Hubbry Logo
Prometheus BooksPrometheus BooksMain
Open search
Prometheus Books
Community hub
Prometheus Books
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Prometheus Books
Prometheus Books
Prometheus Books
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Prometheus Books is a publishing company founded in August 1969 by the philosopher Paul Kurtz (who was also the founder of the Council for Secular Humanism, Center for Inquiry, and co-founder of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry).[1][2] The publisher's name was derived from Prometheus, the Titan from Greek mythology who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to man. This act is often used as a metaphor for bringing knowledge or enlightenment.[3][4]

Key Information

Prometheus Books publishes a range of books, focusing on topics such as science, freethought, secularism, humanism, and skepticism. It has published in the "atheism" category since its founding in 1969, and is considered the "grandfather" of atheist publishing in America.[5]

Their headquarters is located in Amherst, New York, and they publish worldwide. Jonathan Kurtz was an executive editor of Prometheus.[6] Rowman & Littlefield acquired Prometheus Books in 2019.[7] Rowman & Littlefield changed its name to The Globe Pequot Publishing Group after the sale of its academic publishing business to Bloomsbury Publishing in 2024, keeping Prometheus Books as one of its imprint.

The publisher has roughly 1,700 books currently in print,[8] and publishes approximately 95–100 books per year.[9] Since its founding, Prometheus Books has published more than 2,500 books.[10]

Imprints

[edit]

Prometheus Books obtained the bulk of the books and manuscripts of Humanities Press International in 1998.[11][12] It has been building and expanding this into a scholarly imprint named Humanity Books. This imprint publishes academic works across a wide spectrum of the humanities and is now distributed by the academic division of Rowman & Littlefield.[13]

In March 2005, Prometheus Books launched the science fiction and fantasy imprint Pyr.[14] In October 2012 it launched the crime fiction imprint Seventh Street Books.[15] In 2018, it sold both imprints.[16]

Lawsuits

[edit]

Prometheus has been involved in two "major libel lawsuits."[17] In 1992 Uri Geller sued Victor J. Stenger and Prometheus Books for libel over his book Physics and Psychics.[18] The suit was dismissed and Geller was required to pay more than $20,000 in costs to the defendant.[19] Geller also sued Prometheus for publishing The Truth About Uri Geller by James Randi, a book that he said was defamatory.[20][21]

Book series

[edit]
  • Contemporary Issues in Philosophy Series
  • Great Books in Philosophy
  • Great Minds Series
  • Thomas Taylor Series

Partnerships and sale

[edit]

In 2013 Prometheus Books partnered with Random House in an effort to increase sales and distribution.[22]

In 2019, it was acquired by Rowman & Littlefield,[23][7] and Random House ceased sales and distribution of its titles as of June 30, 2019.[8] Its building was sold in early 2019 for over $1 million.[24]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Prometheus Books

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Prometheus Books is an American publishing imprint founded in August 1969 by philosopher , dedicated to advancing rational inquiry through works on , , , , and philosophy. The company emerged from Kurtz's efforts to counter and dogmatic beliefs, building on his parallel initiatives like founding the Council for Secular Humanism and co-founding the . Over decades, it published titles challenging supernatural claims, promoting evidence-based reasoning, and exploring ethical without reliance on religious frameworks, including books by public intellectuals like critiquing intellectual complacency. Its catalog emphasized empirical scrutiny of topics from paranormal phenomena to , contributing to broader cultural shifts toward amid persistent irrationalisms. In 2019, Prometheus Books was acquired by Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, transitioning from independent operation while retaining its core mission; its titles continue to receive recognition, such as a 2025 American Psychological Association award for a work integrating with Shakespearean analysis. This reflects adaptations in the landscape, yet the imprint's defining legacy remains its role in disseminating uncompromised rationalist perspectives against prevailing credulities.

Founding and History

Establishment by Paul Kurtz (1969)

, an American philosopher and proponent of , established Prometheus Books in 1969 in , as a for-profit house dedicated to and . Motivated by the need for a platform to disseminate rationalist works amid limited mainstream options, Kurtz launched the press with borrowed funds, modeling it partly on British imprints like Pemberton Books to prioritize independent nonfiction over nonprofit constraints that might restrict controversial content. The founding reflected Kurtz's broader commitment to countering , religious dogma, and irrational beliefs through empirical scrutiny and first-principles reasoning, positioning Prometheus as the pioneering major publisher of humanist literature. By operating commercially, the house gained flexibility to test intellectual boundaries and promote provocative ideas, eventually growing into what Kurtz described as the world's largest and skeptical press. This establishment aligned with Kurtz's concurrent efforts in founding organizations like the , emphasizing evidence-based over dogmatic acceptance.

