Humanist Perspectives: Books
books by Canadian Humanist Publications
In addition to publishing the Humanist Perspectives quarterly journal, Canadian Humanist Publications has published The Road to Reason, available to order here.
The Road to Reason:
Landmarks in the Evolution of Humanist Thought
by Pat Duffy Hutcheon
216 pp, 2001
ISBN 0968601413
$20.00 (includes postage)
Dr Pat Duffy Hutcheon, a sociologist, clarifies the nature and origin of evolutionary naturalism as a necessary component of modern humanism. Her latest book presents the ideas of some of the most prominent thinkers who have contributed to the evolving philosophy of humanism over the centuries. This is the naturalistic view of human existence, in contrast to the supernatural.
In these essays, Pat Duffy Hutcheon has clearly undertaken to prepare for intelligent adults what is effectively a course of study of the core of humanism.
University Professor of Life Sciences Emeritus
University of Virginia
A much needed and most welcome resource for any thoughtful person who wants to better appreciate the naturalistic view of human existence rather than the supernatural or mystical approaches that so regrettably dominate the current scene.
Past President
British Columbia Humanist Association
If this book could be read by all college students – and a good many teachers – it would make up for some of the sad deficit in what currently passes for education.
University Professor of Social Theory
Rutgers University
books by other publishers
We also distribute several books from other publishers at a discount, but again, only to Canadian addresses – (those from other countries should purchase these books through their regional distributors). The books we distribute are available in a variety of topics, including: humanism; philosophy; religion; ethics; freethought; and the sciences, both physical and social.
LONELY TRAIL: The Life Journey of a Freethinker
by Pat Duffy Hutcheon
380pp, Aurora Humanist Books, 2000
ISBN 978-1-4363-7737-9
$24.95
on the subject of humanism
Seasons of Life
compiled by Nigel Collins
246 pp, Rationalist Press Association, 2000
ISBN 0301000018
$20.00
This anthology provides a broad range of literature, particularly suitable for non-religious ceremonies — births, deaths, marriages, but also of personal interest.
REASON WITH COMPASSION; The Humanist Way
by Glenn Hardie
110 pp, Aurora Humanist Books, 2009
ISBN 978-1-4363-6771-4
$19.95
The economic Depression between 1929 and 1939 was world-wide, but few even in Canada were aware of the depth of its brutality among the farmers in the prairie provinces. Even in the prairie cities there was partial blindness, partly because urban dwellers were having their own difficulties with the dwindling job market and the influx of 'hoboes' who rode the rails from Newfoundland to Victoria searching for work. Pat Duffy Hutcheon's recounting of it, through the eyes of a child, brought it home to me as nothing else I've read has been able to do.
From the litle one-room prairie school-house to the Olympus of intellect; from the 'dirty thirties' poverty of the Alberta prairie to the relative affluence of 21st century Vancouver; from a secular family background to evolutionary naturalism; from female academic exclusion to feminist assertion; from pre-WWII western Canada to post-war global transformation, Pat Duffy Hutcheon, with a rich multi-ethnic heritage, has lived a rewarding life, here warmly remembered.
This book has been written as a kind of primer in humanistic thought for the benefit of others who, like myself, are not profound scholars of philosophy or religion.
The book reviews the essential ideas of Humanism, its origins and sources and then moves on to different aspects of morality, emphasizing that it must be grounded in experience to have validity. One of the strengths of the book is that it uses point-by-point summaries, which are easy to review. Another is that it is replete with references and suggestions for further reading. It deserves a prominent place on the bookshelves of anyone with an interest in modern Humanism.
Connecting the Fragments
by Harry Holmes
220 pp, George Mann Books, 1983
ISBN 0704101009
$12.00
This selection of poetry and prose is an attempt to indicate a humanist attitude to life – a humanist mood. The fragments of human experience expressed in this book enshrine our values, our ideals and our hard-won insights, and they illuminate the path to human fulfilment on earth – the path of tolerance, of sympathy and understanding, of gentleness and of affection.
Foundations of Modern Humanism
by William McIlroy
14 pp, Sheffield Humanist Society, 1995
$5.00
This pamphlet on the history of secular humanism by William McIlroy, former editor of The Freethinker, tells briefly about leading freethinkers in the late 18th and 19th centuries in Britain such as Tom Paine, Charles Bradlaugh, Richard Carlile, and Annie Besant. They fought the social injustices of their time, working for freedom of expression, right to birth control, and secular education, and set the stage for today’s humanism.
on the subject of religion
Challenging the Verdict:
A Cross-Examination of Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ
by Earl Doherty
272 pp, Age of Reason Publications, 2001
$20.00
By the author of The Jesus Puzzle, this is a dramatic critique of a popular defense of the Gospels. Creating a courtroom scene, Doherty dialogues with statements made by Strobel’s scholarly witnesses. He challenges and refutes their misreading of evidence, fallacious reasoning, and self-serving conclusions, offering his own more rational analysis of the Christian record.
Church and State in Canada
by Albert J Menendez
140 pp, Prometheus Books, 1996
ISBN 1573920797
$12.00
Religion’s impact on education, law, and politics is the primary focus of this study. Where possible, comparisons between the USA and Canadian experiences are discussed by the American author so readers can observe how two great democracies have approached the interaction between church and state. Much of the data is not widely known to Canadians.
on the subject of ethics
The Ethics of Genetic Control:
Ending Reproductive Roulette
by Joseph Fletcher
219 pp, Prometheus Books, 1996
lists at $33.95
The patriarch of situational ethics explains why some ethical values need to catch up with the science of human reproduction and why newer methods can be more “natural” and humane than those they replace.
Satellites Out of Orbit
by Chris Wind
294 pp, Magenta, 1989
ISBN 0929015010
$20.00
Fictional, imaginative accounts portraying various classic characters, mainly women, and events from the past — from the Bible, myths, literature and history. With an ‘individual’ feminist perspective, the author writes what she thinks “the characters should’ve said” under their circumstances.
on the sciences — both physical & social
Studies Show:
A Popular Guide to Understanding Scientific Studies
by John H Fennick
220 pp, Prometheus Books, 1997
ISBN 157392136X
$21.00
The daily media reports new findings on consumer products, medications, social behavior, public policy, et cetera. This light, humorous book reviews sample studies to expose their traps and pitfalls. With common sense and critical intelligence, we can understand almost any study.