Louise M. Antony (ed.), Philosophers Without Gods: Meditations on Atheism and the Secular Life: New York: Oxford University Press 2007. ISBN 978019974341, $17.95, Pbk

http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1007/s10790-014-9413-5&domain=pdf

Web End = J Value Inquiry (2015) 49:479484 DOI 10.1007/s10790-014-9413-5

BOOK REVIEW

Louise M. Antony (ed.), Philosophers Without Gods:

Meditations on Atheism and the Secular Life

New York: Oxford University Press 2007. ISBN 978019974341, $17.95, Pbk

Leigh Duffy

Published online: 12 February 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Louise M. Antonys Philosophers Without Gods: Meditations on Atheism and The Secular Life offers a collection of essays by prominent philosophers, all of whom are atheists, but as Antony says in her introduction none of who are casual atheists (p. x). These essays are carefully written by serious philosophers who have put a lot of thought and often a lot of emotion into addressing these questions about God and religious belief. The contributors to this volume are evidence that atheists can be reective, emotional, and moral and since atheists are often presumed to be arrogant, devoid of moral sentiments, and insensitive to a wide variety of human goods (p. ix), this collection feels like a necessary defense of those who do not believe in God. Furthermore, it seems that atheists are often confused with agnostics or with those who havent ever given the matter any thought. These essays show that many atheists come to their beliefs after years of internal struggle (though some in this collection also state that their views were just so obvious from a very young age) and after careful considerations of all the alternatives. In other words, these philosophers know why (p. x) they reject the views that they do.

These essays are carefully written and philosophical. The arguments put forth especially in the second section, Reections might be too advanced for the average undergraduate student in a philosophy class. This collection is more appropriate for the more mature philosopher who either has an interest in what atheists believe and why, or is an atheist already and has a longing for a sense of community that comes with religion, but not usually with atheism. Many atheists will say Amen! when reading this collection, for the essays here defend a number of views that need to be made more public. The authors go beyond the usual arguments about the problem of evil or the lack of evidence for God and have grave...