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Ch. 2: Aberrations of Light

#14: May - June 2004 (Non-Fiction)
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Chris OConnor

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Ch. 2: Aberrations of Light

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2:30am and I'm intently listening to Pale Blue Dot on audio book. Is everyone aware it can be downloaded off WinMX.com in audio book format, with Carl Sagan as narrator?While nothing compares to reading a book on your own, the entire experience is certainly enhanced by hearing the author read it with all his passion, conviction, and enthusiasm. I suggest you read the book while listening. Anytime I've been able to find a book on audio book I do this. Chris "The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them"
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Chris OConnor

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Re: Ch. 2: Aberrations of Light

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A quotable quote:The following quote can be found on page 14 of Ch. 2, 3rd paragraph. I've thought about the below reality many many times since I first heard it presented by Sagan in his Cosmos TV series, which I own on VCR tape.Quote:And after Earth dies, some 5 billion years from now, after it is burned to a crisp or even swallowed by the sun, there will be other worlds and stars and galaxies coming into being--and they will know nothing of a place once called Earth.This thought gives me chills. As Sagan has made clear, the purpose of the first few chapters is to wake us up from our fantasy of believing we're somehow special and unique--as if this universe was created and essentially revolves around our needs and egos.Instead of thinking of other worlds coming into existence AFTER our world dies, think about another scenario. What if there are other worlds, currently in existence, dispersed throughout the vastness of the cosmos. Imagine intelligent life to abound. On these worlds there are organisms, some of which we would surely consider intelligent life, contemplating their own existence, much the same as we do here on Earth. Is this hard to imagine? The more we learn about this pale blue dot, and its insignificant place in the big scheme of things, the easier it is for me to imagine such a scenario. Regularly, I look up at the stars and imagine other beings looking back...wondering about the same fantastic questions as we are. With hundreds of billions of galaxies, each containing hundreds of billions of stars, each of which may have numerous planets, how can it be that we are alone? I seriously doubt we're alone. In fact, if there is one thing I could be accused of having faith in, it is the inevitability of intelligent life existing elsewhere in the universe. I'd bet my life on it.Chris "The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them"
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book vs. audiobook

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Chris,Thanks for letting us know an audio is available. it I like sagan's voice and enjoy the way he expresses things verbally. Perhaps I'll go listen to some of the 'slower' reading parts.The version of the book i purchased was a hardcover. I'm actually glad that I did because the color plates are very beautiful and add a lot to the reading.
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