{"product":{"product_id":"0345409469","title":"The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark","price":"14.69","image_url":"https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Nri3J+hXL._SL500_.jpg","url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/0345409469"},"comments":[{"body":"The book [\"The Demon Haunted World\"](https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8\u0026amp;qid=1517189957\u0026amp;sr=8-1\u0026amp;keywords=%22The+Demon+Haunted+World%22) by Carl Sagan is a less aggressive introduction to the type of thinking that leads to atheism.\r\n\r\n","subreddit_name":"atheism","author":"unamenottaken"},{"body":"I cannot recommend Carl Sagan's [The Demon Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0345409469) enough. Some parts of it may be a bit dated, but the chapter entitled \"The Fine Art of Baloney Detection\" is timeless and it may be exactly what you're looking for.","subreddit_name":"TrueAtheism","author":"fresnik"},{"body":"Take your time and don't feel like you have to rush this. No one can tell you what you should believe, only you can decide what's right for you.\r\n\r\nAs for book recommendations I always recommend [Demon-Haunted World](https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469) as a good place to begin. It serves as a kind of primer for learning to distinguish what's true from what we only think to be true.","subreddit_name":"exchristian","author":"spaceghoti"},{"body":"Seconded.  This is a fun little book!  \r\n\r\n\r\nu/Sarmancat, you may also want to check out the Granddaddy of them all, [The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan.](https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469)  If you haven't read Demon-Haunted World, I would highly, highly recommend it.  It's the book I recommend more than any other book, and it's right up your alley.","subreddit_name":"suggestmeabook","author":"curtains"},{"body":"I’m not just making this up to make you feel bad. What I’m talking about, the personal gratification, the superiority complex, the lack of education in science and history...all of it...it’s studied psychology. It’s a type of thing a human brain typically does under certain specific conditions.\r\n\r\nI don’t know how old you are, hopefully young enough to grow up. If you’re older you’re fucked, it’s probably too late. The mindset you have is a liability for you in life. You need to learn *how to learn*. You need to be better at detecting bullshit. It takes effort but it’s worthwhile for a million reasons, and being smarter and more analytical and intellectually curious never hurt anyone.\r\n\r\nThere’s a great book by Carl Sagan called [The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark](https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469). He talks about exactly this stuff and I promise if you start reading you won’t want to put it down, it’s good. I’m sure there is an audiobook version too.\r\n\r\nYou can do better.","subreddit_name":"HistoricalWhatIf","author":"mrpoops"},{"body":"Agree about Carl Sagan. [This book](https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469) is especially designed to help people develop a healthy, knowledgeable skepticism. It's also everywhere in PDF form as well, I believe.\r\n\r\nYou may wish to consider some science podcasts too. Bill Nye has a podcast, as does Neil Degrasse Tyson. Those are good for people less knowledgeable about science. Plus you can listen on the go.","subreddit_name":"AskScienceDiscussion","author":"BracesForImpact"},{"body":"Religion is a part of the \"supernatural\". I put that in quotes because there is no evidence for the supernatural, whether we're speaking of gods, witchcraft, spirits, ghosts, or otherwise. \r\n\r\nYou are right in that they seem to go hand in hand. Why? Because both concepts rely on accepting things without evidence. There are Christians here in the West that are terrified of witchcraft, but they believe in it because they accept supernatural claims in the first place. It is true that belief in witchcraft here isn't as prevalent as in Africa, but those that believe in it share the same types of thought processes as those that live in Africa. Likewise, Christians here are leaving their churches because they are starting to fall for the newest rage, \"Q\" conspiracy theories. Why? Again because they share the same mindset. None of them stress critical thinking, standards of evidence, or media literacy. They accept ideas on faith, on the word of others, and readily give their belief to such things. \r\n\r\nOne thing many former Christians here struggle with after they walk away from Christianity is that they still have a fear of hell for some time, even as they do not believe any longer in God. When you are surrounded by many people that believe and tell you something is true, it becomes harder to challenge and harder to break out of such a belief. Such fears do fade with time, however. Some even seek therapy or counseling for help with it. It does take courage, especially when your entire peer group believes in such things. \r\n\r\nI hope you find your way out of things, and I hope you find peace. One book I always recommend for critical thinking is by [Carl Sagan.](https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469) \r\n\r\nI know my advice is not from an especially African point of view, nevertheless I wish you peace.","subreddit_name":"TrueAtheism","author":"BracesForImpact"},{"body":"Like we have failed half the population, thanks to the rise