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Paul Kurtz at Eighty

Congratulations from the World

n December 21, 2005, the staffs of the Center for I have known Paul for much of this period, and I admire him Inquiry and Prometheus Books held the most for being a passionate and articulate voice for humanism, sec- unlikely imaginable event: a surprise eighti- ularism, and rational thinking. Our world today—particularly eth birthday party for FREE INQUIRY founder the United States—needs many more spirited individuals and Oand Editor in Chief Paul Kurtz. Why unlikely? philosophers like Paul. There is a great deal of unfinished We were holding it at the newly expanded Center for business, so I sincerely hope, Paul, that you are not thinking of Inquiry, and at eighty Paul remains an engaged and retirement. observant CEO. Under cover of planning a winter-solstice Take it from me: I have tried retirement many times, and it party, we managed to stage a catered affair for more than just doesn’t work! one hundred people, complete with surprise appearances —All the best, Arthur C. Clarke, by friends and colleagues from as far away as Florida and science-fiction author and California—and Paul never inventor suspected a thing. An additional facet of the Many happy returns, dear bril- celebration was the reading of “There is a great deal of unfinished liant friend Paul, and please, greetings and encomia from business, so I sincerely hope . . . that you take care. This troubled world distinguished thinkers and truly needs more gentlemen like activists from around the are not thinking of retirement. . . . I have you and my beloved Steve. world, whose thoughts were tried retirement many times, with Paul on his special day, —Affectionately, Jayne although they were unable to and it just doesn’t work!” Meadows Allen attend in person. Below, we —Arthur C. Clarke present a selection of their Nobody, but nobody, here or messages. abroad, has done more than you to combat the scientific illiteracy I write to congratulate you on your eightieth birthday and to and gullibility that continues to poison our schools and uni- add my own heartfelt thanks for all you have contributed—so versities, our electronic and paper media, our bookstores, and bravely—to the core humanist goals of truth, honesty, and our government. We recently had a president who believed in human dignity. astrology. We now have a president who thinks creationism should be taught in public schools. Don’t weaken, Paul! Keep —With warmest regards, Edward O. fighting for sanity, confident that in the long run truth has a Wilson, Pellegrino Research Professor better survival value than baloney. in Entomology, Emeritus, Harvard University —Martin Gardner, recreational mathematician, magician, skeptic, and author I think Paul Kurtz should be nominated as a serious candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. In a dark time for America, he has Congratulations to a genuine multitalented phenomenon (I’ve kept alive the flame of the Enlightenment, so beloved of the known a few, and you qualify), who even has the courage to Founding Fathers. Today, they would be proud of him. publish my books! I’m delighted that you are still in fine fettle and your right mind, and will always be six months older than —Richard Dawkins, Charles Simonyi I am. Professor of the Public Understanding of Science, Oxford University —All the best now and forever, Janet Asimov

I am delighted to send my birthday greetings and best wishes We Russian humanists are happy to . ..wish you strong health, to Paul on this special day, when he completes eighty orbits further success, and continuing appreciation of your unprece- around our home star. dented achievements in the development of planetary human-

