Levine, George

George Levine (1931-) is an American literary scholar and cultural critic who has made significant contributions to understanding secularism and its relationship to meaning, ethics, and human flourishing. Professor Emeritus at Rutgers University, Levine specialized in Victorian literature and the intersection of science and culture. In "The Joy of Secularism: 11 Essays for How We Live Now" (2011), which he edited, Levine challenges the assumption that secularism necessarily leads to disenchantment or moral emptiness. The collection argues that secular worldviews can generate profound experiences of wonder, meaning, and ethical commitment without recourse to religious or supernatural frameworks. His work represents an important intervention in debates about post-religious meaning-making, demonstrating how secular perspectives can affirm life's value and provide robust foundations for ethics and community. Levine's scholarship offers a constructive vision of secularism that moves beyond mere critique of religion to articulate positive secular values.