The wonders of the library of Alexandria are reviewed again as well as the ghastly crime of "Saint Ciril". It's a shame that so much knowledge was lost and also that it was used so little back then. The masses were kept in ignorance of the astounding scientific advancements of the day. Imagine where we would be today if democracy had truly flowered back then.

Democracy without education is severely flawed and handicapped. Sagan implied in a speculative fashion that if the common man had understood the benefits of the library it would have had defenders when a mob came to burn it. Nothing bothers me more than the people who want to ignore science, use education as a tool to enforce their beliefs and turn this country into a Christian version of Saudi Arabia

Regards,
Mark