Sam Harris was raised by a Jewish mother and Quaker father. He studied Buddhism during a temporary leave from Stanford. He returned, earned an undergraduate degree in philosophy, and is currently working on a doctorate in neurology - specifically the basis of belief in the brain.
September 11 motivated him to write his first book, The End of Faith. In it he argues that religion is actually harmful, and religious moderates are just as problematic as fundamentalists.
He gave this talk at the Long Now Foundation right after the book came out. The video quality is bad, but the message makes up for it. Harris explains the difference between religious dogma and genuine spiritual contemplation.
82 minutes. Link to Video
