Spring 1993 Vol. 13, No. 2 $6.25 E.O. Wilson on Biodiversity An Exclusive Interview an NM? Williamson SPRING 1993, VOL. 13, NO. 2 ISSN 0272-0701 Contents Editor: Paul Kurtz Senior Editors: Vern Bullough, Gerald Larue 3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Executive Editor: Timothy J. Madigan Managing Editor: Andrea Szalanski 4 EDITORIALS Contributing Editors: Robert S. Alley, Joe E. Barnhart, David Berman, Notes from the Editor, Paul Kurtz / The 'Judeo-Christian' Myth, H. James Birx, Jo Ann Boydston, Bonnie Bullough, Skipp Porteous / The Rhetoric of Sin, Vern L. Bullough Paul Edwards, Albert Ellis, Roy P. Fairfield, Charles W. Faulkner, Antony Flew, Levi Fragell, Adolf Grünbaum, Marvin Kohl, Jean Kotkin, Thelma 10 The Center for Inquiry Library: The Freethought Lavine, Ronald A. Lindsay, Michael Martin, Delos and Secular Humanist Collection Paul Kurtz B. McKown, John Novak, Howard Radest, Robert Rimmer, Svetozar Stojanovic, Thomas Szasz, V. M. DOES HUMANISM ENCOURAGE HUMAN CHAUVINISM? Tarkunde, Richard Taylor, Rob Tielman, Sherwin Wine 12 Introduction Timothy J. Madigan Associate Editors: 13 Humanism and Environmentalism John Passmore Doris Doyle, Thomas Flynn, Steven L. Mitchell, Lee Nisbet, Gordon Stein 14 Us and Them, Nature and Humanism Eugenie C. Scott 15 The Ignorance of Arrogance Richard Goss Editorial Associates: Thomas Franczyk, Roger Greeley, James Martin- 16 Ecocentric Ethics James Lawler Diaz, Molleen Matsumura, Warren Allen Smith 18 Humanism in a Biocentric Chairman, CODESH, Inc.: Paul Kurtz Universe Frank Cullen and Ingrid Newkirk Director of Public Relations: Steve Karr 19 Humanism and Speciesism R. W. Bradford Chief Development Officer: James Kimberly 20 Intrinsic Value for Nature—An Incoherent Executive Director, African-Americans for Basis for Environmental Concern Bernard E. Rollin Humanism: Norm R. Allen, Jr. Environmentalism as a Humanism Robert C. Solomon 21 Executive Director, Secular Organizations for 23 Primary Responsibility to the Earth Elaine Stanfield Sobriety: James Christopher 24 Humanism Is for Humans Jan Narveson Chief Data Officer: Richard Seymour 25 Universal Speciesism Tad Clements Typesetting: Paul E. Loynes 28 On Biodiversity An Exclusive Interview with E. O. Wilson Audio Technician: Vance Vigrass 32 Is the U.S.A. a Christian Nation? William B. Williamson Staff: 35 Homosexuality: Right or Wrong? Michael Ruse Georgeia Locurcio, Anthony Nigro, Ranjit Sandhu FREE INQUIRY (ISSN 0272-0701) is published BIBLICAL CRITICISM quarterly by the Council for Democratic and Secular Humanism (CODESH, Inc.), a nonprofit corpora- 38 Who Was John the Baptist? Frank T Miosi tion, 3965 Rensch Road, Buffalo, NY 14228-2713. Phone (716) 636-7571. Copyright ©1993 by 46 Confucius, The First `Teacher' of Humanism? Gerald F. Rogers CODESH, Inc. Second-class postage paid at Buffalo, N.Y., and at additional mailing offices. National distribution by International Periodicals Distribu- VIEWPOINTS tors, Solana Beach, California. FREE INQUIRY is The Disintegration of Yugoslavia and the Failures available from University Microfilms and is indexed 50 in Philosophers' Index. of the International Community, Svetozar Stojanovic Subscription rates: $25.00 for one year, $43.00 for two years, $59.00 for three years, $6.25 for single 53 REVIEWS issues. Address subscription orders, changes of address, and advertising to: FREE INQUIRY, Box 664, Skepticism and Eupraxophy, Michael Martin / Libertarianism with Buffalo, NY 14226-0664. Foundations—But Is It Libertarianism? Thomas Flynn / Gore Manuscripts, letters, and editorial inquiries should be addressed to: The Editor, FREE INQUIRY, Box 664, Vidal's Golgotha, Robert Gorham Davis / Jesus Gets a Life, Buffalo, NY 14226-0664. All manuscripts must be Thomas Franczyk / Books in Brief typed double-spaced and should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the 62 READERS' FORUM editors or publisher. Postmaster: Send address changes to FREE INQUIRY, Box 664, Buffalo, NY 66 IN THE NAME OF GOD 14226-0664. slow, painful deaths due to medical neglect, is usually considered a mitigat- ing factor. Letters to the Editor Greg Erwin Aylmer, Quebec Canada The Family Rendering Protagoras' aphorism, "Man New Ideas in Metaphysics is the measure of all things," as "Humans Throughout his powerful and challeng- are the measurers of all things." This Your articles about the Big Bang ("Does ing article on "The Black Family" (FI, changes it from a possible value- the Big Bang Prove the Existence of Fall 1992) Charles Faulkner emphasizes judgment into a simple declarative God?" FI, Winter 1992/93) debunked hostile racist discrimination—"the syste- statement. Humans measure (with the exaggerated claims of some religious matic denial of job opportunities" to greater or lesser accuracy) scientific or astrophysicists. But if all the matter of black males—as the primary factor historical "facts" and define values they the universe was packed into an ex- making "it difficult for them to become think should be used to