Sleeping with extra-terrestrials
Subtitle: the rise of irrationalism and perils of piety
By: Wendy Kaminer
Publisher: Pantheon Books
Published: 1999
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 278
ISBN-13: 9780679442431
Subjects: Credulity; Credibilidad; Irrationalism (Philosophy); Skepticism; Escepticismo; Scepticisme; Geloof; Irrationalisme; Belief and doubt; Creencia y duda
Description: "In Sleeping with Extra-Terrestrials, Wendy Kaminer argues that we are a society intoxicated by the irrational: religion, spirituality, and popular therapies threaten to replace rational thought with supernaturalism and impassioned but unexamined personal testimony.

Ranging from our fascination with angels, aliens, and near-death experiences to the rise of junk science, the recovery movement, and the digital culture, Kaminer points out the amusing and ominous effects of our deference to spiritual authorities and resistance to critical thinking. She questions conventional wisdom about the association of religious belief with virtue, identifying the sectarianism of efforts to establish religion in the public square.

With both wit and empathy, Kaminer takes on what many people hold sacred."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Pious Biases --; title: The Sectarian Public Square --; title: Pop Spirituality Books and the Gospel of Good News --; title: Gurus and the Spirituality Bazaar --; title: Junk Science --; title: The Therapeutic Assault on Reason and Rights --; title: Cyberspacy --; title: The Strenuous Life.