The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the SearCh for God (eBook)

This book includes nine lectures on natural theology that the astrophysicist Carl Sagan gave in 1985 at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and which were edited and published after the scientist's death. Considering the Judeo-Christian-Muslim worldview, evidence for the existence of God, and conceptions of religious experience, Sagan calls for "informed worship." He considers religious evidence for the existence of God, pays much attention to the origin of life, the existence of intelligent life outside the solar system and the threat of self-destruction of mankind. Along the way, talking about how a person's idea of the world around him was formed and changed, and offers listeners the idea that science is not a counter-divine tool, but, on the contrary, allows us to better understand what is happening around. The lectures are complemented by selected questions from the audience and Carl Sagan's answers, sometimes turning into engaging discussions.