HUMANIST ALTERNATIVE --- SOME DEFINITIONS OF HUMANISM by Paul Kurtz (editor), Prometheus books, 1973
OUTLINE OF BOOK'S FACTS & IDEAS
    PREFACE --- The meaning of Humanism by Paul Kurtz (5-14)

      The 20th century has been proclaimed as the Humanist century --- the century in which anti-Humanist illusions inherited from previous ages have been seriously questioned and shattered. Humanism has historic roots in human civilization. Yet it is only in recent times that the humanistic influences have begun to bear fruit. (p5)

      Using the powerful critical tools of science and logical analysis, modern people now recognize that the universe has no special human meaning or purpose and that humans are not a special product of creation. Anthropocentrism has at last been laid to rest. We now realize that we are responsible in large measure for our own human destiny. Living on a minor planet on the edge of a small galaxy in a vast universe, educated humans have come to see that they cannot look outside themselves for salvation. Their future, if they have one, is within their own control! (p5)

      But events are moving so rapidly that what is now at stake is the very survival of the human species itself. Science has emancipated humans from the bondage of dogmatic religious mythology. It has provided people with the instruments for remaking and reordering their lives, improving and enhancing them --- immeasurably! (p5)

      The real option that we all now face is whether we will be able to create a new and better world with vision and daring --- or whether we will destroy ourselves in the process! The "Humanist Alternative" offers people a realistic appraisal of the human condition and the promise of ameliorating it. (p5) by Paul Kurtz

    PART 1 --- HISTORICAL ROOTS (15-29)

      1) Humanism's many dimensions by Edwin H. Wilson (15-19)

      2) Our freethought heritage --- the Humanist and Ethical Movement by David Tribe (20-29)

    PART 2 --- GENERAL PROBLEMS OF DEFINITION (30-47)

      3) The snare of definitions by Sidney Hook (31-34)

      4) A definition of Humanism by H. J. Blackham (35-37)

      5) Toward a definition of Humanism by Joseph L. Blau (38-39)

      6) Humanist responsibilities by Horace Friess (41-42)

      7) What is Humanism? by J. P. Van Praag (43-46)

    PART 3 --- MORALITY AND HUMANISM (47-63)

      8) Humanism and the moral revolution by Paul Kurtz (49-55)

      9) Ethical Humanism by Edward L. Ericson (56-57)

      10) What is the temper of Humanism? by John Herman Randall, Jr. (58-63)

    PART 4 --- RELIGION AND HUMANISM (65-79)

      11) Religious Humanism by Herbert W. Schneider (49-55)

      12) Humanistic theism by Gardner Williams (67-69)

      13) Our quest for faith --- is Humanism enough? by Algernon D. Black (70-79)

    PART 5 --- ATHEISTIC HUMANISM (80-87)

      14) Heretical Humanism by Miriam Allen deFord (81-82)

      15) Aren't Humanists really atheists? by Marvin Zimmerman (83-87)

    PART 6 --- PSYCHOLOGY, SCIENCE AND HUMANISM (89-115)

      16) Reason with compassion by H. J. Eysenck (89-92)

      17) Toward a "new Humanism" by Floyd W. Matson (98-97)

      18) Humanism and behaviorism by B. F. Skinner (98-105)

      19) Behaviorism is a Humanism by Kenneth MacCorquodale (106-108)

      20) Scientific Humanism by Antony Flew (109-115)

    PART 7 --- PERSONAL TESTAMENTS (116-127)

      21) Humanism as I view it by Lester A. Kirkendall (117-120)

      22) Humanism as activity by by Roy P. Fairfield (121-123)

      23) Humanism --- a joyous view by Lloyd and Mary Morain (124-127)

    PART 8 --- VARIETIES OF HUMANISM ON THE WORLD SCENE (128-167)

      24) Nationalistic Humanism by Corliss Lamont (129-132)

      25) The Humanist outlook by Roy Wood Sellars (133-140)

      26) Contribution to a definition of Humanism by Mathilde Niel (141-146)

      27) Humanism and atheism by Gora (147-150)

      28) Humanism and Marxism by Raya Dunayevskaya(151-158)

      29) Zen and Humanism (159-167)

    PART 9 --- HUMANIST IMAGINATION (168-172)

      30) Ethics and Humanist imagination by Khoren Arisian (169-172)

    EPILOGUE --- Is everyone a Humanist? by Paul Kurtz (173-186)

    NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS (187-190)
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