Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization

The Preface and Overture establish the purpose and the context of Starry Messenger. The first of these two sections identifies the book as a work of social commentary and introduces the concept of the cosmic perspective; the second illustrates the scientific process. Starry Messenger deviates from Tyson’s other books in that it more closely examines culture and applies a theoretical approach to infer how a widespread cosmic perspective might benefit various aspects of society, whereas many of his other texts focus more purely on science and on exploring the sociohistorical impact of scientific discoveries. The initial line of the Preface—“Starry Messenger is a wake-up call to civilization” (6)—implicitly identifies the audience as laypeople, or, more specifically, those who are not scientific professionals. That laypeople are the intended audience is further evident in Tyson’s detailed explanations of the scientific process in the Overture. He addresses a lay audience because he strongly supports scientific literacy, and the only way to increase scientific literacy among the general population is to provide scientific discourse in an easily digestible format.

The Preface introduces the theme of The Power of a Cosmic Perspective, which is central to the book’s context development, and the Overture expands on this theme. Tyson credits Galileo with initially presenting the concept of a cosmic perspective through his discovery that Earth is not the center of the universe. While Copernicus first theorized the heliocentric (sun-centered) model of the solar system, Galileo proved its validity by using a telescope. In doing so, Galileo proved that “(1) human eyes alone are insufficient to reveal fundamental truths about the operations of nature, [and] (2) Earth is not the center of all motion” (6). He published his findings in Sidereus Nuncius, which translates to “Starry Messenger.” By naming his book after Galileo’s, Tyson both credits Galileo for his contributions to the cosmic perspective and emphasizes the long-standing practice of disseminating scientific information to the public. Rather than assuming that his audience is familiar with the scientific process, Tyson incorporates a discussion intended to explain his working definition of science. He touches on how the public has come to misunderstand science, suggesting that issues arise through irresponsible publishing practices and though cherry-picking scientific data points to sway public opinion. By explaining the scientific process and addressing the likely reasons that the public distrusts science, Tyson ensures that his audience is aligned with his concept of science, which will help them better understand the main body of the text.

In addition, the Preface and the Overture introduce two other themes, which the book’s chapters later explore through various social topics. The first of these two themes is The Importance of Evidence-Based Thinking, which is implicit in Tyson’s discussion of the scientific process and scientific consensus. He distinguishes consensus from scientific conformity, explaining that the latter can be disadvantageous for society. Individual scientific studies are commonly presented as scientific truth, which impedes the process of evidence-based thinking by misleading audiences to accept studies as proof. If the general population had a strong understanding of the scientific process, they would have a greater ability to use rational thinking patterns. Through this discussion, the text introduces the theme of The Role of Science in Society. While this theme is represented in literal terms at times, such as in how Galileo’s discoveries altered humanity’s perception of their position in the universe, the text primarily assumes a hypothetical approach by suggesting how scientific literacy, a cosmic perspective, and evidence-based thinking could positively impact society. After noting several scientific organizations, Tyson asserts why they are important:

These centers of research, as well as other trusted sources of published science, can empower politicians in ways that lead to enlightened and informed governance. This won’t happen until the people who vote, and the people they vote for, come to understand how and why science works (12).

This idea—that science literacy and a cosmic perspective can help humans unite and forge a rational and functional society—summarizes the foundational context that guides the individual arguments Tyson explores in the remainder of the text.