesto for clear thought."-Los
Angeles Times How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven
lives if we don't understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable
hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan
argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very
well-being of our democratic institutions. Casting a wide net through history and culture
Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft
faith healing demons and UFOs. And yet disturbingly in today's so-called information age
pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction channeling past lives and
communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with
lucid eloquence the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous
plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms. Praise for The Demon-Haunted
World "Powerful . . . A stirring defense of informed rationality. . . Rich in surprising
information and beautiful writing."-The Washington Post Book World "Compelling."-USA Today
"A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference. . . . A testimonial
to the power of science and a warning of the dangers of unrestrained credulity."-The Sciences
"Passionate."-San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle
