In this, the first of three specialedition episodes featuring d. Welcome to r atheism, the webs largest atheist forum. The failed hypothesis, god and the atom, god and the folly of faith, the comprehensible cosmos, and many other. Vic stenger the new atheism part 01 of 10, millsaps.
Stenger is a skilled, trenchant writer who has written many books elaborating a naturalistic, atomistic view of the universe that pointedly harks back to lucretius. Following a career as a research scientist in the field of particle physics, stenger was associated with new atheism and he also authored popular science books. Stenger argues that the finetuning argument is flawed because it assumes that only one kind of life, ours, is possible in every configuration of universes. All topics related to atheism, agnosticism and secular living are welcome here. The new atheists conclusion that belief in god is unjustified follows, then, from their addition of the claim that there is. Even believers can appreciate stenger s fervent discussion of an emerging atheist movement, as he explains in his newest book, the new atheism. He was the author of the new york times bestseller god. Perhaps the best illustration of the philosophical superficiality of new atheism is pointed out by john haught. The new atheism and islam csu research output charles sturt. The black legends of contemporary antireligion, palgrave macmillan, 2018 309 pp. The new atheists are authors of early twentyfirst century books promoting atheism. Arguably, the opening salvo of the new atheists was the end of faith.
Selforganization and cellular automata the new atheists explain the organization of the phenomenal world as a case of selforganization, i. New atheism is a term coined in 2006 by the journalist gary wolf to describe the positions promoted by some atheists of the twentyfirst century. Stenger, the physicist and prolific author who wrote the 2007 new york times bestseller god. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Here i endeavor to counter stenger s note and highlight several of the ways in which it goes astray. This week im taking a sidestep into an examination of some arguments in victor stenger s god, the failed hypothesis and the new atheism. The failed hypothesis, died late wednesday night in hawaii at the age of 79. I first came across his name shortly after we founded skeptic magazine in 1992 when i read his 1990 book physics and psychics. As such, the book mainly consists of summaries of arguments that are already in the public sphere, rather than any new information.
Stenger, god and the multiverse 2014 joel thomas tierno. If richard dawkins, daniel dennett, and christopher hitchens are its high priests, stenger is minor nobility. Stenger 1935 2014 was an adjunct professor of philosophy at the university of colorado and emeritus professor of physics and astronomy at the university of hawaii. Nathan johnstone, the new atheism, myth, and history. Richard dawkins, daniel dennett, sam harris, christopher hitchens, and victor j. Are we being dogmatically unwilling to entertain the possibility of a personal creator god.
Author smartlx posted on december 14, 20 february 10, 2014 categories text tags big bang, conservation of energy, entropy, eternity, lawrence krauss, origins, universe, victor stenger, william lane craig leave a comment on the world of leftover energy. Stenger argues that, since its inception, atomism and atheism have gone hand in hand. Sam harris christopher hitchens daniel dennett victor j. Also stenger poses a totally naturalistic cause for formation of the universe which is called quantum tunneling, which rebuts the cosomological argument for god. The search for a world beyond the senses prometheus books, for which psychic uri geller sued the case was dismissed and geller was ordered to pay legal fees of nearly. In this calmly reasoned and important book, victor j. Grothe, vic stenger discusses the new atheism, contrasting it with the old atheism, in that it is more uncompromising in. Victor stenger was an important figure in the new atheist movement, although he was less polemical than the others, less popular and more reasonable.
A reply to massimo pigliucci, new atheism recognizes religion for what it isa set of unfounded superstitions that have been the greatest hindrance to human progress that ever existed on this planet. Professor stenger is also the author of several books, including his recent bestseller, the fallacy of finetuning. Since 2015 i have been arguing on this blog that many antitheistic and antireligious activists often abuse and distort history while. A hurricane is the same thing as murder, in his imagining. To accept atomism, ancient or modern, is to accept atheism.
