Secular Humanism: The Official Religion of the United States of America


Book Description

The real Axis of Evil is… * The Religion of Humanism * American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) * National Education Association (NEA) It’s time to get back to some old-fashioned values like commitment and sacrifice and responsibility and purity and love and the straight life. Not only will our children benefit from our self-discipline and perseverance, but we adults will live in a less neurotic world, too! In the case Torcaso v. Watkins (in 1961) the U.S. Supreme Court stated, “Among religions in this country which do not teach what would generally be considered a belief in the existence of God are Buddhism, Taoism, Ethical Culture, Secular Humanism and others.”







The Best of the Humanist


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Humanism is the progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity. For the past ninety years, The Humanist Magazine and its predecessor The New Humanist have published the most profound and provocative humanist writing in America. This volume focuses on the first forty-five years of the magazine, from 1928 to 1973, and on the philosophical discussion that formed its heart. The work of thinkers as accomplished as Buckminster Fuller, Corliss Lamont, B. F. Skinner, Frank Lloyd Wright, Lucile Green, and Isaac Asimov is included, along with that of many others. Editor Charles Murn has organized the essays into eleven chapters, providing an overview of the evolution of humanist thinking in each area. CHAPTER 1: Some Essentials of Humanist Philosophy CHAPTER 2: Types of Humanism CHAPTER 3: The Source and Nature of Humanist Values CHAPTER 4: Scientific Method and Scientific Knowledge in Humanist Philosophy CHAPTER 5: Humanism Explores the Unknown and Defines the Uncertain CHAPTER 6: Religious Humanism as Nontheistic, Naturalistic, and Instrumental CHAPTER 7: The Roles of Emotion and Spirituality in Humanism CHAPTER 8: Working Out Humanist Morals and Ethics CHAPTER 9: Humanistic Psychology and Freedom CHAPTER 10: Humanism, Science, and the Arts and Humanities CHAPTER 11: Humanism Comes to Value Other Life Forms and Nature




Humanistic Education


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Critical Issues in Education


Book Description

Critical Issues in Education examines three questions that are at the core of the education debate in the United States: What interests should schools serve? What knowledge should schools teach? How do we develop the human environment of schools? When answering these queries the authors advocate the use of critical thinking, which includes dialogue and dialectic reasoning. Dynamic and interactive, dialogue requires listening and assessment, while dialectic stimulates the development of a creative response that encompasses both sides of an issue. When applied, these approaches engender an informative and stimulating discussion. In order to explore the depth of current educational issues, the Ninth Edition considers 15 topics, providing supporting evidence and reasoning for two divergent views. These issues include violence in schools, the role of technology, gender equity, multiculturalism, inclusion and disability, and school choice. Both civic and professional discussions regarding improvements will have consequences for students, teachers, and society. As a result, educational views and the social landscape in which they reside deserve critical study.




The Analytical Writer


Book Description

In The Analytical Writing Adrienne Robins explains college writing as a process of discovery, as a series of strategies that any college student can learn to apply. All strategies explained in this text are based on sound theories of teaching writing and on the patterns of successful writers. Writing and thinking should not be separated, and presenting only the steps without the accompanying explanation of how they influence thinking would be of little more help than having no method at all. By using this text the students will see as they plan, draft, and revise how their writing helps clarify their thoughts. This clearly written and engaging textbook is illustrated by real examples of student writing and appropriate cartoons. The second edition was revised and updated based on the large-scale evaluation of the first edition completed by professors and students. The new edition reflects four essential values: recognizing the diversity of writing processes, the necessity of peer and teacher interaction with the writer on drafts, the integration of writing and reading, and the appropriate uses of technology. Specific features of this second edition include: -new writing samples -electronic citation formats -updated library use chapter with technological guidance -concise paragraph chapter -revised introduction and conclusion chapter -rhetorical as well as grammatical explanations for punctuation usage -new cartoons -exercises drawn from students' papers -a condensed chapter on research papers -and an expanded, and clearer, chapter on special assignments and other writing tasks A Collegiate Press book




Toward a New Enlightenment


Book Description

Paul Kurtz has been the dominant voice of secular humanism over the past thirty years. This compilation of his work reveals the scope of his thinking on the basic topics of our time and his many and varied contributions to the cause of free thought. It focuses on the central issues that have concerned Kurtz throughout his career: ethics, politics, education, religion, science, and pseudoscience. The chapters are linked by a common theme: the need for a new enlightenment, one committed to the use of rationality and skepticism, but also devoted to realizing the highest values of humanist culture. Many writings included here were first published in magazines and journals long unavailable. Some of the essays have never before been published. They now appear as a coherent whole for the first time. Also included is an extensive bibliography of Kurtz's writings. Toward a New Enlightenment is essential for those who know and admire Paul Kurtz's work. It will also be an important resource for students of philosophy, political science, ethics, and religion. Among the chapters are: "Humanist Ethics: Eating the Forbidden Fruit"; "Relevance of Science to Ethics"; "Democracy without Theology"; "Misuses of Civil Disobedience"; "The Limits of Tolerance"; "Skepticism about the Paranormal: Legitimate and Illegitimate"; "Militant Atheism vs. Freedom of Conscience"; "Promethean Love: Unbound"; "The Case for Euthanasia"; and "The New Inquisition in the Schools."




AETS Yearbook


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