Popularizing atheistic ideology, Sam Harris, among other things, in his works raises the question of the separation of interests of the church and the state. Is it possible? Owning a doctorate in philosophy in the field of neurobiology, he criticizes religion from the standpoint of scientific skepticism. Revealing its true essence, calls for freedom of religion, proves the necessity and accessibility of public criticism of church dogma.
Who is Sam Harris?
Seriously declared himself the book "The End of Faith", which he began to write after acts of terror in the United States in 2001. For this work in 2005 received a literary award. The book has been in the lead by rating for more than 30 weeks. He received a doctorate from a prestigious university. One of the areas of the dissertation was the study of areas of the cerebral cortex using magnetic resonance at critical moments in a person's decisions. We studied the effects of factors in determining judgments and motivations for action on various issues, including those related to faith and its absence.
Being the author of literary and journalistic works on philosophy and religion, he expresses sharply in them about the need to revise approaches to morality, faith, the theory of lies, freedom of expression and thought, Islamic radicalism and terrorism. Sam Harris is a co-founder of the Project Mind Foundation. He lectures at prestigious universities. Appears on television in documentary projects, actively discusses with prominent religious figures, and responds to criticism of his books.
Life position
He believes that it is no longer possible to procrastinate and it is time to openly, freely and reasonably begin to discuss religion so that it is not an obstacle to the development of scientific progress. Harris grew up without being forced to believe in God. He does not hide the fact that, as a student, he had experience in influencing drugs in his psyche. Sam Harris notes that, taking ecstasy, he got the opportunity to feel "insights."
In college he was engaged in martial arts. After leaving the first year of university, he left for India to join the spiritual practice of meditation. I tried various techniques under the supervision of Buddhist and Hindu teachers. He believes that one can get “enlightenment of the mind” even without the influence of narcotic drugs, and tried to achieve this by experimenting with himself. After 11 years, he returned to university, graduated, becoming a philosopher with a doctorate.
Biography
Sam Harris is 49 years old. He was born in Los Angeles in April 1967. He grew up in a family of Berkeley and Susan Harris. His father is an actor, and his mother is a producer and creator of a television series (comedy). In college, he was seriously engaged in martial arts and was even a mentor in the group. He entered Stanford University and graduated with an interruption in his studies for 11 years. Bachelor of Philosophy since 2000.
What does Sam Harris say about his personal life? Books and biography after their release are closely related. An atheist philosopher does not like to talk about family values, citing security considerations in an age of intolerance. Criticizing the connection of religious beliefs and terrorism in his works, he risks becoming the target of fanatics himself and exposing his loved ones to attack. Married since 2004. His wife, Annaka, is a literature editor and co-founder of the Project Reason Foundation, which was founded to disseminate knowledge about the surrounding society for good purposes. The couple have two daughters in marriage.
Sam Harris: books
The most significant and fundamental was his debut work. The tragic events of 2001 in the USA prompted her to write. What is the End of Faith book about?
Sam Harris in her attempt to analyze the "clash" of religion with the progressive mind of a changing modern society. He cites historical parallels as arguments, focusing on events when blind and unlimited faith led to evil and calamity. He openly calls on society to reject the possibility of active intervention by the church and generally organized religion in the affairs of states and world politics.
After much criticism, he tried to convey his thoughts and uphold the ideology in “Letter to the Christian nation” (2006). After four years of controversy and discussion, his Moral Landscape (2010) is published. In this work, the author tries to convey the message that only science can explain the complex issues of moral values and their impact on the well-being of the individual and society as a whole.
In the next work, a small essay that was published in 2011, “False” (“Falsehood”), Harris discusses the origins and nature of this vice. In 2012, another short documentary about Free Will was released. At the moment, the list of copyrighted publications is completed by his manual-guide (Awakening, 2014) on preserving spirituality without the participation of religion.
Criticism
He repeatedly defended his ideas and worldview, proving the failure of allegations of intolerance and hatred. Sam Harris was condemned for trying to justify the use of torture (court practice) in special cases and as an exception to the rule. His opponents are not satisfied with the author’s desire to present and explain the problems of the science of moral values in a simplified form.
Harris’s dissenting opinion on the psychology of radical Islamists and terrorists going to death for the sake of faith also causes a wave of misunderstanding and discontent. He is criticized for defining the concept of "religious fanaticism." For an active position, he is ranked among the "messengers of the Apocalypse." Many also argue that in his works there is no new information, and the mentioned historical facts are simply presented in a new and distorted by the author atheistic vision of the essence of events.
