"If we long to believe that the stars rise and set for us, that we are the reason there is a Universe, does science do us a disservice in deflating our conceits?"

This quote by Carl Sagan talks to the concept that science can sometimes be viewed as a danger to our beliefs and our sense of self-importance. He recommends that science can be seen as a way of deflating our egos by revealing us that we are not the center of the universe, and that the stars do not rise and set for us. He is asking if science does us a disservice by eliminating our sense of magnificence and value. He is suggesting that while science can be seen as a way of decreasing our sense of self-importance, it can also be seen as a way of expanding our understanding of the universe and our location in it. Ultimately, Sagan is suggesting that science can be viewed as both a hazard and a chance, depending upon how we select to see it.