The transcendental temptation

"In this landmark work, Paul Kurtz examines the reasons why people accept supernatural and paranormal belief systems in spite of substantial evidence to the contrary. According to Kurtz, it is because there is within the human species a deeply rooted tendency toward magical thinking - the "transcendental temptation" - which undermines critical judgment and paves the way for willful beliefs. Kurts explores in detail the three major monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - finding striking psychological and sociological parallels between these religions, the spiritualism of the nineteenth century, and the paranormal belief systems of today. This acclaimed and controversial book includes sections on mysticism, belief in the afterlife, the existence of God, reincarnation, astrology, and ufology. Kurts concludes by explaining and advocating rational skepticism as an antidote to belief in the transcendental." -- Publisher's description.

Part one: skepticism and the meaning of life -- I. Meaning and transcendence -- II. Skepticism -- III. The scientific method -- IV. Critical intelligence -- V. The justification of belief -- Part two: mysticism, revelation, and God -- VI. The appeal to mysticism -- VII. The Jesus myth -- VIII. Moses and the chosen people -- IX. Mohammed: the prophet of Islam -- X. Sundry prophets: greater and lesser -- XI. Does God exist? Diety and impermanence -- Part three: science and the paranormal -- XII. Scientists, spiritualists, and mediums -- XIII. The paranormal: psychics, ESP, and parapsychology -- XIV. Is there life after life? -- XV. Space-age religions: astrology and UFOlogy -- Part four: beyond religion -- XVI. The transcendental temptation.