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  1. #16
    I usually hit open layups God Shamgod's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    Quote Originally Posted by RedBlackAttack

    B. While the book ending is much, much deeper, more detailed and just downright better, the average American (or citizen of the world, for that matter) may have left the theatre with an "I don't get it" attitude. Granted, I have a pretty cynical view of the average American... And for good reason.

    \
    I have the same view of average citizens it seems like everything on tv or in movies have to be dumbed down and made simpler so "most" people will get it. That is why a lot of people don't like shows like Lost or The Wire and can't appreciate good documentaries like cosmos and Michio Kaku's shows.

  2. #17
    The Paterfamilias RedBlackAttack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    I wish Marlo would explain why he believes Sagan went off the deep end. I'm honestly interested, because I have never heard any such thing.

  3. #18
       
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    thanks for starting this thread. thanks for all the positive replies.

    sagan was the one who fired my interest in cosmology. since then, hawking is the one who most explored cosmology (notably, black holes) most provocatively, and degrasse-tyson is the one who has explained it all the most coherantly.

    (i wish more black americans would realise what a treasure they have in that dude)

    another guy, i think it was "ken ustinov", did a fabulous series on cosmology and black holes back on the day on PBS.

  4. #19
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius


  5. #20
    The Paterfamilias RedBlackAttack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    Quote Originally Posted by RidonKs
    Wow. That was great. Thanks for sharing. Brilliant idea.

  6. #21
    The Paterfamilias RedBlackAttack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    Hey.... F#ck you, Donks.

    I have watched that video at least 20 times in the last 24 hours... I can't stop. It easily surpasses the Slap Chop one as the greatest thing autotune has ever produced.

    Catchy as f#ck and deep... Perfect. That guy deserves some type of award. I noticed Carl's son replied in the comments section.

    "The surface of the earth is the shore of the cosmic ocean. Recently we've waded a little way out and the water seems inviting."


    It is like crack for a science geek like me.


    It is going viral as we speak... So strange that such a thing would become so popular right when I was getting back into Carl. I think I'm going to re-read Contact.
    Last edited by RedBlackAttack; 10-03-2009 at 06:17 PM.

  7. #22
    NBA Legend and Hall of Famer Jasper's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    trolling through the threads I found this one back a month ago.
    Carl S. show on PBS was amazing to me , and becaue of the repeats I was able to tape I think the whole series.

    His perspective of the big bang , where we stand , and who we are is something we should all look at and put into perspective.

    Seldom I ever see a show , yet a series that can even come close to what he narrated and produced.
    If my memory serves me correctly , he was talked into doing the show , and he had his finger on the production to ensure it wasn't a feable tale , but a true perspective.

    Needless to say - he is sorely missed.

  8. #23
    The Paterfamilias RedBlackAttack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    Quote Originally Posted by Jasper
    trolling through the threads I found this one back a month ago.
    Carl S. show on PBS was amazing to me , and becaue of the repeats I was able to tape I think the whole series.

    His perspective of the big bang , where we stand , and who we are is something we should all look at and put into perspective.

    Seldom I ever see a show , yet a series that can even come close to what he narrated and produced.
    If my memory serves me correctly , he was talked into doing the show , and he had his finger on the production to ensure it wasn't a feable tale , but a true perspective.

    Needless to say - he is sorely missed.
    The question ultimately becomes, 'where there ever be another?'

    I'm not so sure... There are a ton of geniuses out there and we have probably reached a point well beyond the things that Sagan was discovering and teaching. His true genius was not in his discoveries, though. His genius was in how easily he was able to communicate his findings and the principles (from intermediate to complex) theories of astronomy.

    Scientists tend to be a standoffish breed, in many of my encounters. While they can write a 200-page research paper on the most complex theories, they are at a loss when trying to explain what it really means to a layman.

    I just feel like he was a one-of-a-kind genius that we won't see again in our lifetime. Some of his messages resonate and hit a chord that only the greatest philosophers to ever live can challenge.

    He had me spellbound as a child. Now, 20 years later, I am equally spellbound and astonished by the vastness of his knowledge and the ease with which he could discuss the complexities of the universe, our place in the cosmic arena and the potential of the human mind.

  9. #24
    F*ck off, Randy catzhernandez's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    Carl Sagan is underappreciated?

    He gets plenty of respect where I'm from...

  10. #25
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    i'm still killing that song rba.

