Eupraxophy: Living Without Religion [Hardcover]

Paul Kurtz (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 159 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books (May 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879755083
• ISBN-13: 978-0879755089
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,777,374 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Paul Kurtz, professor emeritus of philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including The Transcendental Temptation, The Courage to Become, Embracing the Power of Humanism, plus nine hundred articles and reviews. He is the founder of the Center for Inquiry/Transnational, the Council for Secular Humanism, and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He has appeared on many major TV and radio talk shows, and has lectured at universities worldwide.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Depicts a basis for a "wise, joyous" approach to life, January 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Eupraxophy: Living Without Religion (Hardcover)

Paul Kurtz is a prolific writer and apologist for the cause of what is usually called secular humanism. In this book he addresses two questions that seem to have nearly equal importance to him: (1) Is it possible to live a good life without religion? (2) Should secular humanism be called a religion? His answer to the first is an emphatic Yes. He chooses the term Eupraxophy -- from the Greek roots for "good," "practice," and "wisdom" -- to name an approach to life that comprises these elements: a cosmic theory based on the best available science; a method of testing all claims to truth based on rationality and a "positive" skepticism; an ethical stance founded in the "common moral decencies" (Kurtz detailed his approach to humanist ethics in another book, "Forbidden Fruit"); and finally, commitment to a set of political ideas derived from these things. Kurtz enthusiastically paints an attractive picture of a committed, engaged life founded in human rationality. His argument in this area is flawed only by his frequent digressions into religion-bashing. He seems compelled to not only paint a positive picture of Eupraxophy, but at the same time to denigrate the theistic approach to life. I found these negative passages intrusive. The second question (what is a religion and should humanism be called one?) is perhaps important to Kurtz, to other leaders of the humanist movement, and to their opponents in the religious right who would like to bring their critics under the same legal constraints that bind them. However, this question has little interest to the general reader looking for models of how to live well, and I wish Kurtz had reserved it to a different forum.

5.0 out of 5 stars A good look at how Humanism can be put into practice in society, August 18, 2011

By 

PhilosopherZeus (Edinburgh) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eupraxophy: Living Without Religion (Hardcover)

This book is usually considered to be the third volume in a trilogy comprising a development of humanist ideas: The Transcendental Temptation: A Critique of Religion and the Paranormal provided the critique of religion and paranormal claims, Forbidden Fruit: The Ethics of Secularism gave a basis for secular ethics, and this book shows us how it can be applied in practice. Although all three books provide a grand picture of secular humanism, any of these can be read on their own.

This book provides the reader with the following: (i) what Humanism is and how it understands and approaches the world; (ii) looks at several definitions of religion and explores the concept of what religion means and represents; (iii) looks at how a Humanist worldview can be implemented as a constructive aspect of society.

In regards to developing these three points, Kurtz comes up with a new term: Eupraxophy (or, as he has amended the spelling in later writings: Eupraxsophy). Although this term has not caught on within the humanist community (or the world at large), I think the term is useful. At the very least it can be instructive for the reader in helping understand how one can develop a "good conduct and wisdom in living" in comparison to other world views.

This book, then, is to be recommended for the short and concise way in which it presents a humanist perspective, evaluates what religion is, and how a constructive and positive humanism can positively be developed and put into practice in society.

3.0 out of 5 stars a worthwhile read, October 15, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Eupraxophy: Living Without Religion (Hardcover)

This book was not what I had expected. Having recently embraced atheism I was looking for personal guidance: how is it possible to live a meaningful life without God? What are morals based on without God? etc. This book, though, is not written to answer these questions for the individual, rather, it answers the more general question, "Can society live without religion?" Although it wasn't what I had hoped for, I think it succeeds fairly well for what it attempts. It vaguely makes reference to the questions I had but mostly focuses on the needs and effects of a secular society, covering a wide range of areas such as politics, government, education, secular institutions, etc. Not much depth but a worthwhile read for people interested in how a secular society might work and what would be necessary to bring it about.