Overview

The Secular Outlook: In Defense of Moral and Political Secularism shows how people can live together and overcome the challenge of religious terrorism by adopting a ""secular outlook"" on life and politics. Shows how secularism can answer the problem of religious terrorism Provides new perspectives on how religious minorities can be integrated into liberal democracies Reveals how secularism has gained a new political and moral significance. Also examines such topics as atheism, religious criticism and free speech

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9781444335217

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Reviews

This book would be ideal for an upper-level undergraduate orgraduate religious studies or philosophy seminar. Highly educatedlay readers and academics interested in religion and secularismwill also likely find the book of interest. (Journal ofContemporary Religion, 1 January 2012) The book is a balanced account of what went wrong in defendingliberal democracy in the past two decades and what is to be done torevigorate the foundations for liberal democracy . (Acta Politica,2011) It is a level-headed contribution to an important debate abouthow best to address religious fundamentalism and politicalfanaticism. (The Christian Century, 8 March 2011) Cliteur's book is timely and well written. It covers some veryrecent events, and offers coherent - if sometime impatient -perspectives on religion from the secular standpoint. Recommended.Upper-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty. (Choice ,1 April 2011) You actually have to focus on the paragraphs. That doesn't meanthat the style is inaccessible or difficult - not at all, it's veryreadable - but this is a meaty book that asks for (and rewards) acertain amount of concentration. (Metamagician and the HellfireClub, 7 April 2011) The primary goal of this book, its author says, is toshow how religious believers and unbelievers can live peacefullytogether and what principles the state should try to stimulate inits citizenry to achieve social harmony and social cohesion.' Herecommends a moral and political vision which he calls a 'secularoutlook' on life. Its four main components are atheism, criticismof religion, free speech, and moral autonomy.' Cliteur wantsus to be freethinkers and to expose the ways in which sacred textsactually endorse or even encourage violence, terrorism, andinjustice. Cliteur is right, of course, that free inquiry andcriticism should be protected. (Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews,6 March 2011) Accessible, engaging and convincing, it is the perfect tome forthose who wish to learn about the ethical and logical case for asecular moral and political framework. (Tribune, 4 March 2011) A robust defence of the Enlightenment tradition and a must-readfor those concerned by the corrosive aspects of religion onsociety. (Times Higher Education, 10 February 2011) But Cliteur challenges this interpretation, charging Armstrongwith seeking to dismiss fundamentalism as a perversion' ofreligion when in fact the fundamentalists can claim to be adoptingthe very attitude their sacred texts demand . (Church of EnglandNewspaper, 7 January 2011) The book has an interesting discussion of the philosophicaljustifications of free expression. Free thought, combining religious criticism and freedom of speech, isnecessary for emancipating humankind. (Open Parachute, 18 November 2010) The Secular Outlook is a thought-provoking discussion of howliberal, secular democracies can and should respond to extremismand a much-needed exposition of the vital importance, in thatresponse, of rationality and an emphasis on common humanity . (NewInternationalist, 1 December 2010) Secularism is one of those concepts that is widely usedwithout a clear notion of what it is. Dutch humanist philosopherPaul Cliteur's The Secular Out - look: In Defense ofMoral and Political Secularism supplies a theoreticalclarification of what secularism is and what it is not. However,the book is more than a helpful analytical exercise-it is also anurgent plea for political and moral secularism. (FreeInquiry, October 2010)

But Cliteur challenges this interpretation, charging Armstrong with seeking to dismiss fundamentalism as a ‘perversion' of religion when in fact the fundamentalists can claim to be adopting the very attitude their sacred texts demand . (Church of England Newspaper, 7 January 2011) The book has an interesting discussion of the philosophical justifications of free expression. Free thought, combining religious criticism and freedom of speech, is necessary for emancipating humankind. (Open Parachute, 18 November 2010) The Secular Outlook is a thought-provoking discussion of how liberal, secular democracies can and should respond to extremism and a much-needed exposition of the vital importance, in that response, of rationality and an emphasis on common humanity . (New Internationalist, 1 December 2010) Secularism is one of those concepts that is widely used without a clear notion of what it is. Dutch humanist philosopher Paul Cliteur's The Secular Out - look: In Defense of Moral and Political Secularism supplies a theoretical clarification of what secularism is and what it is not. However, the book is more than a helpful analytical exercise-it is also an urgent plea for political and moral secularism. (Free Inquiry, October 2010)

This book would be ideal for an upper-level undergraduate or graduate religious studies or philosophy seminar. Highly educated lay readers and academics interested in religion and secularism will also likely find the book of interest. (Journal of Contemporary Religion, 1 January 2012) <p> The book is a balanced account of what went wrong in defending liberal democracy in the past two decades and what is to be done to revigorate the foundations for liberal democracy . (Acta Politica, 2011) <p> It is a level-headed contribution to an important debate about how best to address religious fundamentalism and political fanaticism. (The Christian Century, 8 March 2011) <p> Cliteur's book is timely and well written. It covers some very recent events, and offers coherent - if sometime impatient - perspectives on religion from the secular standpoint. Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty. (Choice , 1 April 2011) <p> You actually have to focus on the paragraphs. That doesn't mean that the style is inaccessible or difficult - not at all, it's very readable - but this is a meaty book that asks for (and rewards) a certain amount of concentration. (Metamagician and the Hellfire Club, 7 April 2011) <p> The primary goal of this book, its author says, is to show how religious believers and unbelievers can live peacefully together and what principles the state should try to stimulate in its citizenry to achieve social harmony and social cohesion.' He recommends a moral and political vision which he calls a 'secular outlook' on life. Its four main components are atheism, criticism of religion, free speech, and moral autonomy.' Cliteur wants us to be freethinkers and to expose the ways in which sacred texts actually endorse or even encourage violence, terrorism, and injustice. Cliteur is right, of course, that free inquiry and criticism should be protected. (Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, 6 March 2011) <p> Accessible, engaging and convincing, it is the perfect tome for those who wish to learn about the ethical and logical case for a secular moral and political framework. (Tribune, 4 March 2011) <p> A robust defence of the Enlightenment tradition and a must-read for those concerned by the corrosive aspects of religion on society. (Times Higher Education, 10 February 2011) <p> But Cliteur challenges this interpretation, charging Armstrong with seeking to dismiss fundamentalism as a perversion' of religion when in fact the fundamentalists can claim to be adopting the very attitude their sacred texts demand . (Church of England Newspaper, 7 January 2011) <p> The book has an interesting discussion of the philosophical justifications of free expression. Free thought, combining religious criticism and freedom of speech, is necessary for emancipating humankind. (Open Parachute, 18 November 2010) <p> The Secular Outlook is a thought-provoking discussion of how liberal, secular democracies can and should respond to extremism and a much-needed exposition of the vital importance, in that response, of rationality and an emphasis on common humanity . (New Internationalist, 1 December 2010) <p> Secularism is one of those concepts that is widely used without a clear notion of what it is. Dutch humanist philosopher Paul Cliteur's The Secular Out - look: In Defense of Moral and Political Secularism supplies a theoretical clarification of what secularism is and what it is not. However, the book is more than a helpful analytical exercise-it is also an urgent plea for political and moral secularism. (Free Inquiry, October 2010)

Author Information

Paul Cliteur is Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Leiden, the Netherlands. He is also a lawyer, a former Professor of Philosophy at the University of Delft, and a widely published author.

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