Civilization Quote by Carl Sagan
“For all I know we may be visited by a different extraterrestrial civilization every second Tuesday, but there's no support for this appealing idea. The extraordinary claims are not supported by extraordinary evidence.”
About This Quote
Extraordinary claims require equally strong evidence; without it, speculation remains unsubstantiated.
In simple terms: Evidence outweighs speculation.
Key Takeaway
Demand proof for bold assertions.
Themes
skepticism
science
critical thinking
epistemology
rationality
Mood
inquisitive
cautious
Type
aphor
maxim
When to use this quote
- debating UFO sightings
- evaluating pseudoscience
- assessing scientific breakthroughs
Key Concepts
burden of proof
extraordinary evidence
claim evaluation
Practical Applications
- science communication
- policy making
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence would make a claim credible?
- How do we balance openness with rigor?
![“[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion, why do you not believe in materialistic science, which has an unparalleled record of fulfilled prophecy? Consider, for example, eclipses.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/875/carl-sagan-160_belief_when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-a_25095.jpg)