Expansion in the 1970s–1990s

During the and , Prometheus Books grew modestly from its 1969 founding with a $2,000 investment by , operating on limited budgets while establishing a niche in secular humanist and skeptical literature. The publisher initially focused on inexpensive reprints of rationalist titles to build its catalog, expanding into critiques of the , religious , and irrational beliefs amid rising interest in organized following Kurtz's co-founding of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the in 1976. By the 1990s, the house had broadened its scope to include authoritative works on philosophy, popular science, and social issues, earning endorsements from prominent figures like Isaac Asimov and Carl Sagan. Key authors such as Martin Gardner, Antony Flew, and Sidney Hook contributed titles that reinforced its commitment to rational inquiry, with the publisher translating works into 80–90 languages to reach global audiences in regions including Russia, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. A significant legal victory came in 1992, when Prometheus successfully defended against a defamation lawsuit by Uri Geller over a book's skeptical examination of his claims, leading to the case's dismissal and an award of more than $20,000 in legal costs to the publisher. This era saw Prometheus transition from a shoestring operation to one of the largest independent publishers in its domain, laying the groundwork for a cumulative catalog exceeding 3,500 titles by the early 2000s, though it prioritized specialized, lower-volume sales over mainstream bestsellers. The expansion emphasized independence from nonprofit constraints, allowing flexibility in selecting provocative nonfiction that challenged established dogmas.

Affiliation with Skeptical and Humanist Organizations

Prometheus Books maintains historical and ideological affiliations with key organizations in the skeptical and humanist movements, primarily through its founder , who established the publisher in 1969 as a dedicated outlet for rationalist and literature. Kurtz, a philosopher and advocate for , simultaneously founded the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the (CSICOP, later renamed the in 2006) in 1976 to promote critical into paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. Prometheus Books served as a primary publishing platform for works by CSICOP contributors, amplifying the organization's mission to apply scientific methods to extraordinary assertions. In 1980, Kurtz established the Council for (initially the Council for Democratic and Secular Humanism), focused on advancing ethical and reason-based worldviews independent of religious . The publisher aligned closely with this group by issuing foundational texts on , , and critiques of supernaturalism, effectively functioning as an extension of the council's dissemination efforts. These ties extended to practical support, including the donation of thousands of Prometheus titles to under-resourced humanist organizations in developing countries to foster international . The Center for Inquiry (CFI), founded by Kurtz in as a umbrella entity incorporating CSICOP and the Council for , further solidified these connections by centralizing advocacy for , reason, and . Prometheus Books continued to publish CFI-aligned authors and topics, such as investigations into and defenses of naturalistic , until internal leadership transitions at CFI in 2009 prompted Kurtz to form the separate Institute for and Human Values. Despite later operational independence following Prometheus's acquisition by Globe Pequot Press in 2012, the publisher's foundational role in supporting these organizations' intellectual output endures as a cornerstone of organized and .

Leadership Transitions and Internal Challenges (2000s)

In 2005, Jonathan Kurtz, son of founder , succeeded his father as president of Prometheus Books, marking a key leadership transition amid the company's ongoing operations as a nonprofit publisher. This handover occurred as , then in his late 70s, shifted from formal presidency while retaining substantial day-to-day influence over the organization's direction and decisions. Jonathan, previously an executive editor, brought continuity through his long involvement, including roles dating back to at least the early 2000s, and focused on maintaining the imprint's catalog of over 1,000 titles by that decade's end. Unlike affiliated entities such as the Center for Inquiry (CFI), where resigned from the board in 2009 amid disagreements over strategic priorities and leadership styles, Prometheus Books experienced no comparable internal dissension or rancor during the . Kurtz himself emphasized the publisher's structural , noting it had remained insulated from conflicts plaguing related humanist and skeptical groups. This separation allowed steady output, with annual releases exceeding 50 titles by the mid-, primarily in , , and secular , without disruptions from external board disputes or funding shifts affecting CFI. The transition nonetheless highlighted challenges inherent to family-led nonprofits, including navigating the founder's persistent authority, which exercised until his death in 2012. Jonathan Kurtz's tenure stabilized operations amid broader industry pressures, such as rising digital distribution costs and competition from mainstream publishers, enabling to self-distribute effectively until partnering with external services in the early 2010s. No public reports of financial insolvency or staff exodus emerged, underscoring the relative smoothness of the era compared to turbulence in Kurtz's other ventures.

Publishing Mission and Philosophy

Commitment to Rationalism and Skepticism

Prometheus Books was founded in 1969 by philosopher Paul Kurtz with the explicit aim of promoting scientific skepticism and rational inquiry amid a perceived surge in irrationalism and unexamined paranormal claims in American culture. Kurtz, who viewed publishing as a vehicle for countering dogmatic beliefs through evidence-based analysis, established the press to fill a gap in literature advocating critical thinking and secular humanism. This foundational commitment is reflected in Kurtz's own statement that the country needed resources to foster scientific integrity and rationalism, as articulated in his edited volume Skeptical Odysseys (2001). The publisher's philosophy emphasizes testing the boundaries of established thought, prioritizing nonfiction works that apply rigorous standards to evaluate claims in science, , and . Core publication categories, including , , , and , underscore this dedication, with books translated into over 50 languages to reach global audiences seeking authoritative, lay-accessible content. Kurtz's The New Skepticism (1992), published by the press, exemplifies this approach by arguing for objective criteria to assess truth claims, rejecting in favor of methodical doubt and empirical validation. This rationalist ethos extends to Prometheus's ties with Kurtz's other initiatives, such as the (CSI) and the Council for Secular Humanism, which share the goal of debunking and promoting . By producing titles that challenge supernaturalism and encourage evidence-driven discourse, the press has contributed to organized skepticism's growth, maintaining its focus on intellectual rigor even after corporate acquisitions.

