Atheism: A Very Short Introduction

Makes a strong case for atheism. I was very pleased to see many of the arguments I was already using put in such a clear and convincing fashion. This morning, I traded my copy to some Jehovah's Witnesses -- I made them promise to read it if I promised to read their copy of the Watchtower and Awake. I've now read both, and found them significantly less convincing than Baggini's _Atheism_. Perhaps I will write to Baggini and ask if he would put together a shorter version of _Atheism_ and sell it inexpensively, so I could always have a copy on hand for door-to-door missionaries.

I had not heard of _Atheism: A Very Short Introduction_ prior to receiving it as a gift from a friend. As I read the book, however, I quickly realized that Julian Baggini had written a masterful introduction to atheism, one that is sure to become a classic for years to come. Here is the table of contents:PrefaceList of Illustrations1. What Is Atheism?2. The Case for Atheism3. Atheist Ethics4. Meaning and Purpose5. Atheism in History6. Against Religion?7. ConclusionReferences and further readingIndexIn chapter 1, Baggini explains his primary purpose in _Atheism_ is to "provide a positive case for atheism," which he defines as "the belief that there is no God or gods" (p. 3). As Baggini correctly explains, atheism is not materialism, and Baggini makes it clear that he rejects materialism. Instead, most atheism is rooted in "the broader claims of naturalism" (p. 7). Since naturalism *entails* atheism, any evidence for naturalism is automatically evidence for naturalism. (The converse is not necessarily true, however.) In Baggini's words, "atheism is essentially a form of naturalism and so its main evidential base is the evidence for naturalism" (p. 16). Why is this significant? Because the evidential case for naturalism is much broader than the evidential case for atheism. Thus, Baggini's case for atheism has a far greater explanatory scope than the cases found in recent defenses of atheism by such scholars as Martin, Rowe, Le Poidevin, Smith, and Mackie, who do not defend atheism by appealing to the case for naturalism.In chapter 2, Baggini sets forth his case for atheism. It includes (i) the absence of evidence of the supernatural; (ii) the physical dependence of the mind upon the brain; (iii) the simplicity of naturalism compared to supernatural alternatives, including theism; (iv) religious diversity; and (v) the problem of evil. Baggini concludes that atheism is the best explanation for these facts.In chapter 3, Baggini discusses the relationship between atheism and ethics. His refutation of the idea that moral laws require a moral lawgiver is excellent. As he puts it, morality "is the basis upon which just laws are enacted and enforced; it is not constituted by the laws themselves" (p. 38). Thus, if we think of God as a moral lawgiver, God's laws will be moral only if "they conform to moral principles which are independent of God" (p. 38). Baggini also argues that an atheist ethics can combine features of Aristotelian, Kantian, and Utilitarian ethics. In chapter 4, he explains a related issue, the relationship between atheism, meaning, and purpose. He refutes the idea that God is a necessary or sufficient condition for a meaningful life. As Baggini points out, just because a creator gives a purpose to its creature hardly makes the purpose significant *for the creature* (p. 59). Ultimately, life's ultimate purpose must be something which is intrinsically valuable. That something, he argues, is life itself. Moreover, immortality isn't required

While there are various arguments against theism, the author sticks to a basic one: there is nothing properly describable as evidence proving the existance of a god or gods, and based on the arguments given by honest and reasonable proponents of theism, there never can be. The rest, as they say, is commentary.The book is a good basic introduction to the topic for readers who have outgrown their old faith, realize that they cannot go back (except at the cost of heaving their rationality and common sense overboard), and want a deeper philosophical grounding for their views. I would especially recommend it to younger readers (around high-school age, say) whose childhood religious instruction was either mostly pro forma (like many of us) or who had no religious training at all. (Lucky them! The residue of childhood socialization is a frequent sticking point for people who sense that their faith is no longer believable, but who balk at admitting as much to themselves.) As for most of the rest--young and old alike--I certainly do not recommend they upset themselves by reading anything they are not yet ready for. Needless to say, such a small book can hardly be said to be an exhaustive treatment. (What book could?) The reading list at the back has some good books for those who wish to go further. (I would have included Mencken's "Treatise on the Gods" for fun, but that's just me.)The author deserves praise for swatting down (among other things) a favorite smear employed against atheists, agnostics, and even anyone entertaining doubts, no matter how blameless their lives. This is the oft repeated cant that Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union were both atheist states. In the first instance, this is wrong, and in the second, Professor Baggini makes that point that militant atheism can certainly have deadly consequences. So can militant Christianity and militant Islam, just to start. In fact, with the collapse of Soviet Communism, fanatical religion has now resumed it's customary place as the chief threat to human life and liberty. To conclude, it is curious that (up to now at least) the reviews on this page that praise this book have been--like the book itself--reasonable and temperate, even if one disagrees with them. On the other hand, the ones that criticize do not merely say the author is mistaken; they indulge in the sort of hysterical rhetoric one would usualy find under a revival tent. They are also strewn with basic spelling errors, whether made in rage or ignorance I do not know. (Dyslexia, perhaps?) A suggestion for future hostile reviewers: Use a word processing program with spell check; than copy and paste to the web page.

