Humanist Anthology: From Confucius to Attenborough (Hardcover)

~ Margaret Knight (Editor), Jim Herrick (Editor) "'The meaning of a word,' said Wittgenstein, 'is the way in which it is used': and the meaning, thus defined, of the word 'humanist' has..." (more)
Key Phrases: The Master, New Testament, Son of God (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

When this remarkable anthology was first compiled by renowned humanist and psychologist Margaret Knight in 1961, it brought together a wide range of humanist thought from classical China, Greece, and Rome; the Renaissance and Enlightenment; and the nineteenth- and twentieth-century rationalist tradition. This revised edition, by acclaimed writer and skeptic James Herrick, has updated and expanded an already impressive roster by adding Islamic skeptic Averroes; novelists Mark Twain, George Eliot, and E. M. Forster; and scientists J. Bronowski, Richard Dawkins, and David Attenborough. Herrick also includes contributions by A. J. Ayer, Antony Flew, Sidney Hook, Paul Kurtz, and Indian humanists M. N. Roy and Gora. Humanist Anthology, by bringing together the best thinkers, skeptics, and critics or religion, shows how rich is the tradition from which modern humanism derives. Its aim is to remove some misconceptions -- particularly the illusion that love and human brotherhood are purely Christian concepts that were unknown to the ancient world. The enlightening and stimulating readings in this volume provide ample ammunition for those engaged in arguments with religionists as well as a sustenance for those wishing to reconsider their own attitudes toward life. Margaret Knight was lecturer in psychology at Aberdeen University. James Herrick (London, England) is editor of the Rationalist Press Association (U. K. ), and editor of the journal New Humanist and International Humanist News. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Description

A compilation of international humanist thought spans centuries and includes the writings of skeptics, novelists, philosophers, and religious critics.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 220 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books; Rev Sub edition (August 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879759577
• ISBN-13: 978-0879759575
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #897,431 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Continuous Line, August 29, 2000

By	Dale McGowan (Minneapolis MN) - See all my reviews

This anthology stands alone as a thoughtful and thorough retrospective of humanist writings throughout history. It provides an intellectual ancestry for humanists of today, many of whom will have been unaware of the long and distinguished line of great thinkers in every age who reached the same conclusions on the greatest questions we can contemplate.

The best-known humanists are present, including Bertrand Russell, Voltaire, and the rest, but one of the great accomplishments of this volume is the "outing" of humanists whose views on religion have been quietly buried or ignored by the historical record as it reaches most of us --- including such prominent figures as Thomas Jefferson and Mark Twain.

A fascinating read, reflecting solid scholarship and what must have been exhaustive research.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good collection of short paragraphs, October 25, 2007

By	Book Lover #52 "reader and teacher" (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews

This book collects many thought-provoking quotes and will serve as a good primer on humanist thought. I wished that the quotes had been better-contexualized-- but it's generally a good book that I would recommend.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Update of a fascinating source book of Humanist Thinking, January 4, 2007

By	David Anthony Causer (Perth, Western Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was fortunate to meet Margaret Knight in Aberdeen in the late 1960s where she kindly gave me a signed copy of her original anthology. The present publication includes writings by outhors from the ban-the-bomb era of the 60s when traditional moral and religious values began to be questioned (as exemplified by Margaret's BBC programmes "Morals without Religion)up to the present day. Thus we have here a compendium of Humanist Thinking from ancient to contemporary times which may be used as a source book or read as a stimulating review of the development of Humanist ideas.