of anti intellectualism on the right in the religious nationalism movement they are so dumb and delusional at this point they won't even be be getting vaccinated for Covid. Carl Sagan predicted this in his 1995 book [\"The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark\"](https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469)\r\n\r\n\u0026amp;#x200B;\r\n\r\n“Science is more than a body of knowledge; it is a way of thinking. I  have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's  time—when the United States is a service and information economy; when  nearly all the key manufacturing industries have slipped away to other  countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very  few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the  issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas  or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our  crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties  in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's  true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and  darkness.\"","subreddit_name":"AskReddit","author":"SignificanceDesigner"},{"body":"If you are seriously interested in this subject (and are not trolling), I highly suggest reading this:\r\n\r\nhttp://www.amazon.com/The-Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle/dp/0345409469\r\n\r\nIf anything, the historical background on witches and UFOs is highly interesting.  If you finish this book, you won't regret it...\r\n\r\n","subreddit_name":"exjw","author":"Ridcully"},{"body":"Gibt sicher wissenschaftlichere Textbücher wenn sie sich wirklich mit Statistik und Studiendesign auseinandersetzen will, aber es hört sich so an, als ob du sie erstmal auf eine wissenschaftliche Denkweise leiten willst.\r\n\r\nDa empfehle ich [The Demon-Haunted World](https://www.amazon.de/Carl-Sagan/dp/0345409469) von Carl Sagan. In Deutscher Übersetzung habe ich leider nur alte Versionen gefunden, \"Der Drache in meiner Garage. Oder die Kunst der Wissenschaft, Unsinn zu entlarven\".\r\n\r\nKannst dir aber auch selber Bücher raussuchen die deiner Meinung nach ihrer Situation besser helfen. Du suchst nämlich nach \"Scientific Literacy\" wie es auf English heißt, aber leider keine gute Deutsche Übersetzung hat.","subreddit_name":"FragReddit","author":"Additional-Visit4705"},{"body":"[This book, basically.](https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469)  \r\n\r\nExplains pretty much all the hocus pocus behind, not only religion, but ghosts, UFO's, junk science, psychics, etc.  \r\n\r\nNone of that shit is real, y'all. There might be aliens, but they likely are not here on Earth.","subreddit_name":"AskReddit","author":"reddit_suxdix"},{"body":"I'm very familiar with Carl Sagan's work, and he is someone I really admire. His book [Demon Haunted World: Science and a Candle in the Dark](The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0345409469/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_RRDN9V5ZMNXKQYN4XNAK) is a favorite of mine.\r\n\r\nBeing productive is fine, especially when necessary, but as human beings we also require rest, relaxation, and pleasurable things. I don't believe masturbation is at all an issue. Like most anything else, it could be taken to extremes, and you know this is the case if it interferes with how you live your life. There is a lot of talk about sex or masturbation addiction, but most of it is religious guilt tripping, in my opinion. Masturbation, male or female is normal and in most cases actually healthy for the body and mind. \r\n\r\nGood luck to you!","subreddit_name":"NoStupidQuestions","author":"BracesForImpact"},{"body":"I am proud of you.  I hope that this has opened up your eyes to actually thinking for yourself and learning to understand science and actual experts.  \r\n\r\nMay I suggest a book for you, it is [*The Demon-Haunted World:  Science as a Candle in the Dark*](https://smile.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469?sa-no-redirect=1) by Carl Sagan.  It is a book on how to think clearly and scientifically, and on how to understand and detect bullshit.  If you want, DM and I'll mail you a copy of this book.","subreddit_name":"HermanCainAward","author":"pskindlefire"},{"body":"I mean if you want a great book on skepticism, there's almost nothing better than [Carl Sagan's The Demon Haunted World](https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469/ref=pd_sim_1/140-5644702-6725946?pd_rd_w=Sa2Am\u0026amp;pf_rd_p=80152b05-d527-42f7-bbb4-c9d645b6dcf5\u0026amp;pf_rd_r=HDF25SQ65QBTCWAMWBB5\u0026amp;pd_rd_r=deda91ce-f406-4295-bae1-1f2518ab8c71\u0026amp;pd_rd_wg=gLXg1\u0026amp;pd_rd_i=0345409469\u0026amp;psc=1). It's a great book about science, what it is and how we need to think skeptically and develop the critical thinking skills we need to be informed individuals. And most importantly, what awaits us when we allow ourselves to slip in our skeptical faculties. Despite being a book from about 1995, Sagan predicted many of our current issues and addresses the paranormal and super natural in several chapters.","subreddit_name":"AskReddit","author":"OnceAndAlwaysFloran"},{"body":"As I began to question TSCC I started to read about critical thinking skills, and everything turned from black and white to color. Why had I not been taught those skills at home, at school, even college?  See Carl Sagans' book Demon Haunted World\r\n\r\n https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469","subreddit_name":"exmormon","author":"BeringStraitNephite"}]}