Atheism And Agnosticism

An overview essay and approximately 50 alphabetically arranged reference entries explore the background and significance of atheism and agnosticism in modern society. This is the age of atheism and agnosticism. The number of people living without religious belief and practice is quickly and dramatically rising. Some experts call nonreligion, after Christianity and Islam, the third largest "religion" in the world today. Understanding the origins, history, variations, and impact of atheism and agnosticism is crucial to getting a grasp of the meaning of the present and gaining a glimpse of the future. Exploring some of the most extraordinary people, events, and ideas of all time, this book provides a fair, comprehensive, and engaging survey of all aspects of contemporary atheism and agnosticism. An overview essay discusses the background and social and political contexts of unbelief, while a timeline highlights key events. Some 50 alphabetically arranged reference entries follow, with each providing fundamental, objective information about particular topics along with cross-references and suggestions for further reading. The volume closes with an annotated bibliography of the most important resources on atheism and agnosticism.

In a time marked by prominent public clashes between theists and atheists, much less attention has been given to the question of agnosticism, whether in public debate or in academic literature. This is all the more surprising given that so many in Western society feel unable to identify unequivocally with either theism or atheism. This book brings together some leading contemporary philosophers, from both the analytic and continental traditions, to give a sustained and in-depth treatment of the question of agnosticism. Approaching the question from a variety of stances and employing different methodologies, the contributors explore the various possible meanings of agnosticism today. Several of them develop what they describe as a 'New Agnosticism,' where the relationship with theism or forms of religious belief is not as mutually exclusive as has often been assumed. Others look for signs of agnosticism in places where it is not usually thought to be found, such as in forms of continental philosophy, and even in theology itself. They also raise interesting methodological questions at the intersection of analytic and continental philosophy. These are stimulating and innovative essays working with the most recent developments in philosophy and religious thought. They open up new avenues of thought that will be of interest to philosophers, theologians, and other thoughtful readers, whether theist, atheist, or agnostic.

Atheism: The Basics is a concise and engaging introduction to belief in the non-existence of deities. Atheism has long fascinated people but debate around this controversial position may seem daunting. In this lively and lucid book, Graham Oppy addresses the following important questions: • What does it mean to be an atheist? • What is the difference between atheism, agnosticism, theism and innocence? • How has atheism been distributed over time and place? • What does science tell us about atheism? • Are there good reasons to be an atheist? • Are there good reasons not to be an atheist? • What do we mean by ‘new atheism'? With a glossary of key terms and suggestions for further reading throughout, the book considers key philosophical arguments around atheism, making this an ideal starting point for anyone seeking a full introduction to the arguments between those who hold atheistic beliefs and those who do not.

The Errors of Atheism is a response to the glaring gap that exists in analytical philosophy on the concept of God. While there is the large body of work that either defends or challenges orthodox Christian theistic arguments, there is a lack of analytical philosophical work articulating agnosticism as a critique of both theism and atheism. J. Angelo Corlett shows that the conceptual depths of theism must be explored beyond orthodoxy in order to re-open the debate on the problem of God. His book is an agnostic's statement on the current state of the debate about God's existence and where the discussion must go to make genuine philosophical progress instead of remaining in a dialectical stalemate.

An overview essay and approximately 50 alphabetically arranged reference entries explore the background and significance of atheism and agnosticism in modern society. This is the age of atheism and agnosticism. The number of people living without religious belief and practice is quickly and dramatically rising. Some experts call nonreligion, after Christianity and Islam, the third largest "religion" in the world today. Understanding the origins, history, variations, and impact of atheism and agnosticism is crucial to getting a grasp of the meaning of the present and gaining a glimpse of the future. Exploring some of the most extraordinary people, events, and ideas of all time, this book provides a fair, comprehensive, and engaging survey of all aspects of contemporary atheism and agnosticism. An overview essay discusses the background and social and political contexts of unbelief, while a timeline highlights key events. Some 50 alphabetically arranged reference entries follow, with each providing fundamental, objective information about particular topics along with cross-references and suggestions for further reading. The volume closes with an annotated bibliography of the most important resources on atheism and agnosticism.

What is agnosticism? Is it just the 'don't know' position on God, or is there more to it than this? Is it a belief, or merely the absence of belief? Who were the first to call themselves 'agnostics'? These are just some of the questions that Robin Le Poidevin considers in this Very Short Introduction. He sets the philosophical case for agnosticism and explores it as a historical and cultural phenomenon. What emerges is a much more sophisticated, and much more interesting, attitude than a simple failure to either commit to, or reject, religious belief. Le Poidevin challenges some preconceptions and assumptions among both believers and non-atheists, and invites the reader to rethink their own position on the issues. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Agnostic Atheist: The Study of the Fastest Growing Population in the World Today According to many recent reports and international polls, the number of agnostic atheists has been on the rise. This can be seen as good news or bad news for different people. It is good news for many agnostic atheists because it is a sign that more and more people are realizing what they have known for quite some time now. It is also a sign that their ways of educating the public about agnosticism and atheism are not futile at all. On the other hand, such news would be a bad one for the religious leaders and most of their followers. Many societies still stigmatize agnostic atheists and irreligious people for their way of thinking. The rising numbers of such people could be seen as a threat by the some religious people, and this result to more aggressive attacks that can be heard their sermons and preaches to the public. However, agnostic atheists need not to be concerned by such negative actions because there are more important things to be concerned about. In this e-book, you would have much fuller understanding of the workings of an agnostic atheist. You would also learn about the different types of irreligion that many people believe in. You will also get to know which countries more supportive of the agnostic atheists and other irreligious people. There is also another chapter that is dedicated to some agnostic atheists who made a significant impact to their society. By gaining more knowledge about such things, you would be able to have a broader yet more concentrated understanding of agnostic atheism.