What it Means to Be Moral by Professor Phil Zuckerman
Claremont, Calif. (July 25, 2019)—Pitzer College Professor Phil Zuckerman’s seventh book, What It Means to Be Moral: Why Religion is Not Necessary for Living an Ethical Life (Counterpoint Press) will be released on September 20, 2019. Zuckerman teaches sociology and founded the secular studies program at Pitzer College
In What It Means to Be
Moral: Why Religion is Not Necessary for Living an Ethical Life, Zuckerman
argues that morality does not come from God. Rather, it comes from us: our
brains, our evolutionary past, our ongoing cultural development, our social
experiences and our ability to reason, reflect and be sensitive to the
suffering of others. Through deconstructing religious arguments for God-based
morality, and guiding readers through the premises and promises of secular
morality, Zuckerman argues that the major challenges facing the world today—from
global warming and growing inequality to gun violence and terrorism—are best
approached from a nonreligious ethical framework. In short, we need to look to
our fellow humans and within ourselves for moral progress and ethical action.
Zuckerman is a world-renowned secular studies scholar. His bibliography includes Society Without God (2008), which won ForeWord Magazine‘s silver Book of the Year Award, Faith No More (2011) and Living the Secular Life (2014) which was named “Best Book of 2014” by Publishers Weekly. In addition, he’s edited seven other books. His works have been translated into six languages including Chinese, Danish, Farsi, Italian, Korean and Turkish. His Pitzer College courses include Secularism: Local/Global and Sociology of Religion.
Hear Phil Zuckerman speak on his research and the study of secularity
in this episode of Meet a Pitzer Professor: Phil Zuckerman.
The hardcover, ebook and audiobook of What It Means to Be Moral: Why Religion Is Not Necessary for Living an
Ethical Life is currently available for pre-order through Amazon
and Barnes
and Noble.