"A Manual for Creating Atheists" - ordered it

[Clueless Morgan]

Yesterday, I came across a reference to this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Manual-Creating-At...1939578094

and ordered it today. Turns out the author is a philosophy professor at a university about 20 minutes from where I live.

As I understand it, the thesis of the book is

1. religion is a dangerous societal poison
2. believers are infected with a mind virus
3. using the Socratic method, perhaps they can be persuaded out of their dangerous beliefs and cured of the virus
4. Maybe being mean isn't the best approach to help the virus host

Being a mean atheist myself, I kinda like the minimalist-esque "you're a fucktard" approach. It does appeal. So, point #4 intrigues me, in a thought-experiment sort of way.

But, here, by reading this book, I am opening my horizons. Or maybe I'll go back to my mean atheist ways, become a street-evangelizing atheist, shouting through a bullhorn at Christmas shoppers.

"God ain't real you know! It's all made-up dumbass! It's pronounced cruci-FICTION!!"

Yeah, that guy.

Hard to have a discussion on epistemology with a bullhorn, but I'm willing to give it go. It's for the Benefit of Society after all.

Hey from a fellow Portlander!

I just finished this book this weekend; I thought it was interesting, though I think the word "Manual" in the title is a bit misleading. "Manual" to me means more like an instruction manual, but the book came across more like the opening lecture of a class you should take: "Here's the general idea, and over the course of the next ten weeks..."

Part of what I found interesting was that I kind of already do a lot of what he suggests; his main point is to simply question people about their beliefs in order to understand their position. I don't do this to talk people out of anything, I do it because I don't often feel like I know what I'm talking about and it's a great way to engage in a conversation on a topic you're not very well informed on :p

What I don't do is all the follow up stuff he suggests: the pointing out of the inconsistencies in reasoning, the harping on faith, and that kind of thing. He suggests not spouting off facts but keeping the conversation squarely on faith and whether it's a reliable way to come to truth. IN that respect I might give it a try, especially since I'm not super great at recalling religious factoids or statistic or quotes or specific arguments or that kind of thing. Anything so I don't have to crash-memorize bible passages.

If anything, I think someone could read this and use it to help evaluate themselves and make sure that they are reasoning well themselves, it doesn't necessarily have to be about making atheists. And in any case that's really only plausible with people you frequently interact with and see on a decently regular basis in order to sufficiently undermine their idea that faith is good.

I thought it was worth the $10 for the kindle book; I plan on reading it again... after I get through all the other books I just bought...