Free Inquiry Audio Edition

Center for Inquiry

The audio edition of Free Inquiry magazine, the Journal for Secular Humanist Ideas.

  1. 2H AGO

    'Cultural Christian'? So what?

    Richard Dawkins argues that calling himself a "cultural Christian" reflects his upbringing in English Christian traditions, literature, and music—not any belief in Christian doctrine, which he continues to reject as irrational.  Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2026/05/cultural-christian-so-what/ About the Author: Richard Dawkins is an English ethologist, evolutionary biologist, and bestselling author. He is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and was the University of Oxford's Professor for Public Understanding of Science from 1995 until 2008. In 2006, he founded the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science, now a division of the Center for Inquiry. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/

    7 min

  2. 2D AGO

    In This Issue June/July 2026 -The U.S.: Where It's Been, Where It Is, Where It Should Go

    Ronald A. Lindsay previews the June July 2026 issue of Free Inquiry, The U.S.: Where It's Been, Where It Is, Where It Should Go, Free Inquiry 46.4. Read this article and find accompanying references at: In This Issue June/July 2026 | Free Inquiry About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/

    4 min

  3. MAY 13

    Speaker Mike Johnson: Ideologue and Hypocrite

    Ronald A. Lindsay criticizes Mike Johnson for distorting the constitutional principle of separation of church and state by arguing that religion may influence government while government must not interfere with religion. He also accuses Johnson of hypocrisy for presenting himself as a devout Christian while consistently defending Donald Trump despite behavior Lindsay argues contradicts basic Christian moral values. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/speaker-mike-johnson-ideologue-and-hypocrite/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/

    4 min

  4. MAY 6

    When, If at All, Are Assassinations Justified?

    Ronald A. Lindsay argues that while assassination can be morally justified under extreme conditions—such as in the case of a dictator like Adolf Hitler where no peaceful change is possible and killing could prevent greater harm—those conditions do not apply in a functioning democracy. Despite concerns about the actions of Donald Trump, Lindsay concludes that assassination is unjustified and morally wrong in this context because democratic mechanisms for change still exist and violence would likely worsen the situation. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/when-if-at-all-are-assassinations-justified/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/

    6 min

  5. APR 28

    Trump vs. the Pope: Not Much to Choose From

    Donald Trump and Pope Leo may appear to represent opposing moral visions, but Ronald A. Lindsay argues that both promote deeply flawed and unjustifiable positions—one through harmful political leadership and the other through outdated religious doctrine. Rather than choosing between them, his article contends that both should be critically rejected for their respective impacts on reason, ethics, and human well-being. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/trump-vs-the-pope-not-much-to-choose-from/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/

    4 min

  6. APR 22

    Anti-Semitism Is Not the Principal Reason Israel Is Losing Support

    Ronald A. Lindsay argues that declining support for Israel is not primarily driven by anti-Semitism but by growing concern over the policies and actions of its government, particularly under Benjamin Netanyahu. He contends that dismissing criticism as prejudice ignores legitimate moral objections and risks further eroding international support by avoiding accountability. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/anti-semitism-is-not-the-principal-reason-israel-is-losing-support/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/

    5 min

  7. APR 15

    Reaching for the Stars, But Mired in Oppressive Fantasies

    As scientific progress reaches new heights—exemplified by the Artemis II mission—Ronald A. Lindsay contrasts these achievements with the persistent influence of religious belief in global conflict and public policy. He argues that despite the advances of Enlightenment thinking, religious ideology continues to shape decisions in ways that undermine reason, raising concerns about humanity carrying these tensions into its future beyond Earth. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/exclusive/reaching-for-the-stars-but-mired-in-oppressive-fantasies/ About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay is the former president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry, recent interim general counsel for CFI, and editor of Free Inquiry magazine. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/

    4 min

  8. APR 13

    Autonomy, Empathy, and Moral Inquiry amid Algorithmic AI

    Algorithmic AI and hypernudging technologies are reshaping human experience by subtly influencing autonomy, empathy, and the way we inquire, often operating below conscious awareness and steering decisions through personalized, data-driven feedback. David L. Hildebrand explores how these systems risk diminishing independent thought, weakening empathic connection, and constraining creativity, raising urgent ethical questions about how we preserve human agency and moral growth in an increasingly AI-mediated world. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2026/03/autonomy-empathy-and-moral-inquiry-amid-algorithmic-ai/ About the Author: David L. Hildebrand is professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado Denver. He is a past president of the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy and the Southwest Philosophical Society. He has published extensively on John Dewey, Richard Rorty, aesthetics, and the philosophy of technology. For nearly a decade, Hildebrand has published on information technologies, considering their bearing on inquiry, meaning, ethics, education, art and aesthetic experience, democracy, and truth. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/

    26 min
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The audio edition of Free Inquiry magazine, the Journal for Secular Humanist Ideas.

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