About the Book
The philosophical traditions of atheism have been largely obscured by scientific objections to God's existence championed by Dawkins among others. Palmer addresses the balance, presenting a comprehensive guide to the philosophical arguments for atheism in concise prose free of assumed knowledge and philosophical jargon. The Atheist's Primer is an abridged version of Michael Palmer's Atheist's Creed.
Table of Contents:
Chapter One: The Meaning of Atheism
1. Atheism: A Definition
2. Atheism and Agnosticism
3. Guide to Further Reading
Chapter Two: The Origins of Atheism
1. The Age of the Sophists
2. Epicureans & Sceptics
3. The Christian Era and the Re-emergence of religious doubt.
4. Guide to Further Reading
Chapter Three: Two Arguments for God's Existence: An Atheistic Critique
1. Introduction
2. The Arguments from Cause and Design
3. The Atheistic Critique
4. Guide to Further Reading
Chapter Four: The Problem of Evil
1. Introduction
2. The Logical (or Deductive) Argument from Evil
3. The Evidential (or Inductive) Argument from Evil
4. Guide to Further Reading
Chapter Five: Morality and Religion
1. Introduction
2. Criticisms of the Moral Argument
3. Life After Death and Morality
4. Nietzsche's Critique of Religious Morality
5. Guide to Further Reading
Chapter Six: Miracles
1. The Meaning of 'Miracle'
2. The Critique of Miracles: Their Impossibility
3. The Critique of Miracles: Their Improbability
4. Guide to Further Reading
Chapter Seven: The Motivations of Belief
1. Introduction
2. The Impulse to Believe
About the Author :
A former Teaching Fellow at McMaster University and Humboldt Fellow at Marburg University, Dr Palmer has taught at Marlborough College and Bristol University. For many years Founding Head of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at the Manchester Grammar School, Dr Palmer is also the author of the best-selling textbook Moral Problems as well as of the two-volume textbook The Philosophy of Religion.
Review :
'Palmer appropriately returns us to the classical philosophical atheistic challenges against theism. His work is beyond praise and I believe greatly needed in time when "New Atheism" is in danger of eliminating the thrust of classical atheism, which squarely and fairly focused on arguments for and against existence of God. [...] I would recommend The Atheist's Primer to all Christians and atheists who love pondering the case for and against existence of God and are worn-out by New-Atheism's shortage of philosophical engagement in this most important subject. ' Daniel Prayson in With All I Am, 25th October 2012 'This primer is an elegant subject guide for entry-level infidels. Perhaps it has been pitched to an age group who should already have divested themselves of imaginary friends, but it still constitutes a utile grounding in, and overview of, the thinking, constructive and destructive, of freethinkers throughout Western history. ' Daniel Binney in Times Higher Education, 25th October 2012 'Hurray for Michael Palmer! The Atheist's Primer is one of the best introductions to Atheism available. Well written and the many pictures of famous philosophers add to its charm - the only introduction to Atheism that I know of that has this!' Dr Michael Martin, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Boston University, October 2012 'In his concise, comprehensive and accessible grand tour d'horizon of atheistical arguments, he surveys the philosophical approach that started 2,500 years ago, in the extraordinary explosion of critical thought in 5th-century BC Athens. [...] Michael Palmer has written not only an elegant summary of 2,500 years of thinking-about-God, but a genuine "Primer", locked and loaded for argument, which doubles as a reminder of our intellectual limitations. The arguments it offers are less overweening than the barrage of scientific facts we tend to rely on.' Michael Bywater in New Humanist, Vol. 127 (6), Nov./Dec. 2012 'If you are a student of philosophy, history and possibly psychology you will find much to interest you in this book.' Dougie Gibbard, Skeptical Adversaria, Winter 2012 'The various logical arguments in favour of atheism contained in this book represent a valid arsenal of munitions very useful for both atheists and agnostics, in order to to be able to rebut in an efficient way all of the pseudo-demonstrations that believers always advance in favour of their divinities...' Enrica Rota, L'ATEO, n. 1/2013 (86) '[The Atheist's Primer] seeks to highlight 'important philosophical arguments' that Palmer believes have been sidelined in contemporary debates between theists and their opponents. He is surely right that the greatest atheist thinkers - Nietzsche, Marx and Freud - often do not receive a full hearing...' Mark Vernon, The Times Literary Supplement, No 5730, January 2013 'This book [...] offers an engaging introduction, accessible to the general reader, to the history of atheism and to some of the main contemporary philosophical arguments for atheism. [...] it will be especially helpful for those without a philosophical background.' Reviews in Science and Religion, No. 61, May 2013 'Palmer's book should be read and studied by teachers of all religious faiths, and should be studied in courses on Christian/religious apologetics. Religious people concerned about the secular and anti-religious trends in Western society should also read Palmer's books to gain insight into the philosophical shifts which have moved Western culture to a more post-Christian and post-religious position. Religionists need to actively engage the increasing popularity of atheism with their own robust theological and intellectual traditions.' Armand J. Boehme, Faribault, MN, Reviews in Religion and Theology, Vol.21, No.1, January 2014 'Palmer's book is a refreshing, jargon-free take on the history of atheism which, spanning the analytic-continental divide, covers a very broad range of philosophical arguments [...] it can be recommended to the general reader as a lively and accessible introduction to philosophical atheism'. David Leech, University of Bristol, Religious Studies, Vol. 50, Issue 1, March 2014 "... Palmer's book is refreshing in that it approaches atheism from a philosophical perspective... A narrative of Western atheism's progression that is highly readable and accessible to the general reader..." Richard Viladesau, Theological Studies, Vol. 75, Issue 3 September 2014 "Atheism should be studied both by believers and unbelievers for understanding argumentation and limits about the rational proof of the existence of God. For these who want to consider this issue, The Atheist's Primer is undoubtedly the manual." Pedro Jose Grande Sanchez, Anuario Filosofico Volume 47, issue 2, 2014