This is definitely a jewel of a little book. Clear rational thinking and to the point. It presents the arguments for the non-existence of a supernatural being in simple language. It shows why there is abundant evidence that everything exists within the natural world and why the arguments for a supernatural domain are utterly flawed.As for the one negative review below, just take it at face value. It's most likely writen by Rev. Cheung himself. I took his advice and checked out some of his books. Well, his total lack of rational thinking is frightening. His writing clearly show how possessed by the supernatural one can become, basically losing all sense of reality. His book ( and all his writings) is based on the assumption that the Bible is the infallible word of God. Why? Just because he says so! He writes page after page based on this alone, and thus every argument he makes is utterly flawed. He claims that -- "the power of the dogmatically argument is such that it conclusively establishes the entire Christian faith as true, and simultaneously serves as a conclusive refutation to all non-Christian ideas and worldviews, whether known or unknown" -- He uses this type argument to prove such points as -- "since evolution contradicts Scripture, then evolution is automatically false" -- ! Need I go on . I have never had such a good laugh reading fundamentalist "philosophy". Reading his books leads one to clearly understand why supernaturalistic systems of belief can not be taken seriously as a world view or philosophy for society today. As their foundation, Cheung and others like him, have rejected reason and find no problem with rejecting 2000 years of accumulated scientific knowledge. The philosophy that Cheung propounds is one that would promote the idea that we are simply passing through this sin stained world on our way to God's kingdom. This is the same philosophy responsible for the 9/11 terrorism.

ATHEISM.A Very Short Introduction.J. Baggini.This is the second book of the Very Short Introduction series that I have read, and like the earlier one, Coles' COSMOLOGY, it too is a gem. So clear and concise, cutting through all the obfuscating jargon that so often befuddles and bewilders the anxious reader. But you immediately sense that you can trust Baggini to take you on his tour, because you already know from the beginning where he stands, and where he proposes to lead you. His arguments may not be incontrovertible, but they are difficult to refute. His honest and sincere approach is evident from the beginning, and he adds many light touches from personal experience, all the while keeping a steady eye on the central theme of justifying atheism by adhering to precepts of naturalism and rationalism.Baggini leads the reader by the hand across a minefield of technical terms that might frighten off laymen. He leads you with confidence around such terms as abduction and induction, and eliminative materialism and naturalism, dogmatism and agnosticism, strong evidence and weak evidence, so that you can actually understand him with relative ease; and perhaps more importantly, you can actually agree with him. Interestingly he invokes abduction, the principle of the best explanation that fits the available facts. Is the best also the simplest? He explains what atheism is and what atheism isn't. Even palindromic utterances such as `absence of evidence is not evidence of absence' are carefully and simply explained. The author also swiftly debunks all the so-called arguments proving the existence of God, calling the cosmological `awful', the teleological `terrible', and the ontological `at least philosophically interesting'. And everywhere Baggini displays consistency by referring to evidence, experience and experiment to buttress his justification for atheism. He never takes metaphysical flight, always being grounded in reality. This methodical approach, always illuminating, with lucid writing, marked by restraint and integrity at every turn, to a thorny and difficult subject, is worth any thinking person's time.The author finds enough room in this slim tome to include a much-needed appraisal of the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, with respect to the role of atheism. Again he tackles a tricky issue in a forthright, comprehensible and convincing manner, exposing pitfalls in the reasoning of those people trying to blame atheism for all the evil actions of these regimes that achieved eternal infamy.My personal favorite is the passage that I would consider constitutes the climax of the book: the value placed on the principal achievement of atheism in the modern world, namely secular humanism. It is only a question of time, as higher education spreads through an ever-increasing percentage of society, and belief in superstitions and the supernatural inevitably decline, that we shall attain the ultimate goal of a truly open-minded, pro