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PAUL KURTZ: When Must Humanists Speak Out? PAUL PAUL KURTZ: When must humanists speak out? f Celebrating Reason and Humanity SUMMER 2003 • VOL. 23 No. 3 Introductory Price $5.95 U.S. / $6.95 Can. 32> 7725274 74957 Published by The Council for Secular Humanism THE AFFIRMATIONS OF HUMANISM: A STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES* We are committed to the application of reason and science to the understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems. We deplore efforts to denigrate human intelligence, to seek to explain the world in supernatural terms, and to look outside nature for salvation. We believe that scientific discovery and technology can contribute to the betterment of human life. We believe in an open and pluralistic society and that democracy is the best guarantee of protecting human rights from authoritarian elites and repressive majorities. We are committed to the principle of the separation of church and state. We cultivate the arts of negotiation and compromise as a means of resolving differences and achieving mutual understanding. We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society and with eliminating discrimination and intolerance. We believe in supporting the disadvantaged and the handicapped so that they will be able to help themselves. We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, and strive to work together for the common good of humanity. We want to protect and enhance the earth, to preserve it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless suffering on other species. We believe in enjoying life here and now and in developing our creative talents to their fullest. We believe in the cultivation of moral excellence. We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be allowed to fulfill their aspirations, to express their sexual preferences, to exercise reproductive freedom, to have access to comprehensive and informed health-care, and to die with dignity. We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics is amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative standards that we discover together. Moral principles are tested by their consequences. We are deeply concerned with the moral education of our children. We want to nourish reason and compassion. We are engaged by the arts no less than by the sciences. We are citizens of the universe and are excited by discoveries still to be made in the cosmos. We are skeptical of untested claims to knowledge, and we are open to novel ideas and seek new departures in our thinking. We affirm humanism as a realistic alternative to theologies of despair and ideologies of violence and as a source of rich personal significance and genuine satisfaction in the service to others. We believe in optimism rather than pessimism, hope rather than despair, learning in the place of dogma, truth instead of ignorance, joy rather than guilt or sin, tolerance in the place of fear, love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness, beauty instead of ugliness, and reason rather than blind faith or irrationality. We believe in the fullest realization of the best and noblest that we are capable of as human beings. *by Paul Kurtz For a parchment copy of this page, suitable for framing, please send $4.95 to FREE INQUIRY, P.O. Box 664, Amherst, New York 14226-0664 free inquiry http://www.secularhumanism.org 2 EDITORIAL FEATURES 5 When Should We 26 No Passing Speak Out? Tom Flynn Paul Kurtz SPECIAL SECTION WAR IN IRAQ OP-ED INHERIT MORE WIND: DARWIN DISCORD 9 On the Eve of War DEEPENS Richard Dawkins SUMMER 2003 VOL. 23, NO. 3 31 Introduction Tom Flynn 12 Secular Humanists ISSN 0272-0701 Can Disagree on 32 Creationism vs. War Scientism Edward Tabash Massimo Pigliucci 14 Permitting a War of 37 DNA, Intelligent Aggression Design and Misleading Ronnie Dugger Metaphors Mark R. Seely 16 Enlightenment vs. 40 The Premise Keepers Proliferation Steve Hirsch Victor J. Stenger 17 Planetary Humanism SPECIAL SUBSECTION and War and Peace WOMEN AND RELIGIONS Barry Seidman 44 Belief and Unbelief Among Nineteenth- Century Feminists OP-ED Melinda Grube 47 Child Abuse by 19 The First Amendment Religions Is for Fortune-tellers, Narisetti Innaiah Too 49 Why Marriage? Wendy Kaminer Richard Taylor 20 The Patriot 52 Council Conference a Whistleblower Capital Success Nat Hentoff John Gaeddert 22 Thinking About the Dead DEPARTMENTS Peter Singer 62 Saying My Promises 23 Public Solidarity Does Karl Wickstrom Not Help Humanism Christopher Hitchens 7 Letters 25 Little Boxes 29 Frontlines Vern Bullough 53 Church-State Update Another Try at Public School Prayer REVIEWS Tom Flynn 54 World Report 65 The Lunar Men: 67 The Black Humanist Has the Crucial War Five Friends Whose Experience: An Alternative Already Been Lost? Curiosity Changed to Religion Bill Cooke the World Edited by Norm R. Allen, Jr. Ed Buckner 55 Great Minds Pierre Bayle (1647–1706) by Jenny Uglow 68 Separation of Church Paul Edwards Jerry Kurlandski and State by Philip Hamburger 59 Faith and Reason William Sierichs, Jr. The Problem of Prayer Bruce Martin Wildish 69 Life Without God: A Guide to Fulfillment Without 61 Applied Ethics 66 The Blank Slate: The Modern Religion The Benefits of Selfishness Denial of Human Nature by Nicolaos S. Tzannes Tibor R. Machan Norm R. Allen, Jr. by Steven Pinker 62 God on Trial Stuart Jordan Religion, Death, and the Law William Harwood FI Editorial Staff FREE INQUIRY (ISSN 0272-0701) is published quarterly by the Editorial Board Editor-in Chief Council for Secular Humanism, a nonprofit educational corporation, Paul Kurtz P.O. Box 664, Amherst, NY 14226. Phone (716) 636-7571. Fax Robert Alley Editor (716) 636-1733. Copyright ©2003 by the Council for Secular Professor of Humanities Emeritus, Thomas W. Flynn Humanism. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be Univ. of Richmond, Virginia Managing Editor Deputy Editor reproduced without permission of the publisher. Periodicals postage Andrea Szalanski Norm R. Allen, Jr. paid at Buffalo, N.Y., and at additional mailing offices. National Hector Avalos Associate Professor of Columnists distribution by International Periodicals Distributors, Solana Beach, Religious Studies, Vern Bullough, Richard Dawkins, California. FREE INQUIRY is indexed in Philosophers’ Index. Printed Nat Hentoff, Christopher Hitchens, Iowa State University Wendy Kaminer, Tibor R. Machan, in the United States. Postmaster: Send address changes to FREE Peter Singer, Ronnie Dugger INQUIRY, P.O. Box 664, Amherst, NY 14226-0664. Opinions Joe E. Barnhart Senior Editors expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or Professor of Philosophy, Vern L. Bullough, Bill Cooke, publisher. No one speaks on behalf of the Council for Secular North Texas State University Richard Dawkins, Martin Gardner, Humanism unless expressly stated. James A. Haught, Gerald A. Larue, H. James Birx Taslima Nasrin Professor of Anthropology, Associate Editor TO SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW Canisius College Wendy McElroy • CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-458-1366 (have credit card handy). George Bishop Contributing Editors • Fax credit-card order to 1-716-636-1733. Professor of Political Science, Jo Ann Boydston, Paul Edwards, University of Cincinnati Albert Ellis, Roy P. Fairfield, • Internet: www.secularhumanism.org Charles Faulkner, Antony Flew, Rob Boston Levi Fragell, Adolf Grünbaum, • Mail: FREE INQUIRY, P.O. Box 664, Amherst, NY 14226-0664 Author, Americans United for Marvin Kohl, Thelma Lavine, Lee Nisbet, J. J. C. Smart, • Subscription rates: $32.50 for one year, $55.50 for two years, Separation of Church and State Svetozar Stojanovic, $74.50 for three years. 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