--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is today-in a time when old beliefs…" description: "\"There is today-in a time when old beliefs are withering-a kind of philosophical hunger, a need to know who we are and how we got here. It is an on-goin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/carl-sagan-160_belief_there-is-today-in-a-time-when-old-belief_2897767.jpg" --- # There is today-in a time when old beliefs are withering-a… ![“There is today-in a time when old beliefs are withering-a kind of philosophical hunger, a need to know who we are and how we got here. It is an on-going search, often unconscious, for a cosmic perspective for humanity” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/carl-sagan-160_belief_there-is-today-in-a-time-when-old-belief_2897767.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/carl-sagan-160_belief_there-is-today-in-a-time-when-old-belief_2897767.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/carl-sagan-160_belief_there-is-today-in-a-time-when-old-belief_2897767.jpg) > “There is today-in a time when old beliefs are withering-a kind of philosophical hunger, a need to know who we are and how we got here. It is an on-going search, often unconscious, for a cosmic perspective for humanity” [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity seeks a cosmic perspective, questioning old beliefs and searching for meaning. **In simple terms:** We look for meaning beyond old ideas. Key Takeaway Explore big questions about existence. Themes philosophy cosmology search Mood wonderful inquisitive Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - education - science outreach - personal reflection Key Concepts existentialism human curiosity Questions to Reflect On - What drives your search for meaning? - How do old beliefs shape your worldview? A Different Perspective Not everyone prioritizes cosmic questions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Beliefs Withering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beliefs-withering-4103732/) [Cosmic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmic/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Old Beliefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-beliefs-702562/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Perspective Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective-humanity-4103731/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Philosophical Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical-hunger-4103730/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Unconscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unconscious/) [Who we are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who-we-are/) [Withering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/withering/) ## Related quotes > [“So much we once coveted. So much That would have saved us, but lived, Instead, its own quick span, returning To uselessness with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-k-smith/so-much-we-once-coveted-so-much-that-would-have-saved-us-but-lived/) [Tracy K. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-k-smith/) > [''It is not only what we have inherited from our fathers and mothers that again in us, but all sorts of old dead ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/it-is-not-only-what-we-have-inherited-from-our-fathers-and-mothers/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [In place of the old beliefs of a civilization based on godliness, judgment and historical loyalty, young people are given the new beliefs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/in-place-of-the-old-beliefs-of-a-civilization-based-on-godliness/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Man is not logical and his intellectual history is a record of mental reserves and compromises. 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The magical approach has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-roberts/the-old-beliefs-of-course-and-the-rational-approach-are-everywhere/) [Jane Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-roberts/) > [“Some say it’s no coincidence that the question mark is an inverted plow, breaking up the hard soil of old beliefs and preparing for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-d-alinsky/some-say-it-s-no-coincidence-that-the-question-mark-is-an-inverted/) [Saul D. Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-d-alinsky/) > [“Religious beliefs are culture bound…land overwhelmed by poverty, overcrowding, starvation, disease, class oppression and lack of any hope for a better future were what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/religious-beliefs-are-culture-bound-land-overwhelmed-by-poverty/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [“Old beliefs do not lead you to new cheese”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-johnson/old-beliefs-do-not-lead-you-to-new-cheese/) [Spencer Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-johnson/) > [I just have a sense that, you know, I'm curious about what is religion about, you know? Why do some of us still engage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-pagels/i-just-have-a-sense-that-you-know-i-m-curious-about-what-is-religion/) [Elaine Pagels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-pagels/) > [But I almost think we are all of us ghosts. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/but-i-almost-think-we-are-all-of-us-ghosts-it-is-not-only-what-we/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Old beliefs die hard even when demonstrably false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/old-beliefs-die-hard-even-when-demonstrably-false/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) ## More by Carl Sagan > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. 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If a human disagrees with you, let him live. 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The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/books-permit-us-to-voyage-through-time-to-tap-the-wisdom-of-our/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [We live on a hunk of rock and metal that circles a humdrum star that is one of 400 billion other stars that make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-live-on-a-hunk-of-rock-and-metal-that-circles-a-humdrum-star-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [A tiny blue dot set in a sunbeam. Here it is. That's where we live. That's home. We humans are one species and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-tiny-blue-dot-set-in-a-sunbeam-here-it-is-that-s-where-we-live-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Any sufficiently crisp question can be answered by a single binary digit-0 or 1, yes or no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/any-sufficiently-crisp-question-can-be-answered-by-a-single-binary/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Humans — who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals — have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/humans-who-enslave-castrate-experiment-on-and-fillet-other-animals/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every star may be a sun to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-star-may-be-a-sun-to-someone/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) [Explore all 1,043 Carl Sagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. 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