Critique of Pseudoscience, Religion, and Irrational Beliefs

Prometheus Books has published extensively on the demarcation between verifiable and claims, advocating for rigorous empirical testing to expose unsubstantiated assertions such as those involving phenomena, alternative medicines lacking clinical trials, and creationist interpretations incompatible with . Titles like Science Under Siege: Defending Science, Exposing , edited by Kendrick Frazier in 2009, compile essays from skeptics detailing methodological flaws in practices, including the rejection of and reliance on . Similarly, Terence Hines's and the (updated edition 2003) analyzes over 100 purportedly anomalous events, applying statistical and experimental critiques to demonstrate their lack of replicable evidence. In critiquing religion, the publisher emphasizes causal explanations grounded in natural processes over supernatural attributions, with Paul Kurtz's The Transcendental Temptation: A Critique of Religion and the Paranormal (1991) arguing that transcendent claims—whether divine revelations or mystical experiences—stem from psychological needs rather than objective reality, failing tests of intersubjective verifiability. Victor Stenger's God and the Folly of Faith: The Incompatibility of Science and Religion (2012) extends this by contrasting religious doctrines with physical laws, citing and cosmology to show how faith-based assertions resist empirical disconfirmation, often leading to conflicts with established . These works prioritize naturalistic , positing that moral systems derive from human cooperation and reason rather than divine command, as explored in critiques like In (2012), which dissects historical religious justifications for social hierarchies. Addressing irrational beliefs, Prometheus Books targets cognitive errors underlying superstitions, conspiracies, and folk remedies through accessible deconstructions. Guy P. Harrison's 50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True (2011) examines claims like , ghosts, and near-death experiences, using probabilistic reasoning and historical case studies to illustrate how pattern-seeking heuristics foster delusions without proportional evidence. This aligns with Kurtz's broader skeptical philosophy in The New Skepticism (1992), which establishes criteria for reliable knowledge—coherence, empirical adequacy, and —applied to dismiss unevidenced propositions in and metaphysics. Overall, these publications underscore a commitment to "exuberant skepticism," promoting affirmative inquiry into what is knowable via while rejecting dogmas that evade scrutiny.

Organizational and Operational Aspects

Leadership and Key Figures

Prometheus Books was established in August 1969 by philosopher Paul Kurtz, who served as its founder, primary visionary, and long-term leader, shaping its focus on rationalist, skeptical, and humanist publications. Kurtz, a professor emeritus at the State University of New York at Buffalo and a prominent advocate for secular humanism, directed the company's editorial direction and expansion for over four decades, authoring or editing numerous titles himself while overseeing the publication of works challenging pseudoscience and religious dogma. Following Paul Kurtz's death on October 20, 2012, at age 86, leadership transitioned to his son, Jonathan Kurtz, who assumed the role of president and publisher, maintaining the imprint's commitment to provocative amid growing operations. Jonathan Kurtz, holding a BA in and with prior experience at National Book Network, led for approximately 20 years, including decisions to divest imprints in to refocus on core strengths. After Rowman & Littlefield's acquisition of in 2019, integrating it under the Globe Pequot imprint, Jonathan Kurtz continued as senior executive acquisitions editor, guiding editorial acquisitions and contributing to awards such as the American Psychological Association's Book Award for select titles. Other notable figures include executive editors and acquisitions staff who supported specialized lines, such as Lou Anders, hired in 2004 to develop the short-lived science fiction imprint Pyr before its sale. The leadership emphasized independence from affiliated organizations like the Center for Inquiry, avoiding internal disruptions that affected Kurtz's other ventures.

