Customer Reviews

Atheism (A Brief Insight)

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Makes a strong case for atheism. I was very pleased to see many of the arguments I was already using put in such a clear and convincing fashion.

This morning, I traded my copy to some Jehovah's Witnesses -- I made them promise to read it if I promised to read their copy of the Watchtower and Awake. I've now read both, and found them significantly less convincing than Baggini's _Atheism_.

Perhaps I will write to Baggini and ask if he would put together a shorter version of _Atheism_ and sell it inexpensively, so I could always have a copy on hand for door-to-door missionaries.

One of the best short works on atheism that I've come across. But beware, the text was previously published as Atheism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions). This edition has new illustrations and is hardcover.

I was happily working my way through OUP's A Very Short Introduction series when I discovered the A Brief Insight series. They have the same texts, but the print is larger, they are hardcover, and they have many more illustrations, many in color. So unless you want a very small book that you can slip into a pocket, the Brief Insight versions are better.

This entry in the series is by Julian Baggini, a British philosopher and the author of several books about philosophy written for a general audience. He is co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Philosophers' Magazine, and also has quite an interesting website.

Baggini defines atheism as a belief that deities do not exist, but falling short of a dogmatic assertion that they do not. He distances himself from militant atheism. He presents a positive view of atheism rather than a negative view of religion. Perhaps more controversially, he associates atheism with naturalism (the belief that there is only the natural world and not a supernatural one) but the more extreme view, eliminative materialism, he strongly rejects.

The approach throughout is very much that of an academic philosopher. Social and sociobiological approaches are neglected. This is most apparent in Chapter 3, on Atheist Ethics. Baggini gives quite a technical account of a philosophical basis for atheistic ethics, reaching back to Plato, Aristotle and others to make his case. It is interesting, but completely overlooks the simpler and more obvious point that morality is evolutionarily adaptive. Natural selection has produced a moral animal. Baggini is more interested in the details of the various moral codes that philosophers have devised rather than the empirical fact that most of us implicitly follow some sort of moral code by nature.

If, like me, you are working your way through the VSI (or BI) series, then you can be assured that this is a worthy entry. If you want a philosophical insight into the subject, this is an excellent choice. If you would welcome more historical, social and psychological insights, then there are better books out there.
[PeterReeve]

After looking at a few of the reviews for this book I thought I would mention some reasons why I like this little text:
1. It's a short read that is easily digested
2. Mr. Baggini isn't overly militant in the book
3. The book is relatively inexpensive for a book on this subject

I enjoy books that have substance and give one to think, however, this book is special in that it was my first introduction to the subject that I could grasp back in the mid 00's when Oxford University Press published it for its Very Short Introduction Series under the title: Atheism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions). At that time, I wanted to understand the atheist position but I lacked the technical understanding of formal philosophy and logic. Mr. Baggini's book was a perfect insight into the world of atheism, skepticism, and freethought.

I think many of the reviewers seek to make this book into something it is not. The book seems to be intended for an audience that has never looked into atheism and that is curious and perhaps a little miffed by stereotypes about atheism and militancy of other atheist authors. As a primer, it serves its function. As an all-inclusive source for everything about atheism, it is obviously not that sort of book. This book functions to whet someone's appetite for the subject not to expose someone to everything about the subject. The helpful suggested reading section in the back of the book allows for further exploration on the ideas presented too.

For the price, it is a good beginner's text for those new to the world of freethought. Some books on philosophy and freethought can run in the mid $20's to the high $30's for introductory texts. This book is a steal in that regard. In addition the author is not overly militant yet he does stress the lack of coherency of theistic positions frequently.

If you are looking to introduce someone to atheism but need to have a concise and to the point novice text this is the one to use!

I've read between 2000 and 3000 books (mostly non-fiction) and this has to be one of the best written books I have ever read. The text is a joy to read: concise, thoughtful, well crafted, and well organized.

The author has approached the subject with practical logic and much humanity. He presents all views of the issue and seems to make a genuine effort to respect the fact that "different people have different opinions." And yet, he does not shortchange the reader, by avoiding difficult issues; but instead tackles the most popular arguments "one by one." Well worth the read by everyone who wonders about religion. For the orthodox believer, I might suggest the wisdom of "knowing your enemy" by reading this book.

I've read "Why I am not a Christian" and "The Encyclopedia of Unbelief" and while those are both very good, I would recommend reading this book first.

Good Job.