guide their tremely dense point, where did it come good fathers." He maintains that "Dis- individual and collective lives. With this from? And if the extremely hot temper- crimination has had the effect of demor- clarification, Protagoras deserves to be atures made it explode, how was that alizing the black male" and has led to considered the founder of what I prefer heat formed? It seems to me that, so far, "more disillusionment and emotional to call "naturalistic humanism." neither religion nor science has come up turmoil than any other element in the with a satisfactory explanation or proof lives of black males." Bob Stebbins of the existence of a god or of the be- Remarkably Faulkner makes no Richmond, Ky. ginning of the universe. mention either of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and subsequent legislation or of Satanism M. V. Perdomo the establishment and activities of the Miami, Fla. Equal Employment Opportunities Com- In "Satanism as a Social Movement," mission. I will leave it to his fellow (FI, Winter 1992/ 93), Cynthia Kisser The Big Bang has an observable para- Americans to take issue with this tacit makes some very interesting remarks, digm, the supernova. In a supernova, the assumption of the ineffectiveness of these but what is her point? Is Satanism per gas envelope of a star stops expanding surely strenuous efforts to eliminate se a crime? If not, what would satanic (the mass of the star must be greater hostile discrimination against blacks. belief have to do with a crime? Is such than a critical amount) and contracts But a foreigner may perhaps be permit- a believer any more guilty than a under the force of gravity. At some point ted to point out that if that assumption Methodist or a Jew who commits the the contracting mass has such a large is correct then it is not sensible to call same crime? Me thinks she hopes to energy density from nuclear reactions on Americans to "begin now to imple- criminalize belief. among atoms (or subatomic "particles") ment a powerful program to eliminate that an explosion occurs. This may be racism" without first inquiring why P. M. de Laubenfels considered a mini big bang. I believe the previous programs failed. Corvallis, Ore. universe does something similar when it stops expanding, begins contracting, Antony Flew Cynthia Kisser has missed the point. In undergoes a big crunch, and then big Reading, England commending laws that punish people for bangs again. their beliefs, rather than their actions, The problem with this model for the Defending Secular Humanism she betrays the entire humanist tradition universe has been the so-called missing of American law. The action of child mass, or dark matter. Reputable astron- Adolf Grünbaum's "In Defense of abuse, or animal abuse, or assault, omers say that there was no doubt that Secular Humanism" (FI, Fall 1992) murder, and so on is the crime that the sufficient dark matter has now been might be strengthened by two very minor laws must describe and prescribe pun- "found" to close the universe. Gravity modifications: (1) Acceptance rather ishments for. Beliefs may be factors to drives both processes and there is no than rejection of the term agnostic. It be considered as motives or mitigating need for mystery or new physics in the does little harm to admit that whatever circumstances, but that is all. Big Bang model (although some new affirmations or denials we may prefer It is distressing that a Satanist reactions will probably show up). concerning metaphysical matters, reli- (which, in practice, will include many gious believers and nonbelievers (if they minority religions) may be subjected to Richard L. Field, Ph.D. are thoughtful in each case) stand on additional sanctions because of belief, Mechanical Engineering- similar ground. Neither has knowledge, whereas the fundamentalist Christianity Thermal and Fluid but rather something like what is meant of those who have beaten their children Houston, Tex. by "faith" in a nontheological sense. (2) to death in exorcisms, or let them die (Letters, continued on p. 64) Spring 1993 3 Notes from the Editor Paul Kurtz Has a Third World War, with International Islamic Conference, but respect for freedom of conscience, Islam, Begun? only Turkey may be said to have even without limitation or fear of punishment. a modicum of democratic freedom. A free society will permit a wide range he dramatic growth of fundamen- of political opinions to flourish, and it Ttalist Islam is engendering conflicts he liberal democratic humanist will encourage political parties to throughout the world. These are likely agenda, I submit, offers the best emerge. Freedom of conscience, how- to intensify in coming decades unless defense against such conflicts and a basis ever, must also apply to moral and there are profound changes in the Islamic for genuine progress. First, the state religious convictions. Here fundamental- mentality. Hence the question can be should be secular, allowing for pluralism ists are violently opposed.