Without testing, reason is akin to superstition says Stephen Fry.

BHA Distinguished
Supporter - Stephen Fry

BHA Distinguished supporter Stephen Fry put it well  in February 2011 at Harvard @ 7’30” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HiaePLocUw&feature=player_embedded

when he said that ‘humanism is not interested in convincing anybody else how to live, it can show, not tell”.. and “humanists, as citizens of the world, have no interest in owning the minds of others.. you can tickle the minds of others or play with the minds of others or be graceful with the minds of others, but don’t try to own the minds of others’.

The whole of his talk is worth listening to especially this comment (with my Chair of Humanists4Science hat on)…

'Reason is almost akin to superstition ... reason must be tested" @ 8'35”

http://humanists4science.blogspot.com/2011/04/stephen-fry-why-reason-is-almost-akin.html

This is empiricism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empiricism

BHA Distinguished
Supporter - Peter Atkins

BHA Distinguished
Supporter - Stephen Law

Peter Atkins tried to persuade Stephen Law to think always both philosophically AND empirically at a debate I attended in Oxford in February:-

http://humanists4science.blogspot.com/2011/04/peter-atkins-debates-stephen-law.html. 

All fascinating stuff, to me at least! ... but then I'm not trying to own your mind, just tickle it!