A thoughtful perspective on humans’ capacity for moral behavior.
Why secular humanism, rather than religious dogmatism, can best foster morality.
Expanding on the argument he has put forth in previous books, Zuckerman (Sociology/Pitzer Coll.; The Nonreligious: Understanding Secular People and Societies, 2016, etc.) asserts that morality based on obedience to God “limits our capacity for empathy and compassion, stymies our ability to take responsibility for our choices and actions, obfuscates the naturally evolved sources of ethical conduct, and ultimately thwarts moral progress” in “confronting the dire problems of the day.” Those problems include racism, misogyny, global warming, child abuse, and economic equality, which, according to the author, must be addressed through “empathy-driven” secular humanism, not by “following rules written down thousands of years ago” that originated from “a magical deity.” As many have stated before, “prayers will not end gun violence; only rational, human-enforced policies will do that.” Although Zuckerman concedes that not all religious people base their ethical decisions solely on God’s teachings, he criticizes dogmatic fundamentalists, for whom faith is the mainstay of their lives, as abdicating moral responsibility to assess and act on ethical issues. Yet, admitting that faith in God can offer believers comfort, support, and help in coping with personal trauma, the author does not argue convincingly why religion itself is antithetical to moral behavior rather than a factor of “our sentiments, our feelings, our needs, our opinions, our values, our judgements, our goals, our consciences, our culture, our society” that combine “to manifest as our human-based, socially constructed morality.” Zuckerman is on stronger ground in his analysis of the biological, social, and psychological roots of humans’ “inherent proclivity for empathy and fairness,” considering cultural relativism and tracing the history of moral behavior to its current iteration that focuses on preventing, easing, or relieving suffering; offering help to the needy; comforting the vulnerable; working to increase health, happiness, well-being, fairness, and justice; and being compassionate, altruistic, and caring. These behaviors are well supported, he asserts, by secular attitudes that include freethinking—including familiarity with various religions—scientific empiricism, and cosmopolitanism.
A thoughtful perspective on humans’ capacity for moral behavior.Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64009-274-7
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Counterpoint
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
