Includes bibliographical references and index.

The secular humanist prospect in historical perspective -- Naturalism and the future -- Naturalism, secularism, and humanism -- The ethics of secularism -- Morality is natural -- Affirming life -- The pursuit of excellence: raising the level of taste and appreciation -- A good will -- Neo-humanism -- A modified naturalistic ethical theory -- Skeptical inquiry and religion -- Why I am a skeptic about religious claims -- Religion in conflict : are "evangelical atheists" too outspoken? -- The passion as a political weapon : anti-Semitism and the Gospels -- Creating secular and humanist alternatives to religion -- Is America a post-democratic society? -- The new American plutocracy -- Can we bridge the great cultural divide? -- The industrial-technological revolution -- The new China and the old -- The convictions of a secular humanist -- The transformation of universities -- Final reflections : perhaps facing death.