A short history of atheism / by Gavin Hyman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hyman, Gavin, 1974- author.

Series:

Library of modern religion ; Volume 13.

Library of Modern Religion ; Volume 13

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Atheism--History.

Atheism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (233 p.)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

London : I.B. Tauris, 2010.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

"The last few years have seen a remarkable surge of popular interest in the topic of atheism. Books about atheism by writers like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens have figured prominently in bestseller lists and have attracted widespread discussion in the media. The ubiquity of public debates about atheism, especially in conscious opposition to the perceived social threat posed by faith and religion, has been startling. However, as Gavin Hyman points out, despite their prevalence and popularity, what often characterises these debates is a lack of nuance and sophistication. They can be shrill, ignorant of the historical complexity of debates about belief, and tend to lapse into caricature. What is needed is a clear and well informed presentation of how atheistic ideas originated and developed, in order to illuminate their contemporary relevance and application. That task is what the author undertakes here. Exploring the rise of atheism as an explicit philosophical position (notably in the work of Denis Diderot), Hyman traces its development in the later ideas of Descartes, Locke and Berkeley. Drawing also on the work of contemporary scholars like Amos Funkenstein and Michael J Buckley, the author shows that, since in recent theology the concept of God which atheists negate is changing, the triumph of its advocates may not be quite as unequivocal as Hitchens and Dawkins would have us believe."--Bloomsbury Publishing.

Contents:

Cover; Contents; Foreword; Introduction; Chapter 1 - The 'Appearance' of Atheism in Modern History; Chapter 2 - The Development of Atheism in Modern Thought; Chapter 3 - The God that Modern Atheism Rejects; Chapter 4 - The Theological Origins of Modern Atheism; Chapter 5 - Atheism and the Rise of Biblical Criticism; Chapter 6 - Atheism and the Rise of Science; Chapter 7 - Atheism, Evil and Suffering; Chapter 8 - The End of Modernity - The End of Atheism?; Notes; Bibliography; Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786612931994

9780755625352

0755625358

9780857730350

0857730355

9781282931992

1282931997

9781441681331

1441681337

9780857718310

0857718312

9786000041250

600004125X

OCLC:

693781082