Atheism Explained: From Folly to Philosophy [Paperback]

This book is a marketing nightmare. The title, the subtitle, and the cover art are all uninspired. But this is one of the best books outlining a case for atheism that I've read. It is clear, user-friendly, and logical. The logical evidence against classical theism is treated in a comprehensive presentation that does not feel labored, and manages to dodge some of the excesses of books by Dawkins and Hitchens. If I were told that a Christian friend were experiencing doubts about her faith and she was asking for recommendations for three books explaining atheism as a rational, satisfying alternative, this book might well be among the three. After years of having very few readable books on atheism, the last couple of years have witnessed an explosion of fine, readable texts. Put "Atheism Explained" on the shelf next to "Irreligion," "The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality," "Godless Philosophy," and other such books. The place for "God is Not Great" and "The God Delusion" is important, because they have opened a window. I would argue that what they have opened that window for is gentler, wiser books such as this one.

One of the best contributions the book makes is in an appendix about arguments NOT to use for atheism. Every atheist who feels compelled to convert the religious to atheism should read it. I think reducing the toxic effects of fundamentalism is a noble, necessary aim. But sinking to the tactics that fundamentalists use should play no part in our strategy to combat fanaticism. This appendix outlines "arguments" that toe that line and cautions against their use.

Dozens of books for and against atheism are now coming out, and the quality is very mixed on both sides of the debate. Among books of a general and popular nature, Steele's book is by far the best pro-atheist statement.

He covers all the arguments, and the most committed believer would have to agree that he does so with complete fairness. His exposition is crystal clear: he makes the most complex issues easy to understand. The book is so fair-minded and such an easy read that a beginning Christian theology student could read it in a weekend, simply to get a quick outline of philosophy of religion. Steele is also quite critical of some ideas commonly held by atheists: for example he refutes the claim that belief in God leads to atrocities.

Although the author is often witty and ironic, he is sympathetic and without malice. The reader feels that if Steele could find a decent argument for the existence of God, he would gladly accept it, and he actually mentions one such argument that might be developed in the future. Meanwhile, he destroys all the standard arguments quite convincingly. The author is extremely polite, but without mercy when it comes to muddled thinking.

Here are some of the notable features of this book: the clearest discussion I have encountered of Darwinism in relation to Christianity; a fresh and entertaining treatment of the claim that morality comes from God; the author's thorough knowledge of the Bible and the Quran (he is as much at home with Aquinas as with Darwin); a devastating scrutiny of the historical reliability of the New Testament; historical evidence showing that atheism has always been prevalent; an illuminating discussion of the theory that we are born with a "God gene" that makes us thirst for a God; an original explanation of why most people today say that they believe in God; and a persuasive analysis of the Problem of Evil, bringing up many relevant points that are usually ignored.

One thing you might not get from all I have said above is that the book really says quite a lot that is controversial, even shocking. For instance, it claims that belief in God always withers on the vine when exposed to modern capitalism (and that American attitudes to religion will now speedily become more like European ones); it attacks the media theory that religion motivates suicide bombings; it debunks the popular view that "you can't prove a negative" and also the common misconception that one side or another has "the burden of proof"; and it concludes that both theism and atheism have little practical importance since they don't tell us how to live our lives.

Christians, Muslims, and Jews who read Atheism Explained will probably become atheists; atheists who read it will have some of their comfortable preconceptions unexpectedly shaken up.

Jeffrey A. Schaler
schaler@american.edu
www.schaler.net

I have read well over a hundred books on religious criticism; and this book is one of the very best general single volume assessments of the rational merit of Theism and Atheism. The book solely deals with the rational merit of atheism versus theism, not with the social merit or demerit of religion, which many other popular atheist books deal with. The author is skilled at making very complex issues accessible to a general audience. The book covers a surprising amount of ground and deals with a wide variety of subjects; including many issues that other books of this nature often leave out, such as ND E's and even the Koran. The author was especially strong when dealing with the Anthropic Principle and the problem of evil. The author has a way of pinpointing the central issues that underlie many of the issues involved. He is a skilled philosopher and is more adapt then many other popular authors when it comes to analyzing the rational merit of key arguments. I highly recommend this book.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 27 reviews  4.5 out of 5 stars