An advocate for removing the influence of religion from scientific research, commercial activity, and the political process,[4] Stenger coined the quote: "Science flies you to the moon. Religion flies you into buildings".[5]
Personal lifeedit
Victor J. Stenger was born on January 29, 1935, and raised in a working-class neighborhood of Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was a Lithuanian immigrant, and his mother was the daughter of Hungarian immigrants.[2] He died on August 25, 2014, at the age of 79.[6]
Stenger's first peer-reviewed work was published in 1964, and his research career continued until his retirement in 2000. His research involved work that determined properties of gluons, quarks, strange particles, and neutrinos.[7] Stenger focused on neutrino astronomy and very high-energy gamma rays.[citation needed]
Astronomer Luke Barnes argued in a 2012 paper that many of Stenger's claims about fine-tuning were problematic and that his arguments were fallacious.[14] Stenger responded that Barnes misunderstood and misrepresented his positions.[15]
Not by Design: The Origin of the Universe, Prometheus Books, 1988, p. 202, ISBN 978-0-87975-451-8, archived from the original on 2014-08-12, retrieved 2014-07-18
Physics and Psychics: The Search for a World Beyond the Senses, Prometheus Books, 1990, p. 323, ISBN 978-0-87975-575-1, archived from the original on 2014-10-19, retrieved 2014-07-18
The Unconscious Quantum: Metaphysics in Modern Physics and Cosmology, Prometheus Books, 1995, pp. 322, ISBN 978-1-57392-022-3, retrieved 2014-08-09
Timeless Reality: Symmetry, Simplicity, and Multiple Universes, Prometheus Books, 2000, p. 396, ISBN 978-1-57392-859-5, archived from the original on 2014-08-12, retrieved 2014-07-18
Has Science Found God? The Latest Results in the Search for Purpose in the Universe, Prometheus Books, 2003, p. 373, ISBN 978-1-59102-018-9, archived from the original on 2014-10-19, retrieved 2014-08-09
The Comprehensible Cosmos: Where Do the Laws of Physics Come From?, Prometheus Books, 2006, pp. 340, ISBN 978-1-59102-424-8, retrieved 2014-07-18
God: The Failed Hypothesis: How Science Shows That God Does Not Exist, Prometheus Books, 2007, p. 287, ISBN 978-1-59102-481-1, archived from the original on 2014-08-12, retrieved 2014-07-18
Quantum Gods: Creation, Chaos, and the Search for Cosmic Consciousness, Prometheus Books, 2009, p. 292, ISBN 978-1-59102-713-3, archived from the original on 2014-08-12, retrieved 2014-07-18
The New Atheism: Taking a Stand for Science and Reason, Prometheus Books, 2009, p. 282, ISBN 978-1-59102-751-5, archived from the original on 2014-08-12, retrieved 2014-07-18
The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning: Why the Universe Is Not Designed for Us, Prometheus Books, 2011, p. 345, ISBN 978-1-61614-443-2, archived from the original on 2014-08-12, retrieved 2014-07-18
God and the Folly of Faith: The Incompatibility of Science and Religion, Prometheus Books, 2012, p. 408, ISBN 978-1-61614-599-6, archived from the original on 2014-08-12, retrieved 2014-07-18
God and the Atom, Prometheus Books, 2013, p. 300, ISBN 978-1-61614-753-2, archived from the original on 2014-08-12, retrieved 2014-07-18
God and the Multiverse, Prometheus Books, 2014, p. 447, ISBN 978-1-61614-970-3
Peer-reviewed articlesedit
Stenger, Victor; Slater, W. E.; Stork, D. H.; Ticho, H. K. (June 1964), "K−N Interaction in the I=0 State at Low Energies", Physical Review, 134 (B1111): B1111–B1123, Bibcode:1964PhRv..134.1111S, doi:10.1103/PhysRev.134.B1111
Stenger, Victor (15 September 1984), "The Production of Very High Energy Photons and Neutrinos from Cosmic Proton Sources", The Astrophysical Journal, 284: 810–816, Bibcode:1984ApJ...284..810S, doi:10.1086/162463
Stenger, Victor (3 October 1985), "Photinos from Cosmic Sources", Nature, 317 (6036): 411–413, Bibcode:1985Natur.317..411S, doi:10.1038/317411a0, S2CID 4312378
Stenger, Victor (March–April 1986), "The Extraterrestrial Flux Sensitivity of Underground and Undersea Muon Detectors", Il Nuovo Cimento C, 9 (2): 479–487, Bibcode:1986NCimC...9..479S, doi:10.1007/BF02514866, S2CID 120549196
Stenger, Victor (July 1990), "The Universe: the ultimate free lunch", European Journal of Physics, 11 (4): 236–243, Bibcode:1990EJPh...11..236S, doi:10.1088/0143-0807/11/4/008, S2CID 250784194
Stenger, Victor (1999), "Bioenergetic Fields", The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine, 3 (1), archived from the original on 2016-03-03
