LIFE WITHOUT GOD: A Guide to Fulfillment Without Religion (Non-Fiction), by Nicolaos S. Tzannes, Ph.D.
In the theism versus atheism debate, morality is a gigantic subject. The religious "moral high horse" is easily knocked down, and Dr. Tzannes knocks it down with professional ease. What is harder to do is explain non-religious morality (especially to someone that needs a god to tell them how to behave). Morality based on happiness and fulfillment has been proposed before, but it has proven difficult to define "happiness"; and even more difficult to setup a standard of ;happiness; that can apply to all cultures and all communities. Dr. Tzannes has accomplished that task with his Neo-Humanism Theory. Dr. Tzannes puts into theory (using the scientific presentation) what many have tried to articulate before. The Neo-Humanism Theory holds great merit and ties together the thinking of almost all non-theists. Dr. Tzannes keeps the book in lay terms, allowing for a greater audience (although he admits he didn’t write the book to de-convert anyone). The use of personal dialogues to elaborate on his ideas is extremely useful for expressing those very ideas; the dialogues give the reader the ability to see the ideas mold themselves and become concrete. You may not agree with some of the details of Dr. Tzannes' book, but the Neo-Humanism Theory is unarguably one of the best propositions for answering the question about non-religious morality and tackling the definition of happiness and setting up a standard that can be used worldwide. Are you mission happy? To find out if you are mission happy... read the book.
"Atheism Awareness" Reccomended Reading
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....Dr. Tzannes is patently sincere, and obviously thoughtful. And his book is short.
Above even these virtues, however, is one that shines even more brightly. Quite simply, he is funny. He is funny in two ways, one intentional, the other, not.........
The "Freethinker Magazine" Vol. 123, No. 3, April 2003
This is a delightful book, where complex ideas of human spirituality are treated with meaningful language, intelligence and, surprisingly, with humor The first part deals with religious dogma and its logical inconsistencies. Other humanist/non-theist books have tackled such issues, but Dr. Tzannes' use of the dialogue is refreshing, spontaneous and entertaining. I found his explanation of “miracles” quite intriguing. His hypothesis that human religiosity is pre-wired in our brain may be hard to swallow, but it solves the enigma of committing atrocities in the name of god, and it explains all this bizarre religious acts we are witnessing today.
In the second part, the author outlines a new philosophy of life which he calls neo-humanism. The proposed concise set of postulates gives meaning to the human existence and leads smoothly to a realistic blueprint for happiness. Morality (without god or religion) flows as a natural consequence of the basic human mission as does the role of a the state in a democratic society.
I propose that this book become recommended&--perhaps required--;reading for students in high schools, colleges and universities.
The "Secular Nation" Magazine, Volume 8.Number 3, 2003
..."Loving Compassionate and forgiving. How can you attribute such traits to a God who sends down calamities to those he dislikes? He even maintains a torture chamber for the black-listed, hardcore cases" (page 37). That is typical of the arguments Nicolaos Tzannes offers against religion. It is valid, logical, irrefutable--ansd in the 3000 years that ethnocentric religion has existed, has never cured a single believer.
Blasphemy? "That's how religions do away with an individual's freedom of speece" (page 15).
"Religions... use the concept of confession and routinely forgive serious crimes, wiping the slate clean...Doesn't that encourage the criminal to a repeat performance?". Al Capone would certanly agree with thaat.
This book is logical, entertaining.....
"The American Rationalist" Magazine, January-February 2003
Nicolaos Tzannes teaches Electrical Engineering at the University of Central Florida, where he chaired the Department from 1986 to 1994. In Life Without God, he has “put together a unified theory—a useful philosophy of life readily understood and easily practiced” (p. 145). Like Center for Inquiry International Director Bill Cooke, Tzannes believes that humanism does not have to be explained only on the academic level. In the final analysis, the humanist life stance is quite simple.
The author spells out his philosophy of “Neo-humanism” with a series of humorous dialogues with his wife and acquaintances, in which he uses the Socratic method. His primary goal “is to demonstrate the absurdity of religious dogmas, beliefs and practice (p. 9). He does not, however, use academic jargon to make his case.
Tzannes argues that a belief in the afterlife is groundless, ridiculous, and stressful. He writes that Islam “promises men who qualify that they will ascend into heaven as a spirit and 72 virgins will be waiting for them, primed for action. Isn’t it stressful to know that you are offered 72 virgins but you have—being a spirit—no equipment to…devirginize them?” (p.26).
He discusses the problem of evil and vain Christian attempts to rationalize it. Bible believers claim that God punishes people with catastrophes if they are sinful or disobedient. On the other hand, the omniscient God makes innocent people suffer to test their faith. The author writes: “it makes no difference whether you are a sinner or a model believer—you could be struck down either way. And to make matters worse, you don’t know why—he never tellsd you either way” (p. 38-39).
Tzannes has a unified theory to explain the notion that religiosity derives from biology, the Genes and Survival Principle (GSP). He believes that religiosity is pre-wired in human brains—that humans are born with Gene of Religiosity (GOR). The GOR varies in strength and depends on heredity and environmental factors. He maintains that the strength of the GOR in skeptics could rise if religious fanatics threaten them. If moderately or deeply religious people feel threatened, the strength of their GOR is increased and they go into a “genal condition” where they are devoid of reason and act irrationally.
The author argues that this gene evolved in hunter/gatherer societies and helped to unify tribes. Today, however, with the rise in multicultural societies, religion is no longer able to serve its original purpose. Tzannes sounds like a biological determinist and contends that “we are what we are, and there is nothing we can do about it” (p. 67, emphasis in the original).
Though the author claims that the evidence that religion is rooted in biology is growing along with wider acceptance of this notion, many scholars insist that the interplay between nature and culture is more complex than Tzannes apparently believes. Furthermore, not all scientists accept the idea that there is a gene for religion.
On another controversial note, Tzannes might be the first humanist to argue that war is a major is a major source of sustained joy and pleasure. He maintains that it is part of our survival “mission” as human beings, for which we are programmed to pursue. He writes that “…[Patriotic] acts can be major ones (actual participation in the fighting) or secondary ones (working in hospitals, munitions factories, contributing money to the war effort, even flag-waving). All these provide people –especially those who were unsuccessful in their other mission activities—with happiness of unsurpassed dimensions” (p. 126, emphasis in the original).
He says that these activities are, ironically, “undesirable and desirable at the same time” (ibid.), and warns that immoral leaders will exploit various situations to wage wars based on greed ans so forth. He claims that, overall, “Our mission in life is to give our best effort for the perpetuation and successful evolution of our species” (p. 94). This includes defending our territory “and culture in the face of internal or external threats” (ibid).
This is problematic to say the least. After all, slave owners in the South, racists in Apartheid South Africa. German Nazis, and others all fought and died to preserve their much beloved culture. Which course should humanists pursue when the culture in which they live is hostile toward humanist or humanitarian values?
The author’s Neo-humanism borders on hedonism. He asserts that “if an activity is pleasurable, it serves survival, and if it serves survival it is pleasurable. (p. 144). He uses eating, sleeping, and sex as examples. However, if taken to extremes, all of these pleasurable activitiescould have dire consequences for individuals and societies—AIDS and other sexually transmitted iseases, for example. Tzannes does not give adequate attention to this matter.
In the final analysis, Life Without God is a book worth reading, and it would provide much food for thought at humanist discussion groups.
"Free Inquiry" magazine, Vol.23, Number 3, Summer 2003, pages 69-70