This addition to the Oxford University Press 'Very Short
Introductions' series - a sparkling run of (almost) pocket-sized
books presenting helpful entrees to over 100 subjects - sees Julian
Baggini lay out the flesh and bones of atheism with astonishing
clarity. In a brief space, Baggini, a veteran philosophic author
and editor who has already written several solid books including
Making Sense - Philosophy Behind The Headlines, describes a pet
subject with intelligence and sympathy. Atheism, he points out, is
not the militant anti-God stance it may perhaps seem, but a
rationally described worldview that has arrived at its own set of
conclusions in the same way as any other thought system. Typically
practical in thought and language, Baggini's introduction to the
subject is impressive not only for its scope but for its empathy:
he points out the humanity of the position in gentle stages,
travelling far away from his starting point of atheism as a mythic
'dark alternative' to Christianity or polytheism, without rancour
or bombast. Its humanistic dignity becomes gradually clear as the
book unravels with a beguiling technical perfection: the text moves
us quickly through a dismantling of misconceived ideas about the
subject to an easily understood potted primer on its more
sophisticated 'real' forms, and culminates in a sympathetic display
of the application of considerate atheism (interchangeable in
Baggini's mind with humanism) to the business of being alive. In
such a constricted space this is not far short of a miracle.
Baggini's philosophical tools are clearly well sharpened through
constant use and the language of rational argument flows naturally
through this introduction to a sometimes difficult and
controversial subject. If anyone can persuade you that atheism is
not the delinquent child of Western belief systems, this man can.
(Kirkus UK)
Atheism is often considered to be a negative, dark, and pessimistic belief which is characterised by a rejection of values and purpose and a fierce opposition to religion.
Atheism: A Very Short Introduction sets out to dispel the myths that surround atheism and show how a life without religious belief can be positive, meaningful, and moral. It also confronts the failure of officially atheist states in the Twentieth Century. The book presents an intellectual case for atheism that rests as much upon positive arguments for its truth as on negative arguments against religion.
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