Imprints and Distribution

Prometheus Books has historically operated under its primary imprint focused on works in , , , and , with expansions into specialized lines over time. In 1998, the publisher acquired the bulk of the books and manuscripts from Humanities Press International, integrating them into a scholarly catalog that emphasized academic titles in metaphysics, , and related fields. This acquisition bolstered Prometheus's offerings in rigorous , though it did not establish a distinct ongoing sub-imprint under the Humanities name post-integration. During the 2000s and 2010s, ventured into fiction with dedicated imprints to diversify its portfolio. In March 2005, it launched Pyr as a and fantasy imprint, beginning with titles like John Meaney's . In October 2012, Seventh Street Books was introduced for and thrillers. However, in November 2018, sold both Pyr and Seventh Street Books to Start Publishing, a division of , allowing the company to refocus on its core nonfiction strengths amid nearing its 50th anniversary. Following its acquisition by Rowman & Littlefield in June 2019, Prometheus Books operates as an imprint within the Globe Pequot Publishing Group, a trade division of the Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, concentrating exclusively on intelligent for lay readers in areas such as , , , , and . No active sub-imprints are currently maintained under Prometheus, with publications released directly under the Prometheus Books brand; titles from the former line continue to be distributed through Rowman & Littlefield's academic channels where applicable. The publisher has produced books translated into over 50 languages, reflecting its global reach in rationalist literature. In terms of distribution, Prometheus Books managed its own and fulfillment independently for its first 44 years until entering a multiyear partnership with Publisher Services in April 2013, which handled n and select international markets to enhance efficiency and market access for both print and e-books. This arrangement persisted until the 2019 acquisition by Rowman & Littlefield, after which distribution shifted to the company's sister entity, National Book Network (NBN), effective July 1, 2019. NBN provides comprehensive wholesale, retail, and international distribution services across and beyond, integrating Prometheus titles into broader trade channels while maintaining focus on the publisher's niche in skeptical and humanist nonfiction.

Book Series and Formats

Prometheus Books has maintained several dedicated book series focused on rational inquiry, , and scientific classics, aligning with its mission to promote and . The most prominent is the Great Minds Series, launched in the 1990s, which reprints seminal public-domain works by influential thinkers such as Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species (1991 edition), Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations (1991), and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Women and Economics (1994), often with modern introductions to enhance accessibility for contemporary readers. This series emphasized affordable trade paperbacks to democratize access to foundational texts in , , and , producing dozens of volumes that prioritize unaltered original content supplemented by contextual analysis. Additional series include the Contemporary Issues in Philosophy Series, which explores modern debates in , , and metaphysics through targeted monographs, and the Great Books in Philosophy line, offering edited collections of historical philosophical writings. These series typically feature concise, scholarly yet readable editions aimed at educated non-specialists, reflecting the publisher's commitment to bridging academic rigor with public discourse. Formats across these series predominantly consist of trade paperbacks for cost-effectiveness, with select titles available in for institutional markets; by the , electronic editions began appearing alongside print runs. In parallel, Prometheus briefly expanded into genre-specific series via imprints like Pyr (2005–2018), which issued and fantasy novels in standard mass-market and formats, though these were divested to focus on core . Overall, the publisher's formats prioritize durability and portability for skeptical literature—trade paperbacks comprising the bulk of output (e.g., 300–500 page volumes)—with limited audiobooks and ebooks emerging post-2010 to adapt to channels. This approach ensured wide availability through independent bookstores and academic suppliers, supporting the dissemination of evidence-based content over decorative or collectible editions.

Notable Publications and Contributions

Seminal Works on Skepticism and Science

Prometheus Books has published numerous foundational texts that rigorously apply scientific methods to debunk pseudoscientific claims and advocate for empirical inquiry. Among these, A Skeptic's Handbook of Parapsychology (1985), edited by Paul Kurtz, stands as a comprehensive 727-page anthology featuring contributions from leading skeptics such as James Alcock and Ray Hyman, which systematically critiques parapsychological research on extrasensory perception (ESP), psychokinesis, and related phenomena by highlighting experimental flaws, replication failures, and absence of replicable evidence under controlled conditions. The volume argues that parapsychology's purported anomalies stem from methodological errors, sensory cues, and statistical artifacts rather than genuine paranormal effects, influencing subsequent skeptical analyses by establishing a template for evidence-based refutation. Kurtz's own The Transcendental Temptation: A Critique of and the (1986) extends this scrutiny to transcendental claims, examining religious , near-death experiences, and mystical assertions through historical case studies and scientific evaluation, concluding that such phenomena lack empirical support and often rely on anecdotal testimony prone to . The book posits that reliance on faith over testable evidence perpetuates irrationality, proposing instead a naturalistic grounded in observable data and . In The New Skepticism: Inquiry and Reliable Knowledge (1992), Kurtz delineates a framework for modern skepticism, emphasizing objective criteria from —such as , , and —for assessing truth claims in , , and beyond, while critiquing postmodern for undermining rational standards. This work underscores skepticism not as doubt for its own sake but as a tool for advancing reliable knowledge, drawing on examples from physics and to illustrate causal mechanisms over explanations. Martin Gardner's Science: Good, Bad, and Bogus (1981) compiles essays dissecting pseudosciences like , , and fringe therapies, using logical analysis and historical context to expose inconsistencies, such as ad hoc hypotheses in parapsychological defenses. Gardner, a pioneering mathematical recreations author turned skeptic, demonstrates how "bad science" mimics legitimate inquiry through selective data but fails under scrutiny, promoting public understanding of demarcation criteria like Karl Popper's . Additional titles, such as C.E.M. Hansel's ESP and Parapsychology: A Critical Reevaluation (1980), provide detailed reexaminations of landmark experiments like the card tests, revealing procedural lapses including cueing and non-randomization that invalidate positive results. These works collectively fortified the skeptical movement by prioritizing primary data and controlled testing over proponent assertions, contributing to the decline of uncritical acceptance of anomalous claims in academic discourse.

