Philosophy:The Transcendental Temptation

From HandWiki
The Transcendental Temptation: A Critique of Religion and the Paranormal
The Transcendental Temptation.jpg
AuthorPaul Kurtz
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
PublisherPrometheus Books
Publication date
1986
Media typePrint
ISBNISBN:0-87975-645-4

The Transcendental Temptation: A Critique of Religion and the Paranormal is a 1986 book by the philosopher Paul Kurtz. The book was published by Prometheus Books, a company founded by Kurtz in 1969.

Summary

Kurtz analyzes the bases of religion: how provable are the claims of the famous prophets who founded religion in their name: Jesus, Moses, Muhammad, Joseph Smith, Ellen G. White and others? He asks what the prospects are for developing a humanistic society based on scientific and humane foundations.

Reception

In the award of the Norton Medal (endowed by Charles Phelps Norton) to Kurtz in 2001, The Transcendental Temptation was noted, amongst Kurtz's other contributions to secular humanism, as a seminal work on the topic. The award also noted Kurtz's founding of the Center for Inquiry.[citation needed]