Victor stenger on how to debate a christian apologist. New atheism and the scientistic turn in the atheism movement. A reply to massimo pigliucci, new atheism recognizes religion for what it isa set of unfounded superstitions that have been the greatest hindrance to. They include the american phys icist and astronomer, victor stenger, author of two books dealing with atheism. Haught characterizes the new atheist movement as soft. Stenger, the physicist who coined this saying, soon found it being adopted. A deft and compelling defense of atheism, science, and reason. Taking a stand for science and reasonvictor stenger amherst, ny. Stenger is a retired elementary particle physicist and author of twelve books including the 2007 new york times bestseller god. Understanding the new atheism, an interview with victor. Victor stenger s book goes deep down in delving into the reason and scientific tenets in support of new atheism. To begin with, however, let me summarize the main points of my earlier paper.
In what may be his best book to date, victor stenger professor emeritus of physics provides a much needed summary, elaboration, and defense of the main theses of the socalled new atheists nas, known for their widelypublicized, unrelenting. Stenger makes the same mistake that all the new atheists do. Initial chapters show less prospects of offering any thing new, but as you go on the book unfolds an array of irrefutable arguments in favour of reason and science, which are hard hitting and very wide in scope. New atheism and the scientistic turn in the atheism movement massimo pigliucci i the socalled new atheism is a relatively wellde. In what may be his best book to date, victor stenger professor emeritus of physics provides a much needed summary, elaboration, and defense of the main theses of the socalled new atheists nas.
Initial chapters show less prospects of offering any thing new, but as you go on the book unfolds an array of irrefutable arguments in favour of reason. Physicist victor stenger, now often identified as a leading new atheist himself, concurs. Abstract victor stenger this issue has responded to my recent criticism of the socalled new athe ism movement 20. Such proclamations are familiar to those who worship at the altar of the new atheism. Stenger in recent years a number of bestselling books have forcefully argued that belief in god can no longer be defended on rational or empirical grounds, and that the scientific worldview has rendered obsolete the traditional. The atheist community is mourning the death of victor stenger, a prominent physicist who championed rooting out religion from the public sphere and.
Stenger, a physicist and prolific writer on atheism who wrote the 2007 new york times bestseller god. Victor stenger, atheisms fifth horseman, is dead the. New atheism and its critics kaufman 2019 philosophy. Stenger passed away actually not very long after writing this article for the huffington post. Stenger explains perfectly the difference between the old and the new atheism, the dangers of faith, the evils of religion and its exploitation by those in power, as well as the minimum requirements to curb its funest influence on our society. In particular stenger addresses which no one new atheist author has done the arguements by apologists for finetuning when it comes to physics. The atheist community is mourning the death of victor stenger, a prominent physicist who championed rooting out religion from the public sphere and was bestknown for quipping. Victor stenger dispels the resultant blizzard of lies and halftruths with great skill in this timely and accessible book. Victor stenger, in his book defending the new atheism, invokes the authority of the two books most influential in defining this war. Stenger, author of the new york times bestseller god. Victor stenger, physicist and prolific atheist author, is.
Stenger was a particle physicist, philosopher, author, skeptic, and friend. Professor victor stenger is an american particle physicist and a noted atheist, who popularized the phrase, science flies you to the moon. There are many examples in the history of science that. Vic stenger 1935 2014 author bio purchase books by this author anthropics.
Stenger kicks off this book with a look a the current state of new atheism, and specifically, he discusses the recent success of new atheist books by harris, dawkins and others. The new atheismvictor stenger iii video dailymotion. Phylliss, his wife of more than 50 years, told me via email that. Unfortunately, this spirit of obscurantism now animates even secular critics of the new atheism. Following a career as a research scientist in the field of particle physics, stenger was associated with new atheism and he authored popular science books. This modernday atheism is advanced by a group of thinkers and writers who advocate the view that superstition, religion and irrationalism should not simply be tolerated.
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