    "if you wish to make and apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe"


    His genius was in how easily he was able to communicate his findings and the principles (from intermediate to complex) theories of astronomy.
    i've gotten into tyson of late, upon the recommendations of a few ISHiots, and he's an even better communicator than sagan. he doesn't have carl's trademark magical enunciation, but in explaining these complex concepts to us untrained morons - he's got the edge, if only a small one. and whats more, tyson has an incredible gift of exciting his audience with his explanations. its almost as if he can't contain his own excitement, and the audience can't help but feed off of it themselves. really awesome to watch - i can't help but become transfixed when he goes into his lengthy diatribes.

    both guys are absolutely incredible though. i've got all of 'cosmos' on my computer (only an episode in so far), but i can't seem to find the episodes of 'science now' anywhere on the net. there are audio versions on the pbs website, but not even a torrent of the episodes.

    i'm definitely going to find 'contact' as soon as possible, and hopefully get a chance to jump into it during christmas break.

  11. #26
    The Paterfamilias RedBlackAttack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    Quote Originally Posted by RidonKs
    i'm still killing that song rba.

    "if you wish to make and apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe"
    I can't stop... it has infected my brain (in a good way).

    But the brain does much more than just recollect
    It inter-compares, it synthesizes, it analyzes
    it generates abstractions

    The simplest thought like the concept of the number one
    Has an elaborate logical underpinning
    The brain has it's own language
    For testing the structure and consistency of the world




    Quote Originally Posted by RidonKs
    i've gotten into tyson of late, upon the recommendations of a few ISHiots, and he's an even better communicator than sagan. he doesn't have carl's trademark magical enunciation, but in explaining these complex concepts to us untrained morons - he's got the edge, if only a small one. and whats more, tyson has an incredible gift of exciting his audience with his explanations. its almost as if he can't contain his own excitement, and the audience can't help but feed off of it themselves. really awesome to watch - i can't help but become transfixed when he goes into his lengthy diatribes.
    Neil Tyson is good. I've listened to some of his stuff and, you are right... He is probably the heir apparent to Carl. He doesn't hit me with the same force, though. Like I said, it was Carl's incredible philosophical viewpoints that are maybe the most awe-inspiring thing to me.

    In my relatively minor introduction to his stuff, his messages don't come off with the same power as Sagan's ultimate messages usually did. He is a great communicator, though.

    I'll have to delve a little deeper.

    Quote Originally Posted by RidonKs
    i'm definitely going to find 'contact' as soon as possible, and hopefully get a chance to jump into it during christmas break.
    I envy you that you have that book to look forward to. I wish I could read it again for the first time. Magical.

  12. #27
    The Paterfamilias RedBlackAttack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    Quote Originally Posted by catzhernandez
    Carl Sagan is underappreciated?

    He gets plenty of respect where I'm from...
    Going by the comments section in every video that he has on youtube in which, it seems, no one under the age of 20 has any clue who Sagan is (and many older people don't, either)... Yes, I believe he is underappreciated. His teachings and philosophies should be widely recognized by the masses.

  13. #28
    The Paterfamilias RedBlackAttack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius


  14. #29
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    Quote Originally Posted by RedBlackAttack
    very neat. imagine how fun it would have been to see those two in their primes, sitting in armchairs and shooting the s[COLOR="Black"]h[/COLOR]it with one another. i would pay a whole hell of a lot of money to see that.


    what exactly did sagan do as a scientist/philosopher/astronomer that got him the reputation it did? or was his popularity the product of his series? i know he was deep in the extraterrestrial life field, but i have no idea what he actually accomplished.

  15. #30
    The Paterfamilias RedBlackAttack's Avatar
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    Default Re: Carl Sagan: Underappreciated Genius

    Quote Originally Posted by RidonKs
    very neat. imagine how fun it would have been to see those two in their primes, sitting in armchairs and shooting the s[COLOR="Black"]h[/COLOR]it with one another. i would pay a whole hell of a lot of money to see that.


    what exactly did sagan do as a scientist/philosopher/astronomer that got him the reputation it did? or was his popularity the product of his series? i know he was deep in the extraterrestrial life field, but i have no idea what he actually accomplished.
    He was pretty much the top adviser at NASA for years (starting in the early days of space exploration, well before the moon landing). He was the chief in charge of the program when it made its most astounding breakthroughs in space travel.

    He had several complex theories that ultimately turned out to be correct, most notably the temperature on Venus. His scientific findings were mostly involved in atmospheres and environments of other planets and moons.

    He also founded SETI.

    But, of course, he because world-renowned for his Cosmos series and his ability to mesmerize an audience.

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