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ism and the world movement in defense and promotion of the president, American Humanist Association New Enlightenment, reason, science, and skeptical inquiry. Congratulations, Paul, on reaching the age of eighty, an —Very truly yours, Valerii A. Kuvakin, President, achievement that has become much more common since those Russian Humanist Society; the members of the exec- far-off days when we were young. utive committee: Garry I. Abelev, Givi V. Givishvily, We first met during the fall semester of the academic year Vyacheslav N. Zhukov, and Vitalii L. Ginsburg (Nobel 1970–71, while I was serving as a visiting professor of philoso- Laureate); Edward P. Kruglyakov, Chair, Committee phy at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Since then, against Anti-Science, Russian Academy of Sciences; you have established the Academy of Humanism and done a Anna A. Kudishna, Director, CFI/Kolomna, Russia; vast amount to strengthen the humanist movement throughout and Alexander G. Kruglov (Abelev), Editor, Zdravyj the whole world. Smysl (Common Sense magazine). By far, the most valuable of those achievements was the establishment of Prometheus Books. Prometheus is so hugely I congratulate Paul Kurtz for having so effectively persevered important because it is not merely willing but eager to publish in his battle against irrationality and quackery, during the last works critical of Islam. eighty revolutions of the planet Earth around its star—relative to the galaxy, of course. His contributions to humanism, the —Yours, Antony Flew, Professor Emeritus of skeptical community, and critical Philosophy, Reading thinking have served our species University (U. K.) well and have given us reason to anticipate that within the coming No greater natural(ist) force decades we may witness a reacti- exists in the world today. Four- vation of the Enlightenment that “Congratulations to a genuine score birthdays haven’t slowed we seem to have abandoned dur- Paul. I wish him many more exu- ing the eighteenth century. This multitalented phenomenon berant triumphs of reason over expectation is not faith-based but (I’ve known a few, and you qualify). . . .” humbuggery in all its sinister evidence-based, the evidence forms. being found in Paul’s extensive —Janet Asimov (widow of Isaac) literary output. —Peter Hare, Professor Stick around, Paul. The next Emeritus of Philosophy, few revolutions promise to be State University of New giddy indeed! York at Buffalo —James “The With great pleasure, I add my note of congratulations on the Amazing” Randi, Founder, James occasion of Paul Kurtz’s eightieth birthday. He merits encomia Randi Educational Foundation but also a realization that he (and I suppose myself at some lesser level) belong to a fragmented generation that helped If there were an all-powerful, all-knowing God, surely he, she, shape the twentieth century—its movements, ideologies, and or it would not have allowed Paul Kurtz even threescore years philosophies. Paul was a major figure in the dissemination of and ten, let alone a full fourscore years, to carry out his dedi- pragmatism, the anti-totalitarian sources of that view as best cated, and—on this assumption—utterly mistaken, mislead- expressed by Sidney Hook, and above all, a person who took ing, pernicious, and thoroughly blasphemous work on earth. humanism as a point of view out of the medieval age and the Paul, in reaching eighty, you’ve added yet another argument tendentious opposition to present realities to more exciting and against belief in God. Congratulations! exacting views of the past century. —Peter Singer, Professor of Bioethics, —Cordially, Irving Louis Horowitz, Chairman of the Princeton University board and Editorial Director, Transaction Publishers

Prometheus Books, thanks to Paul, is the largest and most Paul Kurtz is one of the most remarkable people I know. He important humanist publishing house in the world. FREE has achieved many things in many areas. INQUIRY and the Council for Secular Humanism have been I cite just one, which I believe best symbolizes his driving responsible for signal advances for humanism, for common force towards achieving rational inquiry devoted to all claims sense, for science. Paul’s impact has been felt throughout the about the world and the forces acting upon its denizens. This United States and, indeed, throughout the world. is the name he gave to the publishing house he started, Paul’s enormous energy and influence are awesome. One Prometheus Books. Prometheus had no awe for the gods. He brought fire to humanity and was sentenced as a result to a can only hope that his efforts will inspire new generations to cruel and inhumane punishment. But Hercules freed him follow in his footsteps. shortly afterwards. —Edd Doerr, President, Americans for Those with doubts about beliefs not based on rational Religious Liberty, and the immediate past grounds may today be threatened with punishment. I think

