Summary
Title: What is Atheism? A Short Introduction
Author: Douglas E. Krueger
Publisher: Prometheus Books
ISBN: 1573922145
Pro:
• Common misconceptions covered
• Common arguments covered
• Easy to read, easy to use format
Con:
• Unnecessary time spent just on Christianity
No index
Description:
• Refutation of common misconceptions
• Clear layout, with multiple refutations
• Basic introduction to what atheism is
Book Review
Unfortunately, more comprehensive answers to those questions can be found primarily in complex philosophical journals or theological books. To be fair, they are complex questions, and it may be good that they provoke a great deal of debate and discussion. Nevertheless, there is still a need for a more introductory book which provides at least a basic and introductory explanation of how those questions can be answered by an atheist.
This, then, is what Krueger provides us in his book, What is Atheism? A Short Introduction. It is very much for beginners, but provides an excellent exploration of many of the most common questions which people tend to ask about atheism, each presented in a clearly structured chapter which offers several answers to those questions.
Topics covered include: what is atheism, how can atheists have morals, how can atheists have meaning or purpose in their lives, doesn’t the Bible show that God exists, don’t the reports of miracles prove that god exists, and more. Unfortunately, the book doesn’t have an index, which would have been useful for finding specific issues — relying on the table to contents is problematic.
This is particularly useful as a general book on atheism because most of his discussion involves general issues, rather than issues which pertain to very specific religions or dogmas. The only exception to that is his chapter on the Bible, and unfortunately this chapter does not address other religious scriptures like the Qu’ran or the Upanishads.
This is understandable because most atheists or even theists reading the book are more likely to have had past experiences with the Bible, and they are more likely to encounter future arguments centering on the Bible. However, the arguments used against the Bible could also have been used against other scriptures — so it would have been better to make a general argument, but then offer examples from multiple sources.
