Discuss 'In Praise of Doubt,' by Peter Berger and Anton Zijderveld
Sociologist Peter Berger talks to U.S. News about his new book and combatting fanaticism
One of the wonders of the modern era is that it provides so many choices. But those choices, sociologists Peter Berger and Anton Zijderveld write in their book In Praise of Doubt: How to Have Convictions Without Becoming a Fanatic, can have dangerous consequences—creating not only relativists but fundamentalists, too. Nourishing doubt, they say, is the only way society can counteract those extremes and bring about moderation. Berger, the founder of Boston University's Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs, recently spoke with U.S. News about diversity, the culture wars, and how to move to the middle ground. Weigh in on the discussion below, and don't forget to check out the interview in the latest issue of U.S. News Weekly.
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Reader Comments
In Praise of Doubt
The folks who mindlessly shout their positions, who don't have the patience or the tolerance to hear out both sides of an issue, are the same ones who don't read and the ones who won't read the book. It will be preaching to the choir, I fear. But I fervently hope I'm wrong. Right now I'm of a mind to favor a comprehension test for would-be voters, a sort of filtered democracy.
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