How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don't understand the differences between the testable hypotheses of real science and myths, unproven "science" and fundamentalist zealotry?
In the book, "The Demon-Haunted World--Science as a Candle in the Dark", author and scientist Carl Sagan debunks fallacies such as witchcraft, faith healing, demons and UFOs. He advocates viewing all phenomena through proven facts.
Sagan focuses primarily on myths and not religion; he felt religion should not play a role in pseudoscience and he argues against fundamentalism.
We will read this book and discuss its ideas. Gerry Lapidus has led more than 50 book discussion classes at OLLI. Please read through pg. 40 (Preface, sections 1 and 2) for the first meeting.
The Study Group for those 50 and over is held Mondays January 27 through March 9.