New Columnist: P Z Myers
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Dec11 Jan12 V1_Layout 1 10/28/11 4:52 PM Page 1 NEW COLUMNIST: P Z MYERS CELEBRATING REASON AND HUMANITY December 2011/January 2012 Vol. 32 No.1 TRANSFORMING HUMANITY: Fantasy? Dream? Nightmare? JOHN HUGHES RUSSELL BLACKFORD ADRIENNE ASCH and JAMES E. BLOCK RONALD A. LINDSAY JOHN SHOOK RONALD A. LINDSAY: Religion’s Attraction, Humanism’s Challenge Introductory Price $4.95 U.S. / $4.95 Can. WENDY KAMINER SHADIA B. DRURY KATRINA VOSS 01 TIBOR MACHAN TOM REES ANDREW FIALA JOHN A. FRANTZ Published by the Council 7725274 74957 for Secular Humanism FI Dec11 Jan12 from home_Layout 1 10/31/11 9:17 AM Page 2 We are committed to the application of reason and science We believe in the cultivation of moral excellence. to the understanding of the universe and to the solving We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be of human problems. allowed to fulfill their aspirations, to express their sexual We deplore efforts to denigrate human intelligence, preferences, to exercise reproductive freedom, to have to seek to explain the world in supernatural terms, access to comprehensive and informed health care, and to look outside nature for salvation. and to die with dignity. We believe that scientific discovery and technology We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, can contribute to the betterment of human life. integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics is amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative We believe in an open and pluralistic society and that standards that we discover together. Moral principles are democracy is the best guarantee of protecting human rights tested by their consequences. from authoritarian elites and repressive majorities. We are deeply concerned with the moral education We are committed to the principle of the of our children. We want to nourish reason and compassion. separation of church and state. We are engaged by the arts no less than by the sciences. We cultivate the arts of negotiation and compromise as a means of resolving differences and achieving mutual We are citizens of the universe and are excited by understanding. discoveries still to be made in the cosmos. We are concerned with securing justice and fairness We are skeptical of untested claims to knowledge, in society and with eliminating discrimination and we are open to novel ideas and seek new and intolerance. departures in our thinking. We believe in supporting the disadvantaged and the We affirm humanism as a realistic alternative to disabled so that they will be able to help themselves. theologies of despair and ideologies of violence and as a source of rich per sonal significance and genuine satisfaction We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based in the service to others. on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation, or ethnicity and strive to work together for We believe in optimism rather than pessimism, hope rather the common good of humanity. than despair, learning in the place of dogma, truth instead of ignorance, joy rather than guilt or sin, tolerance in the place We want to protect and enhance Earth, to preserve of fear, love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness, it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless beauty instead of ugliness, and reason rather than blind suffering on other species. faith or irrationality. We believe in enjoying life here and now and in We believe in the fullest realization of the best and noblest developing our creative talents to their fullest. 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 FI Dec11 Jan12 from home_Layout 1 11/1/11 2:34 PM Page 3 December 2011/January 2012 Vol. 32 No. 1 18 Transforming Humanity: Fantasy? Dream? Nightmare? The Debate over Enhancements Introduction Ronald A. Lindsay CELEBRATING REASON AND HUMANITY 22 Enhancement Anxiety Russell Blackford 25 Against the Enhancement Project Two Perspectives Adrienne Asch and James E. Block 34 After Happiness, Cyborg Virtue James Hughes 38 Can We Make More Moral Brains? John Shook 46 Exoplanets and the End of Terrestrial Religion Andrew Fiala 49 Evolutionary Biology for Everyone John A. Frantz EDITORIAL 14 The Problem of Evil REVIEWS 4 Religion’s Attractions, Part 2: When the Only Defense 58 God of Liberty: A Religious History Humanism’s Challenge Is a Fierce Offense of the American Revolution The Power of Religion’s Message Shadia B. Drury by Thomas S. Kidd Ronald A. Lindsay Reviewed by Debra R. Neill 15 Does Religion Bring Happiness? LEADING QUESTIONS Tom Rees 61 Revolutionary Deists: Early 8 Exposing Dominionism America’s Rational Infidels A Conversation with 16 Let Us Stand in Judgment of by Kerry Walters Rachel Tabachnick Judgment Day Reviewed by Bill Cooke Katrina Voss LETTERS 17 The Evolution Elevator Pitch 63 Sentinels In Honor of 11 P Z