Project Reason

[[File:Project Reason logo.gif|thumb|165px|Project Reason logo and slogan]]
{{atheism}}
'''The Reason Project''' was a [[United States|U.S.]] charitable 501(c)(3) foundation that was officially devoted to spreading [[science|scientific knowledge]] and [[humanism|secular values]] in society. When it closed, [[Sam Harris]] sent an e-mail out explaining that the remaining funds would go to The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science, The AHA Foundation, and The Quilliam Foundation. <!-- There might be a point here, commented out to to being unclear. Advise original author to clarify. All of which it used to donated to in [http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/261/261643643/261643643_201412_990EZ.pdf tax forms.] -->

The website stated:
{{quotebox|''The project will draw on the talents of prominent and creative thinkers from a wide range of disciplines — [[science]], [[law]], [[literature]], entertainment, information technology, etc. — to encourage [[critical thinking]] and wise public policy. It will convene conferences, produce films, sponsor scientific research and opinion polls, award grants to other non-profit organizations, and offer material support to [[Apostasy|religious dissidents]] and public intellectuals — with the purpose of eroding the influence of dogmatism, superstition and bigotry in the world.''<ref>[http://reasonproject.org/ The Reason Project<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>}}

== Advisory board ==
The project has been spearheaded by philosopher, neuroscientist,  and author [[Sam Harris]], and has so far succeeded in attracting the following to its advisory board:

*Clifford S. Asness - Managing and founding principal of AQR Capital Management
*Peter Atkins - Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oxford
*[[Jerry Coyne]] - Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago
*[[Richard Dawkins]] - Former Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford
*[[Daniel C. Dennett]] - Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy, and Co-Director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University
*Brent Forrester - Emmy Award-winning television writer
*Rebecca Goldstein - philosopher and novelist
*[[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]] - Former member of the Dutch parliament; author of ''The Caged Virgin'' and the ''New York Times'' best selling memoir ''Infidel''
*[[Christopher Hitchens]] - author, journalist, and literary critic; author of ''God Is Not Great''
*Harold Kroto - Chairman of the Board of the Vega Science Trust
*[[Bill Maher]]- Comedian, actor, host of ''Real Time With Bill Maher''
*Ian McEwan - award-winning novelist
*[[Steven Pinker]] - Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University
*[[Salman Rushdie]] - Booker Prize-winning author
*Lee M. Silver Professor at Princeton University in the Department of Molecular Biology
*Ibn Warraq - senior research fellow at the Center for Inquiry specializing in [[Qur'an|Koranic]] criticism
*Steven Weinberg - Josey Regental Chair in Science at the University of Texas at Austin<ref>[http://www.samharris.org/site/the_reason_project/ The Reason Project :: Sam Harris<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>; [[Nobel Prize|Nobel]] laureate in [[Physics]] 1979

== External links ==
*
[http://www.reasonproject.org/ The Reason Project - former official site]
, now redirecting to [[Reason_(magazine)|frothing idiocy]].
*[http://www.samharris.org/ Sam Harris - official site]

==References==
{{reflist}}
*Note: this article was initiated on March 10, 2009 by wholesale copying of [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Reason_Project&oldid=274087437 this version] of the Wikipedia article, followed by some trimming of links, categories, and templates.  Please do not remove this notice.

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[[Category:Political action groups]]

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