Free Inquiry
{{Short description|Bi-monthly journal}}
{{other uses|freethought}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox magazine
| title = Free Inquiry
| image_file = Free Inquiry cover.jpg
| image_caption = Vol. 35 issue 5 cover.
| editor = Paul Fidalgo
| editor_title = Editor
| frequency = Bimonthly
| category = Secularism
| circulation = 17306 (2013){{Cite news|publication-date = January 12, 2014| title = December 2014/ January 2015 Issue| periodical = Free Inquiry|publication-place = Amherst, NY}}
(U.S. and International)
| publisher = Council for Secular Humanism
| founded = 1980
| country = United States
| based = Amherst, New York
| language = English
| website = [https://secularhumanism.org/ Free Inquiry]
| issn = 0272-0701
}}
Free Inquiry is a bimonthly journal of secular humanist opinion and commentary published by the Council for Secular Humanism, a program of the Center for Inquiry. Philosopher Paul Kurtz was the editor-in-chief from its inception in 1980 until stepping down in 2010.{{Cite web|url=http://centerforinquiry.net/paul_kurtz_obituary|title=Paul Kurtz, 1925–2012 | Center for Inquiry|date=January 19, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119013548/http://centerforinquiry.net/paul_kurtz_obituary |archive-date=2013-01-19 }} Kurtz was succeeded by Tom Flynn who worked as Editor in Chief until 2021. Paul Fidalgo was named editor in 2022, beginning with the October/November issue.{{cite web |last1=Blumner |first1=Robyn |title=Paul Fidalgo Named Editor of FREE INQUIRY and Executive Director of the Council for Secular Humanism |url=https://secularhumanism.org/2022/08/paul-fidalgo-named-editor-of-free-inquiry-and-executive-director-of-the-council-for-secular-humanism/ |website=Free Inquiry |date=3 August 2022 |publisher=Center for Inquiry, Inc |access-date=21 December 2022}} Feature articles cover a wide range of topics from a freethinking perspective. Common themes are separation of church and state, science and religion, dissemination of freethought, and applied philosophy. Regular contributors include well-known scholars in the fields of science and philosophy.
Controversy
In Free Inquiry's April–May 2006 issue, the magazine published four of the cartoons that had originally appeared in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten and that had sparked violent worldwide Muslim protests. Kurtz, editor-in-chief of Free Inquiry said, "What is at stake is the precious right of freedom of expression". The Borders refused to carry this issue in their main and Waldenbooks stores because of the cartoons. The reason given by Borders for their decision was not sensitivity to religion but fear of violence.{{Cite web|url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2006/03/29/national/a163611S00.DTL|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070918150100/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=%2Fnews%2Farchive%2F2006%2F03%2F29%2Fnational%2Fa163611S00.DTL|url-status=dead|title=Borders, Waldenbooks Won't Carry Magazine, Carolyn Thompson, Associated Press Writer, March 29, 2006|archivedate=September 18, 2007}}
The story made national and international news and the implications of this self-censorship were widely discussed, including by CBS News, The Washington Post,[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/29/AR2006032902219.html Two Chains Reject Magazine With Muhammad Cartoons], Associated Press, March 30, 2006 and The New York Times.{{Cite web |url=http://nytimesfaux.com/Borders_Blasts_Back_030331.htm |title=Borders Blasts Back On Controversial Cartoons, AP, March 31, 2006 |access-date=August 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807033316/http://nytimesfaux.com/Borders_Blasts_Back_030331.htm |archive-date=August 7, 2007 |url-status=dead }} The "blogosphere" widely condemned the decision of Borders to ban the magazine{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/id/2139129/|title=Calling 911 on 9/11|access-date=December 14, 2007|author=Michael Weiss|date=March 31, 2006|work=Slate}} and columnist Christopher Hitchens lamented the action in an article.{{cite web|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2007/06/let-s-stop-channeling-angry-muslims.html|title = Look Forward to Anger|access-date=December 14, 2007|author= Christopher Hitchens|author-link = Christopher Hitchens|date=June 25, 2007|work=Slate}}
Columnists
- Ophelia Benson – Author and blogger
- Russell Blackford – Author and philosopher
- Greta Christina – Author and blogger
- Shadia Drury – Professor of Philosophy and Political Science
- Tibor Machan – Professor of Philosophy
- Mark Rubinstein – Economist
- Faisal Saeed Al Mutar – Commentator and social critic
Editorial Board
- Editor in Chief: Paul Kurtz (until May 2010){{Cite news|publication-date=August 1, 2015|title = August/September 2015 Issue|periodical = Free Inquiry| publication-place = Amherst, NY}}
- Editor: Paul Fidalgo
- Managing Editor: Nicole Scott
- Assistant Editor: Julia Lavarnway
- Senior Editors: Bill Cooke, Richard Dawkins, Ed Doerr (deceased), James Haught, Jim Herrick, Ronald A. Lindsay, Taslima Nasrin
Paul Kurtz 1979.jpg|Paul Kurtz - 1980 to 2010
CSICON 2011-Tom Flynn.jpg|Tom Flynn - 2011 to 2021
Paul Fidalgo CSICon 2019 Portrait.jpg|Paul Fidalgo - 2022 to 2024
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://secularhumanism.org/}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080527100713/http://dogmafreeamerica.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=227835 Dogma Free America podcast interview with Tom Flynn, editor of Free Inquiry]
{{Center for Inquiry}}
{{Skeptical magazines}}
Category:Bimonthly magazines published in the United States
Category:Political magazines published in the United States
Category:Freethought in the United States
Category:Magazines established in 1980
Category:Scientific skepticism mass media