In the last two centuries (1800-2000) the most horrendous wars in human history took place, while millions were slaughtered by Communists in the Soviet Union, China and the Pacific rim. While Fundamentalist Islam dominates several aggressive countries in our day, the history of serious wars and conflict simply does not justify this claim and never has. It beats the old drum that wars are caused by religion. He calls on us to invoke that need in taking a secular humanistic approach to solving the problems of this world. While warning against the encroachment of organized religion into world politics, Harris also draws on new evidence from neuroscience and insights from philosophy to explore spirituality as a biological, brain-based need.
Most controversially, he argues that we cannot afford moderate lip service to religion - an accommodation that only blinds us to the real perils of fundamentalism. He asserts that in the shadow of weapons of mass destruction, the world can no longer tolerate views that pit one true god against another. Harris offers a vivid historical tour of mankind's willingness to suspend reason in favor of religious beliefs, even when those beliefs are used to justify harmful behavior and sometimes heinous crimes. This important and timely work delivers a startling analysis of the clash of faith and reason in today's world. An impassioned plea for reason in a world divided by faith.
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