Scientists describe life as the universe’s way of creating memories. I also heard my grandparents say they forgot more than I know. These two remind me that I’ll never have enough time to read all the great books in the world about the origins of life, complexity, and consciousness itself.
However, one of the best science books I have read this year is “Letters From an Astrophysicist,” by Neil deGrasse Tyson. It is easily understandable and does not get too deep or technical about astrophysics. The pages are engaging and full of wit and awareness.
Although you may not agree with all of Tyson’s ideas, you will notice that he is excellent at communicating. His writing style can encourage you to evaluate your opinions and clarify why some people view things differently than you.
The book’s theme consists of a hand-picked collection of letters Tyson has received over the years about various topics. The subjects include the cosmos, nature and philosophy, life and death, faith, social issues, science denial, language, and many other topics that explore our place in the universe.
What’s good about this book is that Tyson does not try to change our belief systems but rather is centered on the concept of empowering people. He wants people to think for themselves and remember that skepticism and free inquiry are essential for bringing hope to the world.
The corpus of knowledge and wisdom available today will only continue to grow if we increase our use of diverse and collective knowledge across various disciplines; this will help us improve our civilization.
Tyson says one of the major issues today is we cannot express feelings and emotions with precision when using our language skills. He blames things such as social media and emojis for this and says many of the arguments in our science-starved culture are based on “word usage and word meaning.”
Tyson says fights about semantics should be avoided because they hardly ever lead to scientific progress. We should all be more focused on the domain of ideas instead. However, proving your point of view isn’t always the best move. A complete sense of science literacy is less about what you know and more about your ability to get information or ask questions.
When highlighting our blind spots and overconfidence, Tyson references the famous Carl Sagan dictum, “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
He says people might know enough about a subject to know they are correct but may not be able to recognize when they are wrong.
Curiosity, skepticism, and inquiry are all concepts that lead to a scientifically and technologically literate public. By portraying these traits, we find cures to viruses and solutions to everything else in the universe that could harm our wellbeing.
Tyson reminds readers that the mind is one of the best weapons for survival. He makes it clear that having the highest IQ and the best GPA is not all that matters. Some of the most influential movers and shakers in society, according to Tyson, are not always from that population.
The most impressive shot callers worldwide have skills in solving issues, leadership, ambition, work ethic, and compassion. Tyson recognizes that failure is one of the common denominators of being human, but that to reach new goals, our desire to succeed must be strong enough to overcome the opposition that confronts us.
The world looks different when you are scientifically literate and constantly strive to enhance your principles for dealing with change. You arm yourself with a new way of perceiving everything you see and hear while in a state of mind of objectiveness.
This realistic mentality helps you see the world’s truth regardless of the belief system you possess. The cosmic perspective grants you the power to see beyond the simple search for the basics. It is a lens that shows people “our genetic kinship with everything on our planet, the universe, as well as undiscovered life.”
The book details a time Tyson wrote a letter to a soldier in Baghdad about the stars. Tyson tells him that “two-thirds of the stars that have names are named in Arabic.” He uses these facts to make points about navigational skills a thousand years ago during the Golden Age of Islam and the truth of the cosmic “transcending culture, politics, religion, and time.”
The times ahead could dramatically differ from those we have experienced in our lifetimes but simultaneously be similar to many historical moments.
This book is an excellent reminder that working on your truth-seeking process never hurts. The letters discussed in Tyson’s book prove to me that we all need the sort of education that shows us how to build a successful dynasty and learn to identify what leads to a failing civilization.
Acts of nature, War, and rapidly accelerating innovation are having extreme effects on our lives, and these changes are demanding us to become more open, creative, and objective to secure our future.