Humanist and Philosophical Titles

Prometheus Books has published an extensive catalog of titles promoting secular humanism, emphasizing ethical systems derived from reason, empirical evidence, and human-centered values rather than religious doctrine. Central to this output are works by founder Paul Kurtz, a philosopher who advocated for "eupraxsophy"—a practical wisdom grounded in naturalism—as an alternative to theistic worldviews. For instance, Kurtz's In Defense of Secular Humanism (1983) systematically counters criticisms of humanism by arguing for its alignment with scientific progress and moral responsibility, drawing on Western philosophical traditions from ancient Greece to modern rationalism. Similarly, Forbidden Fruit: The Ethics of Secularism (1988, with a 2008 edition) defends secular ethics as enabling creative human development free from dogmatic constraints, positing that moral progress arises from experiential learning and social cooperation rather than divine command. Key manifestos edited or authored by Kurtz further exemplify the publisher's commitment to humanist principles. Humanist Manifesto 2000: A Call to New Planetary (2000) updates earlier declarations by addressing global issues like environmental sustainability, , and democratic through a non-theistic lens, urging reliance on and reason for fulfillment. Reprints of Humanist Manifestos I and II (originally 1933 and 1973, with Prometheus editions in the ) have sustained these foundational texts, which reject supernaturalism in favor of naturalistic and individual liberty. These publications, often tied to Kurtz's role in organizations like the Council for , have facilitated the global spread of such ideas, including through donations of thousands of copies to humanist groups in developing regions. In philosophical domains, Prometheus titles explore naturalistic metaphysics and , challenging explanations. Kurtz's Philosophical Essays in Pragmatic Naturalism (1990) integrates with , critiquing and dualism while advocating inquiry-based knowledge as the basis for human advancement. The Prometheus Lecture Series, launched in the 1990s, includes volumes like Atheistic (1992), which examines humanism's compatibility with by analyzing diverse philosophical aspects from to cosmology. Another entry, The Vanquished Gods: , , and the Nature of Belief (1998) by Richard L. Rubenstein, interrogates religious narratives through historical and scientific scrutiny, arguing that modern disbelief stems from evidential failures in theistic claims. These works collectively prioritize causal explanations rooted in observable reality, influencing debates on and belief systems.

Major Libel Lawsuits

In 1992, initiated a libel against physicist and Prometheus Books over claims in Stenger's book Physics and the Impossibility of Paranormal Phenomena, which characterized Geller's purported abilities, including spoon-bending, as fraudulent. The suit was dismissed by the court, with Geller ordered to pay more than $20,000 in legal costs to the defendants. That same year, in April 1992, Geller filed a separate $4 million suit against Prometheus Books, alleging libelous content in two publications that critiqued his claims, including James Randi's . The case was dismissed in 1994, marking another legal defeat for Geller in his efforts to challenge skeptical exposés published by the company. These actions formed part of broader litigation by Geller against skeptics affiliated with and the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the (CSICOP), which shared ties with the company. A global settlement in the mid-1990s resolved multiple outstanding claims, requiring Geller to pay CSICOP $70,000 in installments over three years, plus the first $50,000 from any future recoveries, while dropping suits against principals like and inserting errata in certain editions to acknowledge Geller's stage performance context without conceding factual inaccuracies. Overall, Geller's three suits against resulted in losses, reinforcing the publisher's position that its critiques were protected opinion and factual reporting on against assertions.

Broader Criticisms and Backlash

Prometheus Books has faced ideological opposition from religious organizations and faith-based commentators, who regard its extensive catalog of skeptical and titles as contributing to the and of society by systematically challenging claims and religious doctrines. Such critics, often from conservative or fundamentalist perspectives, have portrayed the publisher as a key vector for "militant ," accusing it of eroding traditional ethical foundations without offering viable alternatives rooted in empirical . This backlash intensified around publications like Victor Stenger's God: The Failed Hypothesis (2007), which applied scientific criteria to theological assertions, prompting rebuttals from theologians who argued it misrepresented as testable hypotheses. Within academic and philosophical discourse, broader critiques have targeted the publisher's underlying worldview for its perceived and reductive , as exemplified by founder Paul Kurtz's emphasis on Western . Detractors contend that Prometheus's approach indiscriminately equates non-Western traditional practices—such as or —with pseudoscientific pursuits like , thereby overlooking culturally embedded empirical insights and reinforcing a progressivist akin to 19th-century . This stance has been faulted for a narrow focus on debunking claims at the expense of engaging complex modern scientific uncertainties, such as ecological limits or hazards, potentially fostering a dogmatic dismissal of legitimate public apprehensions. Internal to the skeptic and humanist communities, some backlash arose from Kurtz's own reservations about more confrontational "New Atheist" trends, despite Prometheus publishing works aligned with them; Kurtz criticized such authors for prioritizing anti-religious over constructive eupraxsophy (joyful wisdom), viewing it as insufficiently humanistic. These tensions highlight accusations of inconsistency, with the publisher's output sometimes seen as straddling reasoned and ideological , though empirical defenses emphasize its role in prioritizing verifiable over unfalsifiable beliefs.

