COMMENT:Magnum opus of the chairman of <A HREF="/bib/90">CSICOP</A>. While its theme is explicitly that of extending the skepticism used to confront paranormal claims to religion, there is much of interest here for those not interested in religious issues as well. Though Kurtz takes a philosophical point of view, his description of pragmatic skepticism, critical intelligence, and his defense of scientific approaches are valuable and understandable. He contends that there is a human tendency to magical thinking, a <em>transcendental temptation</em>, that is common to paranormal and religious beliefs.
