The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

Sagan examines the notion that the specific conditions of their ancient Greek society, in conceptualizing a nature free of the will of the gods, enabled the first steps toward science. While acknowledging that the Ionian Greeks were responsible for several concepts which advance scientific thinking, Sagan does not accept such a generalizing statement. Societies in ancient China, India, and Spain also conceived of similar concepts, and Sagan applies his same skeptical thinking to the common Western claim of Greek supremacy.

Sagan outlines the hunting techniques of the !Kung hunters, one of the San peoples who live along the western edge of the Kalahari desert in Africa (the ! represents a tongue click). The San provide the oldest links to common human DNA and represent the earliest human culture group. !Kung hunters have developed a method of hunting antelope that relies upon an intimate knowledge of tracking based upon hoof prints in the desert sand. Sagan compares their method to that of “planetary astronomers” (313), who carefully scrutinize the depth of craters and rely upon the compounded observations of previous generations. Similarly, the !Kung rely on a developing knowledge, refined over generations, allowing them to track animals and their own tribe members.