Business Evolution

Partnerships and Early Independence

Prometheus Books was founded in 1969 by philosopher Paul Kurtz, who established the company in Amherst, New York, as an independent publisher focused on freethought, skepticism, and rationalist nonfiction. Kurtz, a proponent of secular humanism and founder of organizations like the Council for Secular Humanism, aimed to challenge supernaturalism and pseudoscience through evidence-driven publications, maintaining complete operational autonomy including editorial decisions, printing, and distribution without external affiliations. This early independence enabled the press to build a catalog of over 1,000 titles by the 1990s, emphasizing works by authors such as Martin Gardner and Carl Sagan, while handling logistics internally to preserve control over its mission. For its first 44 years, Prometheus operated without distribution partnerships, relying on direct sales channels, academic networks, and its own warehouse operations to reach audiences interested in science, , and . The company's structure under Kurtz, who served as chairman until his death in 2012, prioritized ideological consistency over commercial scalability, resulting in steady but niche growth amid a publishing landscape dominated by larger conglomerates. Leadership transitioned to Kurtz's son, Jonathan Kurtz, as president, who continued the independent model while navigating increasing pressures from digital shifts and market consolidation. In January 2013, after decades of self-reliant distribution, announced a multiyear sales and distribution partnership with Publisher Services (RHPS), effective April 1, 2013, to broaden access to its titles amid rising costs and competitive demands. Under the agreement, RHPS provided exclusive sales representation, , and logistics for both print and emerging e-book formats, while retained and branding. This collaboration marked the first major external alliance in the company's , aimed at expanding retail and international reach without compromising its commitment to empirically grounded content, though it signaled the challenges of sustaining full autonomy in a consolidating industry.

Acquisition and Integration (2019–Present)

In June 2019, Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group acquired the publishing assets of Prometheus Books, encompassing a backlist of approximately 1,700 active titles. The transaction, announced on June 18, positioned the trade-oriented Prometheus Books imprint within Globe Pequot, Rowman & Littlefield's trade division focused on , while the more academic Humanity Books line was absorbed into the parent company's scholarly publishing operations. This restructuring followed Prometheus's divestiture of its fiction imprints in late 2018, refocusing the publisher on its foundational strengths in and . Post-acquisition integration emphasized continuity, with sales and distribution shifting to Rowman & Littlefield's National Book Network effective June 30, 2019, replacing prior arrangements with . Prometheus Books president Jonathan Kurtz described the partnership as aligned with the imprint's mission to promote , citing Rowman & Littlefield's support for scholarly and trade publishing. Under Globe Pequot, the imprint has retained its headquarters in , and , continuing to produce titles in , , , , and related fields translated into over 50 languages. Since 2019, Prometheus Books has sustained active , including new nonfiction releases that uphold its empirical and rationalist ethos, as demonstrated by ongoing book deals and catalog expansions into , , and current events. The acquisition has enabled access to broader distribution networks without apparent disruption to output, preserving Prometheus's role in advancing secular humanist literature amid a consolidated landscape.

Reception, Impact, and Legacy

Achievements in Promoting Empirical Inquiry

Prometheus Books advanced empirical inquiry by publishing seminal critiques of that emphasized testable hypotheses, reproducible evidence, and as benchmarks for knowledge claims. Founded in 1969 by philosopher , the press issued works such as Martin Gardner's Science: Good, Bad, and Bogus (1981), which systematically dismantled pseudoscientific fads through logical analysis and scientific principles, influencing generations of readers to prioritize empirical validation over anecdotal reports. The publisher further bolstered with James Randi's Flim-Flam! Psychics, ESP, Unicorns, and Other Delusions (1982), a detailed exposé employing controlled experiments and to refute claims of abilities, thereby modeling empirical methodologies for debunking extraordinary assertions lacking evidential support. Kurtz's own The New Skepticism: Inquiry and Reliable Knowledge (1992) articulated a framework for applying to and via objective standards derived from scientific practice, arguing that reliable knowledge emerges from critical examination rather than dogmatic acceptance. Through such titles and its role in disseminating Committee for Skeptical Inquiry materials—Kurtz having founded the organization in 1976—Prometheus Books facilitated the organized scrutiny of thousands of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims, promoting a culture of evidence-driven discourse that countered reliance on intuition or authority. By the 2010s, the press had amassed a backlist exceeding 1,700 active titles, many dedicated to empirical defenses of science against fringe ideologies, thereby amplifying rationalist voices and contributing to the mainstreaming of critical thinking in public debates. This output, peaking at around 100 books annually under Kurtz's direction, underscored the publisher's commitment to rigorous, data-informed inquiry over speculative narratives.

