GENIUS FORUMS

I recently began watching this series for the first time and I have been mightily impressed. Written(partly) and presented by Carl Sagan, it has a depth and scale of perspective that is rare for anything that ever appears on the moving-picture box. The central thrust of the show is the scientific understanding of the Universe and its inhabitants, which is paired with Sagan's philosophical musings and his championing of skepticism, inquiry, reason and imagination.

In Australia it's currently showing on Foxtel/Optus/Austar, I recommend checking it out if you can. Here's a sample: Intro to Episode One of "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage"

Of what use is skepticism? It is only useful as an antidote for faith. If there is no faith there is no need for skepticism. Indeed by itself skepticism is an impediment, constituting a sort of faith itself. Reason and inquiry do not require skepticism, but only an openness to read the facts for what they are. Skepticism and faith are both forms of predisposition. Predisposition is the enemy of inquiry. Imagination, on the other hand, is future-oriented. Imagination can help guide the inquiry into new avenues of investigation. Imagination is the creative brother of curiosity.