Carl Sagan: The Baloney Detection Kit

Assignment Universe World Premier Inspirational Film

Carl Sagan: The Baloney Detection Kit

Carl Sagan - Skeptic Magazine Tribute

Carl Sagan is one of the most famous scientists of the 20th Century. Perhaps the most important book he ever wrote was The Demon Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark. A year later Skeptic Society founder Michael Shermer wrote Why People Believe Weird Things. Education professionals started using both books in courses concerning science and pseudoscience.

Michael Shermer expanded the critical thinking toolkit by publishing his own “Baloney Detection Kit”. Not only did he highlight Sagan’s Ten Tools for Baloney Detection but published his own Ten Questions for Baloney Detection. Shermer, along with collaborator Pat Linse, published this comprehensive Baloney Detection Kit Pamphlet that has many articles about critical thinking skills, sample course syllabi, recommended books, and a wonderful Skeptical Manifesto.

Michael Shermer - Founder of the Skeptic Society

I knew that Carl Sagan would be the subject of the first film produced by Assignment Universe. I cannot overstate how much Dr. Sagan influenced my life. I want to create a fusion between science and art here at Assignment Universe and Sagan’s Cosmos television show is the gold standard. So I decided to create a short film that combined Sagan’s Baloney Detection Kit, beautiful NASA films, and my own original music.

The Baloney Detection Kit by Michael Shermer and Pat Linse