Agnosticism / Atheism: What's Hot Now: Atheism, Ayn Rand, Heresy

Agnosticism / Atheism: What's Hot Now These articles that had the largest increase in popularity over the last week Atheism, Ayn Rand, Heresy 10 Jul 2011, 11:01 am Is it possible that there is actually some positive value in being a heretic, someone who chooses to follow a path different from what the rest of society tells them to travel? According to George H. Smith, there absolutely is, and in an effort to explain how and why, he addresses a wide variety of topics in this book. Summary Title: Atheism, Ayn Rand, and Other Heresies Author: George H. Smith Publisher: Prometheus Books. ISBN: 9780879755775 Pro: •  Variety of essays on more than just atheism •  Explains how atheism means nothing without skepticism and reason •  Connects skepticism with wider habits of thinking Con: •  Some may not be interested in political essays Description: •  Covers basics about atheism and skeptical thinking •  Covers topics on the history of religion, like Deism •  Addresses controversial political issues, like drug legalization   Book Review Other books of Smith's focus on religion and atheism, but this series of essays goes beyond them to encompass political, philosophical and social "heresies" like drug prohibition, objectivism and children's rights. But the main focus of this book continues to be the "heresy" of being an atheist and rejecting traditional religion. Perhaps the most important essay, in my opinion, is the second one: Atheism and the Virtue of Reasonableness. Here, Smith argues that atheism by itself has no real value or virtue - those can only lie in the development of a "habit of reasonableness." Because this is something which too many atheists either forget or never really learn, it is important to quote him at some length here: Atheism is a consequence, not a cause of reasonableness. There is nothing praiseworthy in atheism as such. Any fool can disbelieve; any idiot can proclaim to the world that God is an illusion. There is nothing inspiring in this, nothing to command respect. That one disbelieves in a god is unimportant, but why one disbelieves is supremely important. [...] The message of rational atheism - our gospel, so to speak - is not that people will be better off if they abandon their religious beliefs. There is no evidence to suggest this. Rather, our gospel should stress the beneficial effects of reason. [...] If you adopt a belief because you believe it is reasonable, and if you have a genuine respect for the canons of reason, then no one can justly accuse you of irrationalism, however mistaken your belief may prove to be. [...] The crucial distinction between "irrational" and "incorrect" applies to different schools of theistic belief. There are rational theists, just as there are rational atheists. Some schools of theism, notably Protestant fundamentalism, explicitly profess irrationalism. Other schools, however, display a genuine regard for reason. Foremost among these rational theists are modern Thomists - the followers of Thomas Aquinas. Atheists do a great disservice to their adversaries (and to themselves) when they lump all theists together indiscriminately and brand the lot as irrational. This procedure tells us more about the ignorance of the atheist than it does about the irrationalism of theists. This stereotyping reveals a failure to study the history of philosophy and theology. It shows, to put it bluntly, that the atheist has not done his homework." Some atheists understand the above and agree with it. Atheism, Ayn Rand, and Other Heresies Image Courtesy PriceGrabber Some understand it, but don't seem to do anything about it on a practical level. Then there are those - too many of them - who don't seem to understand it at all, acting as if all theism and all religion were the same, with no substantive or important differences. These atheists do a disservice to believers, to themselves, and even to rational atheism generally, giving the impression that all atheists are ignorant about religion and arrogant about irreligion. Another important essay in Smith's book is his lengthy introduction to Deism, a religious and philosophical position which developed in the eighteenth century as an attempt to develop a rational and reasonable form of Christianity, or at least of theism. Among their ideas were such things as the abolishment of church hierarchies, promotion of science and learning, and the unity of all of humanity. Deism was an important feature in the thinking of "Founding Fathers" of America and in the European Enlightenment generally. The common theme throughout the book is that people should: 1) be willing to question authority and be skeptical of what they are told; and 2) practice a "habit of reasonableness" which is neither arrogant nor ignorant, but is instead and effort to promote rationality in all areas of thinking. Because of this, all sorts of readers will benefit from it, and it should be on the reading list for anyone of a skeptical or critical mindset. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed.