Point of Inquiry

Peter H. Gilmore is the High Priest of the Church of Satan. He has been interviewed on numerous television and radio programs dealing with the topic of Satanism, including spots on The History Channel, BBC, The Sci-Fi Channel, and Bob Larson's Christian radio show. In 1989, he and his wife Peggy Nadramia began publishing The Black Flame; a Satanic journal, and continues to publish issues sporadically. In 2005, Gilmore provided a new introduction to LaVey's The Satanic Bible, and his essay on Satanism was published in the "Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature." On Walpurgisnacht 2007, The Satanic Scriptures was released, which is his newest collection of essays and writings on atheism and Satanism. In this discussion with D.J. Grothe, Peter Gilmore explores the similarities of atheism and Satanism, how science and Darwin's theory of evolution may undergird its worldview and ethics, and how Satanism is a theatrical "nonreligion." He also shares his opinions about recent strategies to popularize atheism, and contrasts Satanic ethics with other nonreligious ethical perspectives such as secular humanism and Objectivism.

Carol Tavris is a social psychologist, lecturer, and writer whose books include Anger and The Mismeasure of Woman. She has written on psychological topics for the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Scientific American, Skeptical Inquiry, and many other publications. A Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science, and a member of the editorial board of Psychological Science in the Public Interest, she is also a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Her new book is Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts, co-authored with Elliot Aronson, one of the most distinguished social psychologists in the world. In this wide-ranging discussion with D.J. Grothe, Carol Tavris explains "cognitive dissonance," and how it can lead to self-deception and self-justification. She talks about the ways that reducing dissonance leads to real-world negative effects in the areas of politics, law, criminal justice, and in interpersonal relationships. She also explores what dissonance theory says about confronting those who hold discredited beliefs, what dissonance theory may say about religious and paranormal belief, and the role of the scientific temper in avoiding the pitfalls of cognitive dissonance.

Peter Irons is professor emeritus of political science at the University of California, San Diego. A noted constitutional scholar, historian, and lawyer, he is the author of the bestselling May It Please the Court; The Battle for the Constitution; War Powers: How the Imperial Presidency Hijacked the Constitution; and A People's History of the Supreme Court. His newest book is God on Trial: Dispatches from America's Religious Battlefields. In this conversation with D.J. Grothe, Peter Irons discusses the legal issues involved in the church-state court cases detailed in God on Trial, the personalities involved in the various cases and their motivations, and how religion can be so divisive in society. He also explores whether or not atheism is a civil rights issue, and what secularists and religious people alike may do to help secure separation of church and state in the United States.

Ophelia Benson is the joint-author (with Jeremy Stangroom) of Why Truth Matters and The Dictionary of Fashionable Nonsense, and Deputy Editor of The Philosophers' Magazine. In addition to maintaining the popular website butterfliesandwheels.com, she writes a monthly column for The Philosophers' Magazine Online. In this conversation with D.J. Grothe, she discusses Why Truth Matters, and her attempts to "debunk fashionable nonsense," including post-modernism, creation science and intelligent design theory, among other fields. She also talks about the importance of truth for the non-philosopher, and how people can better restore truth to its rightful place.

Philip Kitcher is the John Dewey Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University. An eminent philosopher, he is the author of many books on science, literature, and music, including Abusing Science: The Case Against Creationism; The Lives to Come: The Genetic Revolution and Human Possibilities; and Science, Truth, and Democracy. Concerning himself mostly with the philosophy of science, he has also had influence in the study of the ethical and political constraints on scientific research, the evolution of altruism and morality, and the possible conflict between science and religion. His most recent book is Living with Darwin: Evolution, Design, and the Future of Faith (Oxford University Press, 2006). In this conversation with D.J. Grothe, Philip Kitcher explores the implications of Darwinism for both literalist religion, and for liberal faith, and to what extent the implications of Darwin's theory for belief in God should be taught in the public schools. He also discusses the role and benefits of religion, and explores alternatives to it, such as secular humanism, and offers ideas for how secular humanism might become more popular in society.

