1st Edition
Atheisms The Philosophy of Non-Belief
Questions about how to negotiate belief and non-belief in social and public spheres are attracting an increasing amount of attention from academics in a range of disciplines, and from concerned members of the public. This volume addresses the emergence of ‘new atheism’ and the developing ‘spiritual but not religious’ phenomenon. Avoiding simplistic accounts of atheism, and of religious belief, it provides readers with insight into a wide range of nuances within theism and atheism, as well as spiritual practice and faith. The chapters by an international panel of contributors focus on topics such as: a typology or cartography of atheisms and agnosticism; contrasting types of atheism within Christianity and Buddhism; questions about cognitive and doxastic stances in atheisms; theist rejections of and atheist embracing of ‘God’; and atheist aesthetics. Reaching beyond the Christian tradition, the book will be of particular interest to scholars of the philosophy of religion, as well as religious studies and theology more generally.
Introduction: Atheisms and the power to be confronted
Harriet A. Harris
1 A Quantum of Solace and a Heap of Doubt
Carl Bråkenhielm
2 Stepping Stone to Atheism?: The Instability of Agnosticism
Robin le Poidevin
3 A New Theist Meets Two Atheists
Jeanine Diller
4 Can an Atheist Display Religiously Significant Attitudes
Max Baker-Hytch
5 Doxastic and Nondoxastic Atheisms
Christopher Jay
6 Atheists and Idolaters: The Case of John Wren-Lewis (1923-2006)
Stephen Clark
7 How to Not think about God
Michael McGhee
8 Atheist Aesthetics: A Critical Response
Daniel Gustaffson
9 Belief, Unbelief and Mystery
Karen Kilby
Appendix: Mapping Agnosticism: Comment inspired by Robin Le Poidevin’s "Stepping Stone to Atheism? The Instability of Agnosticism"
Jeanine Diller
Biography
Harriet A. Harris is Head of the award-winning Multi-faith and Belief Chaplaincy, and Honorary Fellow of the School of Divinity, at the University of Edinburgh; formerly a member of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Oxford, and a Lecturer in Theology at the University of Exeter.
Victoria S. Harrison is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Macau, China. Until 2016, she was Reader in Philosophy at the University of Glasgow, where she was also Director of the Forum for Philosophy and Religion.
