I, for one, am looking forward to Neil deGrasse Tyson’s new series Cosmos, inspired by Carl Sagan’s wonderful series from 1980.
These are perilous times. Half of America doesn’t believe in basic science. On our American right denial of climate change is hamstringing any hope of mitigating much less stopping the relentless consequences of human recklessness and shortsightedness. They further endanger us by trying to cut evolution out of schools. Our American left is only slightly better, where the anti-scientific thinking tends to be more personal embracing all sort of health schemes, at least if they’re sufficiently unlikely. Although some, like anti-vaccination campaigns are at the edge of endangering a new generation of children. There is a lot of bad thinking out there.
But, as I feel a wave of despair for the species, and the globe, I find something shaking me back toward a cautious optimism.
What was so wonderful about Dr Sagan was his infectious enthusiasm for the range of science. I’m sure he inspired many who today wear white coats. And lots of others to just respecting the possibilities in science and critical thinking. Inspiring a humanistic view, where we step up and take responsibility.
We need some serious thinkers.
And, maybe, just possibly, Dr Tyson will inspire some new youth to think of science, or, at least, to think critically…
Maybe even to see how intimately we are all connected, and what a this-worldly concern can birth…
So, I have a small glowing ember of a coal. A wish. A hope. May this series birth a few more than would otherwise, who will open their hearts and minds to what is, and from there, well, from there, inheriting the cosmos…
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