The New Atheism

OUTLINE:
What is the New Atheism?
introduction historical & philosophical roots principles

Who forms New Atheism?

Sam Harris Christopher Hitchens Daniel Dennett Victor J. Stenger Richard Dawkins
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What is New Atheism?

This.

NA is NOT official organisation

NA is label for intellectual movement begginings in 2004 term New Atheism first used in the Wire magazine in 2006 in article The Church of the Non-Believers New Atheism was formed between 2004 2007; several best-selling books published in these years formed the basis of New Atheism New Atheism movement is formed by only 5 main representatives
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Books which formed New Atheism

2004: Sam Harris - The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason 2006: Richard Dawkins The God Delusion 2006: Sam Harris - Letter to a Christian Nation 2006: Daniel Dennett - Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon

2007: Christopher Hitchens God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
2007: Victor J. Stenger - God: The Failed Hypothesis - How Science Shows That God Does Not Exist

Historical & philosophical roots

Charles Darwin theory of evolution Ludwig Feuerbach The Essence of Christianity systematic psychology of religion, rejection of all transcendental Friedrich Nietzsche atheism as expression of man`s desire for freedom Sigmund Freud one of the most prominent atheists in history, religion as collective neurosis Bertrand Russell Russel`s teapot argument Carl Sagan agnostic, but big influence on New Atheism representatives

Principles of New Atheism

Main idea: religion should not simply be tolerated but should be countered, criticized and exposed by rational argument wherever its influence arises NA argues that recent scientific advancements demand a less accommodating attitude toward religion, superstition, and religious fanaticism God hypothesis, like any other hypothesis, can be tested and falsified by standard methods of science > God hypothesis fails any such tests naturalism is sufficient to explain everything we observe in the universe accent on strict secularism > against teaching of creationism in schools (problem in USA) all religions are dangerous, including moderate faiths religion is not source of morality religious education of children is child abuse

Who forms New Atheism?

SAM HARRIS
born 1967, studied on University of California & Stanford University neuroscientist, philosopher, author of scientific literature author of first New atheism book co-founder of Project Reason research of neural nature of faith Harris calls for separation of church and state and for freedom to criticize religion extremely critical of all religious faiths, however Islam is the most evil but also criticizes "prejudice against Muslims or Arabs, purely because of the accident of their birth."

Who forms New Atheism?

CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS
born 1949 writer, political journalist, literary critic 5th most influential intellectual according to Foreign Policy magazine notable book: God is not Great the real axis of evil is Christianity, Judaism and Islam he also criticize hinduism and neo-paganism religion as the main source of hatred in the world in 2010 he was diagnosed with cancer

Who forms New Atheism?

DANIEL DENNETT
born 1942
philosopher, cognitive scientist, writer co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies and Professor on Tufts University

Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon scientific analysis of religion

Dennett`s definition of religion: "social systems whose participants accept belief in a supernatural agent or agents whose approval is to be sought" I think religion for many people is some sort of moral viagra.

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Who forms New Atheism?

VICTOR J. STENGER
born 1935
particle physicist Emeritus Professor of physics at the University of Hawaii and University of Colorado

pioneer in the research focused on neutrino astronomy

author of God: The Failed Hypothesis probably best book arguing against existence of God we have more than enough evidence of absence of the Abrahamic God supernatural religions have poisoned the natural way by promising people life after death
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Professor Richard Dawkins

RICHARD DAWKINS
born 1941, british ethologist, zoologist and molecular & evolutionary biologist

studied at Oxford University, now retired Professor at Oxford University

holder of many scientific awards wrote 12 books about evolutionary biology combined with criticism of religion founder of Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science prominent critic of creationism

religion is not compatible with science

accused current pope Benedict XVI of crimes against humanity
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The God Delusion

The God Delusion is the most important book of the New Atheism
Dawkins explains that God almost certainly does not exist discusses the relationship between ethics and religion the book includes all of the major reasons for opposition to religion

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SOURCES:
Books:
AMARASINGAM, Amaranth. Religion and the New Atheism. Boston. Brill, 2010.
DAWKINS, Richard. Bo blud. Praha. Academia, 2009. HITCHENS, Christopher. Bh nen velik. Praha. Metafora, 2009.

STENGER, Victor. God: The failed hypothesis. New York. Prometheus Books, 2007.

Internet:
http://www.samharris.org/ http://www.richarddawkinsfoundation.org/ http://www.colorado.edu/philosophy/vstenger/battle.html http://www.iep.utm.edu/n-atheis/ http://www.investigatingatheism.info/index.html http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/atheism.html?pg=1&topic=atheism& topic_set=/
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

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