This book marks Carl Sagan’s transformation from a popular astrophysicist
and astronomer who’d appear on TV whenever space-related news needed commentary
into a thinker and philosopher with a much more ambitious goal; to make a case
for pure science as a solid and satisfactory alternative to the fuzzy New Age
mindset popular since the 60s; which lazily puts superstition on a pedestal since
that is the easiest way to indulge fantasies about destiny and magical powers. Obviously, Sagan didn’t have much success in curbing
this trend, (since it’s as strong as ever today), but as time goes on, he seems
all the more heroic for his uncanny ability to preach common sense while never
being condescending or snide in his views on religion and people of faith;
(quite unlike Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and other professional
atheists). Science, in Sagan’s view, is
adequately nourishing to the soul because of the scope and grandeur of its view
of nature and the cosmos. The Dragons of Eden takes a hard look at
several intriguing issues regarding our evolution and intelligence. In particular, I was fascinated by the
sections that lent the book its title.
Sagan supposes that the strong aversion to emotionless, cold-blooded
reptiles felt by many people is a genetic detail that has carried through millennia
since the days when mammals were little more than prey for vastly more powerful
reptiles, who of course once dominated the planet as dinosaurs. This fear fed human legends around the world
about dragons and other enormous serpents of land and sea. He also comments on sleeping and dreaming; how
the common sensation of falling while asleep likely comes from our primate
ancestors who lived in trees to escape the predators on the ground and had to
take precautions to avoid tumbling from the branches in the middle of the
night. But mostly, the book simply conveys
Sagan’s infectious sense of wonder that should accompany scientific learning; the
pride in how far we have come and the humility in anticipating how far we can
go.
Excerpt: “The main
conclusion arrived at in this work, namely, that man is descended from some
lowly-organized form, will, I regret to think, be highly distasteful to many
persons. But there can hardly be a doubt that we are descended from barbarians.
The astonishment which I felt on first seeing a party of Fuegians on a wild and
broken shore will never be forgotten by me, for the reflection at once rushed
into my mind - such were our ancestors. These men were absolutely naked and
bedaubed with paint, their long hair was tangled, their mouths frothed in
excitement, and their expression was wild, startled, and distrustful. They
possessed hardly any arts, and, like wild animals, lived on what they could
catch; they had no government, and were merciless to everyone not of their own
small tribe. He who has seen a savage in his native land will not feel much
shame, if forced to acknowledge that the blood of some more humble creature
flows in his veins. For my own part, I would as soon be descended from that
heroic little monkey, who braved his dreaded enemy in order to save the life
of his keeper; or from that old baboon who, descending from the mountains,
carried away in triumph his young comrade from a crowd of astonished dogs - as
from a savage who delights to torture his enemies, offers up bloody sacrifices,
practices infanticide without remorse, treats his wives like slaves, knows no
decency, and is haunted by the grossest superstitions.”
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