The Demon Haunted World And Silent Spring - 1430 Words

In the books The Demon-Haunted World and Silent Spring, the authors write about large issues facing the public in the time period. Rachel Carson faces the issue of pest control in the middle of the twentieth century. Insecticides are used in excess, permeate the environment, and it is commonly accepted that they have no ill consequences. Carson compiled the research of many scientists and showed, despite fierce opposition, that insecticides pose a high risk of destroying the environment and are harmful to humans. Carl Sagan writes about his concerns about the path society is taking away from scientific thinking into superstition and pseudoscience. He debunks popular thoughts about UFO’s, hallucinations, dogmatic con-men, and anti-science†¦show more content†¦Carl Sagan’s book The Demon-Haunted World covers why people think the way they do about paranormal claims, UFO’s, and pseudoscience. Sagan demonstrates that the pattern of thinking uncritically is no t limited to fringe claims, but is practiced throughout society to its detriment. Carl Sagan argues that it is critical that people change their habits â€Å"But if we don t practice these tough habits of thought, we cannot hope to solve the truly serious problems that face us - and we risk becoming a nation of suckers, up for grabs by the next charlatan who comes along† (Sagan 38). Peter Barton Hutt and Gregory Frantz argue that corporations have abused the critical faculties of Americans to promote a lifestyle of consumption and conformity to social spending: â€Å"In other words, the same human propensity for uncritical thought and conformity that has historically been exploited by religions and governments is today being capitalized upon by corporations to promote consumerism† (Hutt 83). Their position is reinforced by Sagan writing, throughout the book, that it is often profitable to those who provide the beliefs for others and it is in their best interests to dis courage individual thoughts. Silent Spring is a detailed analysis of the damages caused by pesticides to the environment. Rachel Carson explains that through the blind, unquestioning consumer culture, companies have sold deadly poisons with unapparent warning as a catch-all cure for anyShow MoreRelatedThe Story Of The Vase Essay1428 Words   |  6 Pagesdemolish his dream that enlivened verse and art. The red-hair turned around, leaving mirror, a terrible choice, she knew it. At the back of her head, she was trying her best not to think of a more worse notion that paralyzed her from living lately, it haunted her existence. It was a choice to forget as well as a choice not to. There she was alone, calm as a doll. 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