Critiques of Bias and Methodological Shortcomings

Critics of the skeptical movement, including authors published by Prometheus Books, have accused the publisher of fostering a dogmatic that prioritizes debunking over open empirical testing, a phenomenon termed "pseudoskepticism" by former (CSI) co-founder Marcello Truzzi. Truzzi, who departed CSICOP (CSI's predecessor, co-founded by Prometheus founder ) in 1977, argued that many self-proclaimed skeptics dismiss extraordinary claims a priori based on philosophical commitments to rather than awaiting disconfirming evidence, leading to methodological rigidity such as refusing to replicate controversial experiments like those in . This critique posits that Prometheus's catalog, dominated by titles refuting , religious, and pseudoscientific assertions—such as James Randi's The Faith Healers (1987) and Victor Stenger's God: The Failed Hypothesis (2007)—reinforces a selective that applies stringent standards to fringe claims while accepting mainstream uncritically, even when anomalies persist. Parapsychologists and sympathetic researchers have highlighted specific methodological shortcomings in Prometheus-published critiques, including overreliance on anecdotal dismissal and failure to engage with meta-analyses showing statistical anomalies. For example, Charles Honorton, in his 1985 paper "Rhetoric over substance: the impoverished state of skepticism," faulted skeptics affiliated with CSICOP (many of whose works Prometheus disseminated) for prioritizing rhetorical attacks on parapsychological methods over substantive replication attempts, such as in the Ganzfeld experiments where hit rates exceeded chance ( odds against chance: 10^5 to 1 as of 1985). Honorton's critique, echoed in broader debates, suggests that Prometheus's emphasis on adversarial debunking—evident in books like and Robert Almeder's exchanges—often substitutes philosophical priors for controlled testing, potentially biasing against non-local phenomena without exhausting probabilistic explanations. Philosophical detractors further contend that Prometheus's output reflects an ideological bias toward 19th-century positivism, overlooking postmodern critiques of science's social embeddedness and capitalism's influence on knowledge production. In a 1990s analysis, Leon N. Papachristou described Kurtz's vision, embodied in Prometheus's branding and titles like The New Skepticism (1992), as a "throwback to 19th century positivism" that naively equates science with unassailable progress, ignoring how economic interests shape empirical priorities. This alleged shortsightedness manifests methodologically in the publisher's underrepresentation of works exploring science's limitations, such as paradigm shifts or cultural biases in hypothesis selection, favoring instead eupsychic humanism that presumes rationalism's universality without addressing its Eurocentric roots or failures in non-Western contexts. Some observers, including those within atheist circles, have noted Prometheus's overt ideological slant as the "premier atheist publisher," arguing it compromises neutrality by curating a catalog (over 1,500 titles by 2019) that systematically challenges while sidelining defenses of faith-based epistemologies or internal scientific . This , critics claim, undermines claims of pure , as evidenced by the rarity of titles probing skeptic icons' own methodological lapses, such as Randi's unverified $1 million challenge protocols lacking independent oversight until 2015 reforms. Such patterns suggest a house style prioritizing worldview affirmation over , though proponents counter that market demand and editorial focus on evidence-based justify the emphasis.

