Synopses & Reviews
In the opinion of many critics and philosophers, we are entering an age of atheism marked by the waning of Christian fundamentalism and the flourishing of secular thought. Through alphabetically arranged entries written by expert contributors, this book profiles 27 iconic figures of unbelief whose ideas have shaped American society over the last 200 years. Included are entries on influential figures of the past, such as Albert Einstein and Voltaire, as well as on such contemporary figures as Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris. Each entry discusses the ideas and lasting significance of each person or group, provides sidebars of interesting information and illuminating quotations, and cites works for further reading. The volume closes with a selected, general bibliography. Students in social studies and history classes will welcome this reference as a guide to the ideas central to the American separation of Church and State and to many of the political debates at the heart of society today.
Each entry discusses the ideas and lasting significance of the person or group, provides sidebars of interesting information and quotations, and closes with a list of works for further reading. The volume ends with a selected, general bibliography. Students in history and social studies classes will welcome this reference as a guide to the American separation of Church and State and to the ideas central to contemporary political debates.
Review
"This biographical collection offers in-depth, essay-format profiles of 27 iconic figures of 'unbelief,' intellectuals who have advocated for atheism, agnosticism, or secularism, from the historical . . . to the contemporary. . . This is an excellent starting point for research and paper writing, but the casual reader will find the book engaging as well. This reviewer was caught up in the content and found the profiles to be well written, clearly presented, and very informative. . . . This set is recommended for public, high school, and academic libraries." - ARBA
Synopsis
Discusses the ideas and impact of 27 atheists, agnostics, and secularists whose ideas have shaped society over the last 200 years.
In the opinion of many critics and philosophers, we are entering an age of atheism marked by the waning of Christian fundamentalism and the flourishing of secular thought. Through alphabetically arranged entries written by expert contributors, this book profiles 27 iconic figures of unbelief whose ideas have shaped American society over the last 200 years. Included are entries on influential figures of the past, such as Albert Einstein and Voltaire, as well as on such contemporary figures as Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris. Each entry discusses the ideas and lasting significance of each person or group, provides sidebars of interesting information and illuminating quotations, and cites works for further reading. The volume closes with a selected, general bibliography. Students in social studies and history classes will welcome this reference as a guide to the ideas central to the American separation of Church and State and to many of the political debates at the heart of society today.
Each entry discusses the ideas and lasting significance of the person or group, provides sidebars of interesting information and quotations, and closes with a list of works for further reading. The volume ends with a selected, general bibliography. Students in history and social studies classes will welcome this reference as a guide to the American separation of Church and State and to the ideas central to contemporary political debates.
Synopsis
Discusses the ideas and impact of 27 atheists, agnostics, and secularists whose ideas have shaped society over the last 200 years.
Synopsis
Included are alphabetically arranged entries on 27 iconic figures of unbelief, such as:
Charles Bradlaugh
Richard Dawkins
Daniel C. Dennett
Albert Einstein
The Existentialists
The Founding Fathers
Sigmund Freud
Sam Harris
Robert G. Ingersoll
Friedrich Nietzsche
Madalyn Murray O'Hair
Mark Twain
Voltaire
Table of Contents
Preface
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Jenin Younes
Charles Bradlaugh, David Tribe
Richard Dawkins, Donald R. Burleson
Daniel C. Dennett, Richard Gillilan
John Dewey, John Shook
Albert Einstein, Mauro Murzi
The Existentialists, Max Deutscher
The Founding Fathers, Edd Doerr
Sigmund Freud, Kirk Bingaman
Sam Harris, Jenin Younes
Thomas Henry Huxley, Sherrie Lyons
Robert G. Ingersoll, Tom Flynn
Paul Kurtz, Bill Cooke
Corliss Lamont, Bill Cooke
H. P. Lovecraft, Robert M. Price
H. L. Mencken, S. T. Joshi
John Stuart Mill, S. T. Joshi
Kai Nielsen, Bla Szabados and Andrew Lugg
Friedrich Nietzsche, Weaver Santaniello
Madalyn Murray OHair, Frank R. Zindler
The Philosophes, Wilda Anderson
Bertrand Russell, Keith M. Parsons
Carl Sagan, John Shook
Leslie Stephen, S. T. Joshi
Mark Twain, Richard Bleiler
Gore Vidal, S. T. Joshi
Voltaire, Jean-Claude Pecker
General Bibliography
About the Contributors