COSMOS Episode 13: Unafraid of the Dark Worksheet (2014)

Description

COSMOS Episode 13: Unafraid of the Dark (2014) wraps-up the COSMOS series by exploring the constant fight between intelligence, compassion, and understanding, versus the darker side of the human condition, manifested by fear, ignorance, and brutality. Neil DeGrasse Tyson connects the path to salvation through the application of the principles of science to facilitate reasoning and a societal enlightenment. In the end, any journey of societal growth starts with the individual. Individual choices, based on sound reasoning and rational thought, help to form a grass-roots movement, whereby ignorance and fear slowly start to give way and lose their appeal. This is the main message the COSMOS series endeavors to relay. This final episode delivers that message right on-time.

In this episode, Tyson discusses the true value of knowledge using the Library of Alexandria as an example, then he shows what happened to the Library when the angry mob came. Tyson then discusses rationality vs fear and ignorance, the significance of the Golden Record placed onboard the Voyager spacecraft, the meaning behind the Pale Blue Dot photo, and finally, how the steps of the scientific method can be applied to self-enlightenment.

This video is appropriate for the following classes: biology, physics, astronomy, physical science, sociology, general science, psychology, or philosophy.

The runtime is 44 minutes. The video guide is designed to last an entire class, with some time left over to answer questions or facilitate a classroom discussion.

Neil DeGrasse Tyson, true value of knowledge, Library of Alexandria, the angry mob, rationality vs fear and ignorance, Golden Record, Voyager spacecraft, Pale Blue Dot photo, how the steps of the scientific method can be applied to self-enlightenment, biology, physics, astronomy, physical science, sociology, general science, psychology, philosophy, sociology