Christopher Hitchens, one of the most celebrated social critics of our time, has been a columnist for Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, The Nation, Slate and Free Inquiry. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including God is Not Great (2007), A Long Short War: The Postponed Liberation of Iraq (2003), Why Orwell Matters (2002), The Trial of Henry Kissinger (2001), and Letters to a Young Contrarian (2001). Additionally, he has written prolifically for The London Review of Books, Granta, Harper's, The Los Angeles Times Book Review, New Left Review, The New York Review of Books, Newsweek International, The Times Literary Supplement, and The Washington Post. He is also a regular television and radio commentator. In this conversation with D.J. Grothe, Hitchens discusses his new best-selling book God Is Not Great, which is his contribution to the recent slate of best-selling atheist titles. He also explores various strategies for challenging religiosity in our society, the immorality of the Bible, how religion is bad for one's health, his many recent public debates with believers, and what he calls the war between the West and Islamism. He also comments on the relationship between atheism and intelligence, atheism and great literature, and the need for a "New Enlightenment."

Natalie Anger is a Pulitzer Prize-winning science journalist for the New York Times. Born in the Bronx borough of New York City, New York, she studied physics and English at Barnard College, where she graduated with high honors in 1978. From 1980 to 1984, Angier wrote about biology for Discover Magazine. She also worked as a science writer for Time Magazine. She is the recipient of a number of honors for her writing on science, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) prize for excellence in science journalism and the Lewis Thomas award for distinguished writing in the life sciences. The author of a number of critically accliamed books, her most recent is The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science. In this discussion with D.J. Grothe, she explores the reasons why everyone should work to become scientifically literate. She also details specific reasons why chemistry, evolutionary biology, astronomy and other fields should interest the non-scientist public. Other topics discussed include atheism and science, and the future of science writing.

Tom Clark is founder and director of the Center For Naturalism, a non profit advocacy organization in the Boston area devoted to educating the public about naturalism, policy development, and community building. He is the editor of the popular online website, Naturalism.Org, which is among the web's most comprehensive resources on scientific naturalism, its implications and its applications. He is also the author of Encountering Naturalism. In this discussion with D.J. Grothe, Tom Clark explores the differences between methodological naturalism and scientific / philosophical / metaphysical naturalism. He also talks about some of the implications of naturalism for society's beliefs about religion, the paranormal, and concepts like free-will. He also explores how naturalism can help foster a sense of secular spirituality among those who adopt its worldview.

Joe Hoffmann, formally at Oxford, is director of Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion (CSER). He has appeared widely in the media and at venues across the United States speaking on Christian origins, the historical Jesus, the proper role of religion in society, and similar topics. He is the author or editor of a number of books, including Just War and Jihad: Violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In this discussion with D.J. Grothe, Dr. Hoffmann details a new project involving scholars from many disciplines that is trying to determine the likelihood of Jesus of Nazareth having ever existed. The goal of The Jesus Project, according to Dr. Hoffmann, is not to "prove" the non-existence of Jesus, but to take the theory as a "testable hypothesis" and use the best methods of critical inquiry to reach a probable conclusion. Additionally, Dr. Hoffmann addresses critics by clarifying the agenda of the project.

Chris Wisnia has been involved with the comics self-publishing for several years. The creator of the celebrated comic books Tabloia, and Doris Danger Seeks Where Giant Monsters Creep, he also recently began a comic book with a decidedly skeptical theme titled Dr. DeBunko, which features a character who investigates and debunks the supernatural and paranormal beliefs in our culture. In this conversation with D.J. Grothe, Wisnia discusses Dr. DeBunko, the reception the book has garnered in the skeptical community, and what effect he thinks it has (or that he intends it to have) on his readers. He also explores Dr. DeBunko's methods versus other methods of investigating the paranormal, and whether there is reason to be optimistic about the long-term effects of the skeptical movement.