Sidney Hook is considered by many to be America's most influential philosopher today. An earlier defender of Marxism, he became its most persistent critic, especially of its totalitarian and revolutionary manifestations. A student of John Dewey's pragmatism, Sidney Hook has written extensively about most of the live moral, social and political issues of the day. He has known and debated many of the leading thinkers of the twentieth century, such as Max Eastman, Bertrand Russell, Albert Einstein, Jacques Maritain, Mortimer Adler, Robert Hutchins, Paul Tillich, Noam Chomsky, and John Kenneth...

Fundamentalists from all religious persuasions deny the possibility of morality without belief in God. Yet belief in God is no guarantee of moral virtue - as the evils committed in the name of religion, past and present, have shown. Are there ethical, nonreligious choices that will work for a world in crisis? In this original and penetrating book, America's leading secular humanist philosopher affirms that it is possible to live the good life and be morally responsible without belief in religion.
Kurtz delineates the means by which humanity can transcend the limitations of traditional...

Challenges liberals and conservatives alike, as Hook pierces to the heart of momentous issues: human rights, racial equality, cultural freedom, and the separation of ethical behavior from religious belief.

Is it possible to build a world community for the next century that avoids economic upheaval, war, ecological devastation, and racial and religious enmity? Can mankind develop a new global ethic? These and other questions were addressed by international leaders during the Tenth Humanist World Congress. Building a World Community is an engrossing compilation of the papers delivered at the Congress. More than fifty notable speakers are represented. Each provides a unique vision of the future as we stand poised at the brink of the twenty-first century. The compelling message of these statements...

Two dominant schools have emerged in twentieth-century American philosophy: scientific naturalism and pragmatism. In this vibrant collection of hard-to-find essays, articles and contributions to books, internationally-known philosopher, author and lecturer Paul Kurtz offers his own special blend of these influential theories. With skill and clarity, "Philosophical Essays in Pragmatic Naturalism "captures naturalism's dedication to scientific method and critical intelligence (which are so much a part of ordinary life), and pragmatism's application of rational inquiry to the problems each of us...

A landmark work. Mandatory reading for anyone who wants to learn to be a good skeptic.
In this widely acclaimed and highly controversial book, Paul Kurtz examines the reasons why people accept supernatural and paranormal belief systems in spite of substantial evidence to the contrary. According to the author, it is because there is within the human species a deeply rooted tendency toward magical thinking - the "transcendental temptation" - which undermines critical judgment and paves the way for willful beliefs. He explores in detail the three major monotheistic religions - Judaism,...

Not simply an intellectual position, eupraxophy expresses convictions about the nature of the universe and how to live one's life with commitment and dedication. This work maintains that the eupraxsopher can lead a meaningful life and help create a just society, and offers recommendations for the development of the humanism of the future.

Issued on the 25th anniversary of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), this book brings together personal statements by the leading skeptics of the world. CSICOP, the first major organization of skeptics on the contemporary scene, is worldwide in scope and is dedicated to the skeptical evaluation of both paranormal and religious claims in the light of scientific inquiry.

The contributors focus on ESP and parapsychology, astrology, UFOlogy, the difference between science and pseudoscience, alternative medicine, magic, near-death experiences,...

Is it possible to live the good life and be morally responsible without religious belief? In this translation from the English original for Spanish-language readers, Paul Kurtz, America's leading secular-humanist philosopher, affirms that it is. Although orthodox theists and fundamentalists deny this possibility and reject secularism, Kurtz is firmly convinced that we can transcend the limits of parochial loyalties and achieve a higher stage of ethics. Since history has shown that belief in God is no guarantee of moral virtue, Kurtz maintains that we need to move beyond now-outmoded theistic...

In this stimulating collection of articles, contributors discuss the Big Bang and the origin of the universe, the nature of the "soul, " near-death experiences, and spiritualism.