Paul Kurtz, Founder    Jonathan Kurtz, Chairman
Inspired by Empathy and Creativity, guided by Reason
© Institute for Science and Human Values
About Us About Us Humanist Issues Humanist Issues ISHV Projects ISHV Projects News News Public Policy Public Policy Planetary Odysseys Planetary Odysseys Support ISHV Support ISHV Library Library
February 6, 2016 Austin Cline on Secularism vs Secularization. read Barbara Walker on her path to humanism. read John Oliver explains how he created “Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption.” watch Albert Einstein on religion. read Research on imaginary talks with an atheist. read Soraya Chemaly on why its so difficult for women to join the atheist movement. read Maggie Ardiente on the Secular Social Justice Conference. read David W. Noble on the “Second Scientific Revolution.” This major historian explores the interactions of tradition and modernity in shaping ideologies of historical interpretation — and his own changing “heresies.”. read Massimo Pigliucci on the current controversy over a Dawkins tweet and his disinvitation to a Skeptics conference. “I sincerely wish them all the best for a speedy and safe transition to maturity.” read Austin Cline: philosophy of religion and humanism; religious and secular humanism. read Placing Richard Dawkins, 40 years after The Selfish Gene — John Brockman. read Lawrence Davidson on the downside of institutionalized religion. “Because ideologies distort reality, they are particularly unsuited for those aspiring to power as well as their devoted supporters. History is full of examples of politically powerful ideologies that underscore this fact: fascism, communism, various military cults (particularly popular in South America and the Middle East) and even the ideology of democracy as manipulated by corrupt elites, who play the Pied Piper to the masses. “ And then there’s religion! …A better lesson learned seems to be: if you want to be religious, keep it personal and tolerant, avoid tendencies toward institutionalization beyond the level of local charity and organized good works, and stay clear of political alliances. “read Myriam Renaud on “inherent dignity.” read David Breeden on humanist economics. read PZ Myers on the Dawkins critics. read Podcasts from Minneapolis First Unitarian Society. listen “So That Happened,” HuffPost’s podcasts. . listen Richard Carrier on his brother’s podcast. listen Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn int. by Sasha Lilley (1 hr 47 min). watch Brief reviews of forthcoming Noam Chomsky documentary Requiem for the American Dream. read Thom Hartmann on Flint water privatizations blame and on Johnson Controls moving to Ireland. watch
March 8, 2016 Richard Carrier int. by J.J. Chipchase on moral theory and truth. read David Breeden on #Humanism. read Patrick Frank contends that “progressivism” is hostile to humanism. read Richard Carrier argues for polygamy. read Maria Popova: What makes a person: Seven layers of identity in literature and life. read AZ lawmaker’s atheist prayer rejected by colleagues. read James Croft’s latest Temple of the Future articles. read AHA: The Cartoon History of Humanism. read PZ Myers critiques Sam Harris. read Frank Sinatra’s 1963 Playboy interview. read Pelagia Horgan on Fra Angelico’s art as seen by an unbeliever. read Noam Chomsky’s movie, Requiem for the American Dream. (David Swanson). read
March 22, 2016
Bob Bhaerman on humanism in literature. read David Breeden: Humanist Ritual, Part One. read David Breeden: Humanist Ritual, Part Two. read Einstein’s spirituality: Carol Kuruvilla. read Andrew Aghapour and Michael Schulson weigh charges of “white supremacy” against Sam Harris. (…essentialist rhetoric about minority groups still has mass appeal. And the odd convergence between Harris’ rationalism and the political far-right is a reminder that not even rationalists are immune to the specter of prejudice.” read Eileen Barker on the expanding forms of Paganism. read Harvard’s Pluralism Project has new site. read The Humanist EDge, postings by graduates of The Humanist Institute. read The Orbit: New atheist social justice blog site. read read Mark Vernon on Plato’s continuing value as a secular moral philosopher. read
April 4, 2016
ARTICLES David Breeden on identity and integrity (and Tyndale). read New study on science v. religion sees differing brain structures. “The research is based on the hypothesis that the human brain has two opposing domains in constant tension…..the brain has an analytical network of neurons that enables us to think critically and a social network that enables us to empathize.” read James Lindsay’s new book says anti-god arguments no longer necessary: David Chivers’ critical review. read Norwegian non-theism now over 50 percent, and UK moving closer to that level. read Tom Frank on how Democrats created the liberalism of the rich. read Darren Sherkat: Atheists less Islamaphobic than Christians. read The regular emails 0f The Richard Dawkins Foundation now aggregate many articles of humanist interest. read Gleb Tsipursky’s article on finding meaning in a non-Western modernity. read Nigel Barber: Educated people more likely to be atheists (2014). read James Croft on how the UUA is betraying humanists in the BSA linkage. read vAustin Cline on differences between faith and knowledge. read PODCASTS Sincere Kirabo, AHA’s new social justice coordinator. listen Life After God . read VIDEOS The Secular Humanist Society of New York has been producing many videos that communicate humanist concerns very effectively. GREAT new episode! watch Carl Sagan and Studs Terkel on extraterrestials. watch 50 famous academics and scientists talk about God (links to another 50 and to 30 writers). watch Morgan Freeman’s The Story of God begins April 3 on National Geographic channel. Trailers indicate that it will be worth watching. watch
April 11, 2016
ARTICLES Homeschooling for the non-religious?? read Merrill Miller: Many non-believers on god still believe in heaven/hell. read Carl Sagan’s Baloney Detection Kit (plus similar links). read David Breeden’s essay on humanist “humility” ends with a useful quote from Marcus Aurelius. But before that: “we believe that human beings create human problems and that only human beings can solve those problems in a way that is satisfactory to humanity.” read PODCASTS Gene Roddenberry’s (Star Trek) humanism, discussed by Susan Sackett and Scott Lohmann.  read
Articles from 2016
Articles by year 2016 2015 2014
A periodic digest of articles, interviews, and blogs of consequence for thinking humanists and secularists everywhere (Compiled by Robert Tapp.)
April 23, 2016
ARTICLES Cong. Honda wants National Day of Reason (for the 28 percent who don’t have a god). read Ken Ham (Creation Museum, Ark Encounter) wonders why atheists care. read D.J. Tice: While the West grows secular, the world gets religion. read Yale’s Green Light Project. James Croft praises: “If Humanism is ever going to become a replacement for religion, providing nonreligious people with a similar sense of inspiration and direction, then we Humanists must embrace the mythic part of our humanity: we must make music and dream dreams.” (video clip included). read Valerie Tarico on religion as addiction. read Valerie Tarico’s Wisdom Commons. read Gene Zubovich: The strange and short career of Judeo-Christianity. “During the Second World War, a spirit of national unity finally made the notion of Judeo-Christianity common, as Jews and Catholics were publically welcomed as junior partners in the country’s national life…..As Herberg saw it, Judeo- Christianity arose because secularism had failed and three vibrant faiths stepped in to fill that vacuum…..Evangelicals, meanwhile, resisted the encroaching pluralism…..evangelicals now accepted Catholics and Jews as important allies in the fight against abortion, feminism and gay rights…..The short career of Judeo-Christianity has already lasted too long.” read Secular Directory for finding local groups. read VIDEO Bill Maher calls for taxes on all religions. “Why should I subsidize ‘a homophobic magic act’? watch PODCAST Max Tegmark on the multiverse with Sam Harris. watch