Dictionary Of Atheism, Skepticism, & Humanism [Hardcover]

Bill Cooke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2005

In the tradition of Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary, Ambrose Bierce's Devil's Dictionary, and Joseph McCabe's Rationalist Encyclopaedia, this accessible dictionary addresses the contemporary need for a reference book that succinctly summarises the key concepts, current terminology, and major contributions of influential thinkers broadly associated with atheism, scepticism, and humanism. In the preface, author Bill Cooke notes that his work is intended "for freethinkers in the broadest sense of the word: people who like to think for themselves and not according to the pre-planned routes set by others." This dictionary will serve as a guide for all those people striving to lead fulfilling, morally responsible lives without religious belief. Readers are offered a wide range of concepts, from ancient, well-known notions such as God, free will, and evil to new concepts such as 'eupraxsophy'. Also included are current 'buzzwords' that have some bearing on the freethought worldview such as 'metrosexual'. The names of many people whose lives or work reflect free thought principles form a major portion of the entries. Finally, a humanist calendar is included, on which events of interest to freethinkers are noted. This unique, accessible, and highly informative work will be a welcome addition to the libraries of open-minded people of all philosophic persuasions.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bill Cooke (Amherst, NY) is the International Director of the Center for Inquiry, a visiting assistant professor of philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo, the editor-in-chief of The Open Society, senior editor for Free Inquiry, and the author of The Gathering of Infidels: A Hundred Years of the Rationalist Press Association and A Rebel to His Last Breath: Joseph McCabe and Rationalism, among other books and articles.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 606 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books (September 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591022991
• ISBN-13: 978-1591022992
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,805,230 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humanist wit and wisdom, August 7, 2006

By 

Floris van den Berg (Utrecht, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dictionary Of Atheism, Skepticism, & Humanism (Hardcover)

Bill Cooke has written a wonderful and insightful book which is much more than a reference book on humanism, atheism and skepticism. Cooke shows that there is a wealth of humanist insights in different cultures and times. The style of the book is marvellous: funny and witty: 'The ability to talk to oneself without feeling sliiy.' [prayer]. This book can (and should) be read cover to cover. You will learn about many thinkers and activists which are not mentioned in most history and philosophy books (like Robert Green Ingersoll) but who have done more to improve the human condition than most philosophers. In many entries on modern culture Cooke gives his own ideas on humanism and what it means to be a humanist. According to Cooke for example you can't be a humanist and drive in a hummer [check out the entry].

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise, Thorough, Comprehensive Biographical and Conceptual Dictionary, June 10, 2007

By 

NAO (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dictionary Of Atheism, Skepticism, & Humanism (Hardcover)

This book is extremely good. Entries are very readable, and cover all different types of material from biographical data of important freethinkers; history of freethought; philosophical concepts; ideas in sociology, psychology, and political science, and even modern neologisms.

A valuable reference and a just plain fun to pick up at any point and start reading.

4.0 out of 5 stars No search feature, June 9, 2011

By 

Shlomo ben-Avraham (Louisville, KY, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dictionary Of Atheism, Skepticism, & Humanism (Kindle Edition)

A major problem with this book is the fact that it has not been indexed and, therefore, cannot be searched, a rather strange feature for a dictionary.