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by Robin Le Poidevin. Published by Routledge.
Can a case be made for positive atheism, that is to say, that there is no personal creator of the universe who has an independent existence outside of our own minds? Robin Le Poidevin certainly thinks so, and attempts to make the case in the context of an introduction to the philosophy of religion which could be used in college courses on the subject. Le Poidevin covers much of the same ground which traditional introductions cover, such as common arguments for the existence of a god, the argument from evil, and the relationship between god and morality. But whereas most introductions let matters stand at that, Le Poidevin takes the time to see if the results are more supportive of atheism than of theism, and finding that this is indeed the case. The first part of the book is devoted to an examination of the arguments usually offered by theists in support of their god - causal arguments, ontological arguments, cosmological arguments, design arguments, and the anthropic principle. The second part of the book then moves on to whether or not any positive arguments in support of atheism and against the existence of any gods can be produced. In this, he focuses on moral questions: the argument from evil and whether or not ethics is compatible with the existence of a god. Le Poidevin considers the problem of evil to be "the most powerful argument for atheism," which may be a bit of an overstatement. It is true that it is highly effective when it comes to particular conceptions of gods, and especially those which an atheist is most likely to encounter - the gods of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This is not, however, a decisive argument against theism generally because it is easy for theism to change and dodge when it isn't burdened by centuries of theology and dogma. His arguments regarding theistic ethics are also good, although less powerful than the argument from evil. Once again, these arguments cannot disprove the possibility of a god, but they do demonstrate the nonsense of the traditional idea of a god which is responsible for the existence of moral standards:
But if there is a god, and even if this God created the universe and intended for the development of humanity, then what is the point of worshipping this god if it is totally independent of moral values? At best, it might be respected as a supreme example of how to follow the moral values which exist independently of it, although the problem of evil would tend to disprove even that. If this god is nothing more than a better-than-average human with a lot of power, the worship of it is meaningless. God may exist, but is rendered irrelevant. The final section may not interest some atheists, but in some ways it is the most intriguing part of the book. Here Le Poidevin asks questions regarding the nature of religion without reference to theism itself. He asks, for example, if religion can have some pragmatic value, and if so, if it can be salvaged by atheists. To both questions, he answers yes, although I am not sure what it would ultimately accomplish to emotionally commit to a religion which is interpreted along "non-realist" lines. Another interesting chapter deals with the question of whether or not atheists should fear death. We may not have to worry about whether or not we will move on to a heavenly reward or hellish punishment, but if this life is all we will ever have, it is appalling to think that our deaths will be final and irrevocable. With each chapter, he also includes a summary of the arguments offered and a list of further reading for those interested in learning more. The former will be helpful to people who have trouble following what are sometimes difficult arguments, and the latter will be useful for those looking to make a more detailed study of some specific issues. Le Poidevin has written one of the best books on atheism which is currently available. This is true, first because it really does deal with atheism and theism generally, not resorting to arguments specifically about Christianity which distract so many other books. Second, he addresses a great variety of arguments and issues which are important to the debates on atheism and theism which atheists will actually encounter. Finally, he does so in a way which is accessible to most readers. It is not the easiest book to read, and some experience with philosophy texts would be helpful, but the overall difficulty is minimal. He defines his terms and repeats his main points often enough to keep most readers from getting lost.
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