Atheism: The Case Against God (Skeptic's Bookshelf)
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Product Description
With this intriguing introduction, George H Smith sets out to demolish what he considers the most widespread and destructive of all the myths devised by man - the concept of a supreme being. With painstaking scholarship and rigorous arguments, Mr. Smith examines, dissects, and refutes the myriad 'proofs' offered by theists - the defenses of sophisticated, professional theologians, as well as the average religious layman. He explores the historical and psychological havoc wrought by religion in general - and concludes that religious belief cannot have any place in the life of modern, rational man.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This book is a good introduction to atheism.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Atheism: The Case against God (Skeptic's Bookshelf) (Paperback)
In my opinion, this book provides a good introduction to atheism and related philosophical issues. The hostile-sounding title might put some people off, but Smith makes it clear in the first section of his book that the primary focus of the book is whether or not theistic claims should be accepted as true. If one can show that theistic belief if flawed (the case against god), then one supports atheism.Smith then proceeds to do just that for the remainder of his book. He covers basic and important subjects such as god concepts, faith, morality, and common arguments for god. Smith argues that no rational person can accept theism as true and he discusses the philosophical problems of many theistic arguments. Smith writes in a non-technical style, and this may be why the book is popular. I think Smith's book could serve as a good starting point for approaching more thorough and technical books on atheism. Smith spends much of the book analyzing Christianity, and I would have preferred it if he spent more time looking at theism in general. Throughout the book, he describes major flaws in Christianity, and after awhile it appears as though he's just whipping a dead horse. Of course, it's a dead horse that many people insist on riding, so I suppose that critiquing it from several perspectives may help to convince some of the riders that they're not going anywhere on that beast. If you are a philosophical layperson who wants to learn more about atheism, then this is the book you should read. Now, if I may digress, it appears that some of the reviews posted before mine do not really review the book at all. Instead, they provide theistic arguments that supposedly refute the arguments that Smith makes in his book. It is interesting to note that the theistic arguments offered below are actually covered in Smith's book, where he shows them to be flawed. It makes me wonder if some of those reviewers actually read or understood the book.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Atheism: The Case Against God,
By NoWireHangers (Sweden) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Atheism: The Case against God (Skeptic's Bookshelf) (Paperback)
In "Atheism: The Case Against God", Smith makes a very good case against God and for atheism. He also shows that many of those who call themselves agnostics really are atheists.
He points out many inconsistencies in the Christian god and shows that it can not possibly exist, and also gives many good arguments against gods in general. He makes a good case against faith as an alternative method to reason of acquiring knowledge. The book almost deserves five stars, but it tends to get a bit repetitive at times and some parts are a bit heavy handed. Anyway, this is definately a book that everyone interested in religion or atheism should read.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The single most persuasive case for atheism,
By Steve M (Cardiff, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Atheism: The Case against God (Skeptic's Bookshelf) (Paperback)
More than 30 years before Dawkins penned his own bestseller, Atheism: The Case Against God was first published and went on to become one of the biggest selling atheist books of the twentieth century. Quite right too, as this excellent critique of theism is a magnificent testament to the power of logic. It's somewhat astonishing to learn that author George H. Smith was still in his early 20s when he wrote it.
Concentrating on the philosophical arguments against God's existence, the deep intellectual passion on display here is a joy to behold. Meticulously cutting through all the theological double-talk with his fine scalpel of a mind, Smith exposes the glaring contradictions and absurdities of theism, and in so doing, makes the single most convincing case for atheism I've yet read. (From the outset, Smith explains that if a person is not a theist, then they are an atheist. Agnosticism simply refers to the (un)knowability of a god and is a separate matter that can co-exist with either position.) His pursuit of reason (and his pursuit 'for' reason) is relentless. This is no bandwagon book of smug posturing and pithy retorts - Smith makes a real effort to present the best arguments of his opponents, often exhaustively so, before proceeding to dismantle each one with devastating precision. While I found myself questioning his train of thought on a couple of points, the book is nevertheless hugely and enjoyably successful in what it sets out to do. More philosophically in-depth than many of the recent crop of atheist titles, I really think this one deserves much wider recognition today than it currently receives.
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