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Paul Kurtz at Eighty

the efforts of Paul Kurtz and those acting in his spirit must philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; contribute in some manner to help protect them from perse- the point, however, is to change it.” You, more than any other cution. But if they are punished, let us hope that Paul Kurtz philosopher I know, have worked for change. I wish you many and his followers may eventually play the Herculean role in happy returns, year after year, until you find yourself explain- relieving them. ing to St. Peter that your atheism was methodological after all! From my personal perspective, I owe him an immense debt —Michael Ruse, Professor of Philosophy, of gratitude for his loyalty to my father, Sidney Hook, and Florida State University recognition of his work, undertaken with little expectation of financial gain but out of respect for his often unrecognized My congratulations come with a sense of gratitude for all you wisdom. have done in your life for the causes of science, reason, and —Ernest (Ben) Hook humanism. They are all that much stronger today because of your efforts. That gratitude also includes what you have done for Some two and a quarter centuries ago, Gotthold Ephraim me personally, by your continuing support of my efforts to cross Lessing neatly epitomized the conviction of all who share a fun- the boundaries from physics and cosmology to philosophy and damental trust in human reason: religion. Prometheus Books, Skeptical Inquirer, and FREE INQUIRY provide a place for my unconventional views to be heard Individual worth as a human being does not consist in the truth and helped me carve a niche for one possesses, but in the efforts myself. I might not have found that expended to attain that truth; for niche without your help and that our powers are amplified not by of the dedicated staff you lead the possession of truth, but with such amazing skill. I cannot through the search for it. In this “Paul, in reaching eighty, you’ve pursuit alone does people’s ever- fail to mention also your wonder- growing perfection consist; pos- added yet another argument ful writing, which, absent every- session makes us lazy, indolent, against belief in God. thing else I have mentioned would and proud. If God held all truth in have earned our kudos on this day. his right hand and in his left the everlasting striving after truth— Congratulations!” —Victor Stenger, Professor even with the proviso that I Emeritus of Physics and should always and everlastingly —Peter Singer be mistaken—and said to me, Astronomy, University of “Choose,” with humility I would Hawaii and Adjunct select the left hand and say, Professor of Philosophy, “Father, grant me this; absolute University of Colorado truth is for you alone.” I offer this affirmation of our great German Enlightenment The bulk of significant human progress has been brought philosopher as a tribute to Paul Kurtz, whose lifelong dedica- about by a relatively small number of extraordinary people tion to the search for truth has brought him well-deserved who have possessed the royal jelly—an arcane combination of renown, and to whom I offer grateful thanks for affording me intelligence, creativity, doggedness, and the desire to make the world a better place—that enables them to bring to fruition the superlative access to the American public after my fellow kinds of grand schemes about which others only dream. While scholastics in Germany in effect ostracized me for my exercise I have met many very intelligent, creative, and highly motivat- of uninhibited inquiry and honest expression of opinion. ed people in my lifetime, Paul Kurtz is the only person whom I —Gerd Lüdemann, University of Göttingen have ever known personally who has that royal jelly. Paul, I am truly in awe of what you have accomplished— Quite simply, Paul Kurtz has done more for the humanist cause and I haven’t even mentioned your “day job” as a university than anyone else in recorded memory. If I believed in God, I professor and author! We rarely find the appropriate occa- would say that he is God’s gift to humanism. Since I don’t, I will sion to say the things we most deeply feel—but this is a very say only that he is a fountainhead of ideas, inspiration, and appropriate occasion for me to tell you how great a privilege practical wisdom concerning humanism whose influence will it is for me to know you and to work with you. And unless you change your mind and can persuade us that there real- be felt well into the distant future. ly is life beyond the grave, and that you will continue to Three cheers for Paul!!! guide the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of —Michael Martin, Professor Emeritus of Claims of the Paranormal and the Center for Inquiry “from Philosophy, Boston University the other side,” then I urge you to eat well and stay fit, for all of us here today, and the now-worldwide skeptical move- You are a man for whom I feel great admiration. I do not ment, really need you. always agree with your humanism, although I certainly share Let’s discuss this again on your 100th birthday. your nonbelief. But that is not quite the point. You are a man who has striven always to do something with your beliefs, and —James Alcock, Professor of Psychology, in this you have succeeded mightily. As Marx said: “The York University

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