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The Enlightenment Vision: Science, Reason, and the Promise of a Better Future
By: Stuart Jordan, president, Institute for Science and Human Values
 Binding: Hardcover Pages: 284
ISBN: 978-1-61614-640-5 Shipping Weight: 2lbs
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“From Enlightenment lessons to the prospects for planetary humanism, Stuart Jordan casts an epochal eye on humankind’s progress and asks, if the primary goal of the Enlightenment was a higher state of civilization for all, are we any closer to achieving it today? Forget about what you believe—if you think the human species can ultimately survive, read this book and find out why.”
—Jennifer Bardi, editor, The Humanist
“This is the author’s personal grand tour of the age of reason, from its pioneers to modern practitioners and beyond: a critique of their methods, successes, and failures; and an examination of the underlying human strengths, weaknesses, and failures that affect the pace and prospects for realizing the Enlightenment vision. [Jordan] advocates truth, transparency, and the teaching of critical analysis as antidotes to disinformation and propaganda.”
—Goetz K. Oertel, PhD, physicist, astronomer, techno-manager, and president emeritus, Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, a major cultural shift took place in western Europe. Leading thinkers began to emphasize the use of reason to tackle the challenges of material and social life, and they questioned the tenets of Christianity concerning the existence of God, the purpose of life, and the needs of the individual. Instead of religion, intellectuals put their faith in science and humanistic ethics in the hope of improving the secular lives of people everywhere. Today we call this development the Enlightenment. Contemporary society is the principal beneficiary of Enlightenment discoveries.
In this thought-provoking analysis, physicist Stuart Jordan evaluates the progress that global society has made since the Enlightenment. The author begins by pointing out features of present-day society that are the direct descendants of the Enlightenment’s discoveries and advances: our technology, modern medicine, science-based worldview, democratic political institutions, and concepts of human rights are all an outgrowth of the pioneering efforts of Enlightenment reformers.
But along with these benefits, Jordon notes that we are also the inheritors of some significant problems produced in the wake of these advances; overpopulation, nuclear proliferation, and global climate change are just some of the recent developments that seem to threaten the whole Enlightenment project. Also of great concern is the continuing economic disparity between prosperous and impoverished nations, as well as the persistence of widespread ignorance and destructive reactionary forces bent on provoking new conflicts.
Despite these and other daunting challenges of the twenty-first century, the author concludes on a cautiously optimistic note, predicting that the Enlightenment vision of prosperity, security, justice, and good health for all will eventually be achieved.
Stuart Jordan is a retired senior staff scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and is currently president and board member of the Institute for Science and Human Values. He holds a doctorate in physics and astrophysics and is a Rhodes scholar.
●MEANING AND VALUE IN A SECULAR AGE●
by
Nathan Bupp
 In his extraordinary career, Paul Kurtz has distinguished himself as an internationally recognized expert on American philosophy, secular humanism, critical thinking, ethics, and skepticism. In Meaning and Value in a Secular Age, editor Nathan Bupp has compiled Kurtz’s seminal writings about eupraxsophy, a thoroughly secular moral vision that is rooted in science and emphasizes ethical and exuberant living. Written with eloquence and scope, these incisive essays show how Kurtz’s brand of humanism reaches above and beyond the current “new atheism” to successfully bridge the cultural divide between science and value, thereby providing a genuine and constructive alternative to religion. Bupp’s informative introduction helpfully places the concept of eupraxsophy in historical perspective, showing why it is critically important in the world today.
“With his pioneering spirit and relentless efforts, Paul Kurtz has done more to advance a positive image for a secular society devoid of religion than any other person in our generation and perhaps in history. In an era like ours of angry atheists he is a breath of fresh air. Eupraxsophy does matter if we want to change our world. This may be his most lasting contribution, so it’s wonderful to have all of these essays spanning his career together in one volume. Very highly recommended.”
Nathan Bupp (Amherst, NY) is the vice president of communications for the Institute for Science and Human Values. He is a former vice president at the Center for Inquiry and former associate editor of Free Inquiry, where his articles and book reviews have been published. He is a contributor to Dewey’s Enduring Impact, edited by John R. Shook and Paul Kurtz.
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●African-American Humanism : An Anthology●
By Norm R. Allen, Jr.
●The Black Humanist Experience : An Alternative to Religion●
By Norm R. Allen, Jr.
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