Stenger, Victor (2000), "Natural Explanations for the Anthropic Coincidences" (PDF), Philo, 3 (2): 50–67, doi:10.5840/philo20003216, archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-04-11, retrieved 2014-07-18
Other essaysedit
Stenger, Victor (May–June 1993), "The Myth of Quantum Consciousness" (PDF), The Humanist, vol. 53, pp. 13–15, archived from the original on 2011-06-06{{citation}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
Stenger, Victor (1996), "New Age Physics: Has Science Found the Path to the Ultimate?" (PDF), Free Inquiry, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 7–11, archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24, retrieved 2014-10-31
Stenger, Victor (1996), "Cosmythology: Was the Universe Designed to Produce Us?", Skeptic, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 36–40
Stenger, Victor (1996), "Quantum Metaphysics", in Brown, Laurence; Farr, Bernard; Hoffmann, Joseph (eds.), Modern Spiritualities: An Inquiry, Prometheus Books, pp. 243–253
Stenger, Victor (1998), "Has Science Found God?", Free Inquiry, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 56–58, archived from the original on 2010-07-06, retrieved 2010-11-03
Stenger, Victor (1999), "The Anthropic Coincidences: A Natural Explanation", Skeptical Intelligencer, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 2–17
Stenger, Victor (July–August 1999), "Anthropic Design: Does the Cosmos Show Evidence of Purpose?", Skeptical Inquirer, vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 40–63, archived from the original on 2005-12-05
Ramey, David; Stenger, Victor (1999), "Energy Medicine", Consumer's Guide to Alternative Therapies in the Horse, Howell Book House, pp. 55–66, ISBN 978-1582450629
Stenger, Victor (2000), "The Pseudophysics of Therapeutic Touch", in Scheiber, Béla; Selby, Carla (eds.), Therapeutic Touch, Prometheus Books, pp. 302–311, ISBN 978-1-57392-804-5
Stenger, Victor (2000), Intelligent Design: The New Stealth Creationism(PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-08-31, retrieved 2015-11-12
Stenger, Victor (2001), "Humanity in Time and Space", Free Inquiry, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 42–69
Stenger, Victor (2001), "Time's Arrows Point Both Ways: The View From Nowhen" (PDF), Skeptic, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 90–95, archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-06-23, retrieved 2013-08-01
Stenger, Victor (September–October 2001), "The God of Falling Bodies", Skeptical Inquirer, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 46–49, archived from the original on 2017-07-13, retrieved 2010-11-03
Stenger, Victor (2001), "The Breath of God: Identifying Spiritual Force", in Kurtz, Paul (ed.), Skeptical Odysseys, Prometheus Books, pp. 363–374, ISBN 978-1-57392-884-7
Stenger, Victor (2003), "Anthropic Design: Does the Cosmos Show Evidence of Purpose?", in Kurtz, Paul (ed.), Science and Religion: Are They Compatible?, Prometheus Books, pp. 47–49, ISBN 978-1-59102-064-6
Stenger, Victor (2003), "The Premise Keepers", Free Inquiry, vol. 23, no. 3
Stenger, Victor (2004), "Is the Universe Fine-Tuned for Us?", in Young, Matt; Edis, Taner (eds.), Why Intelligent Design Fails: A Scientific Critique of the New Creationism, Rutgers University Press, pp. 172–184, ISBN 978-0813538723
Stenger, Victor (2005), "Flew's Flawed Science", Free Inquiry, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 17–18, archived from the original on 2006-05-02, retrieved 2010-11-04
Stenger, Victor (2006), "The Scientific Case Against a God Who Created the Universe", in Martin, Michael; Monnier, Ricki (eds.), The Improbability of God, Prometheus Books, ISBN 978-1-59102-381-4
Stenger, Victor (2006), "Do Our Values Come from God? The Evidence Says No" (PDF), Free Inquiry, vol. 26, no. 5, pp. 42–45, archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-02-25, retrieved 2013-07-29
Stenger, Victor (2007), "Clock Time", in Darity, William (ed.), International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2nd Edition, Macmillan Reference USA, ISBN 978-0028661179
Stenger, Victor (2007), "Reality", in Darity, William (ed.), International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2nd Edition, Macmillan Reference USA, ISBN 978-0028661179
Stenger, Victor (2008), "Physics, Cosmology, and the New Creationism", in Petto, Andrew; Godfrey, Laurie (eds.), Scientists Confront Creationism: Intelligent Design and Beyond, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., ISBN 978-0-393-33073-1
