Who is your favourite atheist intellectual?

aidan24326

Scofflaw wrote:

Well, that's a very godly stance, of course. After all, what is the point of seeing things from the wrong perspective?

have you been born again in Dawkins?
Scofflaw

No I wouldn't say that I agree with everything Dawkins says. I would share his puzzlement sometimes but I don't know if that's entirely a good thing. Born again in Dawkins, no I didn't want to give that impression! He has been guilty of oversimplifying the issue of war and religion for example. But other than that I'm really not sure why so many here don't like him. He is right in the vast majority of what he says and isn't bothered about who he offends along the way. Many other academics would share his viewpoints but might not want to come out and say it for all sorts of reasons, don't want to offend maybe. He's quite right that religion has been afforded an easy ride for long enough and why should we be politically correct about it? If Mustafa really believes that by blowing himself to bits he's off to paradise with his 72 virgins or whatever it is, then I find it difficult to see how he's anything much more than an idiot. An unfortunate idiot maybe, but still an idiot.

Zillah

Christopher Hitchens

Not an argument worth having.

Talliesin

aidan24326 wrote:

Many other academics would share his viewpoints but might not want to come out and say it for all sorts of reasons

Why?

Atheism isn't as shocking as Dawkins would like to believe. If anything the liberal arts end of academe would have a bias towards it rather than against - I think the science end of they academy could survive it too.

Dave!

Anyone interested in Sam Harris, have a look at this new video.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1LWv6JqRMA&mode=related&search=
(subsequent parts can be reached by the links on the page)

It's a lecture/talk at the Aspen Ideas Festival, and Sam is alot more laid back and sarcastic(?) than he is in other videos I've seen of him. Worth a look

5uspect

Christopher Hitchens

Excellent link Dave. Thanks.

Tim Robbins

Sam Harris

Zillah wrote:

Not an argument worth having.

If that's the closest you'll go to an admission of defeat, fair enough.

Dr Pepper

A.N. other (please name)

Scofflaw ftw!

flatteringly,
Dr Pepper

Zombrex

DaveMcG wrote:

Worth a look

Very good, better than a lot of stuff he did earlier. I think he (and the other popular atheists) are learning how to shape their arguments better.

Dades

I concur - great stuff. Just listening to part five.

That said I've never heard the theist argument (which he rebuffs to begin) that the bible is so unique it could only be written by God. Thought it interesting that he gave that one so much time.

Zombrex

Sam Harris wrote:

Atheism is a term we really don't need, in the same way that we don't need a word for someone who is not an astrologer

Dave!

Wicknight wrote:

Sam Harris posts here?! :eek: Hehe, that was a good line though

The video was different from the other SH stuff on YouTube in that he was actually outlining the reasons why belief in a deity is nonsense (as Dawkins has been doing), whereas in the other videos he seems to be specifically concentrating on the detrimental effects of faith (presumably because that's the thesis of the book he was promoting).

Tis very good

Zillah

Christopher Hitchens

Tim Robbins wrote:

If that's the closest you'll go to an admission of defeat, fair enough.

Sigh. Yes Tim, you win the conversation, well done. I'm going to go defeat a cup of tea.

Tim Robbins

Sam Harris

Zillah wrote:

Sigh. Yes Tim, you win the conversation, well done. I'm going to go defeat a cup of tea.

Well you should show some respect now and offer to pay money into my bank account.

Asiaprod

Tim Robbins wrote:

Well you should show some respect now and offer to pay money into my bank account.

That made me smile, can you pay in Yen:)

Beruthiel

Colin McGinn

Douglas Adams, Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins

Rev Hellfire

I'd put down Scofflaw, pH and JC since they're all a good read.

moneyblues

Christopher Hitchens

I'm quite new to reading on this subject. I loved Richard Dawkins The GOD delusion. It really made me laugh.

Sam Harris has a way of pulling no punches but in such a nice, non-agressive way. He's easy to listen to -and cute with it! So he gets my no. 1 with Dawkins a close second.

Thanks for the list. I'll use it as a basis for further reading. One question - are there no renowned and revered female atheist scholars?

Dades

moneyblues wrote:

One question - are there no renowned and revered female atheist scholars?

Interesting question.
I suppose Carl Sagan's wife Ann Druyan could be considered one - although you don't hear much about her.

eoin5

Julian Bagginni

I voted for Russell. And his teapot.

nij

Colin McGinn

Hitchens is a neocon looney.

Playboy

Julian Bagginni

5uspect wrote:

I seem to remember him having a go at moderate Islam too citing many examples, a Egyptian Newspaper's antisemitic views were quoted for example. Can you give us an example?

Well to be fair anti semitism in the middle east is more of a political issue than a religious issue imo. The Balfour agreement .. 1948 and 1967 are the problems .. the religions ae actually closely related and they did live side by side for many centuries with relatively few problems aside from some minor trouble when Islam formed in Medina. Christians and the west have a much more colourful history of anti semitism than Islam ever had.

5uspect

Christopher Hitchens

Playboy wrote:

Well to be fair anti semitism in the middle east is more of a political issue than a religious issue imo. The Balfour agreement .. 1948 and 1967 are the problems .. the religions ae actually closely related and they did live side by side for many centuries with relatively few problems aside from some minor trouble when Islam formed in Medina. Christians and the west have a much more colourful history of anti semitism than Islam ever had.

He doesn't let Christianity off the hook either!

aidan24326

Talliesin wrote:

Why?

Atheism isn't as shocking as Dawkins would like to believe. If anything the liberal arts end of academe would have a bias towards it rather than against - I think the science end of they academy could survive it too.

Why are some not so forthright with their views? Probably for a variety of reasons but I'd say mainly out of self-interest and a lily-livered desire to not offend. I don't think Dawkins suggests that atheism is shocking at all, he seems shocked that more people don't see the obvious flaws in religious belief. Though in many parts of the US it is considered 'shocking' to hold athiest views, and you would be vilified and even marginalised for it. An atheist politician in a place like South Carolina dare not air his views unless he fancies looking for a job after the next election, so just because we're becoming a bit more comfortable with the idea in Ireland (among the younger generation anyway) doesn't mean that's the case everywhere.

cavedave

Ayn Rand

Yes shes nuts but she is also right.

DanCorb

Julian Bagginni

Russell really pwns, so ahead of his time. I absolutely love his writings. My favourite modern author would be Sam Harris.

Charlie3dan

Colin McGinn

Richard Dawkins just puts his points across so well he'd have to be favourite.
Douglas Adams for pure genius.
And if I were to give an honourable mention to a poster on boards.ie Akrasia comes to mind.

Dave!

I've really taken to the cognitive scientist Steven Pinker lately I've watched a load of his stuff on YouTube, and now I'm reading his book 'the Blank Slate'. He's really interesting, though his hair is nuts.

bus77

Big Up for Mr Dades!

Dades

Hey, I'm just the janitor 'round these parts!

ChocolateSauce

Colin McGinn

It was a close one between Dawkins and Hitchens for me. While I love Hitchens' caustic personality, I simply don't agree with him on some things, and he is sometimes outright wrong on some of the figures he quotes, so Dawkins wins.