References

  1. https://www.globepequot.com/imprint/prometheus-books/
  2. https://skepticalinquirer.org/2020/05/prometheus-unbound-publisher-of-skeptic-freethought-books-enters-a-new-phase/
  3. https://independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1287
  4. https://www.shelf-awareness.com/theshelf/2019-06-19/rowman_littlefield_acquires_prometheus_books.html
  5. https://www.globepequot.com/prometheus-books-title-psychology-according-to-shakespeare-wins-apas-prestigious-william-james-book-award/
  6. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/78564-prometheus-sells-fiction-imprints-to-start-publishing.html
  7. https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/2110/prometheus-bound
  8. https://superscholar.org/interviews/paul-kurtz/
  9. http://www.globaljournalct.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Barta_Kurtz_ppr_GJCT_vol-10-no-3.pdf
  10. https://philosophynow.org/issues/38/Paul_Kurtz
  11. https://www.kurtzinstitute.org/legacy
  12. https://skepticalinquirer.org/history-of-csicop/
  13. https://centerforinquiry.org/about/the-history-of-cfi/
  14. https://secularhumanism.org/2013/01/cont_anon_33_1/
  15. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathangmkurtz
  16. https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/19/arts/vigorous-skeptic-everything-but-fact-his-target-paranormal-tv-film.html
  17. https://rjosephhoffmann.wordpress.com/2012/10/21/paul-kurtz-december-21-1925-october-20-2012/
  18. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/24/nyregion/paul-kurtz-humanist-and-philosopher-dead-at-86.html
  19. https://www.sfscope.com/2013/02/prometheus-books-enters-sales-and-distribution-agreement-with-random-house-publisher-services/
  20. https://www.scribd.com/document/404125655/Paul-Kurtz-ed-Skeptical-Odysseys-2001-Prometheus-Books-pdf
  21. https://www.amazon.com/New-Skepticism-Paul-Kurtz/dp/0879757663
  22. https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Science-Pseudoscience-Antiscience-Disinformation/dp/1633889386
  23. https://centerforinquiry.org/store/product/science-under-siege-defending-science-exposing-pseudoscience/
  24. https://www.ebay.com/itm/406199262713
  25. https://www.abebooks.com/9780879753627/Transcendental-Temptation-Critique-Religion-Paranormal-0879753625/plp
  26. https://www.amazon.com/God-Folly-Faith-Incompatibility-Religion/dp/1616145994
  27. https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Faith-Whats-Wrong-People/dp/161614470X
  28. https://www.amazon.com/Popular-Beliefs-That-People-Think/dp/1616144955
  29. https://books.google.com/books/about/Exuberant_Skepticism.html?id=HFsEut6lA94C
  30. https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-paul-kurtz-20121028-story.html
  31. https://readandcobooks.ca/2019/06/20/rowman-littlefield-acquires-prometheus-books/
  32. http://louanders.blogspot.com/2012/10/paul-kurtz-publisher-public.html
  33. https://www.worldswithoutend.com/publisher.asp?ID=1004
  34. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/manufacturing/article/55494-distribution-prometheus-and-random-house-publisher-services-agree.html
  35. https://www.prometheusbooks.com/9780879756758/the-origin-of-species/
  36. https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Nations-Great-Minds-Smith/dp/0879757051
  37. https://www.abebooks.com/9780879758844/Women-Economics-Great-Minds-Series-0879758848/plp
  38. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Prometheus_Books
  39. https://penguinbookshop.com/book/9781573921091
  40. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Skeptics-Handbook-of-Parapsychology/Paul-Kurtz/9780879753009
  41. https://www.abebooks.com/9780879753009/Skeptics-Handbook-Parapsychology-0879753005/plp
  42. https://www.amazon.com/Transcendental-Temptation-Paul-Kurtz/dp/0879756454
  43. https://archive.org/details/newskepticisminq0000kurt
  44. https://martin-gardner.org/SkepBooks.html
  45. https://archive.org/details/espparapsycholog00hans
  46. https://www.amazon.com/Defense-Secular-Humanism-Paul-Kurtz/dp/0879752289
  47. https://www.prometheusbooks.com/9781591026662/forbidden-fruit/
  48. https://archive.org/details/humanistmanifest00kurt_0
  49. https://www.ebay.com/itm/167097637909
  50. https://www.amazon.com/Philosophical-Essays-Pragmatic-Naturalism-Kurtz/dp/087975592X
  51. https://booksrun.com/9780879758479-atheistic-humanism-the-prometheus-lectures-1st-edition
  52. https://www.amazon.com/Prometheus-Lectures-4-book-series/dp/B08R7HVJZR
  53. https://archive.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/2274-another-fantasy-trip-by-geller.html
  54. https://cdn.centerforinquiry.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/1995/05/22165107/p05.pdf
  55. https://scripturecentral.org/archive/periodicals/journal-article/signature-books-saga
  56. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1585&context=msr
  57. https://www.amazon.com/God-Failed-Hypothesis-Science-Shows/dp/1591024811
  58. http://www.columbia.edu/~lnp3/mydocs/modernism/skepticism.htm
  59. https://3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2011/03/take-two-accommodationism-and-atheism.html
  60. https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2013/01/people-etc-165/
  61. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/archive.html?page=13
  62. https://www.millersbookreview.com/p/announcing-my-new-book-about-books
  63. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/entertainment/books/1982/01/10/science-good-bad-and-bogus-by-martin-gardner-prometheus-books-408-pp-1895/eb08fd71-84e8-4867-9663-df8716935508/
  64. https://www.abebooks.com/9781633888586/Flim-Flam-Randi-James-1633888584/plp
  65. https://dokumen.pub/the-new-skepticism-inquiry-and-reliable-knowledge-0879757663-9780879757663.html
  66. https://skepticalinquirer.org/2015/03/organized-skepticism-four-decades-and-today/
  67. https://pocketmags.com/skeptical-inquirer-magazine/mayjune-2020/articles/prometheus-unbound-publisher-of-skeptic-freethought-books-enters-a-new-phase
  68. https://www.newdualism.org/pseudoskepticism.htm
  69. https://mitch-horowitz-nyc.medium.com/the-crisis-of-professional-skepticism-e21a2e31ca48
  70. https://www.debunking-christianity.com/2009/12/prometheus-books-is-premier-atheist.html
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.