Stenger, Victor (March 2008), "Is the Brain a Quantum Device?", Skeptical Briefs, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 9, 13
Stenger, Victor (2008), "Where Can God Act? The New Quantum Theology", Free Inquiry, vol. 28, no. 5, pp. 1–36
Stenger, Victor (2009), "Time, Arrow of", in Birx, H. James (ed.), Encyclopedia of Time: Science, Philosophy, Theology, & Culture, SAGE Publications, Inc, ISBN 978-1412941648
Stenger, Victor (2009), "Time, Asymmetry of", in Birx, H. James (ed.), Encyclopedia of Time: Science, Philosophy, Theology, & Culture, SAGE Publications, Inc, ISBN 978-1412941648
Stenger, Victor (2009), "Time, Operational Definition of", in Birx, H. James (ed.), Encyclopedia of Time: Science, Philosophy, Theology, & Culture, SAGE Publications, Inc, ISBN 978-1412941648
Stenger, Victor (2009), "Universe, Origin of", in Birx, H. James (ed.), Encyclopedia of Time: Science, Philosophy, Theology, & Culture, SAGE Publications, Inc, ISBN 978-1412941648
Stenger, Victor (2009), "Planck time", in Birx, H. James (ed.), Encyclopedia of Time: Science, Philosophy, Theology, & Culture, SAGE Publications, Inc, ISBN 978-1412941648
Stenger, Victor (2009), "Time, Symmetry of", in Birx, H. James (ed.), Encyclopedia of Time: Science, Philosophy, Theology, & Culture, SAGE Publications, Inc, ISBN 978-1412941648
Stenger, Victor (2009), "Time, Units of", in Birx, H. James (ed.), Encyclopedia of Time: Science, Philosophy, Theology, & Culture, SAGE Publications, Inc, ISBN 978-1412941648
Stenger, Victor (2012), "Free Will and Autonomous Will", Skeptic, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 15–19
Columnistedit
From 1998 to 2011 Stenger wrote for the column "Reality Check," in Skeptical Briefs, the quarterly newsletter of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI).[17]
Since August 2010, he was also a regularly featured science columnist for the Huffington Post.[3][18]
Pantheon of skepticsedit
Stenger has been included in CSI's Pantheon of Skeptics. The Pantheon of Skeptics was created by CSI to remember the legacy of deceased fellows of CSI and their contributions to the cause of scientific skepticism.[19]
Referencesedit
^ abStenger, Victor John. "Curriculum Vitae" (PDF). University of Colorado. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
^ ab"A Biography of Victor J. Stenger". Colorado.edu. Retrieved 2013-07-29.
^ abAudio of interview with Stenger on the podcast "Skepticality" released 28 August 2012 by the Skeptics Society.
^Stenger, Victor J. (9 March 2012). "The Fall of Foolish Faith". Huffington Post. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
^"Science flies you to the moon. Religion flies you into buildings. - Victor Stenger - RichardDawkins.net". Old.richarddawkins.net. 2009-02-01. Retrieved 2013-07-29.
^Mehta, Hemant. "Victor Stenger, Physicist and Prolific Atheist Author, is Dead at 79". Patheos. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
^ ab"[Denver] Victor Stenger: "God: The Failed Hypothesis"". Center for Inquiry. Archived from the original on 2015-09-08. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
^"ORIGINS — the BIG Questions: 2008 Skeptics Society Conference: Dr. Victor Stenger". Origins.skeptic.com. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
^"Uri Geller Libel Suit Dismissed". Skeptical Inquirer. August 1994. Archived from the original on 2008-02-11.
^Barnes, Luke (June 2012). "The Fine-Tuning of the Universe for Intelligent Life". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia. 29 (4): 529–564. arXiv:1112.4647. Bibcode:2012PASA...29..529B. doi:10.1071/AS12015. S2CID 2951263.
^Stenger, Victor J. (28 Jan 2012). "Defending The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning". arXiv:1202.4359 [physics.pop-ph].
^"CSI Board, Fellows, and Staff". Retrieved 16 July 2014.
^"Skeptical Briefs — Reality Check". 2 June 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
^"Entries by Victor Stenger". Huffington Post. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
^"The Pantheon of Skeptics". CSI. Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Archived from the original on 31 January 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
External linksedit
Wikiquote has quotations related to Victor J. Stenger.
"Stenger's complete CV" (PDF). University of Colorado. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2015.