View Book

Atheism in Five Minutes

ID: 3036 - View Book Page - Edit In OJS

Atheism in Five Minutes offers insights into a number of commonly held questions about the ideas, practices and attitudes concerning atheism and atheists. The volume highlights approaches based on the study of religion, sociology, history, anthropology, politics and psychology. It also examines the implications and assumptions in common questions about atheism. Ideal for both classroom use and personal study, some of the questions asked include: Are atheists immoral? Are children born atheist? Do atheists have rituals? How has atheism related to politics? Why do some atheists remain members of religious groups? Is it difficult to be an atheist in Muslim countries? Do atheist parents have atheist children? Why are there so few black atheists? What are the most atheistic societies? Has the Internet made atheism more popular?

Each essay is based on the latest research written by a leading scholar in the field. They offer concise and thoughtful answers along with suggestions for further reading.

Because each chapter can be read in about five minutes, the books offer ideal supplementary resources in classrooms or an engaging read for those curious about the world around them.

Published: Oct 24, 2022

Book Contributors

Series

Section Chapter Authors
Preface
Preface Teemu Taira
Conceptual and Historical Issues
1. What Does the Term “Atheism” Mean? Nathan G. Alexander
2. What Is the Difference Between "Atheism", "Agnosticism", "Nonreligion" and "Secular"? Christopher Cotter
3. Why Have Researchers Become Interested in Atheism? Stephen Bullivant
4. Are Researchers of Atheism Promoting Atheism? Lois Lee
5. What Are the Most Common Ways to Study Atheism? Lois Lee
6. How Should Atheism Be Measured? Ryan Cragun
7. When Did It Become Possible to Identify as an Atheist? Gavin Hyman
8. Who Are the Most Famous Atheists? Christopher Cotter
9. Was Darwin an Atheist? Bernard Lightman
10. Have All Great Scientists Been Atheists? Aku Visala
11. What Is New Atheism? Christopher Cotter
12. Are There Atheistic Religions? Teemu Taira
13. Were There Atheists in Ancient Greece and Rome? Ramón Soneira Martínez
14. What Is the Relationship Between Judaism and Atheism? Daniel Langton
15. Why Has Buddhism Been Perceived as Atheistic? Jens Schlieter
16. What Is Christian Atheism? Gavin Hyman
17. What Does Islam Teach About Atheism? Ilkka Lindstedt
18. Is It Difficult to Be an Atheist in Muslim Countries? Karin van Nieuwkerk
19. Are Pagans and Satanists Really Atheists? Jesper Petersen
20. What Kind of Dialogue Is There Between Atheists and Religious People? Paul Hedges
21. Is Atheism a Religion, Belief-System or a World View? Paul-Francois Tremlett
Society, Politics and Media
22. What Are the Most Atheistic Societies? Isabella Kasselstrand
23. Why Are Some Societies More Atheistic Than Others? Teemu Taira
24. Has the Internet Made Atheism More Popular? Teemu Taira
25. What Makes Atheists Different from the Rest of the Population, If Anything? Teemu Taira
26. Are Atheists Typically Young People? Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme, Joel Thiessen
27. Why Are Men More Likely to Be Atheists Than Women? Tiina Mahlamäki
28. Why Are There So Few Black Atheists? Daniel Swann
29. Does Migration Make People Less Religious? Tuomas Martikainen
30. How Has Atheism Related to Politics? Steven Kettell
31. What Is the Historical Relationship Between Atheism and Racism? Nathan G. Alexander
32. Does Atheism Promote Peace? Stacey Gutkowski
33. How Has Atheism Related to Communism? Atko Remmel
34. Is Contemporary Atheism Leaning Politically to the Right or the Left? Stuart McAnulla
35. Is It Possible for an Atheist to Become a President or a Prime Minister? Stuart McAnulla
36. Do Laws About Religion Take Atheism into Account? Lori Beaman
37. Why Do Some Atheists Want to Convert Others? Steven Kettell
38. Is There Discrimination Against Atheists? Ryan Cragun
39. What Do Religious People Think of Atheists? Petra Klug
40. Why Do Some Atheists Remain Members of Religious Groups? Isabella Kasselstrand
41. How Are Atheists Organized? Richard Cimino, Christopher Smith
42. Are Atheist Activists Mostly Men? Richard Cimino, Christopher Smith
43. Do Atheists and Feminists Support Each Other? Tiina Mahlamäki
44. How Are Atheists Represented in the Media? Teemu Taira
45. What Is the Historical Role of Atheism in Literature and the Arts? James Bryant Reeves
46. Is Atheism Visible in Popular Culture? Teemu Taira
Beliefs, Values and Practices
47. Are Children Born Atheist? Andrew Atkinson, Thomas Coleman III
48. Do Atheist Parents Have Atheist Children? Christel Manning
49. How Does One Become an Atheist? Julia Martínez-Ariño
50. How Do Atheists Reason That God Does Not Exist? Aku Visala
51. How Do Atheists Deal with the Problem of Evil? Sami Pihlström
52. How Do Atheists Cope with Mortality? Jacob Sawyer
53. Where Do Atheists Get Their Values? Kyle Thompson
54. Do Atheists Have Beliefs in Supernatural Phenomena? Jonathan Lanman
55. Do Atheists Have Religious Experiences? Abby Day
56. Do Atheists Have Sacred Scripture? Ethan Quillen
57. Do Atheists Have Rituals? Richard Cimino, Christopher Smith
58. Can an Atheist Be Spiritual? Atko Remmel
59. Are Atheists Immoral? Kyle Thompson
60. Are Atheists Intolerant? Filip Užarević
61. Do Atheists Value Some Religions More Than Other Religions? Joel Thiessen, Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme
62. What Do Atheists Value in Religion, If Anything? Teemu Taira
63. Is Atheism Good for Your Health? Kevin McCaffree, Anondah Saide
Future
64. What is the Future of Atheism? Teemu Taira
End Matter
Index Teemu Taira