Exuberant Champion of the New Enlightenment Paul Kurtz and The

Jan Feb 13 2_SI new design masters 11/29/12 11:26 AM Page 14 Exuberant Champion of the New Enlightenment KENDRICK FRAZIER countries around the globe. From the beginning he was deeply knowledgeable about, and directly in - volved in, scientific-based skeptical in - quiry. This energized our committee and SI as well. He had more energy and enthusiasm than three people. His output of writing was prodigious. He was overwhelmingly positive and optimistic. And courageous. And something else—exuberant. It was such a pleasure to be his colleague. Paul was my mentor and my friend. He brought me into CSICOP (now CSI). He strongly supported me and SI. He granted us editorial autonomy, pub - A young CSICOP chairman Paul Kurtz, lower right, watches a younger Ken Frazier, then still editor of Science News but about to become editor of SI, speak at first CSICOP meeting in August 1977 in New York City. licly. When controversy came, as it often did, he always encouraged me. He felt Paul kurtz had a broad and clear vision aggressive. He always emphasized the that if you are not creating some contro - for a return to enlightenment values— positive. versy, you are not doing things right. And reason, scientific thinking, and reliance on By his own example of thoughtful he practiced his own humanist values. human thought, not authority or super - philosophical discourse and open- He was kind to me and my family in naturalism, for our ethical values and re - minded critical inquiry and by the caliber ways no one will ever know. sponsibilities to each other. He was a tire - of scientists, scholars, and thinkers he at - less and outspoken champion of both the tracted, he brought instant respectability Paul kurtz, beyond all his extraordi - scientific outlook and secular humanism. to the modern skeptical movement he nary professional accomplishments as He brought a coherent, affirmative founded. He was an organizational ge - leader of the new enlightenment, was worldvi ew to disparate people working nius. He could bring people together and that rare exemplary person you want all on different aspects of these issues. create and nurture new organizations your best friends to meet and to know. nonreligious himself, his brand of athe - with seeming ease. He had an interna - —Kendrick Frazier is editor of the SKEPTICAL ism was informed by science and always tionalist—he saw it as a planetary —view INquIRER and a member of the CSI Executive gentle and thoughtful, never militant or that inspired similar thinking people in Council. Paul Kurtz and the Virtue of Skepticism MICHAEL SHERMER The word skeptic comes from the Greek thinking who, through the guidelines of though there has been some debate skeptikos , for “thoughtful”—far from science, establish a mark at which to aim. (and much quibbling) about who gets modern misconceptions of the word as Paul kurtz was one of the founders of the what amount of credit for the founding meaning “cynical” or “nihilistic.” Accord - modern skeptical movement, and he em - of the modern skeptical movement, ing to the Oxford English Dictionary , bodied the principle of skepticism as everyone I have spoken to (including “skeptical” has also been used to mean thoughtful inquiry. He truly was a watch - the other founders) agrees that it was “inquiring,” “reflective,” and, with varia - man who provided a mark at which we Paul kurtz more than anyone else who tions in the ancient Greek, “watchman” or skeptics may all aim. actually made it happen. All successful “mark to aim at.” What a glorious mean - Paul kurtz will now take his place social movements have someone who ing for what we do! We are thoughtful, among the great thinkers in the en - has the organizational skills and social inquiring, and reflective, and in a way we lightenment tradition, alongside such intelligence to get things done. Paul are the watchmen who guard against bad minds as Voltaire, Diderot, rous seau, kurtz was that man. For twenty years ideas, consumer advocates for good locke, Jefferson, kant, and Hume. Al - now I have been at the head of the 14 Volume 37 Issue 1 | Skeptical Inquirer.

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