Myers Arthur C. Clarke Editied by Gregory Benford OP-EDS DEPARTMENTS and George Zebrowski 9 A Discussion Long Overdue 56 Church-State Update Reviewed by Tom Flynn Tom Flynn Deforestation, Overpopulation, and Our Future 12 What Is a Sound Atheism? Edd Doerr 63 The Conspiracy against Tibor Machan the Human Race, POEM by Thomas Ligotti 13 New Theocrats vs. ‘New Atheists’ 57 Requiem for an Ancestor Reviewed by Tom Flynn Wendy Kaminer Lisa Rosati FI Dec11 Jan12 from home_Layout 1 10/31/11 9:17 AM Page 4 Editorial Staff Ronald A. Lindsay Editor Thomas W. Flynn Editorial Associate Editors John R. Shook, Lauren Becker Managing Editor Andrea Szalanski Columnists Arthur Caplan, Richard Dawkins, Edd Doerr, Shadia B. Drury, Nat Hentoff, Religion’s Attractions, Christopher Hitchens, Wendy Kaminer, Tibor R. Machan, Humanism’s Challenge P Z Myers, Tom Rees, Katrina Voss Senior Editors Bill Cooke, Richard Dawkins, The Power of Religion’s Message Edd Doerr, James A. Haught, Jim Herrick, Gerald A. Larue, Ronald A. Lindsay, Taslima Nasrin Contributing Editors Roy P. Fairfield, Charles Faulkner, Levi Fragell, Adolf Grünbaum, Marvin Kohl, Thelma Lavine, Lee Nisbet, J.J.C. Smart, Thomas Szasz Ethics Editor Elliot D. Cohen od rewards the faithful, either in of wind, rain, drought, flooding, fertility, Literary Editor David Park Musella this life or the next. The faithful do disease, and so forth, it’s not surprising Assistant Editors Julia Lavarnway not know when these rewards will that they attributed such phenomena to Julia Burke G Permissions Editor Julia Lavarnway come, but they can be confident that they an agent or agents, and obviously such Art Director Christopher S. Fix will come—eventually. Moreover, God agents had to possess powers far exceeding Production Paul E. Loynes Sr. does not ask for much in exchange. God our own. But for modern humans—except re quires only that the faithful be faithful, for those who are ignorant, willfully or oth- Council for Secular Humanism that is, that they trust in him and manifest erwise—the gods explain nothing. their trust by praying, joining in worship Belief in gods has lost any evidence- Chair Richard K. Schroeder Board of Directors Kendrick Frazier services, supporting their church (or based foundation it may have once pos- Dan Kelleher mosque, temple, whatever), and following sessed—hence the reliance on “faith.” Barry Kosmin Angie McAllister his commands—as interpreted by self- The appeal to faith would have no effect, Richard K. Schroeder appointed spokespersons, naturally. Di - however, if there were not a strong motiva- Edward Tabash stilled to its essential core, this is and has tion for belief. Few are going to accept the Jonathan Tobert Leonard Tramiel been the message of most religions from reality of an invisible, undetectable used car Chief Executive Officer Ronald A. Lindsay ancient times to the present. Sure, there based on faith, but many still accept the Executive Director Thomas W. Flynn are variations. Typically each religion now reality of an invisible, undetectable deity. Director, Campus and has a deity instead of deities, and today’s While our epistemic capabilities have Community Programs (CFI) Lauren Becker deity seems more concerned about what matured, humanity’s basic emotions and Director, Secular Organizations for Sobriety Jim Christopher we characterize as moral rules than some desires remain little changed from prehis- Director, African Americans past deities whose concerns focused more toric times. Freud called religion “an infan- for Humanism Debbie Goddard Acting Director of Planning on ritual observance. But these differences tile delusion,” and if one interprets that and Development (CFI) Jason Gross are nuances in the core message. assertion to refer to a stage in humanity’s Director of Libraries (CFI) Timothy Binga And it’s a powerful message. Its power development, Freud has hit the mark. It’s Communications Director Michelle Blackley Legal Director (CFI) Steven Fox is exhibited by the fact that it remains not that the individual believer has the Database Manager (CFI) Jacalyn Mohr attractive to most inhabitants of this mind of a child; rather, the believer seeks Staff Pat Beauchamp, Ed Beck, planet, even when belief in supernatural emotional reassurance in ways similar to Melissa Braun, Shirley Brown, Cheryl Catania, agents has lost all intellectual respectabil- early humans. Eric Chinchón, Matt ity. In the infancy of humanity, belief in It’s a commonplace that humans turn Cravatta, Roe Giambrone, Leah Gordon, Jason Gross, supernatural agents had some empirical to the gods because of anxiety over death. Adam Isaak, Lisa Nolan, justification. The existence of the gods There’s some truth in this observation, but Paul Paulin, Anthony seemed to explain things that otherwise it is both too broad and too narrow. It’s Santa Lucia, John Sullivan, Vance Vigrass escaped our understanding.