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Title: The God Delusion
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Manufacturer: Mariner Books
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| The God Delusion by Mariner Books Who is Deluding Who? | Book Review
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins is a learned and eloquent writer. He knows his subject area fairly well, but he is naive or lacks sophistication when it comes to religion or theology. Like a number of atheists who have preceded him, he makes several valid points about historical Christianity and other forms of religion. However, much of Dawkins' presentation in The God Delusion is unprofessional, dogmatic, logically fallacious and unscholarly. With the limited time that I have, I would like to discuss a few problem areas of his book.
First, Dawkins hastily and uncritically asserts that the Gospel writer Luke errs when he writes that a census happened in the days of Governor Quirinius. While it admittedly is not that easy to unravel the historical difficulties that revolve around the account in Luke 2:1-3, a reasonable person would admit that we do not have enough information to make an educated decision regarding Luke's much debated speech act. As Daniel Wallace suggests, the account resists simplistic interpretive reductions. But one does not have to conclude that Luke made a historical mistake. Especially is this the case in view of the many other historical details that Luke reports accurately (Luke 3:1; Acts 11:27-30; 16:11-15; 17:6; 18:12-16; 28:7).
Dawkins is also good at attacking straw men such as certain aspects of intelligent design theory. For instance, on page 132, he puts words into the mouth of an "imaginary" intelligent design theorist. Dawkins makes this "imaginary" intelligent design theorist say that serious inquiry regarding how nerve impulses work or how memories are made in the brain ought to be avoided. Rather, all such phenomena must simply be attributed to God. But is this the position of intelligent design theory? No it is not. This form of intelligent design theory only exists in the imagination of Dawkins. But this straw man argument illustrates the modus operandi of our author.
To quote William Dembski:
"For the scientific community intelligent design represents creationism's latest grasp at scientific legitimacy. Accordingly, intelligent design is viewed as yet another ill-conceived attempt by creationists to straightjacket [sic] science within a religious ideology. But in fact intelligent design can be formulated as a scientific theory having empirical consequences and devoid of religious commitments. Intelligent design can be unpacked as a theory of information. Within such a theory, information becomes a reliable indicator of design as well as a proper object for scientific investigation."
On page 133 of his work, Dawkins quotes Judge Jones, who presents Behe in a negative light as does Eric Rothschild (chief counsel) who also uses arguments made of straw or caricatures to supposedly defeat "Professor Behe and the entire intelligent design movement" since they allegedly "are doing nothing" to advance scientific or medical knowledge. However, Behe has offered a response which one can find at the website Uncommon Descent. In part, Behe's response states:
"The Court's reasoning in section E-4 is premised on: a cramped view of science; the conflation of intelligent design with creationism; the incapacity to distinguish the implications of a theory from the theory itself; a failure to differentiate evolution from Darwinism; and strawman arguments against ID. The Court has accepted the most tendentious and shopworn excuses for Darwinism with great charity and impatiently dismissed arguments for design.
All of that is regrettable, but in the end does not impact the realities of biology, which are not amenable to adjudication. On December 21, 2005, as before, the cell is run by amazingly complex, functional machinery that in any other context would immediately be recognized as designed. On December 21, 2005, as before, there are no non-design explanations for the molecular machinery of life, only wishful speculations and Just-So stories."
Many other examples could be given of the propaganda found in Dawkins' book. Those with open minds may be able to see who is deluding who. | | The God Delusion by Mariner Books Laugh Out Loud Funny! | I found this the most enjoyable of the "Torah of Atheism":
The God Delusion
God is Not Great
The End of Faith
The Atheist Bible &
Letter to a Christian Nation.
The best part about reading this book (and the others) is that you realize that thare are a great many that share your thought on topics that you never really discussed in public. These books help you understand that it is ok to reject the nonsense that was drilled into us as unsuspecting children. As you read these books and start discussing them with friends you'll find that most (not all) agree with what Dawkins and the others have to say, yet they still are reluctant to switch teams. Be sensitive, though, to your friends that are among the faithful, some may be offended if you suggest that their beliefs are built on myths and lies.
As a gift idea, you may want to send some of your independent minded friends "The Atheists Bible" as a Christmas present. | | The God Delusion by Mariner Books As Good as they come | | The God Delusion Provides sound reasoning for disbelieving religion, and at the same time provides a general overview of a world-view based on fact. I was very disappointed in Dawkins for not articulating his arguments as well as I thought possible, it wasn't so much the point by point smack down of Christian theism that I expected. This is partly due to Dawkins writing style, and maybe partly due to his upbringing as an atheist. Those of us who grew up in the church, by happen-chance of our upbringing, have a more intimate view, by our own previous beliefs, of the mind-set of believers. Still it is an mind-opening book which I hope will continue to excite thinking, and perhaps conversion to rationalism. That is the purpose of the book: To convert god-having spiritualist to god-less atheist. | | The God Delusion by Mariner Books Candy for Atheists | | Dawkins provides a clear and concise argument for Atheism. As an agnostic, he even had me questioning myself. The information he provides sustains his strong argument, and anybody interested about the nature or existence of God should read this book. | | The God Delusion by Mariner Books Inspirational! | The God Delusion is thought-provoking and inspiring. Its lucid arguments helped to clarify many of my thoughts and internal contradictions that I've been struggling with since I was approaching confirmation in 8th grade.
I especially recommend the first four chapters which make a solid case for atheism.
The rest of the book explores why there is religion in the world and isn't quite as strong. Chapter 5 on the root of religions meanders a too much without coming to a crisp point like its predecessors. Chapter 10 "A Much Needed Gap", starts with a contradiction from a preceding chapter (described in detail in my The "Good" and the "gap" discussion post.
However, despite these flaws, many good ideas are introduced, and a solid foundation is laid for either Dawkins or someone else to continue to close the gap to an understanding of how an atheistic world can include the good items that have been historically intertwined with religion. | | The God Delusion by Mariner Books Product Description | | In his sensational international bestseller, the preeminent scientist and outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins delivers a hard-hitting, impassioned, but humorous rebuttal of religious belief. With rigor and wit, Dawkins eviscerates the arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of the existence of a supreme being. He makes a compelling case that faith is not just irrational, but potentially deadly. In a preface written for the paperback edition, Dawkins responds to some of the controversies the book has incited. This brilliantly argued, provocative book challenges all of us to test our beliefs, no matter what beliefs we hold. |
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