About the Author

Sam Harris is a graduate in philosophy from Stanford University.

Reviews

"A genuinely frightening book.... Read Sam Harris and wake up."
*Richard Dawkins - The Guardian*

"Sam Harris launches a sustained nuclear assault.... A brave, pugilistic attempt to demolish the walls that currently insulate religious people from criticism.... Badly needed."
*Johann Hari - The Independent*

"A radical attack on the most sacred of liberal precepts—the notion of tolerance.... An eminently sensible rallying cry for a more ruthless secularisation of society."
*Stephanie Merritt - The Observer*

"Shows how the perfect tyranny of religious and secular totalitarianism demonizes imperfect democracies such as the United States and Israel. A must read for all rational people."
*Alan Dershowitz, professor of law at Harvard University and author of America on Trial*

"A genuinely frightening book.... Read Sam Harris and wake up." -- Richard Dawkins - The Guardian
"Sam Harris launches a sustained nuclear assault.... A brave, pugilistic attempt to demolish the walls that currently insulate religious people from criticism.... Badly needed." -- Johann Hari - The Independent
"A radical attack on the most sacred of liberal precepts-the notion of tolerance.... An eminently sensible rallying cry for a more ruthless secularisation of society." -- Stephanie Merritt - The Observer
"Shows how the perfect tyranny of religious and secular totalitarianism demonizes imperfect democracies such as the United States and Israel. A must read for all rational people." -- Alan Dershowitz, professor of law at Harvard University and author of America on Trial

Harris, who is currently completing a doctorate in neuroscience, pulls no punches in this forcefully presented call to reject all forms of religious faith. Viewing religious irrationality and fundamentalism as both the immediate source of terrorism and also the source of much of the evil that has taken place throughout history, Harris proposes turning away from religion entirely and living on the basis of reason. Drawing on insights from Eastern philosophy and neuroscience, he suggests using meditation to achieve a state of consciousness that is nondualistic. While Harris's arguments are attention-grabbing and carefully presented, readers might get the sense that much of this has been stated before-his plea for rejecting religion in light of the violence it inspires is reminiscent of the Enlightenment's call for religious tolerance and the primacy of reason. Still, it is rare in this postmodern age to read a book by someone so vigorously defending rational thought, especially from a unique neuroscientific perspective. Recommended for academic libraries.-John Jaeger, Dallas Baptist Univ. Lib. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.